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This article presents developments in the field of economics and sociology, as of July 1, 1952. The book "Handbook of Statistical Methods for Demographers," by A.J. Jaffe, presents a selection and condensation of the lectures, exercises and readings given by the author in a course on statistics for specialists in population statistics. The book "Practical Financial Statement Analysis," by Roy A. Foulke, describes the technique of sales analysis on .a basis that is applicable to small businesses, that of comparative and internal analysis of balance sheets and profit-and-loss statements of commercial and industrial enterprises of all sizes, and that of analysis of surplus accounts. In another development, four grants-in-aid to graduate students at California, Cornell and Columbia universities have been announced by the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation. The present grants initiate a program by which the Foundation aims to encourage study of the land question in colleges and universities and to increase the existing data on the subject.

Presents an abstract of the article "Government Agencies Can Pay Page Charges," published in the November 1955 issue of the journal "Physics Today."

The article discusses British science policy in the mid-1960s, with focus given to the themes of scientific research finance, the distribution of funds between different scientific fields, and the training of scientific researchers and technical support staff. The author notes the relatively small amount of public spending on science in Great Britain during this period and argues that this spending is largely wasted on the electronics industry and national defense. He distinguishes between funding for solid state physics, electronic physics, theoretical chemistry, and astronomy, and emphasizes the impact of scientific research on human life. Also discussed is the need for more technicians and improved status for engineers within intellectual circles.

This article discusses methods of financing and costing a research and development (R&D) department within a firm. The three methods of financing R&D are: the lump sum allocation which leaves the choice of work to the R&D manager or project committee; ex post allocation expenditure decided by R&D manager, and finance by charging use. The first is suited to basic and applied research and to development projects not identified with existing departments. The second method is suitable to development work identified with and accepted by an existing department, and the third to service work for departments. The authors suggest that a suitable strategy can best be found by classifying projects into assessment categories and attaching a suitable financing method to each category.

This article focuses on the mobilization of academic social research by the U.S. government. The government is distributing research funds among academic social scientists in a fashion likely to produce research of utility to both federal agencies and academic disciplines. These allocation principles appear to characterize various major forms of government sponsorship. The observed distribution of federal support suggests that the government is obtaining a useful return on its considerable investment in academic research.

Reports on the funds awarded to the Research Unit of the School of Nursing for a project involving the establishment of a community health nursing service. Aims under the project; Significance of the fund for health care services; Features of the program.

Overseas R and D expenditures by US-based firms topped the billion-dollar mark in the early 1970s. In 1974 they amounted to about one-tenth of total domestic company-funded R and D expenditures, and the firms in our sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates performance differences (in terms of ROA) between related and unrelated diversified firms. Two regression models of performance are estimated using a sample of 80 firms. Performance differences are associated with advertising expenditures, accounting determined risk, research and development expenditures and capital intensity. The models suggest that research and development expenditures are an important determinant in the performance advantage enjoyed by related diversified firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the use of public funds to support research and development (R&D) in OECD countries. Magnitude of government spending in R&D in both public and private sectors; Justification for government funding of R&D.

Many Canadian universities offer degrees in Public Administration and almost all of them give classes in several disciplines, bearing directly or indirectly on public policy analysis. In addition, there are literally several university centres and institutes devoted to public policy matters. In addition, there are ad hoc operations also, aiding in public policy research projects. There are also other agencies in the Halifax area which perform functions that would fall within the scope of one's project. The sources of funding in every case are varied and complex and so is the output in the form of papers, journals and monographs.

This article deliberates on the need of research councils. It is informed that the five research councils-- Agriculture & Food, Economic & Social, Medical, Natural Environment and Science & Engineering-- spend £ 600 million between them. Allocation of funds between the councils is in the hands of the Secretary of State, but those hands are somewhat tied by historical inertia, and by the need to take account of the views of a "super Quango" the Advisory Board on the Research Councils, whose external members are appointed by the Secretary of State but who enjoy in their official lifetime a large degree of autonomy.

The article offers news briefs related to ophthalmology in Great Britain. Dr. Steve Taylor was named president of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians. Meanwhile, the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians offers financial aid to research projects made by workers in optometric teaching departments, hospitals and private practice in the country. Moreover, a new study has examined the role of tonic accommodation in the development of simple myopia.

A number of previous studies have attempted to determine the effect of federal support of research and development (R&D) performed in industry on the rate of private investment in R&D, by estimating regressions of private K & o expenditure on federal industrial R&D expenditure, controlling for total demand (sales) and in some cases other variables. This paper presents arguments and econometric evidence in support of the hypothesis that, due to misspecification of the private R&D equation (i.e., failure to distinguish government sales from other sales), previous estimates of the effect of federal industrial R&D on private R & D funding are seriously upwardly biased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexican-Americans are more likely to be obese than the general population, yet little research has been conducted on the socialization of eating habits in Mexican-American children. 38 obese mothers enrolled in a weight-loss program and their 4-8-year-old children were observed during mealtime and the mothers interviewed about their socialization practices. Mothers relied primarily on nondirective verbal control strategies during the observation. Child compliance was more likely to follow a maternal serving or command than a nondirective behavior. Mothers encouraged sons to eat more than did mothers of girls. Child age was negatively correlated with mother's use of commands, reasoning, threats, and bribes, and positively correlated with maternal nondirectives, servings, and child compliance. Mothers with more years of formal education served healthier foods and were more likely to report using reasoning strategies, prohibiting consumption of unhealthy food, monitoring child food consumption away from home, and allowing child input into the eating situation than were less educated mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Controlled Environment Users Group first met on February 2, 1966 to share experiences of management and operation if "Saxcil" growth cabinets which had been designed and developed in conjunction with the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering at Silsoe and built by R. K. Saxton Ltd., the first in 1964, for Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Institutes and ARC Research Units in universities. The Group has met annually ever since and has expanded its membership to include users and managers of a variety of commercially or custom built cabinets and rooms in universities and publicly and privately funded research institutes. In the past, the study of the interaction of plants, insects and microorganisms in controlled environment chambers has most often addressed questions relating to biological and chemical control of pests and pathogens where physiological rather than ecological responses have been the primary interest.

The paper summarizes a Department of Health funded research study of the extent to which parents and children were involved in the child protection work of seven English social services departments. The child protection process and the social work practice with a cohort of 220 consecutive cases is described for the period before the initial conference and the 6 months following it. The authors draw on interview data from parents, young people and social workers and on social work records to assess whether the process and practice were participatory and the extent to which family members were actually involved in the decisions and the work. They concluded that there was benefit for parents and children in attempts to involve them, even thought only 3% of 378 family members were rated as partners in the protection process and a further 13% were rated as participating to a considerable extent. There was a statistically significant association between the participation of family members and the interim outcomes for the parents and children being rated by the researchers as good or moderately good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological stressors are said to be an important influence on the outcome of chronic illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis (Engel, 1977). Helping patients to cope with stressors is identified as a central concept in the delivery of nursing care (Khan et al., 1994). It is thus reasonable to suggest that rheumatology nurses may be key players in the process of coping with rheumatoid arthritis. But in order for rheumatology nurses to be effective players in this process, they need to discourage coping behaviour(s) linked to poor outcomes, and/or promote an overall behaviour pattern linked to a better outcome. Literature showing the link between different coping behaviours and outcome is examined, and cognitive restructuring is emphasized as one method nurses could use. Having identified coping behaviour which is optimal in terms of future outcome, further study of different forms of coping-based educational intervention is suggested, to reveal how such patterns of behaviour can be taught by nurses in the most effective way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study illustrates the reality of trying to achieve the European Commission objective of fruitful international research co-operation with Third Countries. The process of responding to an EC research call, preparing a proposal and negotiating a contract are explored with areas of general applicability being highlighted. The case study is drawn from the Avicenne Initiative in the area of health systems research. The difficulties and inequality, of access to information, administrative research support and resourcing are explored as both issues for individuals and institutions and also as part of the difficulties of developing south-north or east-west research partnerships. The backstage of research is explored in order to highlight issues of discourse, practice and procedure which, if tackled, could provide a more level playing field for researchers from a wide range of institutions and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical experiences in decision-making--including the experience in the reform of the system of funding of scientific research in Poland--lead to the conclusion that it is important to understand better the role of intuition in decision-making processes. For this purpose a more specific definition of intuition is proposed. One of the conclusions from this definition is that multicriteria aid for decisions should concentrate more on supporting earlier stages of decision processes that precede choice. The role of and possible tools for multicriteria aid for model simulation and analysis are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the relationship between corporate sponsorship of research on tobacco and the pattern of results which flow from the research. Analysis of the studies focusing on the effect of nicotine on cognitive behavior; Reason for the possible existence of bias in the published literature according to funding source.

Focuses on the effort of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to increase public and governmental awareness of the importance of cardiovascular research in the U.S. Appropriation of funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health; Controversy over NIH funding decisions between basic and clinical research; Approval of an organizational long-range plan by the North American Society of Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology.

We examine the interface between for-profit and publicly funded research in Pharmaceuticals. Firms access upstream basic research through investments in absorptive capacity in the form of in-house basic research and 'pro-publication' internal incentives. Some firms also maintain extensive connections to the wider scientific community, which we measure using data on coauthorship of scientific papers between pharmaceutical company scientists and publicly funded researchers. 'Connectedness' is significantly correlated with firms' internal organization, as well as their performance in drug discovery. The estimated impact of 'connectedness' on private research productivity implies a substantial return to public investments in basic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the structures and programs that support the research on biomedicine and training of researchers in the U.S. and the European Union (EU). It talks on the budget allocated by the National Institute of Health (NIH) for dental health research and researchers who give their time to make research. The article also discusses the continued effort of EU for dental research which has been expanding annually.

In order to test the hypothesis that adolescent substance abusers could be matched to effective treatments on the basis of their comorbid psychopathology, 32 dually diagnosed adolescents were randomized into two short-term outpatient group psychotherapies: cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), and interactional treatment (IT). Two follow-up assessments were conducted at 3 and 15 months after planned treatment completion. As reported recently, at the three-month follow-up, no patient-treatment matching effects were identified. However, adolescents assigned to CBT demonstrated a significant reduction in severity of substance abuse compared to those assigned to IT. At 15-month follow-up, there were no differential improvements as a function of therapy type. However, subjects in general maintained significant treatment gains on the substance abuse, family function, and psychiatric status domains of the Teen-Addiction Severity Index (T-ASI), and both CBT and IT were associated with similar long-term gains. Large scale, randomized, controlled treatment studies are further recommended to examine the findings of this small-scale pilot study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small, controlled study was conducted to assess whether pergolide mesylate has clinical promise as a treatment for cocaine abuse prior to embarking on a larger, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Fourteen individuals were placed on placebo for 2 weeks, followed by a 24-week single-blind study in which they were placed on pergolide for 12 weeks, followed by placebo for 12 weeks. Another 14 patients received single-blind placebo for two weeks and then were randomized into a 24-week double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple baseline design. Initially, patients enrolled in the study were placed on risperidone (n = 9) or placebo (n = 5). During the first 12 weeks, retention was worse for those receiving pergolide compared to risperidone or placebo. Neither risperidone nor pergolide were more efficacious in reducing cocaine use than placebo. Although earlier open studies found pergolide to show promise as a treatment for cocaine abuse, this study did not support these earlier findings. Comparing an agent to both an active control and placebo group may better predict whether a promising new agent will have clinical utility compared to the standard open trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent emphasis on community care for those with mental illness has changed working patterns and modified inter-professional role boundaries within multi-disciplinary teams. Clients with serious mental illness are usually prescribed medications, which have a wide range of side effects. However, it is uncertain who is responsible for monitoring clients for the side effects of their medications, ensuring clients' and carers' understandings of their prescribed medications and optimizing compliance with medication. This paper discusses the findings of the first phase of an ongoing study designed to assess the role of community mental health nurses (CMHNs) in managing clients' medication and the provision of appropriate continuing professional education. Our respondents were 14 CMHNs, seven of whom were preparing to undertake a pharmacology module as part of a higher education diploma, and seven who were to act as comparators. Data from questionnaires, interviews and clinical observations were triangulated. All respondents felt that issues surrounding clients' medication were not accorded a sufficiently high profile and that it was, in part, their responsibility to expand their roles to meet these unmet needs of clients. Administering and managing clients' medications were considered to be the main area of 'occupational territory' which distinguished CMHNs from social workers. However, the nurses felt that their practice was limited by lack of appropriate educational preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risky research projects are, other things being equal, intrinsically harder to monitor than projects that are less risky. It is shown using agency theory that a standard cost benefit analysis, which ignores the agency problem, will introduce a bias towards excessively risky projects, and it will under-estimate the benefits from complementary investments in libraries, scientific equipment and other expenditures that increase the productivity of scientists. Research managers should be risk-averse in their choice of projects, and they should aim to hold a balanced portfolio of projects. The nature of this portfolio problem is, however, quite different from the portfolio management problem in financial markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sussex Education and Training Consortium commissioned a development project to identify the education and training needs of Community Mental Health Nurses (CMHNs) working with people with severe mental illness. The concerns of various stakeholding groups were identified using a qualitative methodology, Responsive Evaluation. This paper reports the views of 52 service users and representatives and 24 carers and carer support workers as expressed in semi-structured interviews and focused discussion groups. Users and carers were able to identify specific areas that require attention in the education and training of CMHNs. Users want CMHNs to have wide knowledge of mental illness, medication, therapies and services and the understanding and confidence to work in an empowering way. They also want CMHNs to systematically involve users and their carers in care planning and to make more explicit any communication with other professionals and agencies. Carers want more involvement and information and CMHNs made more aware of the role that carers play and the specific problems they face. Users and their organisations would like significant involvement in the provision of CMHN education and training at all levels. Developments to CMHN education and training are suggested with recommendations for research and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between substance use, trauma history, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychiatric comorbidity in a treatment seeking sample of cocaine dependent individuals (N = 91). Structured clinical interviews revealed that 42.9% of the sample met DSM-III-R criteria for lifetime PTSD. Comparisons between individuals with and without lifetime PTSD revealed that individuals with PTSD had significantly higher rates of exposure to traumatic events, earlier age of first assault, more severe symptomatology, and higher rates of Axis I and Axis II diagnoses. The results illustrate a high incidence of PTSD among cocaine dependent individuals. Routine assessment of trauma history and PTSD may assist in the identification of a subgroup of cocaine users in need of special prevention and treatment efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the literature on the importance of genetic influences in the development of alcohol abuse and dependence (alcoholism). The alcohol use disorders are fairly typical of most complex genetic conditions in that multiple genetic influences combine together to explain approximately 40% to 60% of the risk. One useful approach for identifying specific genes related to alcoholism involves identifying a population in which known genetic factors are controlled and using genome scan and/or case-control, association approaches to search for specific genes. Several characteristics, or endophenotypes, have been identified as both genetically influenced and contributing toward the risk for alcoholism, including alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, the low level of response to alcohol, and electrophysiological measures. The potential importance of each of these characteristics is reviewed, and data relating to the search for specific genetic material for each endophenotype are presented. These findings are placed in the perspective of the impact that they are likely to have on both prevention and treatment efforts in the alcohol field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons in drug treatment with drug dependence were interviewed with the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule to ascertain DSM-III-R disorders. Lifetime prevalence rates were 64% for alcohol dependence, 44% for antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), 39% for phobic disorders, 24% for major depression, 12% for dysthymia, 10% for generalized anxiety disorder, 3% for panic disorder, 3% for mania, 3% for obsessive compulsive disorder, 2% for bulimia, 1% for schizophrenia, and 1% for anorexia. When stratified by race and age, significant main effects were seen, but there were no significant interactions except in "any non-substance disorder" and in the mean number of non-substance use disorders. Caucasians had a higher mean number of drug dependence disorders and higher overall rates of "any other" disorder than African-Americans, and Caucasians and males had higher mean numbers of non-substance use disorders than African-Americans and females, respectively. This was related to rates of alcohol, cannabis, and hallucinogen dependence, and ASPD rates that were higher among men than women and higher among Caucasian respondents than African-American for alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogen, opiate and sedative dependence, major depression, dysthymia, and generalized anxiety disorder. In contrast, women had higher rates than men of amphetamine dependence, phobic disorder, major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and mania. African-Americans had higher rates than Caucasians of amphetamine, cocaine, and phencyclidine dependence, but for no comorbid disorders were the rates higher among African-Americans than Caucasians. The differences according to gender in rates of disorders among substance dependent persons are consistent with the results of general population surveys, but the differences in rates according to race are in contrast to these same community surveys. Limitations in the utility of the concept of race as a valid category diminish the generalizability of the findings; however, one possible explanation is differential treatment seeking in African-American and Caucasian populations that would result in the differences seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between substance use disorders and comorbid psychiatric conditions was investigated among 425 persons in drug treatment who met DSM-III-R criteria for drug dependence. Using the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule to ascertain DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders among these drug dependent subjects, lifetime prevalence rates were 64% for alcohol abuse/dependence, 44% for antisocial personality disorder, 39% for phobic disorders, 24% for major depression, 12% for dysthymia, and 10% for generalized anxiety disorder. We found that antisocial personality disorder and phobias generally had onsets prior to the onset of drug dependence (that is, they were primary disorders). The majority of drug dependent persons with generalized anxiety disorder reported an onset after the onset of drug dependence (that is, they had secondary generalized anxiety). Alcohol dependence, depression, and dysthymia were divided nearly evenly between earlier (primary disorder) and later (secondary disorder). These results are consistent with the body of literature indicating the importance of antisocial syndromes in the etiology of substance abuse and the literature indicating the complex, varying nature of the relationship of psychiatric disorders to substance dependence. Finally, a precise nomenclature for "age of onset," "primary," and "secondary" was developed for this study that is critical to understanding these issues and is recommended for other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality research is seldom feasible without skilful grantsmanship. Like most skills it is learnt and then improved by practice. Fortunately, there is a consistent formula to constructing a research grant, provided certain guidelines are followed. The grant application need not be a significant barrier between a good idea and its realization in improvements to patient care. This paper outlines the essential principles in the construction of the successful research grant application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined differences in clinical presentation for outpatient alcohol treatment in: 1) males and females, considering comorbidity; and 2) three comorbid groups, considering gender. Drinking indices and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse reports were compared in 127 male and 69 female alcohol-dependent patients who have a current (36.2%) or lifetime (20.4%) psychiatric disorder or who never had a psychiatric disorder (43.4%). Females reported more emotional and physical abuse than males. Females reported drinking smaller volumes of alcohol but on more days than males. All with current comorbidity, irrespective of gender, reported more days of heavy drinking than other groups. When evaluating drinking status, gender and comorbidity should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin C has long been a candidate for modulating periodontal disease. Studies of scorbutic gingivitis and the effects of vitamin C on extracellular matrix and immunologic and inflammatory responses provide a rationale for hypothesizing that vitamin C is a risk factor for periodontal disease.Methods: We evaluated the role of dietary vitamin C as a contributing risk factor for periodontal disease utilizing the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) which is representative of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population.Results: A sample of 12,419 adults (20 to 90+ years of age), with dental measurements and assessment of dietary information as well as demographic and medical histories were included in the studies. Dietary vitamin C was estimated by a 24-hour dietary record. Individuals with periodontal disease were arbitrarily defined as those who had mean clinical attachment levels of > or =1.5 mm. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, we found a relationship between reduced dietary vitamin C and increased risk for periodontal disease for the overall population (odds ratio [OR] = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.33). Current and former tobacco users who were taking less dietary vitamin C showed an increased risk of periodontal disease with OR of 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.59 for former smokers, and an OR of 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.43 for current tobacco users. There was a dose-response relationship between the levels of dietary vitamin C and periodontal disease with an OR of 1.30 for those taking 0 to 29 mg of vitamin C per day, to 1.16 for those taking 100 to 179 mg of vitamin C per day as compared to those taking 180 mg or more of vitamin C per day.Conclusion: Dietary intake of vitamin C showed a weak, but statistically significant, relationship to periodontal disease in current and former smokers as measured by clinical attachment. Those taking the lowest levels of vitamin C, and who also smoke, are likely to show the greatest clinical effect on the periodontal tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asserts that government funding of science cannot be justified on economic grounds. Crowding out of private funding; Flaws in the linear model of economic growth; Alleged enhancement of economic growth through application of findings of government-funded scientific research; Economic Adam Smith's consideration of academic science as a corollary to applied science.

Background: An earlier publication from our laboratory described the use of guided bone regeneration to fill large bone voids in the mandible created through en bloc resection in primates. The present report is an embellishment of this paper and describes bone regeneration experiments in 18 adult male Macaca mulatta monkeys to determine how long membranes must be in position to promote guided bone regeneration. Methods: Thirty-six lesions were created in the mandibles of 18 monkeys in a standardized mandibular defect of 8 x 19 mm. Reinforced ePTFE membranes were placed in the animals and held in place with mini screws and sutures for anywhere from 1 to 12 months. No material was added to the defect. In addition to clinical studies, digital subtraction radiology and fluorescent labeling with tetracycline and histomorphometry are described. Results: The results indicate that no bone gain was observed in membranes exposed for 1 month or less, but bone gain (approximately well over 90% of defects) was observed at 12 months when membranes were left in situ for 2 to 12 months (P <0.0001). No significant difference in the amount of bone gained at 12 months was observed for membranes left in place for intervals ranging from 2 to 12 months. A significant correlation between the amount of bone gain observed at 3 and 12 months was observed (P <0.0001). Conclusions: Data therefore suggest that membranes left in situ for 1 month or less result in minimal bone gain compared with membranes left in place from 2 to 12 months. In addition, labeling and stained sections clearly showed that the bone produced after 2 months of membrane placement is mature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper begins to reconcile competing perspectives on the origins of competitive advantage by examining the adoption of 'science-driven' drug discovery, a performance-enhancing organizational practice. Science-driven drug discovery diffused slowly, allowing us to disentangle alternative theories of organizational heterogeneity. Adoption is driven by initial conditions, time-varying internal and external environmental conditions, and convergence (firms positioned least favorably adopt most aggressively). While accounting for initial conditions is critical, managers are sensitive to idiosyncratic environmental cues. The origins of competitive advantage may therefore lie in the ability to identify and respond to environmental cues well in advance of observing performance-oriented pay-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence to suggest that community mental health nurses experience stress and burnout related to their work. Previous research has been limited by a number of methodological problems. One of the problems is that studies have tended to have small or unrepresentative samples, and many researchers have only examined mental health nurses as a subset within their research, which limits the generalizability of the findings. The All-Wales Community Mental Health Nurse (CMHN) Stress Study was set up in order to address this issue. The total population of CMHNs in Wales was surveyed (N = 614) and 301 (49%) responded. The questionnaire booklet contained a number of validated instruments to measure stress, burnout, and coping, together with a demographic questionnaire. The demographic questionnaire included three open ended-questions. These questions were asked in order in determine the CMHNs' own views of the sources of stress in the workplace, and to investigate which methods they use to cope. This paper reports the findings from the content analysis of the three questions. The results from the other measures are reported in the companion paper (Edwards et al. 2000). The most frequently cited stressors included perceived workload, excessive paperwork and administration, and a broad spectrum of client-related issues. Coping strategies that CMHNs reported using included peer support, a range of personal strategies such as relaxation, and belief in self and supervision. It appears from the findings that a range of factors such as organizational pressures and factors related to working with patients are important in determining stress levels, and that informal rather than formal support networks are the preferred methods of coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Earlier publications from our laboratory described the use of guided bone regeneration to fill large bone voids in the mandible created through en bloc resection in primates. The present report describes placement of implants into the regenerated bone with subsequent prostheses construction and loading. Methods: Lesions were created in the mandibles of 9 monkeys in a standardized mandibular defect of 8 x 19 mm. Reinforced expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membranes were placed in the animals and held in place with mini screws and sutures for anywhere from 1 to 12 months. No material was added to the defect. In each animal a root-form implant was placed 12 mm distal to the abutment teeth into the regenerated bone and was loaded with a prosthesis for 12 months. These implants were compared to original implants placed in the same monkeys years earlier in the same location in non-regenerated bone. Digital radiology and histomorphometry are described. Results: The results show that root-form implants placed in regenerated bone show the same radiological and histomorphometric characteristics as in normal bone when loaded. In addition, the percentage of bone contact with implants seen in regenerated bone versus non-regenerated bone is the same when both are loaded (65 +/- 13% SD in regenerated bone versus 59 +/- 15% SD in non-regenerated bone). Conclusions: In a primate model root-form implants placed in regenerated bone and prosthetically loaded show no difference when compared to root-form implants placed in non-regenerated bone and prosthetically loaded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naltrexone has repeatedly been shown to reduce drinking in alcohol-dependent patients. Previous clinical research suggests that naltrexone may be more effective at reducing drinking among patients with high levels of alcohol craving at the beginning of treatment. In addition, laboratory studies suggest that naltrexone may be more efficacious among patients with a high familial loading of alcohol problems. We explored both of these possibilities in the context of the first 12-week phase of a double blind, placebo-controlled naltrexone trial. A total of 121 patients were randomized to receive 100 mg/day naltrexone and 62 patients were randomized to receive placebo. Both naltrexone and placebo were given in conjunction with a psychosocial intervention designed to be integrated with the use of pharmacotherapy. This intervention was administered by nurse practitioners. Overall, patients randomized to naltrexone reported drinking five or more drinks on fewer days than did placebo controls (p = .04). Interactions were observed between medication group assignment and both craving level prior to randomization (p = .02) and family loading of alcohol problems (p = .05). In both cases, the interaction was in the predicted direction. These data suggest that patients with high levels of alcohol craving or a strong family history of alcoholism are more likely to benefit from naltrexone treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bstract: This article summarizes a symposium held at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Montreal, Canada, and was prepared on behalf of the symposium participants. The discussion focused the relationship between research and the private sector, addressing whether such a relationship is possible or even desirable and how concerns regarding the implementation of any such arrangement can be met. Although participants represented a range of views, there was general agreement on two issues-the need to keep the source of funding separate from the research itself, and the requirement for disclosure and complete transparency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To review the economic cost of Alzheimer's disease, to determine the level of research expenditure directed at this illness and to make comparisons with cancer, stroke and heart disease. Method A literature search of cost-of-illness studies was conducted and major funders of research were contacted. Cost-of-illness estimates were updated and adjusted to enable comparability across the four disease areas. Results The direct costs of Alzheimer's disease were estimated to be between £7.06 billion and £14.93 billion, which was substantially greater than stroke (£3.2 billion), heart disease (£4.05 billion) and cancer (£1.6 billion excluding informal care costs). Research expenditure on Alzheimer's disease was 57% of that on stroke, 10% of that on heart disease and 3% of that on cancer. Discussion Alzheimer's disease imposes a high economic burden. However, spending on research is disproportionately low compared with spending on other major illnesses. In the light of these two findings we recommend further discussion of the distribution of public funding for research into this disease. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report evaluates whether the characteristics associated with alcohol abuse and dependence are similar in two groups of men despite their enrollment in different research projects and the resulting differences in education and related background variables. Data regarding demographic and substance use characteristics and problems were gathered using similar research instruments from the 15-ear follow-up of 108 highly educated DSM-III-R alcohol-dependent men from the San Diego Prospective Study (Group 1) and 306 similarly diagnosed men with lower education from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA ) (Group 2). Both groups of alcoholics reported high rates of alcohol-relatedproblems, a similar maximum number of drinks per day, and similar proportions of drug use/non-use, although Group 1 subjects were less likely to report alcohol withdrawal and items associated with loss of control. Thus, teachers and clinicians may be able to generalize their knowledge and experience across different groups of alcoholics, using common sense modifications of their expectations based on the general characteristics of the groups involved despite differences in background variables, including education, income, marital status, and employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensive, time-limited, short-term inpatient modality treatment for substance abuse appears to have positive outcomes despite its brevity. This study examined patient characteristics and posttreatment experiences to understand who is likely to benefit from this treatment and under what circumstances. Our sample included 748 patients in 12 short-term inpatient programs. Twenty-two percent of patients used cocaine at least weekly in the 1-year follow-up period, and an additional 9% drank frequently (compared with pretreatment rates of 69% and 15% respectively). Overall, patients' social support networks following treatment were more important factors than the pre- or during-treatment variables examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized electroencephalographic recordings to examine whether young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impaired face recognition ability. High-density brain event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to photos of the child's mother's face versus an unfamiliar female face and photos of a favorite versus an unfamiliar toy from children with ASD, children with typical development, and children with developmental delay, all 3 to 4 years of age (N = 118). Typically developing children showed ERP amplitude differences in two components, P400 and Nc, to a familiar versus an unfamiliar face, and to a familiar versus an unfamiliar object. In contrast, children with ASD failed to show differences in ERPs to a familiar versus an unfamiliar face, but they did show P400 and Nc amplitude differences to a familiar versus an unfamiliar object. Developmentally delayed children showed significant ERP amplitude differences for the positive slow wave for both faces and objects. These data suggest that autism is associated with face recognition impairment that is manifest early in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the impact of quality information on the willingness of consumers to enroll in health plans that restrict provider access.Data Sources and Setting: A survey administered to respondents between the ages of 25 and 64 in the West Los Angeles area with private health insurance.Study Design: An experimental approach is used to measure the effect of variation in provider network features and information about the quality of network physicians on hypothetical plan choices. Conditional logit models are used to analyze the experimental choice data. Next, choice model parameter estimates are used to simulate the impact of changes in plan features on the market shares of competing health plans and to calculate the quality level required to make consumers indifferent to changes in provider access.Principal Findings: The presence of quality information reduced the importance of provider network features in plan choices as hypothesized. However, there were not statistically meaningful differences by type of quality measure (i.e., consumer assessed versus expert assessed). The results imply that large quality differences are required to make consumers indifferent to changes in provider access. The impact of quality on plan choices depended more on the particular measure and less on the type of measure. Quality ratings based on the proportion of survey respondents "extremely satisfied with results of care" had the greatest impact on plan choice while the proportion of network doctors "affiliated with university medical centers" had the least. Other consumer and expert assessed measures had more comparable effects.Conclusions: Overall the results provide empirical evidence that consumers are willing to trade high quality for restrictions on provider access. This willingness to trade implies that relatively small plans that place restrictions on provider access can successfully compete against less restrictive plans when they can demonstrate high quality. However, the results of this study suggest that in many cases, the level of quality required for consumers to accept access restrictions may be so high as to be unattainable. The results provide empirical support for the current focus of decision support efforts on consumer assessed quality measures. At the same time, however, the results suggest that consumers would also value quality measures based on expert assessments. This finding is relevant given the lack of comparative quality information based on expert judgment and research suggesting that consumers have apprehensions about their ability to meaningfully interpret performance-based quality measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]