bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Process and Impact of an ICU Nurse Support Group
Authors: Weiner Myron F. , Caldwell Troy
Published: May 2005

This questionnaire study of a nurse support group on a pediatric intensive care unit confirms previous subjective reports of increased morale and better communication. The authors were also able to demonstrate reduced turnover rate of ICU nurses at the same that the turnover rate for the rest of the hospital increased, and found that the group had a positive influence on nurses' lives away from the hospital.
Hospital Workers: Class Conflicts in the Making
Authors: Ehrenreich Barbara , Ehrenreich John H.
Published: May 2005

There is a real and conscious need for hospital workers to have meaningful work and to be adequately recognized for this work, both materially and in terms of respect and status within the institutions in which they are employed. These needs are frustrated by the conditions of work in the large modern hospital. Two main stabilizing forces, operating in part on different sets of workers, prevent hospital workers from collectively asserting their needs against the hospital's priorities. For the unskilled and semiskilled workers there are forces which lead to a typical industrial work ethic–alienation from the content of their work. For the skilled workers, there is the ideology of professionalism. The result is an increasing division of the nonmanagerial hospital work force into two groups with opposing class identifications: a proletarianized body of semiskilled and unskilled workers and a large group of skilled workers who are allowed to participate, through the ideology of professionalism, in the real status of the doctors.
An Examination of Preferences for Subject Matter in Painting
Authors: Kettlewell Neil
Published: May 2005

Two samples were used, college students and art museum attendees. Both groups were asked to rank order nine different areas of subject matter in painting in terms of personal preference. No visual examples of the suggested subject matter were provided, although brief descriptions were given when it was deemed necessary. Based on rankings, all samples and the male and female sub-samples of the student sample showed highly significant within and between groups differences. The findings are argued to be contrary to those expected by those holding a position of “relativism” with respect to art. The possibility of a dual system of aesthetics with respect to art judged for personal acquisition and abstract evaluation is discussed.
Fear of Death and Fertility: New Evidence
Authors: Dixon Richard D. , Kinlaw Bonnie J. R.
Published: May 2005

The hypothesis of a positive relationship between fear of death and fertility previously was examined by the authors and was confirmed among a sample subset. The present re-investigation of the hypothesis incorporated numerous methodological revisions and produced radically different results using the data drawn from 562 respondents during October, 1978 to March, 1979. These findings amassed considerable evidence for rejection of the hypothesis. Since the focal methodological revision was the substitution of a different measure of death fear, it seemed defensible to question the reliability of direct measures of death fear presently being employed.
Newspeak, 1984, and Technical Writing
Authors: Minor Dennis E.
Published: May 2005

Although George Orwell's “Politics and the English Language” offers good advice to writers, the technical writer's situation and use of language are more effectively discussed in 1984 and its Appendix, “The Principles of Newspeak.” The technical writer must make use of some Newspeak principles, such as limiting vocabulary and narrowing the definition of words; conversely, the writer must try to keep his expression of a corporate point of view and his limitations on wording from finally serving to limit the range of thought itself. Orwell considers these points much more important than “good prose style.”
An Examination of the Relationship between House Orientation and Thermal Efficiency in the American Southwest
Authors: Kang Bong W.
Published: May 2005

This article investigates the relationship between pithouse orientation and thermal efficiency in the American Southwest. Since prehistoric pithouse dwellers in this region did not have any heating facilities other than small fire pits placed inside their homes, investigators have assumed that the ancient inhabitants considered environmental variables (especially passive solar energy) when designing their adobes. To test this idea, some construction details from Anasazi, Mogollon, and Hohokam pithouses are examined, including pithouse orientation, depth, and shape. At the same time, two competing interpretations—materialistic and ideational—of pithouse orientation are compared.
Drug Promotion: The Third World Revisited
Authors: Silverman Milton , Lee Philip R. , Lydecker Mia
Published: May 2005

In 1973 and 1980 surveys, much of the promotion of prescription drugs in the Third World was found to be marked by gross exaggeration of clinical claims and glossing over of possible serious or fatal adverse reactions. In an expanded survey of the information distributed in 1984 to physicians in the United States, the United Kingdom, and 28 developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, striking changes were noted. Many of the pharmaceutical firms were found to be showing more restraint in limiting their claims in the Third World to those which can be supported by scientific evidence, and far more willingness to disclose serious hazards.

The companies discarding a double standard in drug promotion have apparently not suffered any significant loss of profits. There is, however, evident need for further improvement by both multinational and domestic companies. The present study covered 1069 products representing 63 drug entities and fixed combinations, marketed by 303 companies.
Predicting Suicidal Ideation among Psychiatric Patients: The Tridimensional Personality Theory Perspective
Authors: Gil Sharon
Published: May 2005

The main objective of the present study was to enrich our understanding regarding the role of personality traits in the explanation of suicidal ideation among psychiatric patients. It employed Cloniger's Tridimensional Personality Theory in order to draw a personality profile that predicts suicidal ideation among this population. A total of 172 psychiatric outpatients participated in the study. Subjects were randomly selected from a psychiatric clinic in northern Israel. All subjects were evaluated individually with three measures: the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (Cloninger, 1987; TPQ); the Beck Suicide Inventory (Beck, Steer, Handerson,&Skeie, 1991; BSI); and the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I DSM-IV Disorders (SCID; First, Spitzer, Gibbon,&Williams, 1994). Data analysis was conducted using the Linear Structural Relations (LISREL VI) program. The findings of the present study indicate that among psychiatric patients, suicidal ideation can be explained by the combination of five personality traits: impulsiveness, stoic rigidity, confidence, disorderliness, and, indirectly, pessimism through confidence and rigidity.
Depression: A Failure to Suppress the Self-Conscious ‘Monitoring’ of Dismal Cognitions
Authors: Kunzendorf Robert G. , McLaughlin Susan
Published: May 2005

In the current research, when normal subjects briefly perceived a word that was death-related, they were less likely to express any self-awareness that they were perceiving a meaningful word. Moreover, when they subsequently remembered such a death word, they were more likely to confuse it with a mentally imaged word. In contrast, when mildly depressed subjects briefly perceived a death-related word, they failed to attentuate their self-awareness that they were perceiving, and subsequently, they failed to mistake the death-related word for a previously imaged word. These results suggest that normal people successfully ‘repress’ the grim realities of death, whereas depressed people fail to suppress the self-conscious ‘monitoring’ of such dismal realities.
Science Writers as Characterized in Medical Journals: What Are Physicians Saying about Us?
Authors: Koski Cheryl A.
Published: May 2005

One method of assessing the opinions that physicians hold about science writers is to examine the public record, represented by two periodicals: the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine. The citations to the news media that appear in the indexes of the two journals during the last fifteen years yield thirty-four opinion pieces, consisting of editorials and letters to the editor. The timing and content of medical news are of particular concern to physicians. Specifically, they watch for violations of the Ingelfinger Rule and the press embargo system—policies designed to ensure that physicians have access to medical information before it becomes widely disseminated to the general public—as well as errors of medical fact.
Daniel E. Berlyne (1924–1976): Two Decades Later
Authors: Konečni Vladimir J.
Published: May 2005

In this remembrance, Berlyne's seminal ideas about collative motivation and its role in aesthetic phenomena are first briefly reviewed. It is noted that these ideas had not been developed into a formal theory in Berlyne's lifetime. Next, Martindale's negative conclusions about three aspects of the collative-motivation “theory”—a) the relative significance of collative, psychophysical, and ecological variables, b) the Wundt curve, and c) the trade-off between the variables that affect the arousal potential of stimuli—are challenged on conceptual and methodological grounds. It is further claimed that Berlyne's unfortunate fascination with the reticular arousal system sidetracked him from examining the role of sympathetic arousal, whereas the Hullian “baggage” blinded him to the involvement of emotion (with its cognitive, facial-musculature, and sympathetic arousal determinants) in various aesthetic phenomena. A number of pertinent experiments from Konečni's laboratory, which cause problems for both Berlyne's and Martindale's notions, are reviewed, with an emphasis on the importance of context and the type of dependent variable that is used in studying aesthetic phenomena. The article concludes with doubts about (proto)typicality as a key factor in aesthetic preference.
Bereavement and Stress of a Miscarriage: As it Affects the Couple
Authors: Alderman Loraine , Chisholm June , Denmark Florence , Salbod Stephen
Published: May 2005

Perinatal death affects nearly one-third of all pregnant women (Toedter, Lasker, & Alhadeff, 1988). Of the different forms of perinatal death, this study explored the psychological impact of grief and stress in couples who experienced a miscarriage. Using the Grief Experience Inventory—Loss Version and The Impact of Event Scale, this study specifically looked at the differences between the couple in how they grieve and experience the stress of the miscarriage. Profile analyses indicated that the women's overall response pattern to the bereavement scales was different from their partners. In addition, women reported significantly higher Intrusive Distress than their partners. Results suggest that a miscarriage affects the woman and her partner, as well as the relationship of the couple. The major purpose of this investigation was to study the psychological experience of a miscarriage, and to determine if women and their partners experience the loss differently.
The Right-to-Die Movement: Extrapolating from the National Hemlock Society USA Membership Survey
Authors: Kamakahi Jeffrey J. , Cossman Jeralynn Sittig , Fox Elaine
Published: May 2005

A national membership survey of Hemlock Society USA was conducted by Fox and Kamakahi (1995). Respondents ( N=6398) were asked a variety of questions, but in this paper we perform a longitudinal analysis of the characteristics of Hemlock Society USA members. Hemlock Society USA members are divided into three 5-year cohorts: Early Joiners (11 or more years of membership), Middle Joiners (6 to 10 years membership), and Late Joiners (5 or fewer years of membership). Differences between cohorts are examined and extrapolations made regarding Hemlock Society USA and the Right-to-Die Movement. A series of one-way ANOVAs were used with Scheme post-hoc comparisons as heuristic tools for assessing between-cohort differences. Late Joiners are different from earlier members, but are more like other Hemlock Society USA members than the adult U.S. population at large. Hemlock Society USA members are essentially societal “elites” (based on socio-demographic variables) who work in social environments that are decidedly split on the issue of voluntary suicide and euthanasia.
The Modes of the Ego in Self-Hypnosis
Authors: Fromm Erika , Lombard Lisa , Skinner Sara H. , Kahn Stephen
Published: May 2005

In this study, the diary entries of thirty subjects who practiced self-hypnosis for twenty-eight consecutive days were analyzed carefully with regard to manifestations of four ego modes: ego activity, ego receptivity, ego passivity, and ego inactivity. Results snowed that ego activity (decision making, structuring of the experiences) and ego receptivity (openness to stimuli rising from within) are essential elements in self-hypnosis, while ego inactivity (“nothing happens”) and ego passivity (feeling overwhelmed) rarely occur in the self-hypnotic experiences of healthy subjects. Ego receptivity is central to self-hypnosis. It is strongly positively related to vivid imagery, absorption, self-hypnotic trance depth, and also to hetero-hypnotic susceptibility. Personality characteristics of subjects who demonstrate high ego receptivity are: a need for independence, self-reliance, and trust in one's own unconscious. On the other hand, a greater preponderance of ego activity in self-hypnosis is to be found in subjects who have a need for structure, certainty, and control in their lives. These subjects cannot allow themselves to let imagery emerge naturally or to become deeply absorbed in the self-hypnotic process.
Treating the Untreatables: A Group Experience with Somaticizing Borderline Patients
Authors: Schreter Robert K.
Published: May 2005

This paper reports on a two year experience with patients suffering from chronic somatic symptoms treated in group psychotherapy. Excerpts from the group process are presented to highlight the borderline characteristics of this patient population. Technical considerations and the rationale for using this treatment modality are discussed.
Generating Demand for Contraceptives in India: A Case Study of IEC Activities in Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Khan M. E. , Patel Bella C.
Published: May 2005

The article presents a review of current Governmental family welfare program information, education and communications (IEC) activities in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India (139 million in 1991). The review is based on available literature. The extent of general outreach of mass media as well as constraints and problems related to provision of appropriate IEC are discussed. Suggestions for improvement are made, particularly in terms of interpersonal communication.
Correlates of Ecstasy Use among Students Surveyed through the 1997 College Alcohol Study
Authors: Yacoubian George S.
Published: May 2005

Anecdotal reports have suggested that the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine (MDMA or “ecstasy”) is a growing problem across the United States, primarily among college students and rave attendees. To assess this contention, the drug-using behaviors of 14,520 college students were examined with data collected through the 1997 College Alcohol Study (CAS). Prevalence estimates of ecstasy use were generated and associations between ecstasy use, demographic characteristics, and alcohol and other drug (AOD) use were explored. Six percent of the sample reported lifetime ecstasy use, 3 percent reported use within the past 12 months, and 1 percent reported use within the past 30 days. Compared to non-users, 12-month ecstasy users were significantly more likely to be white, to be a member of a fraternity/sorority, and to have used all other drugs of abuse during the past 12 months. Implications for these findings are discussed.
Management after Myocardial Infarction: A Controlled Trial of the Effect of Group Psychotherapy
Authors: Ibrahim Michel A. , Feldman Joseph G. , Sultz Harry A. , Staiman Martin G. , Young Lewis J. , Dean David
Published: May 2005

A controlled clinical trial was conducted to determine the feasibility of offering group psychotherapy to post-myocardial infarction patients for one year, and to test its effects upon prognosis. Shortly after discharge from a coronary care unit, 118 patients were approximately equally allocated to therapy and control groups. The acceptance, the average attendance at the weekly sessions, and the drop-out rates per cent were 84, 69 and 15.5 respectively. No statistically significant changes were shown in the physiological and psychological factors. Favorable effects were suggested by survival experience, changes in social alienation, length of hospital stay and the patients' reported attitudes toward this form of therapy.
Factors Associated with Obesity among Women in Bahrain
Authors: Musaiger Abdulrahman O. , Al-Ansari Mona
Published: May 2005

A sample of 420 women who attended a physical fitness program run by General Organization for Youth and Sport, was selected to study the association between obesity and some factors among adult females in Bahrain. Women were grouped into two categories, obese and non-obese, based on Body Mass Index (wt/ht2). The results revealed that age, education, employment, marital status, family size and practicing exercises before joining the fitness program have a statistically significant association with obesity, while ownership of cars, availability of housemaids, family history of obesity and meal patterns have no statistically significant association. There were no differences in source of nutrition information between obese and non-obese women. The study suggested that health education programs should focus on both sociocultural factors and health factors for preventing obesity in the community.
The Measurement of Computer Attitudes: An Empirical Comparison of Available Scales
Authors: Gardner Donald G. , Discenza Richard , Dukes Richard L.
Published: May 2005

This study empirically compared four available measures of attitudes towards computers, including computer anxiety. One objective of the study was to determine which, if any, of the measures was superior to the others on the psychometric criteria of reliability and validity. A secondary objective of the study was to identify a smaller number of items from the four measures of computer attitudes that would take less time to complete, yet result in highly reliable scales of computer attitudes. Results showed that all measures tested were essentially equal in terms of reliability and validity. Attempts to empirically derive improved scales were unproductive. Two of the measures were superior on a number of other criteria. Intended use should be the main criterion for choice as any of the four measures will likely provide reliable, reasonably valid information.
New Avenues in Teaching Written Communication: The use of a Case Study in Crisis Management
Authors: Barton Laurence
Published: May 2005

The case method of teaching is increasingly utilized as a tool for the teaching of business communication and technical writing. In addition to providing students with meaningful exposure to actual companies and written products, the use of cases challenge students to assume one or many various positions within an organization where effective communication with myriad publics is essential in meeting organizational goals and objectives.
Dying Vs. Well-Being
Authors: Koenig Ronald
Published: May 2005

Death is not always the main concern of the dying person. Dependency, isolation, pain, physical disfigurement, and fear of abandonment are among the issues that are sometimes as threatening, if not more so, than impending death. Awareness of the relevance of these factors, can improve the interactions between the dying patient and the doctor, nurse, family, social worker, etc. Therefore, the question that should concern us is not how long a patient shall live, but: What level of well-being is compatible with continued life?
Psychiatric Hospitals and Instrumental Rationality
Authors: Wright Duncan
Published: May 2005

Therapists in psychiatric hospitals often overuse a model borrowed from natural science, with the patient becoming an object to be examined, assessed, and altered, and underuse an interpretive psychotherapeutic approach, or misuse it to control patients. And while expressing an interest in the meaning of what patients say, they exclude most of the traditional sources of meaning, in ethics, religion, literature, art, and political thought. The author argues that therapists do these things for two ideological reasons: to maintain their position in the authoritarian structure of the hospital and to maintain the hospital as an agent of class domination. Along with other groups, therapists bring instrumental rationality, such as that of natural science, to bear on political, cultural, and personal questions for which this type of rationality is often destructive. In the long run, political participation and social integration decrease, culture traditions provide less meaning, and personality formation is disrupted. Thus the end result of the overuse of instrumental rationality is not only domination by one class of others, but a decrease in the stability of the society as a whole. Hospital therapists participate in these trends, but they could do otherwise, by working to create a more democratic form of therapy.
The Role of Linking Objects in Parental Bereavement
Authors: Wheeler Inese
Published: May 2005

Because linking objects in mourning were first described by Volkan (1972) in the context of pathological grieving, they have been associated with complicated mourning. This descriptive study surveyed forty-nine bereaved parents to assess the existence, characteristics, and function of linking objects in parental bereavement. A majority of the participants reported linking objects. The objects fit into the same categories as those described by Volkan. However, whereas Volkan described ambivalence toward linking objects in his patients, the bereaved parents did not treat their objects in an ambivalent manner. There were no indications in the data that linking objects served as obstacles in the mourning process, as suggested by Volkan. The parents reported that the objects were meaningful, important, and provided a connection with their dead child.
Suicide in the Lodz Ghetto During World War Two
Authors: Lester David , Krysinska Karolina E.
Published: May 2005

Data on suicidal behavior among the Jews confined by the Nazis in the Lodz Ghetto in 1941 and 1942 are reported. The suicide rate was extremely high, increasing from 21.6 per 100,000 per year in 1941 to 84.6 in 1942. The epidemiology of suicide in the Lodz Ghetto is described, including a spring peak and sex differences in methods used for suicide.
Visual-Spatial Aspects of Primary Process in Dreaming and Waking Thought
Authors: Levin Ross , Lamontanaro Laura
Published: May 2005

The present study investigated empirically whether condensation-like phenomena, as measured by boundary disturbances, are a reliable and internally-consistent phenomena in the dreams, Rorschach responses, and preconscious perceptions of the same individual. Subjects kept dream logs for two weeks and were administered the Rorschach and a subliminal perception task which involved the presentation of both a subliminal and supraliminal stimulus. Visual condensation was positively correlated for the dream and Rorschach protocols on most measures. Further, Rorschach boundary disruption was significantly associated with the amount of incorporation of the subliminal stimulus in subjects' drawings of the supraliminal stimulus. These results suggest that primary process mechanisms are evident in both conscious and nonconscious mentation and support a reconceptualization of primary process in terms of actual perceptual mechanisms which is of potential heuristic value in the empirical elucidation of dreams, creativity, and preconscious perception.
Social Visions and Social Control: The Evolution of Medical Thought in Postwar Hungary
Authors: Kullberg Patricia
Published: May 2005

After nearly two decades of rigid adherence to the Soviet model of social and economic development, Hungary initiated a series of reforms in the 1960s that emphasize decentralization and market economic mechanisms. Internal repression and surveillance have diminished concurrently. Shaped by these broader social trends, three explanations of disease causation have successively emerged in Hungary since World War II: social medicine, a lifestyle model, and a psychosocial model. Although each model attempts to offer the best explanation for prevailing patterns of morbidity and mortality, each also reflects an underlying world view and the political priorities that derive from it. Social medicine and the lifestyle model have served largely to consolidate the power of ruling elites. The psychosocial model, on the other hand, has the potential to challenge the social order. The current popularity of the lifestyle model seems rooted in a widespread cynicism about social change which in turn is a product of contemporary social conditions in Hungary.
Is Tinnitus a Psychological Disorder?
Authors: Gerber Kenneth E. , Nehemkis Alexis M. , Charter Richard A. , Jones Howard C.
Published: May 2005

There have been consistent reports in the psychosomatic literature indicating that a patient's perception of tinnitus as well as differential response to various treatment modalities may be affected by personality variables. The present study examined several personality correlates of subjective tinnitus in forty-five male patients referred to the Audiology Clinic of a large VA Medical Center with constant tinnitus of at least six months duration. Information was also collected on etiology, onset and chronicity, medications, prior treatment and related medical problems. Four standard psychological tests (MMPI, Cattel's 16 PF, Rotter's Locus of Control and Holmes and Rahe Life Stress Scale) were administered to all patients in the study, in addition to a comprehensive audiologic and otologic evaluation. Correlational analyses were used to examine the relationship between personality profiles and the demographic, medical and audiologic data. The expected psychosomatic characteristics of this patient population did not emerge as had been predicted from previous reports in the literature. Findings suggest that tinnitus may have an unwarranted reputation as a psychopathological disorder. Therefore, conventional psychotherapy may be of limited efficacy whereas standard audiologic treatment approaches may be more promising.
The Family and Home Hemodialysis: Adolescents' Reactions to a Father on Home Dialysis
Authors: Goldman Rose H. , Cohn George L. , Longnecker Robert E.
Published: May 2005

Quality of life is the most controversial issue surrounding home hemodialysis. We examined how sixteen adolescents and their six families reacted to having a father on home hemodialysis, exploring the interplay between adolescent developmental conflicts and family stresses. Family members underwent role changes to adjust to alterations imposed by hemodialysis. Some adolescents helped relieve family stresses by taking an active role in dialysis. These eight adolescents developed greater self-esteem which enhanced identity growth and facilitated separation. Psychological responses were observed that resembled the “death guilt,” “psychic numbing,” and “invisible contamination” described in Hiroshima survivors. Adolescent developmental problems can be dwarfed by family conflicts around chronic illness and dialysis. Families adjusted to home hemodialysis showing new growth, managing with a barely workable arrangement, or adapting unsuccessfully. Understanding more about how home hemodialysis can influence family interactions can enable the medical staff to facilitate beneficial changes, and thereby improve the quality of life for patient and family.
Health Services Research: What is It?
Authors: Navarro Vicente
Published: May 2005

This article reviews the hegemonic understanding of health services research in the United States and in the Anglo-Saxon world, taking as a point of reference the recently published PAHO anthology, Health Services Research: An Anthology (which contains the classics in health services research). The author outlines the main characteristics of health services research in the United States, and criticizes the focus on medical care of most health services research literature and the narrow spectrum of positions presented in that literature. He concludes that there is an urgent need for analyses of the socioeconomic and political forces that determine the level of health and the type of health services that exist in any society, analyses that are usually avoided in health services research.
Usability of Interactive Computers in Exhibitions: Designing Knowledgeable Information for Visitors
Authors: Bernier Roxane
Published: May 2005

This article investigates three types of content presentation (video documentary, computerized dictionary, and games) within interactive computer use at the Quebec Museum of Civilization. The visitors' viewpoint is particularly relevant for interface designing outcomes, since they argued that terminals require specific content display for disseminating information in the museum. We have identified five factors: 1) effortless knowledge; 2) sorted navigational paths; 3) exhaustiveness of topics; 4) combined audio and video media as first means; and 5) the quiz as a primary source of presentation. As first insight, terminals in exhibitions are perceived as multipurpose tools giving direct access to a wider selection of content, although it was shown that computer literate individuals have experienced problems to gain information, because of the content presentation and ergonomics. In addition, the commands provided did not properly assist visitors. Exhibit interface designers should build a “generic model interface” that best corresponds to the know-how of casual users, in order to avoid an arbitrary perusal of contents.
Economic Class and Differential Access to Care: Comparisons among Health Care Systems
Authors: Salkever David S.
Published: May 2005

This paper presents a new technique for describing inequality of access to medical care. Access is described by the empirical relationship between need and the probability of entering the health care system for treatment. The need-entry probability relationship for one population group is compared with that for another population group to determine the extent of access differentials (differences in entry probabilities) at varying levels of need. As an illustrative application, the technique is employed to describe access differentials by economic class in six different geographic areas located in five different countries (Canada, England, Finland, Poland, United States) with differently structured health care systems. Although the findings for adults varied considerably from area to area, the access differentials among children were surprisingly consistent and unrelated to health care system structure. In particular, it appears that higher family income is associated with greater access to medical care among children at all levels of need. The paper concludes with suggestions for further applications of the proposed technique to problems of monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing the extent of access inequality.
What is a Computer in the Classroom? A Deweyan Philosophy for Technology in Education
Authors: Croft Richard S.
Published: May 2005

The increasing availability of computers and other “high-technology” tools as possible vehicles of educational material has brought with it the question of precisely what benefits these new tools have to offer the educator. Many schools have computers, but are they being used in a fitting manner, or only serving as toys, expensive flash-cards or simply going to waste? This article presents arguments based upon the writings of John Dewey (1859–1952) which offer support for the continued use of high technology in classrooms and offer a philosophy for choosing applications which take advantage of the new tools' special capabilities in ways that will genuinely educate.
Suicide in the Medical Patient
Authors: MacKenzie Thomas B. , Popkin Michael K.
Published: May 2005

According to the statistical abstract of the United States for 1982–1983, there were 1,913,800 deaths in the United States in 1979 [1]. Twenty-seven thousand, or 1.4 percent of those deaths were by suicide, yielding a suicide rate of 11.9/100,000/year. The rate was highest (39.2/100,000) for white males sixty-five years and over and lowest (0.1/100,000) for black females between five and fourteen years. It is generally accepted that physical illness is a risk factor for suicide. If this is true, then in caring for persons with significant physical illness, physicians are dealing with a population at increased risk of suicide. In its opening section, this article will review the evidence that points to a positive correlation between suicide and physical illness. Next the association between specific illnesses, such as peptic ulcer and cancer, and suicide will be examined. Third, risk factors associated with the occurrence of suicide in medical-surgical hospitals will be reviewed. Fourth, the occurrence of suicide in relationship to medical procedures will be discussed. Fifth, the evaluation and management of suicidal patients in medical settings will be briefly considered. This review will not consider the relationship between physical illness and attempted suicide.
Psychotic States Associated with Disorders of Thyroid Function
Authors: Davis Anthony T.
Published: May 2005

Thyroid-related psychoses continue to pose diagnostic and treatment challenges for clinicians. Two case histories illustrate diverse clinical states associated with hyper-and hypo-thyroidism respectively and highlight the need to consider the possibility of thyroid disorder in all patients presenting with acute psychotic mental disorder. They also demonstrate treatment methods directed at control of psychotic symptoms and restoration of an euthyroid state.
The Effect of “Waking-Dreaming” on Creativity and Rote Memory
Authors: Lewin Isaac
Published: May 2005

A simulated dreaming state (“waking-dreaming”) was induced in waking subjects in order to test whether it has similar effects as dreaming on creativity and on memory. Previous studies have shown that dreaming enhances creativity, but hinders memory of material acquired by rote-learning. The method of inducing waking-dreaming was suggested by Lewin's model for classifying cognitive processes, and was adapted from Barbaer and Wilson's “hypnotic induction, mental relaxation, and permissive suggestions” technique. Results show that waking-dreaming does effect creativity and memory similarly to the way that dreaming does. The major impact is on ongoing mental activities (when creativity and memory tasks were given before manipulating the waking-dreaming state); however, some weaker effect is discernible also when tasks are given after such manipulation. The effect on creativity was on originality and on total creativity measures, but not on fluency, indicating that waking-dreaming affects not speed of production, but rather a deeper level of creativity processing. These results may shed light on the phenomenon of incubation in problem solving and may also clarify recent inconsistencies in research on the effect of bizarre imagery on memory.
Can We Afford to Read?
Authors: Tell Wilhelm
Published: May 2005

The cost of a book consists not only of the purchase price; the expenditure incurred by the reader in assimilating the contents of the book are of considerably greater importance. This article presents an outline calculation of this expenditure.
An Analysis of Fifty Citation Superstars from the Scientific Literature
Authors: Harmon Joseph E.
Published: May 2005

This article contains results from a literary analysis of fifty scientific papers selected from the top 100 most-cited papers appearing in the Science Citation Index for the period 1945–1988. Most papers are from the field of biochemistry and became citation superstars because their authors discovered a method or material that numerous others could use in their own research. The typical paper has two authors, two tables, six figures, and twenty-two references. It adheres to the conventional topical organization, with the topics distributed as follows: 2 percent abstract, 5 percent introduction, 25 percent methods and materials, 50 percent results, 10 percent discussion, 4 percent conclusion, and 4 percent reference list. Tables and figures occupy about 30 percent of the article. With respect to the writing style, the average sentence is somewhat long (24 words) but not unreasonably so, and the sentence structure is simple greater than half the time. Moreover, sentences tend to rely heavily on to be verbs (about 80% of sentences have at least one) and abstract nouns (0.66 per sentence). Explanations for the typical form and writing style in these papers are provided.
Was the Intervention Implemented as Intended?: A Process Evaluation of an AIDS Prevention Intervention in Rural Zimbabwe
Authors: Laver Susan M. , Van Den Borne Bart , Kok Gerjo , Woelk Godfrey
Published: May 2005

End-point evaluations are still the most commonly used method of assessing the success or failure of interventions. This article describes how a process evaluation was used to measure “what happened” during an HIV/AIDS prevention program for farm workers in Zimbabwe. The intervention was developed according to the Paulo Freirian theory of Social Change and the Ecological Model for health promotion. The stages of the intervention were cyclical; in the first stage innovative methods were used to encourage appraisal of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS through activities which raised critical thinking and dialogue. In the next phase, emphasis was placed on developing cognitive and attitude change in the target group. Self-protective behavior was encouraged through condom use and an increase in self-efficacy with respect to negotiating safe sex, especially among women. In the last stage of the intervention, efforts were made to create a climate for maintenance of behavior and socially responsible action within the community. The process evaluation provided valuable insight into factors which, when aggregated, provided an overview of a program whose successes and failures may well have been determined by issues outside the scope of the intervention. The effect of seasonal fluctuations of labor, income, and farming activity on program activity, patterns of STD, and condom demand were marked. This leads back to the researchers' initial question: “Was the intervention implemented as planned?” and the answer—only partially.
Democratic Participation: A Critical Element of Precautionary Public Health Decision-Making
Authors: Tickner Joel A.
Published: May 2005

The precautionary principle is increasingly discussed in debates about threats to health and the environment, particularly when government actions might inhibit free trade. It is gaining recognition as an overarching principle of decision-making, one that underlies efforts for sustainable development. Pronouncements about the precautionary principle have focused generally on the responsibility of government to act in the face of uncertainty and the shifting of burdens onto proponents. This assumes that government will have the resources, knowledge, expertise, and will to act. The role of the public—those who may be affected by environmental degradation or their representatives—is mostly missing from the discussions. This article outlines a rationale for why participation is critical and explores the theory of citizen participation. The article also describes participatory models used around the world, primarily examples of citizen participation though various models also exist for workers.
Primary Health Care is Not Cheap: A Case Study from Guinea Bissau
Authors: Chabot Jarl , Waddington Catriona
Published: May 2005

In 1977 the Ministry of Health in Guinea Bissau started two regional community health projects. In this article we describe the progress of the Tombali project. Three aspects are discussed: the “Learning Process Approach” used in the project; measurement of the effectiveness of the project and the problems of collecting and interpreting these data; and the ratio of investment to recurrent costs and the proportions borne by government and by villagers. Primary health care projects evolve slowly, and the importance of the willingness of project workers, donor agencies, and the national government to work without a blueprint plan is emphasized. We discuss ways of evaluating the success of primary health care schemes; the measurement of any change in health status is difficult and discounts other benefits that may result, such as encouraging community participation and involving villagers in government activities. Both government and villagers contribute significantly to the scheme, the government and donors bearing most of the investment costs, while most of the recurrent costs fall on the villagers. The data show that for neither government nor villagers is the scheme a cheap option to secure health care for rural populations. Finally, we discuss the lessons to be learned by national governments, donor agencies, and health workers from this attempt to implement a primary health care program.
Mining Hidden Gems beneath the Surface: A Look at the Invisible Web
Authors: Carlson Randal D. , Repman Judi
Published: May 2005

The future of the information landscape is being shaped by new technologies that store and retrieve information. For many computer users, the Web is their first and last stop in information searching. Searches produce an overwhelming amount of returns, but may have few that are “on target.” Finding general information may be easy, but depth of information is frequently lacking. This article focuses on describing resources for researchers, called the Invisible Web, that are hidden from usual search tools and contrasting them with those resources available in the surface Web. It then identifies search tools and strategies that can be used to dig beneath the surface of the Web to locate credible, in-depth information. These resources must be accessed using specialized search tools and databases.
Thematic Content and Political Context in Shakespeare's Dramatic Output, with Implications for Authorship and Chronology Controversies
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: May 2005

Empirical studies of Shakespeare's plays have usually assumed that the traditional Stratfordian chronology is basically correct. This assumption is cast in doubt by Oxfordians who claim that the plays were authored by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. However, prior investigations have shown that Stratfordian chronologies are more strongly supported by stylometric analyses than are Oxfordian chronologies. In this study the two authorship positions are evaluated by examining the correlation between the thematic content of the plays and the political context in which the plays would be written according to rival sets of dates. Stratfordian chronologies, when lagged just two years, yield substantively meaningful associations between thematic content and political context, whereas Oxfordian chronologies yield no relationships, however lagged. Hence, only the Stratfordian results are consistent with previous research indicating that artistic creativity is responsive to conspicuous political events.
Towards a New Rhetoric
Authors: Bratchell D. F.
Published: May 2005

The schism between theory and practice is reflected in English studies. British technological universities have attempted to meet the needs of industry in technical fields. Economic and academic pressures often make this difficult. A degree in modern English studies is planned which attempts to combine traditional academic values and functional needs. A new approach to rhetoric combining linguistic and critical disciplines with practical skills in communication can combine liberal and vocational needs. The course content of the degree and the teaching approach is related to the ethos of a technological university.
A Comparison of the Perceived Pictorial and Aesthetic Qualities of Original Paintings and Their Postcard Images
Authors: Locher Paul , Dolese Melissa
Published: May 2005

Art trained and untrained participants evaluated postcard images of nine paintings by renowned artists on 16 measures of the compositions' physical and structural characteristics, novelty of content, and aesthetic qualities. These ratings were compared to those obtained by Locher et al. (2001) from individuals experiencing the original paintings in the galleries of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and from viewers of slide-projected and computer-generated images of the set of art stimuli. Analyses revealed significant differences in the judged hedonic properties of the originals as compared to the postcard images, whereas the pictorial qualities of the artworks were comparable for these two format conditions. This was the case for both art trained and untrained participants. Additionally, ratings on all measures were found not to differ reliably across the three reproduction formats (viz., postcard, slide, and computer images). Findings are discussed in terms of Locher et al.'s facsimile-accommodation hypothesis of picture perception.
Women's Emancipation and Socialism: The Case of the People's Republic of Poland
Authors: Sokolowska Magdalena
Published: May 2005

Determinants of occupational position in Poland, as elsewhere, include the socialization process, access to education, and the employment structure. The socialization process includes the domestic pattern of division of labor, occupational models encountered in person and in the various media, and parental and social pressures, including vocational counseling. Educational access is a critical determinant of the extent and type of participation in the labor force as well as attitudes toward work. Although Poland has made major attempts to improve the socialization process and access by type of program, disparities are still encountered in pay received for similar work, and for work in positions that cannot be explained by differences in productivity or education. Employment policies being undertaken or considered include measures to improve working conditions and occupational position, to socialize a larger number of “domestic” tasks, and to provide more flexibility via part-time work and longer maternity leaves.
Patterns of Change following Parent Death in Midlife Adults
Authors: Douglas Joan Delahanty
Published: May 2005

Forty midlife adults, twenty-two women and eighteen men, who had experienced the loss of a parent were interviewed in order to study the long-term impact of parent death. The sample included thirty-six father deaths and eleven mother deaths. Findings suggest that the quality of the early parent-child bond was related to later grief reactions. Gender differences were found in degree of response to death of the father-women demonstrated greater affect than men-while both men and women demonstrated strong affect following the death of the mother. Parent death preceded a time of upheaval and transition for most of the sample, and this upheaval was related to themes of personal mortality and to changes in interpersonal relationships. The event of parent death was an important symbolic event for midlife adults and merits further study.