bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Striatal Contributions to Reward and Decision Making
Authors: WICKENS JEFFERY R. , BUDD CHRISTOPHER S. , HYLAND BRIAN I. , ARBUTHNOTT GORDON W.
Published: June 2007

Abstract:  The striatum is the major input nucleus of the basal ganglia. It is thought to play a key role in learning on the basis of positive reinforcement and in action selection. One view of the striatum conceives it as comprising a reiterated matrix of processing units that perform common operations in different striatal regions, namely synaptic plasticity according to a three‐factor rule, and lateral inhibition. These operations are required for reinforcement learning and selection of previously reinforced actions. Analysis of the behavioral effects of circumscribed lesions of the striatum, however, suggests regional specialization of learning and decision‐making operations. We consider how a basic processing unit may be modified by regional variations in neurochemical parameters, for example, by the gradient in density of dopamine terminals from dorsal to ventral striatum. These variations suggest subtle differences between dorsolateral and ventromedial striatal regions in the temporal properties of dopamine signaling, which are superimposed on regional differences in connectivity. We propose that these variations make sense in relation to the temporal structure of activity in striatal inputs from different regions, and the requirements of different learning operations. Dorsolateral striatal (DLS) regions may be subject to brief, precisely timed pulses of dopamine, whereas ventromedial striatal regions integrate dopamine signals over a longer time course. These differences may be important for understanding regional variations in the contribution to reinforcement of habits, versus incentive processes that are sensitive to the value of expected rewards.
An analysis of the plastic deformation due to orthogonal and oblique cutting
Authors: Hsu T C
Published: June 2007

The plastic deformations in orthogonal and oblique cutting processes are so large that they cannot be analysed like the small strains in linear elasticity. The deformation due to orthogonal cutting is represented by a two-by-two matrix and that due to oblique cutting by a three-by-three one. Oblique cutting is analysed as orthogonal cutting with a transverse movement of the tool, and the relation between the direction of chip flow, the deformation and the cutting ratio is deduced. The implications of Merchant's theory and Stabler's flow rule are examined in the light of the analysis presented.
Plane strain distribution in perfectly plastic regions around circular holes due to unequal biaxial loads
Authors: Tuba I S
Published: June 2007

The elastic-perfectly plastic solution of Galin provides only the stress distribution for the plastic region. The theory is extended and the compatibility equation is solved for the secant modulus. The unfinished problem of Galin is thus completed and the strain distribution is obtained for the perfectly plastic region around a circular hole due to unequal biaxial loads.
The bending of plate using a three-roll pyramid type plate bending machine
Authors: Bassett M B , Johnson W
Published: June 2007

An experimental three-roll pyramid type plate bending machine was constructed and measurements were made of the upper roll vertical force, the driving torque and the relaxed radius of curvature for a given disposition of the top and bottom rolls. Two methods of analysing the plate bending process in the machine are given: (1) a geometrical analysis based on the assumption that the deflected form of the plate is in the arc of a circle and (2) a load analysis using the uniaxial stress-strain relationship for the material. The experimental results for an aluminium alloy (N.P.8) were best accounted for by the geometrical analysis whilst the load analysis gave disappointing predictions.

In Part 2 experiments are reported on the bending of mild steel. In most of the experiments the two lower rolls were driven, but to determine the effect of plate roll friction, some were carried out in which the lower exit roll only was driven. A discussion of the various theoretical analyses which have been proposed is given and they are compared with the results of the authors' experiments.
The design and construction of a new apparatus for measuring the vertical forces exerted in walking: A gait machine
Authors: Skorecki J
Published: June 2007

A device has been designed and constructed which produces permanent records of the variation with time of the vertical components of forces exerted on the ground by both feet of a human being when walking over a distance of about eleven feet. The device makes use of the elastic displacement of steel diaphragms, the viscous damping of air-free oil and the deflection of collimated beams of ultra-violet light by surface-silvered mirrors actuated by the diaphragms. The records are obtained on photo-sensitive paper. The accuracy of the device, both static and dynamic, is within one per cent.

The device, known as a gait machine, has been installed at the Wrightington Hospital (near Wigan) where it replaces a primitive prototype. The machine, which is believed to be the only one of its kind, will be used as a clinical, diagnostic and research tool.
Relative Prices and Relative Prosperity
Authors: Hsieh Chang-Tai , Klenow Peter J
Published: June 2007

The positive correlation between real investment rates and real income levels across countries is driven largely by differences in the price of investment relative to output. The high relative price of investment in poor countries is due to the low price of consumption goods in those countries. Investment prices are no higher in poor countries. Thus, the low real investment rates in poor countries are not driven by high tax or tariff rates on investment. Poor countries, instead, appear to be plagued by low efficiency in producing investment goods and in producing consumer goods to trade for them. (JEL E22, E23, O16, O47)
Generalizing the Taylor Principle
Authors: Davig Troy , Leeper Eric M
Published: June 2007

The paper generalizes the Taylor principle—the proposition that central banks can stabilize the macroeconomy by raising their interest rate instrument more than one-for-one in response to higher inflation—to an environment in which reaction coefficients in the monetary policy rule change regime, evolving according to a Markov process. We derive a long-run Taylor principle which delivers unique bounded equilibria in two standard models. Policy can satisfy the Taylor principle in the long run, even while deviating from it substantially for brief periods or modestly for prolonged periods. Macroeconomic volatility can be higher in periods when the Taylor principle is not satisfied, not because of indeterminacy, but because monetary policy amplifies the impacts of fundamental shocks. Regime change alters the qualitative and quantitative predictions of a conventional new Keynesian model, yielding fresh interpretations of existing empirical work. (JEL E31, E43, E52)
The Timing of Monetary Policy Shocks
Authors: Olivei Giovanni , Tenreyro Silvana
Published: June 2007

A vast empirical literature has documented delayed and persistent effects of monetary policy shocks on output. We show that this finding results from the aggregation of output impulse responses that differ sharply depending on the timing of the shock. When the monetary policy shock takes place in the first two quarters of the year, the response of output is quick, sizable, and dies out at a relatively fast pace. In contrast, output responds very little when the shock takes place in the third or fourth quarter. We propose a potential explanation for the differential responses based on uneven staggering of wage contracts across quarters. Using a dynamic general equilibrium model, we show that a realistic amount of uneven staggering can generate differences in output responses quantitatively similar to those found in the data. (JEL E23, E24, E58, J41)
Learning Your Earning: Are Labor Income Shocks Really Very Persistent?
Authors: Guvenen Fatih
Published: June 2007

The current literature offers two views on the nature of the labor income process. According to the first view, individuals are subject to very persistent income shocks while facing similar life-cycle income profiles (the RIP process, Thomas MaCurdy 1982). According to the alternative, individuals are subject to shocks with modest persistence while facing individual-specific profiles (the HIP process, Lee A. Lillard and Yoram A. Weiss 1979). In this paper we study the restrictions imposed by these two processes on consumption data—in the context of a life-cycle model—to distinguish between the two views. We find that the life-cycle model with a HIP process, which has not been studied in the previous literature, is consistent with several features of consumption data, whereas the model with a RIP process is consistent with some, but not with others. We conclude that the HIP model could be a credible contender to—and along some dimensions, a more coherent alternative than—the RIP model. (JEL D83, D91, E21, J31)
Estimating the Effects of Private School Vouchers in Multidistrict Economies
Authors: Ferreyra Maria Marta
Published: June 2007

This paper estimates a general equilibrium model of school quality and household residential and school choice for economies with multiple public school districts and private (religious and nonsectarian) schools. The estimates, obtained through full-solution methods, are used to simulate two large-scale private school voucher programs in the Chicago metropolitan area: universal vouchers and vouchers restricted to nonsectarian schools. In the simulations, both programs increase private school enrollment and affect household residential choice. Under nonsectarian vouchers, however, private school enrollment expands less than under universal vouchers, and religious school enrollment declines for large nonsectarian vouchers. Fewer households benefit from nonsectarian vouchers. (JEL H75, I21, I22)
Social Interactions in High School: Lessons from an Earthquake
Authors: Cipollone Piero , Rosolia Alfonso
Published: June 2007

After an earthquake hit Southern Italy in 1980, young men from certain towns were exempted from compulsory military service. We show that the exemption raised high-school-graduation rates of boys by more than 2 percentage points. We do this by comparing high-school-graduation rates of young exempt men and older nonexempt men from the least damaged areas and men of the same age groups from nearby towns that were not hit by the quake. Similar comparisons show that graduation rates of young women in the affected areas also increased. Since in Italy women are not subject to the draft, the findings suggest the presence of spillover effects. (JEL I21, J13)
Improvement in screening for sexually transmitted infections in HIV-positive patients following implementation of a nurse-led clinic
Authors: Hamlyn E , Barrett S , Kelsey J , Lockyer S , Welz T , Poulton M
Published: June 2007

The objective of this study was to assess changes in the uptake of sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening resulting from implementation of a specific STI clinic for HIV-positive patients. An audit of STI screening in HIV-positive patients was undertaken before and after the establishment of the clinic. Significant increases in the number of patients having a sexual health discussion and annual health screen were seen. High rates of positive results were found in all patient groups. National guidelines recommend regular STI screening for all HIV-positive patients. A specific clinic for HIV-positive patients is feasible and acceptable and may result in an increase in uptake of STI screening.
Rapid HIV testing in a clinic setting
Authors: Owen David , O'Farrell Nigel
Published: June 2007

The aim of this audit was to review the use of a rapid HIV test in a genitourinary (GU) clinic setting. The rapid test was used selectively on patients mainly deemed to be from high-risk groups with risk behaviours. In total, 120 tests were carried out on 90 patients of whom 18 (20%) were HIV positive, including six who had tested positive previously. Eleven (61.1%) of the positive tests were direct referrals from the GU clinic. The vast majority of those tested resided in the local area. Rapid HIV testing can be undertaken on selected patients in a GU clinic setting provided appropriate support is available for those patients who test positive.
Barriers to prenatal care and poor pregnancy outcomes among women with syphilis in the Russian Federation
Authors: Southwick K L , Tikhonova L I , Salakhov E G , Shakarishvili A , Ryan C , Hillis S
Published: June 2007

We studied predictors of no prenatal care (PNC) and influence of no PNC on pregnancy outcome in a multisite study of 1071 women with syphilis in Russia. We assessed PNC utilization, HIV testing, syphilis treatment, and pregnancy outcome. We found that 37% of women with syphilis received no PNC, and 1% was HIV infected. Lacking official residency status was independently related to no PNC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 8.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 5.3–12.3). Among women with inadequately treated current syphilis, those without PNC were more likely to have a stillborn infant than those with PNC (25% vs. 3%, odds ratio [OR] 9.5, 95% CI 4.0–23.5). Women with adequately treated current syphilis and no PNC were more likely to deliver a low birth weight (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.8–8.1) or preterm infant (OR 3.9; 95%CI 1.8–8.7). Women with previous or current syphilis and no PNC were significantly more likely to abandon their infants.
Listeriosis associated with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in an HIV-infected patient
Authors: Low E E , Nathan B , Killingley B M , Nelson M , Gazzard B
Published: June 2007

An HIV-infected man developed listeriosis six days after an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. Although listeriosis has been rarely described following lower GI endoscopy, we believe this is the first case related to upper GI endoscopy.
The differing profiles of symptomatic and asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis-infected men in a clinical setting
Authors: Chen Marcus Y , Rohrsheim Richard , Donovan Basil
Published: June 2007

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the risk profiles of chlamydia-infected men in a clinical setting differ based on their symptom status. In all, 363 heterosexual, chlamydia-infected men attending a Sydney sexual health service were compared with controls. The 172 asymptomatically infected men and the 183 symptomatically infected men were also compared with the controls, and with each other. Compared with symptomatic men, asymptomatically infected men were younger ( P = 0.03), and more likely to be overseas-born (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.1–3.5]), to be in a relationship (AOR 2.4, 95% CI [1.4–4.0]), to report contact with a chlamydia-infected woman (AOR 3.7, 95% CI [2.0–7.1]) and to have had contact with a partner with a non-chlamydial infection (AOR 10.7, 95% CI [1.3–89.7]). Infected men with a history of chlamydia were more likely to have current symptoms and a shorter duration of those symptoms. In conclusion, in a clinical setting, there appear to be differences in the profiles of symptomatic and asymptomatic chlamydia-infected men.
Impact of education in promoting the knowledge of and attitude to HIV/AIDS prevention: a trial on 17,000 Iranian students
Authors: Jodati A R , Nourabadi G R , Hassanzadeh S , Dastgiri S , Sedaghat K
Published: June 2007

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an educational course on knowledge and attitude of students regarding HIV/AIDS prevention in Tabriz, Iran. The study was conducted by self-assessment technique among university students before and after an educational training programme. The findings showed that the knowledge of students increased significantly ( P<0.05). The attitude to the problem also improved positively in the subjects ( P<0.05). It is concluded that short-term training courses and continuous educational programmes (i.e. peer education, etc.) should be provided to young students through the course materials in the universities and schools promoting the awareness and attitude to this ever-increasing health problem.
A syphilis outbreak: recent trends in infectious syphilis in Birmingham, UK, in 2005 and control strategies
Authors: Yarlagadda S , Acharya S , Goold P , Ward D J , Ross J D C
Published: June 2007

The objective of this study was to identify the demographic characteristics and sexual behaviour associated with primary, secondary and early latent syphilis in Birmingham and its epidemiologic and public health implications. All new patients diagnosed as having infectious syphilis in a genitourinary service in Birmingham in the period from January 2005 to December 2005 were studied retrospectively (history, physical examination, serology) to determine the stage of their disease. During the 12-month period, 69 new cases of primary, secondary and early latent syphilis were diagnosed. Patients were most commonly male (96%), aged between 20 and 44 years, symptomatic (84%) and were white men who had sex with men or Asian/Black Caribbean heterosexual men. Unemployment and having multiple partners were common in infected patients. Based on the results of this study, control measures are being undertaken, using enhanced surveillance, to focus on appropriate health promotion initiatives.
Targeted screening for Trichomonas vaginalis in women, a pH-based approach
Authors: Bell Charlotte , Hough Emma , Smith Alan , Greene Linda
Published: June 2007

In the genitourinary medicine clinic setting, the most practical and widely used method of diagnosing Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is direct microscopy of a wet mount preparation (WMP) of a sample taken from the posterior vaginal fornix. We retrospectively reviewed the potential impact of further limiting WMP to women with a vaginal pH ≥4.5. In total, 5/100 women with TV diagnosed on WMP had a recorded vaginal pH <4.5. One case of TV was identified in 1000 consecutive WMPs performed in women with vaginal pH <4.5. Our review demonstrates that, in our two groups, TV as diagnosed by WMP is strongly associated with a vaginal pH ≥4.5.
The HIV prevention needs of injection drug users in Estonia
Authors: Wilson Tracey E , Sharma Anjali , Zilmer Kai , Kalikova Nelli , Uusküla Anneli
Published: June 2007

To assess the relationships between HIV transmission risk behaviours, HIV serostatus and knowledge of HIV serostatus among active injection drug users (IDUs) residing in Tallinn, Estonia, we conducted HIV testing and administered a standardized interview to 266 participants reporting recent injection drug use. In total, 45% were HIV positive, and of those, 39% knew their HIV serostatus. Those who knew their HIV-positive serostatus were less likely to report giving someone else their needle after they used it (9%) than were HIV-negative participants (23%) and those who were HIV positive but unaware of their HIV-positive serostatus (25%). There were no statistically significant differences in unprotected sex or other drug use behaviours between the groups. Most participants reported that HIV can be transmitted through sharing needles (98%) and unprotected sexual activity (93%). Prevention needs of IDUs in this area include increasing the rates of HIV testing and implementing effective programmes to reduce sexual and drug use risk behaviours.
Repression of α-actinin SM exon splicing by assisted binding of PTB to the polypyrimidine tract
Authors: Matlin Arianne J. , Southby Justine , Gooding Clare , Smith Christopher W.J.
Published: June 2007

Polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) acts as a regulatory repressor of a large number of alternatively spliced exons, often requiring multiple binding sites in order to repress splicing. In one case, cooperative binding of PTB has been shown to accompany repression. The SM exon of the α-actinin pre-mRNA is also repressed by PTB, leading to inclusion of the alternative upstream NM exon. The SM exon has a distant branch point located 386 nt upstream of the exon with an adjacent 26 nucleotide pyrimidine tract. Here we have analyzed PTB binding to the NM and SM exon region of the α-actinin pre-mRNA. We find that three regions of the intron bind PTB, including the 3′ end of the polypyrimidine tract (PPT) and two additional regions between the PPT and the SM exon. The downstream PTB binding sites are essential for full repression and promote binding of PTB to the PPT with a consequent reduction in U2AF65 binding. Our results are consistent with a repressive mechanism in which cooperative binding of PTB to the PPT competes with binding of U2AF65, thereby specifically blocking splicing of the SM exon.
Differential factor requirement to assemble translation initiation complexes at the alternative start codons of foot-and-mouth disease virus RNA
Authors: Andreev Dmitri E. , Fernandez-Miragall Olga , Ramajo Jorge , Dmitriev Sergey E. , Terenin Ilya M. , Martinez-Salas Encarna , Shatsky Ivan N.
Published: June 2007

The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) RNA contains two in-frame AUG codons separated by 84 nt that direct translation initiation of the viral polyprotein. The mechanism of initiation at the IRES-proximal AUG codon (AUG1) has been previously analyzed, whereas no data on factor requirements for AUG2 have been reported. Here, using the method of 48S translation initiation complex reconstitution, we show that eIF1 is indispensable in forming the 48S initiation complex at AUG2. In contrast, it reduces the assembly of this complex at AUG1. Stabilization of a stem–loop between the initiation triplets induces a small decrease in the toeprint intensity at AUG2, accompanied by an increase in the AUG1/AUG2 ratio as well as a moderate reduction of protein synthesis initiated at AUG2 in transfected cells. PTB and ITAF45 exerted an additive positive effect on the 48S complex at AUG2, although a substantial reconstitution on both AUGs occurs on omission of either of these proteins. Relative to the β-globin mRNA, the 48S complex formation at AUG1 and AUG2 is slow and occurs with the same kinetics as revealed by the “kinetic” toeprint assay. Mutation of AUG1 to AUA does not abrogate protein synthesis in transfected cells, and has no effect on the rate of the 48S complex formation at AUG2. We conclude that the AUG2 initiation region is selected independently of 48S complex formation at the upstream AUG1. The kinetic toeprint assay also shows that cap-dependent assembly of the 48S complex in vitro occurs faster than the FMDV IRES-mediated complex assembly.
The Hearsay Rule under the Criminal Justice Act 2003: R v Xhabri (Agrol)
Authors: Malik Billal
Published: June 2007

Many lawyers do not find that the hearsay rule trips off the tongue. They apply it by instinct rather than design. Laymen may be utterly baffled by the rule. Next month we enter a new era when the hearsay provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 between sections 114 and 136 come into force. New instincts will then have to be acquired and no doubt new anomalies are likely to emerge.
Litigants in Person and Their Difficulties in Adducing Evidence: A Study of Small Claims in an English County Court
Authors: Lewis Paul
Published: June 2007

The literature suggests that litigants in person may be disadvantaged by an inability to adduce adequate evidence. This article reports an observational study investigating how 66 litigants in person fared when pursuing their cases in the small claims track of a county court in England. The research found that some litigants were unable to adduce adequate evidence and that the judges experienced difficulty in resolving the problem. In other cases evidential difficulties were successfully addressed, mostly by means of adjournment. Parties often showed only a limited understanding of the evidential requirements. The study demonstrates that litigants in person have a need for legal advice and education to enable them to operate effectively within the legal process and to secure a fair trial in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights. Cases alleging breach of the implied term of reasonable care and skill in contracts for services emerged as a particular problem and there may be an argument for law reform.
The Common Enterprise Exception to the Hearsay Rule
Authors: Spencer Keith
Published: June 2007

This article undertakes a comparative examination of the common enterprise exception to the hearsay rule, in order to paint a clear picture of the requirements and functioning of the rule in England and Wales. Four possible underlying rationales for the common enterprise exception—agency, res gestae, admissions and necessity—are first identified and evaluated. The doctrinal parameters of the exception are then explored, in terms of its three principal elements: the furtherance, pendency, and independent evidence requirements. Different mutations of the rule across various common law jurisdictions, particularly Canada and the United States, are considered. Finally, an exploration of subsidiary issues such as the required order of proof, the operation of the rule in relation to acquitted conspirators, and the conjunction of conspiracy counts with related substantive charges serves to underline the tensions between this traditional exception to the hearsay rule and legislatively enshrined guarantees of fair trial.
Improperly Obtained Evidence in the Commonwealth: Lessons for England and Wales?
Authors: Choo Andrew L.-T. , Nash Susan
Published: June 2007

English law's traditional approach to the admissibility of improperly obtained evidence is currently being rethought in response to a range of domestic and international pressures. With the position in England and Wales following the House of Lords' decision in A and Others (2005) firmly in mind, this article undertakes a selective review of comparative approaches to the admissibility of improperly obtained evidence in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Having analysed relevant legislation and case law in each jurisdiction, general principles are derived to guide future developments in English law, in conformity with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Are Finnish Police Racists? A Critical Analysis of Police Cadets' Attitudes towards African Immigrants in Finland
Authors: Egharevba Stephen , White John
Published: June 2007

Although studies on police attitudes in Finland are quite scarce, the attempt to understand police cadets' attitudes has received even less empirical attention. It is generally assumed that police and ethnic minorities' relations brim with mutual suspicions. The empirical research literature supports this assumption that this relationship is filled with mutual misconceptions. Using a questionnaire, we tried to test these hypotheses through the responses of police cadets who had spent the mandatory 2.5 years of police cadet training in the Finnish Police School. This was in addition to a voluntary in-depth interview on a one-to-one basis. The questionnaire was introduced to two sets of graduating police cadet students in their classrooms. The questionnaire used contained a set of questions, which were used to extract information from the respondents in order to gain a broader understanding of police cadet attitudes towards their contacts with African immigrants in Finland. Using SPSS statistical analysis, the results suggest that there has been little contact between police cadets and African immigrants in Finland and, as a result, mutual suspicion is rife. In addition, the relationship between the police cadets and African immigrants is quite different across age, gender, education, and language skills of police cadets. In other words these variables operated in unexpected ways, which run directly counter to well-accepted assumptions regarding the police and African immigrants in Finland. These police cadets' views could offer us an important insight into the larger police force
Football Banning Orders: Analysing Their Use in Court
Authors: James Mark , Pearson Geoff
Published: June 2007

In the months prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the government funded a number of targeted policing operations aimed at securing Football Banning Orders against known or suspected football hooligans. This article is based on court observations and associated interviews carried out in early 2006 in and around Manchester. It evaluates the application process, the legal tests applied and the quality of the evidence relied on by courts when determining whether the imposition of a Football Banning Order is necessary to prevent future football-related disorder being committed by the respondent. In particular, the analysis focuses on whether the use of a civil procedure can continue to be justified in the light of the punitive length of and conditions attached to these Orders, whether the correct standard of proof is being applied by the court at all stages of the application and whether policing tactics are focused too narrowly on the securing of Football Banning Orders.
Career Satisfaction of Generation X Law Enforcement Officers
Authors: Mineard Troy A.
Published: June 2007

Generation X-age workers are increasingly staffing law enforcement agencies in the United States. This article seeks to determine the level of career satisfaction for this age group of officers. The author used a questionnaire format to solicit responses across a range of officer ages, experience and agency personnel size to determine their career satisfaction levels. Interesting responses were obtained that addressed three broad areas of the study. Specifically, whether explanation of the work environment prior to hiring was accurate, whether rate of pay in relation to educational level is adequate, and whether they feel included in decisions affecting the workplace. This article presents the results of the study, and suggestions for police managers to increase career satisfaction for Generation X officers.
Attitudes towards Sex Offenders and the Role of Empathy, Locus of Control and Training: A Comparison between a Probationer Police and General Public Sample
Authors: Johnson Helen , Hughes J. Gary , Ireland Jane L.
Published: June 2007

The current study aimed to explore attitudes towards sex offenders in a probationer police sample and a general sample, with a focus on the role of empathy and locus of control. There was a subsidiary aim of assessing the impact of education awareness training on the attitudes held by police officers. Ninety-nine members of the general population (49 men and 50 women) and 75 probationer police officers (50 men and 25 women) completed the Attitudes Towards Sex Offenders scale (ATS), a measure of cognitive and emotional empathy (IRI: Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and the Locus of Control of Behaviour scale (LOC). Results indicated that police officers were more likely than the general population to report positive attitudes towards sex offenders. This supported the prediction that there would be a difference between samples. Locus of control did not feature as a strong associating factor with attitudes, failing to associate with overall attitudes towards sex offenders. Attitudes were found to associate with levels of empathy but the nature of the relationship differed in accordance with the specific component of empathy and the population (i.e. police or general sample). Women overall were reported to be more empathic than men but no interaction between gender and status was found. Police officers were found, however, to present with lower overall empathy levels than the general population but this was not consistent across all types of empathy, with increased perspective-taking abilities compared with those of the general sample being reported. Interestingly, following awareness training on sex offenders, police officers reported more negative attitudes towards sex offenders. The study concludes by discussing the implication of these findings for practice.
The Forgotten Siblings
Authors: Young Sally
Published: June 2007

In this article I wish to argue that the qualities and dynamics of sibling relationships may have been overlooked in family therapy. In overlooking them, we have also overlooked a significant feature in the emotional life of children. I would like to suggest that sibling relationships are where children practise identity. In these relationships we can learn how to be one in a group. Family Therapy treatment may not make enough use of the dynamic of the sibling relationship.
Working with Uncertainty: An Unfinished Case Study
Authors: Draper Judy
Published: June 2007

A disclosure of sexual abuse, which is then retracted, places the family therapist in a difficult position both ethically and in terms of whom the therapist's primary alliance is to. This case study will examine some of these difficulties and will describe the process of working with a family when child protection issues are suspected but not substantiated.
Infant‐Directed Singing in Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care1
Authors: O'Gorman Shannon
Published: June 2007

Serious and life‐threatening illnesses in the infant population present complex theoretical and practical challenges for both the family unit and hospital staff. These challenges operate at a minimum of three levels, namely the infant's internal system, the parent—infant relationship and the acute medical context. This article describes infant‐directed singing as an intervention in restoring an attachment bond disrupted by serious illness. In particular, the following will be considered: the need for family focused interventions within the acute medical setting, the usefulness of attachment theory in the acute care context; a technical description of infant‐directed singing and a cybernetic conceptualisation of the relevant staff—mother—infant interactions.
The Impact of Parental Attachment on Adolescent Perception of the School Environment and School Connectedness
Authors: Shochet Ian M. , Smyth Tanya , Homel Ross
Published: June 2007

The extent to which students feel accepted, valued, respected and included in the school has recently surfaced as one of the most important predictors of adolescent mental health (particularly depressive symptoms). The school environment is an established predictor of school connectedness, but we set out to examine whether parental attachment predicts both adolescents' perception of the school environment and school connectedness. A study of 171 high school students from years 8 to 12 showed that parent attachment strongly predicted both. We also confirmed that the relationship between parent attachment and school connectedness is not a direct one but that parent attachment influences individual differences in the way adolescents perceive the school environment, which in turn influences school connectedness. This finding shows how multiple systems might be interlinked in influencing wellbeing in adolescents, and confirms the importance of intervening at the double level of both the family and the school system.
Transcending Operating Barriers Online for Disabled Bodies
Authors: Bowker Natilene I. , Tuffin Keith
Published: June 2007

People with disabilities often face physical, social, and psychological barriers in daily life because of inaccessible structures and disability prejudice. The online medium's physically, nontaxing capacity for participation as well as a lack of visually mediated cues can potentially eliminate such barriers. This study discursively explored the psychological meaning of what it meant to be online for people with disabilities, focusing on possibilities for operating beyond their standard practices in daily life. Participants were recruited from various disability organisations in New Zealand and were invited to take part in an online interview. The notion of transcending barriers to participation formed a broad pattern in participants' data. This talk comprised 3 linguistic resources: life-altering, overcoming physical barriers, and disconnecting disability. Each resource offered participants a highly positive and significant transformation in subjectivity, enabling people with disabilities to be positioned as equal members of society.
Factors Associated With Exercise Participation and Attitudes to Exercise Among Pregnant Smokers
Authors: Ussher Michael , Ah-Yoon Michael , West Robert , Straus Lianne
Published: June 2007

Objective: We assessed exercise levels and psychosocial aspects of exercise among pregnant smokers. Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey of 88 pregnant smokers assessed levels of participation in exercise and psychosocial aspects of exercise; namely, self-efficacy, beliefs, perceived social support, perceived barriers, intentions and stage of change. Results: The women reported slightly higher levels of physical activity than for the general population of young women. The vast majority of women interviewed reported that exercise was important in their pregnancy, that they intended exercising regularly during pregnancy and were interested in exercise classes as an aid to smoking cessation. Fatigue was the most commonly reported barrier to physical activity during pregnancy, followed by ‘it takes too much time’, ‘uncomfortable when I exercise’ or ‘not sure what to do’. The vast majority of women expressed very little confidence and social support towards exercising. Conclusion: The results suggest that there is potential for using physical activity as an aid to smoking cessation during pregnancy. However, such interventions would need to be sufficiently intensive to address perceived barriers to exercise, lack of social support, low self-efficacy and be tailored to different stages of pregnancy.
We'll get by with a little help from our friends: The Battle of Britain and the pilot in Anglo-American Relations 194045
Authors: Cumming Anthony J
Published: June 2007

The news that the USA was only prepared to fund British post-war social re-construction with an enormous loan instead of a grant came as a tremendous shock to most Britons in 1945/46. Why did the British think their contribution to the outcome of World War II, and in particular their Battle of Britain victory, give them a moral claim on the American purse? RAF pilots as objects of American hero-worship.
Iron Arguments: Spectacle, rhetoric and the slave body in New England and British antislavery oratory
Authors: Bernier Celeste-Marie
Published: June 2007

Material proofs or Imaginary Property? Complex intellectual, historical and cultural relationships have always existed between the experimentation with rhetoric and the spectacle of the slave body in abolitionist literature. This article debates the challenges the eighteenth and nineteenth
century writers offered to the widespread representation of the slave body within mainstream North American, British and Caribbean abolitionist discourse. The commitment of writers such as Robert Wedderburn, Phillis Wheatley, David Walker and Jupiter Hammon to experimental language and subject-matter
testifies to the existence of a radical literary tradition much earlier than the popularly examined mid-nineteenth century authors, including Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs. These earlier figures were intent, not only upon extending the permissible boundaries of abolitionist representation,
but also in staking a claim for the politically liberating potential of the literary imagination in a fight for the right to aesthetic experimentation.
Fatores de risco para internação por doença respiratória aguda em crianças até um ano de idade
Authors: Macedo Silvia Elaine Cardozo , Menezes Ana Maria Baptista , Albernaz Elaine , Post Paulo , Knorst Marli
Published: June 2007

OBJETIVO: Avaliar fatores de risco para hospitalização por doença respiratória aguda em crianças até um ano de idade. MÉTODOS: Estudo de casos e controles na cidade de Pelotas, RS. Os casos foram crianças de até um ano de idade, que se hospitalizaram por doença respiratória aguda, de agosto de 1997 a julho de 1998. Os controles foram crianças da comunidade, da mesma idade, sem hospitalização prévia por essa doença. Um questionário investigando exposição a fatores de risco foi aplicado às mães de casos e controles. Os dados foram submetidos à análise univariada, bivariada e multivariada por meio de regressão logística para avaliação dos fatores de risco sobre o desfecho de interesse. RESULTADOS: Foram analisadas 777 crianças, sendo 625 casos e 152 controles. Na análise bruta, os fatores de risco associados ao desfecho foram: sexo masculino, faixa etária menor de seis meses, aglomeração familiar, escolaridade materna, renda familiar, condições habitacionais inadequadas, desmame precoce, tabagismo materno, uso de bico, história de hospitalização e antecedentes de sintomas respiratórios. O trabalho materno foi fator de proteção para internação por doença respiratória aguda. Na análise multivariada, permaneceram associadas: ausência de ou baixa escolaridade materna (OR=12,5), história pregressa de sibilância (OR=7,7), desmame precoce (OR=2,3), uso de bico (OR=1,9), mãe fumante (OR=1,7), idade abaixo de seis meses (OR=1,7) e sexo masculino (OR=1,5). CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados mostraram a importância dos aspectos sociais e comportamentais da família, assim como morbidade respiratória anterior da criança como fatores de risco para hospitalização por doença respiratória aguda.
Violência contra mulheres entre usuárias de serviços públicos de saúde da Grande São Paulo
Authors: Schraiber Lilia Blima , D'Oliveira Ana Flávia P L , Couto Márcia Thereza , Hanada Heloisa , Kiss Ligia B , Durand Julia G , Puccia Maria Inês , Andrade Marta Campagnoni
Published: June 2007

OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência de violência contra mulheres (física, psicológica e sexual), por parceiro íntimo ou outro agressor, entre usuárias de serviços públicos de saúde e contrastá-la com a percepção de ter sofrido violência e com o registro das ocorrências nos serviços estudados. MÉTODOS: Estudo realizado em 19 serviços de saúde, selecionados por conveniência e agrupados em nove sítios de pesquisa na Grande São Paulo, entre 2001-2002. Questionários sobre violência sofrida alguma vez na vida, no último ano e agressor foram aplicados à amostra de 3.193 usuárias de 15 a 49 anos. Foram examinados 3.051 prontuários dessas mulheres para verificação do registro dos casos de violência. Realizaram-se análises comparativas pelos testes Anova, com comparações múltiplas e qui-quadrado, seguido de sua partição. RESULTADOS: As prevalências observadas foram: qualquer violência 76% (IC 95%: 74,2;77,8); psicológica 68,9% (IC 95%: 66,4;71,4); física 49,6% (IC 95%: 47,7;51,4); física e/ou sexual 54,8% (IC 95%: 53,1;56,6) e sexual 26% (IC 95%: 24,4;28,0). A violência física e/ou sexual por parceiro íntimo na vida foi de 45,3% (IC 95%: 43,5;47,1) e por outros que não o parceiro foi de 25,7% (IC 95%: 25,0;26,5). Apenas 39,1% das que relataram qualquer episódio consideraram ter vivido violência na vida, observando-se registro em 3,8% dos prontuários. As prevalências diferiram entre os sítios de pesquisa, bem como a percepção e registro das violências. CONCLUSÕES: A esperada alta magnitude do evento e sua invisibilidade foram confirmadas pelas baixas taxas de registro em prontuário. Constatou-se ser baixa a percepção das situações vividas como violência. Sugerem-se estudos ulteriores que avaliem a heterogeneidade das usuárias dos serviços.
Conhecimentos e práticas de adolescentes na prevenção de acidentes de trabalho: estudo qualitativo
Authors: Nagai Roberta , Lefèvre Ana Maria C , Lefèvre Fernando , Steluti Josiane , Teixeira Liliane R , Zinn Lílian C S , Soares Nilson S , Fischer Frida M
Published: June 2007

OBJETIVO: Descrever conhecimentos e práticas adotados por estudantes do ensino médio na prevenção de acidentes de trabalho. DELINEAMENTO DO ESTUDO: O estudo foi realizado em uma escola pública, localizada no Município de São Paulo, em 2003. Participaram 53 estudantes do período noturno, com idades entre 14 e 21 anos, divididos em dois grupos: com e sem experiência de trabalho (32 e 21 adolescentes, respectivamente). Eles responderam a duas questões: "Por quê os acidentes de trabalho ocorrem?" e "O que você faz para evitar que ocorram acidentes de trabalho?". As análises dos dados foram feitas no programa Quali-quanti, para a elaboração do discurso de sujeito coletivo. ANÁLISE DOS DISCURSOS: Para os adolescentes com experiência de trabalho, acidentes ocorrem devido ao descuido ou má sorte do funcionário, irresponsabilidade do patrão, falta de treinamento no trabalho e ambiente de trabalho inseguro. Os adolescentes sem experiência relataram que acidentes de trabalho ocorrem devido ao descuido do funcionário e irresponsabilidade do patrão. Sobre as formas de proteção dos acidentes de trabalho os adolescentes de ambos grupos relataram que: prestam (prestariam) atenção no trabalho e usam (usariam) equipamentos de segurança. CONCLUSÕES: Os adolescentes dos dois grupos mostraram conhecimento limitado sobre acidentes de trabalho e formas de prevenção. Os adolescentes apontaram como "culpa da vítima" as ocorrências dos acidentes de trabalho e a melhor forma de proteção "prestar atenção no trabalho". A cultura de culpar a vítima está presente desde a adolescência e provavelmente é resultado de um processo de aprendizado na sociedade.
Qualidade das estatísticas de óbitos por causas desconhecidas dos Estados brasileiros
Authors: Paes Neir Antunes
Published: June 2007

OBJETIVO: Analisar a qualidade dos registros de óbitos por causas desconhecidas da população adulta e explorar suas relações com outros indicadores. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados dados de óbitos por causas desconhecidas da população adulta de todas as Unidades da Federação do Brasil, de 1990 a 2000. Os dados percentuais das mortes por essas causas foram classificados em quatro categorias quanto à qualidade. Os padrões etários das causas mal definidas foram representados por Estados-típicos e calculados coeficientes de correlação entre essas causas e alguns indicadores, como causas externas e grau de urbanização. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se "boa" qualidade dos registros de óbitos por causas desconhecidas para as regiões Sul-Sudeste e no máximo como "regular" para o Norte-Nordeste. Avanços nas declarações ocorreram para a metade dos estados do País, particularmente para as mulheres. As proporções de mal definidas aumentaram com as idades, associando-se à cobertura dos óbitos, o grau de urbanização e as mortes por causas externas. CONCLUSÕES: Embora tenha havido diminuição na qualidade das declarações das causas básicas de óbitos para vários estados do País, pode-se considerar a qualidade, no mínimo, como satisfatória. Isso significa que é possível resgatar o poder explicativo das estatísticas dos óbitos por causas definidas.
Responsabilidade do profissional de saúde sobre a notificação de casos de violência doméstica
Authors: Saliba Orlando , Garbin Cléa Adas Saliba , Garbin Artênio José Isper , Dossi Ana Paula
Published: June 2007

A notificação da violência doméstica pelos profissionais de saúde contribui para o dimensionamento epidemiológico do problema, permitindo o desenvolvimento de programas e ações específicas. O objetivo do trabalho foi verificar a responsabilidade desses profissionais em notificar a violência, especialmente a doméstica e as possíveis implicações legais e éticas a que estão sujeitos. Assim, foi realizada pesquisa na legislação brasileira e códigos de ética da medicina, odontologia, enfermagem e psicologia. Quanto à legislação, as sanções estão dispostas na Lei das Contravenções Penais, Estatuto da Criança e Adolescente, Estatuto do Idoso e na lei que trata da notificação compulsória de violência contra a mulher. Também existem penalidades em todos os códigos de ética analisados. Conclui-se que o profissional de saúde tem o dever de notificar os casos de violência que tiver conhecimento, podendo inclusive responder pela omissão.