bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Related to the Depth of Near-Death Experiences: Testing the “Embellishment over Time” Hypothesis
Authors: Alvarado Carlos S. , Zingrone Nancy L.
Published: May 2005

In this article we explore the correlation of several variables with the depth of the near-death experience (NDE) as measured by Ring's Weighted Core Experience Index (WCEI). For this purpose we analyzed fifty-one NDE cases presented by Sutherland in tabular form in her book Reborn in the Light [1]. To test for the possibility that older cases are embellished as time goes on we predicted that we would find a positive correlation between the WCEI and the time elapsed between the experience and Sutherland's interview. Other exploratory analyses attempted to relate the WCEI to sex, age at the time of the experience and at the time of the interview, and type of medical crisis during which the experience took place. None of the analyses conducted obtained significant results. There was a non-significant trend for surgical NDE cases to have higher scores in the WCEI than other conditions.
Internal Interactions with God
Authors: Rosenblatt Paul C. , Meyer Cynthia J. , Karis Terri A.
Published: May 2005

A sample of seminarians and spiritual directors was interviewed about their internal interactions with God, and a small comparison sample of psychologist who had been in therapy was interviewed about their internal interactions with a personal therapist. All but one respondent could recall internal interactions with seemingly vivid detail. There were similarities between internal interactions with God and internal interactions with a therapist in their privacy, psychological importance and psychological functions. But there were also striking differences. Interactions with God were experienced as real, not imagined, and God was perceived as all knowing. This made it unnecessary to use internal interactions to rehearse future encounters with God or to explain personal actions and motivations to God. In addition, God was generally experienced by spiritual directors as part of self, not a separate entity, whereas psychologists rarely if ever experienced the therapist as part of self.
Theories of the Welfare State: A Critique
Authors: Gough Ian
Published: May 2005

The article considers three major non-Marxist explanations of the modern welfare state: functionalist sociological theories, economic theories of government policy, and pluralist theories of democracy. Each is subjected to a critique and all are found wanting, in that none can satisfactorily explain the observable similarities and differences in state welfare intervention within advanced capitalist countries. Functionalist theories can explain the dominant trends at work within all countries, but not the immense diversity in state policies which still persists. Economic and pluralist theories can explain the diversity but not the determinant trends. This failing is related to the separation of objective and subjective aspects in historical explanation: the first school objectifies history, the second subjectifies it. The article concludes by asserting, but not arguing, that a Marxist approach offers a more fruitful way of understanding the welfare state, insofar as it rejects this separation.
Avoid Dirty Acronym Pollution Today (ADAPT)
Authors: Williamson Gerald F.
Published: May 2005

Humor usually contains a great deal of common sense. So it is with this paper. Through a satiric approach, it comments on the proliferation of acronyms in business and industrial communication.
Clinical or Industrial Pharmacy? Case Studies of Hospital Pharmacy Automation in Canada and France
Authors: Novek Joel
Published: May 2005

Automated medication dispensing systems for hospital pharmacies, heralded as an important means of reducing drug errors and improving labor productivity, have also been seen as a means of furthering the transformation of the pharmacy profession from its role in dispensing prescriptions to a clinical profession concerned with treatments and patient outcomes. Automation aids this transformation by transferring the responsibility for routine dispensing to technicians performing rationalized and computer-mediated tasks. Not all pharmacists agree with these trends. Some fear a loss of professional status and employment as their knowledge is expropriated and incorporated into machinery operated by those with lesser qualifications. They fear an industrial rather than a clinical future. Their concerns are compounded by health care cutbacks. These issues were studied at two hospitals in Canada and one in France, all mid-sized public hospitals with automated unit dose drug delivery systems installed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Preliminary results indicated national differences in approaches to hospital pharmacy automation. In Canada, pharmacists have resisted major changes in their control of the dispensing process and in their traditional roles vis à vis doctors and pharmacy technicians. In France, where hospital pharmacy as a profession is less developed than in North America, automation has brought about a far more radical substitution for pharmacists' labor.
The Incidence of Sentence Openers in Selected Technical or Scientific Periodicals and Journals
Authors: Chard John
Published: May 2005

Technical and scientific writing students can approximate professional style by determining the types and incidence of sentence openers in their own manuscripts.

This article analyzes a variety of technical and scientific writing and suggests that students analyze their own writing in the same manner.
Losing the War against Cancer: Who's to Blame and what to do about it
Authors: Epstein Samuel S.
Published: May 2005

In 1971, the U.S. Congress launched a War on Cancer. Eighteen years and billions of dollars later, the United States is still in the grips of a cancer epidemic–and the number of victims grows every year. Much of the money has been squandered on a fruitless search for cancer “cures.” Little has been done to prevent exposure to carcinogenic chemicals in the environment, despite ample evidence that chemical pollution of our air, water, food, and the workplace is the major cause of cancer. On the contrary, government, industry, and a small coterie of scientists have combined to stymie efforts to introduce preventive measures, such as strict pollution control standards. But cancer remains a preventable disease. It is up to citizens to push for action.
Psychiatric Consults on Medical and Surgical Wards: A Six Year Study
Authors: Paddison Patricia L. , Strain Jamie P. , Strain James J. , Strain Jay J.
Published: May 2005

Using a psychiatric consultation database, 1, 463 consults were completed over a six-year period (1980 to 1986). Many variables were studied, including demographics, who requested the consults, the reasons for consultation, DSM-III diagnoses, and treatment recommendations. Most variables were unstable from year to year despite thorough and consistent supervision. This study demonstrates the vulnerability of traditionally reported consultation data in establishing norms for defining psychiatric morbidity in the hospital. Future recommendations are discussed.
The Windsor Ceramic Tradition in Southern New England
Authors: Lavin Lucianne
Published: May 2005

Irving Rouse and Carlyle Smith originally reconstructed the sequences of the Windsor tradition in their studies of Connecticut and New York pottery assemblages. Since that time additional local ceramic assemblages have been described in the literature. There have been few attempts to test the validity of the Rouse/Smith sequence with this information, however. Utilizing these data and unpublished research from southern Connecticut, this article demonstrates that the Rouse/Smith construct remains a valid concept in Connecticut archaeology. The new data fit into the traditional system, elaborating and expanding the typology and sequences. The continuation of certain types and attribute classes from one stage into the next supports Rouse's and Smith's contention of great time depth for the Windsor tradition. It also suggests we should rethink our models of cultural history and cultural change.
Design Issues Related to the Creation and Delivery of Asynchronous Multimedia Presentations
Authors: Lightfoot Jay M.
Published: May 2005

Technology has advanced to the point where it is now possible to create and distribute digital multimedia recordings of class lecture over the Internet to remote learners. More importantly, the price of this technology has decreased to the point where it is also affordable to most instructional institutions. The main factor limiting its widespread use is the knowledge required to setup and apply the technology. This article attempts to alleviate this situation by providing a detailed design for a multimedia-enabled classroom. The design includes components, physical layout, and pricing considerations. It concludes by profiling an actual implementation of the design and discussing future research plans that take advantage of the unique capabilities provided by the room.
Building Knowledge Building Communities: Consistency, Contact and Communication in the Virtual Classroom
Authors: Swan Karen , Shea Peter , Fredericksen Eric , Pickett Alexandra , Pelz William , Maher Greg
Published: May 2005

This article looks at factors affecting the success of asynchronous online learning both through a review of the research literature and through an empirical investigation of student perceptions and course design factors in one of the largest asynchronous learning networks in the country. It finds that three such factors—consistency in course design, contact with course instructors, and active discussion—have been consistently shown to significantly influence the success of online courses. It is posited that the reason for these findings relates to the importance of building knowledge building communities in asynchronous online learning environments.
An Editor's View: Ten Common Errors in Technical Writing
Authors: Annett Clarence H.
Published: May 2005

The practicing technical editor quickly realizes that regardless of author or subject, the same grammatical errors occur repeatedly in manuscripts. This can probably be blamed on a fundamental weakness in the training of technical writers, rather than on any lack of individual or collective ability on the writer's part. With this in mind, ten errors commonly found in technical manuscripts are collected and presented. It is hoped that the list will be helpful to teachers of technical writing and to technical writers who wish to improve their craft.
A Comparison of Imagery Used by Dance Teachers, Figure Skating Coaches, and Soccer Coaches
Authors: Overby Lynnette Young , Hall Craig , Haslam Ian
Published: May 2005

Many dance teachers and coaches use mental imagery in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of their teaching and coaching. Coaches and dance teachers often direct athletes/dancers to use imagery during practice, competition, and performance. The purpose of this study was to compare the imagery used by dance teachers, figure skating coaches, and soccer coaches. Forty-nine subjects were given the Imagery Use Questionnaire for coaches and dance instructors. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each of the questions pertaining specifically to imagery use. Correlational analyses were conducted on selected items, and t-tests were undertaken on all imagery use items to examine differences in responses between dance teachers, figure skating coaches, and soccer coaches. Variables were then selected on the basis of the correlation analyses and t-tests for inclusion in a discriminant function analysis. The purpose of this analysis was to reveal on which variables in the questionnaire the groups were most distinctly different. The results indicated that on several variables (use of kinesthetic imagery, metaphorical imagery) there were significant differences in the manner in which dance teachers, figure skating coaches, and soccer coaches used mental imagery.
The International Transfer of Medical Technology—An Analysis and a Proposal for Effective Monitoring
Authors: Bader Michael B.
Published: May 2005

The international transfer of medical technology to the developing countries occurs at four levels-medical education, research, and missions; multinational corporate transactions; technical assistance projects sponsored by the World Health Organization; and bilateral foreign aid programs. In this article, a proposal is made for effective monitoring of international medical technology transfer through political and legal means, including a specific code of conduct for corporations engaged in medical technology transfer. The development of “intermediate health technologies” along the lines suggested by E. F. Schumacher, and the advantages of such an innovation in terms of population issues and economic development are also discussed.
Health, Physical Activity Level, and Employment Status in Canada
Authors: Grayson J. Paul
Published: May 2005

Over the past few years, research from several countries has demonstrated an association between unemployment and poor health. In addition, a number of studies have established a link between physical activity level and health. As yet, however, there has been no comparison of the physical activity levels of the employed and the unemployed in a national population and of the extent to which the health of the employed and unemployed varies with physical activity levels. The research presented in this article demonstrates that in Canada, while the unemployed report comparable levels of physical activity to the employed, for all levels of physical activity, they are less healthy than the employed, even after adjustments are made for age, gender, and adequacy of family income. The effects of unemployment on health, however, vary by duration of employment. Overall, the findings suggest that some benefits of elevated levels of physical activity are dampened by the consequences of unemployment.
The Political Implications of a Cultural Practice: A New Perspective on Ossuary Burial in the Potomac Valley
Authors: Jirikowic Christine
Published: May 2005

This article examines the political implications of ossuary burial as it was practiced by Native American groups living along the Potomac River during the Late Prehistoric and Early Contact periods. Anthropological and archaeological theories of mortuary practice suggest that the occasion and the form of human burial have a social significance that transcends the individual, emotional, and immediate aspects of death. From this perspective, the Potomac ossuaries are seen as evidence of an actively created cultural practice rather than as a passive cultural trait. When viewed within their particular historical and social contexts, these ossuary burials are interpreted as part of the processes by which these societies defined themselves, laid claim to particular territories, created alliances with other groups, and negotiated differences in status and power between competing sectors of society.
College Student Binge Drinking and the “Prevention Paradox”: Implications for Prevention and Harm Reduction
Authors: Weitzman Elissa R. , Nelson Toben F.
Published: May 2005

Considerable attention has been paid to heavy episodic or “binge” drinking among college youth in the United States. Despite widespread use, the binge measure is perceived by some as a low intervention threshold. We use data from the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study ( n = 49,163) to describe patterns of consumption and harms along a continuum including the binge measure to demonstrate the validity of the binge threshold and prevention paradox in college. While the heaviest drinkers are at greatest risk for harm, they are relatively few and generate proportionately small amounts of all drinking-harms. The risk of harms is not zero among lower level drinkers in college. Because they are numerous, they account for the majority of harms. This paradoxical pattern suggests we moderate consumption among the majority using environmental approaches, the efficacy of which are described using case study data from a national prevention demonstration. Implications for prevention policy, programming, and media advocacy are discussed.
Oral Communication in Business and Industry: Results of a Survey on Scientific, Technical, and Managerial Presentations
Authors: Scheiber H. J. , Hager Peter J.
Published: May 2005

This research project focuses on the nature of oral presentations given (and produced) by scientific, technical, and managerial professionals working in business and industry. Our findings are survey-based; they reflect responses to a range of “issues” about technical/professional presentations, including these: 1) frequency; 2) target audience(s); 3) objectives; 4) types; 5) lengths; 6) data/information base; 7) use of visuals; 8) equipment; 9) obstacles; and 10) training. Our results indicate that presentations are frequently used in business, industry, and government and involve a wide variety of managerial audiences within organizations. Primary objectives of presenters surveyed are to inform (“sharing information”) and instruct/train.
The Missing Links in Self-Instruction Design: Implementation, Validation and Revision
Authors: Moore David M. , Bedient Douglas , Scholes Gene W.
Published: May 2005

Developers of self-instruction units sometimes become so involved in the design and development of these materials that some of the other steps in the systems approach are overlooked or minimized. Implementation, validation and revision are three such areas. While not necessarily as tangible as the design and production, they are important ingredients for a successful package.
Dissociative Functions in the Normal Mourning Process
Authors: Kauffman Jeffrey
Published: May 2005

Dissociative functions in the mourning process are seen to occur in conjunction with integrative trends. The initial shock reaction in mourning is considered a paradigm of normal dissociation in the mourning process. Some research and clinical implications are addressed. Dissociation is understood to be related to the traumatic significance of death in human consciousness. Four psychological categories of dissociative functioning in the processing of death are discerned. Implications of normal dissociative processes in the mourning process for the theory of the unity of the self are raised.
The World Bank, Pensions, and Income (In)Security in the Global South
Authors: Paul Susanne S. , Paul James A.
Published: May 2005

The authors describe and analyze recent reductions and reorganizations of public pension programs in Latin America, as well as trends in pensions in the global South more broadly. They consider the role of the World Bank in the current pension “reform” process and situate the Bank's policies in the context of privatization, reduction of social budgets, and other aspects of structural adjustment. Chilean pension changes are analyzed in particular, showing that even by the Bank's criteria, the reforms have not been successful. The authors then discuss pension changes in China, where the World Bank is also deeply involved. The article concludes with the consideration of a number of arguments about pensions and support mechanisms in later life—including family support and means-tested welfarism—and argues in favor of global policy approaches, such as globally funded pensions and full access by older persons to productive and remunerated labor.
Effectiveness of Simulation Training on Transfer of Statistical Concepts
Authors: Lane David M. , Tang Zhihua
Published: May 2005

The effectiveness of simulations for teaching statistical concepts was compared to the effectiveness of a textbook. The variable Medium (simulation versus textbook) and Question specificity (Specific versus Non-specific), were manipulated factorially. Question specificity was defined as follows: Subjects were presented with a scenario in which gumballs were sampled from an urn. Subjects in the “Specific” condition were given a specific question about the outcome of the sampling procedure to consider; subjects in the “Non-specific” condition were asked generally to consider what would happen. A no-treatment control was included. The subjects consisted of 115 college students. The dependent variable was performance on problems requiring subjects to apply what they learned to ill defined everyday problems. Subjects trained by simulation performed significantly better than those trained with a textbook. Subjects in the “Specific” condition performed better than those in the “Non-specific” condition, although the difference did not reach conventional levels of significance. These results support the increasing use of simulation in education and training.
The Determinants of Social Policy a Case Study: Regulating Health and Safety at the Workplace in Sweden
Authors: Navarro Vicente
Published: May 2005

This article presents an analysis and critique of the “technocratic” view of occupational health and safety policies, which sees the values of the personnel of the “postindustrial” regulatory agencies as the most important determinant of those policies. An alternate position is put forth which explains those occupational health and safety policies as primarily the result of different degrees of political power of the two major classes (capital and labor) and the set of influences exerted on the regulatory agencies by the instruments (e.g., political parties, unions, trade organizations) of those classes. It is shown how an analysis of the historical evolution of those classes in Sweden and their conflict in both civil and political societies better explains the Swedish occupational health and safety policies than the mere analysis of the regulators' views. It is concluded that the occupational health and safety policies in Sweden are not identical to the U.S. policies–as the “technocratic” theorists assume–but rather they offer more protection to the workers than the U.S. ones. This situation is a result of labor's greater power in Sweden than in the United States. The different class formations and class behavior in both societies are compared, and the implications of this comparison for occupational health and safety policies are discussed.
“The Unequal Society”: Descriptive Evaluation of a Community Education Project
Authors: Labonte Ronald , Shannon William J.
Published: May 2005

Poverty, unemployment, and other forms of social inequality are strongly associated with increased mortality and morbidity rates. Public health interventions into socioeconomic or structural causes of illness must be multidimensional, involving health promotion, health education, health advocacy and community development strategies. A specific health education project designed to increase professional and community awareness of social inequality as a public health risk factor is described as a model for similar undertakings by other health departments.
Clinical Thanatology and Psychotherapy: Some Reflections on Caring for the Dying Person
Authors: Feigenberg Loma , Shneidman Edwin S.
Published: May 2005

The relationships between “ordinary psychotherapy” and clinical thanatology – the latter relating to working with dying patients and their survivors – are explored. The two authors had, in print in the last year, quite independently asked the question: “Is it (clinical thanatology) psychotherapy?” As background, this paper delineates four kinds of verbal interaction: Conversation or ordinary talk; hierarchical exchanges; psychotherapy; and thanatological exchanges. The main part of the paper is an explication of eight special characteristics of thanatological exchanges. They include comments on time, transference, aspirations and empathy, among others. It is felt that clinical thanatology deserves a special emphasis and a separate designation.
Memorializing on the World Wide Web: Patterns of Grief and Attachment in Adult Daughters of Deceased Mothers
Authors: Nager Elizabeth A. , de Vries Brian
Published: May 2005

The World Wide Web is emerging as the new site for mourners. Many bereaved persons are creating memorial Web sites for deceased loved ones, providing text-based representations of what they have lost with frequent reference to the nature of their grief. The primary purpose of this study was to measure elements of attachment style and grief as shown by the adult daughters who had placed memorials on the Internet for their deceased mothers. Participants self-selected and were solicited and completed a questionnaire online. In addition, the 24 available Web sites were content coded for textual themes and presentational styles. Fifty-nine memorial authors responded to measures of attachment style, grief, and characteristics of the memorial they created. Results revealed a lower frequency of secure attachment styles than would be expected and higher levels of grief. Prominent among the themes expressed in these memorials were missing the deceased, narratives and letters to the deceased, comments about the deceased watching over the bereft, and other references to the self. Although smaller numbers precluded statistical analyses, several evocative attachment style differences in the use of these themes were suggested. These findings contribute to the understanding of the complex relationship between adult daughters and their deceased mothers and the potential role of attachment in the ways in which such relationships are characterized and memorialized.
Impact of Perceived Second-Hand Consequences Related to Alcohol Use on College Students' Drinking Behavior Intent: A Test of Feasibility
Authors: Trockel Mickey , Wall Andrew , Reis Janet
Published: May 2005

This article presents the results of an experiment designed to determine the impact of a group discussion about second-hand consequences of alcohol use on college students' intentions to consume alcohol. Participants were students enrolled in two large Community Health courses at a large Midwestern university ( n = 184). After randomization of class sections into an intervention or a control group, intervention group students participated in a class discussion on the negative consequences college students experience as a result of other students' drinking behavior, prior to answering survey questions regarding their drinking behavior intent. Compared to controls who completed the questionnaire only, intervention group participants reported intent to limit themselves to fewer drinks per drinking occasion ( p = .003) and fewer drinks per week ( p = .004). The effects of the brief educational intervention were analyzed using structural equation modeling, to test the feasibility of a hypothesized intervention mechanism.
A National Assessment of the Status of Planning for Public Health Preparedness for Chemical and Radiological Contaminating Terrorism: CSTE's Findings and Recommendations/Executive Summary
Authors: Dunn Mary Lee ,   Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Published: May 2005

An association of epidemiologists looks at the state of regional public health preparedness in a time of terrorism in a report that gauges regional readiness. The report examined the status of preparations to deal with chemical and radiological events, and looked at planning gaps, resources, and interagency agreements to coordinate emergency response. The research found inadequate levels of preparedness, planning, and established interagency partnerships and puts forth recommendations to improve the nation's ability to respond.
Stress Management Techniques: Anxiety Reduction, Appeal, and Individual Differences
Authors: Avants S. Kelly , Margolin Arthur , Salovey Peter
Published: May 2005

Four stress management techniques were evaluated for their general appeal, their immediate benefits, and the subjective experiences they evoke. One hundred undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups: (1) progressive muscle relaxation (PMR); (2) distraction imagery; (3) focused imagery; (4) listening to music; (5) sitting quietly (control). Distraction imagery and listening to music were the only techniques found to reduce anxiety to a greater extent than simply sitting quietly. The techniques differed in the way they made subjects feel, but not in their general appeal. Individuals with a “blunting” coping style were more likely to find all five techniques appealing.
The West German Health Care System: A Critique
Authors: Navarro Vicente
Published: May 2005

Several leading health policy staff of the AFL-CIO and major unions met with the Board of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) in May 1990. They described the active discussions currently ongoing within the AFL-CIO Health Care Committee, which is composed of 14 international union presidents and sets AFL-CIO policy on health care issues. Some union presidents reportedly favored a single-payer, Canadian-style approach, while others apparently preferred a proposal modeled after the West German system, which preserves a major role for insurance companies. The PNHP Board was emphatic in its preference for the single-payer approach. Board member Dr. Vicente Navarro wrote the following letter to the union presidents on the AFL-CIO Health Care Committee detailing his critique of the West German approach.
An Outcome Evaluation of Here's Looking at You 2000
Authors: Kim Sehwan , McLeod Jonnie H. , Shantzis Carl
Published: May 2005

This study reports outcome evaluation results from a segment of one of the most widely used drug education/prevention programs entitled “Here's Looking At You 2000.” HLAY 2000 was offered to the seventh and eighth grade students ( n = 463) by regular classroom teachers of Yadkin County Schools located in one of the rural areas in North Carolina. Six schools served as the experimental group while two randomly selected schools served as a control group. The program was implemented during the 1990–91 school year.
Quality Technology Support: What is it? Who Has it? and What Difference Does it Make?
Authors: Dexter Sara L. , Anderson Ronald E. , Ronnkvist Amy M.
Published: May 2005

Using the recommendations of the CEO Forum report on Professional Development, we operationalized “quality technology support” as consisting of: 1) access to one-on-one personal guidance and help; 2) frequent teacher participation in technology-oriented professional support among teacher peers; 3) professional development content focused on instruction and integration; and 4) access to resources. Using the 1998 TLC national survey of teachers, we empirically confirmed that the frequency, variety, and increased use of technology in the classroom are associated with the availability of quality technology support. These results suggest that if technology leaders hope teachers will integrate technology they should attend to the instructional aspects of technology support, such as professional development opportunities and learning environments, as well as its technical components.
Encopresis in Hirschsprung's Disease: A Report on Two Cases
Authors: Sreenivasan Uma , Manocha S. N.
Published: May 2005

Two patients with persistent severe encopresis after surgery for Hirschsprung's disease were treated with a token economy type of behavior modification therapy. After eight weeks there was very marked improvement, which persisted after discharge home without relapse after four and eight months respectively.
The Victim's Burden: Guilt, Shame and Abuse
Authors: Eisen Marlene R.
Published: May 2005

In this article, three cases of sexual abuse are reviewed in the context of age, intensity and duration of the trauma. The questions explored concern the prognosis for positive therapeutic outcome. Crucial factors appear to include the meaning of the experience for the individual involved, the identity of the abuser and the level of autonomy exerted or regained in reworking memories or reframing the experience in the therapeutic setting. An examination of the literature on childhood trauma and sexual abuse provides a framework for the discussion of these cases. Hypnosis is found to be a valuable tool for helping the patient revivify the experience, replacing feelings of shame and guilt with a sense of efficacy and autonomy.
A Brief Note on How Writing Errors are Judged
Authors: Ross Donald
Published: May 2005

A brief business letter was written, then ten versions were madeup—each having from four to twenty-nine errors systematically introduced. Three hundred students read one version of the letter, then answered questions about the letter's contents and judged the “author” (is he intelligent, a good writer, etc.). The results pointed to misspelling as the most often noticed class of errors. Readers judged the author most harshly when spelling errors were present, but did not reach the same conclusion in the face of errors of syntax or punctuation. Finally, people labeled all classes of errors “misspelling,” and did not identify syntactic problems.
Computer Attitudes as a Function of Age, Gender, Math Attitude, and Developmental Status
Authors: Jennings Susan Evans , Onwuegbuzie Anthony J.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the variables of age, gender, attitudes toward mathematics, and student type are significantly related to the following four dimensions of computer attitude: anxiety, confidence, liking, and usefulness. Data were collected via a survey instrument that combined demographics with the Loyd and Gressard (1984) Computer Attitude Scale and the Fennema-Sherman (1976) Mathematics Attitude Scale. The 351 male and female participants, in three age groups, were approximately equally divided between developmental and non-developmental students. A multiple analysis of variance revealed no main effect for gender with respect to dimensions of computer attitude. A main effect was found for age, indicating that the youngest group of students reported less computer anxiety and higher levels of confidence than did the other age groups. However, the oldest students reported the highest levels of computer liking and perceived usefulness of computers. Also, students with the highest level of math attitudes had the highest score for all four dimensions of computer attitude. Finally, relative to non-developmental students, developmental students reported significantly more positive attitudes toward the dimensions of computer attitude except perceived usefulness. Implications are discussed.
Stressful Life Events and Criminal Homicide
Authors: Humphrey John A. , Palmer Stuart
Published: May 2005

Stressful life events experienced by a 50 percent random sample of criminal homicide offenders (270) and a 30 percent random sample of nonviolent felonious property offenders (194) incarcerated in North Carolina over a two-year period are analyzed. Dohrenwend et al. Psychiatric Epidemiological Research Interview (PERI) was expanded to include occurrences in childhood and was used to assess the extent of stressful life events. These events were divided into loss and nonloss items; and whether the event occurred in the early life of the offender (past event) or in closer proximity to the crime (recent event). Murderers were divided into primary offenders, those whose victims were family members or close friends; and nonprimary offenders, those who killed strangers or mere acquaintances. The findings show that criminal homicide offenders experienced stressful life events in greater number and more consistently than did nonviolent felons. Further, primary homicide offenders tended to suffer more stressful life events involving loss, although nonprimary offenders experienced more nonloss stress events.
Computer-Assisted Instruction in Practical Nursing Education
Authors: Kelley Maureen
Published: May 2005

Existing computer-assisted instructional programs for nursing students are studied and their application to the education of practical nurses is considered in the light of recent history of nursing education. Two programs from the Ohio State University Department of Nursing are reviewed and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The differences between tutorial programs (Ohio State University programs) and simulation programs (University of Illinois' PLATO) are studied and the conclusion drawn is that at this time there are no true clinical simulations, using the unique capabilities of the computer, available in CAI programs. The factors inhibiting the use of CAI are explained and some suggestions for their reversal are offered.
Life-Lines of Finnish People Aged 83–87
Authors: Takkinen Sanna , Suutama Timo
Published: May 2005

This article presents the characteristics of the life-lines drawn by older Finnish men and women. The study was part of the Evergreen Project, Finland. Seventy-eight persons aged 83–87 participated in an interview, in which they were asked to draw a life-line. The life-line was drawn on a standardized sheet as a continuous line which showed the intensity of positive and negative affects during the course of life. An interview concerning the major life events on the life-line and the most positive and negative life periods was administered after the life-line was drawn. The shape of the life-line was analyzed by calculating the level, trend, and variance, as well as the maximum and minimum points. The content analysis of the life-lines was based on self-reports concerning the major life events and the most positive and negative periods in life. The drawings mostly showed an upward trend. On average, women drew the line on a slightly higher level than men. Inter-individual variance was greatest in early childhood and old age and smallest in middle age, whereas intra-individual variance was greatest in early adulthood and smallest in old age. Most of the lowest points were located in childhood and the highest points in the present (old age). The densest period in terms of the location of major life events and their affective meaning was youth and young adulthood (15–30 years). The most frequently expressed contents of the life-line dealt with human relationships and school in women, and work-related issues and war in men.
Structural, Technical, and Definitional Issues: The Case of Geography, “GIS,” and K-12 Classrooms in the United States
Authors: Gatrell Jay D.
Published: May 2005

This article examines the structural, technical, and definitional issues associated with linking specific technologies to K-12 content standards. It examines the case of the “Geography for Life” K-12 standards and the proliferation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to understand the wider implications of integrating the implementation of content standards with the introduction of highly specialized information systems. The article proposes geographic educators re-conceptualize “GIS” to engage the themes of contemporary geography, maximize the role of existing IT infrastructures, and facilitate standard implementation. While this article examines the case of geography, it demonstrates the need to assess the role, if any, for information technologies in the development and implementation of K-12 content standards in the classroom. Finally, the article examines the conceptual and practical importance of positioning information technologies within the context of both higher education and the K-12 classroom and acknowledging the inevitable tension that exists between these two distinct communities.
Assessing Personality and Cognitive Psychopathology in Psychiatric Patients
Authors: Glicksohn Joseph , Bar-El Ifat
Published: May 2005

In the present study, we focused on the dimension of psychoticism (P), deriving from Eysenckian theory, on which cognitive psychopathology can presumably be mapped. In particular, we looked at one side of this continuum, ranging between the affective disorders, through paranoid schizophrenia to schizophrenia, exploring hypothesized differences in both P as well as in measures assessing syncretic and symbolic thinking. Schizophrenics were indeed found to score high on P; but an even better differentiation was found when scores on the Lie Scale (L) were also inspected. A clear partition of the bivariate P-L plane was apparent, with a marked differentiation between the paranoid and non-paranoid schizophrenics, and with the manic depressives lying in between, in line with the Eysenckian hypothesis.
From Problems to Programs via Plans: The Content and Structure of Knowledge for Introductory LISP Programming
Authors: Soloway Elliot
Published: May 2005

Typically, when a programming language is taught, the syntax and the semantics of the language are emphasized. In contrast, we report here on an organization of information for teaching LISP which puts primary emphasis on the structure of and relationships between: a problem, a program, and, an intermediate abstraction, a plan. This organization is based on an analysis of the underlying structure of ostensibly different problems and their program solutions. We present qualitative observations on the use of this organization gleaned from actual classroom teaching. Finally, we attempt to generalize these notions to other problem domains and to other programming languages.
Hospice Care in the United States: The Process Begins
Authors: Buckingham Robert W.
Published: May 2005

The hospice concept represents a return to humanistic medicine, to care within the patient's community, for family-centered care, and the view of the patient as a person. Medical, governmental, and educational institutions have recognized the profound urgency for the advocacy of the hospice concept. As a result, a considerable change in policy and attitude has occurred. Society is re-examining its attitudes toward bodily deterioration, death, and decay. As the hospice movement grows, it does more than alter our treatment of the dying. Hospices and home care de-escalate the soaring costs of illness by reducing the individual and collective burdens borne by all health insurance policyholders. Because hospices and home care use no sophisticated, diagnostic treatment equipment, their overhead is basically for personal care and medication. Also, the patient is permitted to die with dignity. Studies indicated that the patient of a hospice program will not experience the anxiety, helplessness, inadequacy, and guilt as will an acute care facility patient. Consequently, a hospice program can relieve family members and loved ones of various psychological disorders.
The Kern Effigy: Evidence for a Prehistoric fort Ancient Summer Solstice Marker
Authors: White John R.
Published: May 2005

Recent excavations in Warren County, Ohio, within the shadow of monumental Fort Ancient have brought to light a large prehistoric alignment of limestone flagstones forming an effigy of a serpent. Radiocarbon dates indicate that this effigy was constructed in 1200 A.D. presumably by local peoples archaeologically designated as being of the Anderson focus (or phase) of the Fort Ancient aspect. Strong evidence indicates that this large “artifact” may have seen use as an astronomical ground marker for determining the summer solstice and important dates related thereto. A set of general and site specific hypotheses is presented to support this contention and to briefly discuss its cultural setting.
Toward an Ecosocial View of Health
Authors: Levins Richard , Lopez Cynthia
Published: May 2005

The changing patterns of health in the United States justify both celebration and dismay. We can celebrate declining mortality rates, increased life expectancy, and improvements in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. But public health was caught by surprise by the return of infectious disease; the gap in health outcomes between rich and poor and between whites and blacks increases; there is a growing discrepancy between what is technically possible and the actual health status; and despite its greater expenditures on health, the United States lags behind the other developed countries in health outcomes. The authors examine four reasons for this: we do not buy more health care, only pay more for it; we receive more health care, but much of it inappropriate, ineffective, or harmful; only some of us get more health care; and we have created a way of life that makes us sick, then spend more to repair the damage. Major failures arise when problems are understood too narrowly. An ecosocial perspective attempts to look at the whole. It rejects as false the dichotomies social/biological, physical/psychological, genetic/environmental, lifestyle/environment, examining their interrelations rather than assigning them relative weights. In addition to looking at average differences among populations, the authors examine patterns of variability in health outcomes.
SIADH: A Serious Side Effect of Psychotropic Drugs
Authors: Ananth Jambur , Lin Keh-Ming
Published: May 2005

In this communication two cases of possibly drug induced hyponatremia secondary to amitriptyline and thioridazine have been reported. What is particularly important is the fact that in one, irreversible neurological symptoms were left as sequelae and in the other, the patient was in a coma and thus suffered from a potentially lethal complication. The physicians should be aware of this disturbing side effect while treating their patients with antidepressant and neuroleptic medications.
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: A Psychosomatic Service in the General Hospital
Authors: Krakowski Adam J.
Published: May 2005

Consultation psychiatry, an outgrowth of the tenets of psychosomatic medicine that followed the departure from mental-hospital psychiatry to the general-hospital-based psychiatric units, is similar to those consultation services in other specialties available on medical-surgical wards. Its primary aim is to interpret the psychosocial phenomena of health and illness and to redirect the physician from disease- to patient-orientation and to a comprehensive approach.

Its functions are diagnostic-therapeutic, instructional and research directed. The psychosomatic orientation is a sine qua non in the understanding of the psychosocial meaning of physical illness, its effect on psychic disability, the psychosocial adjustment of the patient and his family and his ability to adapt to illness and the hospital. An essential feature is the evaluation of the doctor-patient relationship, especially when severe illness requires serious interventions, including the consultation and its reciprocal effect upon the doctor-patient relationship. Liaison activity consists of interpretive-therapeutic mediation between the patient and the therapeutic team when strain endangers their satisfactory cooperation. The therapeutic activity must be short-term and so construed as not to interfere with the primary treatment.

The instructional aspect is for the sake of the usual recipients of the service, as well as residents and students. Teaching the interview techniques, especially to students, should demonstrate the holistic approach, comprehensive diagnosis and the need of avoiding orthodox one-sidedness.

This paper reviews briefly the scope and role of consultation psychiatry, compares its North American model with its status elsewhere and explores the resistances to it.
Gender Differences in the Use of the Logo Programming Language
Authors: Schaefer Lyn , Sprigle Joan E.
Published: May 2005

This study examined the gender-related differences in which preschoolers assimilated the terminology associated with the computer, and some basic programming commands. Following microcomputer instructions in the use of the LOGO programming language, twenty preschoolers' computer performances were evaluated. It was discovered that both male and female students showed significant improvement in computer programming and mathematical concepts. However, in the area of computer terminology, the females were more apt to use the terminology as compared to the males.