bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in factors influencing consumer debt among Scottish families, 1984—1987
Authors: HIRA TAHIRA K. 
Published: July 2007

The major objective of this study was to determine socio‐economic and debt management factors causing debt problems among Scottish families. Data for this study were collected from the records of the debt counselling segment of the Citizens Advice Bureau in Glasgow, Scotland, during 1984–87. The final sample consisted of 404 cases selected at random.Variables selected for the study included the following socio‐economic characteristics: sex, household size, marital status, employment status, sources of income, and total income. Debt variables included in the study were total debt, sources of debt, amount of debt from each source, and total monthly debt payment.Total debt owed by debtors increased by 283% over the 4 year period from 295,113 in 1984 to 836,409 in 1986. The majority of the households had debt to income ratio of 0.50 and on the average owed on eight different types of loans. The largest proportion of debtors (87%) borrowed from finance companies and the largest sums of total debt were also owed to finance companies (52%). Finance companies consistently held this position over the 4 year period.The analysis of variance (ANOVA) results indicate that employment status, number of sources of borrowing, marital status and sex significantly explained the variation in total debt burden. The number of sources is an important factor in debt management. As the numbers of sources of borrowing increases, not only the management of transactions gets complicated and one can easily lose sight of total debt burden, but it also indicates that people start borrowing from high cost sources of borrowing, such as store credit and finance companies. Educators need to emphasize the importance of the variation in cost of borrowing related to various sources in their materials, and these educational efforts should be targeted to females, singles and those who are recently separated and divorced.
Gender and consumption in Finnish society
Authors: ILMONEN KAJ , PANTZAR MIKA 
Published: July 2007

When studying the mechanisms by means of which feminine categories appropriate for the existing gender system are produced and preserved, reference has been made to the social division of labour, to the ideology of family life, the educational system and government activities. Little attention has been paid to consumption and consumption objects as requisites to the categorization of womanhood. This, however, is essential the closer one gets to the present day. Today, more than ever before, the identities of different social groups are created with the aid of consumer goods and habits.This article shows how womanhood and manhood are created with the support of commodities in Finnish society. The article also makes the point that these categories are not stable, because they are asymmetrical. Women in particular have historically shown unease about the content of gender categories and they have begun to use consumer objects that before had been taken as masculine. This in turn has led to attempts to make new distinctions with the help of consumer goods among men.
Women's views of women's roles: a survey of South Australian women
Authors: WORSLEY ANTHONY , WORSLEY ANDREA J. 
Published: July 2007

Four hundred and eighteen randomly selected South Australian women answered 18 opinion statements about women's roles, as part of a general postal survey. The results showed that most women supported equality between the sexes, the importance of parenting and mother roles, and physical appearance. However, there were many statistically significant differences between members of demographic groups; generally younger and more‐educated women favoured equality more, and valued motherhood less for personal fulfilment than older, less‐educated women. Women in paid employment placed less value on traditional domestic roles and more on equal pay than those not so employed.The relationships of these findings to recent changes in women's roles within and outside the family are discussed.
A study on the subjective symptoms of the ageing process in middle‐aged men: effects of socio‐economic status, diet and health care behaviour*
Authors: LEE MINJUNE , KIM YOUNGOK , MOON SOOJAE , HOSOYA NORIMASA 
Published: July 2007

In order to investigate the factors influencing the ageing process of middle‐aged men, different environmental variables including socio‐economic status, diet, smoking and drinking were studied as possible determinants of the ageing process.Six hundred and forty‐seven Korean men over 40 years of age were studied. Frequency, chi‐square, t‐test, and stepwise multiple regression analyses were employed to identify the significant variables.As a result of the analyses, occupation and smoking were found to be the most influential factors. In short, those who did not refrain from smoking and had professional jobs experienced early symptoms in the ageing process.
Women's work status and their time use pattern in rural households of Haryana
Authors: SINGAL SAVITA , SRINIVASAN KAMALA , JINDAL RAKESH 
Published: July 2007

The work pattern of rural women revolves around a variety of jobs in the home, farm and livestock management. The National perspective Plan (1988) rightly pooints out, ‘For the majority of the women in the country, there is more work than wages, more load titan capacity and more compulsion than choice.’Studies on time utilization pattern (work load) of men and women in rural households in India, though few, indicate that rural women work longer hours than men. A 14–16 h working day is common in certain areas even among pregnant women. Review of the literature however, reveals major gaps in information especially pertaining to work status of rural women and how the time use pattern (workload) varies with their work status and/or agricultural season. The present study was therefore, an attempt in this direction. More specifically, the objectives of the study were:(a) to study time allocation pattern of rural women in work, rest, leisure and sleep and(b) to study the time utilization pattern in various categories of work according to women's work status and agricultural season.
Weight status and weight dissatisfaction of college students enrolled in a basic nutrition course
Authors: RASOR‐GREENHAEGH SUE A. , HURLEY ROBERTA S. , WITT DAVID D. , BROWN ESTON , REBOVICH E. JEAN 
Published: July 2007

It has been suggested that general dissatisfaction with body weight, or anorexia‐like behaviour, may be higher in students majoring in home economics, specifically dietetics, than in students in non‐food and nutrition majors. This observation may be problematic in a student's future personal life or professional practice. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of general dissatisfaction with body weight, compared with actual body weight, in a group of college students enrolled in an introductory nutrition course.The sample included 169 female and 41 male students. Mean body weight and body mass index were 110 ± 20·7% of ideal and 23·4 ± 4·4, respectively. Dissatisfaction with weight was reported by the majority of students, especially females (76·2%). A significant relationship was found between reported weight dissatisfaction and actual weight status for females (P < 0·001). Furthermore, more females in dietetics were dissatisfied with weight (83%) than females in other majors (75%) although the difference was not significant.These results suggest that, while weight dissatisfaction was not significantly higher in dietetic majors, the high incidence of dissatisfaction in all females is a concern. There are, therefore, potential implications for the educational strategies of home economics faculties regarding appropriate attitudes about weight status and food.
Restoration and the Origins of Ecology
Authors: Gross Matthias 
Published: July 2007

Abstract Ernst Haeckel is well known for originating the science of ecology to describe the study of the relationships among organisms and their environment. This short article reflects on some of Ernst Haeckel’s ideas on the role of humans in nature and the relation between art and nature to point out affinities of Haeckel’s ideas to tighten the connection between today’s science and practice of ecological restoration.
Seed Rain and Seed Dispersal Agents in Pure and Mixed Plantations of Native Trees and Abandoned Pastures at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica
Authors: Zamora Carolina O. , Montagnini Florencia 
Published: July 2007

Abstract Lack of seed dispersal can be an important obstacle to natural regeneration (NR) of degraded pastures in the humid tropics. Tree plantations can facilitate secondary forest succession by attracting seed dispersal agents from nearby forests. We studied seed rain and seed dispersal agents in 12–13 years old pure and mixed native tree plantations at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica from July to December 2004. Plantations of Balizia elegans (5,522), Dipteryx panamensis (2,263), and Jacaranda copaia (2,091) had the greatest total seed abundance; treatments with the least total seed abundance were Calophyllum brasiliense (56), nonplanted abandoned pasture control 2 (353), Mixed Species 2 (389), and control 1 (836). Plantations of J. copaia and Hyeronima alchorneoides had the greatest seed species richness density, whereas the lowest seed species richness was found in the control treatments. The NR plots had more seeds dispersed by wind, whereas in the plantations, the most important dispersal agents were birds and mammals. The most abundant seeds were those of Miconia spp. (14,492), Psychotria bracheata (2,252), and the Poaceae family (1,346), all species from early successional stages. Plantations of native species are effective in attracting seed dispersal agents and thus facilitating regeneration of degraded pasturelands in the region.
Patterns and Correlates of Drinking in Offspring From the San Diego Prospective Study
Authors: Schuckit Marc A. , Smith Tom L. , Pierson Juliann , Danko George P. , Allen Rhonda C. , Kreikebaum Sara 
Published: July 2007

Background:  The decision among young people to drink is complex and reflects multiple domains of influence. This paper applies the results from a previous test of an externalizing‐based model predicting heavy drinking and alcohol problems in the probands from the San Diego Prospective Study to evaluate how similar characteristics relate to the decision to drink in their offspring.Methods:  Data were generated from multiple sources for 152 offspring with a mean age of 17.2 years. Information on the family histories, personal alcohol and other substance use, socioeconomic stratum, the child’s gestational problems, and additional characteristics were gathered from face‐to‐face interviews with a parent approximately every 5 years between their mid‐20s and mid‐40s. Data regarding the drinking status and additional variables applicable to the offspring were extracted from the 25‐year (T25) epoch of the family evaluations using data supplied directly by the offspring. The relationships of variables to the drinking status in that generation were determined through correlations, regression analyses, and an AMOS‐based structural equation model (SEM).Results:  Significant correlations to the drinking status in offspring were observed for age, but not for sex. Using age‐adjusted backgrounds and data supplied by the offspring at T25, the most robust correlations to the drinking status were seen for a disinhibition measure, peer drinking, expectations of the effects of alcohol, and the history of having worked outside the home. When placed into an SEM, the former 3 variables performed in a manner similar to that observed in the original probands in the prediction of the drinking status, in a model with good fit characteristics.Conclusions:  These data from a prospective study support the importance of similar domains across 2 generations in characterizing age‐appropriate alcohol‐related outcomes.
The Interplay Between Uric Acid and Antioxidants in Relation to Physical Function in Older Persons
Authors: Ruggiero Carmelinda , Cherubini Antonio , Guralnik Jack , Semba Richard D. , Maggio Marcello , Ling Shari M. , Lauretani Fulvio , Bandinelli Stefania , Senin Umberto , Ferrucci Luigi 
Published: July 2007

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between circulating uric acid (UA) levels and plasma antioxidants and whether antioxidant levels modulate the association between UA and physical function.DESIGN: Cross‐sectional.SETTING: Community‐based.PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred sixty‐six elderly persons participating in the baseline assessment of the Invecchiare in Chianti Study.MEASUREMENTS: UA, carotenoid, tocopherol, and selenium concentrations were assayed. Physical function was measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Potential confounders were assessed using standardized methods.RESULTS: Total carotenoids (P=.008), in particular α‐carotene (P=.02), lutein (P<.001), zeaxanthin (P<.001), lycopene (P=.07), cryptoxanthin (P=.29), and selenium (P=.04) were inversely associated with UA levels. Total tocopherols (P=.06) and α‐tocopherol (P=.10) had a positive trend across UA levels. SPPB (P=.01) and IADL disability (P=.002) were nonlinearly distributed across the UA quintiles. Participants within the middle UA quintile (4.8–5.3 mg/dL) were less disabled in IADLs and had better SPPB scores than those in the extreme UA quintiles. There was a significant interaction between UA and selenium in the model predicting SPPB score (P=.02).CONCLUSION: UA levels are inversely associated with circulating carotenoids and selenium. Participants with intermediate UA levels had a higher prevalence of good physical functions, higher SPPB scores, and lower IADL disability. This study suggests that older subjects with intermediate UA levels may have an optimum balance between proinflammatory and antioxidant compounds that may contribute to better physical performance.
Detection of misfolded prion protein in blood with conformationally sensitive peptides
Authors: Pan Tao , Sethi Jasmeet , Nelsen Craig , Rudolph Alan , Cervenakova Larisa , Brown Paul , Orser Cindy S. 
Published: July 2007

BACKGROUND: The long‐standing goal of a preclinical diagnostic test for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) has recently become urgent because of the discovery that humans with variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease can transmit disease via blood transfusions.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The misfolded protein diagnostic (MPD) assay employs a pyrene‐labeled palindromic sequence of prion peptides that undergoes a cascade of coil to β‐sheet conversion in the presence of the misfolded prion protein (PrPTSE). The ability of the assay to detect PrPTSE in brain, serum, and plasma was tested. The basic protocol involved a several‐hour incubation of 200‐µL sample volumes with the peptide reagent in 96‐well plates, after which fluorescence was monitored by a fluorescence plate reader with an excitation wavelength of 350 nm and emission scanning wavelength range of 365 to 600 nm.RESULTS: Target specificity for PrPTSE was documented by correlation of assay signal with Western blot signals in brain tissue from TSE‐infected, normal, and knockout mice and negative assay signals by use of reagents with different peptide sequences. When applied to plasma or serum, the assay discriminated between samples from a variety of experimental and natural TSE infections compared to uninfected controls, with a sensitivity threshold of approximately 1 infectious dose per mL in pooled plasma from TSE‐infected mice.CONCLUSIONS: The MPD assay is a sensitive and specific test for the detection of PrPTSE that may be useful in both preclinical and clinical diagnosis of TSE diseases of animals and humans.
Diversification of host use in two polyphagous butterflies: differences in oviposition specificity or host rank hierarchy?
Authors: Mercader R. J. , Scriber J. M. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractNovel host usage may represent an initial step towards diversification or radiation onto novel hosts within an evolutionary lineage, particularly if a shift in host plant preference ranking takes place. Polyphagous stages of evolutionary lineages may represent transitional states in which novel host associations are more likely to develop, but may be more difficult to detect experimentally. The polyphagous sister species Papilio glaucus L. and Papilio canadensis (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae; these Papilio = Pterourus) are known to exhibit differences in host‐plant use, despite significant overlap in host‐use abilities, providing an opportunity to examine how host shifts in polyphagous species may occur and what the implications for future divergence may be. In particular, we were interested in (i) determining whether differences in oviposition behavior of these species were due to changes in specificity or shifts in host‐plant hierarchy, (ii) whether the varying preference for primary hosts also affected the preference for secondary hosts, and (iii) what the oviposition preferences of a new hybrid swarm population are. We examined more than 40 000 oviposition bouts from more than 400 P. glaucus, P. canadensis, and hybrid females placed in seven‐, three‐, or two‐choice assays. In each of the choice assays, leaves from plants in different plant families of varying suitability for P. glaucus and P. canadensis larvae were used. We found the primary difference between P. glaucus and P. canadensis to be limited to a Z‐linked shift in host rank hierarchy due to an acceptance of Populus tremuloides Michx. (Salicaceae) and reduced specificity for Liriodendron tulipifera L. (Magnoliaceae) in P. canadensis. In addition, we found the absence of the Z‐linked oviposition acceptance of P. tremuloides in a recently formed allochronically separated hybrid swarm population found in P. canadensis territory at the northern border of the P. glaucus and P. canadensis hybrid zone.
Impact of methyl eugenol and malathion bait stations on non‐target insect populations in French Guiana during an eradication program for Bactrocera carambolae
Authors: Vayssières J. F. , Cayol J. P. , Perrier X. , Midgarden D. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe conducted this study to assess the impact of the bait station used in the Carambola fruit fly eradication program on non‐target insects indigenous to French Guiana. A sampling device was developed based on the bait station, using four treatments: fiberboard blocks impregnated with methyl eugenol (ME) and malathion (MA), ME only, MA only, and a non‐impregnated block. A total of only 149 non‐target insects were captured during the 52 weeks of the experiment. The non‐target taxa captured included representatives of nine orders and 26 families. Analysis based on a Poisson model of captures indicated no difference in the taxa or number of specimens captured among the treatments, providing evidence that the bait stations used by the regional program had no greater impact on non‐target insect populations than the non‐impregnated blocks. Our results indicate that captures of non‐target insects could be related to accidental exposure to the sampling device and as such can be considered random events. The results of this experiment support the hypothesis that bait stations made with ME and MA can be used in an area‐wide program without risk to non‐target insect populations.
Concomitant Ventral Phalloplasty During Penile Implant Surgery: A Novel Procedure That Optimizes Patient Satisfaction and Their Perception of Phallic Length After Penile Implant Surgery
Authors: Miranda-Sousa Alejandro , Keating Michael , Moreira Sergio , Baker Mark , Carrion Rafael 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Despite previous reports showing consistently elevated patient satisfaction with penile implantation, it is our impression that patients who have had a prosthesis placed often complain of penile shortening postoperatively.

Aim
We sought to evaluate if the release of the penoscrotal web would optimize patient perception and satisfaction regarding penile length after such procedure.

Main Outcome Measure
Utilizing a questionnaire, we evaluated patient satisfaction, focusing on phallic size.

Methods
Ninety patients (mean age 62) underwent penile prosthesis placement during a 17-month period. Forty-three were carried out with takedown of penoscrotal web during a 17-month period (group 1). Of group 1, 39 patients had an inflatable implant placed (inflatable penile prosthesis) and 4 had a semirigid implant. The patients were directly inquired with a seven-item questionnaire 3 months after the procedure. These results were then compared to a group of 37 patients that had penile implants placed without release of the penoscrotal web (group 2). All the patients involved in the study had a high insertion of the scrotum ventrally (penoscrotal web).

Results
Of the patients, 42/43 (98%) (group 1) reported good overall satisfaction of the surgical procedure; 36/43 (84%) reported some degree of increase in penile length; 5/43 (12%) reported no significant change in their perception of penile length postoperatively. The remaining two patients reported a decreased penile length. The clinical records from group 2 demonstrated 31/37 (84%) of the patients complained of penile shortening, and only one patient reported an increase in penile length. Postoperative complications in group 1 consisted of wound hematoma (2/43) and focal superficial wound dehiscence (3/43). The operative time for group 1 patients was approximately 12 minutes (mean 11.7) longer.

Conclusions
Release of penoscrotal web is a simple, safe, and reproducible procedure that can enhance patient perception of penile length and further improve satisfaction.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision as an Appropriate Diagnostic for Premature Ejaculation
Authors: Shabsigh Ridwan , Rowland David 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Introduction
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for premature ejaculation (PE) are multifactorial, and include concepts of latency, perceived control over ejaculation, and personal distress and interpersonal difficulty related to the condition. Recent publications have suggested that these criteria are not supported by empirical evidence, leading to the proposal that a PE diagnosis should be based solely on intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT), while the presence of other factors (such as perceived lack of control over ejaculation) may be used to guide treatment decisions.

Aim
To examine the evidence supporting the elements of the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PE.

Main Outcome Measures
Literature searches on IELT, perceived control over ejaculation, and personal distress and interpersonal difficulty related to ejaculation.

Results
From a historical perspective, there has been a lack of large observational studies that evaluated the contributions of the DSM-IV-TR components in men with PE. However, recently performed large observational studies have generated data supporting the inclusion of perceived control over ejaculation and personal distress related to ejaculation in the definition of PE. Furthermore, emerging evidence indicates that a perceived lack of control over ejaculation is directly associated with elevated personal distress related to ejaculation and decreased satisfaction with sexual intercourse, while the effects of IELT on these parameters are indirect, and mediated by perceived control over ejaculation. A key advantage of the DSM-IV-TR approach to the diagnosis of PE is that it firmly links PE to a negative outcome for the patient, which is an element common to diagnostic criteria for other conditions, including depression, hypertension, and osteoporosis.

Conclusions
This new evidence strongly suggests that the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PE encompass aspects of the condition that patients describe as important.