Trajectories of Breadth of Participation in Organized Activity During Childhood

This study aimed to identify the trajectories of breadth of participation in organized activities during childhood and to examine the predictors of membership in these trajectories (child's individual and family characteristics measured in Kindergarten). A sample of 1038 children, recruited in Kindergarten, was assessed yearly between Kindergarten and grade 4. Semiparametric group‐based modeling brought out four trajectories: the no participation group (13.5 percent), the increasing group (26.4 percent), the decreasing group (14.1 percent), and the high group (46.1 percent). Prosociality predicted membership in the no participation group, as compared with the increasing group. Social withdrawal predicted membership in the no participation group, as compared with the high group. High family income and higher maternal education predicted membership in the increasing, decreasing, and high trajectory groups, as compared with the no participation group. Higher paternal education predicted membership in the high group, as compared with the increasing group. Overall, family variables had a greater impact than individual variables on the probability that the child would participate in a broader range of organized activities.     

Quantitative Risk Assessment of Haemolytic and Uremic Syndrome Linked to O157:H7 and Non‐O157:H7 Shiga‐Toxin Producing Escherichia coli Strains in Raw Milk Soft Cheeses

Shiga‐toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains may cause human infections ranging from simple diarrhea to Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). The five main pathogenic serotypes of STEC (MPS‐STEC) identified thus far in Europe are O157:H7, O26:H11, O103:H2, O111:H8, and O145:H28. Because STEC strains can survive or grow during cheese making, particularly in soft cheeses, a stochastic quantitative microbial risk assessment model was developed to assess the risk of HUS associated with the five MPS‐STEC in raw milk soft cheeses. A baseline scenario represents a theoretical worst‐case scenario where no intervention was considered throughout the farm‐to‐fork continuum. The risk level assessed with this baseline scenario is the risk‐based level. The impact of seven preharvest scenarios (vaccines, probiotic, milk farm sorting) on the risk‐based level was expressed in terms of risk reduction. Impact of the preharvest intervention ranges from 76% to 98% of risk reduction with highest values predicted with scenarios combining a decrease of the number of cow shedding STEC and of the STEC concentration in feces. The impact of postharvest interventions on the risk‐based level was also tested by applying five microbiological criteria (MC) at the end of ripening. The five MCs differ in terms of sample size, the number of samples that may yield a value larger than the microbiological limit, and the analysis methods. The risk reduction predicted varies from 25% to 96% by applying MCs without preharvest interventions and from 1% to 96% with combination of pre‐ and postharvest interventions.     

Nonparametric testing for no covariate effects in conditional copulas

In dependence modelling using conditional copulas, one often imposes the working assumption that the covariate influences the conditional copula solely through the marginal distributions. This so-called (pairwise) simplifying assumption is almost standardly made in vine copula constructions. However, in recent literature evidence was provided that such an assumption might not be justified. Among the first issues is thus to test for its appropriateness. In this paper nonparametric tests for the null hypothesis of the simplifying assumption are proposed, and their asymptotic behaviours, under the null hypothesis and under some local alternatives, are established. The tests are fully nonparametric in nature: not requiring choices of copula families nor knowledge of the marginals. In a simulation study, the finite-sample size and power performances of the tests are investigated, and compared with these of the few available tests. A real data application illustrates the use of the tests.     

Historical trends in state support for families in Europe (post-1945)

This paper examines the trends in state support for families in Europe since 1945. Trends in family allowances, maternity leave, childcare facilities, and related programs are analyzed. Four main conclusions emerge. First, state support for families followed a different course than other components of the welfare states during the 1945–1997 period. State support for families increased only moderately during the 1950s–60s golden age of the welfare states, but has not experienced major decreases since the 1970s. Secondly, the analysis revealed considerable inter-country variations that cut across conventional welfare state or family policy typologies. Thirdly, the trends in state support for families have reduced the cost of children, but have not eliminated entirely the opportunity cost of childbearing. Large inter-country variations were also found in this respect. Finally, results provide no convincing evidence that the aging of the population in Europe is having a strong negative consequence on state support for families.     

Child welfare workers' practice in cases involving domestic violence

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory and qualitative study of child welfare workers' practice in cases involving domestic violence. The research aimed to focus on child welfare workers' interventions with families experiencing domestic violence, elements influencing the child welfare workers' decisions, and the factors facilitating and creating obstacles for intervention. An analysis of the qualitative data showed that child welfare workers have different ways of intervening in cases involving domestic violence. Also, the interventions were especially centred on women victims of violence and they were held responsible for protecting their children. Finally, the dilemmas and difficulties which child welfare workers face in these cases are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Access/Impact Problem and the Green and Gold Roads to Open Access: An Update

The research access/impact problem arises because journal articles are not accessible to all of their would-be users; hence, they are losing potential research impact. The solution is to make all articles open access (OA, i.e., accessible online, free for all). OA articles have significantly higher citation impact than non-OA articles. There are two roads to OA: the “golden” road (publish your article in an OA journal) and the “green” road (publish your article in a non-OA journal but also self-archive it in an OA archive). About 10% of journals are gold, but over 90% are already green (i.e., they have given their authors the green light to self-archive); yet only about 10–20% of articles have been self-archived. To reach 100% OA, self-archiving needs to be mandated by researchers’ employers and funders, as they are now increasingly beginning to do.     

Corporate Governance: Stakeholder Value Versus Shareholder Value

Unsatisfied with the dominatingshareholders' point of view, that appears to betoo limited to build a relevant theory ofcorporate governance, we propose an enlargeddefinition of the value which may be called,the stakeholder value. This definition and itsassociated measure are more suitable for thestakeholder approach to the firm and morerelevant to understand the value creation andsharing mechanisms.     

Strategic interaction sequences: the institutionalization of participatory budgeting in New York City

ABSTRACT

An interactive approach to social movements highlights time dynamics in ways more correlational approaches do not, in that interaction and outcomes unfold in sequences as players react to one another. Some aspects of these engagements are shaped by institutional schedules, while others leave discretion to the players. Some institutional schedules, meanwhile, may be reshaped by strategic interactions. By examining the implicit trade-offs and explicit dilemmas that pervade strategic interaction, we see how some are tightly linked to time whereas others more closely reflect ongoing structural situations. Analyzing the case of participatory budgeting in New York City, we focus on two trade-offs, ‘being there’ and ‘powerful allies’, that appear when social movements attempt to institutionalize new policies and processes. These time-based strategic trade-offs complicate activists’ efforts to secure lasting gains.