bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expanding Evolutionary Psychology: toward a Better Understanding of Violence and Aggression
Authors: Mysterud Iver , Poleszynski Dag Viljen
Published: April 2003

The “mainstream” evolutionary psychology model is currently under criticism from scientists of other persuasions wanting to expand the model or to make it more realistic in various ways. We argue that focusing on the environment as if it consisted only of social (or sociocultural) factors gives too limited a perspective if evolutionary approaches are to understand the behavior of modern humans. Taking the case of violence, we argue that numerous novel environmental factors of nutritional and physical-chemical origin should be considered as relevant proximate factors. The common thesis presented here is that several aspects of the biotic or abiotic environment are able to change brain chemistry, thus predisposing individuals to violence and aggression in given contexts. In the past, aggressive behavior has had a number of useful functions that were of particular importance to our ancestors' survival and reproduction. However, some of the conditions in our novel environment, which either lowered the threshold for aggression or released such behavior in contexts which were adaptive in our evolutionary past, no longer apply. It is high time evolutionary approaches to violence are expanded to include the possibilities that violence may be triggered by nutritionally depleted foods, reactive hypoglycemia caused by habitual intake of foods with a high glycemic index (GI), food allergies/intolerances and exposure to new environmental toxins (heavy metals, synthetic poisons).
A Political Identity of the Europeans?
Authors: Cerutti Furio
Published: April 2003

The peaceful and democratic integration of the European countries cannot be completed if the EU does not become a true, though not-federal, polity. Making the European institutions fully legitimate and accountable requires the development of political identity in a shape which is different from both national and cultural identity and is not merely opposite to diversity and change. Its contents can be seen in a specific set of constitutional values and principles, including a model of social relations, an international standing and a peculiar and unprecedented system of governance. Identity-formation in the EU goes through several channels, but has still to generate a European public sphere, though the source of this difficulty does not lie in the lack of a European people or demos.
Some Take the Glass Escalator, Some Hit the Glass Ceiling?
Authors: Hultin Mia
Published: April 2003

Results from analyses of a large Swedish longitudinal data set suggest that men who work in typically female occupations have substantially better internal promotion chances than have equally qualified women in such occupations. This finding is compatible with the idea that a socalled glass escalator takes underrepresented men on an upwardly mobile internal career path at a speed that their female colleagues can hardly enjoy. Furthermore, the results indicate that men and women have equal internal career chances in male-dominated occupations. Hence, the common assumption that obstacles to women’s internal career growth are especially severe in male-dominated fields of work obtains no support.
Identification of Sample Preparation Defects in Automated Topological Characterization of Composite Materials
Authors: Barwick S. C. , Papathanasiou T. D.
Published: April 2003

Large Area Automated Microscopy, which involves the capturing and montaging of thousands of digital image frames to create one seamless picture of large-area specimens, is increasingly being used to identify and quantify meso-structural topological features in composite materials. In this work we describe the usage of a geometrical descriptor, namely the symmetry ratio (Sr), to isolate and filter out fiber fragments from optical micrographs of cross-sections of pultruded rods reinforced with continuous carbon fibers. Damaged fibers are present in such images as a result of sample preparation and can easily be mistaken for either ‘‘small’’ fibers or ‘‘misaligned’’ fibers by typical image analysis software. Elimination of such defects removes a small but potentially misleading bimodality from the size histogram of the fiber population.
Free Vibration Analysis of Composite Right Angle Triangular Plate Using a Shear Flexible Element
Authors: Haldar S. , Sengupta D. , Sheikh A. H.
Published: April 2003

A high precision triangular plate bending element proposed by the second author of this paper has been upgraded for the free vibration analysis of laminated composite right angle triangular plates. The effect of shear deformation has been incorporated. An efficient mass lumping scheme with rotary inertia has been recommended. Numerical examples of composite triangular plates having different thickness ratios, side ratios, fibre-orientations, number of layers and boundary conditions have been solved by this element. For validation of the present formulation and element few results on isotropic and orthotropic plates have been compared with those obtained from literatures. The results on composite plates have been presented as new results.
Testing and Evaluation of Components for a Composite Bridge Deck
Authors: Kumar Prakash , Chandrashekhara K. , Nanni Antonio
Published: April 2003

In this paper the results of an experimental investigation conducted on 76 mm (3 in) square hollow pultruded glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tubes and their assemblies have been discussed. These GFRP tubes are used in the fabrication of an all-composite bridge deck that is designed for H-20 truckloads as specified by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The study is principally focused on the experimental characterization of flexure performance under static loading of pultruded GFRP tubes made of unidirectional glass fibers. Several tests were conducted on single GFRP tubes followed by combinations of two tubes and a four-layered tube assembly. The tubes were bonded together using epoxy adhesive to build the assembly. The specimen details, experimental setup and instrumentation, testing procedure, failure modes and the test results of these experiments have been discussed in detail. A preliminary design model of each test coupon was developed and analyzed using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Experiments were conducted to corroborate the analytical design model. Comparison between the theoretical and experimental results showed good correlation. Experimental results show excellent linear elastic flexural and shear behavior up to failure. The stiffness of the tubes and their assemblies demonstrate that they can be used in the building of all-composite bridge decks and for other infrastructure applications. Failure modes for the samples under static flexural loads are described.
Non-Linear Thermal Buckling for Local Delamination Near the Surface of Laminated Plates
Authors: Wang X. , Su D. , Lu G. , Wang C.
Published: April 2003

An investigation is carried out to understand the non-linear thermal buckling behaviour of local delamination near the surface of fiber reinforced laminated plates. The shape of the delaminated region considered is rectangular, elliptic or triangular. The mechanical properties and the thermal expansion coefficient of the fiber material are treated as a function of temperature, which leads to the force in the middle plane of the laminated plates a non-linear function of temperature. The critical temperatures of laminated plates with variously shaped local delamination and different stacking patterns are obtained by making use of the energy principle. It has been found that linear solutions of the critical buckling temperature give a higher value than that from non-linear consideration.
The Effect of a Wall Mural on Decreasing Four Types of Door-Testing Behaviors
Authors: Kincaid Cynthia , Peacock James R.
Published: April 2003

This study examined the effect that a wall mural painted over an exit door had on decreasing door-testing behaviors of residents with dementia. Twelve residents who tested the doors regularly were observed over a 12-week period. The frequency of four types of door-testing behaviors before and after the wall mural installation was explored. A significant decrease in overall door-testing behavior and a significant decrease in two of four distinct behavior types occurred. The findings support the idea that by disguising the door with a wall mural, door-testing behaviors are reduced. Wall murals can be an effective way of cueing residents away from a situation that may evoke agitation and a situation of potential harm and litigation.
Developments in Federal Whistleblower Protection Laws
Authors: Lindquist Stefanie A.
Published: April 2003

This brief highlights several important developments in the area of whistleblower protection law. In particular, the brief describes the significance for whistleblowers of new federal laws enacted in 2002, including the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act, the Corporate Fraud and Accountability Act, and the Homeland Security Act.
By the Numbers: Measuring Community Development Corporations' Capacity
Authors: Glickman Norman J. , Servon Lisa J.
Published: April 2003

Community development corporations (CDCs) attempt to build capacity-that is, the ability to carry out their functions more effectively-in a variety of ways. In previous research, the authors defined five categories of capacity (resource, organizational, networking, programmatic, and political). In this article, they take on the difficult task of measuring the amorphous concept of capacity building. They look specifically at the relationship between community development partnerships, local intermediaries funded in part by the Ford Foundation to support community development, and CDCs' capacity-building efforts. Their survey of 219 CDCs allows them to provide a detailed estimation of capacity of CDCs in twenty cities.
Planning Theory in Our Own Backyard
Authors: Willson Richard
Published: April 2003

This article explores the procedural implications of communicative action, using academic governance as a planning problem. It examines the organizational context of academic departments, critiques the academic governance literature, and explains the tenets of communicative action. Focusing on process design, collaborative deliberation, and implementation for a curriculum planning case study, the article illustrates how a communicative action approach can be used for effective and transformative academic planning and leadership.
The Effects of Generational Status on the Work Attitudes of Mexican Americans
Authors: Weaver Charles N.
Published: April 2003

Responses to 22 surveys representative of the U.S. labor force were used to examine intergenerational differences in seven work attitudes among first-(n = 99), second-( n = 49), and third-generation (n = 26) Mexican Americans and European Americans (n = 11,085). There were only minor differences between the work attitudes of first-generation Mexican Americans and the larger population,and by the second generation,differenceswere virtually nonexistent. The lack of differences may be related to the immigration policies of the United States. The findings add to the accumulating evidence that the work attitudes of Mexican Americans are not meaningfully different from those of the larger population.
Maternal Teaching Talk within Families of Mexican Descent: Influences of Task and Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Eisenberg Ann R.
Published: April 2003

This study examined the influences of socioeconomic status (SES) and task on teaching interactions between mothers and children of Mexican descent. Twenty middle-class and 20 working-class mothers and their 4-year-old children were audiotaped during interaction in a school-type construction task (block building) and a homelike construction task (baking biscuits). There were significant effects of task and SES for both mothers’ and children’s behavior. Mothers asked more questions during block building but discussed more complex concepts during baking. Children asked more questions and discussed more complex concepts in baking than in block building. Middle-class mothers discussed more complex concepts than did working-class mothers, but working-class children were more directive and asked more questions than did middle-class children. The results suggest that future studies of parent-child conversation within families of Mexican descent should consider children’s contributions to the learning environment and should examine interaction in a greater variety of tasks.
Latino Cultural Differences in Maternal Assessments of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms in Children
Authors: Schmitz Mark F. , Velez Maricruz
Published: April 2003

Many aspects of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are likely influenced by culture, particularly the differences in perceptions of child behavior and the demands of the environment in homes, schools, and communities of people from different ethnic and cultural groups. In particular, ADHD-related behaviors must be understood within the context of cultural environments and expectations. This study examined differences in parental evaluations of ADHD-related child behaviors in the following three Latino ethnic populations: Mexican ( n = 81), Mexican American ( n = 179), and Puerto Rican ( n = 60). Overall, results indicate an important role for acculturation in mothers’ perceptions of ADHD-related behaviors but only in the measures of hyperactivity and not in the attention deficit aspects of the disorder. Mothers from different Latino cultures and at different levels of acculturation differentially assess specific symptoms of ADHD, indicating the need for careful reassessment of the validity of the disorder for Latino families.
Adult Meaning Making In The Undergraduate Classroom
Authors: Kasworm Carol
Published: April 2003

This study explores adult undergraduate beliefs about their construction of knowledge in the class-room and the relationships between such knowledge and their adult roles outside the classroom. Five belief structures, called “knowledge voices,” were delineated from interviews with 90 adult students. These belief structures included the entry voice, the outside voice, the cynical voice, the straddling voice, and the inclusion voice. Each of these five knowledge voices suggests a particular construction of the adult student learning world, perceptions of knowledge, and understandings of relationships between the collegiate classroom and the adult learners’ worlds of work, family, self, and community.
Challenging White Privilege In Adult Education: A Critical Review Of The Literature
Authors: Manglitz Elaine
Published: April 2003

The article synthesizes and critiques the social science, education, and adult education literature related to the examination of Whiteness and White privilege and offers recommendations for the field of adult education. By examining the historically changing nature of Whiteness, the major themes in this literature are discussed, along with the relevance of these themes for adult education research and practice. In reviewing the current efforts to name and challenge White privilege, the article provides recommendations for moving beyond naming and critiquing White privilege and racism in the field of adult education to challenging and transforming their impact.
Identity as a Mediator of Institutional Integration Variables in the Prediction of Undergraduate Persistence Intentions
Authors: Robinson Thomas N.
Published: April 2003

This investigation tested the hypothesis that the developmental variable identity mediates the effects of the institutional integration variables academic and social integration in the prediction of undergraduate students’ persistence intentions. Long-term (persistence in higher education: PHE) and short-term (persistence at the institution: PAI) persistence intentions served as the criterion variables. The hypothesis was tested for the overall sample (N = 182) in which separate block hierarchical analyses were conducted in predicting PHE and PAI. Results generally confirmed the hypothesis, consistent with Eriksonian theory, in that identity mediated the impact of academic integration in the prediction of PAI and was the only predictor to exert a significant effect on PHE. Results are discussed in the context of the importance of considering developmental variables such as identity to enhance models predicting undergraduate persistence.
Restoration of Self-Sustained Circadian Rhythmicity by the Mutant Clock Allele in Mice in Constant Illumination
Authors: Spoelstra K. , Oklejewicz M. , Daan S.
Published: April 2003

Mice mutant for the Clock gene display abnormal circadian behavior characterized by long circadian periods and a tendency to become rapidly arrhythmic in constant darkness (DD). To investigate whether this result is contingent on the absence of light, the authors studied the circadian behavior of homozygous Clock mutant mice under conditions of both constant light and DD. Fourteen of 15 Clock/Clock mice stayed rhythmic in constant light of 70 to 170 lux, where 10 of 15 wild-type mice became arrhythmic. In contrast, only 5 of 15 Clock/ Clock mice and 15 of 15 wild-type mice remained rhythmic after 60 cycles when released in DD (dim red light of < 1.5 lux) after 8 days of entrainment. The restoration of self-sustained rhythmicity by the Clock allele cannot be attributed to reduced sensitivity of the system to light. It underscores the fact that self-sustainment is not a secure guide to functional organization.
Awakening to the Behavioral Analysis of Sleep in Drosophila
Authors: Shaw Paul
Published: April 2003

Perhaps the most observable of the many circadian oscillations that have been described in both vertebrate and invertebrate animals is the daily alterations in periods of rest and activity. Recent studies in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster suggest that these periods of inactivity are not simply rest but share many of the fundamental components that define mammalian sleep. Thus, quiescent episodes are characterized by reduced awareness of the environment and are homeostatically regulated. Although this field is in its infancy, recent studies have focused on the interaction between circadian and homeostatic processes. These results indicate that components of the circadian clock may play a substantial role in mechanisms underlying sleep homeostasis at the molecular level. In this article, the author reviews recent advances obtained using Drosophila as a model system to elucidate fundamental components of sleep regulation.
Gender Dimorphism in the Role of cycle (BMAL1) in Rest, Rest Regulation, and Longevity in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Hendricks Joan C. , Lu Sumei , Kume Kazuhiko , Yin Jerry C.-P. , Yang Zhaohai , Sehgal Amita
Published: April 2003

The central clock is generally thought to provide timing information for rest/activity but not to otherwise participate in regulation of these states. To test the hypothesis that genes that are components of the molecular clock also regulate rest, the authors quantified the duration and intensity of consolidated rest and activity for the four viable Drosophila mutations of the central clock that lead to arrhythmic locomotor behavior and for the pdf mutant that lacks pigment dispersing factor, an output neuropeptide. Only the cycle ( cyc0¹) and Clock ( ClkJrk) mutants had abnormalities that mapped to the mutant locus, namely, decreased consolidated rest and grossly extended periods of activity. All mutants with the exception of the cyc0¹ fly exhibited a qualitatively normal compensatory rebound after rest deprivation. This abnormal response in cyc0¹ was sexually dimorphic, being reduced or absent in males and exaggerated in females. Finally, the cyc0¹ mutation shortened the life span of male flies. These data indicate that cycle regulates rest and life span in male Drosophila.
Serum Protein Absorption on Silk Fibroin Fibers and Films: Surface Opsonization and Binding Strength
Authors: Motta Antonella , Migliaresi Claudio , Lloyd Andrew W. , Denyer Stephen P. , Santin Matteo
Published: April 2003

Fibroin, the core of the silk filament protein, has been proposed as a biomaterial for different biomedical applications since it can be engineered as a thread, fabric or film. Infrared spectroscopy suggests that the dissolution of the fibroin filaments and subsequent casting of the fibroin solution into films followed by treatment with methanol alters the protein structure leading to an increase in amorphous domains. The adsorption ofserum proteins on fabrics and films showed different hydrophobic binding strengths for the two materials with the protein binding being greatest for the more hydrophobic fibroin fibers. Differences between the materials were also observed in the adsorption of key immunoproteins. Although the C3 fragment of the complement system was adsorbed on both the surfaces, it appeared to be activated preferentially on the fibroin films and not on the fibroin fibers, whereas the Bb and C1q factors were only significantly present on the fibroin fabric. IgG appeared to be adsorbed, although to different extents, on both types of fibroin substrates. These results suggest that the biocompatibility of the silk fibroin may be affected by changes in protein structure induced by processing the material.
Electrochemically Controlled Binding and Release of Dexamethasone from Conducting Polymer Bilayer Films
Authors: Massoumi B. , Entezami A.
Published: April 2003

Conducting polymer bilayer films containing polypyrrole/dexamethasone sodium phosphate as an inner film and poly(N-methylpyrrole)/polystyrenesulfonate or self-doped polyanilinesulfonate as an outer film were prepared by electrochemical and chemical methods. The controlled release of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DMP) from the inner film was carried out by applying a cathodic potential. The amount of DMP released was investigated by UV–Vis spectrophotometry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. Repeatedly DMP was reincorporated into the inner film, by applying an anodic potential, and then released. The results show that the outer film can act as a barrier to ion and solvent transport between the inner film and the electrolyte which provided a more balanced counter-directional movement of the anions.
Capturing the Complexity of Women’s Experiences: A Mixed-Method Approach to Studying Incontinence in Older Women
Authors: Shapiro Margaret , Setterlund Deborah , Cragg Carole
Published: April 2003

Capturing the voices of women when the issue is of a sensitive nature has been a major concern of feminist researchers. It has often been argued that interpretive methods are the most appropriate way to collect such information, but there are other appropriate ways to approach the design of research. This article explores the use of a mixed-method approach to collect data on incontinence in older women and argues for the use of a variety of creative approaches to collect and analyze data.
Childhood Unwanted Sexual Attention and Young Women's Present Self-Concept
Authors: Whealin Julia M. , Jackson Joan L.
Published: April 2003

Recent studies indicate that children receive considerable amounts of unwanted attention to their sexuality and appearance. This investigation explored the association between childhood unwanted sexual attention (UWSA) and current self-concept in 448 young women. The frequency of childhood UWSA was associated with poorer academic self-esteem, physical appearance self-esteem, global self-esteem, body image, and body anxiety, after controlling for child sexual abuse. Next, the role of negative emotional reactions to UWSA was explored as a potential moderator between UWSA and impact. It was hypothesized that stronger negative reactions to UWSA would increase the relationship between UWSA and poor self-concept. However, results did not support the moderating role of emotional reactions for the majority of self-concept scores. Overall findings suggest that the objective experience of childhood UWSA is damaging to women's self-esteem and body image, regardless of the subjective reactions women have to the behaviors.
Marital Power, Conflict, Norm Consensus, and Marital Violence in a Nationally Representative Sample of Korean Couples
Authors: Kim Jae-Yop , Emery Clifton
Published: April 2003

This study replicates Coleman and Straus’s 1990 U.S. research, analyzing the relationships between marital power, conflict, norm consensus, and domestic violence in a national random sample of the population of South Korea. There were about 1,500 participants. Using the Conflict Tactics Scale to measure domestic violence between husbands and wives, the study found that, as in the United States, all three variables are correlated with domestic violence. Marital power and conflict in particular were strongly correlated with violence. Because a male dominant marital power structure was highly correlated with husband-to-wife violence, the study concludes that all possible efforts must be made to encourage and induce the formation of egalitarian marital organization, which is negatively correlated with violence.
Animal Abuse and Exposure to Interparental Violence in Italian Youth
Authors: Baldry Anna C.
Published: April 2003

Abuse against animals is an indicator of children’s maladjustment associated with domestic violence. This study empirically assesses the effects of exposure to interparental violence on animal abuse in 1,392 Italian youth aged 9 to 17. Results indicate that half of all youth ever abused animals, with boys more often involved than girls. Almost half of the whole sample has been exposed to violence by fathers against mothers or by mothers against fathers, with no gender differences. Results are in line with the social learning theory model, indicating that the strongest predicting variable for animal abuse is exposure to violence against animals by peers and by mothers. The only-exposed group is more negatively affected by parental violence against the animal; the abuse-exposed group is more negatively influenced by mothers’ violence against animals and fathers. Results are critically discussed with a focus on plausible intervention strategies.
Defining the Boundaries of Child Neglect
Authors: Kantor Glenda Kaufman , Little Liza
Published: April 2003

Child maltreatment does not exist in isolation from other forms of family violence. Notably, research supports the connection between wife abuse and child maltreatment, and research on the possible consequences to children exposed to domestic violence has influenced a redefinition of child maltreatment legislation and policy. Recently, some states have considered and passed legislation making witnessing of domestic violence, per se, a form of criminal child abuse. This article explores conceptual discontinuities in official definitions of child maltreatment in relation to domestic violence failure to protect matters by drawing on data from legislative reviews, child protective services, and individual-level definitions. Implications for policy, practice, and research are addressed.
The Co-Occurrence of Husband-to-Wife Aggression, Family-of-Origin Aggression, and Child Abuse Potential in a Community Sample
Authors: Margolin Gayla , Gordis Elana B. , Medina Anna Marie , Oliver Pamella H.
Published: April 2003

Despite considerable research on the effects of husband-to-wife aggression, family-of-origin aggression, and child abuse potential, information is limited regarding the co-occurrence of these three family aggression factors and their impact on specific positive and negative dimensions of parenting. This article examines the separate and additive influences of these family aggression variables on mothers’ and fathers’ parenting in two samples of community families. Co-occurrence rates for husband-to-wife aggression and family-of-origin aggression range from 9% to 12%. Co-occurrence rates for husband-to-wife aggression and child abuse potential range from 6% to 14%, with correlations ranging from .25 to .48. Husband-to-wife aggression is associated with several categories of disrupted parenting. Comparisons of parents with zero, one, or two to three of the family aggression risk variables reveal significant group differences, particularly in parents’ discipline control strategies. The discussion addresses the importance of assessing multiple family aggression factors and the implications for intervention and prevention.
Understanding Child Abuse and Violence Against Women
Authors: Williams Linda M.
Published: April 2003

Although the past 20 years have seen many advances in understanding the etiology and the consequences of child abuse and violence against women, most research has taken a fairly narrow focus. Different types of abuse have been studied, often in isolation. This article asserts that a life course perspective on family violence is needed and that such an approach bolsters arguments for methods and practice that pay attention to the overlap of multiple types of violence. To develop appropriate prevention programs and interventions for women, children, and families, we must draw out the connections between types of violence (physical, sexual, child, partner), between violence at different stages of the life course, and between different patterns of abuse (sporadic, cyclical). This article discusses these ideas and makes recommendations for research and practice.
An fMRI Investigation of Hand Representation in Paraplegic Humans
Authors: Turner Jessica A. , Lee Jae S. , Schandler Steven L. , Cohen Michael J.
Published: April 2003

Objective. Cortical reorganization can occur after deafferentation due to loss of a limb, but the nature of the cortical reorganization after spinal cord injury (SCI) is still in debate. Methods. Using a 1.5T MRI, we scanned paraplegic and noninjured participants during hand movement and palm stimulation, to determine whether long-term paraplegics would show different patterns of cortical activity from the noninjured participants. Results. The SCI group showed stronger activation in areas posterior, rather than superior, to the areas activated by non-SCIs. Conversely, the non-SCIs showed stronger activation in more anterior areas. The signal at each individual's maximally significant voxel had a greater modulation for the SCI group than for the non-SCIs, in response to movement. Conclusions. In this study of sensory and motor representations within the same subjects, the authors show for the first time the increase in the BOLD fMRI signal modulation in SCI. The authors do not find evidence of expansion of the hand representation into nearby cortical areas, and they corroborate previous EEG studies indicating a posterior shift for hand motor representation after SCI, while showing that the sensory representation does not undergo a posterior shift of similar magnitude. The difference between the reorganization found here and the reorganization typically found following amputations suggests a rationale for the differences in neuropathic pain symptoms following a spinal cord injury or amputation.
Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Barnes M. P. , Kent R. M. , Semlyen J. K. , McMullen K. M.
Published: April 2003

The objective of this article is to establish the prevalence of spasticity in a random selection of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in the Northeast of England. A secondary aim was to assess the adequacy of current pharmacological intervention for spasticity and assess the relationship between spasticity and overall disability. The study design was a simple comparison that examined differences in functional independence in 2 random groups of people with MS subdivided by the presence of clinically significant spasticity. A total of 68 adults with a diagnosis of clinically definite MS were included in the study. Their level of functional independence was assessed using the Newcastle Independence Assessment Form (NIAF), the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and the Kurtzke Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Spasticity was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale. A subjective analysis was made of the appropriateness of oral antispastic medication by a rehabilitation physician. Thirty-two people (47%) had clinically significant spasticity (Modified Ashworth Score of 2, 3, or 4). Seventy-eight percent of the population were receiving some oral antispastic medication, but 50% were deemed to require some drug adjustment or additional treatment. Individuals with spasticity were found to have significantly higher levels of disability than those who had no spasticity or clinically insignificant spasticity. This study has confirmed that spasticity is highly prevalent in the MS population and is significantly associated with a reduced level of functional independence. Treatment of spasticity is suboptimal in a large proportion of the population, and the need for further information and education to health professionals and to people with MS is highlighted.
Kinematic Adaptations of Spinal Cord-Injured Subjects during Obstructed Walking
Authors: Ladouceur Michel , Barbeau Hugues , McFadyen Bradford J.
Published: April 2003

Study Design. A case-control study of walking over obstacles. Objective. To characterize and compare the kinematic, anticipatory locomotor adjustments used by people with incomplete spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Methods. The angular and linear kinematics of the lower limb when going over obstacles of low height (0.005 and 0.030 m) were compared between SCI subjects ( n = 6) and able-bodied participants ( n = 5). Results. The results of this study show that even though SCI participants could adapt their kinematic patterns to go over obstacles, none of the participants used kinematic strategies similar to those of able-bodied participants. Conclusions. This difference could be explained in part by the absence in the SCI participants of increased hip flexion when going over the obstacles. Other confounding factors are discussed.
Memory Circles
Authors: RICH MARC D.
Published: April 2003

Each summer, Camp Anuenue is in session. Billed as an opportunity for young people with cancer to have a “normal” camping experience, this camp provides a sense of community and a needed break from hospital stays. Despite increasing survival rates for young people with cancer, a number of children and teenagers die each year. However, because Camp Anuenue is designed as a place to have fun, discussions of death and dying are often marginalized. Following a social drama and outpouring of communal grief in 1992, camp administrators implemented a grieving ritual. During the next four years, there was a struggle regarding where and how grief should be enacted. As the objective of the ritual gradually shifted from communal grieving to sharing favorite moments from camp, young people found more informal and individual ways of processing grief.
The Challenge of Self-sufficiency
Authors: NELSON MARGARET K.
Published: April 2003

Drawing on interviews conducted with fifty-one single mothers in a rural state, this article explores how women who rely on state assistance sustain a belief in their own self-worth. The article first shows that single mothers hold firmly to the value of self-sufficiency. It then shows that they can hold to that value because they believe that their welfare reliance is different from that of other women and because they redefine independence to allow for acts that might normally be understood to challenge that norm. The findings are compared to those in other studies that cover some of the same issues. The discussion draws on three levels of context for interpreting the findings: the current discourse concerning single mothers and, more specifically, welfare recipients; the client stance that develops among those who deal with bureaucracies; and, finally, the interview situation itself.
Constructing the Service-worthy Homeless Through Narrative Editing
Authors: MARVASTI AMIR B.
Published: April 2003

Using data from participant observations, shelter documents, and intake interviews, this article examines the social construction of service-worthy clients at an emergency shelter for the homeless. The concepts of narrative editing and client work are applied to underscore how staff-client interactions lead to organizationally useful accounts of homelessness. Analysis of the data reveals four narrative editing styles: collaborative, directive, confrontational, and dismissive. These findings empirically demonstrate variations in how service worthiness is achieved, or denied. It is argued that the homeless profile is not unilaterally and uniformly dictated by institutional agents. Rather, under the organizational auspices of the shelter, clients and staff are jointly involved in constructing the local relevance of homelessness.
The Savings and Credit Management of Low-Income, Low-Wealth Black and White Families
Authors: Bradford William D.
Published: April 2003

The greater reluctance of low-income, low-wealth Black families to use checking and savings accounts than of low-income, low-wealth White families is only partially explained by regression models that consider a wide array of demographic variables. The greater reluctance impedes Black families from getting the benefits of participating in financial markets. Moreover, the success of low-income, low-wealth Black families in managing credit is not found to differ from that of low-income, low-wealth White families. But the Black families owe less credit card and other noncollateralized debt than do the White families, implying either that Black families have a lower demand for such debt or that lenders are biased against them. Black families are less likely to achieve wealth increases than are White families because of differences in labor income and, to a lesser degree, gifts and inheritances. This has implications for the continued wealth disparity between Black Americans and White Americans.
Why Households Don’t Have Checking Accounts
Authors: Hogarth Jeanne M. , Anguelov Chris E. , Lee Jinkook
Published: April 2003

Using the Surveys of Consumer Finances from 1992 to 1998, this article explores the reasons for not having a checking account, including product design, human capital, motivation for having a checking account, and institutional factors. Focusing primarily on reasons related to product design, we found that smaller family units, unemployed people, those with shorter planning horizons, older people, families with higher levels of education, those who have some other bank account, and those with better credit histories were more likely to give reasons related to product design than were their counterparts. Reasons for not having an account have changed over time, shifting away from product design factors toward other reasons. We suggest potential responses for firms, community educators, and policy makers.
Income, Institutions, and Saving Performance in Individual Development Accounts
Authors: Sherraden Michael , Schreiner Mark , Beverly Sondra
Published: April 2003

This article examines the relationship between income and saving performance in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). The authors first discuss theories of saving. Next, for IDA participants in the American Dream Demonstration (ADD), they look at income sources and distribution, followed by tabulations of income and IDA savings outcomes. Following this, the article discusses results from regression analyses on IDA savings outcomes. It was found that the IDA savings amount did not increase with income and that the IDA saving rate decreased with income. Although the data do not reveal exactly what caused this, the authors believe that institutional factors in IDA programs played an important role.
The Only Child and Educational Opportunity for Girls in Urban China
Authors: TSUI MING , RICH LYNNE
Published: April 2003

Using data from the authors' 1998-99 survey of 1,040 eighth graders in Wuhan, China, this study explores the differences between single-girl and single-boy families with regard to parental expectation and investment in children's education, children's own educational aspirations, and mathematics performance. The authors found that contrary to the known intrafamily discrimination against girls common among families of pre-one-child generations and still common among contemporary rural families with more than one child, there are no gender differences related to education between single-girl and single-boy families in modern urban China. The authors found equally high educational aspirations and similar mathematical performance for male and female only children. They suggest that this gender equality in education is an unintended consequence of the one-child-per-family policy and that under China's current social and economic conditions, girls are better off living in one-child families in the big cities of modern China.
Women's Collective Identity Formation in Sports
Authors: PELAK CYNTHIA FABRIZIO
Published: April 2003

This research examines the emergence and development of a women's collegiate ice hockey club at a large university in the midwestern United States during the 1990s. The aim of this article is to assess the role that collective action plays in contesting sexist structures and practices within a traditionally male-dominated institution. This article draws on collective identity theory, as articulated in the social movement literature, to understand the process by which perceived injustices at an ice rink are translated into collective action on the part of a women's ice hockey club. The findings, based on fieldwork and interviews, demonstrate that the club's collective identity as a legitimate ice hockey organization was an important factor in the women's successful challenge of exclusionary practices at a university ice rink.
Giving Birth Like A Girl
Authors: Martin Karin A.
Published: April 2003

Relational, selfless, caring, polite, nice, and kind are not how we imagine a woman giving birth in U.S. culture. Rather, we picture her as screaming, yelling, self-centered, and demanding drugs or occasionally as numbed and passive from pain-killing medication. Using in-depth interviews with women about their labor and childbirth, the author presents data to suggest that white, middle-class, heterosexual women often worry about being nice, polite, kind, and selfless in their interactions during labor and childbirth. This finding is important not only because it contradicts the dominant cultural image of the birthing woman but because it reveals that an internalized sense of gender plays a role in disciplining women and their bodies during childbirth. The feminist sociological literatures on birth are concerned with how women and their bodies are controlled, yet they have overlooked this other dimension of control that is not institutional but is a product of how gender is internalized.
Maid Or Madam? Filipina Migrant Workers and the Continuity of Domestic Labor
Authors: Lan Pei-Chia
Published: April 2003

This article examines the complexity of feminized domestic labor in the context of global migration. I view unpaid household labor and paid domestic work not as dichotomous categories but as structural continuities across the public and private spheres. Based on a qualitative study of Filipina migrant domestic workers in Taiwan, I demonstrate how women travel through the maid/madam boundary—housewives in home countries become breadwinners by doing domestic work overseas, and foreign maids turn into foreign brides. While migrant women sell their domestic labor in the market, they remain burdened with gendered responsibilities in their own families. Their simultaneous occupancy of paid and unpaid domestic labor is segmented into distinct spatial settings. I underscore women’s agency by presenting how they articulate their paid and unpaid domestic labor and bargain with the monetary and emotional value of their labor.
Acid Violence And Medical Care In Bangladesh
Authors: Anwary Afroza
Published: April 2003

Acid attacks on women are increasing at alarming rates in Bangladesh, but the government has failed to provide medical care to the victims. Easily available sulfuric acid, which can mutilate a human face in moments, has emerged as a weapon used to disfigure a woman’s body. By the mid-1990s, activists had documented acid attacks, and urban protests were followed by demands for better medical care. I show how the interaction between local and international-level civil society organizations made international resources available to local feminist groups engaged in domestic social struggles and helped to improve medical care for acid victims of Bangladesh.
King’s Theory as Foundation for an Advance Directive Decision-Making Model
Authors: Goodwin ZellaJane , Kiehl Ermalynn M. , Peterson Janice Z.
Published: April 2003

This article discusses the utilization of King’s conceptual system, transaction process model, and theory of goal attainment as foundations for an advance directive decision-making model. Research has shown nurses may be educationally unprepared, experience conflicts between beliefs and actions, or resist the responsibility to address advance directives and end-of-life issues. Nurses, especially nurse practitioners providing primary care, are in positions to facilitate the process. By understanding and incorporating this model into practice, both the nurse and the client may achieve mutual goal attainment resulting in both increased client autonomy and Patient Self-Determination Act compliance.
Family Reflections on Living through Sudden Death of a Child
Authors: Picard Carol
Published: April 2003

The author describes a method of cooperative inquiry into a family’s experience of the sudden death of a child. Through the praxis method based on Newman’s health as expanding consciousness, family members had an opportunity, individually and together, to explore the impact of this experience on subsequent family life over three generations. Members were given transcripts of all dialogues for further reflection. All writings were shared with all family members. Both process and content of the inquiry will illustrate the shared and unique ways in which this loss was expressed over time. Implications of the mode of inquiry will be discussed.
Elastic-Plastic Damage Model for Composites Under High Intensity Loading
Authors: Naboulsi S. K. , Palazotto A. N.
Published: April 2003

A thermomicromechanical model of failure characterizing high energy impact is presented based on thermodynamic principles, i.e. using the balancing laws; the conservation of momentum and the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The micromechanical damage considered in the model are the tensile damage, the shear damage, and inter-phase discontinuity between the matrix and fiber of the composite. A homogenization technique is incorporated in the development to simplify the representation of the non-homogeneous material and to allow for the inclusion of a thermomicromechanical phenomenon in a composite lamina. The inelastic response is modeled using elastic-plastic constitutive relations. A summary of the equations for the thermomicromechanical model of failure is shown and a damage parameter D that characterizes the damage in the lamina based on energy dissipation is introduced. In order to demonstrate the model, the evolution of damage as a function of time is analyzed for a uniaxially loaded two-phase bar using various types of composites.
The Biobehavioral Effects of Gentle Human Touch on Preterm Infants
Authors: Modrcin-Talbott Mary Anne , Harrison Lynda Law , Groer Maureen W. , Younger Mary Sue
Published: April 2003

This study examined the physiological and behavioral effects of a gentle human touch nursing intervention on medically fragile preterm infants (27 to 32 weeks gestational age). The Roy adaptation model of nursing was the framework for the study. The results of this study suggest that the immediate and short-term effects of a gentle human touch nursing intervention were not aversive or stressful to preterm infants of 27 to 32 weeks gestational age; furthermore, the findings document several positive, beneficial behavioral effects of the intervention on preterm infants and indicate this type of touching may be appropriate for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.