Rearing social class, education, and criminality: A multiple indicator model.

Controversy exists in the criminology literature over whether rearing social class influences the emergence of criminal behavior. Theoretically, some researchers have argued, a lower rearing class status reflects intellectual and emotional deprivation that motivates later illegal activity. Other researchers argue that intelligence, regardless of rearing status, is the chief determinant of criminal behavior. Using maximum-likelihood path-analytic techniques and a split sample validation design on data from a longitudinal study of a true birth cohort (3,421 adult males in Denmark), the present study finds support for the hypothesis that rearing social class does relate to criminal behavior, indirectly. The model tested and supported in this research is that rearing class status predicts educational performance, which in turn precedes the development of criminal activity. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race, social class, religion, and nationality as determinants of social distance.

"In a study of social distance of college students with respect to various social objects, a factorial design with two levels of value of race, social class, religion, and nationality was employed and analyses of variance were computed on social distance scores. For white Ss race and social class were found to be more important determinants of social distance than religion or nationality… . The data are interpreted in terms of a theory of prejudice that employs conformity, cognitive dissonance, and insecurity as its main constructs." (31 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Urinary naphthols as an indicator of exposure to naphthalene

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between exposure to naphthalene and urinary excretion of naphthols was examined. METHODS: Concentrations of naphthalene and naphthols in breathing-zone air during a workshift and 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol in urine collected after the workshift were determined for 102 male workers. Gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was used to determine the air concentration. Urine naphthols were extracted after acid hydrolysis by solid-phase extraction and separated by the GC-FID method. Naphthalene homologues in air and their metabolites in urine samples were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: 1-Naphthol, 2-naphthol and 1,4-naphthoquinone were identified in the urine samples. The time-weighted average concentrations of naphthalene and naphthols in the breathing-zone air showed that the exposure level of the workers was rather low. The geometric mean values were as follows: 0.77 and 0.87 mg/m3 for naphthalene, 0.016 and 0.034 mg/m3 for 1-naphthol, 0.012 and 0.067 mg/m3 for 2-naphthol during tar distillation and naphthalene oil distillation, respectively. The corresponding urinary concentrations of 1- and 2-naphthols were 693.1 and 264.4 micromol/mol and 264.4 and 297.7 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the naphthol concentrations in urine and the breathing-zone air concentrations of naphthalene were statistically significant, varying in the range of 0.64--0.75 for 1-naphthol and 0.70--0.82 for 2-naphthol. There was linear dependence (r = 0.76) between the summary concentration of naphthols in urine and the naphthalene concentration in air. CONCLUSIONS: Workers in tar distillation and naphthalene distillation are exposed to rather low concentrations of naphthalene and methylated naphthalenes and naphthols. Naphthols and 1,4-naphthoquinone identified in the urine appear to be the products of the hydroxylation of naphthalene present in the breathing-zone air. These findings suggest that the summary concentration of naphthols in urine can be used as a biomarker for naphthalene exposure.     

Acridine orange as an indicator of bacterial susceptibility to gentamicin

We have studied the response of Escherichia coli NCTC10418 to gentamicin with flow cytometry. The susceptibility of individual bacterial cells to the antibiotic was assessed by differential staining using the metachromatic dye, acridine orange. Exponential phase cultures were exposed to the minimum bactericidal concentration of gentamicin and analysed at regular intervals over 90 min. Within 60 min of exposure to the drug, two sub-populations of organisms could be distinguished in cultures by their different acridine orange-associated fluorescence emissions of < 550 nm and > 550 nm. The number of bacteria exhibiting acridine orange-associated fluorescence at > 550 nm corresponded to counts of colony forming units.     

Choice as an act of meaning: The case of social class.

Social class is one important source of models of agency--normative guidelines for how to be a "good" person. Using choice as a prototypically agentic action, 5 studies test the hypotheses that models of agency prevalent in working-class (WK) contexts reflect a normative preference for similarity to others, whereas models prevalent in middle-class (MD) contexts reflect a preference for difference from others. Focusing on participants' choices, Studies 1 and 2 showed that participants from WK relative to MD contexts more often chose pens that appeared similar to, rather than different from, other pens in the choice set, and more often chose the same images as another participant. Examining participants' responses to others' choices, Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated that participants from WK relative to MD contexts liked their chosen pens more when a confederate chose similarly and responded more positively when a friend chose the same car in a hypothetical scenario. Finally, Study 5 found that car advertisements targeting WK rather than MD consumers more often emphasized connection to, rather than differentiation from, others, suggesting that models of agency are reflected in pervasive cultural products. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Facial asymmetry as an indicator of psychological, emotional, and physiological distress

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is deviation from bilateral symmetry in morphological traits with asymmetry values that are normally distributed with a mean of 0. FA is produced by genetic or environmental perturbations of developmental design and may play a role in human sexual selection. K. Grammer and R. Thornhill (1994) found that facial FA negatively covaries with observer ratings of attractiveness, dominance, sexiness, and health. Using self-reports, observer ratings, daily diary reports, and psychophysiological measures, the authors assessed the relationship between facial FA and health in 2 samples of undergraduates (N = 101). Results partially replicate and extend those of K. Grammer and R. Thornhill (1994) and suggest that facial FA may signal psychological, emotional, and physiological distress. Discussion integrates the authors' findings with previous research on FA and suggests future research needed to clarify the role of FA in human sexual selection.     

Weight gain as an indicator of response to chemotherapy for oesophageal carcinoma

Patients with oesophageal carcinoma commonly present with dysphagia and weight loss, which may be related to the tumour burden and/or the physical obstruction to the passage of food. In this study we have examined the relationship between weight change and response to chemotherapy in 28 patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for squamous or anaplastic carcinoma. Two pulses of mitomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatin were given 3 weeks apart. Body weights were measured prior to the first pulse and 3 weeks after the second. Patients underwent oesophageal dilatation routinely at diagnostic endoscopy prior to chemotherapy, in order to permit oral nutrition. No dietary modifications were made. Tumour response was assessed on a barium swallow. Patients had a normal spread of weights on presentation. In the non-responding group (n = 9), eight patients lost weight and one gained weight. Of the partial responders (> 50% tumour shrinkage; n = 11), five gained weight, five lost weight and one remained constant. In the complete response group (n = 8), six gained weight and two lost weight. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference (F = 4.61; P = 0.02) between change in weight expressed as a percentage of ideal weight in nonresponders (mean -5.3%) versus partial responders (mean +2.4%), and in non-responders versus complete responders (mean +1.1%). Weight gain during chemotherapy is a good indication of response, although its absence does not preclude a response. In the majority of patients who respond to chemotherapy there will be an increase in weight with improvement in their general condition prior to operation.     

Skin potential as an indicator of emotion.

Monitored the skin-potential responses of 6 college students while each was seen for 10 counseling sessions. Results indicate that the nature of a S's skin-potential wave was generally a reliable indicator of the way the S was managing or experiencing his feelings, as reported on the Mood Adjective Check List during the sessions. Negative skin-potential responses were accompanied by feelings described as pleasant and released; positive responses were associated with unpleasant and inhibited feelings, and neutral responses were often associated with unpleasant and inhibited feelings but also tended to coincide with thoughtful moods. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social class, psychological disorder, and the nature of the psychopathologic indicator.

Evaluated the nature and degree of differences between 3 measures of clinical status often used as primary indicators of psychological disorder: (a) a general severity score, combining information on both numbers of symptoms and intensity of distress; (b) a symptom distress score, reflecting only intensity of distress; and (c) a pure enumerative indicator, reflecting only numbers of symptoms. The indicators were contrasted within the context of patient social class, since previous work has shown it to be an important influence in determining symptom patterns. A strong inverse relationship has been repeatedly demonstrated between social class and psychological disorder. Data from previous studies of 1,104 anxious neurotic outpatients were used, and measurement was done in terms of the 5 primary symptom dimensions and the total pathology score of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist. Results confirm the traditional inverse relationship between social class and psychological disorder but demonstrate that it was conditional in nature. Only when disorder was defined in terms of an indicator based to some degree on numbers of symptoms, and only on the symptom dimensions of somatization and anxiety, did the traditional pattern clearly emerge. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Arm circumference as an indicator of the malnutrition risk in preschoolers

The purpose of the study was to validate the CIMDER strip to determine it's sensitivity and specificity comparing different children groups in Tláhuac, a Mexico City county, according to the strip color related to weight/age, height/age and weight/height. Five hundred and seventy five children between 41 and 71 months old were measured using the CIMDER strip. They fell in the following ranges: 16.2 per cent (93 children) were red, 37.9 per cent (218 children) were yellow and 45.9 per cent (264 children) were green. Results showed that when related to Gómez classification for weight/age, CIMDER strip presented high sensitivity and specificity. When related to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) percentiles table for weight/height and weight/age, it presented high sensitivity but low specificity.     

Ciliary body band width as an indicator of goniodysgenesis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the gonioscopic signs indicative of underdevelopment of the iridocorneal angle and thereby obtain a correct diagnosis of goniodysgenetic glaucoma. METHODS: We examined morphologically the iridocorneal angle of 28 enucleated human eyes, including those from premature infants as well as from older subjects. The ratio of the ciliary body band width to the width of the posterior limbus (the distance between the termination of Descemet's membrane and the iris root), termed the theoretic C/L ratio, was calculated by drawing on light micrographs. Data were compared for three age groups: premature infants, children, and subjects older than 9 years. We also examined clinically the appearance of the ciliary body band on gonioscopy in 135 eyes of 69 younger patients having primary glaucoma with open iridocorneal angles and in 94 eyes of 47 age-matched control subjects. RESULTS: The theoretic C/L ratio +/-SD was 1.4% +/- 2.7% in premature infants, 24.0% +/- 5.4% in children, and 36.7% +/- 8.0% in the older subjects. There was a statistically significant difference between each of the three groups (between premature infants and children, P < .001; between children and older subjects, P < .005; between premature infants and older subjects, P < .001). On gonioscopy, 105 of 135 glaucomatous eyes (77.8%) and 13 of 94 control eyes (13.8%) showed either an invisible or very narrow ciliary body band (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: The ciliary body band seen on gonioscopy provides an indicator of the development of the iridocorneal angle. An invisible or very narrow ciliary body band represents an underdevelopment of the angle.     

Heritability as an indicator of genetical variation in fecundity

Heritability is well known to be a poor indicator of genetical variation in fitness. We show here that it is also an inadequate measure of genetical variation in fecundity.     

Alumni ratings as an indicator of departmental quality.

University alumni and enrolled students from 22 departments responded to 11 satisfaction items concerning instructional, curricular, advising, and operational aspects of their major departments. Factor structures for the 2 groups were nearly identical and included 2 factors: General Satisfaction With Major and Satisfaction With Mentorship. Comparisons of department means showed differences between alumni and enrolled students on many items, particularly vocational guidance. Alumni ratings were relatively uninfluenced by job-related variables. It is concluded that they are an important source of information in assessing departmental quality. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dental root surface structure as an indicator of age

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between the root surface structure of human teeth and the age of the individual and also to evaluate whatever contribution this relationship might give to multiple regression methods for age estimation. The material, consisting of 1000 permanent teeth, excluding molars, was examined by means of a new scoring system (Surface Roughness Scores, SRS) for surface roughness, in addition to the scoring systems of Gustafson (RG) and Johanson (RJ) for root resorption. Statistical analyses using the SPSS package indicated a symmetric left/right distribution of root surface structure. The Pearson correlation between age and RJ varied from -0.02 for maxillary central incisors to 0.54 for mandibular central incisors and was approximately the same for RG. These two scoring systems seem to be of little value in methods for age estimation. Correlations between age and the new scoring systems SRS were significant for all teeth and varied from 0.44 for maxillary second premolars to 0.68 for mandibular first premolars. There was no detectable influence of gender or reason for extraction. However, the SRS could not be assessed with sufficient reproducibility, and the estimates were therefore too subjective to be used as the sole criterion for age estimation. This scoring system could, however contribute positively to a multiple regression method.