Elder participation in cyberspace: A qualitative analysis of Israeli retirees

As computer networking becomes increasingly important, it is crucial to examine how this technology is used by the older generation. The present inquiry considers the nature and meaning of elder participation in cyberspace and the degree to which computer-mediated communication increases the social capital of older adults. The study compares 10 elder computer participants and 10 nonparticipants by means of open-ended interviews. Three primary themes emerged from the interviews. The first concerns the different conceptions of old age held by the cyber-participants and the nonparticipants, and in particular, differing views on learning capacity in later life. The second is related to the varying conceptions of time in old age, and orientation to the past or to the future. The third theme relates to the way in which the elderly persons involved in the virtual world relate to their computer, attributing human qualities to this new addition to their social network.     

Psychotherapeutic approaches to the cancer patient

Three basic therapeutic approaches applicable to the majority of cancer patients are outlined and illustrated with case vignettes. They are: (1) Initial catharsis and validation of feelings, (2) Restoring communication impaired by denial, and (3) Understanding the psychological meaning of the illness. Using this framework, the therapist's professional skills may be organized toward specific interventions, thereby stabilizing the associated ego functions against the regression often induced by the anxieties mobilized by working with seriously ill patients.     

Demographic Behaviour in Europe: Some Results from FFS Country Reports and Suggestions for Further Research

As part of its FFS project the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations in Geneva has launched an international comparative research programme to come to a better understanding of the changes in reproductive behaviour and family formation in the ECE region. This paper provides a basis for the identification of specific research topics. The paper starts by looking at the main trends that can be observed from registration data. It is obvious that Europe is far from homogeneous with respect to demographic behaviour. There are, for example, remarkable contrasts in the patterns of marriage and divorce. The paper shows that some more insight about the level and trends can be derived from results of the FFS Standard Country Reports. It is also argued that the FFS biographies would best be used in conjunction with contextual data to predict future demographic developments.     

Structure Prediction and Computation of Sparse Matrix Products

We consider1 the problem of predicting the nonzero structure of a product of two or more matrices. Prior knowledge of the nonzero structure can be applied to optimize memory allocation and to determine the optimal multiplication order for a chain product of sparse matrices. We adapt a recent algorithm by the author and show that the essence of the nonzero structure and hence, a near-optimal order of multiplications, can be determined in near-linear time in the number of nonzero entries, which is much smaller than the time required for the multiplications. An experimental evaluation of the algorithm demonstrates that it is practical for matrices of order 103 with 104 nonzeros (or larger). A relatively small pre-computation results in a large time saved in the computation-intensive multiplication.     

Internationalization from Central and Eastern Europe: A systematic literature review

Economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has led to a dramatic increase in CEE firms' participation in international markets. This applies to different types of firms – from large emerging market multinationals to small international new ventures. In this paper, we systematically review the research on CEE outward internationalization, which we define as internationalization of CEE-based firms in the form of exporting or FDI, and contribute to literature by providing a complete picture of the state of the art and outlining potential avenues for future research. We find that while the CEE region has been described as a fruitful ground for developing new and testing existing theories, it heavily loads on the latter. We suggest that greater reliance on theories and concepts from the field of entrepreneurship and a stronger focus on internationalization decision processes might further enrich our understanding of internationalization from CEE.     

Burnout and Mental Health in Swiss Vocational Students: The Moderating Role of Physical Activity

Few studies have focused on burnout among vocational students. This study examined the association between burnout and mental health among 56 Swiss vocational students (29 males, 27 females, M = 18.1, SD = 1.2 years) and tested whether recommended levels of moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) attenuate this relationship. Burnout was strongly associated with increased depressive symptoms and decreased levels of life satisfaction, mental toughness, and quality of sleep. Students above recommended levels of MVPA reported lower burnout and higher mental health. No significant moderator effects were observed. Symptoms of burnout were associated with increased mental health problems. Physical activity should be promoted to prevent burnout, because nearly half of the students did not meet MVPA recommendations.