Multiple Choice Knapsack Problem: Example of planning choice in transportation

Transportation programming, a process of selecting projects for funding given budget and other constraints, is becoming more complex as a result of new federal laws, local planning regulations, and increased public involvement. This article describes the use of an integer programming tool, Multiple Choice Knapsack Problem (MCKP), to provide optimal solutions to transportation programming problems in cases where alternative versions of projects are under consideration. In this paper, optimization methods for use in the transportation programming process are compared and then the process of building and solving the optimization problems is discussed. The concepts about the use of MCKP are presented and a real-world transportation programming example at various budget levels is provided. This article illustrates how the use of MCKP addresses the modern complexities and provides timely solutions in transportation programming practice. While the article uses transportation programming as a case study, MCKP can be useful in other fields where a similar decision among a subset of the alternatives is required.     

Gender Similarities and Differences in Sexual Arousal,Desire, and Orgasmic Pleasure in the Laboratory

Relatively little is known about gender differences in the orgasm experience. The objectives of this study were to compare men's and women's patterns of sexual arousal and desire before and after orgasm, and the predictors of their orgasmic pleasure. Using their typical technique, where masturbation enjoyment was similar to that experienced at home, 38 men and 38 women masturbated to orgasm in the laboratory. Physiological sexual arousal (genital temperature) and subjective sexual arousal and desire measurements were taken at baseline, after masturbation almost to orgasm, and immediately and 15 minutes after orgasm. In both genders, all measures increased significantly during masturbation, with a greater buildup leading to a more pleasurable orgasm. After orgasm, however, sexual arousal and desire decreased more quickly and consistently in men than in women, thereby replicating Masters and Johnson's (1966 Masters , W. H. , &; Johnson , V. E. ( 1966 ). Human sexual response . Boston , MA : Little, Brown . [Google Scholar]) observations. More men than women exhibited resolution of subjective sexual arousal and sexual satiation; their genital temperature also decreased more than women's but did not return to baseline. Women's orgasmic pleasure was related to a postorgasmic decrease in genital temperature but, unexpectedly, the maintenance of subjective sexual arousal and desire. Future studies should explore whether this pattern explains gender differences in the pursuit of additional orgasms.     

Flawed Policy,Failed Politics? Challenging the Sexual Politics of Managing Diversity in Engineering Organizations

In Australia, as in most other developed countries, women constitute less than 10 per cent of engineers and they are leaving the profession faster than men. Engineering organizations have taken up managing diversity as a key policy to improve the recruitment and retention rates of women engineers. This article contributes to the developing literature of critical approaches to diversity by drawing on data from three large engineering companies to argue that this policy fails to challenge the prevailing sexual politics in engineering. We propose the concept of ‘sexual politics’ in order to stress that gender is relational, contested and always political. In failing to engage with the sexual politics in engineering organizations, managing diversity obscures the systematic nature of women's disadvantage and men's advantage in the workplace. Only when these politics are recognized, confronted and transformed will engineering careers be more equitable.     

Organising Work and Home in Same‐Sex Parented Families: Findings From the Work Love Play Study

In this article we present findings from the Work, Love and Play (WLP) study: a survey completed by 445 same‐sex attracted parents across Australia and New Zealand. Comparisons of household division of labour are made between a sub‐sample of WLP participants, who were currently cohabiting with a same‐sex partner (n = 317), and 958 cohabiting opposite‐sex parents surveyed as part of a major Australian study, Negotiating the Life Course. This comparison showed that same‐sex couples divided household labour significantly more equally than heterosexual parents, and lesbian couples also shared parenting tasks more equally. Qualitative findings from the WLP study indicate that, for many same‐sex couples, major decisions around who gives up paid work and how many hours parents choose to work, as well as decisions around work/family balance, are negotiated on the basis of couple's preferences and circumstance rather than an assumption that one parent will be the primary child carer. It is speculated that this finding highlights an important point of difference between same‐sex couples and heterosexual couples where the division of household labour is often based on the assumption that the mother will almost always be the primary child carer and homemaker. The research is a collaborative partnership between La Trobe University, Deakin University, The University of Melbourne, and Relationships Australia Victoria.     

Effects and Durability of an SBIRT Training Curriculum for First-Year MSW Students

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based process for identification, prevention, and treatment of alcohol misuse. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an alcohol-focused training on first-year MSW students’ (n = 71) knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about SBIRT. Changes in item means were assessed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (critical α = .002). Data indicated a significant and strong main effect for training; perceived competence improved immediately and remained significantly higher 30 days posttraining. Other improvements included knowing what questions to ask patients, ease making alcohol-related statements, and believing that it is rewarding to work with at-risk patients.     

Neisseria-avoiding the jump to conclusions

Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in a prepubertal child is virtually diagnostic of sexual abuse, provided perinatal infection has been excluded. Therefore, it is imperative that Neisseria gonorrhoeae be correctly identified. We present two cases of false positive Neisseria gonorrhoeae meningitis encountered at two different children's hospitals. Both cases were evaluated by the child protection teams prior to establishing the correct diagnosis.     

Post‐secondary transitions of youth emancipated from foster care

This study investigated the extent to which KnowHow2Go (KH2Go), a national college access campaign developed for first‐generation students in the USA, would resonate with youth who had aged out of foster care. Interviews were conducted with 27 youth who were enrolled in a post‐secondary programme following emancipation from foster care. We found KH2Go to have a close fit with the experiences of youth who had been in foster care. Four topics emerged as particularly important for youth in our study: money management, work, parenting and transportation. Finally, the study identified attributes these youth demonstrated that contributed to their resilience during the transition process. This study and the data presented pertain to youth living in the south‐eastern USA.     

Work and Health: A Study of the Occupational and Domestic Roles of Women Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses in Ontario,Canada

Links between work and health are explored in this study of a proportional random sample of 1190 women Registered Nurses (RNs) and 643 women Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) in the province of Ontario, Canada. First, features of the paid and unpaid work of the RNs and RPNs are outlined. The professional status of RNs is reflected in their greater control, responsibility, accountability and tensions embedded in their relationships with physicians. In contrast, RPNs are frontline workers with fewer career opportunities, less control in their work and lower pay. There are also common elements in their nursing work: heavy workloads, exposure to hazards, and the stress of dealing with death and dying and with violent patients. The main difference with respect to the domestic sphere is the substantially higher mean household income of RNs. Multivariate analysis is then used to explore the combined effects of paid and unpaid work on nurses' health. Exposure to hazards in nursing, time pressures with respect to home responsibilities and overall stress in life were associated with increased health problems. There is also evidence that workload issues are linked with poorer health. Social support in the form of a confiding relationship with a friend is associated with better health. One of the main differences between RNs and RPNs in the variables associated with health is in relation to children; contrary to our expectations, having one to four children is linked with better health for RNs. It is suggested that the higher household incomes of RNs may alter the nature of their home responsibilities and the interaction between the two spheres of work may differ. In conclusion, the findings are set in the context of restructuring in the healthcare sector.     

Union membership and perceived powerlessness in southern US textiles*

Using Marxist, mass society, organizational, and social movements literatures, we distinguish alternative accounts of the relationship between union membership and perceived powerlessness. Then, we illustrate the distinctions with survey data on southern US textile workers. Logistic and ordinary least squares regression analyses suggest two interpretations for this group of workers: union membership influences perceived powerlessness by providing members a responsive organization that contrasts with their lack of control in the workplace; and perceived powerlessness, when combined with endorsement of collective strategies for change, encourages union membership. In the southern textile case, we find that race is associated with specific ideological leanings regarding collective strategies. The location of our sample, its particular position in the political economy of the US, and the relative immaturity of its union allow for instructive comparisons with other sociological treatments of work attitudes and collective action.     

Counseling to Promote Retirement Adjustment

Older adults, who represent an increasing proportion of the population, face a major challenge in the adjustment to retirement. Nearly one third of older adults experience difficulty in making this adjustment (Atchley, 1975). Atehley's (1975) theory of adjustment to retirement and relevant empirical data are examined. It is argued that reactions to retirement are diverse and multifaceted. Specific counseling interventions and barriers to counseling older adults are suggested.