Scheduling Updates of Probabilistic Risk Assessments: The Arkansas Nuclear One-Unit 1 Experience

This paper presents the results of a study that identified how often a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)should be updated to accommodate the changes that take place at nuclear power plants. Based on a 7-year analysis of design and procedural changes at one plant, we consider 5 years to be the maximum interval for updating PRAs. This conclusion is preliminary because it is based on the review of changes that occurred at a single plant, and it addresses only PRAs that involve a Level 1 analysis (i.e., a PRA including calculation of core damage frequency only). Nevertheless, this conclusion indicates that maintaining a useful PRA requires periodic updating efforts. However, the need for this periodic update stems only partly from the number of changes that can be expected to take place at nuclear power plants–changes that individually have only a moderate to minor impact on the PRA, but whose combined impact is substantial and necessitates a PRA update. Additionally, a comparison of two generations of PRAs performed about 5 years apart indicates that PRAs must be periodically updated to reflect the evolution of PRA methods. The most desirable updating interval depends on these two technical considerations as well as the cost of updating the PRA. (Cost considerations, however, were beyond the scope of this study.)     

Toward a formal theory of interactive resocialization: The case of adoptive parenthood

Resocialization is pulled out of its structuralist roots and recast into an interactionist framework. Building on a substantive theory of the resocialization experience of becoming an adoptive parent, three theoretical properties of interactionist resocialization are presented. These can be summarized as involving unlearning and relearning some aspects of a core identity; the interpretation and active reconstruction of that identity which has reciprocal effects on all actors involved; and finally, the effects of both situational and trans-situational norms that give shape to the resocialization experience. Suggestions are made for other substantive areas of research that could be used for comparative analysis in order to further refine a formal theory of interactionist resocialization.     

The Approved Social Worker -- Reflections on Origins

Correspondence to Pauline M. Prior, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of York, Heslington, York YO1 5DD. Summary The aim of this paper is to examine the role of social workersunder current mental health law, in order to see if the adventof the Approved Social Worker (ASW) represents any more thanthe re-appearance of old concepts in a new guise. It is arguedthat it is impossible for the ASW to be anything more than anupdated version of the Relieving Officer of the last century,in view of the fact that the Mental Health Act 1983 does notprovide a clear mandate for an effective professional advocateon behalf of mentally ill people.     

Robustness of testing the equality of two slopes in simple linear structural relationships

The usual test of the equality of two slopes in a simple structural relation-ship is the test formed from the normal approximation using the Fisher information matrix, assuming two explanatory variables are independent. This paper examines the robustness if the explanatory variables are, in fact, dependent. A more efficient estimator is derived for a matched pair situation.     

Comparison of three estimators of the number of species

We consider estimation of the number of cells in a multinomial distribution. This is one version of the species problem: there are many applications, such as the estimation of the number of unobserved species of animals; estimation of vocabulary size, etc. We describe the results of a simulation comparison of three principal frequent-ist' procedures for estimating the number of cells (or species). The first procedure postulates a functional form for the cell probabilities; the second procedure approxi mates the distribution of the probabilities by a parametric probability density function; and the third procedure is based on an estimate of the sample coverage, i.e. the sum of the probabilities of the observed cells. Among the procedures studied, we find that the third (non-parametric) method is globally preferable; the second (functional parametric) method cannot be recommended; and that, when based on the inverse Gaussian density, the first method is competitive in some cases with the third method. We also discuss Sichel's recent generalized inverse Gaussian-based procedure which, with some refine ment, promises to perform at least as well as the non-parametric method in all cases.     

Female Victim Perceptions of the Causes of Male Spouse Abuse*

Victims of spouse abuse were interviewed concerning their views of why their husbands were abusive. It was hypothesized that by concentrating on one specific characteristic of this kind previously undocumented patterns of response would be elicited from the subjects. It was concluded that the women's reasons for the violence perpetrated by their spouses serve as justification for the abusers’actions and legitimize maintenance of the relationship.     

Benefits of preventive dentistry in children: Cost factors and public policy

Dental caries in children is now recognized as a preventable disease. The use of fluoride and sealants has produced a major reduction in caries prevalence among school aged children in the United States and other countries. A portion of the child population who are educationally and socioeconomically disadvantaged are not fully receiving these benefits. Public policy, insurance and medicaid groups must be made aware of these preventative measures and strategies developed to implement them.     

The Effects of ROTC Program Participation on Socioeconomic Status and Life Satisfaction*

Using mail survey data based on a stratified systematic sample [N = 686] of 1983–1988 graduates of a medium-sized state university, this research evaluates whether ROTC program participation constitutes an independent source of human capital in civilian labor markets by comparing postgraduate earnings (annual income), prestige and authority, and life satisfaction of ROTC program participants with those of nonparticipants. The results revealed no statistically significant ROTC program participation effects, independent of subsequent military status. ROTC program participation paid off in terms of occupational prestige and authority for those on active duty, but not for those in national guard or reserve units. Neither ROTC participation nor current military status affected income or life satisfaction levels.     

A solution of the externality problem using strategic matching

This paper develops a Coase-like solution of the problem of inducing Pareto optimal behavior in the presence of reciprocal externalities. In place of Coasean direct compensation between the parties to an externality problem, actors strategically match each other's externality-producing activity, and thus induce counterparts to internalize the external benefits or costs of their actions. The analysis suggests a general framework for analyzing social interactions in the presence of reciprocal externalities. As an application of the theory, a solution of the duopoly problem is noted.We are indebted to L. Danziger, D. Samet, participants in faculty seminars at Bar-Ilan and New York Universities and at the University of Maryland, and two anonymous referees for helpful comments and discussions. All remaining errors are our own.     

HIV-infected woman. Illness cognition assessment.

1. Special attention is particularly important in addressing the mental health needs of HIV-infected women. These needs may involve issues such as concerns about present or future pregnancy; child-rearing, often as single parents; poverty, illicit drug use or addiction; and the potential lack of support services. 2. Diagnosis of HIV infection in women may be overlooked, as the clinical signs that routinely trigger the suspicion of HIV illness in men are often interpreted to reflect depression or psychological factors, such as stress or overwork, rather than raise the suspicion of HIV infection in women. 3. Understanding a woman's illness cognition is an important component of designing strategies that can enhance coping. The picture a woman generates regarding her illness is a composite of her experiences and responses, and determines to a large extent what she will do in response to her illness.