bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
(Re)Modeling Culture in Kwara'ae: The Role of Discourse in Children's Cognitive Development
Authors: WATSON-GEGEO KAREN ANN , GEGEO DAVID WELCHMAN
Published: March 2007

We examine children's cognitive skills and cultural representations in naturally occurring discourse, integrating theoretical perspectives from psychology, cognitive anthropology, and sociolinguistics. We focus on two interactional events recorded in our 10-year study of children's language socialization in Kwara'ae (Solomon Islands) involving the same child at ages 2 and 4 years interacting with an older child and an adult, respectively, around routine tasks. In both cases a potentially serious cultural anomaly that challenges the children's own constructions of cultural models tests their strategic creativity and agency in negotiating an outcome. The resulting discourse reveals how they are construing and (re)modeling culture in a time of rapid social change.
Euroskeptics, Europhiles and Instrumental Europeans
Authors: Haesly Richard
Published: March 2007

This article uses Q-methodology, a factor analytic approach, to distinguish among different types of European attachments in Scotland and Wales. This method allows us to divide the types of European attachment into two groups: Euroskeptics, who oppose nearly every aspect of Europe, the EU and European integration; and those with more positively inclined European attachments. While positive European types share enough to be considered a meaningful group, they can also be divided between Europhiles and instrumental supporters of Europe. The result is deeper understanding of the dynamics of political attitudes of citizens from one of the more Euroskeptical members of the EU, but also reconsideration of Britain as more than simply an awkward partner in the European Union.
Ideology, Nationality and Euro-Parliamentarians
Authors: Noury Abdul G.
Published: March 2007

This article analyzes the voting behavior of Euro-parliamentarians. The roll-call data from the plenary sessions of the European Parliament (EP) during the third and fourth legislatures are used to estimate legislators' preferences. Applying the spatial models of roll-call voting to the EP, I investigate the dimensions underlying legislators' voting behavior. I focus on the relative importance of ideology (i.e. European-wide political party affiliation) versus nationality as the main factor influencing voting behavior. The results support the existence of a European political system in which the main actors are political groups, not national delegations. Also, the pattern of voting in the EP is found to be quite stable across time and issues. Moreover, after taking into account Members' political party affiliations, nationality becomes, though to a lesser extent, statistically significant in explaining legislators' ideal positions.
Preferring Europe
Authors: Aspinwall Mark
Published: March 2007

This article takes issue with conventional explanations of state preference formation on European integration. It tests the hypothesis that Left-Right ideology is a better predictor than nationality of party views on integration, then tests the relationship between government ideology and government position on several dozen proposals considered during the intergovernmental conference leading up to the signing of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997. It finds no significant relationship between nationality and preferences on integration, posing a challenge for liberal, functional and historical theories of state preference formation. However, there appears to be a significant and robust relationship between party ideology (and the resulting ideology of governments) and their preferences regarding integration generally, and the Amsterdam negotiations specifically.
The Leros PIKPA Asylum Deinstitutionalization and Rehabilitation Project
Authors: Tsiantis John , Diareme Stavroula P. , Kolaitis Gerasimos
Published: March 2007

This is a three-year follow-up study on the results from the Deinstitutionalization Project of the Leros PIKPA asylum regarding job-related fears of care staff of the institution as well as their attitudes towards people with learning disabilities. We expected that changes in staff would occur in a way congruent with previously published findings indicating that after a year of intervention staff became less worried about residents’ aggression and their own personal health, and understood better residents’ individual differences and need for non-custodial care. Care staff of the institution responded to a number of ‘fear statements’, and to an attitude questionnaire after a three-year intervention including several forms of training, support and sensitivity groups. Qualitative observations of staff behaviour were also examined. Data analyses showed that staff fears of expression of aggression in the institution decreased, whereas fears regarding their own aggression increased. Staff worries about their personal health decreased progressively from baseline assessment. Comparisons in staff attitudes indicated that staff continued to move away from the idea of custodial segregation of people with learning disabilities. Observational data showed improvements in staff management practices and interactions with residents. Results are discussed within the frame of particular Greek socio-cultural factors.
Working Practices Employed within and across Hospital and Community Service Provision for Adults with an Intellectual Disability and Additional Needs
Authors: Taggart Laurence , McConkey Roy
Published: March 2007

This study documented the perceptions of 98 front-line staff of 42 adult residential and day care facilities regarding the working practices employed within and across 38 community and hospital units, using the Working Method Scale. This scale was designed to measure whether the service units adopted any systematic approaches in their practices with regard to client planning, assessment and staff training. Results indicated that systematic approaches were reported to be employed in terms of how staff planned client care. Inconsistencies were found between service settings regarding the involvement of the client and professional input (i.e. psychology). Furthermore, this study found a distinct shortage of `good' practices in relation to person-centred plans and assessment tools for measuring challenging behaviours and mental health problems. The results highlight that these services are adopting a `minding' model in contrast to an `active support' model. Consequently, this study challenges service providers to ensure that all service units adopt what are considered `good' working practices.
Influence of Organizational Culture on Female and Male Upward Mobility into Middle and Senior Managerial Positions
Authors: Manwa Haretsebe , Black Neil
Published: March 2007

Research from different parts of the world has consistently confirmed the maleness of managerial culture that is averse to female success. The article reports on an exploratory study undertaken in Zimbabwean banks and hotels to explore managerial explanations of how to achieve successful upward mobility into middle and senior managerial positions. The results confirm that in Zimbabwe, the managerial cultures that prevail in banks and hotels are modelled after what Kanter refers to as a western managerial ethos. These cultures are further reinforced by traditional African culture that precludes females from taking an active role in public life. The article concludes by making suggestions on how organizations can change their culture to accommodate diversity in their human resources.
Jewish Expressions in Mark 14.61-62 and the Authenticity of the Jewish Examination of Jesus
Authors: Bock Darrell
Published: March 2007

This essay assesses Maurice Casey's critique of work on Mk 14.61-62 found in my Blasphemy and Exaltation in Judaism. The article examines again and brings more detailed argument for the authenticity of these verses as well as questioning elements of his critique. The Jewish background fits the trial setting in a way that is unlikely to reflect an early church creation for a Gentile audience (i.e. Mark did not create this material). The essay also shows how solemn this exchange was once it is seen in light of this back ground. An array of Jewish texts illumine the expressions of the 'Blessed One' and 'the Power'. A positive assessment of this passage's authenticity is significant for historical Jesus studies.
Hebrews' Use of the Old Testament: Recent Trends in Research
Authors: Guthrie George H.
Published: March 2007

One of the most important areas of Hebrews research concerns the various ways in which the author handles the Old Testament. The past two decades have witnessed an acceleration of research on the book generally, and within the context of the heightened attention, certain trends in exploration of Hebrews' uses of the Old Testament have emerged. A consideration of these trends is carried forward in two movements. First, a brief introduction to the topic is set forth, which focuses on the phenomena surrounding Hebrews' uses of the Old Testament. Here current discussions on direct quotations, allusions, uses of biblical phrases, echoes, and general refer ences are considered, as are the author's uses of introductory formulae. Second, the article details four trends that have surfaced in the literature of recent years. The first trend concerns a movement away from focus on the question of a specific textual form behind Hebrews and a movement to consideration of the author's own minor adjustments in presentation of the text for stylistic and theological purposes. The second trend in research con cerns approaches that read the structure of Hebrews as framed by exposi tions of key Old Testament texts. The third trend involves explorations into specific exegetical methods used by the author of Hebrews, and the fourth, attempts at discerning the author's hermeneutical program. These trends demonstrate the central place in research that Hebrews' use of the Old Tes tament should hold and provide help in thinking more lucidly about the book.
Case Study Research and Theory Building
Authors: Dooley Larry M.
Published: March 2007

The problem and the solution. This chapter overviews case study research and proposes a manner in which case study research can contribute to theory building in applied disciplines. Although theory building using case study research has been discussed previously in the literature, there is no clarity as to how case study research can be used to build theory. Moreover, it should not be assumed that there is clarity on the processes of case writing, case studies, or case study research. This chapter presents definitions, purposes, and elements of case study research for the purpose of understanding how case study research can be used to build theory in applied disciplines.
One State’s Response to the Nursing Shortage: The Maryland Commission on the Crisis in Nursing
Authors: White Kathleen M.
Published: March 2007

The state of Maryland passed legislation in 2000 in response to the nursing shortage—creating a state commission to address the issue. The commission was charged with exploring potential solutions to the nursing workforce shortage, which is being felt most acutely in hospitals and long-term care facilities. The commission’s work began in 2000 and will continue through 2005.
Rooms without Rules: Shaping Policies for Assisted Living Facilities
Authors: Chen Cheryl Chia-Hui , Cohen Sally S.
Published: March 2007

A burgeoning aging population, the desire of elders to “age in place,” and changes in family structure that leave elders with limited family supports have generated great interest in assisted living. Many baby boomers have the means to afford assisted living either for themselves or their aging family members. Additionally, in an effort to contain skyrocketing Medicaid expenditures, policy makers are interested in alternatives to nursing home care. As the number of assisted living facilities soars, calls for regulation are growing. Nurses have much to contribute to the formation of federal, state, and local assisted living policies. In particular, knowledge of regulatory issues and the agenda-setting process can enhance nursing’s influence in assisted living policy making. This article describes the issues surrounding policy making for assisted living with an eye toward promoting the role of nurses in this important policy area.
Support for Third Parties in California
Authors: DONOVAN TODD , BOWLER SHAUN , TERRIO TAMMY
Published: March 2007

Support for minor parties is increasing in some state elections. In this article we use survey data to model support for contemporary third party candidates in California. Our analysis indicates that voters choose minor party candidates when they are dissatisfied with major candidates and when they perceive no difference between the major parties. We also find that these minor party candidates receive support from voters who have loyalties to the minor party, a finding that contrasts with some of the existing literature on minor party voting in U.S. national elections.
The Expression of Density Dependence in State Communities of Organized Interests
Authors: GRAY VIRGINIA , LOWERY DAVID
Published: March 2007

We examine a key issue arising from the density dependence hypothesis of the population ecology approach to studying interest communities: the expression of density dependence through variations in the rates of entrance and/or exit from lobbying communities. How such expression occurs will influence (a) the independence of mobilization phenomena from the nature of the lobbying community into which an organization is being mobilized and (b) the prospects of demographic turnover within interest communities. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses of new and more complete data using a more fully specified model generates sharply different results from those reported by Gray and Lowery, suggesting that much greater attention must be accorded to community context in analyses of the mobilization.
Group Stereotypes and Political Evaluation
Authors: GOLEBIOWSKA EWA A.
Published: March 2007

Nontraditional candidates for elective office—including non-Whites, women, and homosexuals—have been rare in American politics, with the exception of a virtual explosion of nontraditional candidates in recent years. In reflection of these trends, research on political evaluation concerning nontraditional candidates has blossomed. Although significant advances have been made in our understanding of the role that gender and race play in political evaluation, we know much less about how members of other political minority groups, particularly gays and lesbians, are evaluated in electoral politics. Drawing on two experimental investigations, using highly realistic audio-visual vignettes of ostensible candidates for office, I explore how voters' responses to politically identical gay and lesbian candidates differ depending on whether their attributes are consistent or inconsistent with their respective group's stereotypes. I also investigate differences in political responses to gay and lesbian candidates as a function of respondents' gender, ending with a discussion of the findings' political implications.
Intergovernmental Sources of Innovation in State Administration
Authors: Light Alfred R.
Published: March 2007

A 1974 mail survey of top American state administrators provides an opportunity to analyze further a number of themes about sources of new ideas and program innovations in the states. Administrators in some functional policy areas (e.g., environmental pro tection) characterize their agencies as dependent upon the national government for new ideas, compared with other administrators (e.g., staff generalists) who characterize their agencies as dependent upon other states. Hierarchical cluster analysis uncovers some geo graphic regionalism in designations of specific states as the most innovative. Individual state reputations and the degree of consensus about who are the leaders also vary by policy area, but different definitions of policy area can lead to diverse conclusions. Adminis trators' perceptions of state innovation processes in 1974 seem to be linked less to state cultural environments and more to their functional roles and intergovernmental policy subsystems.
Trends in Party Preferences 1949-1976
Authors: Parker Glenn R.
Published: March 2007

This analysis explores the impact of war, unemployment and partisanship on trends in Democratic and Republican preferences. It furthers the discussion of the influence of economic conditions on party choice by exploring the hypothesized relationship in a different context-the influence of economic conditions on party preferences between elections. At election times, party choice is reflected in the two-party vote. In the absence of an election, a surrogate for party choice can be obtained from the distribution of responses to the frequent opinion survey query as to which political party could do the "best job" in running government and solving societal problems ("party preferences"). Trends in these questions reveal that unemployment diminishes Republican preferences (and increases Democratic preferences) while the existence of war exercises no significant influence on party preference.
Decline of U.S. Voter Turnout
Authors: Boyd Richard W.
Published: March 2007

This article explores structural causes of the decline in turnout in American elections. One-quarter of the 10 percentage point decline in presidential turnout since 1964 is explained by a changing age distribution. America's population is growing in just those young and old age groups that vote in low rates. A second structural cause is an expanding election calendar across federal, state, and local governments. A disaggregation of elections has increased the number of times electors are called to the polls, which has contributed to declining turnout in individual elections. Finally, tracing individual voter histories across a series of elections provides evidence of a core electorate, which is large as a proportion of the registered electorate and which votes at a reasonably high and equal level. The evidence for these voter histories is drawn from the CPS Voter Validation Study and from a sample of registered voters in a Connecticut town.
Political Participation in Midterm Congressional Elections
Authors: Conway M. Margaret
Published: March 2007

This article examines the relationship of election administration procedures, sociodemographic characteristics of the citizens, attitudes, and election situation characteristics to voter turnout in three midterm congressional elections. Turnout is consistently related to certain attitudinal and social characteristics in all three elections, while others vary in their association with turnout. Election administration procedures are of limited importance in accounting for turnout, while some of the electoral context variables have a significant impact on voting participation patterns.
Judicial Review of Administrative Decisions
Authors: Willison David H.
Published: March 2007

Scholars focusing on court-agency relationships at the federal level have generally neglected the role played by the courts of appeals. Exploring agency cases coming before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (1981-1984), this analysis reveals fairly strong support for the positions of federal agencies taken as a whole. Considerable variance, however, exists across both individual judges and specific agencies. Although much of the variance remains unaccounted for, the political environment of each agency sampled and the background characteristics of the court's judges provide a partial explanation. Of the individual background attributes isolated, party affiliation appears to have the most significance, with Republican judges displaying the highest levels of agency support.
Party Rules and Equitable Representation
Authors: Gleiber Dennis W. , King James D.
Published: March 2007

This article assesses the degree of representativeness within the state delegations with a measure based on primary election and caucus results, and delegate counts at the 1984 Democratic national convention. The analysis indicates that most state delegations were quite representative of the candidates' relative support within the public. States with the most representative delegations had few uncommitted votes cast in the primary or caucus and used proportional representation systems. The proportion of superdelegates, either pledged or unpledged, did not detract greatly from the representativeness of the state delegations,
The Supreme Court as an Opinion Leader
Authors: Marshall Thomas R.
Published: March 2007

Evidence for the Supreme Court's legitimacy-conferring role is measured by examining shifts in pre- and postdecision public opinions polls. A study of 18 poll shifts since the 1930s indicates that the average pre- to postdecision poll shift is virtually zero. Under limited circumstances, however, larger poll shifts toward the Court's position do occur, especially when the Court makes liberal, activist decisions and when a time-lag variable is allowed for.
Electoral Status and Representation in the United States Senate
Authors: Ahuja Sunil
Published: March 2007

That an upcoming election will sensitize representatives to the wishes of the represented appears to be a theoretically sound hypothesis. Previous tests of this proposition, however, provide inconsistent results. Also, measures used in previous research to examine intraterm changes vary significantly and are usually inadequate. Using data obtained from the American National Election Studies' 1988 and 1990 Senate Election Studies, the author tests the hypothesis that the relationship between state constituency opinion and senators' roll call behavior is a function of senators' proximity to the next election. Analyses reveal that those senators facing reelection in a particular year are considerably more responsive to their constituency's preferences than those who are not up for reelection. Moreover, among the remaining two-thirds, those 2 years away from a reelection display greater responsiveness to their constituency than those 4 years away. This study concludes that the temporal proximity to election does matter in senatorial voting behavior.
American Indian Interests and Supreme Court Agenda Setting
Authors: Hermann John R.
Published: March 2007

A recent development in the judicial behavior literature on Supreme Court agenda setting is the examination of case selection within particular areas of the law. To that end, this study examines the Supreme Court's agenda-building process regarding American Indian Interests as a petitioning litigant during the 1969-1992 October terms. Using a multivariate logistic regression model, the findings indicate that judicial attitudes as manifested by the attitudinal model, the direct and third party briefs filed by the Solicitor General's office for and against American Indian interests, and the presence of a sovereignty issue were influential explanatory variables in the Supreme Court's case selection process. Contrary to the expectations of this study, however, the petitioning party alleging lower court conflict, dissension, and the number of amici curiae briefs filed in support of, and in opposition to, American Indian interests were not important predictors.
Racial Segregation and Voter Turnout in Urban America
Authors: Schlichting Kurt , Tuckel Peter , Maisel Richard
Published: March 2007

This study examines the effect of hypersegregation on turnout in recent elections in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Baltimore, Maryland. A Geographical Information System (GIS) is used to assign to each registered voter in both cities his or her census block group via geocoding The individual-level voting data are then aggregated up to the block group level and merged with a subset of block group-level 1990 census variables A set of statistical analyses are next performed to measure the contextual effect of the racial composition of surrounding areas on voter turnout at the block group level The results show that after controlling for income, racially homogeneous block groups (Black or non-Black) situated in surrounding areas that mirror their own racial composition have significantly higher levels of political participation than corresponding block groups situated in surrounding areas that do not reflect their racial composition
Registration, Turnout, and the Electoral Representativeness of U.S. State Electorates
Authors: Jackson Robert A. , Brown Robert D. , Wright Gerald C.
Published: March 2007

This study examines state-level political participation in an analysis that integrates registration, turnout, and the representativeness of U.S. state electorates. The authors use data aggregated from the 1984 and 1986 November Current Population Surveys to obtain estimates of overall and group registration and turnout across the states. Results indicate that long-term political factors, such as party elite ideology and the restrictiveness of registration requirements, are the principal determinants of state registration levels. Liberal party elites and lenient registration requirements are especially critical to the registration of the poor and the less educated. Subsequently, a greater level of registration translates into heavier turnout both for the overall state electorate and for various demographic groups within this electorate. Greater turnout, in turn, produces a more representative active electorate.
Did States' Motor Voter Programs Help the Democrats?
Authors: Knack Stephen , White James
Published: March 2007

The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 required all states to establish motor voter, mail-in, and agency registration procedures prior to the 1996 presidential election. Using state-level data for the 1976-1994 period on party registration, we analyze the party registration impacts of state programs that were precursors to the NVRA. "Active" motor voter programs roughly similar to those mandated by the NVRA are found to significantly increase the proportion of registrants on the rolls who are unaffiliated with either major party. Mail-in registration shows no impact on party registration, whereas agency registration significantly increases the Democratic share of the two-party registration total—despite the fact that most agency programs in our sample period were far weaker than NVRA mandates.
A Discussion on the Shifts and Changes in Community Based Rehabilitation in the Last Decade
Authors: Thomas Maya , Thomas M.J.
Published: March 2007

In the 1970s and the early 1980s, community based rehabilitation was promoted by the world bodies as an approach that was suitable for developing countries with lim ited resources to provide wider coverage of services. A key element of this approach was the transfer of minimum rehabilitation skills and responsibility to minimally trained family members and other volunteers in the community. The last decade saw the growth of community based rehabilitation in many developing countries, along with changes and adjustments in the concepts and practices related to this field. This paper discusses the implications of the transitions over the last decade, for the plan ning of community based rehabilitation in India and the neighboring countries.
"Not on Our Watch"
Authors: Westley Frances
Published: March 2007

For those people who work with endangered species, the current rate of extinctions is experienced as a chronic disaster However, many dedicated professionals continue to work with commitment, despite discouraging trends, to try to stem the tide. This article uses qualitative data gathered from interviews with an international group of biologists, zoologists, and wildlife managers associated with an effective global social change network, the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group. It explores their motivations and analyzes these in terms of Erikson's descriptions of classical responses to chronic disasters, particularly environmental disasters. It suggests that organizational form, network relationships, inspirational leadership, and the ability to cognitively frame or delimit scope and responsibility are all critical to responding positively to seemingly hopeless situations.
The Use of Polyacrylonitrile Film in Barrier Food Packaging
Authors: Park H.C. , Ashcraft Charles R.
Published: March 2007

A process has been developed to produce a biaxially oriented polyacrylonitrile film (BOPAN) with a level of extractible monomers which is far below the maximum allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for packaging films. The film has a combination of excellent characteristics as shown by data comparing it with other films regarding such properties as tensile strength, modulus, barrier to oxygen and water vapor, optical properties and high temperature dimensional stability. Some market development studies are described.
Evaluation of Off-Odors in Food Packaging— the Role of Conjugated Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
Authors: Koszinowski Johannes , Piringer Otto
Published: March 2007

Several reactions between components of packaging materials lead under certain circumstances to sensorially active compounds, which dimmish the quality of the package and often the quality of the packaged food The conjugated unsaturated car bonyl compounds constitute an important class with may examples of such reaction products with off-odor properties This paper will attempt to evaluate off-odors in special consideration of this class of organic compounds
Irradiation of Packaging Materials and Prepackaged Foods
Authors: Giddings George G.
Published: March 2007

Ionizing radiation has long been used to strengthen plastic films. It is now being increasingly used with plastic films in aseptic packaging systems due to some advan tages it has over other pre-sterilizing techniques The author also describes effects of ionizing radiation on plastic films when packaged food is being pasteurized or sterilized.
Comparative Evaluation of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymers, Ionomers, and Ultra Low Density Polyethylene in Coextruded Structures
Authors: Mitchell E.B. , Neel R.B.
Published: March 2007

The general structure and property relationships of different heat seal materials coextruded with high density polyethylene are dependent upon the type and amount of sealant polymer in the structure. Ultra low density polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and zinc ionomer were coextruded with high density poly ethylene ; the structures were compared by evaluating the heat seal properties and their physical properties.
The Effect of Water Activity and Penetrant Vapor Activity On the Permeation of Toluene Vapor Through a Two-Side Pvdc Coated Opaque Oriented Polypropylene Film
Authors: Liu K.J. , Hernandez R.J. , Giacin J.R.
Published: March 2007

The permeance of toluene vapor through an oriented polypro pylene film coated with a copolymer of vinylidene chloride (PVDC) was evalu ated as a function of water activity and penetrant vapor concentration. It was found that the value of permeance increased as both toluene and water activity increased.

Toluene permeance values exhibited a strong dependency on toluene vapor concentration. This concentration dependency was shown to be less intense at high water activity values. Similarly, the effect of water activity-at a specified toluene concentration-on the permeance of toluene diminished as the values of permeant concentration increased. These results illustrate the complex rela tionship of penetrant vapor concentration and water activity on organic vapor permeability through a multilayer structure.
Blown Film Extrusion Optimization-Control and Screws
Authors: Veazey E.W. , Barrera N.
Published: March 2007

On-line film gauging, gravimetric feeding, innovations in blown film dies and wind-up equipment, and improved data handling have made pos sible the production of blown film to higher quality standards. However, ade quate cost control and effective material utilization will require even greater uniformity of the process and property performance of the film resins. Data was obtained to show that a modern extruder system with a microprocessor is an excellent processing rheometer. When properly calibrated and operated it can detect small changes in the resin and thus provide the means to continue economic production of higher quality film with greater assurance.
Spatiality and the New Social Studies of Childhood
Authors: Holloway Sarah L. , Valentine Gill
Published: March 2007

The past two decades have seen rapid changes in the ways in which sociologists think about children, and a growing cross-fertilisation of ideas between researchers in a variety of social science disciplines. This paper builds upon these developments by exploring what three inter-related ways of thinking about spatiality might contribute to the new social studies of childhood. Specifically, we identify the importance of progressive understandings of place in overcoming the split between global and local approaches to childhood; we discuss the ways in which children's identities are constituted in and through particular spaces; and we examine the ways in which our understandings of childhood can shape the meaning of spaces and places. These ideas are illustrated by reference to our current research on children's use of the internet as well as a range of wider studies.
Human papillomavirus testing by self-sampling: assessment of accuracy in an unsupervised clinical setting
Authors: Szarewski Anne , Cadman Louise , Mallett Susan , Austin Janet , Londesborough Philip , Waller Jo , Wardle Jane , Altman Douglas G , Cuzick Jack
Published: March 2007

Objectives: To compare the performance and acceptability of unsupervised self-sampling with clinician sampling for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types for the first time in a UK screening setting.

Setting: Nine hundred and twenty women, from two demographically different centres, attending for routine cervical smear testing

Methods: Women performed an unsupervised HPV self-test. Immediately afterwards, a doctor or nurse took an HPV test and cervical smear. Women with an abnormality on any test were offered colposcopy.

Results: Twenty-one high-grade and 39 low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs) were detected. The sensitivity for high-grade disease (CIN2+) for the self HPV test was 81% (95% confidence interval [CI] 60–92), clinician HPV test 100% (95% CI 85–100), cytology 81% (95% CI 60–92). The sensitivity of both HPV tests to detect high- and low-grade cervical neoplasia was much higher than that of cytology (self-test 77% [95%CI 65–86], clinician test 80% [95% CI 68–88], cytology 48% [95% CI 36–61]). For both high-grade alone, and high and low grades together, the specificity was significantly higher for cytology (greater than 95%) than either HPV test (between 82% and 87%). The self-test proved highly acceptable to women and they reported that the instructions were easy to understand irrespective of educational level.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that it would be reasonable to offer HPV self-testing to women who are reluctant to attend for cervical smears. This approach should now be directly evaluated among women who have been non-attenders in a cervical screening programme.
Changes in breast cancer mortality in Navarre (Spain) after introduction of a screening programme
Authors: Ascunce Elizaga N , Moreno-Iribas C , Barcos Urtiaga A , Ardanaz E , Ederra Sanz M , Castilla J , Egüés N
Published: March 2007

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess changes in the trend of breast cancer mortality in Navarre, and the effect that a screening programme may have had on these changes.

Methods: A breast cancer screening programme targeting women aged 45–65 years was launched in Navarre in September 1990. Breast cancer deaths between 1975 and 2004 were identified from the Navarre Mortality Registry, and the date of diagnosis was obtained by linkage with the population-based Navarre Cancer Registry. We compared breast cancer mortality during the pre-screening (1987–89) and screening (2002–04) periods, and with the estimated rate in the last period calculated by a linear model with a Poisson distribution. The long-term trends (from 1975 through 2004) were described by joinpoint regression analysis. Prevalent cases (those diagnosed before 1991) were excluded to minimize dilution of the benefit in the post-screening period due to deaths from tumours diagnosed before screening began.

Results: The joinpoint analysis showed a rising trend in breast cancer mortality rates until 1994, followed by a continual decrease of just over 5% per year. A comparison of mortality rates between the last pre-screening and the screening periods showed a decrease of 36% (95% confidence interval [CI] 21–48%), with the largest reduction in the 50–69 years age group (52%; CI: 33–65%). In this age group, mortality in the 2002–04 period was 62% lower than that projected from extrapolation of the pre-screening trend, while in unscreened age groups (30–44 and ≥75 years), mortality was only 22% lower. When prevalent tumours were excluded, the 50–69 years age group presented a further decrease in mortality than when all tumours were considered.

Conclusions: Fourteen years after the introduction of a screening programme, a major reduction in breast cancer mortality has been observed.
Studies on the Biosorption of Textile Dyes from Aqueous Solutions Using Posidonia Oceanica (L.) Leaf Sheath Fibres
Authors: Ncibi Mohamed Chaker , Mahjoub Borhane , Seffen Mongi
Published: March 2007

The adsorption of two textile dyes onto a low-cost and unexploited marine biomass, Posidonia oceanica (L.), was investigated in batch mode. The biosorption process was studied as a function of contact time, initial pH and temperature. The highest dye adsorption capacities attained at 30°C were 3.081 mg/g at pH 2 for the Direct dye and 4.252 mg/g at pH 5 for the Reactive dye. The Freundlich, Langmuir and Redlich–Peterson adsorption models were used to determine the parameters of the equilibrium data and, under the operating conditions studied, the best fit to the experimental curves was obtained using the Freundlich model. The thermodynamic constants of the adsorption process (i.e. ΔG0, ΔH0 and ΔS9) were evaluated as −6.36 kJ/mol, 57.80 kJ/mol and −103.45 J/(mol K), respectively, for the Direct dye and as −3.22 kJ/mol, 84.10 kJ/mol and −225.55 J/(mol K), respectively, for the Reactive dye. Consequently, the adsorption of dyes onto P. oceanica biomass was favourable, endothermic and spontaneous.
Market Diffusion of New Renewable Energy in Europe: Explaining Front-Runner and Laggard Positions
Authors: Eikeland Per Ove , Sæverud Ingvild Andreassen
Published: March 2007

In 1997, the European Union adopted the ambitious target of doubling the share of renewables in total primary energy consumption by 2010. However, by 2003 the EU was still recording low achievement levels, due largely to variation in the generosity and stability of member-state policies to support the diffusion of renewable energy. This article surveys national variation in the diffusion of renewable energy, linking this variation to the degree of ambition in governmental policies. After discussing what drives national policies, we conclude that policy ambitiousness reflects the degree to which salient national energy-related problems converge around renewable energy diffusion as a joint solution. Countries with ambitious renewable energy policies are found to have many unsolved national energy-related problems and an abundant primary renewable energy resource base that could be developed for solving these problems. Countries with less ambitious policies, on the other hand, have fewer salient national energy-related problems or a less abundant renewable energy resource base. Among energy-related problems, the lack of national energy security in combination with policy ambitions to assist new industrial activities emerges as a particularly forceful policy driver. A side-effect of the convergence of many national problems around renewable energy diffusion as solution is that strong advocacy coalitions can more readily be forged to lobby for generous and stable governmental renewable energy policies. Local-level factors will, however, condition the effect of central government policies. Countries that have ensured co-decision power for local communities and benefit-sharing rights in renewable energy development are more likely to see their ambitious national policies result in diffusion, in contrast to countries with policies that ignore demands at the local level. The UK and Spain, representing low- and high-diffusion countries, respectively, are here discussed as major cases, supported by evidence from other EU member countries.
Secrets Revealed, Revelations Concealed: A Secret City Confronts its Environmental Legacy of Weapons Production
Authors: Harper Janice
Published: March 2007

Oak Ridge, Tennessee was born as a planned and secret community established during World War II to contribute to the development of the first atomic bomb. Sacrificing their own civil liberties toward the goals of democracy and freedom, residents lived behind guarded fences and learned not to discuss their work with family, neighbors or co-workers. Their clandestine work became public following the bombing of Hiroshima, but the environmental legacies of weapons production increased and remained secret throughout the Cold War. In this paper, I discuss the cultural and environmental legacy of Oak Ridge and then draw on ethnographic interviews with residents, former workers, and participation in public hearings to show how the culture of secrecy has shaped the community of today, while efforts to confront the environmental legacy of the city continues to both unite and divide the community. I conclude that the history of secrecy has limited organized efforts to confront the ongoing environmental problems facing the community, while individuals act independently to investigate past and potential exposures. Paradoxically, however, the history of secrecy contributed to the development of a proud community with a commitment to environmental stewardship, democratic principles, and concern for peace and stability that many outsiders have failed to recognize in condemning the community as a showcase of military toxic waste.
The Politics and Aesthetics of Place-names in Sarawak
Authors: Yong Kee Howe
Published: March 2007

As elements of the political landscape, place-names can express not only the ideological themes of the state but also the political atmosphere and processes by which nation-states make their impression on the landscape. This essay, based on fieldwork conducted in Sarawak, Malaysia, in 1999 and 2000, addresses the nature of place-names in Sarawak and focuses on how certain communities react to the place-names of their villages and townships in their everyday lives, that is, how place-names are derived, who speaks them, how they are used, and in what context. An exploration into subjects' reactions to place-names can be read not only as the antithesis to state impressions on the national landscape over time but also, to a varying extent, as traces of the original baptismal event in the present circumstances. In short, place-names are active, context-generating as well as context-reflecting.
Reconceptualizing the Model of Multiple Dimensions of Identity: The Role of Meaning-Making Capacity in the Construction of Multiple Identities
Authors: Abes Elisa S , Jones Susan R , McEwen Marylu K
Published: March 2007

We reconceptualize Jones and McEwen's (2000) model of multiple dimensions of identity by incorporating meaning making, based on the results of Abes and Jones's (2004) study of lesbian college students. Narratives of three students who utilize different orders of Kegan's (1994) meaning making (formulaic, transitional, and foundational, as described by Baxter Magolda, 2001) illustrate how meaning-making capacity interacts with the influences of context on the perceptions and salience of students' multiple social identities. Implications for theory, research, and professional practice are discussed.
African American and Hispanic Student Engagement at Minority Serving and Predominantly White Institutions
Authors: Nelson Laird Thomas F , Bridges Brian K , Morelon-Quainoo Carla L , Williams Julie M , Holmes Michelle Salinas
Published: March 2007

Although scholars have examined historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in terms of their educational effectiveness for African American students compared to predominantly white institutions (PWIs), there is a lack of similar research on Hispanic students at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and PWIs. This study uses data from the 2003 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to investigate whether HSIs appear to serve Hispanic students in similar ways that HBCUs serve African American students. The results suggest that the average Hispanic senior at an HSI looks quite similar to the average Hispanic senior at a PWI in terms of engagement, satisfaction with college, and gains in overall development, in contrast to the results for African American seniors who are more engaged at HBCUs than PWIs.
Joseph Addison and the Pleasures of Sharawadgi
Authors: Brown Tony C
Published: March 2007

Joseph Addison characterizes aesthetic experience in his "Pleasures of the Imagination" (1712) as immediate, pre-cognitive, and largely unconditioned. That characterization requires him to present something that precludes direct description, something primitive, prior to any defined temporal alteration. To define what cannot otherwise be presented, Addison cites Chinese taste in wild landscape--an exotic figure whose difference Addison tropes, turning it to remark a limit of another order, namely a subjective one. If one would expect European aesthetics to be self-contained, Addison makes clear how it requires the exotic to found itself.
The Estate, the Corpse, and the Letter: Posthumous Possession in Clarissa
Authors: Kibbie Ann
Published: March 2007

Reading Clarissa as a philosophical ghost story, this essay focuses on three sites of contested ownership: the landed estate, the heroine's corpse, and the letters themselves. Each case allows Richardson to pursue the paradoxical notion of inalienable property, especially the inalienable property in the self, beyond the grave; and each case is the occasion for a struggle not just among living characters, but also between the living and the dead. Joining the corporation of the dead, Clarissa forges a ghostly and perpetual version of selfhood that, in its incorporeal and immortal nature, is allied with eighteenth-century notions of literary property.
Tainted Love and Romantic Literary Celebrity
Authors: Tuite Clara
Published: March 2007

The love story of Lord Byron and Caroline Lamb has traditionally functioned in literary history to confirm Byron's seductive fatality and Lamb's banality. This essay engages the Lamb-Byron affair in order to highlight the complexity and symbolic power of Lamb's performances as a social and literary celebrity. It argues that the social and textual performances that mark the affair as a public event raise critical issues about the relations between private and public in the romantic literary marketplace, about the sociality of romantic literature and love, and about the interrelations between romantic literature, romantic love, and romantic-period scandal.