bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Usefulness of Probabilistic Forecasts
Authors: Cusack Stephen , Arribas Alberto
Published: May 2008

The errors in both the initialization and simulated evolution of weather and climate models create significant uncertainties in forecasts at lead times beyond a few days. Modern prediction systems sample the sources of these uncertainties to produce a probability distribution function of future meteorological conditions to help end users in their risk assessment and decision-making processes. The performance of prediction systems is assessed using data from a set of historical forecasts and the corresponding observations. There are many aspects to the correspondence between forecasts and observations, and various summary scores have been created to measure the different features of forecast quality. The main concern for end users is the usefulness of forecasts. There are two independent and sufficient aspects for the assessment of the usefulness of forecasts to end users: 1) the statistical consistency of forecast statements with observations and 2) the extra information contained in the forecast relative to the situation in which such predictions are unavailable. In this paper two new scores, the full-pdf-reliability Rpdf and information quantity IQ, are proposed to measure these two independent aspects of usefulness. In contrast to all existing summary scores, both Rpdf and IQ depend upon all moments of the forecast pdf. When taken together, the values of Rpdf and IQ offer a general measure of the usefulness of ensemble predictions.
Testing the Annular Mode Autocorrelation Time Scale in Simple Atmospheric General Circulation Models
Authors: Gerber Edwin P. , Voronin Sergey , Polvani Lorenzo M.
Published: May 2008

A new diagnostic for measuring the ability of atmospheric models to reproduce realistic low-frequency variability is introduced in the context of Held and Suarez’s 1994 proposal for comparing the dynamics of different general circulation models. A simple procedure to compute τ, the e-folding time scale of the annular mode autocorrelation function, is presented. This quantity concisely quantifies the strength of low-frequency variability in a model and is easy to compute in practice. The sensitivity of τ to model numerics is then studied for two dry primitive equation models driven with the Held–Suarez forcings: one pseudospectral and the other finite volume. For both models, τ is found to be unrealistically large when the horizontal resolutions are low, such as those that are often used in studies in which long integrations are needed to analyze model variability on low frequencies. More surprising is that it is found that, for the pseudospectral model, τ is particularly sensitive to vertical resolution, especially with a triangular truncation at wavenumber 42 (a very common resolution choice). At sufficiently high resolution, the annular mode autocorrelation time scale τ in both models appears to converge around values of 20–25 days, suggesting the existence of an intrinsic time scale at which the extratropical jet vacillates in the Held and Suarez system. The importance of τ for computing the correct response of a model to climate change is explicitly demonstrated by perturbing the pseudospectral model with simple torques. The amplitude of the model’s response to external forcing increases as τ increases, as suggested by the fluctuation–dissipation theorem.
NASA Cold Land Processes Experiment (CLPX 2002/03): Field Measurements of Snowpack Properties and Soil Moisture
Authors: Elder Kelly , Cline Don , Liston Glen E. , Armstrong Richard
Published: May 2008

A field measurement program was undertaken as part NASA’s Cold Land Processes Experiment (CLPX). Extensive snowpack and soil measurements were taken at field sites in Colorado over four study periods during the two study years (2002 and 2003). Measurements included snow depth, density, temperature, grain type and size, surface wetness, surface roughness, and canopy cover. Soil moisture measurements were made in the near-surface layer in snow pits. Measurements were taken in the Fraser valley, North Park, and Rabbit Ears Pass areas of Colorado. Sites were chosen to gain a wide representation of snowpack types and physiographies typical of seasonally snow-covered regions of the world. The data have been collected with rigorous protocol to ensure consistency and quality, and they have undergone several levels of quality assurance to produce a high-quality spatial dataset for continued cold lands hydrological research. The dataset is archived at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado.
The Relative Risk Perception of Travel Hazards
Authors: Gray Jacqueline M. , Wilson Margaret A.
Published: May 2008

Travelers have to take into consideration a variety of hazards when deciding on a destination. Although some research has considered the deterrent effect of specific hazards such as terrorism, the context in relation to other hazards has not been investigated. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relative importance of a number of travel hazards that may influence people's travel decisions. A sample of 160 British university students, 37 nonstudent scuba divers, and 102 members of the public rated the risk of various travel hazards and whether these would deter them from traveling. Three types of travel hazards were identified using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA): political, social, and physical hazards. These were moderately correlated, but the greatest deterrence was reported for political hazards. It is concluded that although research should take account of the full context influencing travel decisions, some hazards, such as terrorism, are likely to have a dominant effect.
Influence of Limitedly Visible Leafy Indoor Plants on the Psychology, Behavior, and Health of Students at a Junior High School in Taiwan
Authors: Han Ke-Tsung
Published: May 2008

There is growing evidence to support the notion that contact with nature is helpful for emotional states, attention, mental fatigue, behavior, and personal health. This study adopts a quasi-experimental approach to investigate the effects of limitedly visible indoor plants on students' psychology, physiology, and behavior and uses a control-series design covering one semester. Two classes of sophomores at a Taiwanese junior high school (eighth grade, N = 76), of which one served as the experimental group and the other as control, were surveyed once every 2 weeks. After six plants were placed at the back of the classroom, the experimental group had immediately and significantly stronger feelings of preference, comfort, and friendliness as compared to the control group. Also, the experimental group had significantly fewer hours of sick leave and punishment records due to misbehavior than the control group. In addition to the visual and psychological mechanisms that contributed to restoration, there may have been other factors at work.
Risk factors associated with obesity in children of different racial backgrounds
Authors: Urrutia-Rojas Ximena , Ahmad Naveed , Bayona Manuel , Bae Sejong , Rivers Patrick A. , Singh Karan P.
Published: May 2008

Objective The purpose of this study is to determine specific risk factors associated with obesity among African American, Hispanic and Caucasian children.

Design This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 1076 fifth grade children from 17 elementary schools at Fort Worth, Texas. Data were collected through questionnaires and physical assessments performed at schools. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were determined for the risk factors of obesity in each ethnic group.

Results More African American (32.8 per cent) and Hispanic (31.9 per cent) children were overweight compared to Caucasians (23.5 per cent). A specific risk factor seen in the African American children was the frequent use of sweets and sugar-sweetened drinks, which increased the odds of obesity nearly three-fold. In the Caucasian children, the odds of obesity increased over two-fold as a result of frequent consumption of snacks with a high fat content. In Hispanic children, specific risk factors included physical inactivity and frequent consumption of multiple servings of fruit, which increased the odds of obesity approximately two-fold and 68 per cent, respectively. Although eating more fruits is usually considered a healthy behaviour, excessive fruit consumption appears to increase the likelihood of obesity among Hispanic children in this sample.

Conclusion Risk factors associated with obesity are different in children of different ethnic backgrounds. Knowledge of these differences in risk factors may help design better targeted prevention approaches.
Human rights movements in India
Authors: Gudavarthy Ajay
Published: May 2008

This article is an attempt to trace the various phases of the human rights movement (HRM) and the assumptions underlying each of them in terms of the inter-relationships between the state, civil society and democracy. The 1970s witnessed the first phase of the HRM— the ‘civil liberties phase’—working within the framework of state-civil society complementarity. HRM along with emphasising the autonomy of institutions also struggled to recover a ‘rights based civil society’, where all citizens could have access to fundamental rights. The 1980s were marked by a shift to the second phase—the ‘democratic rights phase’—with a new state versus civil society framework. During this phase, the HRM made efforts to construct civil society as a pure ‘realm of freedom’ that stood squarely outside the state and consisted of various militant and radical social movements. Towards the end of the 1990s, the third phase—the ‘human rights phase’—reconstituted itself on a new civil society versus political society framework. The new political society stressed the importance of locating and condemning human rights violations at the civil societal level, including those committed by radical social movements. Finally, the contemporary moment is ironically striving to move beyond the political by basing itself on an abstract moral dimension
Control and access
Authors: Subramanian Savithri
Published: May 2008

This article looks at access to and control over property and its complex inter-linkages with kinship and gender. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork among Tamil migrants in two localities of Delhi, a resettlement colony and a middle-class colony, between 1996 and 1998. The Tamils belonged to a wide range of castes and had been in Delhi for periods ranging from a few years to several decades. The study expands the conventional understanding of property by employing the concept of ‘symbolic capital’. Property, thus, includes not only material assets such as houses and jewellery, but also other resources like education and kin networks. Further, the study centrally examines access to and control over these resources in an everyday context rather than ownership, which can be merely nominal. In turn, rights to property shape both kinship relationships and gender practices in Tamil society.
The caste of the nation
Authors: Gorringe Hugo
Published: May 2008

Following the devastating tsunami that ravaged parts of the South Indian coast in December 2004, there were reports of continuing caste discrimination against India's Scheduled Caste (Dalit) community. The reported absence of common feeling shattered the image of India as an ‘imagined community’. Taking its cue from Aloysius, Nigam and Chatterjee, this article draws on field notes and archival reports to examine the ongoing and contested processes of nation and national identity formation in India. It is argued that the template against which the post-colonial state imagined the Indian ‘nation’ was one that excluded marginalised sections of the population. The article concludes by asking whether India may be seen as a ‘national-state’, and critically analyses the interplay between caste and nation.
Predictors of Recidivism for Adolescent Offenders in a Singapore Sample
Authors: Ang Rebecca P. , Huan Vivien S.
Published: May 2008

The purpose of the present study was to identify significant predictors of recidivism in a sample of 772 adolescent offenders in Singapore, using data collected from probation officers' reports. The findings indicated that reported father criminality, history of running away from home, history of aggression, and an earlier age of first criminal offense were significant risk factors for adolescent recidivism. These findings highlight the need to prevent an early foray into crime by seriously considering interventions that address issues of child and adolescent aggression. In addition, it would be necessary to target both adolescent-related and family-related variables in intervention. Implications for public policy and sentencing options for adolescents are discussed.
Workers and the Demand for Trade Unions in Europe: Still a Relevant Social Force?
Authors: D'Art Daryl , Turner Thomas
Published: May 2008

In many European countries since the 1980s there has been a considerable decline in union density. Using the European Social Survey, this article examines whether declining union density reflects declining worker demand for the protective and enabling functions traditionally provided by union membership. Results indicate that a substantial majority of respondents believe that employees need the protection of strong unions. Irrespective of the respondent's occupational level, the extent of job autonomy, gender, age or political orientation, positive attitudes towards unions are consistently in the majority. The results show not only the persistence of a strong belief in the necessity for trade unions but a strengthening of this conviction among employees since the early 1980s.
Part-Time Work and Involuntary Part-Time Work in the Private Service Sector in Finland
Authors: Kauhanen Merja
Published: May 2008

This article deals with part-time work and involuntary part-time work in four private service sectors in Finland from the employee's perspective and examining the employers' reasons for using part-time work. According to statistical analyses, women, young people and low-skilled workers have a greater probability of working as part-timers. Temporary and on-call workers also have a higher probability of working as part-timers than permanent workers do. The sector and the size of the firm also influence part-time working. As for involuntary part-time working women, the middle-aged and those with low education have a higher probability of working as involuntary part-timers. Not surprisingly, a larger share of involuntary part-timers would like to work more hours and also search for a new job. They have fewer other sources of income than all the part-timers. The involuntariness of part-time work is also related to the subsistence this kind of work can provide. Employers see reasons of cost and profitability and the peaks in the need for labour as important reasons for using part-time work, which may also prevent the workers' wishes concerning working hours and the part-time work that firms can offer from coinciding.
Team Effectiveness 1997-2007: A Review of Recent Advancements and a Glimpse Into the Future
Authors: Mathieu John , Maynard M. Travis , Rapp Tammy , Gilson Lucy
Published: May 2008

The authors review team research that has been conducted over the past 10 years. They discuss the nature of work teams in context and note the substantive differences underlying different types of teams. They then review representative studies that have appeared in the past decade in the context of an enhanced input-process-outcome framework that has evolved into an inputs-mediators-outcome time-sensitive approach. They note what has been learned along the way and identify fruitful directions for future research. They close with a reconsideration of the typical team research investigation and call for scholars to embrace the complexity that surrounds modern team-based organizational designs as we move forward.
Volunteer Endeavors to Promote ICT in a Developing Country: the case of the Pakistan Library Automation Group
Authors: Mahmood Khalid , Muhammad Ajmal Khan  , Siddique Nadeem
Published: May 2008

This paper is a case study of the Pakistan Library Automation Group, formed in October 2000 by volunteers in library and information science and computer science in Pakistan. The group's mission was to promote the use of ICT in Pakistani libraries with virtually no financial support. The achievements of the group during 6 years include: PakLAG Website; Automation of libraries with Library Information Management System (LIMS); Multilingual Web OPAC; Searching interface of National Digital Library; Online directory of LIS professionals; Publications program; Pak-LIS News; E-mail discussion group; Online posting of job advertisements; Virtual library; Training in ICTs for library professionals; and free consultancy service in library automation. The group's future plans are also presented. The study concludes that, if some committed professionals present themselves for voluntary endeavors and plan to develop their nation without any material resources, they can play a significant role in the promotion of ICT in the libraries of a developing country.
Digital Libraries: opportunities and challenges for the English-speaking Caribbean
Authors: Francis Hannah
Published: May 2008

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the major issues surrounding the development of digital libraries in the developing countries of the English-speaking Caribbean known also as the Caricom region. The impetus for digital libraries comes from the desire of these countries to become integrated in the new, global information economy. As part of this global information trend, digital libraries technology holds the key to improved information access. Digital libraries, which have become affordable and manageable provide increased access to global information and at the same time, increase the visibility of indigenous Caribbean information resources. The paper looks at the major issues that must be addressed in the process of digital libraries development. These include the current state of ICT infrastructure, economic and data sustainability, issues of interoperability and the generation of local content. Examples of current digital library projects undertaken in academic, public and special libraries are identified. The paper ends with a set of recommendations that can be used by information professionals and other stakeholders in developing countries to organize the way forward for the application, growth and development of digital libraries.
The Half-Life of Truth: What Are Appropriate Time Horizons for Research Decisions?
Authors: Philips Zoe , Claxton Karl , Palmer Stephen
Published: May 2008

Purpose. To evaluate alternative approaches taken to estimate the population that could benefit from research and to demonstrate that explicitly modeling future change leads to more appropriate estimates of the expected value of information (EVI). Methods. Existing approaches to estimating the population typically focus on the time horizon for decisions, employing seemingly arbitrary estimates of the appropriate horizon. These approaches implicitly use the time horizon as a proxy for future changes in technologies, prices, and information. Different approaches to quantifying the time horizon are explored, in the context of a stylized model, to demonstrate the impact of uncertainty in this estimate on EVI. An alternative approach is developed that explicitly models future changes in technologies, prices, and information and that demonstrates the impact on EVI estimates. Results. Explicitly modeling future changes means that the EVI for the decision problem may increase or decrease over time, but the EVI for the group of parameters that can be evaluated by current research tends to decline. The finite and infinite time horizons for the decision problem represent special cases (e.g., price shock or no changes, respectively). This type of analysis can be used to inform policy decisions relating to the timing of research. Conclusions. The value of information depends on future changes in technologies, prices, and evidence. Finite time horizons for decision problems can be seen as a proxy for the complex and uncertain process of future change. A more explicit approach to modeling these changes could provide a more appropriate basis for calculating EVI, but this raises a number of significant methodological and technical challenges.
An Introduction to the Invited Commentaries on Macromarketing Education
Authors: Radford Scott K. , Hunt David M.
Published: May 2008

The 2007 International Society on Marketing and Development and Macromarketing Society joint conference included a special session addressing issues involved in incorporating macromarketing courses into business curricula. The session featured five marketing educators with experience teaching macromarketing courses. Each speaker was asked to prepare a commentary in response to the following three questions: (1) Are macromarketing courses well suited for helping students build critical thinking and logical argument skills? (2) Should macromarketing courses be electives, required courses, or some combination of both? (3) What benefits to students and to other college stakeholders stem from incorporating macromarketing education into marketing curricula? The following essays summarize the talks presented during the 2007 special session.
Marketing, Society, and Controversy: An Online Course from a Macromarketing Perspective
Authors: Shapiro Stanley J.
Published: May 2008

This article discusses the nature, scope, content, and evaluation methods that could be employed either in an entirely online macromarketing course or in a mixed mode or face-to-face course with readings drawn exclusively from online sources. That course is built around a critical thinking evaluation of controversial macromarketing topics. However, many of the assigned readings are drawn from other academic disciplines. The central macromarketing concerns explored include negative externalities, the politics of distribution, distributive justice, marketing, and the quality of life, globalization, socioeconomic development, and sustainability. The specific controversies on which students must take a position include a possible market for human body organs, the negative externalities associated with advertising, what— if anything—should be done about the Wal-Mart effect, the pricing of AIDS drugs in Developing Nations and the best way of meeting the UN's Millennium Development Goals.
Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Romantic Adjustment
Authors: Godbout Natacha , Sabourin Stéphane , Lussier Yvan
Published: May 2008

This study compared the usefulness of single- and multiple-indicator strategies in a model examining the role of child sexual abuse (CSA) to predict later marital satisfaction through attachment and psychological distress. The sample included 1,092 women and men from a nonclinical population in cohabiting or marital relationships. The single-item measure assessed the presence or absence of CSA. The multiple-indicator measure included items relating to level of force, relationship with perpetrator, number of abusive experiences, and nature of assault. Structural equation modeling indicated that, for research purposes, a dichotomized item provided as much information as a complex measure to predict the relationship between sexual abuse and marital adjustment through attachment representations and psychological distress. However, when analyses were conducted strictly within the CSA victims group, no correlation was found between abuse severity and psychosocial measures. The present results show that in a community sample, CSA may be an important risk factor that develops couple difficulties, regardless of the severity of the trauma.
From Sombreros to Sincronizadas
Authors: Gaytán Marie Sarita
Published: May 2008

While scholars agree that performances of authenticity and ethnicity express social relations and reveal the socially constructed character of identity, we know little about how these interactions contribute to the politics of everyday life. By engaging in participant observation, drawing on open-ended interviews, and analyzing the content of available data regarding restaurant culture, the author argues that the accomplishment of Mexican authenticity is a social construction. However, despite its socially created qualities, the author contends that performances of authenticity and ethnicity affect not only how individuals understand each other, but illustrate the challenges faced by different groups of people in the commercial production and consumption of identity.
Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility and Transformational Leadership on Brand Community
Authors: Chaudhry Karan , Krishnan Venkat R.
Published: May 2008

Not much work has been done to study the impact of various organizational variables on brand communities around various brands and consequently we have limited knowledge on how to build brand communities. Strong brand communities can be of tremendous value to organizations by generating increased customer loyalty towards their brands. This study attempts to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility and transformational leadership on brand community. The study employed a scenario based 2 × 2 experimental design, with corporate social responsibility and transformational leadership as the manipulated variables. The sample consisted of 118 graduate students doing the first year of their MBA programme in a leading management institute in India. Due to lack of availability of any standard measure, an instrument was developed to measure brand communities. Results of 2 × 2 factored analysis of variance show that brand community is enhanced by both corporate social responsibility and transformational leadership. The implications of these findings for firms and their top management are discussed.
Benchmarking
Authors: Garg Ajay Kumar , Gupta Rumy
Published: May 2008

The role of infrastructure in economic development can hardly be over emphasized. The advanced economies of the US, of Europe and of Japan, all developed their infrastructure first. In response to the business needs of faster, cheaper, and more varied modes of communication, the telecommunication sector in many countries has been undergoing rapid technological and structural changes over the past few years. Since the mid 80s, the telecommunication sector in India, too, has undergone major transformations. Private participation in the manufacture of end user equipment and services, reorganization of the monolithic Department of Telecommunication, and raising finances from public for investment in the state owned factories and organizations have been some of the policy initiatives of the government. In a scenario where the features of the Indian telecom sector such as under investment, amalgamation of regulatory and operational functions, ill-defined sector policies, and lack of financial and administrative autonomy are common to many other developing countries, the consequences of sectoral changes have implications both for decision makers at the national level as well as in other developing countries. This article attempts to review the practices for bridging the gap between current performance levels and the projected potential of Indian telecom sector at the international standard. This is evident by the empirical data tested which is collected by the different sources and then complied at one level to reach out at some conclusions.
Impact of Working Capital Management Policies on Corporate Performance—An Empirical Study
Authors: Vishnani Sushma , Shah Bhupesh Kr.
Published: May 2008

It is felt that there is the need to study the role of working capital management policies on profitability of a company. Conventionally, it has been seen that if a company desires to take a greater risk for bigger profits and losses, it reduces the size of its working capital in relation to its sales. If it is interested in improving its liquidity, it increases the level of its working capital. However, this policy is likely to result in a reduction of the sales volume, therefore of profitability. Hence, a company should strike a balance between liquidity and profitability. In this paper an effort has been made to make an empirical study of Indian Consumer Electronics Industry for assessing the impact of working capital policies & practices on profitability during the period 1994–95 to 2004–05. The impact of working capital policies on profitability has been examined by computing coefficient of correlation and regression analysis between profitability ratio and some key working capital policy indicator ratios.
Why Do Few Women Advance to Leadership Positions?
Authors: Chugh Sunita , Sahgal Punam
Published: May 2008

Women comprise a large segment of the available managerial talent across the globe, yet their representation at top level managerial positions in business and public administration, is rather obscure. The leadership prospect for women managers is a critical issue in gender equality and remains a researchable proposition. This article examines the literature of the last two decades on career advancement and leadership to unearth the impediments for women in management. Sex role orientation and the stereotyping of a manager's role as a masculine construct, along with the glass ceiling effect in organizations, are predominant themes that explain why so few women progress to positions of leadership and authority. The literature also points out that lack of career planning amongst women managers and their collaborative, power sharing management style, that are in sharp contrast to male managers, significantly influence women's advancement to the top echelons of management.
The Effects of Measurement and Methods Decisions on Committee Preference Outlier Results
Authors: Sprague Mary
Published: May 2008

Studies of outlying committee preferences have been conducted with different preference measures and methodological approaches and have generated conflicting results. To assess the effects of these study design differences, I use multiple methodological approaches to examine committee-floor differences with jurisdiction-specific interest group data during a longer time period than earlier studies. After comparing results across methods, I compare them to past findings using the same method but different preference measures. I find that differences in preference measures largely explain previous contradictory results. Additionally, outlying tendencies exist among all committees expected to be outliers under conditional claims of the distributive theory.
What If I Just Cite Graciela? Working Toward Decolonizing Knowledge Through a Critical Ethnography
Authors: Reyes Cruz Mariolga
Published: May 2008

Calls for decolonizing knowledge have been heard from multiple fronts for some time. At issue are questions regarding who gets to claim knowledge, how knowledge is claimed, and how is one to go about gaining knowledge. This article raises questions about the actual practice of decolonizing academic knowledge focusing on the implications of having to claim sanctioned intellectual traditions to be considered a legitimate player. The author wrestles with the fact that people like Graciela, a woman who became an actor in her ethnographic work and shared her reflections about social life, are among the many nonacademics who are typically the subject of research but are rarely considered worth citing as part of one's intellectual grounding. The author brings her own experience doing a critical ethnography with Graciela and other Mexican nonacademics, including issues they raised, as a way of anchoring her questions in praxis.
Commentary: Jeepneys: Tattoos on the Collective Soul
Authors: de Sousa Bastos Ana Cecília
Published: May 2008

The interesting scenario and the methodological strategies chosen by Güss and Tuason in their study lead to the understanding that intra-cultural comparisons have an increased potential for connecting social structure and personal values. This point is briefly illustrated by a reflection on family-centeredness in the Philippines and in Brazil. I propose that the `jeepney,' besides its nature as a `material of culture,' could be taken as an example of a field-like, pleromatic iconic sign that is enriched with information and values, since it is, first of all, a vehicle of affective irradiation. In this sense, it is a semiotic device which carries social suggestions and promotes personal actions and goals. Indigenous psychology has the universal task of opening windows to the full and diverse psychological reality existent in the world—to open windows to recognition of otherness. That task is not incompatible with the search for general laws of human psychological functioning.
Does the job demand—control model correspond to externally assessed demands and control for both women and men?
Authors: Waldenström Kerstin , Härenstam Annika
Published: May 2008

Aims: To explore externally assessed demands and control for both women and men in each of the groups of the job demand—control (JDC) model, which itself was based on self-reported data. A specific aim was to better understand why health conditions among women with active jobs were as bad as those among women with high-strain jobs in some earlier studies. Methods: Expert assessments were made through direct observation and interviews concerning time pressure, hindrances, influence, and creative work tasks. The sample consisted of 203 men and women in 85 occupations. The four groups of the JDC model (high strain, low strain, active, and passive) were constructed from self-reported data. Results: Most comparative analyses of the JDC groups showed that external assessments corresponded to self-reports in the expected direction for both women and men, although not always statistically significant. However, in the active job situation, external assessments deviated from self-reports in different directions for women and men. Women had more hindrances and less influence over their work, while the situation was reversed for men. Women in active jobs worked more often than men in an organization with mostly female staff and in a predominantly female occupation. Conclusions: Associations between self-reported working conditions and health might be underestimated among women reporting an active job situation. Our findings contribute to the discussion on why the results in some studies show that active jobs among women are as hazardous for health as high-strain jobs.
The Nicaraguan Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, HDSS-León: A platform for public health research
Authors: Peña Rodolfo , Pérez Wilton , Meléndez Marlon , Källestål Carina , Persson Lars-Åke
Published: May 2008

Aim: To describe the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in León, Nicaragua and to present results from the 2002—2003 baseline. Design and methods: A 22% sample of the total population in León, both urban and rural, was selected in 1993. This sample was updated in 2002 and will be followed up on a biannual basis with regard to births, deaths, in-migration, and out-migration. A group of 18 female fieldworkers perform 10 household interviews per day, 20 days per month. They use a map that is produced by a Geographical Information System. It shows all the households, and is the main means of the interviewers finding the households. An extensive data quality control system is used. Results: In total, 54,647 persons lived in the area of the surveillance system, and they resided in 10,994 households. The mean age was 26 years; the sex ratio was 0.93. The infant and neonatal mortality rates were 25.4 and 20.5 per 1,000 live births, respectively. In total, 2,034 people out-migrated from the study area and 3,377 in-migrated. Of the households, 53% were classified as non-poor, 41% as poor, and 6% as extremely poor. Six per cent of the population did not have a toilet or a latrine, and only 16% in the rural area had indoor running water. The surveillance system revealed that 10% were illiterate. Conclusions: The HDSS in León has shown that it can serve as a platform for further intervention studies as well as for research training.
Monitoring the “tip of the iceberg'': Ambulance records as a source of injury surveillance
Authors: Backe Stefan N. , Andersson Ragnar
Published: May 2008

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of moderate and severe injury morbidity in a defined population on the basis of ambulance records, and to validate ambulance records as a potential source of surveillance. Methods: A geographical target area was defined; the county of Värmland, Sweden. All ambulance attendances and hospitalizations for unintentional and intentional injury in 2002 were selected, analysed, and compared. Results: Ambulance data comprised 3,964 injury cases (14.5/1,000). Most injuries for which ambulance attention was sought occurred in road traffic areas (27%), followed by residential areas (20%), school and institutional areas (14%), and sports areas (8%). An ecological comparison between ambulance-based data and hospitalizations showed that ambulance services captured approximately the same amount of injury cases (3,235 ambulance reports, as compared to 3,456 hospital discharges) with a similar profile. Conclusions: This study provides epidemiological support for ambulance services as a potential source of regular surveillance data on moderate and severe injuries. However, at a population level, our results indicate that ambulance data tend to overestimate some injury categories, and underestimate others, as compared to hospital data. The significance of these differences for preventive work, as well as other practical aspects of the feasibility of regular injury surveillance, will be analysed and discussed on the basis of general criteria for evaluation of surveillance systems in a forthcoming paper.
A multi-state model for sick-leave data applied to a randomized control trial study of low back pain
Authors: Lie Stein Atle , Eriksen Hege R. , Ursin Holger , Hagen Eli Molde
Published: May 2008

Aims: Analysing and presenting data on different outcomes after sick-leave is challenging. The use of extended statistical methods supplies additional information and allows further exploitation of data. Methods: Four hundred and fifty-seven patients, sick-listed for 8—12 weeks for low back pain, were randomized to intervention (n=237) or control (n=220). Outcome was measured as: ``sick-listed'', ``returned to work'', or ``disability pension''. The individuals shifted between the three states between one and 22 times (mean 6.4 times). In a multi-state model, shifting between the states was set up in a transition intensity matrix. The probability of being in any of the states was calculated as a transition probability matrix. The effects of the intervention were modelled using a non-parametric model. Results: There was an effect of the intervention for leaving the state sick-listed and shifting to returned to work (relative risk (RR)=1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09— 1.47). The nonparametric estimates showed an effect of the intervention for leaving sick-listed and shifting to returned to work in the first 6 months. We found a protective effect of the intervention for shifting back to sick-listed between 6 and 18 months. The analyses showed that the probability of staying in the state returned to work was not different between the intervention and control groups at the end of the follow-up (3 years). Conclusions: We demonstrate that these alternative analyses give additional results and increase the strength of the analyses. The simple intervention did not decrease the probability of being on sick-leave in the long term; however, it decreased the time that individuals were on sick-leave.
Getting it on(line)
Authors: Barraket Jo , Henry-Waring Millsom S.
Published: May 2008

This article explores the role of sociology in understanding the phenomenon of online dating. Based on an examination of our qualitative study of 23 online daters, combined with the findings of the small number of other empirical studies available, we argue that further sociological consideration of the online dating phenomenon is required to: illuminate the social conditions informing these activities; enhance knowledge of if, and how, online technologies mediate intimate connections; and advance a critically informed understanding of the nature of intimacy in a global era.
Amor fati?
Authors: Powell Anastasia
Published: May 2008

In recent years, the work of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu has sparked the interest of some feminist sociologists who, in response to a perceived cultural determinism of the postmodern turn, are seeking theoretical space to consider women's and men's agency within a changeable, albeit constrained, world of gender relations. This article draws upon the voices of young women and men (aged 14—24) talking about their perceptions and experiences of love/sex relationships. It explores the potential for an adaptation of Bourdieu's central concepts of habitus and symbolic violence, to understand the interplay of structure and agency in young people's negotiations of (hetero)sexual encounters. Finally, the implications of this analysis for young people's relationships and for the prevention of sexual coercion will be considered.
The professionalization of Australian magistrates
Authors: Anleu Sharyn Roach , Mack Kathy
Published: May 2008

Over the past 20 years or so, magistrates courts in Australia have undergone significant change, in particular, separation from the public service and credentialization, indicating greater professionalization. One important reason for separating the magistracy from the public service was to establish magistrates' independence as judicial officers, a distinctive form of professional autonomy. Drawing on a national study of magistrates and their courts, this article investigates the impact of separation from the public service and credentialization on magistrates' occupational location, and considers other dimensions of professionalization, specifically occupational status and prestige. While the professionalization of magistrates has increased, it can also be seen as incomplete. Some magistrates are dissatisfied with their autonomy, especially in relation to workload, and there is some dissatisfaction with their perceptions of the prestige and standing of their judicial office, especially in comparison with judges in the higher courts.
The danger of misinterpreting short-window event study findings in strategic management research: an empirical illustration using horizontal acquisitions
Authors: Oler Derek K. , Harrison Jeffrey S. , Allen Mathew R.
Published: May 2008

Short-window event studies are popular in the strategic management literature. These studies assume that the market's initial reaction to strategic events reflects their economic impact in an unbiased manner. This assumption may hold in some cases, but when an event has complex ramifications that are difficult to predict, the initial market response may be biased and/or incomplete. Acquisitions are complex events, suggesting that results from short-window event studies of acquisitions may foster incorrect inferences. Using a sample of horizontal acquisitions, this article shows that the positive initial market response to an acquisition announcement is contradicted by negative long-run post-acquisition returns, suggesting that the initial response is incorrect and that the error is rectified later. Our findings imply that short-window event studies may not accurately capture the economic impact of complex strategic actions, for the interpretation and use of event studies.
Psychiatric Nurses' Attitudes Toward Consumer and Carer Participation in Care
Authors: Goodwin Val , Happell Brenda
Published: May 2008

Australian government policy has effectively mandated consumer and carer participation. However, the limited relevant literature suggests there are significant barriers to implementing participation in mental health services. Nurses have been identified as a professional group with an important role in creating the culture changes necessary for successful implementation, yet their views about consumer and carer participation have not been extensively explored. This article presents Part 2 of the findings of a qualitative study using focus group interviews with 30 nurses to explore opinions on the topic of consumer and carer participation. Data were analyzed using a content analysis approach, assisted by the software package NVivo. The themes explicated were systemic barriers and education, an essential ingredient. These findings emphasize the barriers and provide some sense of how educational techniques might assist with making some constructive inroads.
Polyester Composite Mesh for Laparoscopic Paraesophageal Hernia Repair
Authors: Varela Esteban , Hinojosa Marcelo , Nguyen Ninh T.
Published: May 2008

Recent evidence supports the use of prosthetic reinforcement material during laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair; however, the search for appropriate prosthetic materials is still under investigation. In this article, the technical feasibility and the short-term outcomes of the use of polyester composite mesh for crural reinforcement was determined. A small series of patients with large paraesophageal hiatal hernias underwent laparoscopic repair with mesh (5 males; mean age = 62 ± 10 years; mean body mass index = 29 ± 1 kg/m2, and mean American Society of Anesthesiologists = 3 ± .4). There were no postoperative complications, deaths, or evidence of hernia recurrence documented by barium study at a median follow-up of 9 months. The use of the polyester composite mesh is technically feasible, has excellent intracorporeal handling characteristics, and holds suture readily. The short-term outcomes of the use of the polyester composite mesh for paraesophageal hernia repair reinforcement appeared to be favorable and are encouraging.
Stemming the Tide of Suicide in Older White Men: A Call to Action
Authors: Schmutte Timothy , O'Connell Maria , Weiland Melissa , Lawless Samuel , Davidson Larry
Published: May 2008

Preventing suicide has been identified as a national priority by recent commissions in the United States. Despite increased awareness of suicide as a public health problem, suicide in older adults remains a neglected topic in prevention strategies and research. This is especially true regarding elderly White men, who in terms of suicide rates have represented the most at-risk age group for the past half century. In light of the unprecedented aging of the United States as the baby boom generation enters late adulthood, suicide prevention initiatives that focus on aging males are needed to prevent a national crisis in geriatric mental health. This article provides a brief review of the perennially under-recognized reality of suicide in older men and prevention strategies that, if implemented, might help stem this rising tide of suicide in this vulnerable population.
Communicative Cities
Authors: Gumpert Gary , Drucker Susan J.
Published: May 2008

The quality of communication within cities makes a significant difference to the overall quality of human life. The question `what makes a city communicative?' has several interpretations: (1) how does a city communicate and (2) how does it facilitate communication? This article proposes a communication paradigm from which to examine the urban landscape. It explores the efforts of the Urban Communication Foundation to develop criteria for a communicative city. The article provides a framework of elements of a communicative city, elements that disqualify a city from being communicative, and proposes a set of fixed and semi-fixed features that operationalize and facilitate communicative cities.