bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In the Interstices of the City: Albanian Women in Athens
Authors: Vaiou Dina 
Published: December 2011

In the aftermath of 1989, Southern European countries including Greece, former places of out-migration, have become the destination of massive waves of migrants. By now numerous estimates, reports and studies point to the high presence of women in these migratory movements - which challenges established stereotyped images of the migrant as a young male single person. The "discovery" of women migrants, with different presence in various migrant communities, has opened new areas of feminist research - and new tensions in feminist debates, particularly in Southern Europe where the experience of multicultural societies is very new. This is the case in urban geography/studies, to which this paper seeks to contribute, based on on-going research in Athens.
Athens, like all Greek cities, has a development history in which what has been called "the informal" plays a key role: in the production of space, in the labour market, in the functioning of institutions. This has legitimated, among other things, the limited and sometimes controversial involvement of the state in several potential fields of intervention, including welfare, housing and planning, thus reducing direct state control on everyday life. The workings of the informal have contributed to urban problems for which Athens is notorious, but have left "gaps" where mechanisms of social integration could and have developed. Such gaps have made it possible, until recently, for women (and men) migrants to find a job and home, to establish themselves in their place of destination. Based on the premise that women migrants are not passive agents, but that they develop strategies of survival and actively seek to determine the terms of their settlement in the new environment, the paper argues that their numerous presence in many central neighbourhoods of Athens has contributed to the revitalisation of the inner city, by introducing new uses of its facilities, services, infrastructures and public spaces. Through interviews with Albanian women in Athens, the paper looks into three spatial levels, neighbourhood, city, trajectory, and seeks to understand the links between gender and experiences of/in space.
"Un homme doit prendre femme pour être paysan !" De la dualité de la paysanne
Authors: Baeschlin Elisabeth 
Published: December 2011

"A Man Needs a Wife to Run a Farm!" About the Duality of Farm Women.

Family farms are the base of Swiss agriculture. They are operated by the farmer and his wife who are the farm's labour force. Nevertheless, in the Swiss statistics, farm women are, for the most part, absent. Only the responsibilities of the farmer as the farm manager are reflected on, farm women are considered housekeepers rather than professional farm workers. In reality, farm women do contribute a lot to the operation of the small-and middle-sized farms. If agricultural production requires, farm women have to be available at any time to participate in or take over responsibility for any kind of farm work.
The new Swiss agricultural policy (Agriculture 2002) demands production diversification and complementary activities in Swiss agriculture. However, this also means new and different qualifications as well as a challenge for family farms in particular. And with that the role of farm women in the agricultural production process has to be reconsidered. Gender studies enable us to approach this new and challenging situation for farm women but also for family farms from different perspectives.
Comparison of the Effects of Walking and Weight Training Programs on Body Image in Middle-Aged Women: An Experimental Study
Authors: Tucker Larry A. , Mortell Rosemarie 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. This study was conducted to determine the effect of a resistive training intervention on body image in middle-aged women compared to an exercise walking program. Another purpose was to develop two multivariate models to explain improvement in body image among the lifters and walkers. Design. A pretest-posttest experimental design with random assignment of subjects to two exercise groups was employed. Setting. Subjects trained in their own homes and were tested at the university. Subjects. Participants were 60 women recruited from the local community with an average age of 42.5 ± 4.2 years. Intervention. Subjects were randomly assigned to a resistive training or exercise walking program, both of which were three days per week and 12 weeks in duration. Measures. Body cathexis was assessed using the Body Cathexis Scale; cardiovascular endurance was measured using the one-mile walk test, and muscular strength was assessed using standard weight training procedures. Results. After completion of the exercise interventions, lifters showed greater muscular strength than walkers, and walkers displayed greater cardiorespiratory endurance than lifters, as expected. Lifters also improved significantly more in body image than the walkers. Conclusions. Participation in a three-day-per-week resistive training program seems to improve body image in middle-aged women more than participation in a three-day per week walking program. Further, it appears that hard work and fitness improvements contribute significantly toward positive changes in body image.
The Impact of Organizational Characteristics on Smoking Policy Restrictions in Midwestern Hospitals
Authors: Emmons Karen M. , Biener Lois 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. The relationship between hospitals' organizational characteristics and adoption of restrictive smoking policies was examined. Design. Self-administered questionnaires and telephone interviews were conducted prior to and following the target date for policy implementation. Setting. The Director of Regional Medical Services of a community network of hospitals requested in the summer of 1989 that the 57 member hospitals voluntarily implement a policy prohibiting all smoking in hospital buildings as of January 1, 1990. Subjects. Subjects were the 49 hospital CEOs (86%) who provided data at both time points. Intervention. The Director of Regional Medical Services made a personal request of the CEO during a routine visit at each hospital. Measures. Measures included structural aspects of the hospitals (e.g., number of employees, number of beds, presence of chemical dependency and psychiatric units); orientation toward employee health; support for smoking restrictions among various groups; and extent of CEO authority to set smoking policy. Results. Fifty-one percent of hospitals increased the restrictiveness of their smoking policy; 35% adopted a complete indoor smoking ban. Stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated that adoption of additional smoking restrictions was related to CEOs' and perceived board of directors' support of smoking restrictions, absence of a chemical dependency unit, and experience of financial difficulties in the previous two years. Conclusions. It is important to educate top decision makers as to the necessity of restrictive smoking policies. Barriers to smoking restrictions in organizations with chemical dependency units deserve particular attention from health promotion practitioners and researchers.
Identifying Program Preferences through Conjoint Analysis: Illustrative Results from a Parent Sample
Authors: Spoth Richard , Redmond Cleve 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the application of conjoint analysis, a consumer research technique, using data from a survey of parents' preferences for prevention programs. Design. This study utilized a one-time, cross-sectional telephone survey. Setting. Data were collected from subjects living in economically disadvantaged rural midwestern counties. Subjects. Subjects were 202 randomly selected parents with préadolescents who indicated interest in family-focused prevention programs. Measures. Conjoint analysis software was employed in computer-assisted telephone interviews to evaluate relative preferences for 39 individual features of family-focused prevention programs falling under 11 categories (e.g., program meeting time, facilitator background). The software also guided computer simulations of parent choices among four types of programs. Results. Findings indicated that meeting time was the most important category of program features. Strongly preferred individual features included meetings scheduled on weekday evenings, instruction by child development specialists, and programs based on extensive research. Two multiple-session programs evaluated via computer simulations incorporated several preferred features and received higher ratings than did single-session programs. Estimated variance z-tests indicated limited differences in perceived importance of program feature categories across sociodemographic subgroups. Conclusions. Findings highlight a) differences in the relative value parents place on various features of prevention programs in the surveyed population and b) the importance of practical aspects of program delivery.
Preventing Adolescent Drug Abuse and High School Dropout through an Intensive School-Based Social Network Development Program
Authors: Eggert Leona L. , Thompson Elaine A. , Herting Jerald R. , Nicholas Liela J. , Dicker Barbara Garii 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. The hypothesis tested was that experimental subjects, relative to controls, would demonstrate significant increases in school performance and decreases in drug involvement at program exit (5 months) and at follow-up (10 months). Design. A two-group, repeated-measures, intervention trial was the design used. Setting. The study involved four urban Northwest high schools. Subjects. Participants included 259 youth at high risk of potential school dropout, 101 in the experimental group and 158 in the control group. Intervention. The Personal Growth Class experimental condition was a one-semester, five-month elective course taken as one of five or six regular classes. It had a 1:12 teacher-student ratio, and integrated group support and life-skills training interventions. The control condition included a regular school schedule. Measures. School performance measures (semester GPA, class absences) came from school records. Drug use progression, drug control, and adverse consequences were measured by the Drug Involvement Scale for Adolescents. Self-esteem, school bonding, and deviant peer bonding were measured using the High School Questionnaire: Inventory of Experiences. All multi-item scales had acceptable reliability and validity. Results. As predicted, trend analyses revealed significantly different patterns of change over time between groups in drug control problems and consequences; in GPA (but not attendance); and in self-esteem, deviant peer bonding, and school bonding. The program appeared to stem the progression of drug use, but group differences only approached significance. Conclusion. Program efficacy was demonstrated particularly for decreasing drug control problems and consequences; increasing GPA and school bonding; and desired changes in self-esteem and deviant peer bonding. Program effects on progression of drug use were less definitive.
Formative and Effectiveness Evaluation of a Worksite Program Promoting Healthy Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Kishchuk Natalie , Peters Claudia , Towers Anna M. , Sylvestre Marcel , Bourgault Chantal , Richard Lucie 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. This project involved the formative and effectiveness evaluation of a program aiming to enable working, nondependent drinkers to consume alcohol in a healthy and socially responsible fashion. Design. A baseline survey (n=387) of employee needs and interests was followed by a formative evaluation testing accessibility, interest/resistance, and potential effectiveness. The formative evaluation used successive iterations of focus groups. The subsequent effectiveness evaluation (n=268) used a randomized pre-post design with three conditions: alcohol program, placebo (nutrition) program, or no program. Settings and Subjects. The program was implemented in a multi-branch, blue-collar, shiftworking organization (n=813) in four Quebec cities with many mobile workers. Intervention. The worksite alcohol program consisted of two, half-hour sessions delivered one week apart by a health professional during paid time. The program provided information on the social and personal costs of alcohol, on strategies for promoting socially responsible drinking, and for the prevention of negative consequences of intoxication for oneself and one's family and friends. Measures. Constructs measured using self-administered questionnaires were: alcohol knowledge, socially responsible attitudes, perceived self-efficacy for drinking management, and self-reported drinking behavior. Results. Despite the lack of interest in the topic (as found in the needs and interests survey), the program was effective in promoting socially responsible attitudes and reducing self-reported weekly consumption among participants. Some placebo effects were also present. Participants were not completely representative of all employees. Conclusion. Worksite alcohol health promotion programs can be effective especially when promoting socially responsible attitudes.
Can Life Expectancies Be Used to Determine if Health Promotion Works?
Authors: Adrian Manuella , Layne Neville , Moreau Joan 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. The goal of this study was to develop a method to measure the impact and cost-effectiveness of health promotion. Design. Age- and sex-specific changes in life expectancy in Canada between 1970 to 1972 and 1985 to 1987, after the introduction of national health insurance (1970) and health promotion (1975), are used to assess the impact due to biological hardiness, improvements in the health care field, and the effects of health promotion. Subjects. The subjects were the total male and female population of Canada between the years 1970 to 1972 and 1985 to 1987. Measures. Life expectancy by years of age by sex was the measurement used. Results. A method is presented that allows the calculation of the differential effects of health promotion, heath care, and biological hardiness on changes in life expectancy based on sequential subtraction of life expectancies for one-year age cohorts over a 15-year period. Results were obtained for each year of age for men and women, showing gender and age differences in the relative impact of the three factors. In this illustrative example using Canadian data, health promotion was found to have less impact on longevity than health care or biological hardiness. However, of the three, health promotion was the most cost-effective. Conclusion. This method can be used to quantify changes in life span due to health promotion, health care, and biological hardiness for men and women at each year of age and to relate this to health expenditures for the whole population. The method is limited in that it cannot determine the relative impact of other factors that can affect life expectancy such as environmental changes or social trends.
Single-Suture Scleral Fixation of Subluxated Foldable Intraocular Lenses
Authors: Yarangumeli Alper , Alp Mehmet Numan , Kural Gulcan 
Published: December 2011

Purpose To evaluate the results of single-suture scleral fixation of subluxated foldable intraocular lenses (IOL) in eyes with sufficient residual capsular support. Methods The results of IOL repositioning by single-suture scleral fixation in 6 eyes of 6 patients with IOL subluxation were included. All subluxated IOLs were single-piece hydrophilic acrylic. Subluxation resulted from posterior capsule tears in 3 eyes, zonular dialyses in 2 eyes, and zonular dialysis with a capsulorhexis tear in 1 eye. A similar technique was used in all eyes in which one haptic was externalized through a superior clear corneal incision and tied with a Pair-PAK 10-0 polypropylene suture, and was finally retracted and fixated behind the iris close to the ciliary sulcus at the 12:00 meridian. All patients were followed up for at least 6 months. Results Best-corrected visual acuities ranged between finger counting and 20/70 (mean logMAR 1.02±0.64) preoperatively, and between 20/100 and 20/20 (mean logMAR 0.22±0.26) at the final postoperative visit. All IOLs remained centered and no significant postoperative complications were encountered except for an IOL tilt which resulted in a considerable oblique astigmatism in one eye. Conclusions Subluxated foldable IOLs may safely be repositioned and secured with a single scleral fixation suture in selected cases with adequate amount of capsular remnants.
Effects of Osteogenic Differentiation Inducers on in Vitro Expanded Adult Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Authors: Fiorentini Elisa , Granchi Donatella , Leonardi Elisa , Baldini Nicola , Ciapetti Gabriela 
Published: December 2011

Purpose For bone regeneration therapy using stem cells, well-defined ex vivo protocols to expand mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), as well as assays to show their potential differentiation into the osteogenic lineage, are needed. Aim of this study was to analyze the role of the biochemical osteogenic inducers, i.e. ascorbic acid, dexamethasone, and β-glycerophosphate, employed in the current protocols for osteogenic differentiation of MSC in vitro, to address the requirements for reliable differentiation systems. Methods MSC were isolated from the bone marrow of donors (46–73 years of age) undergoing total hip replacement, and expanded in vitro. At confluence, MSC were cultured under four different conditions: α-MEM plus serum (basal medium or C1), basal medium plus ascorbate (C2), basal medium plus ascorbate and dexamethasone (C3), or basal medium plus ascorbate, dexamethasone and β-glycerophosphate (C4). Morphology, proliferation, mineralization, alkaline phosphatase, collagen and expression of bone-related genes of MSC under the different media were analyzed at fixed time points. Results MSC proliferation and the number of colony forming units were increased by ascorbic acid, whereas dexamethasone enhanced the proportion of ALP-positive CFU and was critical for mineral deposition. Runx-2 and type I collagen gene expression decreased along with additive-induced MSC differentiation, i.e. from C1 to C4, while ALP and osteocalcin were differently regulated. Conclusion Our findings support the role of different inducers on the sequential stages of MSC expansion and osteogenic differentiation in vitro, suggesting the addition of DEX following proliferation to ensure mineralization, as an index of in vivo osteogenic potency of human mesenchymal cells.
Stability Studies of Clonazepam, Diazepam, Haloperidol, and Doxepin with Diverse Polarities in an Acidic Environment
Authors: Maślanka Anna , Krzek Jan , Stolarczyk Mariusz , Walczak Maria , Głogowska Agata 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Stability of clonazepam, diazepam, haloperidol, and doxepin was determined in acidic solutions. In addition, determination of the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of this stability was carried out. Reaction rate constants (k), half-life times (t0.1 and t0.5), and activation energy (Ea) were estimated for the drugs, which differed in polarity expressed with log P values. It was observed that estimated E a values increased from 42.13 to 125.03 kJ/mol with an increase of lipophilicity (log P) beginning from the most hydrophilic drug (clonazepam, 2.70 log P) to the most lipophilic drug (doxepin, 4.10 log P). All degradation products were studied using an HPLC/electrospray ionization-MS technique in the positive ionization mode.
A Simple Method for Simultaneous Determination of Basic Dyes Encountered in Food Preparations by Reversed-Phase HPLC
Authors: Dixit Sumita , Khanna Subhash K , Das Mukul 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
The present method utilizes a simple pretreatment step, cleanup on polyamide SPE cartridges, and HPLC resolution on reversed-phase C18 for the detection of the three basic nonpermitted dyes encountered in food matrixes. Polyamide cartridges were chosen because both acidic and basic dyes can be cleaned up due to their amphoteric nature. Analysis was performed on a reversed-phase C18 μ-Bondapak column using the isocratic mixture of acetonitrile–sodium acetate with a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and a programmable λmax specific visible detection to monitor colors, achieving higher sensitivity and expanded scope to test multicolor blends. All the colors showed linearity with the regression coefficient, from 0.9983 to 0.9995. The LOD and LOQ ranged between 0.107 and 0.754 mg/L and 0.371 and 2.27 mg/L or mg/kg, respectively. The intraday and interday precision gave good RSDs, and percentage recoveries in different food matrixes ranged from 75 to 96.5%. The study demonstrates that the use of a combination of a simple SPE cleanup and HPLC resolution with UV-Vis end point detection was successful in screening the presence of these three basic nonpermitted dyes individually or in blend, in a variety of food matrixes.
A New Cadmium Reduction Device for the Microplate Determination of Nitrate in Water, Soil, Plant Tissue, and Physiological Fluids
Authors: Crutchfield James D , Grove John H 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
A reusable catalytic reductor consisting of 96 copperized-cadmium pins attached to a microplate lid was developed to simultaneously reduce nitrate (NO3–) to nitrite (NO2–) in all wells of a standard microplate. The resulting NO2– is analyzed colorimetrically by the Griess reaction using a microplate reader. Nitrate data from groundwater samples analyzed using the new device correlated well with data obtained by ion chromatography (r2 = 0.9959). Soil and plant tissue samples previously analyzed for NO3– in an interlaboratory validation study sponsored by the Soil Science Society of America were also analyzed using the new technique. For the soil sample set, the data are shown to correlate well with the other methods used (r2 = 0.9976). Plant data correlated less well, especially for samples containing low concentrations of NO3–. Reasons for these discrepancies are discussed, and new techniques to increase the accuracy of the analysis are explored. In addition, a method is presented for analyzing NO3– in physiological fluids (blood serum and urine) after matrix modification with Somogyi's reagent. A protocol for statistical validation of data when analyzing samples with complex matrixes is also established. The simplicity, adaptability, and low cost of the device indicate its potential for widespread application.