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Relevant Research (relevant + research)
Selected AbstractsConservation Biology in Asia: the Major Policy ChallengesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009JEFFREY A. McNEELY Asia; bosques; comercio de vida silvestres; conflicto humano-animal; economía Abstract:,With about half the world's human population and booming economies, Asia faces numerous challenges to its biodiversity. The Asia Section of the Society for Conservation Biology has identified some key policy issues in which significant progress can be made. These include developing new sources of funding for forest conservation; identifying potential impacts of energy alternatives on the conservation of biodiversity; curbing the trade in endangered species of plants and animals; a special focus on the conservation of mountain biodiversity; enhancing relevant research; ensuring that conservation biology contributes to major international conventions and funding mechanisms; using conservation biology to build a better understanding of zoonotic diseases; more effectively addressing human,animal conflicts; enhancing community-based conservation; and using conservation biology to help address the pervasive water-deficit problems in much of Asia. These challenges can be met through improved regional cooperation among the relevant stakeholders. Resumen:,Con aproximadamente la mitad de la población humana y economías prósperas, Asia enfrenta numerosos retos para su biodiversidad. La sección Asia de la Sociedad para la Biología de la Conservación ha identificado algunos temas políticos claves en los que se puede hacer un progreso significativo. Estos incluyen el desarrollo de nuevas fuentes de financiamiento para la conservación de bosques; la identificación de impactos potenciales de las energías alternativas sobre la conservación de la biodiversidad; reducción del comercio de especies de animales y plantas en peligro; un enfoque especial en la conservación de la biodiversidad montana; promoción de investigación relevante; garantía de que la biología de la conservación contribuye a convenios internacionales y mecanismos de financiamiento; utilización de la biología de la conservación para lograr un mejor entendimiento de enfermedades zoonóticas; mejor atención a los conflictos humanos-animales; reforzamiento de la conservación basada en comunidades y utilización de la biología de la conservación para atender los problemas de déficit de agua en gran parte de Asia. Estos retos se pueden atender mediante una mejor cooperación regional entre los principales actores. [source] Does a critical mass exist?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2002A comparative analysis of women's legislative representation since 1950 It has often been argued theoretically that a ,critical mass,' ranging from 10 to 35 per cent women, is needed before major changes in legislative institutions, behaviour, policy priorities and policy voting occurs. This paper examines one of the less-explored dimensions of the critical mass concept: Is there a process by which women reaching a critical mass of the legislature accelerates the election of further women? Using data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union and International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, we analyze this question for 20 industrialized democracies over a period of half a century, longer than any other relevant research. Descriptive results indicate that gains in women's representation have been incremental rather than a critical mass accelerating the election of women to legislatures. In a multivariate analysis of the percentage of women in the lower house of the legislature, the critical mass is tested against established explanations of women's gains in seats: institutional rules, egalitarian political culture, political parties and economic development. Of two measures of the critical mass theory, one has no impact and the second results in only a small increase in women's gains. Far from being clearly demonstrated, critical mass theories need empirical testing. [source] Advice Given to Parents on Welcoming a Second Child: A Critical Review,FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 1 2002Laurie Kramer A review of popular press books and articles for parents published between 1975 and 2000 was conducted to delineate the areas in which the advice given to parents about the transition to a second child is consistent with or diverges from the results of relevant research. Although popular advice reflects available research in certain areas (e.g., encouraging sibling caregiving), research to substantiate other directives (e.g., sibling preparation classes) is lacking. Key research findings about how to promote harmonious sibling relationships often are not represented in popular writings. These results highlight the need for researchers and popular press writers to acknowledge their complementary roles in disseminating information. [source] Burden of stroke in Maori and Pacific peoples of New ZealandINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE, Issue 3 2007Valery L. Feigin Studying ethnic particularities of stroke epidemiology may not only provide a clue to the causes of the observed racial/ethnic differences in stroke mortality but is also important for appropriate, culturally specific health care planning, prevention in stroke and improved health outcomes. This overview of published population-based stroke incidence studies and other relevant research in the multi-ethnic New Zealand population demonstrates an obvious ethnic disparity in stroke in New Zealand, with the greatest and increasing burden of stroke being imposed on Maori, who are indigenous, and Pacific people, who have migrated and settled in this country. These data warrant urgent and effective measures to be undertaken by health policy makers and health care providers to reverse the unfavourable trends in stroke and improve Maori and Pacific people's health. [source] The consequences of job insecurity for employees: The moderator role of job dependenceINTERNATIONAL LABOUR REVIEW, Issue 1 2010Beatriz SORA Abstract. With globalization and increased international competition have come more flexible forms of employment and increased job insecurity. The authors address the impact of perceived job insecurity on employees' work attitudes and intentions. After reviewing relevant research on stress theory and the relationship between job insecurity and its consequences, they test two hypotheses on 942 employees in Spain, namely: first, that job insecurity relates negatively to job satisfaction and organizational commitment and positively to intention to leave; and, second, that job insecurity, economic need and employability interact in the prediction of these outcomes. [source] Interviewing people with chronic illness about sexuality: an adaptation of the PLISSIT modelJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 11c 2008Brenda Mercer RN Aims and objectives., The author will draw on relevant research and her personal experience as someone who lives with a chronic illness to identify the challenges that are inherent in research interviews regarding sexuality in chronic illness. Background., Although sexuality in chronic illness has become a significant body of research in the field of chronic illness, particularly in the field of cancer, there are few guidelines available to assist researchers in interviewing people about such an intimate and sensitive topic. Conclusions., The PLISSIT model used in clinical counselling could be adapted to be used by researchers in interviews about sexuality. With this model a researcher can cover in-depth interview on this individual's sexuality and sexual health. Also, with the use of the PLISSIT model as a research tool, many of the past myths concerning sexuality and sexual health can be exposed and changed. Relevance to clinical practice., The adaptation of the PLISSIT counselling model to an interviewing model can contribute to researchers feeling more confident with participants when interviewing them concerning their sexuality and sexual health. It may illicit more appropriate responses from individuals concerning their sexuality and sexual health. [source] Novel tools and resources for evidence-based practice in psychologyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 7 2007Barbara B. Walker Given the vast proliferation of scientific research in the behavioral and social sciences, there is a growing need for psychologists to be able to access the most current, clinically relevant research quickly and efficiently and integrate this information into patient care. In response to a similar need within the field of medicine, evidence-based medicine took hold in the early 1990s to provide both a framework and set of skills for translating research into practice. Since then, this method has been adopted by every major health care profession including psychology, and is now widely known as evidence-based practice (EBP). In this article, the authors present a general overview of the skills required for EBP along with an introduction to some of the tools and resources that have been developed in other health care professions to support EBP. Using a case example, we illustrate how these tools and resources can be applied in psychological settings. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 63: 633,642, 2007. [source] The Edinburgh Principles with accompanying guidelines and recommendationsJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2002H. Wilkinson Abstract A panel of experts attending a 3-day meeting held in Edinburgh, UK, in February 2001 was charged with producing a set of principles outlining the rights and needs of people with intellectual disability (ID) and dementia, and defining service practices which would enhance the supports available to them. The Edinburgh Principles, seven statements identifying a foundation for the design and support of services to people with ID affected by dementia, and their carers, were the outcome of this meeting. The accompanying guidelines and recommendations document provides an elaboration of the key points associated with the Principles and is structured toward a four-point approach: (1) adopting a workable philosophy of care; (2) adapting practices at the point of service delivery; (3) working out the coordination of diverse systems; and (4) promoting relevant research. It is expected that the Principles will be adopted by service organizations world-wide, and that the accompanying document will provide a useful and detailed baseline from which further discussions, research efforts and practice development can progress. [source] GABAA receptors in aging and Alzheimer's diseaseJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2007Robert A. Rissman Abstract In this article we present a comprehensive review of relevant research and reports on the GABAA receptor in the aged and Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. In comparison to glutamatergic and cholinergic systems, the GABAergic system is relatively spared in AD, but the precise mechanisms underlying differential vulnerability are not well understood. Using several methods, investigations demonstrate that despite resistance of the GABAergic system to neurodegeneration, particular subunits of the GABAA receptor are altered with age and AD, which can induce compensatory increases in GABAA receptor subunits within surrounding cells. We conclude that although aging- and disease-related changes in GABAA receptor subunits may be modest, the mechanisms that compensate for these changes may alter the pharmacokinetic and physiological properties of the receptor. It is therefore crucial to understand the subunit composition of individual GABAA receptors in the diseased brain when developing therapeutics that act at these receptors. [source] Exploring the links between posttraumatic stress disorder and social support: Processes and potential research avenuesJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 3 2006Stéphane Guay Social support after a traumatic event is linked to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, little is known about the ways in which social support influences the adaptation to trauma and development of PTSD. The aim of the present article is threefold: to outline the various processes by which social support is linked to PTSD, to review the most relevant research in the field, and to suggest potential future research. [source] Why All Counter-Evidence to the Critical Period Hypothesis in Second Language Acquisition Is not Equal or ProblematicLINGUISTICS & LANGUAGE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2008Jason Rothman That adult and child language acquisitions differ in route and outcome is observable. Notwithstanding, there is controversy as to what this observation means for the Critical Period Hypothesis' (CPH) application to adult second language acquisition (SLA). As most versions of the CPH applied to SLA claim that differences result from maturational effects on in-born linguistic mechanisms, the CPH has many implications that are amendable to empirical investigation. To date, there is no shortage of literature claiming that the CPH applies or does not apply to normal adult SLA. Herein, I provide an epistemological discussion on the conceptual usefulness of the CPH in SLA (cf. Singleton 2005) coupled with a review of Long's (2005) evaluation of much available relevant research. Crucially, I review studies that Long did not consider and conclude differently that there is no critical/sensitive period for L2 syntactic and semantic acquisition. [source] Youth mentoring with a balanced focus, shared purpose, and collaborative interactionsNEW DIRECTIONS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, Issue 126 2010Michael J. Karcher This opening article defines the ways in which three mentoring interaction elements,focus, purpose, and authorship,distinguish between effective and ineffective mentoring relationship styles. The framework described can help mentors better understand the difference between prescriptive and instrumental styles and differentiate laissez-faire from developmental mentoring. It also reveals unique ways for program staff to develop training materials and for researchers to better study mentoring activities. The authors suggest that being able to articulate the importance of focus, purpose, and authorship is critical for shaping program practices, designing relevant research, and guiding program evaluations. [source] The Problem of Political Science and Practical PoliticsPOLITICS, Issue 1 2006Claire Donovan We reflect on the reasons why there is not a greater and more fruitful relationship between those who seek to understand policy and the political process from academia and those with a similar task in ,practical politics'. We attribute this lack of engagement to three core factors: (1) from without, instrumental government visions of political science perpetuate the view that the discipline exists to serve those with power; (2) from within, scientism and abstraction diminish the discipline's stock of ,usable' product for ,practical politics'; and (3) where relevant research exists, its uptake is hampered by limited communication between these spheres. [source] Review of multinomial and multiattribute quality control chartsQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 7 2009Elisabeth Topalidou Abstract Attribute control charts are very useful nowadays for monitoring processes where the quality characteristics cannot be measured in a continuous scale, which may be manufacturing processes from industrial settings, health-care processes or processes from service industries and environments of non-manufacturing quality-improvement efforts. Many of the above cases, however, involve the monitoring of multiple attributes simultaneously, thus leading to the case of multinomial and multiattribute quality control methods, which are better than the simultaneous use of multiple uni-attribute methods. In this study, an attempt to review the research previously conducted on multiattribute quality control is made in order to help the interested researchers and practitioners get informed about the references on the relevant research in this field, regarding the design, performance and applications of multiattribute control charts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Annotation: The savant syndromeTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 5 2004Pamela Heaton Background:, Whilst interest has focused on the origin and nature of the savant syndrome for over a century, it is only within the past two decades that empirical group studies have been carried out. Methods:, The following annotation briefly reviews relevant research and also attempts to address outstanding issues in this research area. Traditionally, savants have been defined as intellectually impaired individuals who nevertheless display exceptional skills within specific domains. However, within the extant literature, cases of savants with developmental and other clinical disorders, but with average intellectual functioning, are increasingly reported. Results:, We thus propose that focus should diverge away from IQ scores to encompass discrepancies between functional impairments and unexpected skills. It has long been observed that savant skills are more prevalent in individuals with autism than in those with other disorders. Therefore, in this annotation we seek to explore the parameters of the savant syndrome by considering these skills within the context of neuropsychological accounts of autism. A striking finding amongst those with savant skills, but without the diagnosis of autism, is the presence of cognitive features and behavioural traits associated with the disorder. Conclusions:, We thus conclude that autism (or autistic traits) and savant skills are inextricably linked and we should therefore look to autism in our quest to solve the puzzle of the savant syndrome. [source] The development of decision-making capacities in children and adolescents: Psychological and neurological perspectives and their implications for juvenile defendantsBEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW, Issue 2 2009Praveen Kambam M.D. The development of decision-making capacities in children and adolescents has been a topic of interest for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Questions regarding the development of decision-making capacities (and moral reasoning) of youth frequently arise in juvenile justice settings, other forensic settings, and sometimes in treatment settings. This article attempts to review the latest and most relevant research on the development of decision-making capacities likely to be relevant in children and adolescents who are defendants. We distinguish cognition versus judgment in decision-making and briefly review adolescent decision-making in laboratory and real world conditions. We review a theoretical framework of two different systems, a cognitive-control system and socio-emotional system, and potentially correlated neurobiological and psychological findings. Implications for selected aspects of the juvenile adjudicative process are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Graduate Students and Knowledge Exchange with Local Stakeholders: Possibilities and PreparationBIOTROPICA, Issue 5 2009Amy E. Duchelle ABSTRACT Tropical biologists are exploring ways to expand their role as researchers through knowledge exchange with local stakeholders. Graduate students are well positioned for this broader role, particularly when supported by graduate programs. We ask: (1) how can graduate students effectively engage in knowledge exchange during their research; and (2) how can university programs prepare young scientists to take on this partnership role? We present a conceptual framework with three levels at which graduate students can exchange knowledge with stakeholders (information sharing, skill building, and knowledge generation) and discuss limitations of each. Examples of these strategies included disseminating preliminary research results to southern African villages, building research skills of Brazilian undergraduate students through semester-long internships, and jointly developing and implementing a forest ecology research and training program with one community in the Amazon estuary. Students chose strategies based on stakeholders' interests, research goals, and a realistic evaluation of student capacity and skill set. As strategies became more complex, time invested, skills mobilized, and strength of relationships between students and stakeholders increased. Graduate programs can prepare students for knowledge exchange with partners by developing specialized skills training, nurturing external networks, offering funding, maximizing strengths of universities in developed and developing regions through partnership, and evaluating knowledge exchange experiences. While balancing the needs of academia with those of stakeholders is challenging, the benefits of enhancing local scientific capacity and generating more locally relevant research for improved conservation may be worth the risks associated with implementing this type of graduate training model. [source] Process Cheese: Scientific and Technological Aspects,A ReviewCOMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2008Rohit Kapoor ABSTRACT:, Process cheese is produced by blending natural cheese in the presence of emulsifying salts and other dairy and nondairy ingredients followed by heating and continuous mixing to form a homogeneous product with an extended shelf life. Extensive research on the important physicochemical and functional properties associated with process cheese and the various physicochemical, technological, and microbiological factors that influence these properties has resulted in process cheese being one of the most versatile dairy products with numerous end-use applications. The present review is an attempt to cover the scientific and technological aspects of process cheese and highlight and critique some of the important research findings associated with them. The 1st objective of this article is to extensively describe the physicochemical properties and microstructure, as well as the functional properties, of process cheese and highlight the various analytical techniques used to evaluate these properties. The 2nd objective is to describe the formulation parameters, ingredients, and various processing conditions that influence the functional properties of process cheese. This review is primarily targeted at process cheese manufacturers as well as students in the field of dairy and food science who may want to learn more about the scientific and technological aspects of process cheese. The review is limited to the relevant research associated with process cheeses as defined by the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and does not cover imitation and substitute cheeses. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||