Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ssrn As An Initial Revolution In Academic Knowledge Aggregation And Dissemination, David Bray, Sascha Vitzthum, Benn Konsynski

Sascha Vitzthum

Within this paper we consider our results of using the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) over a period of 18 months to distribute our working papers to the research community. Our experiences have been quite positive, with SSRN serving as a platform both to inform our colleagues about our research as well as inform us about related research (through email and telephoned conversations of colleagues who discovered our paper on SSRN). We then discuss potential future directions for SSRN to consider, and how SSRN might well represent an initial revolution in 21st century academic knowledge aggregation and dissemination. Our paper …

Individuals' Use Of Care While Uninsured: Effects Of Time Since Episode Inception And Episode Length, Carole Gresenz, J. Rogowski, Jose Escarce

Carole Roan Gresenz

No abstract provided.

Towards Self-Organizing, Smart Business Networks: Let’S Create ‘Life’ From Inert Information, David Bray, Benn Konsynski

David A. Bray

We review three different theories that can inform how researchers can determine the performance of smart business networks, to include: (1) the Theory of Evolution, (2) the Knowledge-Based Theory of the Firm, and (3) research insights into computers and cognition. We suggest that each of these theories demonstrate that to be generally perceived as smart, an organism needs to be self-organizing, communicative, and tool-making. Consequentially, to determine the performance of a smart business network, we suggest that researchers need to determine the degree to which it is self-organizing, communicative, and tool-making. We then relate these findings to the Internet and …

Social Policy, Imperiled Communities, And Hiv/Aids Transmission In Prisons: A Call For Zero Tolerance, Louis F. Graham, Henrie Treadwell, Kisha Braithwaite

Louis F Graham

HIV/AIDS and African-American male imprisonment contribute to the destruction of African-American communities. African-American men and HIV/AIDS are disproportionately represented throughout all sectors of the criminal justice industry, including the juvenile justice system. The criminal justice system contributes to unacceptably high African-American male imprisonment rates and HIV prevalence directly via the ‘war on drugs’ and lax enforcement of institutional policy among other things, and indirectly through perpetuation of economic hardship which further exacerbates imprisonment rates, thus closing the loop of a vicious cycle of revolving prison doors and HIV contraction. This article briefly introduces surrounding socio-political issues that contextualizes the ensuing …

Fitness And Action Monitoring: Evidence For Improved Cognitive Flexibility In Young Adults, Jason R. Themanson, Matthew B. Pontifex, Charles H. Hillman

Jason R. Themanson, Ph.D

To improve behavior, one must detect errors and initiate subsequent corrective adaptations. This action monitoring process has been widely studied, but little is known about how one may improve this aspect of cognition. To examine the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and action monitoring, we recorded the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related brain potential believed to index action monitoring, as well as post-error behavioral indices of action monitoring from healthy young adults (18–25 years) who varied in cardiorespiratory fitness. These measures were collected during the execution of flanker tasks emphasizing response accuracy or speed to better assess the specificity of any …

Family Sources Of Educational Gender Inequality In Rural China: A Critical Assessment, Emily C. Hannum, Peggy A. Kong, Yuping Zhang

Emily C. Hannum

New Episodes And New Onsets Of Major Depression In Borderline And Other Personality Disorders, John G. Gunderson, Robert L. Stout, Charles A. Sanislow, M. Tracie Shea, Thomas H. Mcglashan, Mary C. Zanarini, Maria T. Daversa, Carlos M. Grilo, Shirley Yen, Andrew E. Skodol

Charles A. Sanislow, Ph.D.

Background: In the context of much literature and conjecture about the relationship of personality disorders (PD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), this paper uses longitudinal data to assess the frequency with which PD patients, and especially those with borderline personality disorder (BPD), have recurrences (for patients with lifetime histories), or new onsets (for patients without lifetime histories) of MDD. Methods: A sample of 478 PD patients received reliable repeated follow-up assessments over a period of 6 years. The rates of new onsets and recurrences of MDD in all PD patients, and in BPD patients compared to OPD patients were analyzed. …

Investigating Bimanual Coordination In Dominant And Non-Dominant Virtual Hands, Gavin Buckingham, David Carey

Gavin Buckingham

A bias in attention towards the dominant hand has been cited as a possible factor in the lateralisation of human bimanual coordination (Peters, 1981). A mirror was placed between the hands of 18 dextral participants performing rhythmic anti-phase movements. This set-up gave the appearance of a reflected virtual hand (moving in time with the un-occluded hand), in the same spatial location as the occluded left or right hand. This asymmetrical conflict between vision and action examined whether the left hand would show higher levels of error when replaced by a virtual right hand than the converse condition. Higher levels of …

Personality Traits And Mental Health Treatment Utilization, Christopher J. Hopwood, Brian D. Quigley, Carlos M. Grilo, Charles A. Sanislow, Thomas H. Mcglashan, Shirley Yen, M. Tracie Shea, Mary C. Zanarini, John G. Gunderson, Andrew E. Skodol, John C. Markowitz, Leslie C. Morey

Charles A. Sanislow, Ph.D.

Recent theory and research suggest a relation between five-factor model personality traits and mental health treatment utilization, even after controlling for psychiatric disorders and global functioning. The current report further tests this hypothesis in a large clinical sample, using a wider array of treatment modalities than has been previously studied. Overall, results were limited and inconsistent. Although neuroticism was related to utilization across treatment modalities, many of these relationships resulted from its association with psychiatric diagnoses. Other traits showed limited and inconsistent relations to the use of psychosocial and psychiatric treatments.

Reflections On Recycling, Pollution And History Or, How To Beat The High Cost Of Living, Richard B. Philp

Richard B. Philp

Lessons learned during the Great Depression and World War II may have to be relearned. The three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) were essential then to individual and national survival. A fourth R, repair, was practised as well. These lessons, if relearned, will stand us in good stead when dealing with the current economic climate as well as with problems of pollution and global warming.

Book Review 18 Make Room For Happiness By Steven Melemis, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my review of Make Room for Happiness: 12 Ways to Improve Your Life By Letting Go of Tension. Better Health, Self-Esteem and Relationships by Steven Melemis, published by Modern Therapies in 2008.

Self-Efficacy Effects On Neuroelectric And Behavioral Indices Of Action Monitoring In Older Adults, Jason R. Themanson, Charles H. Hillman, Edward Mcauley, Sarah M. Buck, Shawna E. Doerksen, Katherine S. Morris, Matthew B. Pontifex

Jason R. Themanson, Ph.D

The relationships between self-efficacy (SE), i.e., beliefs in personal capabilities, and behavioral and neuroelectric (i.e., ERN, Pe) indices of action monitoring were investigated in 40 older adults (13 male) during the completion of a flanker paradigm performed under task conditions emphasizing either accuracy or speed. SE relative to task performance during both conditions was assessed prior to each cognitive task. Results indicated that high-SE older adults exhibited larger ERN and Pe amplitudes compared to low-SE older adults under the accuracy instruction condition. Additionally, a moderating effect of SE on the relationship between ERN and post-error response accuracy was revealed in …

Book Review 12 Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps To Being Happy From The Inside Out By Marci Shimoff, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out by Marci Shimoff and published by Free Press in 2008.

Big Bobby Bonaduce: Still Searching For The Rink Of Dreams, Don Morrow

Donald Morrow

No abstract provided.

Survey Of Health Claims For Australian Foods Made On Internet Sites, H. Dragicevich, P. G. Williams, L. Ridges

Peter Williams

Aim: Australia and New Zealand are currently preparing a new food standard code, which will allow the use of health claims on food products and in associated advertising. The aim of this study was to obtain preliminary information about the current use of health claims on the Internet and the level of compliance of these claims with existing regulations. Methods: From August to October 2005 a survey was conducted of 1068 websites associated with the top 20 food processing companies in Australia, and an additional 683 websites for food products found to carry health claims in previous studies of product …

Nutritional Composition Of Red Meat, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

Lean red meats are: • An excellent source of high biological value protein, vitamin B12, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, zinc and phosphorus • A source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, selenium and possibly also vitamin D • Mostly low in fat and sodium • Sources of a range of endogenous antioxidants and other bioactive substances including taurine, carnitine, carnosine, ubiquinone, glutathione and creatine.

Food Fears: A National Survey On The Attitudes Of Australian Adults About The Safety And Quality Of Food, P. G. Williams, E. Stirling, N. Keynes

Peter Williams

A national telephone survey of a representative sample of 1200 Australian adults was conducted in March 2002 in order to identify the factors of greatest concern to consumers in relation to the safety and quality of food, to measure recent trends in views about hazards in the food supply, to explore beliefs about the safety of additives and to discover whether consumers use food labels to check for ingredients of concern. Forty five percent of Australians responded that they were more concerned about the safety and quality of food than they were five years previously, while only 5% were less …

Composition Of Australian Red Meat 2002. 2. Fatty Acid Profile, V. Droulez, P. G. Williams, G. Levy, T. Stobaus, A. Sinclair

Peter Williams

Australian retail samples of nine beef, six lamb, four veal and two mutton cuts were purchased from 10 retail outlets (butchers and supermarkets) in different socio-economic areas of Sydney and Melbourne. The lean and fat components were analysed for contents of total and individual fatty acids. The content of total fatty acids was less than 5g/100g edible meat in the lean component of all cuts analysed. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids comprised, on average, 40% and 42% respectively of total fatty acids in the lean component of red meat cuts. The saturated fatty acid content of the lean component of …

Serve Sizes Of Grain Based Foods In Australia, P. G. Williams, B. Gibson, N. Smith

Peter Williams

A survey was conducted of the recommended serve sizes used on the labelling of 807 grain based foods sold in Sydney stores in 2000. These values were compared with the serve sizes used in a variety of food selection guides, including the Australian Guide to Health Eating (AGHE). In most food categories there was a great deal of variation in the serve sizes recommended, sometimes up to 20 fold. The most consistent recommendations were for sliced breads, with most manufacturers recommending two slices as a serve, and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (one cup). The median values for cereal products were mostly …

Food Service Trends In New South Wales Hospitals, 1993-2001, R. Mibey, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

A survey of the food service departments in 93 hospitals throughout NSW Australia (covering 51% of hospital beds in the state) was conducted using a mailed questionnaire and the results compared with those from similar surveys conducted in 1986 and 1993. Over the past eight years there has been a significant increase in the proportion of hospitals using cook-chill food service production systems, from 18% in 1993 to 42% in 2001 (p<0.001). Hospitals with cook-chill systems had lower staff ratios than those with cook-fresh systems (8.3 vs 6.4 beds/full time equivalent staff; p<0.05), but there was no significant …

The Illawarra Healthy Food Price Index. 1. Development Of The Food Basket, P. G. Williams, M. Reid, K. Shaw

Peter Williams

Objective To define a basket of foods that could be used to monitor trends in the affordability of healthy food in the Illawarra region. Design A reference family of five was defined reflecting the population of the Illawarra region. A draft basket of foods was selected based on recommendations of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE), and using information on typical eating patterns from the 1995 National Nutrition Survey and data from local supermarket sales. Products were chosen to conform where possible to the National Heart Foundation guidelines for acceptability in the Pick the Tick food approval program. Seven …

Nutrient Function, Health And Related Claims On Packaged Australian Food Products - Prevalence And Compliance With Regulations, P. G. Williams, H. Yeatman, Leisa Ridges, A. Houston, J. Rafferty, A. Roesler, M. Sobierajski, B. Spratt

Peter Williams

Australia and New Zealand are currently reviewing the regulations governing nutrition function, health and related claims on foods. Health claims currently are not permitted on food labels, with one exception. The aim of this study was to describe the use of such claims on packaged food for sale in Australia (excluding nutrient content claims) prior to any changes to the regulations, and measure compliance with existing regulations. A survey was conducted of the labelling of 7850 products (including multiple pack sizes of individual foods) in 47 different food categories on sale in New South Wales in 2003. A total of …

Overweight Consumers' Salient Beliefs On Omega-3-Enriched Functional Foods In Australia's Illawarra Region, C. Patch, Linda C. Tapsell, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

Objective: To determine consumer salient beliefs toward functional foods enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Design: Focus group interviews with adult consumers using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework. Setting: Community-based residents living in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Participants: Forty-two overweight participants (29 female; 13 male) aged 30-80y recruited by advertisement and attending one of six focus groups which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis: Content analysis was carried out and sub-categories were developed to capture the emerging themes according to the TPB model. Results: Most participants were aware of a range of …

The Illawarra Healthy Food Price Index. 2. Pricing Methods And Index Trends From 2000-2003, P. G. Williams, Y. James, J. Kwan

Peter Williams

Objective To develop a method to monitor trends in the cost of the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket (IHFB) and report trends from 2000 to 2003. Design Detailed instructions for the method of pricing the IHFB were developed and tested. The price of the IHFB was collected each year in September at a major supermarket, green grocer and butcher in five Illawarra suburbs, representing a range of socio-economic locations. Data on welfare payments available to the reference family, assuming all members were unemployed, were collected from staff of Centrelink. Main outcome measures The average weekly cost of the IHFB, the Illawarra …

Sugar: Is There A Need For A Dietary Guideline?, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

There have been dietary guidelines in Australia since 1979 and all editions have included recommendations about sugar. This paper reviews changing recommendations in Australia, current levels of conumption, recent studies on the potential effects of nutrient dilution and dental caries, and discusses potential risks associated with a dietary guideline.

Consumer Reactions To Different Health Claim Formats On Food Labels, L. Singer, P. G. Williams, Leisa Ridges, S. Murray, Anne Mcmahon

Peter Williams

Health claims on foods act as health messages and have a role in communicating and educating the consumer about diet-disease related issues. Previous studies have suggested that different formats of health claims communicate differently with the consumer. The aim of our study was to investigate whether splitting of the claim (a brief claim at the front package directing consumers to the back of the package where the full health claim is located) and/or endorsement of the claim (by Food Standards Australia New Zealand), have an impact on the acceptance of the claim by the consumer. Participants were recruited by a …

Composition Of Australian Red Meat 2002. 1. Gross Composition, P. G. Williams, V. Droulez, G. Levy, T. Stobaus

Peter Williams

This study aimed to update data on the gross composition Australian red meat to reflect changes in butchering practices since the 1980s and 1990s when the current values were derived. Australian retail samples of fifteen beef, eleven lamb, four veal and two mutton cuts were purchased from 10 retail outlets (butchers and supermarkets) in different socio-economic areas of Sydney and Melbourne. For both raw and cooked samples, mean external fat width (mm) was measured and the average percentage of separable internal, external and total fat, lean and waste was determined by dissection of each cut. For raw beef, total separable …

Breakfast And The Diets Of Australian Adults: An Analysis Of Data From The 1995 National Nutrition Survey, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

The aim of this study was to describe the nutrients provided to Australian adults by the breakfast meal and compare the food and nutrient intakes and health of regular breakfast eaters and skippers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics was commissioned to undertake additional analysis of data collected in the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS). The survey included 24 hour recalls, physical measurements and a food habits questionnaire collected during the period February 1995 to March 1996, with a nationally representative sample of 10851 Australians aged nineteen years and older. The median nutrient intakes at breakfast and the proportion of …

Trend To Better Nutrition On Australian Hospital Menus 1986-2001 And The Impact Of Cook-Chill Food Service Systems, A. Mcclelland, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

Objective To assess trends in the nutritional quality of hospital menus and examine differences between menus used in hospitals with cook-chill or cook-fresh food services. Design Standard patient menus were analysed against 28 criteria to assess nutritional standards and compared to results from similar studies in 1986 and 1993. Setting Menus were collected from 80 hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, including 36 using cook-chill food service systems. Statistical Analysis Chi-squared analysis was used to assess differences between the proportions of hospitals meeting the criteria in 2001 and 1993 and between different types of hospitals. Results In 2001 compared to …

Attitudes And Intentions Toward Purchasing Novel Foods Enriched With Omega-3 Fatty Acids, C. Patch, P. G. Williams, Linda C. Tapsell

Peter Williams

Objective: To identify the nature, strength and relative importance of influences on intentions to consume foods that are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Design: A cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire. Setting: Community based residents living in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Subjects: Two sub-samples were surveyed via questionnaire: Community members who responded to a local media advertisement (n=79), and subjects in a dietary intervention trial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=50). Variables Measures: Using the TPB variables – intention, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control - questionnaire items were constructed to …