bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Methodology for Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of Employee Assistance Programs
Authors: French Michael T. , Zarkin Gary A. , Bray Jeremy W.
Published: November 2015

Employee assistance programs (MPs) represent a relatively new fringe benefit for workers; the number of these programs has been steadily increasing in worksites of all sizes. Despite this surge in the growth of EAPs, few studies have estimated their costs or benefits. To guide future economic evaluation studies of EAPs, we have developed a methodology that has four components: a process description to understand the structure, operating environment, and goals of the EAP; a cost analysis to comprehensively identify and estimate the full range of EAP costs; an outcomes analysis to rigorously estimate the effectiveness of the EAP for groups of employees and the overall impact of the EAP on employee performance and workplace productivity; and an economic evaluation to estimate cost-effectiveness ratios, dollar benefits, and net benefits of the EAP. Our methodology is based on standard economic theory, but we present the evaluation strategy in a nontechnical way so that it can be used by employers and other researchers to estimate the costs and benefits of EAPs.
Drug Users versus Outreach Workers in Combating Aids: Preliminary Results of a Peer-Driven Intervention
Authors: Broadhead Robert S. , Heckathorn Douglas D. , Grund Jean-Paul C. , Stern L. Synn , Anthony Denise L.
Published: November 2015

AIDS prevention efforts for injection drug users (IDUs) since 1988 in over 60 inner-city areas within the United States have been based on a “provider-client” model called “street-based outreach.” We document the research showing that these traditional outreach projects operate under conditions that cause hierarchy and supervision to break down easily. The result is an array of organizational problems that push outreach projects toward inertia, and invite high levels of mal- and nonperformance by outreach workers (OWs) as rational adaptations to their work conditions. Nevertheless, research has also documented that IDUs responded very impressively to the outreach services they received. Based on IDUs' responsiveness, we outline the operational features of a “Peer-Driven Intervention” (PDI) that relies on an active collaboration with IDUs in place of a “provider-client” model. Based on a comparative study in eastern Connecticut, we present preliminary impact data comparing the effectiveness of a PDI with a traditional outreach intervention in terms of recruitment power, educational effectiveness of IDUs in the community, and comparative intervention costs.
The Beliefs Predicting Support for Heroin Legalization
Authors: Littrell Jill , Diwan Sadhna
Published: November 2015

Two studies were conducted for the purpose of identifying those beliefs and perceptions about heroin which predict being for or against heroin legalization. In Study One the results of a 45-item instrument assessing the attitudes and beliefs of 359 students at Georgia State University were factor analyzed. The identified factors were entered into a multiple regression predicting support for heroin legalization. In Study Two, an item from each of the six strongest factors identified in Study One was included in a questionnaire along with a two-item measure employed in Study One to identify support for legalization. A ninth item was added and the questions were asked in a polling of 805 representative Georgia citizens. The primary findings from Study One were replicated in Study Two. The factors are described and the implications of the findings for policy are discussed.
Mechanisms of Noncompletion in Ethnographic Research on Drugs: Results from a Secondary Analysis
Authors: Fendrich Michael , Wislar Joseph S. , Mackesy-Amiti Mary Ellen , Goldstein Paul
Published: November 2015

We reviewed case files from two longitudinal ethnographic field studies of drug users in order to examine mechanisms of noncompletion. We explored two general mechanisms, including investigator initiated termination and subject initiated withdrawal. Subjects were terminated when patterns of incoherent or inconsistent responses were detected in interviews; subjects were also terminated when they stole from the field site or when they were jailed or hospitalized. The findings suggest that the initial phases of interviewing served as an important subject screening period for the researchers conducting the interviews. Most noncompletion in both studies fell under the category of subject initiated withdrawal. Analyses suggested that respondents who dropped out reported significantly less drug involvement and somewhat less extensive criminal involvement than those who completed the study. Women who dropped out were more likely to be married than women who completed the study. Men who dropped out were less likely to reside in shelters for the homeless than men who remained in the study. Our behavioral findings sharply contrast with findings from studies of attrition in conventional panel research on drug use. Implications for research on hidden populations are discussed. These findings suggest some important limitations in ethnographic research and underscore the importance of systematic descriptive accounts of noncompletion across a range of ethnographic studies.
A Road Less Traveled: Choosing the “Women for Sobriety” Program
Authors: Kaskutas Lee Ann
Published: November 2015

This paper introduces readers to the program philosophy and the membership of “Women for Sobriety” (WFS), a mutual aid organization for women with alcohol problems, founded in 1975 by Dr. Jean Kirkpatrick. Results are based on content analysis of program literature, and on ethnographic and survey methods. WFS meetings were observed and participants interviewed over a 4-month period, and 600 members in 125 WFS groups in the United States and Canada completed a membership survey in 1991 (response rate = 73%). The program focuses on improving self-esteem; members achieve sobriety by taking responsibility for their actions and by learning not to dwell on negative thoughts. Analysis of the program philosophy, and the demographic makeup of the WFS membership, suggest that the cognitive approach to recovery represented by WFS is especially attractive to white, well-educated, middle-aged, middle- and upper-class women. Relatively few of its members were referred there by a treatment agency, and the program remains somewhat ignored by providers as well as alcohol scholars. Explanations for this hidden nature of WFS are explored, and include the dominance of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), funding constraints associated with studying self-help programs, and individual and organizational considerations.
Family and Human Resources in the Development of a Female Crack-Seller Career: Case Study of a Hidden Population
Authors: Dunlap Eloise , Johnson Bruce D.
Published: November 2015

This paper is primarily concerned with resources which family and kin network bring to drug careers. The general thesis is that specific human resources available during childhood influence both the nature and extent of participation in crack use and sales. The availability of family and human resources are critical in determining the extent to which drug abusers could develop and maintain a “conventional” identity while engaging in a drug-distribution career. Although females are becoming more evident in crack-distribution roles, they remain a minority among crack sellers and usually perform the lowest roles. This case study of Rachel represents a truly hidden population, a minority female who has been a successful crack seller for several years. The paper provides insight about persons that rarely come to attention when studying drug distribution and participation. Such persons acquire skills and resources during their lives that enable them to function in two diverse worlds. Such crack sellers are “truly hidden” because they do not have criminal records, almost never come to the attention of police, and function adequately in conventional roles. By analyzing a detailed case study of a female drug seller, this paper delineates some of the human resources and skills which may account for her differential outcome in a career of drug use and sales in inner-city settings.
Modeling the Etiology of Adolescent Substance Use: A Test of the Social Development Model
Authors: Catalano Richard F. , Kosterman Rick , Hawkins J. David , Newcomb Michael D. , Abbott Robert D.
Published: November 2015

The social development model is a general theory of human behavior that seeks to explain antisocial behaviors through specification of predictive developmental relationships. It incorporates the effects of empirical predictors (“risk factors” and “protective factors”) for antisocial behavior and attempts to synthesize the most strongly supported propositions of control theory, social learning theory, and differential association theory. This article examines the power of social development model constructs measured at ages 9 to 10 and 13 to 14 to predict drug use at ages 17 to 18. The sample of 590 is from the longitudinal panel of the Seattle Social Development Project, which in 1985 sampled fifth grade students from high crime neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to examine the fit of the model to the data. Although all but one path coefficient were significant and in the expected direction, the model did not fit the data as well as expected (CF1=.87). We next specified second-order factors for each path to capture the substantial common variance in the constructs' opportunities, involvement, and rewards. This model fit the data well (CFI=.90). We conclude that the social development model provides an acceptable fit to predict drug use at ages 17 to 18. Implications for the temporal nature of key constructs and for prevention are discussed.
Reducing HIV Risk Behaviors: Perceptions of HIV Risk and Stage of Change
Authors: Stevens Sally J. , Estrada Antonio L.
Published: November 2015

The HIV epidemic has had a dramatic impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities around the world. Originally identified in homosexual men, HIV increasingly affects others, including: (1) those who inject drugs, (2) non-injection drug users who engage in unsafe sex, and (3) non-drug using heterosexuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors.

The need for effective HIV prevention interventions is critical. All too often interventions have lacked sound theoretical frameworks. However, some attempts have been made to ground HIV risk behavior interventions in behavior theories such as: (1) the health belief model, (2) cognitive social learning theory, (3) the theory of reasoned action, and (4) the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TMBC).

This paper describes an HIV prevention intervention that was developed from the TMBC model. The TMBC model hypothesizes stages of change. In this study, injection drug users (IDUs), crack cocaine users (CCUs), and female sexual partners of IDUs and CCUs identified their stage of change and were given an intervention based upon their identified stage. Baseline and post intervention follow-up data were obtained on participants' perceived stage and reported HIV sexual risk behavior. The data indicated that there was little congruence between perceived stage and reported risk. In spite of this incongruence, significant decreases in HIV risk behaviors were evidenced.
A Comparative Analysis of Cigarette, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Use among an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Hispanic, African American, and Non-Hispanic White Adolescents
Authors: Warheit George J. , Vega William A. , Khoury Elizabeth L. , Gil Andres A. , Elfenbein Pamela H.
Published: November 2015

Longitudinal findings are presented on lifetime, past year, and magnitude of use of cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs among non-Hispanic White (NHW), African-American, Cuban, Nicaraguan, Colombian, and Puerto Rican adolescent boys. The T-3 sample included 5,370 adolescents of whom 3,403 were Hispanic. About one-half the Hispanic sample was foreign born. Significant increases in lifetime use and magnitude of use of all three substances were found over the three data collection periods for all six groups. NHW and Hispanic adolescents had higher substance use rates than African-Americans. Most differences were not significant for NHW and Hispanic subgroups. Foreign-born Hispanics reported positive relationships between length of time in country and substance use. Significant relationships were found in two instances. Length of time in country was related to lifetime use of all substances for Cubans and for past year use of alcohol and illicit drugs. It was also significantly related to lifetime and past year use of alcohol and for lifetime illicit drug use among Nicaraguans. Although substance use did not vary greatly for different Hispanic groups, the authors suggest caution be used in offering generalizations, especially among young groups with diverse nativity and immigration histories.
The Natural History of Substance Misuse in an Incarcerated Criminal Population
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: November 2015

The natural history of substance misuse was explored in 343 medium security federal inmates. Of the subjects surveyed, 144 (42.0%) acknowledged a prior history of substance misuse, minimally defined as weekly ingestion of a psychoactive substance for a period of 3 or more months. Whereas the majority of subjects reported that they were abstinent due only to incarceration (57.4%), a quarter of the sample (24.8%) affirmed that they stopped using drugs on their own without treatment (spontaneous remission). Differences were observed between subjects who continued using or desisted only because of incarceration and subjects who displayed spontaneous remission. Several interpretations of this finding are possible, one being that subjects in the spontaneous remission group perceived themselves as having experienced significantly fewer problems as a consequence of drug use than subjects in the continued use and incarceration groups.
Vulnerability to Narcotic Addiction: Family Structure and Functioning
Authors: Nurco David N. , Lerner Monroe
Published: November 2015

This retrospective case-control study of male narcotic addicts was aimed at determining whether family structure and functioning factors, self-reported retrospectively as occurring during early teen age, were associated with subsequent addiction. It contrasted a reference group of addicts with two matched control groups: their teenage associates at age 11 (peer controls), and age-peers residing in their community but not close associates (community controls). The study population was equally divided between white and black subjects. Study results showed that during early teenage intact family structure (defined here as residence in a household consisting of both natural parents) was negatively associated at statistically significant levels with addiction. Family functioning factors negatively associated with later addiction, independently of family structure, included: strong attachment to father or father figure, positive home atmosphere, strong parental adherence to traditional norms, and expected weak parental disapproval of (hypothetical) misbehaviors by subjects if these had in fact occurred. Attachment to mother or mother figure was almost equally very high among reference and control subjects and, hence, was not associated with later addiction.
An Effective Model of Prison-Based Treatment for Drug-Involved Offenders
Authors: Inciardi James A. , Martin Steven S. , Butzin Clifford A. , Hooper Robert M. , Harrison Lana D.
Published: November 2015

A multistage therapeutic community treatment system has been instituted in the Delaware correctional system, and its effectiveness has captured the attention of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, members of Congress, and the White House. Treatment occurs in a three-stage system, with each phase corresponding to the client's changing correctional status—incarceration, work release, and parole. In this paper, 18 month follow-up data are analyzed for those who received treatment in: (1) a prison-based therapeutic community only, (2) a work release therapeutic community followed by aftercare, and (3) the prison-based therapeutic community followed by the work release therapeutic community and aftercare. These groups are compared with a no-treatment group. Those receiving treatment in the two-stage (work release and aftercare) and three-stage (prison, work release, and aftercare) models had significantly lower rates of drug relapse and criminal recidivism, even when adjusted for other risk factors. The results support the effectiveness of a multistage therapeutic community model for drug-involved offenders, and the importance of a work release transitional therapeutic community as a component of this model.
Rural Pregnant Cocaine Users: An in-Depth Sociodemographic Comparison
Authors: Behnke Marylou , Eyler Fonda Davis , Woods Nanci Stewart , Wobie Kathleen , Conlon Michael
Published: November 2015

As part of a prospective, longitudinal study of the effects of prenatal cocaine use on infant outcome, we enrolled 308 women when they first came in for prenatal care or at delivery, in the case of no prenatal care. The 154 women in the cocaine use group, identified by means of drug history and urine testing, were matched to 154 non-cocaine using controls on race, parity, socioeconomic status, and level of prenatal risk. This report presents a summary of the demographic and drug-use information collected at the time of delivery and the psychosocial data measured at delivery including standardized measures of depression, locus of control, self-esteem, concepts of development, life stress, and social support. Between group comparisons revealed that cocaine users were more likely than non-users to be older, to use other drugs, to begin their drug use at an earlier age, to have more depressive symptoms, to have an external locus of control, to have lower self-esteem, to have a more simplistic understanding of child development, and to have higher positive life event impact scores.
Problems and Solutions for Estimating the Prevalence of Drug Abuse among Arrestees
Authors: Chen Huey-Tsyh , Stephens Richard C. , Cochran Deborah C. , Huff Heather K.
Published: November 2015

The Drug Use Forecasting program is an important national data set that estimates the prevalence of psychoactive drug use among recent arrestees. However, because provision of urine samples is voluntary and many arrestees refuse to provide specimens, use of the urinalysis results in estimating prevalence of use may lead to inaccurate estimates. This paper provides a selection model to estimate drug use among those who refuse to take urine tests. The results indicate that those arrestees who refuse urine testing generally have a higher percentage of drug use than those who agree to take the test. The applications of this model allow an overall estimation of the extent of drug usage for all arrestees.
Toxicity of a Gourmet Banquet
Authors: Gable Robert S.
Published: November 2015

All food and drugs have some degree of toxicity. The potential for harm, as well as the loss of possible benefits, is always present. Therefore, effective long-term decision-making inevitably involves consideration of the alternative risks and benefits of drug use. When benefits are factored into a decision-making process, the most reasonable option is not necessarily the one with the least risk.
Prescription Fraud: Characteristics, Consequences, and Influences
Authors: Payne Brian K. , Dabney Dean
Published: November 2015

This research examines the characteristics, consequences, and potential factors impacting the prevalence of prescription fraud committed by pharmacy employees. Using standard thematic content analysis, 292 cases prosecuted by Medicaid Fraud Control Units throughout the nation are analyzed. Preliminary results reveal that certain kinds of fraud (generic substitution, short-counting, and filling prescriptions without a refill) are committed more regularly, or at least detected more readily than other kinds of fraud. Most of the prosecutions involved pharmacists accused of fraud and many of the offenses were committed in groups. Implications for future research and policy are provided.
The Role of Case Management in Retaining Clients in Substance Abuse Treatment: An Exploratory Analysis
Authors: Siegal Harvey A. , Rapp Richard C. , Li Li , Saha Pranjit , Kirk Karen D.
Published: November 2015

The positive relationship between time spent in substance-abuse treatment and improved outcomes has led to a significant interest in interventions that encourage substance abusers to remain in treatment. Case management has been tested for its role in both encouraging continued participation and directly affecting desired outcomes. This article reports findings from an ongoing longitudinal study that randomly assigned over 600 substance abusers entering treatment to one of two groups, either: (1) usual primary and aftercare drug treatment services or (2) usual services and an enhancement of strengths-based case management. A cluster analytic technique was used to identify patterns of participation in post-primary treatment, i.e., aftercare and case management, among those substance abusers in the enhanced group. Three distinct clusters emerge that suggest a prominent role for this model of case management as either an adjunct or an alternative to conventional treatment.
Drug Tourists and Drug Policy on the U.S.-Mexican Border: An Ethnographic Investigation of the Acquisition of Prescription Drugs
Authors: Valdez Avelardo , Sifaneck Stephen J.
Published: November 2015

Recent increases in the prevalence of non-medical prescription drug use across the United States have prompted national concern about the sources of these drugs. The focus of this study is the process by which prescription drugs enter the United States from Mexico through “drug tourism.” Drug tourism refers to the phenomenon by which persons become attracted to a particular location because of the accessibility of licit or illicit drugs and related services. A loophole in U.S. Customs laws enables Americans to legally bring pharmaceutical drugs into the United States when accompanied by a Mexican prescription. Using ethnographic field methods, this study (1) describes the acquisition process, (2) develops a typology of consumers, and (3) explores the interaction between the actors in this process. This study provides a better understanding of the social dynamics of a “gray market” in prescription drugs, and identifies a hidden population of drug users.
Opioid Substitution: Critical Issues and Future Directions
Authors: Marsden John , Gossop Michael , Farrell Michael , Strang John
Published: November 2015

Opioid substitution with oral methadone is the most widely implemented treatment for heroin dependence. In Britain, a complex array of specialist and generic health care services have evolved to deliver this treatment modality. Several minority aspects of British substitution practices receive enduring international interest, including the use of heroin itself as a substitute and the prescribing of methadone in an injectable form. This paper focuses on six linked dimensions that characterize substitution services: (1) treatment providers and settings, (2) prescribing regimes and treatment goals, (3) substitute drugs, (4) dose administration, (5) dose levels, and (6) substitute formulations. Against a background of increasing central and local accountability for the quality and efficiency of specialist providers and critical attention toward their effectiveness, the strengths and weaknesses of the British approach are considered and key issues and future directions are discussed.
This is the Partnership for a Drug-Free America: Any Questions?
Authors: Buchanan David R. , Wallack Lawrence
Published: November 2015

The paper examines the impact and possible unintended side effects of the privately sponsored Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) media campaign to reduce illicit drug abuse. The paper describes the history, goals, organization, production processes, and process and outcome evaluations of the PDFA advertising campaign. It also reviews major criticisms that have been leveled at the PDFA campaign, including its dissemination of false information, the narrow scope of its message, a number of unintended iatrogenic side-effects, potential conflicts of interest arising from the sources of its funding, and the agenda-setting function of the PDFA campaign in defining which drugs are dangerous and how the attendant problems should be addressed.
Ethnic Differences in Longitudinal Patterns and Consequences of Narcotics Addiction
Authors: Prendergast Michael L. , Hser Yih-Ing , Gil-Rivas Virginia
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this paper is to examine differences in patterns and consequences of narcotics use among Hispanic and white addicts over time. Data were gathered from admission records and from interviews conducted in 1974–75 and 1985–86 from 323 Hispanic and 212 white narcotics addicts admitted to the California Civil Addict Program in 1962 to 1964. Analyses compared the two groups on narcotics use, incarceration, mortality, and other characteristics at each follow-up point and in terms of drug-use status. Compared with white addicts, Hispanic addicts showed a progression of more persistent and severe narcotics addiction. At each interview point, Hispanics were more likely than whites to be using opiates or to be incarcerated. Comparisons of opiate use at the two interview points showed that Hispanics were less likely than whites to remain abstinent and were more likely to relapse to opiate use. Overall, Hispanics also had greater involvement in the criminal justice system, higher rates of cocaine use, and a higher proportion of deaths due to violence and accidents.
Social Costs of Alcohol
Authors: Sindelar Jody
Published: November 2015

This paper provides an overall framework for understanding and interpreting the literature on the social costs of alcohol. The paper discusses several philosophical and practical perspectives that motivate different types of cost studies. The two broad motivating perspectives are the public health and the economic viewpoint; each have several subtypes. The types of cost studies are discussed along with findings of key studies. The perspective, type of study, and important findings are evaluated, and challenges for future research are discussed. Although this paper draws on the economics literature, it is written for the non-economist.
The Impact of Interviewer Characteristics on Drug Use Reporting by Male Juvenile Arrestees
Authors: Fendrich Michael , Johnson Timothy , Shaligram Chitra , Wislar Joseph S.
Published: November 2015

We evaluated the importance of interviewer and subject effects on cocaine and marijuana use disclosure in a sample of over 3,000 male juvenile arrestees. Analyses evaluated the viability of Social Attribution and Conditional Social Attribution models of interviewer effects. The viability of alternative models was investigated in the context of comparative analyses excluding and including statistical adjustments for the clustering of responses by interviewers. Interviewer effects were more salient in models predicting marijuana disclosure than in models predicting cocaine disclosure. Logistic regression analyses provided support for Social Attribution and Conditional Social Attribution models of interviewer effects. Models suggested large interviewer cluster effects. Cluster adjustment altered interpretation of effects for both cocaine and marijuana. Subject race/ethnicity effects were salient in models predicting disclosure for both drugs, but were especially large in models predicting cocaine disclosure.
Drug Treatment Effectiveness and Client-Counselor Empathy: Exploring the Effects of Gender and Ethnic Congruency
Authors: Florentine Robert , Hillhouse Maureen P.
Published: November 2015

This study examined the possible effects of client-counselor gender and ethnic congruency on perceived counselor empathy, client engagement in treatment and the maintenance of abstinence during and after out-patient drug treatment. The findings indicate that client-counselor gender and ethnic congruence were significantly associated with higher levels of perceived counselor empathy for all gender, ethnic, and age groups. Contrary to expectation, however, client-counselor gender and ethnic congruence were not consistently associated with higher levels of treatment engagement and abstinence for all gender, ethnic, and age groups. The findings support a recommendation of routinely matching clients to counselors of the same gender for women, Latinos, and clients 35 years or older, but they do not support a recommendation of matching clients to ethnically-congruent counselors, with the possible exception of female clients. The findings also indicate that, with the exception of Latino clients, a policy of matching a client to an empathic counselor regardless of gender or ethnicity of the counselor would lead to a more favorable treatment outcome than would a policy of matching clients solely to gender and ethnically-congruent counselors. This study highlights the need for additional studies examining the client-counselor relationship. Further understanding of this relationship could lead to a greater understanding of the drug treatment process and suggest ways to generally improve the delivery of drug treatment.
Correlates of Underreporting Recent Drug Use by Female Arrestees
Authors: Gray Thomas A. , Wish Eric D.
Published: November 2015

Much of the research literature on the validity of self-reported drug use, primarily drawn from studies of males in criminal justice and drug treatment populations, has focused on whether subjects positive for drug use by an objective measure such as urinalysis actually report recent drug use. Few studies have investigated correlates of underreporting in these populations. Using a sample of 437 female arrestees, we examined correlates of underreporting previously identified in the research literature. Findings suggest that female arrestees without prior treatment experience or charged with a nondrug offense were less likely to report recent cocaine use than their counterparts who had previously been in treatment or were charged with a drug offense. These correlates did not apply to recent heroin use. Some support was found for race as a correlate of underreporting. Implications of the findings for the measurement of drug use in arrestees are discussed.
The Disasters of War: American Repression versus Dutch Tolerance in Drug Policy
Authors: Maris C.W.
Published: November 2015

This article discusses Dutch pragmatism with regard to drug policy, an approach that deviates sharply from the worldwide war on drugs most energetically promoted by the United States. The author focuses on the recent Dutch Memorandum on Drugs, a document that takes prevention and diminution of harm as the policy's central aims. The author analyzes both Dutch drug policy and the international drug war in terms of the harm principle developed by philosopher John Stuart Mill, concluding that the Dutch policy is preferable in that it produces fewer harms. It is argued that, in theory, decriminalization of drugs and the implementation of regulations comparable to those for alcohol should provide a better balance between freedom and harm reduction than the current war on drugs approach allows. In practice, however, the latter solution could only work within the context of a worldwide adoption of the liberal approach.
The Evolution of Crack and Basing Cocaine in the Rotterdam Heroin Scene
Authors: Blanken Peter , Barendregt Cas , Zuidmulder Linda
Published: November 2015

This article describes the increasing trend of cocaine and crack use among marginalized polydrug users in Rotterdam since the end of the 1980s, based on quantitative data and ethnographic monitoring. This trend is subsequently placed within the context of developing supply structures as well as local drug policy developments including care and law enforcement strategies. The results show the dynamic relationship between illicit drug demand and supply and policy interventions. Given that the use of psychoactive substances will most likely continue, the challenge for local drug policy may lie not only in repression and providing care facilities but also in regulating the settings where demand and supply meet. The latter, in order to decrease the potential harm of drug use for both the users and the local population.
HIV Prevention in Yaroslavl, Russia: A Peer-Driven Intervention and Needle Exchange
Authors: Sergeyev Boris , Oparina Tatyana , Rumyantseva Tatyana P. , Volkanevskii Valerii L. , Broadhead Robert S. , Heckathorn Douglas D. , Madray Heather
Published: November 2015

We report on the first two years of operation of the Yaroslavl, Russia harm reduction project for injection drug users (IDUs). From October 1996 to September 1998, the project was one of 13 projects in central and eastern Europe that comprised the International Harm Reduction Development Program, funded by the Open Society Institute in New York City and the city and province of Yaroslavl. The project is modeled after and received technical support from the Eastern Connecticut Health Outreach project of the University of Connecticut, which was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Yaroslavl project consists of two interrelated programs: a peer-driven outreach intervention that offers active drug users modest rewards for educating their peers in the community and recruiting them to a storefront for further education, interviews, free HIV, STD, and hepatitis B and C test counseling; and a needle exchange where IDUs can return used syringes for new ones and also receive other harm reduction materials such as condoms. We report on the development and implementation of the project and on in-depth interviews with 484 IDUs recruited to the project, 161 first follow-up interviews, 86-second follow-up interviews, and 35 third follow-up interviews. These interviews are based on clients' drug use and sexual risk behaviors, knowledge of HIV and other drug-related harms, and the Yaroslavl drug scene. We conclude with a discussion of the operational and political obstacles that the Yaroslavl project faces as those factors bear on the future of harm reduction programs in Russia.
The Work of General Practitioners among Lithuanian Roma in Vilnius: Incorporating Harm Reduction into Primary Medical Practice
Authors: Subata Emilis , Tsukanov Jurij
Published: November 2015

We describe the efforts of general practitioners (GPs) in Vilnius working with the Lithuanian-Roma community, the most impoverished and marginalized segment of the city's population. We focus specifically on GPs' efforts to advocate for and implement harm reduction principles and programs to protect and improve the health of Roma drug injectors threatened by HIV. We describe the full range of efforts that GPs have added to their practice beyond “normal doctoring” in order to have a more far-reaching impact on the health of drug users. This includes advocating for and successfully implementing methadone drug treatment and needle exchange services as integrated parts of routine primary medical practice. It also includes the outreach efforts by GPs and nurses to educate many different segments of the larger Vilnius community - law enforcement officials, teachers, and social workers - about harm reduction principles and strategies.
Rapid Assessment of Injection Drug Use and HIV in the Republic of Georgia
Authors: de Jong Wouter , Tsagarelli Tea , Schouten Erik
Published: November 2015

In January 1998 the authors conducted a rapid assessment of injecting drug use and HIV in the Republic of Georgia. We collected and analyzed information through a review of available documents, interviews with key informants, focus group interviews with injection drug users (IDUs), and observations of drug scenes. The guiding principles in our methodology were derived from the WHO manuals on Rapid Assessment Methodology (RAM). Although many information gaps remain in our findings, we did not find indications for an emerging HIV epidemic among IDUs, such as that occurring in other regions within the former USSR. On the other hand, a future HIV epidemic among IDUs cannot be precluded because of a high prevalence of injecting drug use and the common practices of needle sharing, “front loading,” and unprotected sex among IDUs. In order to maintain the relatively favorable situation regarding HIV infections among IDUs in Georgia, additional interventions are needed and should be targeted toward the general population as well as specific subgroups and situations posing high levels of risk behaviors (e.g., prisons). The limited opportunities for offering services directly to IDUs are an obstacle for targeted prevention. Since injecting at home for medical purposes is quite common in the general population, a mass media-based safe injection campaign and improved access to syringes and condoms through pharmacies are preferable and more feasible than setting up needle-exchange programs. In reflecting on the use of rapid assessment methodology, we see the need for evaluation of the approach. Its further development should aim at synthesizing social science methodology and practical knowledge on policy making and intervention development.
Parvalbumin Is Expressed in Normal and Pathological Human Parathyroid Glands
Authors: Pauls Thomas L. , Portis Fiorella , Macrì Ettore , Belser Brigitte , Heitz Philipp , Doglioni Claudio , Celio Marco R.
Published: November 2015

The parathyroid glands are of major importance in calcium homeostasis. Small changes in the plasma calcium (Ca2+) concentration induce rapid changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion to maintain the extracellular Ca2+ levels within the physiological range. Extracellular Ca2+ concentration is continuously measured by a G-protein-coupled Ca2+-sensing receptor, which influences the expression and secretion of PTH. The mechanism of signal transduction from receptor sensing to PTH secretion is not well understood, but changes in PTH secretion are tightly linked to changes in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, we detected the EF Ca2+ binding protein parvalbumin (PV) in normal and in hyperplastic and adenomatous human parathyroid glands. The strongest PV signal was present in chief cells and water clear cells, whereas in oxyphilic cells only a weak signal was observed. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization of the PTH indicated a co-localization of PV and PTH in the same cell types. Because changes in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration are believed to influence the process of PTH secretion, a possible role of PV as a modulator of this Ca2+ signaling is envisaged.
Legislative Definitions of Learning Disabilities: Roadblocks to' Effective Service
Authors: Gillespie Patricia H. , Miller Ted L. , Fielder Virginia Dodge
Published: November 2015

Current state legislation reflects professional differences of opinion about the identification, assessment, and placement of learning disabled children. The authors suggest that services for the learning disabled will be improved if legislation decreases its emphasis on categories and concentrates instead on providing mechanisms for meeting the specific educational needs of individual children.
Programs, Materials, and Techniques
Authors: Brown Virginia
Published: November 2015

Depending upon our individual perspectives, we are either delighted or depressed at the growing number of “cookbooks” available to the learning disabilities practitioner. It is assumed that cookbooks are somehow outside the realm of serious review or criticism. Sometimes this is because the more experienced and sophisticated practitioner believes that education cookbooks are not worthy of professional attention. On the other hand, a modest, homemade effort may believe itself to be immune from professional critique. Neither assumption is appropriate. If a product is created, distributed, advocated, and used, it requires serious professional attention and is subject to professional review.

The column this month examines the entire role of cookbooks in learning disabilities by analyzing in some detail the original kitchen-related aspects of the term, by relating the results of this analysis to the classroom counterpart, and by suggesting a tentative brief outline to consider in evaluating cookbooks. A review of a recently submitted cookbook also is presented to show application of the considerations suggested.
Improving the Learning Disabled Child's Score on Machine-Scored Tests
Authors: Stephenson D. Claire
Published: November 2015

This is a report of a pilot study attempting to improve the performance of learning disabled children on standard testing. Each child was provided with a helper who filled in the IBM answer grid according to the child's verbal answers to the test questions. Comparing the results of these tests with earlier testing without a helper showed a significant gain in scores. Six subjects and three controls participated.
A Rationale for the Optometric Treatment and Management of Children with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Solan Harold A.
Published: November 2015

The effects of Optometric treatment transcend the optometrist's traditional role as a specialist in primary visual problems such as refractive errors and binocular disorders. As sensory processing takes place in the brain, progressive lateralization increases and modal specificity is replaced by intermodal integration. Changes resulting from optometric visual training are not limited to the visual cortex. A higher level of expectancy extends to other areas of the brain as well. This mobilization of active visual attention ultimately provides the learning disabled child with improved analysis, coding, and synthesis of visually perceived information facilitating the transition to symbolic processing. While the multidisciplinary nature of learning disabilities is generally recognized, the special educator and the classroom teacher are the “primary care” practitioners for learning disabled children.
International Teacher Education—Four Dimensions
Authors: De Young Chris A.
Published: November 2015

Mr. De Young returned last September from a second round-the-world trip, including a nine-months assignment as Fulbright lecturer at the Central Institute of Education, University of Delhi, India. He has had a wide experience in the field of international relations, having served as educational administrator in India from 1920 to 1924, when he was principal of a high school, of an elementary school, and examiner in English for the University of Madras. In 1947 he was educational consultant for the Army and in 1950 for the State Department in Germany, where he was co-chairman of the International Workshop in Social Studies at the University of Heidelberg. During 1949–1950 he was coordinator of the Panels on Public Education and Teacher Education for the Commission on Occupied Countries, with offices in the NEA headquarters, Washington, D. C.
The Measurement of Grammatical Constraints
Authors: Somers H. H.
Published: November 2015

By means of the coefficient of constraint ( D) it is possible to measure the constraint exercised by one grammatical type on another, calculating the redundancy of the nth grammatical type when only the first of the chain is known.—The results of the computation are presented, calculated on three Greek texts of the New Testament: the Gospel of St. John, St. Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians and the Epistle to the Hebrews. The conclusion is reached that Paul's Epistles have identical features and that, taking into account the individual differences between Paul and John in level of entropy, the constraint is greatest for the second type in the chain, the relative constraint being practically the same for the three texts.
Cohesion Phenomena in Cotton Rovings and Yarns: Part II: Influence of Twist on Yarn Cohesion
Authors: Barella A. , Sust A.
Published: November 2015

The influence of twist on yarn cohesion, expressed either as minimum twist of cohesion or as residual twist, is studied. Experiments on experimental yarns show that the minimum twist of cohesion expressed as a coefficient is pratically a constant, independent of both count and twist, being only dependent on fiber properties and testing conditions (applied tension and test length).
6,6′-Disulfide Cross-Links in Cotton Cellulose; Part II: Effects of Different Cross-Linking Conditions
Authors: Schwenker Robert F. , Lifland Leonard
Published: November 2015

The effects of covalent, intermolecular cross-linking resulting from the introduction into cellulose of thio (SH) groups which are subsequently oxidized to form disulfide (S—S) linkages between the cellulose chains are discussed. When the reactions described herein are carried out on cotton fabrics, there is enhanced wet and/or dry wrinkle recovery, depending upon the mode of thio group oxidation. The results of oxidation in aqueous, nonaqueous, and gas-phase systems are compared. The relation between the degree of cross-linking and wrinkle recovery is described in quantitative terms. The effects of intermediate reactions and disulfide cross-linking on strength as well as on wrinkle recovery are also described.
Methods of Studying Cortical Differentiation in Merino Wool
Authors: Snyman J. G.
Published: November 2015

Accurate measurement of the relative areas of ortho- and paracortex segments in wool depends upon a suitable embedding technique which will allow proper cross-sectioning of dyed or undyed fibers and upon a dyeing procedure which will give optimum differentiation. A method of embedding is described in which fiber bundles are mounted in a gelatin capsule and embedded with butyl methacrylate, which has excellent hardness and sectioning properties. Differential dyeing is obtained with Methylene Blue for 40 sec at the boil or for 20 min in the cold, for either sections or whole fibers, in a buffer medium.
Heat Transfer through Moist Fabrics
Authors: Schneider Anna M. , Hoschke B. N. , Goldsmid H. J.
Published: November 2015

A transient technique is used to measure the effective thermal conductivity of textile fabrics containing varying amounts of water. Conductivity increases with water content and also depends on a fiber's sorption properties. Wool, which is a highly absorbent fiber, has better insulating properties under moist conditions than polypropylene, porous acrylic, and cotton. Heat transfer in moist textiles takes place by conduction, infrared radiation, and distillation. Until the fiber is saturated, the evaporation process is determined mainly by the fiber's sorption properties.