bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Attitude to Volunteering in Psychiatry: Results of a Public Opinion Survey in Switzerland
Authors: Lauber Christoph , Nordt Carlos , Falcato Luis , Rössler Wulf
Published: April 2004

Background: The United Nations proclaimed 2001 the “international Year of Volunteers”. Little is known about factors influencing the attitude to volunteering in psychiatry. However, knowledge about these factors is important as target groups to be addressed by an awareness and promotion campaign could be identified.

Aims: To determine the influence of demographic, psychological and sociological factors on the attitude to volunteering in psychiatry.

Methods: Multiple logistic regression analysis of the results of opinion survey conducted on a representative population sample in Switzerland ( n = 1737).

Results: Public attitude is mostly positive. It depends, however, on the form of volunteering. Two explanatory models for volunteering in psychiatry were found: first, the “antipathetic person” having social distance to and negative stereotypes towards the mentally ill. Second, the “people with social responsibility and commitment” who have former experience in volunteering, a positive attitude to community psychiatry, interest in mass media, a social profession and perceive discrimination of mentally ill persons. Age and gender are significant predictors.

Conclusions: An awareness and promotion campaign to use the vast potential of people willing to volunteer in psychiatry can be primarily focused on those with a basic interest in social issues. Volunteering must be limited in time and responsibility. Contacting people with a positive attitude by mass media is a promising way.
An Exploration of Eating Disorders in a Georgian Sample
Authors: Tchanturia Kate , Katzman Melanie , Troop Nicholas A. , Treasure Janet
Published: April 2004

Background: There is debate as to whether eating disorders may be culture-bound. However, accumulating evidence suggests that eating disorders may be found outside of the West, although the precise form of the eating disorder may differ.

Aims: There were two aims of this study: (1) to translate and establish the psychometric properties of standard questionnaires to measure eating pathology in a Georgian sample; (2) to use these measures to determine whether cases of eating disorders exist in Georgia.

Methods: We held focus groups of various health professionals to establish how eating disorders present in Georgia and to identify groups perceived to be at high risk of having an eating disorder. We obtained translated versions of a number of standardized questionnaires (measuring eating and general psychopathology) from 245 women from these identified high risk groups and a subsample were given a structured clinical interview.

Results: We estimated from the responses to the questionnaires, that as many as 5% may have clinically significant bulimia nervosa, 7% fell in the weight range for anorexia nervosa with a further 7% in the weight range for obesity. We interviewed a sample of the high scoring group which confirmed the presence of clinically significant eating pathology in the majority of those identified as possible cases.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest there may be women in Georgia with significant eating problems.
Can Personality Predict Suicidality? A Study in Two Cultures
Authors: Abdel-Khalek Ahmed , Lester David
Published: April 2004

Kuwaiti (n = 460) and American (n = 273) undergraduates responded to seven questionnaires in Arabic and English, respectively. It was found that Kuwaiti students attained significantly higher total mean scores on ego-grasping orientation (anti-Taoist orientation), death obsession, pessimism, obsession-compulsion and anxiety scales than the American students, while the latter group had a significantly high mean score on an optimism scale. There were no significant differences between the groups in suicidal ideation. Almost all the Pearson inter-correlations between these scales were significant and positive, except that those between the scale scores and optimism scores were negative. The unrotated factor was bipolar, clear and high-loaded, labeled “Negative affect versus optimism”. Multiple regression revealed that the best predictors of suicidal ideation were pessimism, death obsession and anxiety in the Kuwaiti students, while they were optimism (negatively), anxiety, pessimism, death obsession and male sex in the American students, respectively. The other scales did not contribute significantly to the prediction of suicidal ideation.
A Comparison of Russian and British Attitudes towards Mental Health Problems in the Community
Authors: Shulman Natalia , Adams Bryan
Published: April 2004

Aims & Result: This study examines the differences in attitudes towards mental health problems of Russian and British communities. A specially developed questionnaire containing four vignettes conforming to specific DSM-IV diagnoses of common mental disorders (obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, depression and dementia) was given to 134 subjects. Additional questions aimed to identify different attitudes towards the mentally ill, public awareness of the possible causes of these disorders and the availability of potential help.

The comparisons were made in terms of national differences and demographic characteristics such as sex, age, education, marital status, children and familiarity with mental illness.

Conclusions: The study revealed that the British sample was significantly more tolerant than the Russian. The Russian participants were far less likely to identify dementia as a mental disorder. However, the British respondents chose medically related help significantly more than the Russians. Significant associations were observed between factors such as education and familiarity with mental illness and tolerance within the British group.

Various arguments are presented for the observed differences in terms of historic, political and cultural perspectives.
Social Disablement among residents of Hostels for the Homeless in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Lovisi Giovanni M. , Coutinho Evandro , Morgado Anastácio , Mann Anthony H.
Published: April 2004

Background: Knowledge of the extent of social disablement among homeless people is very useful for policy-makers and mental health professionals who are involved in the delivery of community-based care. As there are few studies of this issue in Brazil or other developing countries, a cross-sectional study was carried out among homeless people from the Rio de Janeiro (RJ) metropolitan area.

Method: Data were collected on a random sample of 330 residents in the five public hostels using the 21-items Social Behaviour Scale (SBS) and the Composite International Development Interview (CIDI).

Results: The mean age of the 330 people in the sample was 44.8, 75.8% of them were men, 78.9% were single, 79.2% unemployed. Ten percent of the 330 residents had more than five social behaviour problems, but 39.4% of them had no problem. Some 26.7% were scored as under-active, 23.0% with poor self-care, 13.3% with slowness, 12.7% with restlessness and 11.8% inappropriate social mixing. Those with schizophrenia were reported to have many more disabilities in almost all of the SBS areas. On the other hand, depression and hostility were more frequent in those with diagnoses of depression and substance abuse disorders. Women were more likely to be reported as having disablement than men, explained by their greater prevalence rate of schizophrenia.

Conclusions: In this population, social disablement was largely explained by those with schizophrenia. Active treatment strategies are needed for this group. Other residents had few behaviour problems, their most pressing problems come from their poor social circumstances.
New Experimental Data for Enthalpy of Reaction and Temperature- and Degree-of-Cure-Dependent Specific Heat and Thermal Conductivity of the Hercules 3501-6 Epoxy System
Authors: Chern Bih-Cherng , Moon Tess J. , Howell John R. , Tan Wiling
Published: April 2004

Measurements of enthalpy of reaction and temperature- and degree-of-cure-dependent specific heat and thermal conductivity are reported for a commercial epoxy resin system (Hercules 3501-6 resin). A Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) was used to determine heat of reaction and specific heat while the line source method was employed for thermal conductivity. The measured heat of reaction of 508±19J/g is compared with conflicting data previously reported by others. Specific heat is reported in the temperature range of 320–550 K and at degrees of cure 20, 40, 74 and 100%. Both raw data and polynomial curve fits are reported. Thermal conductivity is reported in the temperature range of 298–500 K and at degrees of cure 11.5, 51.2 and 100%. These data are found to be independent of degree of cure within experimental error over this range. The data are represented by

Ke = (0.202 + 6:122 × 10−3 T− 4:8107 × 10−5 T2 + 1.248 × 10−7 T3− 1.043 × 10−10 T4)(W/mK)

The fractional uncertainty (based on two standard deviations) of the measured enthalpy of reaction, specific heat and thermal conductivity is estimated to be less than ±3.7, ±5 and ±11.8%, respectively.
Variable Density Composite Systems Constructed by Metal Particle Modified Prepregs
Authors: Gilbert Eric N. , Hayes Brian S. , Seferis James C.
Published: April 2004

Recently, new product designs have been suggested where it is necessary to vary the density of a composite part. In an earlier work, it was shown that the specific gravity of a cured laminate based on carbon fiber prepreg could be tailored to these applications by modifying the polymeric matrix with fine metal powders of various densities. This follow up study focused on altering the density of composites by changing the concentration of iron particles as a matrix modifier in prepreg materials. Experiments were performed to determine prepreg tack, laminate morphology and laminate fracture toughness. It was found that increasing the density of the materials with different concentrations of iron particles did not adversely effect toughness or interlaminar shear strength, although prepreg handling characteristics suffered slightly.
Female Wardens: Results from a National Survey of State Correctional Executives
Authors: Kim Ahn-Shik , Devalve Michael , Devalve Elizabeth Quinn , Johnson W. Wesley
Published: April 2004

This study describes the current situation for female wardens by examining their attitudes toward inmate services, programs, and amenities survival; involvement with correctional staff; and identity as a supervisor through their political affiliations and punishment philosophies. Using Noddings’s “caring ethic,” this study sought to determine whether the historical inclusion of women in corrections has carried over to present time and has retained its reformist nature and whether the job of warden has become more gender-neutral. The results indicate that the differences between male and female wardens are few; those that did exist provided some support for the caring ethic and the retention of women’s roles in corrections as reformers.
Correctional Substance Abuse Treatment Programs in California: a Historical Perspective
Authors: Prendergast Michael L. , Wexler Harry K.
Published: April 2004

Since 1990, the correctional drug treatment system in California has become one of the largest in the nation. As part of the development of the initiative, California Department of Corrections has funded or supported several evaluations of these programs. As background to the articles in this special issue reporting on results from some of these evaluations, this article examines the decline and revival of rehabilitation within corrections in general and then traces the development of in-prison treatment programs in California. The article concludes with comments on improving correctional programs for offenders in the following four areas: treatment process, continuity of care, system integration, and the role of evaluation in policy and program development.
The Gerund and the to-Infinitive as Subject
Authors: Duffley Patrick J.
Published: April 2004

This corpus-based study shows that the distinction between the gerund and the infinitive cannot be accounted for in terms of the previously proposed oppositions between particularity and generality or between reification and hypothesis/potentiality. The corpus used does reveal certain distributional tendencies that distinguish the two forms, but they are also found to occur as subjects of the very same predicates. The explanation proposed to account for both distribution and the capacity of both forms to be used with the same predicate is based on a definition of their basic meanings as the condition determining their use in discourse. The distinction in meaning between these two constructions is shown to be more complex than that of a simple binary opposition, as the to-infinitive is a composite made up of the meanings of its two component parts—the bare infinitive and the preposition to—while the - ingis part of the verb’s morphology.
Language Ideology and the Transmission of Phonological Change Changing Indexicality in Two Situations of Language Contact
Authors: Wassink Alicia Beckford , Dyer Judy
Published: April 2004

The authors consider the changing indexicality of phonological variants in two different contact situations—Corby, United Kingdom, and Kingston, Jamaica. While quite different sites of contact, they suggest that similar sociolinguistic phenomena may be observed in both places. Using a language ideology framework, acoustic and auditory phonetic data are interpreted through respondents’own metalinguistic comments about their dialect. This socially embedded interpretation of the data reveals that in both Corby and Kingston, one phonological variant may in fact index distinct and different identities for speakers in the respective communities. In particular, in both Corby and Kingston, features associated with historically stigmatized varieties have apparently been adopted by the younger generations as a means of marking local identity and pride. This method of interpretation offers an alternative method of analyzing variationist data and follows earlier work conducted in language ideology.
The Rise of Epicene They
Authors: Balhorn Mark
Published: April 2004

A pronoun pattern that is common in both spoken and written English is some form of they with singular, generic antecedents, as in, “ Everyone was so pleased with themselves.” This article addresses the question of how long such a pattern has been in the language and how a pattern that clearly violates number agreement could become so ubiquitous. An examination of recent scholarship as well as the historical record reveals that the origins of this usage rest in the fourteenth century and that its frequency has increased since then. Using current theories of agreement, the author presents a hypothesis for how and when this pattern could have entered the language. Further examination of the historical record supports the hypothesis that loss of grammatical gender in the thirteenth century was crucial for the introduction of generic they into the language.
Type I Error Rates for Generalized Graded Unfolding Model Fit Indices
Authors: DeMars Christine E.
Published: April 2004

Type I error rates were examined for several fit indices available in GGUM2000: extensions of Infit, Outfit, Andrich’s χ2, and the log-likelihood ratio χ2. Infit and Outfit had Type I error rates much lower than nominala α. Andrich’s. χ2 had Type I error rates much higher than nominala, particularly for shorter tests or larger sample sizes. The log-likelihood χ2 had Type I error rates near or below nominala for small samples or longer tests but had inflated error rates with large samples and shorter tests. For conditions in which the log-likelihood ratio χ2 did not perform well, alternative fit indices or modifications to these procedures should be considered in future studies. Index terms: GGUM, unfolding, fit, Likert scales, Type I error.
Effects of Anchor Item Methods on Differential Item Functioning Detection with the Likelihood Ratio Test
Authors: Wang Wen-Chung , Yeh Ya-Li
Published: April 2004

Through simulations, this study investigates the effects of anchor item methods on Type I error and power of detecting differential item functioning (DIF) using the likelihood ratio test within the framework of item response theory. Four anchor item methods were compared: the all-other, 1-item, 4-item, and 10-item methods. The results showed that it is the average signed area between the reference and focal groups rather than the percentage of DIF items in a test that determines the Type I error of the all-other method. The all-other method yields good control over Type I error and reasonable power only when the average signed area approaches zero. The all-other method is not recommended for practical DIF analysis because it is only adequate under very stringent conditions. The other three methods perform appropriately under all the simulated conditions. The more anchor items are used, the higher the power of DIF detection.
Maximin Calibration Designs for the Nominal Response Model: an Empirical Evaluation
Authors: Passos Valeria Lima , Berger Martijn P. F.
Published: April 2004

The problem of finding optimal calibration designs for dichotomous item response theory(IRT) models has been extensively studied in the literature. In this study, this problem will be extended to polytomous IRT models. Focus is given to items described by the nominal response model (NRM). The optimization’s objective is to minimize the generalized variance of item parameter estimates. For nonlinear models, Fisher’s information depends on the unknown parameters to be estimated. By assuming knowledge of the latter, D-optimal designs can be found, however, with the inconvenience that these are only locally optimal. A modified maximin approach, based on the relative efficiency of calibration designs with respect to the D-optimal design, is introduced as a viable method to circumvent the problem of local optimality. The performance of maximin designs is compared to that of alternative calibration designs, those with normally and uniformly distributed latent trait values. Index terms: polytomous IRT models, item calibration, maximin design, relative efficiency.
Order-Constrained Bayes Inference for Dichotomous Models of Unidimensional Nonparametric IRT
Authors: Karabatsos George , Sheu Ching-Fan
Published: April 2004

This study introduces an order-constrained Bayes inference framework useful for analyzing data containing dichotomous-scored item responses, under the assumptions of either the monotone homogeneity model or the double monotonicity model of nonparametric item response theory (NIRT). The framework involves the implementation of Gibbs sampling to estimate order-constrained parameters, followed by inference with the posterior-predictive distribution to test the monotonicity, invariant item ordering, and local independence assumptions of NIRT. The Bayes framework is demonstrated through the analysis of real test data, and possible extensions of it are discussed.
Code-Switching in Trigenerational Family Conversations among Chinese Immigrants in New Zealand
Authors: Ng Sik Hung , He Anping
Published: April 2004

This is a study of Chinese-English code-switching (CS) by grandparents, parents, and grandchildren in family conversations. Based on a 30,000-word corpus of New Zealand Chinese family conversations, 1,091 tokens of CS were retrieved and coded as “ betweenturns” CS and “within-turn” CS on the basis of structural form. The results generally supported three hypotheses proposed on the bases of Communication Accommodation Theory and the contrasting bilingual competence across the three generations. Between-turns CS occurred more often than within-turn CS (Hypothesis 1), and the ratio of between- to within-turn CS was higher for grandchildren than for either parents or grandparents (Hypothesis 2a). Parents used more within- than between-turns CS, and their propensity for within-turn CS was significantly greater than that of grandchildren but not of grandparents (partial support for Hypothesis 2b). The interpretive function of CS was then examined to identify tokens of CS that facilitated family members communicating with each other despite language barriers. Parents were found to be the main users of interpretive CS. Four tokens of interpretive CS (from a total of 69) were presented to illustrate the kinds of communication problems that occasioned the use of interpretiveCS, and the turnby-turn dynamics in which the interpretive function was collaboratively enacted.
Identity, Language Use, and Attitudes
Authors: Lawson Sarah , Sachdev Itesh
Published: April 2004

Two studies examined the trilingual behavior, attitudes, and perceptions of secondgeneration teenagers of Sylheti-Bangladeshi origin studying Bengali at school. Language diaries and questionnaires were used to obtain data about Sylheti, English, Bengali, and code mixing. Reports of the use of English dominated in the public domains, though it was clear that Bengali also constituted an equally important part of participants’ sociolinguistic repertoire (for use in private domains) and their sociolinguistic identifications. Identification with the diglossically “low” variety Sylheti was relatively high, though significantly lower than English and Bengali. Code mixing, though low, was reported consistently across domains and was associated with intragroup communication. Overall, the outcomes of the multivariate statistical analyses were supportive of previous research in that participants’ use of each language was predicted by competence, vitality, contact, and identity factors associated with that language. Evidence for the additive role of minority languages in predicting multilingual communication was also obtained.
Organizational Psychoanalysis in Public Administration
Authors: Anderson Debra K. , White Jay D.
Published: April 2004

Although not new, the use of psychoanalysis to study, assess, and work with organizations is certainly not central to the field of public administration. This article argues that psychoanalysis adds value to rational-technical reforms because in addition to addressing the structural and rational aspects of organizations, it focuses on the implicit, unconscious, and often covert influences that can hinder individual and organizational performance. The authors focus on six key issues within public administration—task, autonomy, authority, responsiveness, finances, and accountability—arguing that psychoanalysis helps illuminate the conscious and unconscious dynamics that influence each. The article concludes by supporting the combined use of rational-technical and psychoanalytic approaches in order to help individuals and organizations risk and tolerate change.
Government Employees
Authors: Frank Sue A. , Lewis Gregory B.
Published: April 2004

Are government employees lazier than private-sector employees? Drawing from theories of work motivation and public service motivation, this article examines three public-private differences that might produce different levels of work effort in the two sectors. First, government and business may offer different extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Second, public and private workers may seek different rewards. Third, public and private workers may differ in personal characteristics that predict work effort. Using 1989 and 1998 data fromthe General Social Survey, we find that government employees reported slightly higher work effort than those in the private sector. Public- and private-sector workers differ in the value they place on extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, in the rewards their jobs offer, and in some personal characteristics. Government jobs offering interesting work and opportunities to help others, combined with the greater age of public employees, explain most of the sectoral differences in self-reported work effort.
Executive Behavior and Decision Making in Small U.S. Cities
Authors: French P. Edward , Folz David H.
Published: April 2004

This study examines how chief executives in small U.S. cities allocate their time, view their involvement in decisions related to the dimensions of the governmental process, who they consult in making decisions about local services, and the extent to which they perceive that their decisions are influenced by community interest groups. The study confirms that several differences exist among the different types of executives with respect to time allocation and role emphases. City managers spent more time on and perceived themselves to be more extensively involved in decisions related to local mission, policy, administration, and management compared with mayors. Mayors and city managers exhibited different patterns of consultation with key stakeholders inmaking decisions about local services. City managers were more likely than mayors to engage in activities related to the city’s mission and policy, but they tempered that involvement with a more inclusive pattern of consultation.
Repositioning the Ethical Imperative
Authors: Zanetti Lisa A.
Published: April 2004

This article explores the dimensions of an ethical framework for administrators based on the philosophical premises of critical theory. The goal of critical theory is to view the world dialectically and have a practical intent—to participate in revealing the socially constructed nature of the world, to help affirm that reified social constructs are not immutable, and then to work to transform society as the expression of an emancipatory vision. An important component of this view is the refusal to be bound by Recht, the system of law constructed by the status quo to serve dominant interests. The author examines the critical theories of Horkheimer, Habermas, Benhabib and the ethical theory of Margaret Urban Walker to begin construction of a critical-ethical guideline for administrators and introduces the idea of critical theory-based practitioners as “tempered radicals.”
Right Turn?
Authors: Maranto Robert , Hult Karen Marie
Published: April 2004

Principal-agent models can justify political management of career officials, while at the same time predicting challenges to it, in part reflecting the different ideological goals of careerists and political appointees. Indeed, the “administrative presidency” strategies Ronald Reagan pursued anticipated and heightened such conflict through attempts to “politicize” the federal executive. Such strategies may help account for the findings of Aberbach and Rockman that the political views of the permanent bureaucracy moved to the right from 1986-1987 to 1991-1992. We extend their work, using data from mail surveys sent to senior careerists in 1987-1988 and 1993-1994 to test propositions about the responsiveness of senior careerists to political principals and the relationships between careerists and appointees. The findings underscore not only the importance of agency mission in explaining senior civil servants’ relations with appointees, but also the flexibility in managing agencies available to appointees that careerists’ overall centrism and professional norms appear to provide.
Career Experience and Performing Effectively as Governor
Authors: Hamman John A.
Published: April 2004

Although studies analyze the career paths of governors, virtually none investigates whether careers matter for how they perform once in office. This analysis merges attitudinal data from two 48-state ABC News/Washington Post national surveys with measures of career experience and state characteristics to assess the relationship between career experience and gubernatorial job performance. Controlling for contextual, attitudinal, and demographic factors, the results show that career experience in administrative and statewide executive branch offices relates positively to job performance. The analysis concludes by noting which careers matter for subsequent performance as governor and the implications this has for contemporary trends in the career experience of governors.
Preface
Authors: Hountondji Paulin J.
Published: April 2004

Porto-Novo (Benin), 19-21 September 2002. A conference on ‘The encounter between rationalities’, jointly organized by the Centre Africain des Hautes Etudes, the UNESCO network ‘Paths of Thought’ and the International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies (ICPHS), took place there on the occasion of its 26th General Meeting. Seventy-two delegates from 33 countries. An ambitious academic programme, which, like all such programmes, we knew quite well we would never be able to cover, had been drawn up in four sections:
Signposts for a Theory of the Encounter Between Rationalities
Authors: Memel-Fotê Harris
Published: April 2004

In the topic ‘an encounter between rationalities’ I can discern two aspects: a postulate and a problem.

The postulate concerns the existence in the history of different societies and civilizations of rationalities that experts in the various academic disciplines relating to society and humanity, as well as philosophy, will be better able to define than I can. I have preferred to focus on the problem of this encounter of ours and wish to contribute to its clarification some theoretical ideas by way of pointers, or signposts.
Reason and Culture: Debating the Foundations of Morals in a Pluralist World
Authors: Masolo Dismas A.
Published: April 2004

Recently I listened to an interesting dinner-table debate between my teenage children about an issue that, to my mind, clearly raised questions closely related to the theme of encounter of rationalities. In a conversation about indigenous Kenyan hairstyles, my son had wanted to know why the Maasai ‘made’ their women folk shave their heads bald while young men stylishly braided their hair into what has become a popular and fashionable African hairstyle, not for men, but for women. My daughter, who is quite a gifted debater, responded that it was just tradition, and tradition never answers to anyone's ‘why’ question, especially when the questioner is an insider who is expected to just practice the norm. My son, in obviously frustrated wonder, then sought to know whether they could ever answer the question if it were asked by an outsider (of the tradition) like himself, to which his sister responded: ‘what makes you ask? I guess every tradition sets its own ways.’ The boy: ‘why can't everyone be left free to do what they feel they like at different times, just like I dress differently for different occasions?’ The girl: ‘You see, you are always reading and shifting your dressing according to the norms you want to conform to. You may not be aware, but you change from one set of norms to another, one when you are at College, and the other when you come home, can't you see?’ The rest of us sat there, choking with the temptation to join in, and suffering the frustration of being denied the chance. I in particular struggled to stay neutral, but I succeeded not only by not joining in, but also by not revealing that I was working on this paper, all the while thinking to myself: ‘this is all about the encounter of rationalities, and the arguments’ turns, back and forth, are all about the relative rationality of ends’. In many respects, and to my amazement, my daughter and son got immersed in debating the merits of the idea of autonomous reason. My amazement was not only about the depth of the cosmopolitan multiculturalism that these teenagers revealed in their debate, it also was about the revealed transient nature of the communities from which people source the points of view on the basis of which they question the rationality of opposing points of view. The topic of encounter of rationalities seemed, at least in the context of this dinnertime debate by teenagers, to be such a natural occurrence to anyone who consciously moves between different social and cultural locations. In this paper, I apply and expand the theoretical concerns raised by the two young people to the assessment of Kant's culture-free moral principles against a communitarian view of the resources of reason.
The Reasons of Madness
Authors: Gaudillière Jean-Max
Published: April 2004

These notes are inspired by two experiences and their convergence. First a clinical experience that led Françoise Davoine and myself to work over more than twenty-five years as psychoanalysts in the psychiatric hospital with patients diagnosed as mad, psychotic, schizophrenic, etc. The other experience interrogates, year on year, these clinical issues from the work of other clinicians, and also philosophers or writers of literature and poetry, who in their fields come across lessons relating to madness.
Erwin Schrödinger in the Psychiatric Hospital
Authors: Davoine Françoise
Published: April 2004

The meeting between rationalities is the very core of the psychoanalytic treatment of madness. For we see madness as a field of research in the area of historical, political and natural disasters where the social bond disintegrates, language slips away, the unimaginable happens and tried and tested rationalities fail.
Hegel in African Literature: Achebe’s Answer
Authors: Thiong'o Ngugi Wa , Sahle Eunice Njeri
Published: April 2004

The colonial project has three interrelated facets. It is at once a practice; a body of knowledge; and a technology for mind change, or simply mental engineering. Decolonization is necessarily a negation of the three-in-one character of the colonial process, to produce a third possibility: independence, liberation and social justice. Colonialism as mind-engineering results from colonialism as practice and text but it also aids them. Mind-engineering is directly the result of colonialism as text, for the colonial text is simultaneously a boost to the minds behind colonizing practices and a prison house for the mind of the colonized. The battle between the colonial text and its dialectical opposite, the anti-colonial text, is central to the entire process of decolonization. Achebe and Hegel exemplify this.
Rationalities and Legal Processes in Africa
Authors: Bidima Jean-Godefroy
Published: April 2004

Taking together place, time and manner, it would be possible to describe the encounter as comprising at least six modes: fragility, temporality, activity, integrity, causality and disparity.
Conflict of Rationalities: The Destiny and Destination of Research on Africa
Authors: Aguessy Honorat
Published: April 2004

There are many of us saying and even demanding that research on Africa should be intensified and further increased. Its destiny is linked to the future of Africans’ self-awareness and their radical de-alienation. However, the current direction of some projects gives us cause for constant concern in that the fundamental question they raise is whether what drives them is science or a certain unstated but active ideology.
Mathematical Thinking and Geometric Exploration in Africa and Elsewhere
Authors: Gerdes Paulus
Published: April 2004

The editors asked me to contribute to the Benin symposium on the ‘Encounter Between Rationalities’ from the particular perspective of my research experience in ethnomathematics - the study of mathematical ideas and practices as embedded in their cultural contexts.
Giulio Preti (Pavia 1911 – Djerba 1972): A Critical Rationalist
Authors: Scarantino Luca Maria
Published: April 2004

The philosopher Giulio Preti belongs to that generation of young intellectuals who, in 1930s Italy, called for a profound regeneration of philosophy, arts and culture. Known by the name of ‘critical rationalism’, the movement formed in Milan around the philosopher Antonio Banfi (1886-1957). Luciano Anceschi, Vittorio Sereni, Enzo Paci, Antonia Pozzi, Remo Cantoni, as well as painters like Aligi Sassu and Ernesto Treccani were the young people who, under the banner of an anti-fascism that was at first cultural then openly militant (several of them were thrown into prison by the regime), aroused an intellectual fervour that was the marker of a thorough-going renewal of Italian culture. Journals such as Corrente di vita giovanile attracted eminent figures like Eugenio Montale, Salvatore Quasimodo, Elio Vittorini or Carlo Emilio Gadda and linked up with other intellectual groupings, like the circle of hermetic poets in Florence (Mario Luzi, Piero Bigongiari, Carlo Bo, Oreste Macrì, Alessandro Parronchi) and the painters from the Rome School (Scipione, Guttuso, Mafai, Afro …). Young film-makers like Alberto Lattuada and Luigi Comencini also made their debut with the movement.
Residual Stresses in Stainless Steel Fiber-Reinforced Aluminium Matrix Composite Plates with Central Square Hole
Authors: Akbulut H. , Senel M.
Published: April 2004

In this paper, a study on residual stresses in a stainless steel metal-fiber reinforced aluminium metal-matrix flat plate with a central square hole has been conducted. In the solution, a finite element method with two dimensional isoparametric rectangular nine node-elements has been employed. In the calculation of the residual stresses in the plate under uniform in-plane loads, Newton-Raphson method (initial stress method) has been used. After a steel-aluminium composite plate has been manufactured by upsetting under certain pressure and at certain temperture, some experiments have been carried out through the tensile testing machine in order to obtain mechanical properties and yield strength. Results show that a central hole or cut-out in a plate causes the residual stresses in a considerable quantity particularly near itself, which increases strength of the plate. It is also seen that the hole geometry and the orientation angle have affected residual stresses. Solutions are shown in graphical forms and in illustrations.
The Use of Phosphogypsum as a Filler for Thermoplastics, Part I: The Use of Phosphogypsum as a Filler for Polyolefine Compositions
Authors: Kowalska Ewa , Wielgosz Zbigniew
Published: April 2004

Works has been done on the application of specially treated and thermally modified phosphogypsum [1-4] (by-product gypsum from phosphoric acid industry) by a method developed in Poland as filler for low-density polyethylene and polypropylene compositions. Filling of polyolefins with phosphogypsum is intended to enhance polyolefins mechanical tensile properties. Phosphogypsum-filled compositions were studied with a view to substituting them for talc- or whiting-filled compositions. The polypropylene-based compositions are likely to find concrete application in the automotive industry.
Friction and Wear Performance Evaluation of Carbon Fibre Reinforced PTFE Composite
Authors: Bijwe J. , Neje S. , Indumathi J. , Fahim M.
Published: April 2004

Recently commercialised polytetraflurotehylene (PTFE) composite reinforced with 25% chopped carbon fibres was selected for this study since details of the tribological behaviour were not available. The composite was evaluated for friction and wear performance in stringent operating conditions in adhesive as well as abrasive wear modes. The coefficient of friction (μ) and specific wear rate ( Ko) of the composite in the adhesive wear mode were measured under high speeds, loads, extended sliding duration, and elevated temperatures and are reported in this paper. At moderate loads, it was observed that though it exhibited a high μ (≅ 0.4) and low K (≅ 10-15 m3N-1m-1), it showed lower μ (≅ 0.15) and appreciably good wear performance at higher loads and moderate speeds. At higher speeds (more than 4 m/s) its performance, however, deteriorated. It was also revealed that the composite showed poor performance when tested at elevated temperatures beyond 150°C. A comparison with tribo-performance of neat PTFE indicated that CF reinforcement resulted in enhancement in wear behaviour very significantly. The friction coefficient, however, increased substantially. Moreover, abrasive wear performance also showed little deterioration due to carbon fibre reinforcement. Worn surface analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM) was done to study wear mechanisms.
Prediction of the Residual Stresses and Expansion of Plastic Zones in Simply Supported Thermoplastic Composite Laminated Plates Subjected to Transverse Loads
Authors: Arslan Nurettin
Published: April 2004

In the present study, the residual stresses and expansion of the plastic zones in simply supported thermoplastic composite laminated plates under uniform transverse loads are given by using FEM. Elastic-plastic stress analysis is carried out for small deformations. Low density homogeneous polyethylene (thermoplastic) and woven stainless steel are used as matrix and fiber materials, respectively. The effect of the reinforcement angle varying from [0 / 15]2 to [0 / 90]2 for [0 /]2 and from [15 / 15]2 to [45 / 45]2 for [/]2 on the residual stresses and the spread of plastic zones are presented. In this analysis, the first-order shear deformation theory is used. The transverse loads are gradually increased from the yield point of the plate by 0.0001 MPa at each load step. Load steps are chosen as 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500. The laminated plates of constant thickness are formed by stacking four layers bonded symmetrically or antisymmetrically.
Stress Concentration in Symmetric Angle-Ply Laminates Studied by the Quadric Surfaces Criterion
Authors: Yeh Hsien-Liang , Yeh Hsien-Yang
Published: April 2004

Inherent flaws and cracks in materials will develop stress concentration. The point at or near the maximum stress concentration is normally the initial location of material failure. The purpose of this study is to apply the newly developed quadric surfaces failure criterion to the crack induced stress concentrations in fiber-reinforced, symmetric, angle-ply composite laminates under tensile loading. To investigate this criterion, the influence of the material anisotropic properties and the far field loading on the composite materials with a normal crack were studied. Special emphasis was placed on studying the crack tip damage zone and their failure mechanism. The theoretical predictions from this criterion are examined by experimental results.
The Influence of Transverse Moduli on Through-Thickness Hygrothermal Expansion Coefficients in Angle-Ply Laminates
Authors: Yeh Hsien-Liang , Yeh Hsien-Yang
Published: April 2004

In this article, the effect of transverse moduli of the lamina on the through-thickness hygrothermal expansion coefficients of the [± 30°]4s,[± 45°]4s, and [± 60°]4s angle-ply laminates is presented. Based on the hygrothermal-elastic lamination theory, a dimensionless analysis has been used to study the influence of the various transverse elastic moduli E2 and E3 of a lamina on the through-thickness hygrothermal expansion coefficients in the angle-ply laminates. The results from this dimensionless analysis provide a set of general guidelines for designing and evaluating the values of through-thickness hygrothermal expansion coefficients in the angle-ply laminates to fit various environmental conditions in engineering application.
Development of the Double RIFT Diaphragm Forming Process
Authors: Channer K. J. , Cosgriff W. , Smith G. F. , Okoli O. I.
Published: April 2004

In the 1930’s composites, promised a revolution in materials design and utilisation. This did not happen. At the turn of the twentieth century, with Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) growing in acceptance, injection rates, quality and preforming of the non-structural fibres to the required 3D shape, are still major problems. The preforming of structural fibres (unidirectional) is very rare. DRDF is a combination of Resin Infusion under Flexible Tooling (RIFT) and Diaphragm Forming. The Advanced Technology Centre at Warwick, has been experimenting with this novel solution to combine these two “independent” processes, RIFT and diaphragm forming, into a simple cost-effective injection method to produce the basic microstructure (fibre/resin interface) and a forming process that gives the part geometric complexity. In a single continuous operation, either “low specification high quality” (non-directional fibres) or “high specification high quality” (directional fibres), 3D composites, can be produced.
Bearing Deformation Behavior of Carbon/Bismaleimide Composites Containing One and Two Bolted Joints
Authors: Xiao Yi
Published: April 2004

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the behavior in mechanically fastened composite structures. The experimental work will be presented in two parts: one fastened joint and two fastened joints. For the problem of one fastened joint, the bearing strength and failure process for a double lap bolted joint were characterized. During static tensile testing, the load-displacement response and acoustic emission (AE) were monitored and measured in order to understand the fracture process in joined specimens. Several specimens were unloaded at different loading levels and the damage behavior was observed using soft X-rays and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assess the damage progress, failure mechanisms, and the relationship with bearing strength. Finally, the ratio of loading proportion was determined by examining the problem of two fastened joints.
Cultural Competence: A Pharmacy Perspective
Authors: Bazaldua Oralia V. , Sias Jeri
Published: April 2004

There is overwhelming evidence that disparities in the provision of health care exist between various groups of people. Pharmacists must be aware of these disparities and join the health workforce in closing the gap between people of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. The role of the pharmacist has expanded, and this profession must embrace diversity to provide a higher quality of care to all patients. Cultural competence in health care is an ongoing process and starts with self-reflection. It incorporates the ability to recognize the unique needs of diverse gpopulations and the ability to adapt care accordingly. In addition to knowledge and skills, cultural competence requires a positive attitude that emphasizes respect across all cultures. While pharmacists have often lacked training in caring for diverse patients, learning a few basic concepts will assist them with their individual patient encounters. This article provides essential elements that will help pharmacists better understand cultural competence and apply this knowledge in pharmacy practice.
The Value of Home Monitoring Kits in Diabetes, Hypertension, Asthma, and Oral Anticoagulation Therapy
Authors: Vincze Gábor , Parthan Anju
Published: April 2004

Home monitoring devices encourage people to actively participate in their health care management. In addition, access to more data may help to make better decisions, which may ultimately lead to better health outcomes. The primary focus of this article will be on blood glucose, blood pressure, prothrombin time, and peak flow meters. The empirical evidence on the accuracy and usefulness of these home monitoring devices is discussed. Based on the evidence from the literature, erroneous reporting of the readings by the patients is a major concern. Therefore, primary practitioners are encouraged to consult with patients’ log books and their meters (if memory feature is available), instead of relying solely on self-reported values. Patients also need to be educated and trained adequately about the proper measurement technique and relevance and interpretation of the readings. Continuing education is necessary regarding the behavioral and therapeutic changes patients should carry out in accordance with performing regular home monitoring.
Depression in Women across the Life Cycle
Authors: Moore Thea R. , Emanuel Angela M.
Published: April 2004

Several depressive disorders are unique to women, affecting them at various points in their life cycle. These disorders include premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), pregnancy-associated depressive disorders, and perimenopausal affective disorders. Recently, the importance of the relationship between depression and the reproductive cycle has been highlighted due to the approval of medications to treat (PMDD). The role of gender difference in the prevalence of depressive disorders has long been recognized. This article will examine whether there are differences between men and women in the clinical presentation of depression, including differences in symptom manifestation, course of illness, comorbidities, and treatment. Systematic evaluation of the role of hormonal and neuroendocrine factors may lead to more appropriate treatment of depressive disorders in women.