Does parental homework involvement mediate the relationship between family background and educational outcomes?

This research examines whether parental homework involvement mediates the relationship between family background and educational outcomes such as academic achievement and academic self-concept. Data from two studies in which grade 8 students (N = 1274 and N = 1911) described their parents’ involvement in the homework process were reanalyzed via structural equation modeling. Perceived parental homework interference and perceived homework-related conflict were negatively related to students’ academic development, whereas perceived parental support and perceived parental competence to help with homework were positively related to academic outcomes. Although there were small associations between some aspects of parental homework involvement and family background variables, parental homework involvement did not mediate the relationship between family background and educational outcomes. Findings highlight the need for differentiated conceptualizations of parental homework involvement as well as detailed analyses of the processes underlying the association between family background and educational outcomes.     

DNA, Inference, and Information

This paper assesses Sarkar's ([2003]) deflationary account ofgenetic information. On Sarkar's account, genes carry informationabout proteins because protein synthesis exemplifies what Sarkarcalls a ‘formal information system’. Furthermore,genes are informationally privileged over non-genetic factorsof development because only genes enter into arbitrary relationsto their products (in virtue of the alleged arbitrariness ofthe genetic code). I argue that the deflationary theory doesnot capture four essential features of the ordinary conceptof genetic information: intentionality, exclusiveness, asymmetry,and causal relevance. It is therefore further removed from whatis customarily meant by genetic information than Sarkar admits.Moreover, I argue that it is questionable whether the accountsucceeds in demonstrating that information is theoreticallyuseful in molecular genetics.

1. Introduction
2. Sarkar's InformationSystem
3. The Pre-theoretic Features of Genetic Information

   3.1Intentionality

   3.2 Exclusiveness

   3.3 Asymmetry

   3.4 Causalrelevance

4. Theoretical Usefulness
5. Conclusion

     

The role of corporate technology strategy and patent portfolios in low-, medium- and high-technology firms

Previous research into technology strategies and patent portfolios has focused on high-technology firms, whereas low- and medium-technology companies have been relatively neglected. Therefore, we analyze how corporate technology strategy and the size and composition of patent portfolios affect the performance of low-, medium- and high-technology firms. Data from 136 European companies are used to examine four hypotheses relating financial performance to technological diversification, technological aggressiveness, patent portfolio size, and patent portfolio quality. The cross-industry sample allows analyzing the different consequences of these strategic parameters in low-, medium- and high-technology firms by considering technological intensity as a moderator. Our first finding is that the positive impact of technological aggressiveness is limited in low- and medium-technology companies. Secondly, technological diversification has a positive effect in high-technology firms and a negative effect in low-technology firms. Thirdly, patent portfolio size has a positive effect only in high-technology firms. Finally, patent portfolio quality has an equally positive influence on all firms’ performance. In part, these results conflict with the findings of previous research into high-technology companies, and they call for rethinking the role of technology strategies and intellectual property portfolios in firms across industries.     

Technological innovations and sectoral change: Transformative capacity, adaptability, patterns of change: An analytical framework

Following up on recent debates about sectoral systems of innovation and production, the paper introduces a heuristic framework for analyzing and explaining distinct patterns of technology-based sectoral change. The concept is based on two interrelated influencing factors. The first is the sectoral-specific transformative capacity of new technologies themselves, that is, their substantial or incremental impact on socioeconomic and institutional change in a given sectoral system. The second is the sectoral adaptability of socioeconomic structures, institutions, and actors confronted with the opportunities presented by new technologies. The first factor—the sectoral transformative capacity of new technologies—enables us to identify the technology-based pressure to change and adjust the structural, institutional, and organizational architectures of the sectoral system. The second, complementary factor—sectoral adaptability—helps us to discern the distinct social patterns of anticipating and adopting this technology-based pressure. The specific interplay between the two influencing factors creates distinguishable modes of sectoral transformation, ranging from anticipative and smooth adjustments to reactive and crisis-ridden patterns of change. Even processes of radical sectoral change continue over longer periods of mismatch and are characterized by numerous and mostly gradual organizational, structural and institutional transformations.     

《美国高等教育经典著作百种》导论

这是一本由我们四位长期从事高等教育的研究者编注的小书,它列出了1 0 0本我们认为2 0世纪以来关于美国大学与学院最重要和最有影响的著作。2 0世纪即将结束,越来越多的人相信,在我们这个以知识为基础的社会里,大学已经变成了社会的中心机构。这本小书也许可以为对美国大学有兴趣的读者和学生提供一些指导。担此任务,我们诚惶诚恐。虽然眼下各种杂志热衷于罗列1 0个、2 0个、5 0个最佳餐馆、电影、医生、海滩、或网页的排行榜,但一些教授却对编撰所谓“经典”或由某种权威认可的伟大著作的任何企图严加批评。我们四人十分敏感,对此忐忑不安…     

Analgesics use in competitive triathletes: its relationship to doping and on predicting its usage

The two major objectives of this study were (i) to assess variables that predict the use of analgesics in competitive athletes and (ii) to test whether the use of analgesics is associated with the use of doping. A questionnaire primarily addressing the use of analgesics and doping was distributed among 2,997 triathletes. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to predict the use of analgesics. Moreover, the randomised response technique (RRT) was used to estimate the prevalence of doping in order to assess whether users of analgesics have a higher potential risk for doping than non-users. Statistical power analyses were performed to determine sample size. The bootstrap method was used to assess the statistical significance of the prevalence difference for doping between users and non-users of analgesics. Four variables from a pool of 16 variables were identified that predict the use of analgesics. These were: “version of questionnaire (English)”, “gender (female)”, “behaviour in case of pain (continue training)”, and “hours of training per week (>12 h/week)”. The 12-month prevalence estimate for the use of doping substances (overall estimate 13.0%) was significantly higher in athletes that used analgesics (20.4%) than in those athletes who did not use analgesics (12.4%). The results of this study revealed that athletes who use analgesics prior to competition may be especially prone to using doping substances. The predictors of analgesic use found in the study may be of importance to prepare education material and prevention models against the misuse of drugs in athletes.