Romantic relationships: an important context for HIV/STI and pregnancy prevention programmes with young people

Romantic relationships are central in the lives of young people. This paper uses data on romantic relationships from urban youth in the USA to illustrate how using a relationships perspective in HIV/STI and pregnancy prevention programmes broadens the skills and content covered, and contextualises the learning to enhance relevance and use. Self-report survey data were collected using electronic handheld devices for a school-based randomised trial. The survey sample includes 911 young people (mean age = 12.4 years) representative of their schools. Logistic regressions explored associations between selected sexual behaviours and relationship characteristics. For all participants, having more boy/girlfriends, dating alone, ever touching and ever having had oral sex were associated with an increased likelihood of having vaginal sex. Among young people with current partners, having a partner three or more years older, length of relationship and ever having oral sex were associated with an increased likelihood of having vaginal sex. The study data confirm the importance of accounting for relationships in sexual risk reduction programmes, and provide avenues for enhancing the relevancy of typical school-based prevention programmes.     

Gender and the evaluation of research

This study examines if and how gender relates to research evaluation via panel assessment and journal ratings lists. Using data from UK business schools we find no evidence that the proportion of women in a submission for panel assessment affected the score received by the submitting institution. However, we do find that women on average receive lower scores according to some journal ratings lists. There are important differences in the rated quality of journals that men and women publish in across the sub-disciplines with men publishing significantly more research in the highest rated accountancy, information management and strategy journals. In addition, women who are able to utilise networks to co-author with individuals outside their institution are able to publish in higher-rated journals, although the same is not true for men; women who are attributed with “individual staff circumstances” (e.g. maternity leave or part-time working) have lower scores according to journal ratings lists.     

The effect of caffeine ingestion on human neutrophil oxidative burst responses following time-trial cycling

Abstract

Following fixed-duration exercise of submaximal intensity, caffeine ingestion is associated with an attenuation of the exercise-induced decline in N-formyl-methionyl-phenyl-alanine (f-MLP) stimulated neutrophil oxidative burst. However, the response following high-intensity exhaustive exercise is unknown. Nine endurance-trained male cyclists ingested 6 mg caffeine or placebo per kilogram of body mass 60 min before cycling for 90 min at 70% of maximal oxygen consumption ([Vdot]O_2max) and then performing a time-trial requiring an energy expenditure equivalent to 30 min cycling at 70% maximum power output. Time-trial performance was 4% faster in the caffeine than in the placebo trial (P = 0.043). Caffeine was associated with an increased plasma adrenaline concentration after 90 min of exercise (P = 0.046) and immediately after the time-trial (P = 0.02). Caffeine was also associated with an increased serum caffeine concentration (P < 0.01) after 90 min of exercise and immediately after the time-trial, as well as 1 h after the time-trial. However, the f-MLP-stimulated neutrophil oxidative burst response fell after exercise in both trials (P = 0.002). There was no effect of caffeine on circulating leukocyte or neutrophil counts, but the lymphocyte count was significantly lower on caffeine (20%) after the time-trial (P = 0.003). Our results suggest that high-intensity exhaustive exercise negates the attenuation of the exercise-induced decrease in neutrophil oxidative burst responses previously observed when caffeine is ingested before exercise of fixed duration and intensity. This may be associated with the greater increase in adrenaline concentration observed in the present study.     

Universities,professional capabilities and contributions to the public good in South Africa

The generation of a public-good, capabilities-based approach to professional education in South African universities is outlined and proposed as a contribution to wider social transformation. The relevance and importance of understanding what Amartya Sen describes as ‘capability failure' in the lives of people living in poverty is explored and, following from this, how professionals ought to contribute by virtue of their university education, and hence privilege, to making people's lives go better. The key criterion in developing and evaluating professional education is then how professionals are educated to expand the scope of effective freedoms each person has to lead a life she has reason to value, underpinned at all times with respect for human dignity. The process by which a Professional Capabilities Index (PCI) was generated theoretically and empirically is explained and the argument advanced for the PCI as a practical tool for professional education oriented to improving public services for the poor and, hence, the public good.     

A capital or capabilities education narrative in a world of staggering inequalities?

In a world of tremendous inequalities, this paper explores two contrasting normative models for education policy, and the relationship of each to policy, practices and outcomes that can improve lives by reducing injustice and building societies which value capabilities for all. The first model is that of human capital which currently dominates contemporary education policy globally, harnessing education policy to economic growth imperatives so that development through education is the means to the end of increased resources and income. The second model draws on the work of Amartya Sen to present a human capabilities model of education policy in which human lives are the end of development and the education focus is on promoting capabilities and functionings to choose a good life. An argument is advanced for capabilities as the superior approach. The paper closes by noting the problematic of social change and struggle demanded by a transformative view of education and how or if the capability approach is adequate to the task.     

The influence of study methods and knowledge processing on academic success and long‐term recall of anatomy learning by first‐year veterinary students

The purpose of this investigation was to quantitatively and qualitatively identify the study methods and learning strategies that veterinary students used to study anatomy during their first year of professional school and to correlate these with their academic achievement and long‐term recall of information. It was surmised that active study methods would be more beneficial than passive method, but this hypothesis was not supported. The activity or passivity of each study method was secondary to the way in which the students processed the learning. No single study method was associated with academic success or long‐term recall; instead, successful students used a multitude of study methods while the struggling students relied on a single method alone, although these methods varied from student to student. Students and their study methods were profiled using the qualitative technique known as phenomenographic analysis to find those who studied in a deep or surface way. The deep‐processing students, who commonly used multiple study methods, not only succeeded in the class but also had better recall. Students who relied on a memorization‐heavy surface approach to learning had limited recall and tended to perform poorly in the class. These results strongly suggest that by encouraging students to integrate their studying by using multiple methods educators can improve both student grades and recall of complex topics. Anat Sci Ed 1:68–74, 2008. © 2008 American Association of Anatomists.     

Supporting Young Children’s Efforts toward Peacemaking: Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators

Early childhood educators are in a unique position to provide peace education to young children and have been called to do so by their professional organizations. This article is intended to support early childhood educators in these endeavors by providing an overview of young children’s conceptions of peace, war, and peacemaking strategies. In addition, a theoretical framework for assessing young children’s conceptions of peacemaking is presented and recommendations for encouraging young children in their peacemaking efforts are suggested.     

Explaining Constrains Causal Learning in Childhood

Three experiments investigate how self‐generated explanation influences children's causal learning. Five‐year‐olds (N = 114) observed data consistent with two hypotheses and were prompted to explain or to report each observation. In Study 1, when making novel generalizations, explainers were more likely to favor the hypothesis that accounted for more observations. In Study 2, explainers favored a hypothesis that was consistent with prior knowledge. Study 3 pitted a hypothesis that accounted for more observations against a hypothesis consistent with prior knowledge. Explainers were more likely to base generalizations on prior knowledge. Findings suggest that attempts to explain drive children to evaluate hypotheses using features of “good” explanations, or those supporting generalizations with broad scope, as informed by children's prior knowledge and observations.     

System transition in Japanese short‐term higher education: what future for the Japanese junior college in crisis?

The uniquely Japanese institution of the tanki daigaku (two‐year university) known as ‘junior college’ in English was seen as Japan's answer to increasing participation in higher education. Initially established on a provisional basis in 1950, becoming permanent in 1965, they were the higher education institution (HEI) of choice of almost 500,000 students a year at their peak in 1995. Demographic changes after 1992 brought about a buyers' market for higher education with institutions in aggressive competition for students, a battle in which the tanki daigaku seems destined to be defeated. This paper examines the options available to junior colleges in crisis and in so doing identifies a number of features of a virtually universal system of higher education which raise issues for other advanced societies grappling with massification and commodification in their own higher education systems. The paper reviews the literature in this area, as well as drawing on a year of participant observation as an associate professor from 2000–2001.     

Realizing the Value of Non-Purchased Content

This presentation summarized a May 2013 white paper published by Taylor & Francis Group, Facilitating access to free online resources: challenges and opportunities for the library community (www.tandf.co.uk/libsite/pdf/TF-whitepaper-free-resources.pdf). Taylor & Francis staff conducted research aimed at exploring free content discoverability from the perspective of librarians. Study focus groups were held in London and Seattle, Washington in early 2013. Research also included telephone interviews, surveys, and literature searching to identify relevant studies and commentary articles.