Adolescents' beliefs about marijuana use: a comparison of regular users, past users and never/occasional users

A questionnaire investigating adolescents' opinions and experiences regarding marijuana use was administered to 163 adolescents and young adults (96 boys and 67 girls) aged 13 to 20 (mean age = 16.8, s.d. = 1.5). Items referred to marijuana and other substances' dangerousness, representations regarding the positive and negative consequences of marijuana use. Responses were compared according to marijuana use status (classified into never/occasional use, current regular use and past regular use). Results show that adolescents' opinions differ according to their experience with marijuana use. Current regular users evaluate marijuana as less dangerous, but alcohol and heroin as more dangerous in comparison with never/occasional and past users. Current and past users are more likely to define marijuana as a medical drug and a plant used in agriculture, and less likely to define it as an illegal drug. Current and past users evaluate marijuana use as a way to cope with stress, to relax to a greater extent than do never/occasional users do. The latter attribute more negative consequences to marijuana use such as diminished driving ability and school performance and a pathway to hard drugs.     

The labour supply of married and cohabiting women in the Netherlands, 1981–1989

The analysis of labour supply involves two issues: whether individuals participate in the labour market and, if they do, for how many hours. In this article we investigate the differences in labour supply of married women and cohabiting women in the Netherlands; we try to answer the question how these differences can be explained. From this study, it can be concluded that differences between both categories of women in participation and in weekly hours worked can predominantly be explained by differences in characteristics (e.g. age, net wage rate, and age of children), than by differences in behaviour. The empirical results indicate that cohabiting women are more economically independent than married women. However for married women we found evidence that there was increased economic independence during the eighties; i.e. their weekly hours work has become less affected by the income of their partners.     

An ALARA Approach to the Radiological Control of Foodstuffs Following an Accidental Release

This article presents a methodology based on two complementary approaches, thus allowing a selection of maximal concentration in foodstuffs for determining appropriate countermeasures. The first approach is based on a minimal and maximal per capita intervention level and takes into account the annual intake of each product. The second one is based on a cost-benefit analysis, comparing the advantages of a countermeasure concerning those products presenting a contamination higher than a given maximal concentration (in terms of reduction of cost of the detriment associated with the risk), with its drawbacks (in terms of cost of the products) in order to select the "ALARA" maximal concentration. This second approach is used as a complement to the first one. The results obtained through these two approaches are given for four products (milk, meat, fresh vegetables, and corn) and two nuclides (Cs-137 and I-131). These are presented for various scenarios: one or various products contaminated by one or various radionuclides. It is concluded that these two approaches are complementary, the first one being related to individual risk and the second to collective risk. Therefore, these approaches are both of interest in the context of the elaboration of modalities for the radiological control of foodstuffs following an accidental release and both methods may be useful for determining appropriate countermeasures.     

Parents' Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding Gambling Among Youths

This study evaluates attitudes and knowledge of parents regarding gambling behaviors among youths, aged 5 to 17 years. Telephone interviews were conducted among 279 randomly selected parents (32% fathers and 68% mothers) in the Quebec City region. Results indicate that parents overestimate the age of children's first wagers and underestimate the probability that their own child has already gambled. Most parents (86%) believe that the availability of gambling for youths should be reduced and that schools should include prevention programs concerning problem gambling. Results also show that parents fail to associate excessive gambling with poor grades or with alcohol and drug use. Finally, 84% of the parents reported that they would accept buying lottery tickets for their child. These results suggest that prevention programs for excessive gambling among children should include information for parents.     

International Firm Strategies: Is Cultural Distance a Main Determinant?

According to prior literature, risk determines the international strategies firms adopt, together with cultural and geographical distance. However, the effect of distance, whether cultural or geographical, remains insufficiently tested and seemingly contradictory. To investigate the potential determinants of international firm strategies, this study draws a sample of 759 Japanese subsidiaries worldwide. Statistical analyses confirm the ambiguous effect of distance (cultural and geographical) on internationalization strategies, especially compared with the effect of risk.     

The Effect of the Supply of Subsidized Day-care Facilities on Female Labour Supply

ABSTRACT: In this article the hypothesis that a higher level of subsidized day-care facilities leads to an increase in female labour supply is tested for the Netherlands on the basis of two surveys. The results show that (allowing for the women's wage rate, her non-labour income, her age, and the presence of children) labour supply is higher when subsidized day-care supply is higher. However, after including variables that reflect social norms the effect of day-care supply on female labour supply, though still positive and significant, becomes much weaker.     

Solution of problem 5/SP08: a birth–death process with polynomial transitions Proposed by Randall J. Swift, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA

Problem Section

Solution of problem 5/SP08: a birth–death process with polynomial transitions Proposed by Randall J. Swift, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA     

Engaged or Connected? A Perspective of the Motivational Pathway of the Job Demands-Resources Model in Volunteers Working for Nonprofit Organizations

There is a paucity of research on volunteers compared with paid workers. The aim of this study is to examine the mediating roles of work engagement and connectedness simultaneously in the motivational pathway of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. Survey data were collected from 471 volunteer participants and analysed using structural equation modelling methods. Contrary to expectation, the findings did not show that engagement mediates the relationship between job resources and volunteer satisfaction (1), between job resources and determination to continue (2), and between job resources and health (3). The findings, did however, show that connectedness mediates the relationship between job resources and volunteer satisfaction (4), between job resources and determination to continue (5), and between job resources and health (6). These findings add support to the motivational pathway of the JD-R theory to understand volunteer wellbeing and retention in health care organizations, but suggest that the theory may be expanded to include connectedness as a mediator.     

解构与全球化

解构不是一种主义 ,它是多重的。解构是面向世界或地球的思考 ,因而一开始就是一个世界性的事物 ,而且总是与某种语言联系在一起的 ,它的目的不是摧毁某种模式 ,而是对全球化进程中的 ,不同文化间争论的问题进行思考。主权问题是全球化市场关系中的一个大问题 ,既要在自由市场的经济竞争中谨慎地审视和解构对神学政治学意义上的主权意识的依恋 ,同时又要根据环境、发展阶段和独特的形势来支持它。当处于这种矛盾和冲突中时 ,人们必须作出决定 ,承担责任