bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complementarity of Politics and Administration as a Legitimate Alternative to the Dichotomy Model
Authors: Svara James H.
Published: July 2003

Although the politics-administration dichotomy model has frequently been presented as historically important but conceptually and empirically faulty, the criticisms have missed two fundamental points. First, it is not—as commonly presumed—the founding theory of public administration in the United States but rather a poorly grounded characterization of the early literature that took hold in the late 1950s. The term dichotomy was rarely used before that time and never used by the “founders” of the field who were supposed to have invented the model. Second, there is an alternative model of complementarity that has been present in the literature from Wilson onward. It stresses interdependency, reciprocal influence, and extensive interaction between elected officials and administrators along with recognition of the need for distinct roles and political supremacy. The politics-administration complementarity model—elaborated here with references to the “old” public administration literature prior to 1960—offers a strong foundation on which we can build.
The Moral Context of Participation in Planned Organizational Change and Learning
Authors: Zajac Gary , Bruhn John G.
Published: July 2003

Planned change and learning are often presented as necessary and beneficial organizational activities, especially during times of environmental flux. Although change can be imposed as a diktat from above, the literature often suggests that employees and others should become involved in such change. Thus, the organization is faced with questions about obligations to involve employees, clients, customers, and citizens in such change. This study examines how various moral schemata treat moral claims to participation. Although there is no clear answer to the question of the moral obligations of the organization with respect to engaging participation in planned change, these schemata do alert organizational leaders to the moral complexities surrounding participation.
Privatizing Professional Licensing Boards
Authors: Cagle M. Christine , Martinez J. Michael , Richardson William D.
Published: July 2003

Because professional licensing boards represent nondemocratic elements in a political system founded on democratic principles, their legitimacy has been questioned in recent years. This article examines legal and medical licensing boards in three states—Georgia, California, and Massachusetts—to determine whether developments in those states suggest a trend toward appointing citizen members to boards. The article concludes that although public acceptance of licensing boards might improve in the wake of appointing citizen members, such a cosmetic change does not necessarily ensure that the “public interest” is protected. Only when the private interests of democratically selected citizen board members are balanced against the private interests of professional board members will concerns about the legitimacy of licensing boards possibly be assuaged.
Reconciling Competing Values in Public Administration
Authors: Selden Sally Coleman , Brewer Gene A. , Brudney Jeffrey L.
Published: July 2003

This article reports research on the administrative role concept. The authors use the inductive research technique Q-methodology to probe the belief systems of 69 public administrators about their administrative roles and responsibilities. Results show that these administrators perceive five distinct roles. The authors labeled these roles stewards of the public interest, adapted realists, businesslike utilitarians, resigned custodians, and practical idealists. There is slight evidence of a neutral competence role as suggested by the Pendleton Act of 1883, Woodrow Wilson, and others (resigned custodian) but more support of a proactive administrative role (steward of the public interest) that overlaps with the role described by recent scholars such as the Blacksburg group. Another important finding is that three of the role conceptions appear to reject being responsive to the desires of elected officials. The five roles are examined in more detail, and the implications for future research are discussed.
History and American Public Administration
Authors: Luton Larry S.
Published: July 2003

As the end of this millennium approaches, American public administration has begun a reexamination of its history. This article examines American public administration’s understanding and use of history and suggests improvements in public administration theory that might derive from a more conscientious treatment of history. It begins by framing an understanding of history that does not retreat to the ancient faith in immutable truth but eschews the typical modern dependence on a belief in progress. Many public administration textbooks present the history of American public administration as if it did not really begin until the 1880s, treating the Progressive Era as the foundation for the eternal verities of public administration. A more inclusive view could be more intelligently critical of Progressive Era innovations. It could also provide a more complete understanding of who public administrators are and how they can become what they want to be.
Creating the “Authentizotic” Organization
Authors: de Vries Manfred F. R. Kets , Balazs Katharina
Published: July 2003

This article is a rejoinder to the critique by Robert Golembiewski of the authors’ article “Transforming the Mind-Set of the Organization: A Clinical Perspective,” in which the processes of individual and organizational change and the resemblance between them were highlighted. Golembiewski’s major points of criticism suggested limitations to the authors’ approach to organizational transformation, possible negative ethical implications, and low estimates of success rates. He referred to quality of working life (QWL) and organizational development (OD) studies as more appropriate approaches. The authors respond by emphasizing the difference between small-scale change as represented by QWL and OD and major organizational transformation efforts they have engaged in, pointing out the dimension added by the clinical orientation to conventional approaches to organizational change as one that may be more appropriate for the shift in organizational paradigms. The authors clarify the definition of healthy organizations and introduce the concept of the “authentizotic” organization.
The Elite Question
Authors: Farazmand Ali
Published: July 2003

This article reviews different theoretical perspectives on elite theory, raises the long neglected elite question as a central issue in the analysis of power structure in modern organizations, and offers, for the first time, a normative elite theory of organization that is both descriptive and prescriptive and that has predictive as well as prescriptive powers. Noting the deficiencies of the traditional theories of organization premised on instrumental rationality and void of normative dimensions of politics and power structure, the article stresses the need for research in the neglected area of organizational elite to understand better and predict organizational behavior for the elites and nonelites, especially in the age of rapid structural changes that affect billions of people around the globe. Discussions cover the concept and assumptions of organizational elite, the macro and micro levels of organizational elite analysis, the concept of organizational elite cohesion, and the significance and implications of the theory of organizational elite to organization theory and behavior in modern society.
Governance Lessons
Authors: McCabe Barbara Coyle , Vinzant Janet Coble
Published: July 2003

Charter schools are one of the newest, most frequent, and controversial approaches to introducing parental choice and competition in educational systems. The policy questions raised by charter schools involve not only organizational and management concerns but also key issues of governance. This article examines how the theories, arguments, and findings of earlier studies on the use of other market mechanisms in local governance may inform the current debate about charter schools. By highlighting the presuppositions and results of the local government reform experience, the authors conclude that the use of market mechanisms like charter schools should be approached with caution.
Research on Strategic Management in Nonprofit Organizations
Authors: Stone Melissa M. , Bigelow Barbara , Crittenden William
Published: July 2003

This article presents a review and analysis of empirically based research on strategic management in nonprofit organizations reported in major journals from 1977 to the present. Although much work has been done on strategy formulation, types of strategies pursued, and implementation in nonprofits, significant gaps exist in our knowledge. Few explicit connections have been made among research studies, contributing to fragmentation of the field. Crucial relationships among strategy components are missing, and links between these components and organizational performance have yet to be made. The article analyzes what is known about strategic management in nonprofits and identifies questions for future research.
The Question of Accountability in Historical Perspective
Authors: Weber Edward P.
Published: July 2003

Grassroots ecosystem management (GREM), and the reinventing government movement, more generally, suggest that the American polity is on the verge of redefining a broadly acceptable system of democratic accountability. The problem is: What does an effective system of accountability look like in a world of decentralized governance, shared power, collaborative decision processes, results-oriented management, and broad civic participation? This article examines how the theory of accountability has been reconfigured to fit the new paradigm for governance and places accountability in historical context to gain perspective for contemporary discussions of bureaucracy in a democracy. It finds that the conceptualization of democratic accountability varies dramatically over time. The Jacksonian, Progressives/New Deal, public-interest-egalitarian, neoconservative efficiency, and GREM models are all distinct conceptualizations of accountability. Each emphasizes different institutions and locates the authority for accountability in differing combinations and types of sectors (public, private, intermediary), processes, decision rules, knowledge, and values.
The Sources of Upward Mobility within Public Sector Organizations
Authors: Matheson Craig
Published: July 2003

This article identifies four primary sources of upward mobility within public sector organizations, namely, ability, reputation, social credentials, and patronage. Ability is the single most important source, but the other factors taken collectively are at least equally as important. Reputation rests on three factors: ability, visibility, and demeanor. Social credentials comprise race, ethnicity, gender, education, personality traits, attitudes, and values. Reputation, social credentials, and patronage figure as sources of upward mobility for three reasons: the fact that ability is assessed subjectively, the requirement for trustworthiness in administrative work, and the fact that superiors and subordinates engage in social exchanges.
Public School Administration
Authors: Simon Christopher A.
Published: July 2003

The purpose of this article is to explore the open systems characteristics of public schools by applying James D. Thompson’s contingency theory to the study of school district central administration expenditures in Washington State. In this analysis, contingency theory appears to offer a fairly good explanation for central administrative expenditures. The model indicates that administrative expenditures are a function of the organizational environment and the stability of resource providers. Stable organizational environments and consistent resource providers are associated with smaller school administration, due to the more limited need for substantial organizational buffering.
A New Ethics of the Budgetary Process
Authors: Alexander Jennifer
Published: July 2003

This article analyzes the ethical codes within public budgeting literature to demonstrate the need for a professional ethic that fosters an expanded sense of role responsibility. Drawing on examples of discretion exhibited by state and local budgeting administrators, the article argues that a number of administrative activities fall into a gap of the academic literature. The article asserts that responsible budgeting decisions must be tied to an understanding of how administrative activities affect the collective welfare. Finally, the author argues that a pedagogy of public budgeting that considers the ways in which institutional forces and the long-term public interest inform administrative action more adequately prepares budgeting administrators to understand their roles and responsibilities.
Reinventing Government in China
Authors: Worthley John Abbott , Tsao King K.
Published: July 2003

The 1998 administrative reforms in China provide a pregnant context for comparative analysis of the “reinventing government” movement. Described in some detail, the reforms are compared with the recent administrative reform experience in the United States. Significant similarities are illuminated using the prisms of ideology, politics, history, bureaucracy, and economics. Insight emerges on the role of experience, leadership, and technical-political expertise in administrative development. The analysis concludes that the art and science of global public administration can be advanced through increased comparative analysis of non-Western developing systems with the more developed Western administrative states.
Jay’s Pirouette, or Why Political Trust is Not the Same as Personal Trust
Authors: Ruscio Kenneth P.
Published: July 2003

Contemporary social and political theorists have addressed the problem of trust in a manner not satisfactory to the development of administrative theory. This article critiques the rational choice theories of trust as well as those theories that depict trust as dependent on widely shared values. It presents instead a version of “political trust” and argues that trust in the political realm derives from confidence in the institutions and processes of government as well as public officials as individuals. Institutional design and its success in balancing discretion and accountability is identified as the problem of trust in the administrative state.
Electronic Democracy and the Diffusion of Municipal Web Pages in California
Authors: Weare Christopher , Musso Juliet A. , Hale Matthew L.
Published: July 2003

Although the Internet has been touted as a means to improve democratic governance, there has been little systematic analysis of its use. The authors analyze the diffusion of municipal Web sites that include information concerning a specific locality. The analysis is based on demographic and fiscal data from 454 California cities and two surveys of Web site adoption. The authors’ theoretical framework draws from the political economy and technology diffusion literatures. City size, government resources, concentration of social-economic elites, and voter registration levels are the most significant predictors of adoption. In contrast to previous adoption studies, the authors find that liberal political ideology and experience with advanced communication technologies do not appreciably increase the probability of adoption.
The Glass Firewall between Military and Civil Administration
Authors: Stever James A.
Published: July 2003

There is a glass-like firewall between American military administration and civil administration forged during the Progressive era. Turn-of-the-century public administration theory was quite ecumenical. However, under the spell of Progressive state theory, post-war public administration theory assumed that civil administrators could ignore military matters. The separation of military and civil administration is now beginning to adversely affect the American people. The Department of Defense conceived a Total Force Doctrine that was neither substantially discussed with nor understood by civilian administrators. When this doctrine was applied by the Department of Defense in Operation Desert Storm, predictable negative civilian consequences occurred. The glass firewall must go. Progressive state theory and administrative state theory were wrong in assuming that these tensions would vanish as the state modernized. Public administration must address this scission. In doing so, public administration can recover its ecumenical root and the relevance of the field.
“Customer Service” in the United States Agency for International Development
Authors: Hirschmann David
Published: July 2003

The article assesses the experience of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Bangladesh (USAID/B) in its customer-focused design of a democracy program. It applies to the initiative criticisms of the principles of customer orientation in the public sector, most notably that it marginalizes citizenship, underestimates complexity, and leads to policy incoherence. The article observes that USAID/B effectively managed to sustain an effort to solicit, resolicit, and keep an eye on people’s/customers’ needs. The critical literature nevertheless has relevance in explaining some present limitations but more so potential problems of retaining a focus on customers. In the face of competing interests of stakeholders far more powerful than its customers (defined as “the poor and disadvantaged” of Bangladesh), USAID/B’s determination to persevere will be seriously tested.
A Theory of Power and Politics and their Effects on Organizational Commitment of Senior Executive Service Members
Authors: Wilson Patricia A.
Published: July 2003

This research establishes a power-based theory and a theory of politicization as explanations for variation in the commitment level of Senior Executive Service (SES) members in the federal government. Variables were operationalized to measure and explain the relationship between commitment and leader-member relations, involvement in quality decisions, centralization/decentralization, leadership power, and subunit power (the power-based theory). The use of an arbitrary personnel practices variable permitted the theorist to define and measure perceptions of “dirty, self-interested politics” in government (the theory of politicization). In addition, the use of a political neutrality variable allowed the author to operationalize a norm-based motive for wanting to work in the public sector. The most innovative contribution was the development of a model that operationalized the linkages between a public service value and commitment.
Neutral and Responsive Competence
Authors: Wolf Patrick J.
Published: July 2003

Terry M. Moe argues that the interests of modern presidents lead them to eschew the “neutral competence” of professional staff agencies for the “responsive competence” more typical of presidential loyalists and the White House staff. This article examines the critical case of the Bureau of the Budget, 1939-1948, an agency that Moe claims faced a Faustian choice between sacrificing neutral competence or failing to respond to presidential needs. The scholarly and historical record indicates that, contrary to Moe’s claims, the agency maintained high levels of both neutral competence and responsiveness to Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman during this period. Moreover, the behavior of both the agency and its presidential clients was “rational” given the agency’s structure and mission and given presidential needs.
African American Women and Eating Disturbances: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: O’Neill Shannon K.
Published: July 2003

Eating disturbances are often portrayed as a problem found mainly among White women and nearly absent among African American women. The relationship between ethnicity and eating disturbances is examined using meta-analysis. Data from 18 studies were included to examine the overall relationship between ethnicity and eating disturbances and the specific relationship between African American women and White women. Although White women had a greater risk of eating disturbances than African American women as a group, the effect size was notably small. Specifically, White women had a slightly greater risk for all eating disturbances combined than African American women. African American women did not differ significantly from White women in their risk for bulimia and binge-eating disorder. Implications are discussed.
The Protective Role of the Family and Social Support Network in a Sample of Hiv-Positive African American Women: Results of a Pilot Study
Authors: Robbins Michael , Szapocznik José , Tejeda Manuel , Samuels Deanne , Ironson Gail , Antoni Michael
Published: July 2003

This study examined the role of family functioning and social support in protecting HIV-positive African American women from the adverse psychological consequences associated with deterioration in their CD4 cell count. Participants were 38 African American HIV-positive women who had recently given birth. Results demonstrated that changes in CD4 cell counts were inversely predictive of psychological distress and were moderated by family functioning and social support satisfaction. Women with good family functioning were less affected by changes in their CD4 cell counts, and women with poor family functioning were more emotionally responsive to changes in CD4 cell count. Unexpectedly, women from families where conflicts tended to be clearly laid out and discussed were also more responsive to both changes in CD4 cell counts. Interventions are recommended that increase a client’s social support satisfaction, foster an adaptive level of connectedness to family, and enhance the family’s range of conflict resolution styles.
African American College Students’ Experiences With Everyday Racism: Characteristics of and Responses to These Incidents
Authors: Swim Janet K. , Hyers Lauri L. , Cohen Laurie L. , Fitzgerald Davita C. , Bylsma Wayne H.
Published: July 2003

African American college students reported their experiences with everyday forms of racism at a predominantly European American university using a daily diary format. Their reported incidents represented verbal expressions of prejudice, bad service, staring or glaring, and difficulties in interpersonal exchanges (e.g., rudeness or awkward and nervous behavior). Both women’s and men’s experiences with interpersonal forms of prejudice were common, often occurred with friends and in intimate situations, and had significant emotional impact on them in terms of decreasing their comfort and increasing their feelings of threat during the interaction. Moreover, anger was the most frequently reported emotional reaction to these events. Participants were not passive targets, however, with many responding either directly or indirectly to the incidents. Findings from this study converged upon patterns of results found in in-depth interviews and surveys while also adding information to a growing body of literature on everyday experiences with racism.
Are Cultural Values Predictors of Moral Reasoning in African American Adolescents?
Authors: Woods Lakeesha N. , Jagers Robert J.
Published: July 2003

This study explored the effect of cultural orientation on African American adolescent moral reasoning. Because African communal values are cornerstones of African American communities and related concepts such as perspective-taking and social relationships influence morality, African cultural values were expected to positively predict moral reasoning in the youth. Individualistic values were expected to negatively predict moral reasoning. Fifty 13- and 14-year old African American male and female adolescents completed sociomoral reasoning and cultural orientation questionnaires. Pearson correlations, ANOVAs, and standard multiple regressions were conducted. As hypothesized, the African values of spirituality, communalism, and affect positively correlated with moral reasoning. Communalism, affect, and the Anglocultural value of interpersonal competition positively predicted moral reasoning. The findings suggested that communal values positively influence the development of African American youth.
HIV Testing in Early Clinical Trials: Who Should Decide Whether It Is Warranted?
Authors: Apseloff Glen
Published: July 2003

In phase I clinical trials intended for healthy volunteers, testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is oftentimes part of a routine screening procedure to determine eligibility. The rationale is to safeguard volunteers, to protect the scientific integrity of a clinical trial, and/or to facilitate the process of drug development. Asymptomatic HIV‐positive individuals are at increased risk for adverse events, and participating in a phase I clinical trial could also interfere with effective treatment for their disease. Although the Food and Drug Administration has not established a policy regarding HIV testing in clinical trials, some institutional review boards (IRBs) impose restrictions. The role of an IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects in clinical trials. Restricting testing does not protect subjects and may in fact harm them; therefore, an IRB should not restrict testing proposed by a pharmaceutical sponsor in agreement with a clinical investigator.
Hawthorn
Authors: Chang Qi , Zuo Zhong , Harrison Francisco , Chow Moses Sing Sum
Published: July 2003

A review with 54 references covers all aspects of hawthorn, the genus Crataegus, including its traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and clinical effects. Although the effectiveness of hawthorn on the treatment of cardiovascular diseases has received extensive attention worldwide, further scientific research on various areas such as pharmacokinetics, mechanism of actions will be necessary to ensure its safe and effective usage.
A Mechanistic Approach to Understanding the Factors Affecting Drug Absorption: A Review of Fundamentals
Authors: Martinez Marilyn N. , Amidon Gordon L.
Published: July 2003

This article provides an overview of the patient‐specific and drug‐specific variables that can affect drug absorption following oral product administration. The oral absorption of any chemical entity reflects a complex spectrum of events. Factors influencing product bioavailability include drug solubility, permeability, and the rate of in vivo dissolution. In this regard, the Biopharmaceutics Classification System has proven to be an important tool for predicting compounds likely to be associated with bioavailability problems. It also helps in identifying those factors that may alter the rate and extent of drug absorption. Product bioavailability can also be markedly influenced by patient attributes such as the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract, physiological status, site of drug absorption, membrane transporters, presystemic drug metabolism (intrinsic variables), and extrinsic variables such as the effect of food or concomitant medication. Through an awareness of a drug's physicochemical properties and the physiological processes affecting drug absorption, the skilled pharmaceutical scientist can develop formulations that will maximize product availability. By appreciating the potential impact of patient physiological status, phenotype, age, gender, and lifestyle, dosing regimens can be tailored to better meet the needs of the individual patient.
Pharmacokinetics of Cefoperazone and Sulbactam in Liver Transplant Patients
Authors: Muder Robert R. , Agarwala Sangeeta , Mirani Ajai , Gayowski Timothy , Venkataramanan Raman
Published: July 2003

The authors evaluated the pharmacokinetics of cefoperazone and sulbactam in 9 liver transplant patients. Cefoperazone and sulbactam were administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every 12 hours for six doses, and multiple blood samples were collected immediately after the first dose (administered during the surgery) and after the last dose. The concentrations of cefoperazone and sulbactam in serum and, when possible, in urine and bile collected over one dosing interval were measured by high‐pressure liquid chromatography. The concentration of cefaperazone ranged from 436 to 4118 μg/ml, and sulbactam ranged from 3.3 to 8.7 μg/ml in the bile samples. The intraoperative clearance of cefoperazone (0.53 ± 0.18 ml/min/kg) was significantly higher than the postoperative clearance (0.21 ± 0.23 ml/min/kg). The half‐life of cefaperazone, although not statistically significantly different, was prolonged in all patients during the postoperative period. The clearance of sulbactam (1.51 ± 0.51 ml/min/kg) was lower than what is reported in patients with normal renal function but was comparable to what has been reported in patients with renal impairment and in critically ill patients. There were no significant differences in any of the pharmacokinetic parameters of sulbactam during and after surgery. The pharmacokinetic parameters of cefoperazone and sulbactam were significantly altered in liver transplant patients compared to what has been reported in normal subjects but were similar to what has been reported in patients with liver and renal impairment. There was a significant impairment in the biliary excretion of cefoperazone during the postoperative period in liver transplant patients. Although the percentage of the dose of cefoperazone excreted in the bile was drastically reduced, the biliary concentrations were generally high and above the MIC for most organisms. Given that both renal and hepatic elimination of cefoperazone is decreased, leading to a lower clearance and longer half‐life in liver transplant patients, lower doses (1–2 gper day) of cefoperazone may be sufficient in liver transplant patients during the immediate postoperative period.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Extended‐Release Glipizide GITS Compared with Immediate‐Release Glipizide in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Chung Menger , Kourides Ione , Canovatchel William , Sutfin Tamara , Messig Michael , Chaiken Rochelle L.
Published: July 2003

This study was designed to compare the pharmacokinetic and short‐term pharmacodynamic profile of extended‐release glipizide GITS (Glucotrol XL®) given in a dosage of 20 mg once daily with that of immediate‐release glipizide (Glucotrol®) 10 mg twice daily in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. In an open‐label, randomized, two‐way crossover study, each glipizide formulation was administered for 5 days. Serial blood samples were drawn at baseline and on the 5th day of each treatment phase for measurement of glipizide, glucose, insulin, and C‐peptide concentrations. At steady state, the mean Cmax after immediate‐release glipizide was significantly greater than after glipizide GITS, and the tmax was considerably shorter. Although the mean Cmin with glipizide GITS was about 80% higher than with immediate‐release glipizide, the mean AUC0–24 was significantly lower. Despite the lower plasma concentrations with glipizide GITS in this short‐term study, the two formulations had similar effects on serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, and C‐peptide. The absence of a pronounced peak plasma concentration with the GITS formulation might confer advantages in terms of maintaining clinical effectiveness and reducing the potential to cause adverse effects.
Lack of Effect of Sucralfate on the Absorption and Pharmacokinetics of Rosiglitazone
Authors: Rao Mamidi N.V.S. , Mullangi Ramesh , Katneni Kasiram , Ravikanth Bhamidipati , Babu Aravind P. , Rani Usha P. , Naidu M.U.R. , Srinivas Nuggehally R. , Rajagopalan Ramanujam
Published: July 2003

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of sucralfate pretreatment on the pharmacokinetics of rosiglitazone following a single oral dose in healthy male volunteers. After an overnight fast, and according to a randomized schedule, each volunteer (n = 9) received a single oral dose of rosiglitazone 8 mg (Avandia® tablets, 4 mg × 2) with or without pretreatment of sucralfate 2 g (Recolfate® tablets, 1 g × 2) in an open‐label crossover study with a 2‐week washout period. Plasma samples were collected over a period of 24 hours at regular intervals. Safety assessment included monitoring of the vital signs, blood parameters, and ECG. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed for any of the calculated rosiglitazone pharmacokinetic parameters in the two treatment groups. The mean parameters, AUC0‐∞ and Cmax, following rosiglitazone administration alone were 3825.02 ng·h/ml and 664.47 ng/ml, respectively, and for rosiglitazone administered after pretreatment with sucralfate were 4848.19 ng·h/ml and 624.88 ng/ml, respectively. The tmax for rosiglitazone alone and for rosiglitazone after sucralfate treatments was 1.11 and 1.67 hours, respectively The mean elimination half‐life for rosiglitazone and rosiglitazone after sucralfate treatment was 4.35 and 4.51 hours, respectively. Fraction of rosiglitazone absorbed was calculated by the Wagner‐Nelson method, and no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed for the two treatments. Since sucralfate pretreatment did not show any significant difference in the pharmacokinetics of rosiglitazone, no dose adjustment is warranted for rosiglitazone when it is administered with sucralfate.
Multidimensional Constrained Test Assembly
Authors: Veldkamp, Bernard P.
Published: July 2003

Two mathematical programming approaches are presented for the assembly of ability tests from item pools calibrated under a multidimensional item response theory model. Item selection is based on Fisher information matrix. Several criteria can be used to optimize this matrix. In this article, the A-criterion and the D-criterion are applied. Empirical examples for a two-dimensional mathematics item pool illustrate the methods. Both criteria provided good results. Recommendations are provided about when to apply either approach.
A Comparison of Item Selection Techniques and Exposure Control Mechanisms in CATs Using the Generalized Partial Credit Model
Authors: Pastor Dena A. , Dodd Barbara G. , Chang Hua-Hua
Published: July 2003

The use of more performance items in large-scale testing has led to an increase in the research investigating the use of polytomously scored items in computer adaptive testing (CAT). Because this research has yet to be complimented with information pertaining to exposure control, the present research investigated the impact of using .ve different exposure control algorithms in two sized item pools calibrated using the generalized partial credit model. The results of the simulation study indicated that the a-stratified design, in comparison to a no-exposure control condition, could be used to reduce item exposure and overlap, increase pool utilization, and only minorly degrade measurement precision. Use of the more restrictive exposure control algorithms, such as the Sympson-Hetter and conditional Sympson-Hetter, controlled exposure to a greater extent but at the cost of measurement precision. Because convergence of the exposure control parameters was problematic for some of the more restrictive exposure control algorithms, use of the more simplistic exposure control mechanisms, particularly when the test length to item pool size ratio is large, is recommended.
Detection of Person Misfit in Computerized Adaptive Tests with Polytomous Items
Authors: Van Krimpen-Stoop Edith M.L.A. , Meijer Rob R.
Published: July 2003

Item scores that do not fit an assumed item response theory model may cause the latent trait value to be inaccurately estimated. For a computerized adaptive test (CAT) using dichotomous items, several person-fit statistics for detecting mis.tting item score patterns have been proposed. Both for paper-and-pencil (P&P) tests and CATs, detection ofperson mis.t with polytomous items is hardly explored. In this study, the nominal and empirical null distributions ofthe standardized log-likelihood statistic for polytomous items are compared both for P&P tests and CATs. Results showed that the empirical distribution of this statistic differed from the assumed standard normal distribution for both P&P tests and CATs. Second, a new person-fit statistic based on the cumulative sum (CUSUM) procedure from statistical process control was proposed. By means ofsimulated data, critical values were determined that can be used to classify a pattern as fitting or misfitting. The effectiveness of the CUSUM to detect simulees with item preknowledge was investigated. Detection rates using the CUSUM were high for realistic numbers ofdisclosed items.
Evaluating the Robustness of Graded Response Model and Classical Test Theory Parameter Estimates to Deviant Items
Authors: Sinar Evan F. , Zickar Michael J.
Published: July 2003

The authors examined the in.uence of deviant scale items (i.e., items failing to adequately assess the construct of interest) on item parameter estimates of focal scale items and person parameter estimates through a comparison of item response theory (IRT) and classical test theory (CTT) methods. The authors used monte carlo methods to fully explore results found in a pilot investigation of jobattitude data. They found that graded response model item discrimination parameter estimates were robust when the number of focal items was larger than the number of deviant items, when the focal items were more discriminating than the deviant items, and when the correlation between the focal and deviant items was positive. IRT discrimination estimates were typically more robust than CTT discrimination estimates. Under extremely unfavorable conditions, however, CTT estimates were more robust than the IRT estimates. For person parameter estimates, the robustness of estimates depended primarily on the correlation of the deviant items with the focal construct. Implications are discussed for researchers employing IRT or CTT methods in scale development.
An EM Approach to Parameter Estimation for the Zinnes and Griggs Paired Comparison IRT Model
Authors: Stark Stephen , Drasgow Fritz
Published: July 2003

Borman et al. recently proposed a computer adaptive performance appraisal system called CARS II that utilizes paired comparison judgments of behavioral stimuli. To implement this approach,the paired comparison ideal point model developed by Zinnes and Griggs was selected. In this article,the authors describe item response and information functions for the Zinnes and Griggs model and present procedures for estimating stimulus and person parameters. Monte carlo simulations were conducted to assess the accuracy of the parameter estimation procedures. The results indicated that at least 400 ratees (i.e.,ratings) are required to obtain reasonably accurate estimates of the stimulus parameters and their standard errors. In addition,latent trait estimation improves as test length increases. The implications of these results for test construction are also discussed.
Sociocultural Theory and the Mediated Learning Experience
Authors: Kozulin Alex
Published: July 2003

One of the most radical changes occurring in our approach to learning and instruction concerns the agency of learning. Only recently an individual was perceived as a 'natural' agency of learning. Now this position becomes increasingly challenged on both theoretical and practical grounds. The concept of mediation plays the central role in this critical reappraisal. Two theories that have contributed most to the development of the mediational approach to learning is the Vygotskian sociocultural theory and Feuerstein's theory of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE). Both theories emphasized the importance of sociocultural forces in shaping the situation of a child's development and learning. Both pointed to the crucial role played by parents, teachers, peers and the community in defining the type of learning interaction occurring between children and their environments. Beyond their role as tools of theoretical critique, Vygotsky's and Feuerstein's systems have generated a number of applied programs offering new techniques for the enhancement of students' cognitive functions, development of metacognition and integration of cognitive elements into instructional practice.
A Thinking Journey Based on Constructivism and Mediated Learning Experience as a Vehicle for Teaching Science to Low Functioning Students and Enhancing Their Cognitive Skills
Authors: Schur Yaron , Skuy Mervyn , Fridjhonb Peter , Zietsman Aletta
Published: July 2003

An Experimental Astronomy Curriculum or Thinking Journey was developed on the basis of a combination of Constructivism and Mediated Learning Experience (MLE). The Thinking Journey was designed to serve as a vehicle for promoting a process of conceptual change in a wide range of students. Its theoretical background, curriculum and an experiment to test its effectiveness with a class of low functioning high school girls are documented here. The study included an experimental (E) and control (C) group, each of which comprised 16 9th grade students. E focused on the concept of Earth within the framework of the Thinking Journey, while C was exposed to the conventional approach to the study of Earth within the Earth Studies curriculum. The results indicated the relative effectiveness of the Thinking Journey in promoting a process of positive change in the students' conceptualization of Earth, improving their knowledge of astronomy, enhancing their general scientific knowledge and developing their cognitive functioning and problem solving abilities. These findings are discussed in terms of the usefulness of utilizing a scientific subject as part of an educational intervention designed to enhance the cognitive abilities of low functioning students.
School Psychology in Greece
Authors: Theodore Lea A. , Bray Melissa A. , Kehle Thomas J. , Dioguardi Richard J.
Published: July 2003

This article reviews the origin and growth of school psychol ogy in Greece, including the socio-cultural barriers inhibiting its devel opment and events facilitating its progress in the twentieth century and into the new millennium. The need for school psychologists has been fueled by the increasing demand to provide support to children with special educational, social and emotional needs for which teachers have traditionally viewed themselves solely responsible. With these growing demands came the introduction of laws that have broadened the role and emphasized the importance of educational services and have profoundly influenced the development of special education. One such law has called for the mainstreaming of students with special needs. Also discussed in this article are the current diversified role of school psychologists, the present status of special education and the services rendered to children with mental retardation, learning disabilities and serious emotional disturbance. Finally, the influence of American school psychology on the development of Greek school psychology is discussed relative to possible outcomes.
Promoting Intellectual Growth in Adulthood
Authors: Kehle Thomas J. , Bray Melissa A. , Chafouleas Sandra M. , McLoughlin Caven S.
Published: July 2003

Intelligence is defined as the ability to grapple with complexity with respect to the selection and engagement in activities and environments that promote attainment of four characteristics. These characteristics of intelligent behaviour incorporate the individual's attainment of: Resources, Intimacy, Competence and Physical Health (RICH). These RICH characteristics encompass all possible human:reinforcers, are relatively obtainable by all individuals, are interrelated and incorporate each other in their definitions, and function to guide the diagnosis of individual deficits.
Psychological Needs of Post-War Children in Kosovo
Authors: Cole Ester , Brown Robert S.
Published: July 2003

This study by the International Children's Institute, involved the administration of questionnaires to students (N = 182) and teachers (N = 33) in six Kosovar schools as part of a multi-instrument study concerning the coping skills of Kosovar children. Children in the study (most between 10-12 years of age) showed strong coping skills and resiliency despite adversity. Responses highlight students' closeness to their families, the importance they attribute to their parents' values of education, and the normal developmental need to socialize with other children side by side with some self-reported symptoms of stress. The role of schoo:l both as a teaching and learning agent, but also as a socialization agent, was demonstrated repeatedly. Students were concerned about academic attainment and socialization, whereas the teachers included significant data about student maladjustment, including withdrawal behaviour, acting out behaviour, psychosomatic reactions and stress. It would seem that the student responses reflect a broad range of strengths, issues and concerns. Some have to do with recovery from a period of stress and dislocation; others are similar to the hopes and anxieties of most children of that age group; while others may be more characteristic of the culture in which the students live.
Diverging Academic Paths in Rural Caribbean Village Children
Authors: Durbrow Eric H. , Schaefer Barbara A. , Jimerson Shane
Published: July 2003

In many Caribbean countries, secondary school positions are rationed to children who pass an examination they take at age 12. In St Vincent, children from villages are more likely to fail this examination, the Common Entrance Examination, than are urban children. Despite being a major determinant in children's futures, little within community research has been conducted on factors influencing children's ability to pass this examination. We analysed longitudinal data from village children to identify accurate and early predictors of CEE passes.

We included 66 children (35 boys, 31 girls). Academic scores and achievement test scores assessed academic performance. The Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices assessed abstract reasoning. A modified version ofthe Revised Behaviour Problem Checklist completed by teachers assessed behaviour problems. A modified version of the HOME Inventory and other measures assessed home environment.

Discriminant analyses indicated that children's achievement, aca demic and behaviour problems and cognitive abilities as early as age 8 can predict later examination success or failure. Of these variables, achievement and academic performance were the most significant contributors. Results suggest that children's academic paths are estab lished by at least age 8 (Grade 3) and that children diverge academically and cognitively over the primary school years. Interventions designed to reduce the rural/urban gap in secondary school admissions may be more effective if started by age 8.
The Changing Landscape of Learning Disabilities in Canada
Authors: Klassen Rob
Published: July 2003

This article examines the definitions of LD used in empirical research in four major Canadian journals during the time period 19892000, and notes changes or trends in LD definitions and theories. Next, current definitions (2000/2001) ofLD used by the 10 provincial ministries of education and recent proposed changes are analysed and compared with changes in definition currently espoused in the research. Little consensus of LD definition was found in the 36 research articles, rendering comparability of findings difficult. Eight articles provided a theoretical critique of learning disabilities, with seven of the studies criticizing the role of IQ in LD definitions. Among the provinces, a number of different operational definitions are currently in use, with 8 of 10 provinces using some form of a 'traditional' IQ/achievement discrepancy method. A shift in LD identification practice, reflecting the theoretical work of Canadian-based Kirby, Siegel, and Stanovich, is seen in the recent Review of Special Education in British Columbia in which significantly low word identification, reading comprehension, and pseudo-word decoding are deemed sufficient to identify students as reading disabled. Implications for professionals in the field are discussed.