bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cohesion and the Culture of Hypermasculinity in U.S. Army Units
Authors: Rosen Leora N. , Knudson Kathryn H. , Fancher Peggy
Published: October 2005

The goals of this study were to explore some of the ways gender affects cohesion and readiness in the small military unit, and to examine its impact on variables that may be related to unit cohesion, such as a culture of hypermasculinity. Using data from a 1998 survey of U.S. Army soldiers, the study found that men in male-only units manifested more group hypermasculinity than those in mixed gender units, and that group hypermasculinity was associated with higher levels of cohesion in male-only units, but not in mixed gender units. In addition, in male-only units, group hypermasculinity was, paradoxically, associated with a positive environment for spouses. On the other hand, in mixed gender units, group hypermasculinity was associated with a negative environment for spouses and a negative environment for women as coworkers. Across all groups, lower levels of group hypermasculinity and support for spouses were associated with a greater percentage of blacks in the group.
The Social Impact of Military Growth in St. Mary's County, Maryland, 1940-1995
Authors: Hicks Louis , Raney Curt
Published: October 2005

This article reports the social impact of a large naval base on a local community. The effects of the base are discussed in terms of three themes: (1) a restructuring of the local stratification system, (2) a shift from agrarian and fishing to postindustrial social patterns, and (3) the intermeshing of the community with the outside world. Systematic comparisons are made with another community that was similar to the impacted community, but that did not become the location of a major military installation.
Multinational Staff Effectiveness in UN Peace Operations: The Case of the U.S. Army and UNMIH, 1994-1995
Authors: Kretchik Walter E.
Published: October 2005

This article draws upon the past analysis of Allan R. Millett, Williamson Murray, and Kenneth H. Watman concerning military organizational effectiveness. Those scholars examined wartime activities, but this discussion argues that military organizational effectiveness is fully as important in military operations other than war as it is during armed conflict. In the wake of the tragedy of October 1993 in Somalia, the U.S. Army exerted some effort to improve the effectiveness of future United Nations peace operations. The United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) serves as a case study through which to explore a U.S. Army-developed and UN-sanctioned multinational staff training program over the winter of 1994-1995. Analysis describes a U.S. Army-led international training contingent that used a team-building session prior to mission assumption in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to increase staff skills within a diverse group. The training team assisted staff officers in overcoming language obstacles, divergent cultural approaches, and varying knowledge levels to actualize group cohesion. Upon mission execution, the UNMIH headquarters showed a dramatic improvement in organizational effectiveness over previous UN deployments.
The Illogic of Henry Kissinger's Nuclear Strategy
Authors: Craig Campbell
Published: October 2005

During the late 1950s and early 1960s Henry Kissinger became one of America's most famous nuclear strategists, developing a reputation as a brilliant "defense intellectual," which he would soon use to launch his public career. Yet critics of his work then and historians of nuclear strategy since have found his scholarship to be derivative, inconsistent, and unengaged with contemporary debates. Why was Kissinger nevertheless viewed by American politicians and the general public as a leading strategist? This article examines his main writings closely in order to show how his arguments appealed precisely to a public unwilling to confront the difficult realities of the thermonuclear revolution.
The Pragmatic Dimension of the Palestinian Hamas: A Network Perspective
Authors: Mishal Shaul
Published: October 2005

In the wake of the 11 September attack on the World Trade Center in New York and President Bush's "war on terrorism," it is important to try to understand the cultural, political, and social dimensions of such groups as the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. Within political and academic circles in the Western world it is common to portray Islamic movements in categorical terms and binary distinctions such as traditional versus modern, conservative versus revolutionary, and orthodox versus popular. The international dimension of the Islamic radical trend has had an important impact on Islamic movements, adding strength to the advocates of the binary perception. To a large extent, Hamas did not escape this perception, and has been described solely as a movement identified with Islamic fundamentalism and suicide bombings. However, a close scrutiny of Hamas's record will reveal that it is also an important social, political, and cultural force within Palestinian society and politics. As in the case of other Islamic movements, Hamas has moved away from dogmatic positions in a quest for innovative modes of conduct, ready to adjust to fluid conditions without losing sight of their ultimate objectives. This article follows the binary approach to Islamic and Arab politics and the growing discomfort with its epistemic assumptions, and will instead propose a noncategorical network perspective as a research strategy that may provide a better understanding of Hamas as dynamic and flexible phenomenon.
A "Grand Design"? Charles de Gaulle and the End of the Algerian War
Authors: Merom Gil
Published: October 2005

This article deals with one example of the debate over which factors, structural or personal, are more important in explaining the course of national history. At issue is the French retreat from Algeria and particularly that France abandoned that country because of the "grand design" of one great leader, Charles de Gaulle. We examine the main tenets of this thesis, discussing whether the French economy forced de Gaulle to give up Algeria; whether public sentiment constrained him; and whether his policy was premeditated and well orchestrated, or hastily improvised. The article's conclusion is that the war in Algeria ended in retreat more because of the domestic constraints that resulted from the political dynamics of the war than because of de Gaulle's foresight or determination.
Sociological Aspects of the Singapore Armed Forces
Authors: Da Cunha Derek
Published: October 2005

The state of Singapore within Southeast Asia stands out as a country that has made an enormous effort to establish and maintain a formidable defense capability. Much has been written about its hardware components, however, the sociological aspects that are part and parcel of that capability which are the focus of this article, have been relatively neglected. It examines how the universality of conscription has effects that go beyond the confines of the armed forces in the form of the moulding of a Singaporean identity and the imparting of values to the nation's youth. The article also examines the factors that have allowed the Singapore Armed forces to attract some of the best and brightest into its ranks, and looks at the relationship between a citizens' armed force and that of the bureaucracy and the political leadership.
Contact Lenses: Explaining U.S.-Russian Military-to-Military Ties
Authors: Zisk Kimberly Marten
Published: October 2005

Despite uncertainties in U.S.-Russian diplomatic relationships, military-to-military contact programs between the two states continued to flourish and were supported by senior military officers on both sides until the Spring 1999 bombing of Serbia put them on hold. This article argues that these programs in fact serve clear mission-related goals for both military organizations. Both sides value the training and military education the programs provide; the Russian side values the opportunity for expressing "voice," or influence, in international security arrangements despite a decline in state power; and, perhaps most important in an era of uncertainty, both sides value the "transparency," or information-sharing, opportunities provided, especially since stability is enhanced when each side's capabilities and intentions are showcased. After describing the current programs in depth and exploring senior officers' opinions about their benefits, the article concludes by showing that surprisingly similar benefits resulted from an earlier instance of military-to-military cooperation, that of secret Soviet German interactions in the 1920s, despite immense differences in the purposes and structures of the two eras.
Accidental/Inadvertent Nuclear War and Information Warfare
Authors: Cimbala Stephen J.
Published: October 2005

Because of military professional enthusiasm for a post-nuclear world dominated by high technology, conventional weapons may be misplaced. Nuclear deterrence remains highly relevant to the new world order because of residual great power nuclear arsenals and nuclear proliferation. In addition, the possible combination of information warfare and a failure of nuclear deterrence is one troublesome aspect of the future technology and policy environment. Stable nuclear deterrence depends upon an environment of mutual confidence and accurate information exchange between potential adversaries, especially during crises. Information warfare is intended to corrupt the information environment of potential-opponents before a war begins or during it. Infowarriors could increase the likelihood of accidental/inadvertent nuclear war or escalation.
Black American Radicalism and the First World War: The Secret Files of the Military Intelligence Division
Authors: Johnson Wray R.
Published: October 2005

In 1986, the National Archives released previously classified material regarding U.S. Army surveillance of African-Americans from 1917 to 1941. The documents relate primarily to the First World War and the immediate post-war years. U.S. Army surveillance of American citizens is not an especially startling revelation; however, what is remarkable is the fact that a principal officer charged with "spying" on blacks during the Great War was himself black and many prominent black public figures cooperated in the effort. This article examines this largely unknown aspect of American history in terms of our understanding of the black experience, the legacy of racism in the larger society, and the intersection of both in the U.S. military.
Parenting Strains, Distress, and Family Paid Labor
Authors: Roxburgh Susan
Published: October 2005

Parenting strains are an important dimension of the parenting experience with significant implications for well-being. The cost-of-caring hypothesis suggests that mothers will be more adversely affected by parenting strains. In light of mixed support for the cost-of-caring hypothesis, the author argues that other social contexts may play a role in modifying the effect of parenting strains on men and women. To test this proposal, the author examines whether family labor configurations modify the relationship between parenting strains and depression among parents. Results indicate that the association between parenting strains and depression is similar among dual-earner mothers and father, whereas among mothers working part-time, the association between depression and parenting strains is significantly greater in comparison to fathers in comparable families. These results reinforce the importance of the organization of family and paid labor for understandinghowparenting stressors influence the well-being of mothers and fathers.
Child Physical Abuse
Authors: Maker Azmaira H. , Shah Priti V. , Agha Zia
Published: October 2005

The present study examined the prevalence, characteristics, beliefs, and demographic predictors of parent-child physical violence among South Asian, Middle Eastern, East Asian, and Latina women in the United States. Two hundred fifty-one college-educated women from a middle to high SES (South Asian/Middle Eastern, n = 93; East Asian,n = 72; Latina,n = 86) completed a self-report survey on childhood experiences and beliefs regarding physical abuse. Seventy-three percent of the South Asian and Middle Eastern sample, 65% of the East Asian sample, and 78% of the Latina sample reported experiencing at least one type of physical abuse. Significant differences in characteristics and perpetrators of abuse were found across groups. Demographic factors did not predict physical abuse. Experiencing physical abuse was the only predictor for acceptance of physical discipline and as a parental privilege or right across groups. Implications of alternate cultural models of family violence based on beliefs and exposure to violence are discussed.
The Influence of the Human Becoming Theory on Teaching-Learning Stories in Hangzhou, China
Authors: Chan Engle Angela
Published: October 2005

As a nurse educator, human becoming theory was used to enhance my understanding of my experience with students in Hangzhou, China. I describe my initial tension in living simultaneously the uncertainty and the certainty when I was faced with a strange but yet familiar teaching situation. The tension has however enabled me to cross from a traditional teaching approach to a human becoming teaching-learning paradigm where the students were given opportunities to share their practice encounters with patients and families by narrating their lived experiences in a clinical reasoning course. As their meanings of nursing surfaced, the students began to learn about who they were, who they are becoming, and who they want to be as nurses, teachers, and human beings.
A National Survey of Juvenile Correctional Institutions in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Chen-Nan , Jou Shr-Chi , Lai Yuan-Lien
Published: October 2005

There are now four juvenile institutions (two reformatory schools and two correctional schools) for the convicted juvenile in Taiwan. Two of them were just transformed to the correctional school to enhance the efficiency of juvenile institutions on July 1, 1999. In light of evaluating these two kinds of institutions, a national survey focusing on comparison between themwas conducted in 2003. According to the official report, the recidivism rate reveals no significant difference among these institutions, but the cost for one student in the correctional school (US$14,319 per year) is far more than for one student in the reformatory school (US$8,842 per year). The survey will be administered to students to identify which correctional models play the most important role in Taiwan's juvenile justice system. Findings reveal that the style of institution has no influence on juveniles' perceptions of either the institution or successful achievement of correctional treatment.
Development of a Linguistically and Culturally Appropriate Booklet for Latino Cancer Survivors: Lessons Learned
Authors: Solomon Felicia M. , Eberl-Lefko Alicia C. , Michaels Margo , Macario Everly , Tesauro Gina , Rowland Julia H.
Published: October 2005

In response to the need for linguistically and culturally appropriate cancer survivorship materials for Latinos, the Office of Education and Special Initiatives and the Office of Cancer Survivorship at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) set out to test, adapt, and refine a Spanish translation of an English-language booklet for adult cancer survivors titled Facing Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment (Siga adelante: la vida después del tratamiento del cáncer). The authors used a process called “transcreation,” which involves translating existing English-language materials into Spanish and then adapting them for Latino audiences. The Spanish version of the booklet was reviewed by nine Spanishspeaking reviewers who were cancer survivors. The multistage transcreation process reinforced the importance of conducting formative research as well as adjusting the methodology to address the needs of changing demographics.
When Bioterrorism Strikes: Communication Issues for the Local Health Department
Authors: Riederer-Trainor Christine , Wilkinson Tiffany , Snook William D. , Hoff Gerald L. , Griffin Ron , Archer Rex
Published: October 2005

Public health preparedness is a multifaceted planning process that becomes grounded in a response plan and in effective communications, internal and external. This article describes an incident when the presence of anthrax spores was detected in a postal facility within Kansas City, Missouri, and discusses the communications issues faced by the Kansas City Health Department (KCHD). This incident provided the KCHD the first opportunity to operationalize its Incident Management System–based response plan. However, accompanying its implementation were unforeseen issues related to both internal and external communications. These issues and the lessons learned are discussed.
Physician Recommendation for Colorectal Cancer Screening by Race, Ethnicity, and Health Insurance Status Among Men and Women in the United States, 2000
Authors: Coughlin Steven S. , Thompson Trevor
Published: October 2005

In this study, the authors examined whether men and women in the United States had received a physician recommendation to get a colorectal cancer screening test, by race, ethnicity, and health insurance status using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey. Among men and women who had had a doctor visit in the past year but who had not had a recent fecal occult blood test, about 94.6% (95% CI 94.0-95.2) reported that their doctor had not recommended the test in the past year. African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians/Alaska Natives were less likely to report receiving a recommendation for endoscopy compared to Whites.
Using Intervention Mapping to Develop a Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program for Hispanic Farmworkers: Cultivando La Salud
Authors: Fernández Maria E. , Gonzales Alicia , Tortolero-Luna Guillermo , Partida Sylvia , Bartholomew L. Kay
Published: October 2005

This article describes the development of the Cultivando La Salud program, an intervention to increase breast and cervical cancer screening for Hispanic farmworker women. Processes and findings of intervention mapping (IM), a planning process for development of theory and evidence-informed program are discussed. The six IM steps are presented: needs assessment, preparation of planning matrices, election of theoretic methods and practical strategies, program design, implementation planning, and evaluation. The article also describes how qualitative and quantitative findings informed intervention development. IM helped ensure that theory and evidence guided (a) the identifiction of behavioral and environmental factors related to a target health problem and (b) the selection of the most appropriate methods and strategies to address the identified determinants. IM also guided the development of program materials and implementation by lay health workers. Also reported are findings of the pilot study and effectiveness trial.
Classical radiation biology, the bystander effect and paradigms: a reply
Authors: Baverstock Keith , Belyakov Oleg V
Published: October 2005

Although, in retrospect, it can be seen that the bystander effect and the related effect of genomic instability were observed well before they were recognized as such, they have not been able to be accommodated within the existing understanding of how radiation causes late effects, which provides the basis for radiological protection standards. It is argued here that before these effects can be fully researched and there can be full confidence in radiological protection, a paradigm shift that provides a framework in which these effects can be considered alongside the well established effects of radiation is needed. In particular this framework will encompass the epigenetic as well as genetic aspects of radiation biology. Examples of how this might be achieved are given.
Floating Time Algorithm for Time Optimal Control of Multi-Body Dynamic Systems
Authors: Jazar G Nakhaie , Naghshineh-Pour A
Published: October 2005

Moving a dynamic system in minimum time from a given initial state to a desired final state on a prescribed path is one of the oldest and most enduring technological dreams of the scientific and industrial communities. In this research, the problem of bounded-input time optimal control for applied multi-body dynamic systems subject to a full nonlinear dynamical model is solved. To solve the problem, an innovative method, called the ‘floating-time’ method is introduced and utilized. Compared to traditional methods, the floating-time method is an applied method not based on variational calculus. It can be applied to the full nonlinear model of the dynamical system and can handle static and dynamic constraints defined by differential or algebraic equations. The problem of time optimal control is as follows. Find the control law of bounded inputs that drive a given multi-body dynamic system (such as the gripper of a manipulator) along a pre-specified trajectory (in either configuration space or generalized coordinate space) from a given initial position to a given final position, minimizing the time of the motion as a performance index. Using variable time increments, the equations of motion of the system will be reduced to a set of algebraic equations. Searching for a set of time increments (floating-times) that make the equations to exert the maximum available effort produces the minimum possible floating-times, and minimizes the total time of motion. The applicability of the method will be shown by using three examples: a point mass sliding on a rough surface, a 2R robotic manipulator, and the well-known Brachistochrone.
Implications of Modelling One-Dimensional Impact by Using a Spring and Damper Element
Authors: Jönsson A , Bathelt J , Broman G
Published: October 2005

A spring and damper contact force element is often used for modelling impact in multi-body dynamics. The related condition for transition between contact and non-contact is, however, inconsistently implemented in the literature and commercial software. This comparative study aims to clarify the implications of four commonly used transition conditions. Principal differences are discussed and, by simulation of a typical system, it is shown that there are significant differences in the dynamics of the system depending on the different conditions. Two of them give unrealistic contact forces and should imply incorrect prediction of system dynamics in most applications. This suggests that it is important to review results obtained from using these conditions and to eliminate them from commercial software. A discussion of the two other conditions culminates in a recommendation.
A certain ratio? The policy implications of minimum staffing ratios in nursing
Authors: Buchan James
Published: October 2005

The debate about how best to determine nurse staffing levels continues. The conventional wisdom is that determining staffing levels is something best left to local management, taking account of local workload and resources.

This 'bottom up' philosophy has now been challenged by the use of a different approach – the use of 'top down'standardized, and mandatory, nurse:patient or nurse:bed ratios. This paper examines the characteristics and early results of the use of staffing ratios in the two health systems where nurse staffing ratios are now mandatory – the states of Victoria (Australia) and California (USA). It then discusses the policy implications of using ratios.

The paper identifies the main weaknesses of the use of nurse:patient ratios as being their relative inflexibility and their potential inefficiency, if they are wrongly calibrated. Their strength is their simplicity and their transparency. Their impact will be most pronounced when ratios are mandatory and where they offer a mechanism to improve and then to maintain staffing levels at some pre-determined level. The biggest challenges in their use are calibration (what is 'safe'? or 'minimum'?) and achieving the support of all stake-holders.

The paper concludes that nurse:patient ratios are a blunt instrument for achieving employer compliance, where reliance on alternative, voluntary (and often more sophisticated) methods of determining nurse staffing have not been effective.
Busted Balls Shell Midden (CA-SMI-606): An Early Coastal Site on San Miguel Island, California
Authors: Erlandson Jon M. , Batterson Melissa R. , Rick Torben C.
Published: October 2005

California's Channel Islands have produced some of the earliest shell middens in North America, demonstrating that terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene peoples along the southern California Coast had relatively sophisticated maritime capabilities. Many of these early coastal sites are located adjacent to inland springs that “pulled” early maritime peoples away from now submerged shorelines. Near a spring in Busted Balls Cove on San Miguel Island, we recently identified and investigated a shell midden known as CA-SMI-606 that was occupied on multiple occasions between about 9400 and 8000 years ago. Although the site was heavily impacted by erosion, we identified several cultural features and recovered a relatively large sample of faunal remains. CA-SMI-606 appears to have been occupied by small groups of people whose activities while at the site were focused primarily on collecting mussels, abalones, and other shellfish from rocky intertidal habitats. Our study provides valuable information on the structure, age, and function of an Early Holocene shell midden, as well as the lifeways of some of the earliest maritime peoples of California's Channel Islands.
Multiplicity of Consciousness
Authors: Brooks Eugene M.
Published: October 2005

Consciousness has traditionally been considered to be a single entity. It appears much more likely to be multiple in the sense that each consciousness content is its own instance of consciousness during its moment. This view of consciousness is in accord with identity theory and helps substantially in rendering the concept of consciousness understandable in terms of the neurological functioning of the brain.
Supplemental Private Health Insurance and Depressive Symptoms in Older Married Couples
Authors: Min Meeyoung Oh , Townsend Aloen L. , Miller Baila , Rovine Michael J.
Published: October 2005

Stress process theory is applied to examine lack of supplemental private health insurance as a risk factor for depressive symptomatology among older married couples covered by Medicare. Dyadic data from 130 African-American couples and 1,429 White couples in the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest-Old Survey were analyzed using hierarchical generalized linear modeling. Lack of supplemental insurance is operationalized at the household level in terms of neither spouse covered, one spouse covered, or both spouses covered. Controlling for covariates at both individual and couple levels, supplemental insurance has significant impact on depression, but the pattern differs by race. White couples report the highest depression when neither spouse is covered by private health insurance; African-American couples report the highest depression when only one spouse is covered. Results suggest lack of supplemental private health insurance coverage is a stressor that significantly affects depressive symptoms.
Tardive Nocturnal Akathisia Due to Clozapine Treatment
Authors: Kyriakos Dimitris , Bozikas Vasilis P. , Garyfallos George , Lavrentiadis Grigoris , Giouzepas John , Fokas Kostas
Published: October 2005

In the following case report we present a 43-year-old male patient diagnosed with schizophrenia, paranoid type, who exhibited nocturnal tardive akathisia or pseydoakathisia approximately one year after being treated with clozapine 300 mg per day. Because of the low occurrence of akathisia due to clozapine, the episodes of restlessness were at first considered as a sign of worsening of the patient's psychopathology. Since the patient was resistant to other antipsychotic agents, clozapine was reinitiated. A week later, the patient once again exhibited episodes of restlessness. This time, the episodes were diagnosed as akathisia and the patient was treated with biperidene and lorazepam, while he had already been on propanolol for cardiovascular reasons. The episodes continued without any change in frequency or severity. Therefore, treatment with clozapine was discontinued and the patient was started on a new regimen with ziprasidone. Three days later, the episodes that caused distress to the patient resolved. Thus, it is possible that apart from episodes of acute akathisia, episodes of tardive akathisia or pseydoakathisia can also occur in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics.
Why Interactivity Works: Interactive Priming of Mental Rotation
Authors: Smith Glenn Gordon , Olkun Sinan
Published: October 2005

This study has important implications for microworlds such as Logo, HyperGami, and Newton's World, which use interaction to learn spatial mental models for science, math, geometry, etc. This study tested the hypothesis that interactively rotating (dragging) virtual shapes primes mental rotation. The independent variable was observation vs. interaction: a) watching an animation of a shape rotating, versus b) manually rotating a shape on the computer. The dependent variable was mental rotation of the same shape. Two age groups, 9-year-olds and college undergraduates participated. For 9-year-olds, the interactive group mentally rotated significantly more accurately and faster than the observational. Therefore, interaction primed mental rotation. For the college undergraduates, the interactive group mentally rotated significantly more accurately, but significantly slower than the observational group. This suggests that the interaction disrupted a routine process, causing undergraduates to switch strategies. Results from both age groups reinforce the educational value of more naturalistic interaction with virtual shapes, i.e., dragging is better than clicking.
A Friend Living inside Me—The Forms and Functions of Imaginary Companions
Authors: Hoff Eva V.
Published: October 2005

Imaginary companions and the characteristics of the children who invent them were explored through interviews. Twenty-six children took part. The first aim was to explore the phenomenon in general, the second to investigate the functions of imaginary companions. General findings concerned the kinds of imaginary companions and some facts about the children who created them. The imaginary companions were mostly same-aged children, but some were different kinds of animal or fantasy creatures. The sources of inspiration varied, comprising friends and siblings. Having a place of their own, where the children could develop their imaginary play, was considered important. The study demonstrated various ways of conducting imaginary play. Imaginary companions functioned as inner mentors, assisting the children in their identity formation work. Imaginary companions were experienced by the children as giving comfort and company, bolstering self-regulation and motivation, enhancing their selves, expanding their personality potential, and finally, enriching their lives.
Red Abalone Bead Production and Exchange on California's Northern Channel Islands
Authors: Rick Torben C.
Published: October 2005

California's Channel Islands were ancient centers of shell bead production and exchange. Several researchers have investigated shell bead making in the region, particularly of Olivella biplicata shells, but considerably less is known about bead production sequences for other shell bead types. Recent research at two historic Chumash villages on Santa Rosa (CA-SRI-2) and San Miguel (CA-SMI-163) islands produced large assemblages of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) epidermis beads, beads-in-production, and bead blanks. Bead production densities at these sites were relatively high, but a dearth of finished beads compared to beads-in-production suggests that most of the beads were being manufactured for trade or use outside of the household in which they were produced. Red abalone epidermis bead production increased dramatically after European contact and these beads were another important trade item for Native peoples in western North America.
Impact of a Career Planning Course on Academic Performance and Graduation Rate
Authors: Folsom Byron , Peterson Gary W. , Reardon Robert C. , Mann Barbara A.
Published: October 2005

A study was conducted to assess the impact of a career-planning course in terms of time taken to graduate, graduation rate, credit hours taken, number of course withdrawals, and cumulative GPAs. Student course participants ( N = 544) were compared to a matched sample of non-course participants ( N = 544) after 5 years. Results showed that the 2 groups differed with respect to hours taken to graduation and number of course withdrawals. Women participants graduated in less time than nonparticipants but had more course withdrawals. Men took longer to graduate but had fewer course withdrawals and higher GPAs.
Goal Expectations as Predictors of Retirement Intentions
Authors: Brougham Ruby R. , Walsh David A.
Published: October 2005

The current study explored the contribution of personal goals to retirement decisions. A SMARTER methodology (to assess multiattribute utility) and taxonomy of human goals were used to investigate the relationship between older workers' personal goals and their retirement intentions. Two hundred and fifty-one employees of a large university, varying in age from 55 to 77, were asked to indicate the relative importance of 29 goals and to indicate the utility they perceived in continued work and retirement as a means to achieve these goals. The results demonstrate that goal evaluations are important predictors of retirement intentions. Furthermore, goal evaluations provide an important and unique contribution to predicting retirement intentions beyond that predicted by personal and demographic variables. These results have implications for pre-retirement education and workplace application.
Labor Markets and Economic Inequality in the United States since the End of the 1970s
Authors: Schmitt John
Published: October 2005

By most measures, the United States is the most unequal of the world's advanced capitalist economies, and inequality has increased substantially over the past 30 years. This article documents trends in the inequality of three key economic distributions—hourly earnings, annual incomes, and net wealth—and relates these developments to changes in economic and social policy over the past three decades. The primary cause of high and rising inequality is the systematic erosion of the bargaining power of lower- and middle-income workers relative to their employers, reflected in the erosion of the real value of the minimum wage, the decline in unions, widescale deregulation of industries such as airlines and trucking, the privatization and outsourcing of many state and local government activities, increasing international competition, and periods of restrictive macroeconomic policy.
A Retrospective on Twenty Years of Education Technology Policy
Authors: Culp Katie Mcmillan , Honey Margaret , Mandinach Ellen
Published: October 2005

This article provides an analysis of 20 years of key policy reports addressing the challenges and opportunities in integrating technology into K-12 education in the United States. It summarizes recommendations made in these reports, and comments on the shifting rationales for and expectations of educational technology investments that have shaped those recommendations. In undertaking this analysis, we have been guided by three key sets of questions: a) Why do we invest in educational technologies? What rationales have shaped these investments? b) What are the requisite steps to ensure that technologies are effectively implemented? What specific recommendations have been given priority? c) What assumptions underlie our vision for how technologies can impact teaching and learning, and how have these changed?
The Relationship between Perceived Youth Exposure to Anti-Smoking Advertisements: How Perceptions Differ by Race
Authors: Peters Ronald J. , Kelder Steven H. , Prokhorov Alexander , Amos Charles , Yacoubian George S. , Agurcia Carolyn A. , Murray Nancy , Shegog Ross
Published: October 2005

Data on self-reported perceived exposure to anti-smoking messages were collected from 1,608 high school students surveyed through the ASPIRE (A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience) Program in Houston, Texas. Data collection took place between October 2002 and March 2003. Logistic regression identified that African Americans perceived significantly less exposure to anti-smoking advertisements via television (OR = .50, p ≤ 0.05) and posters (OR = .61, p ≤ 0.05) than whites. However, they had nearly twice as much perceived exposure to anti-smoking advertisements at movies (OR = 1.79, p ≤ 0.05) and sporting events (OR = 2.1, p ≤ 0.05) than their white counterparts. Hispanic youth perceived significantly less exposure to anti-smoking posters (OR = .51, p ≤ 0.05) and significantly higher exposure to anti-smoking messages at sporting events (OR = 1.92, p ≤ 0.05) and school programs (OR = 3.44, p ≤ 0.05) compared to white youth. While the relationships tested in this study are exploratory, they provide initial evidence for an important nexus between race and communication channels that may impact perceived exposure to tobacco advertising.
Labor and the Tobacco Institute's Labor Management Committee in New York State: The Rise and Fall of a Political Coalition
Authors: Levenstein Charles , DeLaurier Gregory F. , Ahmed Safi , Balbach Edith D.
Published: October 2005

In 1984 the Tobacco Institute and the Bakery, Confectionary and Tobacco Workers Union formed a Labor Management Committee. From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, this LMC worked to elicit labor support in New York by framing issues in terms that made them salient to unions: tobacco excise taxes as regressive taxation, workplace smoking restrictions as an intrusion into collective bargaining. By the late 1990s, however, most of labor in New York had shifted to support for anti-tobacco policies. The reasons for this shift include the growing size and influence of public-sector unions, and their generally favorable stances on tobacco control issues; the policy-making autonomy of the unions; the growing body of scientific knowledge concerning the dangers of tobacco use; and the rise in public awareness of such dangers. Nevertheless, for two decades, the LMC contributed to mutual suspicion between labor and tobacco control advocates that prevented collaboration between them.
On the Cognitive Function of Visual Images and the Development of Individual Differences
Authors: Kunzendorf Robert G. , Reynolds Kimberly
Published: October 2005

The hypothesis that mental images are the building blocks from which imaginative thoughts are constructed, although often uncritically accepted, is not supported by the many studies finding no significant correlation between visual imaging abilities and visual problem-solving skills. Based on the alternative hypothesis that visually imaged sensations are constructed from “imageless thoughts,” the present research correlates the ability to image with the ability to develop rules of perceptual equivalence, by constructing imaginal sensations from the rules and testing them against perceptual sensations. Specifically, in this research 60 students were instructed to figure out the rules of topological equivalence which allow a figure to be rotated and stretched and twisted into a topologically equivalent figure but do not allow it to be cut or glued together. As predicted, the results showed that the 30 students whose instructions encouraged them to construct visual “test images” were better at identifying which two figures, out of three, were topologically equivalent. In addition, the results showed that students whose visual images were more vivid and more prevalent at the end of the experiment were better at identifying topologically equivalent figures. Finally, they showed that figuring out topological rules increased the vividness of students' imagery.
Patients with Extreme Obesity: Change in Mental Symptoms Three Years after Gastric Banding
Authors: Nickel C. , Widermann C. , Harms D. , Leiberich P. L. , Tritt K. , Kettler C. , Lahmann C. , Rother W. K. , Loew T. H. , Nickel M. K.
Published: October 2005

Objective:

Extreme obesity causes grave psychosocial and psychopathological problems in addition to somatic morbidity. One possible treatment is gastric banding, a surgical reduction of stomach volume. The aim of this study was to investigate whether gastric banding leads to lasting change in: 1) the Body Mass Index (BMI); 2) social factors such as work and partnerships, eating behavior, anxiety and depression symptoms; and 3) health related quality of life.

Method:

We surveyed a sample of 50 adipose women (BMI > 40 kg/m2). Primary outcome measures were self-reported changes on the scales of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D), and the Health Survey (SF-36).

Results:

In comparison with the control group, we observed significant changes in BMI ( p < 0.01) and the existence of a partnership ( p < 0.01), on all three scales of the TFEQ ( p < 0.01), on both scales of the HADS-D (anxiety: p < 0.05; depression: p < 0.01), and on all scales of the SF-36 Health Survey ( p between < 0.05 and < 0.01 in every case). The most marked changes in all the qualities investigated occurred within the first 12 months of surgery.

Conclusions:

Three years after gastric banding, positive changes in BMI reduction, partnership, eating behavior, anxiety, depressive symptomatology, and health related quality of life could be observed. There was also a significant correlation between BMI reduction and reduction firstly on the depression scale (HADS-D) and secondly on the SF-36 scales for physical functioning (PHFU), role physical (ROPH), mental health (PSYC), and vitality (VITA).
Standing Still: Why North American Workers are Not Insisting on Seats despite Known Health Benefits
Authors: Messing Karen , Fortin Sylvie , Rail Geneviève , Randoin Maude
Published: October 2005

Prolonged standing is associated with health problems. Despite regulations providing for access to seats, most Québec (Canada) workers usually stand. Only one in six can sit at will. Standing service workers such as cashiers and sales personnel are often confined to a small area where sitting is theoretically feasible. In many other countries, such workers have access to seats. This study asks why North American workers do not press for seats. In a qualitative, exploratory approach, 30 young workers who usually work standing were interviewed about their perceptions and experiences of prolonged standing at work. All but one experienced discomfort associated with this posture, and two-thirds reported that they had changed their lifestyle in some way as a result of their symptoms. However, their accounts of relationships with employers, health care personnel, and the health and safety system suggest that many environmental factors as well as attitudes toward work, employers, health, and the body contribute to maintaining the status quo. Workers describe problems with the image of a seated worker and thought that asking for a seat would threaten their relationship with the employer. Personal comfort was considered an insufficient reason to challenge worksite design, attitudes, and organization.
The Factor Structure of a Chinese Version of the Geriatric Depression Scale
Authors: Lai Daniel W. L. , Fung Tak S. , Yuen Clara T. Y.
Published: October 2005

Objective:

This study aimed to examine the factor structure of a Chinese version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) with a sample of community dwelling elderly Chinese in Canada.

Method:

The data for this study were obtained from a larger study examining the health and culture of 2,272 older Chinese aged 55 years and above in seven major Canadian cities. Both exploratory factor analysis using the Principal Component Analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to examine the factor structure of the GDS.

Results:

The findings in this study indicated a four-factor model: 1) negative mood; 2) positive mood; 3) inferiority and disinterested; 4) uncertainty. The constructs identified were associated with the unique characteristics of older Chinese who are mainly immigrants from other countries.

Conclusions:

The findings in this study presented evidence for the applicability of the GDS to older Chinese-Canadians. This instrument would be useful for practitioners to identify potential depression concerns among older adults in this ethnic community.
A Letter of Concern from the People's Health Movement regarding the Appointment of Ms. Ann Veneman as Executive Director of Unicef, Effective May 2005
Authors: Narayan Ravi
Published: October 2005

This letter from members of the People's Health Movement to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan expresses concern about the appointment of Ann Veneman as the new Executive Director of UNICEF, based on her past performance on issues affecting children's health, and criticizes the processes used in making this and similar U.N. appointments, which reward powerful countries with the ability to make political appointments to important posts.
Severity and Criteria Based Prompting for Treatment of Depressed Patients
Authors: Nease Donald E. , Klinkman Michael S. , Aikens James E.
Published: October 2005

Purpose:

Primary care physicians (PCPs) often do not respond to prompts based upon criteria-based depression screens, perhaps because these prompts do not account for depression severity. We conducted this pilot study to determine the feasibility of prompting for both diagnostic criteria and severity and to assess whether depression would be more attended to with positive “dual prompts” than prompts based on either criteria or symptom severity alone.

Methods:

Immediately prior to a routine care appointment, 87 adults from three primary care practices completed the PRIME-MD Clinician Evaluation Guide Mood Module (PRIME-MD; assesses depression criteria) and the Brief Depression Rating (BDR; assesses depressive symptom severity), and their results were issued in a salient PCP prompt on the chart. Immediately afterwards, patients reported the impact of the screening results upon treatment decisions during the encounter. Data were analyzed by χ2, analysis of variance, and binomial regression.

Results:

Compared to subjects screening positive on either depression criteria or severity alone ( n = 10), those patients on both ( n = 17) were more likely to report discussing depression, and agreement that the physician and patient decided treatment was needed and initiated or continued. There were no differences in patient satisfaction based on screening results. After accounting for PRIME-MD results, BDR scores predicted agreement with the physician and patient decided treatment was needed (OR = 22.03; 95% CI: 2.05–236.46).

Conclusions:

Supplementary severity-based depression screening is feasible, and might overcome the limitations of criteria-based screening alone. Future research could test this hypothesis in a large randomized trial.