Correlates of African American female adolescent offenders 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “Ecstasy”) use and sexually transmitted infection morbidity

Abstract

The current study was designed to determine the extent to which self-reported ecstasy use in a population of juvenile adolescent detainees in a southern state is associated with high-risk health behaviors pertaining to sexually transmitted infection (STI) symptomology and past history of STI occurrence. Participants were 764 African American females extracted from an overall sample of 2,260 juvenile offenders housed at selected Youth Development Campuses in the state of Georgia. Significance tests were conducted using univariate logistic regressions to examine the independent associations of participant’s self-reported ecstasy use and dichotomized HIV risk behavior correlates and history of having a prior STI before the most recent incarceration Participants who reported ecstasy use prior to incarceration were 1.7 (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 0.78–3.64) and 1.8 times (OR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.24–2.81) more likely respectively to indicate having had genital warts or chlamydia, and were more than 1.5 times (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 0.83–5.44) and two times more likely to report having had gonorrhea or herpes, accordingly. Prevention programs for adolescent offender populations should develop interventions that target adolescents’ substance use behavior as a function of STI risk taking as well as being culturally competent to deal specifically with these problem behaviors.     

论我国《消费者权益保护法》的修改与完善——以《消费者权益保护法修正案（草案）》的得与失为视角

我国《消费者权益保护法》长期以来没有修改,其缺陷日渐明显,已无法满足现实需要。《消费者权益保护法修正案(草案)》确有进步之处,在一定程度上充实了消费者权利和经营者义务,强化了行政机关、消费者协会的职责和作用,但也还存在着有待商榷的问题和改进完善的空间。应当充分把握好此次修法机遇,秉持以人为本的立法理念,遵循向消费者适度倾斜的立法精神,进一步细化规定,进一步增强《消费者权益保护法》的针对性和可操作性。     

基于SEM的电力企业人本安全管理效能研究

从人本安全管理视角出发, 通过压力的桥梁效应作用于安全效能的假设, 进一步研究人本安全管理对电力企业安全管理效能提升的作用。采用结构方程模型(SEM), 对北京、云南、江苏、河北等地的8家电力企业生产一线的操作员工与基层管理者进行问卷调查采集的数据进行关联分析, 研究电力企业管理中的安全制度、培训教育、沟通机制、心理疏导等因素对安全效能的影响。实证分析表明:操作压力、安全管理压力与压力认知在人本安全管理与安全效能之间起到了桥梁作用, 其中心理疏导因子影响水平最为显著。研究结果表明, 电力企业组织坚持开展人本安全管理的相关措施有助于提升安全效能。建议从改善工作氛围、提升员工压力防控能力、优化企业制度等方面采取措施进一步提升安全效能。     

A Rose by Any Other Name? Lump-Sum Diversion or Traditional Welfare Grant?

Summary

Critics of diversion grants, lump-sum payments designed to alleviate short-term emergencies and prevent the need for ongoing Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) receipt, claim that recipients use monetary amounts similar to traditional welfare recipients. This paper examines the total cash grants for two cohorts of TANF applicants: those whose applications resulted in a TANF grant and those who received a diversion grant. Multivariate regression models show that diversion leads to a reduction of $1,841.44 in cash benefit receipt during the three-year tracking period (p < 0.001). Findings suggest that diversion payments are not TANF under another name.     

The effect of a “safer sex” film as mediated by erotophobia and gender on attitudes toward condoms

This experiment tested the hypothesis that viewing an erotic demonstration of condom placement would affect a positive change in attitudes toward condoms and willingness to use them. It was expected that the effect would be mediated by erotophobia and gender. Subjects were classified as erotophobic or erotophilic and viewed a film that demonstrated either sex with condom use, sex without condom‐use, condom information without sex, or neutral subject material. Subjects were pre‐and post‐tested on the Attitude Toward Condoms Scale (Brown, 1984) and on willingness to use condoms. The results showed that those who viewed sex with condom‐use demonstrated a change in attitudes, regardless of gender or erotophobia classification. The discussion includes suggestions for increasing willingness to use condoms in men and the application of erotophobia to contraceptive attitudes and behavior.     

Testing Cross-National Conflict Shifting theory: An analysis of Chiquita Brands’ transnational crisis in Colombia

This study uses the Cross-National Conflict Shifting theory to analyze Chiquita Brands’ transnational crisis originated in Colombia with consequences in the United States. The research includes a content analysis and a case study conducted by U.S. and Colombian scholars. This research contributes to the global public relations’ body of knowledge by supporting 9 out of the 10 CNCS theoretical propositions, and further supporting the theory with 3 research questions and 8 hypotheses (2 partially supported, 6 supported).     

Age Concerns

Summary

Age Concerns is a proprietary care management firm serving the elderly. Established in 1982, the firm has prospered by employing an integrated model of care whereby the caregivers are employees of Age Concerns. In addition, the firm's ability to keep the elderly at home, out of institutional care, has resonated with consumers. Various features of Age Concernsorganizational format, characteristics of consumers, and economic considerationsare described. In 2001, Age Concerns was acquired by the Senior Care Action Network, a social health maintenance organization. In an increasingly commercial environment in which the elderly are a burgeoning market, Age Concerns may be a prototype of future elder-care service delivery.     

Particular polyglots: multilingual students with autism

Many American children with autism live in multilingual environments. Yet an almost diametric contrast exists between the advice of practitioners and the recommendations found in scholarly literature. Whereas practitioners almost unanimously counsel that children on the autism spectrum be exposed to English alone, an increasing number of scholars have argued the potential benefits for these children of learning their parents’ native language as well. This paper argues that, in fact, language recommendations for children on the spectrum should fall somewhere between these two poles and be tailored to individual children and their families.