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Popularity
Kinds of Popularity Selected AbstractsThe Relation Between Popularity and Aggressive, Destructive, and Norm-Breaking Behaviors: Moderating Effects of Athletic Abilities, Physical Attractiveness, and ProsocialityJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 3 2009Jan Kornelis Dijkstra The aim of this study was to examine the relations between popularity and different types of aggressive, destructive, and norm-breaking behaviors in a large cross-sectional sample of adolescents (N=3,312, M age=13.60). We were interested in the extent to which the relations of these behaviors with popularity were moderated by positive features (i.e., athletic abilities, physical attractiveness, and prosociality). From a goal-framing perspective, it was argued that positive features evoke positive affect, which in turn enhances the positive impact of aggressive, destructive, and norm-breaking behaviors on popularity. The results supported our notion that these latter behaviors are especially related to popularity in adolescents who also exhibit positive features. [source] Heterogeneity in the Relationship Between Popularity and Aggression: Individual, Group, and Classroom InfluencesNEW DIRECTIONS FOR CHILD & ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, Issue 101 2003David B. Estell This chapter focuses on the relationship between popularity and aggression. Subgroups of prosocial-popular, aggressive-popular, and aggressive-unpopular boys are examined in terms of their behavioral and social-ecological correlates. [source] Elections: Personal Popularity in U.S. Presidential ElectionsPRESIDENTIAL STUDIES QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2004Martin P. Wattenberg A commonly held view is that presidential elections are largely personality contests, and that the candidate with the best-liked personality wins. But is this really the case? Based on a careful analysis of national survey data from the last 11 presidential elections, this article concludes that such a view is unfounded. The most personally popular candidate does not always win in the U.S.,indeed, in recent elections, the most personally popular candidate has generally lost. Much more central to candidate evaluations, and to who emerges victorious, are perceptions of candidates' stands on the issues. [source] The Two Faces of Adolescents' Success With Peers: Adolescent Popularity, Social Adaptation, and Deviant BehaviorCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2005Joseph P. Allen This study assessed the hypothesis that popularity in adolescence takes on a twofold role, marking high levels of concurrent adaptation but predicting increases over time in both positive and negative behaviors sanctioned by peer norms. Multimethod, longitudinal data, on a diverse community sample of 185 adolescents (13 to 14 years), addressed these hypotheses. As hypothesized, popular adolescents displayed higher concurrent levels of ego development, secure attachment, and more adaptive interactions with mothers and best friends. Longitudinal analyses supported a popularity-socialization hypothesis, however, in which popular adolescents were more likely to increase behaviors that receive approval in the peer group (e.g., minor levels of drug use and delinquency) and decrease behaviors unlikely to be well received by peers (e.g., hostile behavior with peers). [source] Scheduling dense linear algebra operations on multicore processorsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 1 2010Jakub Kurzak Abstract State-of-the-art dense linear algebra software, such as the LAPACK and ScaLAPACK libraries, suffers performance losses on multicore processors due to their inability to fully exploit thread-level parallelism. At the same time, the coarse,grain dataflow model gains popularity as a paradigm for programming multicore architectures. This work looks at implementing classic dense linear algebra workloads, the Cholesky factorization, the QR factorization and the LU factorization, using dynamic data-driven execution. Two emerging approaches to implementing coarse,grain dataflow are examined, the model of nested parallelism, represented by the Cilk framework, and the model of parallelism expressed through an arbitrary Direct Acyclic Graph, represented by the SMP Superscalar framework. Performance and coding effort are analyzed and compared against code manually parallelized at the thread level. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Efficient and fair scheduling for two-level information broadcasting systemsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 18 2008Byoung-Hoon Lee Abstract In a ubiquitous environment, there are many applications where a server disseminates information of common interest to pervasive clients and devices. For an example, an advertisement server sends information from a broadcast server to display devices. We propose an efficient information scheduling scheme for information broadcast systems to reduce average waiting time for information access while maintaining fairness between information items. Our scheme allocates information items adaptively according to relative popularity for each local server. Simulation results show that our scheme can reduce the waiting time up to 30% compared with the round robin scheme while maintaining cost-effective fairness. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Gossip-based search selection in hybrid peer-to-peer networksCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 2 2008M. Zaharia Abstract We present GAB, a search algorithm for hybrid peer-to-peer networks, that is, networks that search using both flooding and a distributed hash table (DHT). GAB uses a gossip-style algorithm to collect global statistics about document popularity to allow each peer to make intelligent decisions about which search style to use for a given query. Moreover, GAB automatically adapts to changes in the operating environment. Synthetic and trace-driven simulations show that compared to a simple hybrid approach that always floods first, trying a DHT if too few results are found, GAB reduces the response time by 25,50% and the average query bandwidth cost by 45%, with no loss in recall. GAB scales well, with only a 7% degradation in performance despite a tripling in system size. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] OpenUH: an optimizing, portable OpenMP compilerCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 18 2007Chunhua Liao Abstract OpenMP has gained wide popularity as an API for parallel programming on shared memory and distributed shared memory platforms. Despite its broad availability, there remains a need for a portable, robust, open source, optimizing OpenMP compiler for C/C++/Fortran 90, especially for teaching and research, for example into its use on new target architectures, such as SMPs with chip multi-threading, as well as learning how to translate for clusters of SMPs. In this paper, we present our efforts to design and implement such an OpenMP compiler on top of Open64, an open source compiler framework, by extending its existing analysis and optimization and adopting a source-to-source translator approach where a native back end is not available. The compilation strategy we have adopted and the corresponding runtime support are described. The OpenMP validation suite is used to determine the correctness of the translation. The compiler's behavior is evaluated using benchmark tests from the EPCC microbenchmarks and the NAS parallel benchmark. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Towards a more realistic comparative analysis of multicomputer networksCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 13 2004H. Sarbazi-Azad Abstract Several studies have examined the relative performance merits of the torus and hypercube taking into account the channel bandwidth constraints imposed by implementation technology. While the torus has been shown to outperform the hypercube under the constant wiring density constraint, the opposite conclusion has been reached when the constant pin-out constraint is considered. However, these studies have assumed a pure uniform traffic pattern and deterministic routing. The ,uniform traffic' assumption is not always justifiable in practice as there are many real-world parallel applications that exhibit non-uniform traffic patterns, which can create unbalanced traffic such as hotspots in the network. This paper re-examines the performance merits of the torus and hypercube in the presence of hotspot traffic. The comparative analysis is based on fully adaptive routing as this has been gaining popularity in recent practical multicomputers. Moreover, it uses a new cost model that takes into account the implementation cost of the network and its routers. The results reveal that for moderate and large system sizes, lower dimensional k -ary n -cubes (e.g. 2D torus) always outperform their higher dimensional counterparts even under the pin-out constraint. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Contact sensitization from Compositae-containing herbal remedies and cosmeticsCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 4 2002Evy Paulsen The Compositae (Asteraceae) family of plants is currently an important cause of allergic plant contact dermatitis in Europe. The family comprises some of the oldest and most valued medicinal plants, and the increasing popularity of herbal medicine and cosmetics may theoretically result in a growing number of Compositae sensitizations from these sources. According to the literature at least 15 species, including among others arnica (Arnica montana), German and Roman chamomile (Chamomilla recutita and Chamaemelum nobile), marigold (Calendula officinalis), Echinacea and elecampane (Inula helenium), have been suspected of sensitization or elicitation of Compositae dermatitis. Epidemiological data are available for 2 species only, arnica and German chamomile, the rest of the evidence being anecdotal. Based on this, sensitization seems to occur relatively frequently with a few species such as arnica and elecampane, and occurs rarely with the majority, especially the widely used German chamomile. Sesquiterpene lactones are the most important allergens, but there are a few cases of sensitization from a coumarin, a sesquiterpene alcohol and a thiophene. The risk of elicitation of dermatitis by using Compositae-containing products in Compositae-sensitive individuals is by-and-large unknown. [source] Childhood predictors of adult criminality: are all risk factors reflected in childhood aggressiveness?CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2002L. Rowell Huesmann Background Early aggressive behaviour is one of the best predictors of adult criminality. Aim To assess the degree to which family background variables, parental beliefs and behaviour and child intelligence predict child aggression and adult criminality. Method Data were used from the Colombia County Longitudinal Study, a longitudinal study of 856 children in third grade in New York, in 1959,60. Adult measures of criminal behaviour, child measures taken at age eight, child peer-nominated aggression, child's peer-nominated popularity, child's IQ and parental measures at eight years were used. Results Aggressive children were less intelligent, less popular, rejected more by their parents, had parents who believed in punishment, were less identified with their parents' self-image and were less likely to express guilt. As adults, more aggressive children with parents who were less well educated, experienced more marital disharmony and who seldom attended church were most at risk for arrest. However, after the effect of early aggression was controlled, most effects disappeared and only parents having a strong belief in punishment added significantly to risk of arrest by age 30; the only fact that then reduced the risk of arrest was having parents who attended church often. Both parental authoritarianism and child IQ reduced the risk of conviction for arrested children. Discussion Level of aggression at age eight is the best predictor of criminal events over the next 22 years. A clear implication is that the risk for criminality is affected by much that happens to a boy before he is eight years old. Preventive interventions need to target risk factors that appear to influence the development of early aggression. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] RACE, FRIENDSHIP NETWORKS, AND VIOLENT DELINQUENCYCRIMINOLOGY, Issue 4 2006DANA L. HAYNIE Although a growing body of literature emphasizes the role of friendship networks and peer relations for youth involvement in violence and delinquency, little research has examined the role of friendship networks in understanding the varying involvement of different racial-ethnic groups in violence. Using data from approximately 13,000 respondents to the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we explore the ability of friendship networks to account for the differential rates of violence among racial-ethnic groups. In addition, we evaluate whether race moderates the degree to which friendship characteristics predict adolescent violence. Findings indicate significant differences in the structure and behavioral orientation of friendship networks across racial-ethnic identities. Moreover, incorporating characteristics of friendship networks into multivariate analyses accounts for greater involvement in violence among black and Hispanic youths. Network racial heterogeneity and friends' popularity also emerge as particular network characteristics that operate differently for black and white youth. [source] Report from a workshop on multianalyte microsphere assays,,§CYTOMETRY, Issue 5 2002Marie C. Earley Abstract Multiplexed assays using fluorescent microspheres is an exciting technique that has been gaining popularity among researchers, particularly those in the public health field. Part of its popularity is due to its flexibility, as both immunoassays and oligonucleotide hybridization assays can be developed on this platform. This report summarizes a workshop held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that discussed issues surrounding these assays and the Luminex 100 xMAP instrument. Topics included instrumentation, assay design, sample matrix and volume, quality control, and development of commercial applications. Cytometry (Clin. Cytometry) 50:239,242, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Comparison of a Long-Pulse Nd:YAG Laser and a Combined 585/1,064-nm Laser for the Treatment of Acne Scars: A Randomized Split-Face Clinical StudyDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2009SEONG UK MIN MD BACKGROUND Nonablative laser is gaining popularity because of the low risk of complications, especially in patients with darker skin. OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of a long-pulse neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser and a combined 585/1,064-nm laser for the treatment of acne scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nineteen patients with mild to moderate atrophic acne scars received four long-pulse Nd:YAG laser or combined 585/1,064-nm laser treatment sessions at fortnightly intervals. Treatments were administered randomly in a split-face manner. RESULTS Acne scars showed mild to moderate improvement, with significant Echelle d'évaluation clinique des cicatrices d'acné (ECCA) score reductions, after both treatments. Although intermodality differences were not significant, combined 585/1,064-nm laser was more effective for deep boxcar scars. In patients with combined 585/1,064-nm laser-treated sides that improved more than long-pulse Nd:YAG laser-treated sides, ECCA scores were significantly lower for combined 585/1,064-nm laser treatment. Histologic evaluations revealed significantly greater collagen deposition, although there was no significant difference between the two modalities. Patient satisfaction scores concurred with physicians' evaluations. CONCLUSION Both lasers ameliorated acne scarring with minimal downtime. In light of this finding, optimal outcomes might be achieved when laser treatment types are chosen after considering individual scar type and response. [source] Naturally Occurring Female Hairline PatternsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 6 2009BERNARD P. NUSBAUM MD BACKGROUND Hair transplantation is gaining popularity in women. Although much has been written about hairline design in male patients, more information is needed about natural female hairlines. OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency, dimensions, and location of structures that compose the female hairline. METHODS Hairline characteristics were measured in 360 female volunteers at an informal hair salon setting. RESULTS A widow's peak was present in 81%. The mean distance from the mid-eyebrow to the frontal midpoint was 5.5 cm. Lateral mounds were observed in 98%. The mean distance from the frontal midpoint to the apex of the lateral mounds was 3.74 cm on the right and 3.97 cm on the left. The mean distance from the apex of the lateral mounds to the apex of the temporal points was 3.78 cm on the right and 3.51 cm on the left. The shape of the temporal recessions was concave triangular or concave oval in 87% of the subjects. CONCLUSION This study provides proposed guidelines for designing the hairline in women. [source] Workforce Characteristics of Mohs Surgery FellowsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 2 2004Josephine C. Nguyen BS Background. Anecdotal evidence from program directors and Mohs surgeons suggests that Mohs fellowships are becoming increasingly popular and competitive among dermatology trainees. Objective. To assess the characteristics and investigate the motivating factors of those pursuing Mohs fellowships. Methods. Anonymous surveys were distributed to recent dermatology residency graduates taking a board exam review course in years 1999,2002. Results. In 2002, 2001, and 1999, the percentages of recently trained dermatologists pursuing Mohs fellowships were 9.4%, 8.5%, and 8.8%, respectively. There were no significant differences between Mohs fellows and the rest of the recently graduated dermatologists in terms of debt levels, marital status, parenting status, and spousal employment status. The Mohs fellows were slightly more likely to be male than their non-Mohs counterparts. The factor considered the most important by both groups when choosing a job was location. Conclusions. Further research is needed to discover potential factors that may be playing a role in the increased popularity of Mohs surgery. The number of Mohs surgeons is increasing and is likely to expand over time. It remains to be seen what effect the growth will have on the supply of Mohs surgery and whether it will outpace the increased demand for services. [source] Professional Errors Caused by Lasers and Intense Pulsed Light Technology in Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine: Preventive Strategies and Case StudiesDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 2 2002Baerbel Greve MD background. The use of lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) technology has become established practice in dermatology and aesthetic medicine. The increase in popularity and widespread use of such equipment has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the number of case reports about professional errors. objective. We present 14 case studies of professional errors. methods. Selected representative case reports are used to illustrate and discuss typical professional errors and serve as the basis for creating preventive strategies. results. Recommendations have been developed for the following areas: physician training, patient information, documentation, diagnosis, indication, test treatment, and performing treatment. conclusion. The use of lasers and IPL technology in dermatology and aesthetic medicine requires practitioners not only to have high levels of training and experience, but also to exercise professional judgment. In spite of all of the precautions taken, the risk of complications and side effects can be reduced but not completely eliminated. [source] The Impact of Herbal Medicines on Dermatologic SurgeryDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 8 2001Lawrence K. Chang MD Background. In recent years herbal medicines and supplements have become increasingly popular. With their increased popularity, more publications are warning about the potential harmful effects of some of these products. Objective. To present scientific evidence of the benefits and surgical risks of herbal products. Methods. A Medline search and review of the literature was performed. Results. Many herbal medicines are relevant in dermatologic surgery since Ginkgo biloba, garlic, ginger, ginseng, feverfew, and vitamin E may increase the risk of bleeding, and ephedra may potentiate the side effects of epinephrine. Conclusion. Dermatologists should be aware of these herbal products and their uses. Many of these products prescribed by alternative medicine physicians or purchased over the counter should be discontinued prior to dermatologic surgery to minimize the risk of surgical complications. [source] Brazil's Bolsa Família: A Double-Edged Sword?DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2008Anthony Hall ABSTRACT In common with most Latin American countries, as governments embrace safety nets to attack poverty, conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have become part of mainstream social policy in Brazil. Under president Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995,2002), and especially since Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2003, targeted assistance in education, health and nutrition, now united under Bolsa Família, have expanded rapidly to benefit forty-four million (24 per cent of the total population), absorbing almost two-fifths of the social assistance budget earmarked for the poorest sectors. Despite its operational problems, Bolsa Família appears to have been effective in providing short-term relief to some of the most deprived groups in Brazil. Yet it could prove to be a double-edged sword. There is a risk that, due to its popularity among both the poor and Brazil's politicians, Bolsa Família could greatly increase patronage in the distribution of economic and social benefits and induce a strong dependence on government handouts. There are also early signs that it may be contributing to a reduction in social spending in key sectors such as education, housing and basic sanitation, possibly undermining the country's future social and economic development. [source] Inequality and Deliberative Development: Revisiting Bolivia's Experience with the PRSPDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 6 2007Kevin M. Morrison The deliberative-development approach to policy-making has gained popularity in both academic and policy circles. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the requirements necessary for deliberation to have beneficial effects on policy, some of which are detailed in this article, in particular the need for equality among deliberators. The article examines Bolivia's 2000 National Dialogue and demonstrates the effects of inequality , not between elites and non-elites, but between groups within civil society , on the legitimacy of the outcome. Its findings have important implications for the design of deliberative-development institutions. [source] Aquatic exercise for children with cerebral palsyDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 12 2005Michelle Kelly BScPT MSc Exercise for children with cerebral palsy (CP) is gaining popularity among pediatric physical therapists as an intervention choice. Exercise in water appeals to children with CP because of the unique quality of buoyancy of water that reduces joint loading and impact, and decreases the negative influences of poor balance and poor postural control. In this paper, research of land-based exercise and aquatic exercise for children with CP is reviewed. Clinically relevant considerations for aquatic exercise programming for children with CP are discussed. [source] Fine-needle aspiration biopsy: A historical overviewDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Marilin Rosa M.D. Abstract Fine needle aspiration biopsy is a safe, inexpensive and accurate technique for the diagnosis of benign and malignant conditions. Its increase in popularity in the present days has made it a technique used on daily basis in the majority of medical centers in United States and around the world. However, the situation was not always like this. In its beginnings the procedure suffered from all kinds of criticism and attacks. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide an overview about the development of this technique from its birth to our days. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:773,775. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Low-grade urothelial carcinoma: Reappraisal of the cytologic criteria on ThinPrep®DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Ph.D., Wei Xin M.D. Abstract The diagnostic criteria for low-grade urothelial lesions that have been described in the past were based on urinary specimens prepared by the cytospin method. Recognizing the recent popularity of the ThinPrep® methodology and the cytologic alterations it introduces to the cellular features, we sought to evaluate the reproducibility of these criteria in ThinPrep urinary samples. One hundred twenty-six ThinPrep urinary specimens with a tissue diagnosis of low-grade urothelial carcinoma (LGUC) and 45 negative controls were evaluated. Three pathologists blindly reviewed the slides separately and the consensus on each feature was used in the study. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine which criteria in combination were most predictive of low-grade urothelial carcinoma. All specimens were evaluated for the following 18 features: nucleus/cytoplasm ratio, irregular nuclear border, cytoplasm homogeneity, cell clusters, high cellularity, prominent nucleoli, granular nuclear chromatin, hyperchromasia, acute inflammation, vesicular chromatin, nuclear molding, nuclear eccentricity, elongated nuclei, necrosis, anisonucleosis, irregular bordered fragments, absent cytoplasmic collar, and peripheral palisading. High nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio, irregular nuclear borders, and homogeneous cytoplasm (combination sensitivity of 59% and specificity of 100%) were the best predictive features for LGUC. Minor predictive criteria were eccentric nuclei and nuclear molding. ThinPrep provides well preserved, cleaner specimens without significantly altering the morphology. The three key criteria applied in cytospin specimens to diagnose LGUC were reproducible in ThinPrep specimens. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2003;29:125,129. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Results of Questionnaire about Endoscopic Mucosal Resection in the StomachDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2003MOTOTSUGU KATO Isolated exfoliation method of gastric endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) as a new technique has not yet reached the popularity of the conventional EMR techniques. From the results of a questionnaire about EMR in the stomach, the isolated exfoliation method has the advantage of permitting en bloc and histologically complete resection regardless of lesion size. However, this method has the disadvantage of long performance time and high frequency of complication as well as the need for a high level of technical skill. New devices and ideas are needed for the development of the isolated exfoliation method. [source] The first two centuries of Saint Martin of ToursEARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE, Issue 2 2006Allan Scott McKinley This paper presents a critical examination of the evidence for the cult of St Martin in the fifth and sixth centuries. Through examination of the various manifestations of Martin's cult, it argues that the cult had different meanings and significance at different times and places, and that the commonly perceived popularity of Martin's cult was in fact an illusion created by the constant reinvention and promotion of various interpretations of Martin by interested parties, from aristocratic ascetics to politically active bishops. [source] Statistical approaches in landscape genetics: an evaluation of methods for linking landscape and genetic dataECOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2009Niko Balkenhol The goal of landscape genetics is to detect and explain landscape effects on genetic diversity and structure. Despite the increasing popularity of landscape genetic approaches, the statistical methods for linking genetic and landscape data remain largely untested. This lack of method evaluation makes it difficult to compare studies utilizing different statistics, and compromises the future development and application of the field. To investigate the suitability and comparability of various statistical approaches used in landscape genetics, we simulated data sets corresponding to five landscape-genetic scenarios. We then analyzed these data with eleven methods, and compared the methods based on their statistical power, type-1 error rates, and their overall ability to lead researchers to accurate conclusions about landscape-genetic relationships. Results suggest that some of the most commonly applied techniques (e.g. Mantel and partial Mantel tests) have high type-1 error rates, and that multivariate, non-linear methods are better suited for landscape genetic data analysis. Furthermore, different methods generally show only moderate levels of agreement. Thus, analyzing a data set with only one method could yield method-dependent results, potentially leading to erroneous conclusions. Based on these findings, we give recommendations for choosing optimal combinations of statistical methods, and identify future research needs for landscape genetic data analyses. [source] FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE COMPLEXITY IN THE MICROFINANCE INDUSTRY: WHICH WAY FORWARD?ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 2 2005Emily Chamlee-Wright The microfinance movement has gained tremendous popularity over the past 30 years, but it is still far from meeting its full potential. The industry stands at a crossroads between increased commercialisation and increased philanthropic aid. Standard economic discourse does little to resolve the debate. F. A. Hayek's concept of the,extended order' sheds new light on how we might understand the future development of microfinance. [source] GLOBALISATION AND THE FUTURE OF INDIGENOUS FOOTBALL CODESECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 4 2004LIONEL FROST Much of the debate about the future of indigenous football codes such as Australian Rules and Gaelic football has centred on the possibility that in the future their popularity will be eroded by the increasing power of soccer. Several commentators have envisaged a future in which sports that operate in a global marketplace will ,crowd out' sports that have been traditionally popular in certain parts of the world. This article will examine these predictions critically, and will suggest several reasons why in the future, the range of sports that is played, watched, and followed with passion, is likely to continue to vary from nation to nation, and even from region to region. The article will argue that the success of any particular football code is most likely to be affected by the effectiveness of its own organisation and management, rather than whether or not there are ,global' competitors to it. [source] Would you like to shrink the welfare state?ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 32 2001A survey of European citizens The fundamental problems facing European welfare states , high unemployment and unsustainable public pensions plans in particular , have been in the political debate for years, so why have we seen so little reform? To find out, we surveyed the opinions of citizens in France, Germany, Italy and Spain on their welfare states and on various reform options. This is what we found. First, most workers underestimate the costs of public pensions, though they are aware of their unsustainability. Second, the status quo is a majoritarian outcome: a majority of citizens opposes cuts to social security and welfare spending, but also opposes further increases. Since population ageing without reform implies an automatic expansion, our results suggest that most citizens would favour reforms that stabilize but do not shrink the current welfare states. Third, many would welcome changes in the allocation of benefits. A large number of workers in Italy and Germany would be willing to opt out of public pensions and replace them with private pensions, though the details of how this scheme is formulated matter for its popularity. And many Italians and Spaniards would welcome an extension of the coverage of unemployment insurance. Fourth, conflicts over the welfare state are mainly shaped by the economic situation of the respondent, while political ideology plays a limited role. Disagreements are found along three dimensions: young versus old, rich versus poor, and ,outsider' versus ,insider' in terms of labour market status. From a practical point of view, this suggests that there is scope to bundle reforms strategically in order to build a large and mixed coalition of supporters. , Tito Boeri, Axel Börsch-Supan and Guido Tabellini [source] Disruptiveness, peer experiences and adolescent smoking: a long-term longitudinal approachADDICTION, Issue 4 2009Roy Otten ABSTRACT Aims This study examined links of peer experiences (i.e. social status and affiliation with disruptive peers) throughout childhood with respect to adolescent smoking trajectories, after controlling for childhood disruptiveness. Specifically, we tested four models regarding links of peer experiences and deviant behaviours. Design Prospective community sample. Participants A total of 312 children, aged 6.17 years at baseline. Measurements Growth parameters of own disruptive behaviour, disruptive behaviour of friends and social status measured at ages 7,12 years as predictors of smoking assessed at ages 13,15 years, while controlling for own disruptive behaviour at age 6 years. Findings We found three groups with distinct profiles of smoking. One group displayed hardly any or no smoking at all; a second group showed a trajectory of increased smoking; and a third group that showed high smoking rates initially and increased in smoking intensity over time. Results support the assumption of the selection model that the link between disruptive peers and smoking is spurious and due to shared variances with own early disruptiveness. Moreover, support was found for the popularity,socialization model supporting the assumption that age-related increases in social status are associated with smoking. Conclusions The findings emphasize that early disruptiveness is predictive of later smoking. In addition, it was shown that smoking becomes less deviant over time, in line with group norms. Future prevention programmes should emphasize the need to change these norms. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||