African Urbanization as Flight? Some Policy Implications of Geography

The mystery of the lack of a positive relationship between growth and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa has been raised in a number of studies. A recent paper by Barrios et al. (Journal of Urban Economics 60:357–371, 2006) provides a compelling explanation for why this occurs. Exploiting a new data source, they show how climate change, specifically the reduction in rainfall, has driven people from the increasingly impoverished countryside to the city. They also show that while this is an important factor explaining urbanization in sub-Saharan African countries it does not affect urbanization elsewhere. Their explanation for this important difference is differences in the patterns of rainfall, as well as the composition of soil in most sub-Saharan countries. In a word, geographical factors have dominated the unusual pattern observed in the world’s most rapidly urbanizing continent. In this paper, we extend the work done by Barrios et al. to include more observations and more detailed geographic variables. We first replicate their results and extend the number of observations to more recent periods. Then we consider the effects of a range of specific country geographical characteristics, relying on data developed by other researchers. After discussing our results, we focus on the implications of our findings for policy formulation, particularly for sub-Saharan African countries. The results indicate that geographical circumstances place significantly more important constraints on maximization processes. In other words, urbanization in these countries takes place in a profoundly “second-best” world. We consider what this kind of context implies for the sequencing and implementation of economic reforms which would allow for an urbanization process that would be more conducive to economic growth.     

Volatile components in defensive spray of the hooded skunk,Mephitis macroura

GC-MS analysis of the anal sac secretion from the hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura, showed the following seven major components comprised 99% of the volatiles in this secretion: (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, S-(E)-2-butenyl thioacetate, S-3-methylbutenyl thioacetate, 2-phenylethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol. Minor volatile components identified in this secretion are phenylmethanethiol, S-phenylmethyl thioacetate, S-2-phenylethyl thioacetate, bis[(E)-2-butenyl] disulfide, (E)-2-butenyl 3-methylbutyl disulfide, bis(3-methylbutyl) disulfide, and S-2-quinolinemethyl thioacetate. This secretion is similar to that of the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, differing only in that it contains four compounds not reported from the striped skunk: phenylmethanethiol, S-phenylmethyl thioacetate, 2-phenylethanethiol, and S-2-phenylethyl thioacetate.     

Development of a shortened center for epidemiological studies depression scale for assessment of depression in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The purpose was to develop a short-form version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) for the identification of persons with major depressive disorder (MDD) within a population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Study Design: Data were analyzed from 337 persons with RA. Forty-six participants met the diagnostic criteria for MDD; 291 participants were classified in the non-MDD category (including 21 participants with dysthymia and 18 participants with minor depressive disorder). A short-form version of the CES-D was developed, and multiple cutoff scores were examined. Results: A cutoff score of ≥5 from a 9-item, short-form CES-D was found to be generally as efficient as the more commonly used full-scale cutoff score of ≥16 for classifying participants with MDD within an RA population. Although the shortened CES-D scale (cutoff score ≥5) was slightly more sensitive, it also exhibited slightly less specificity than the full-scale cutoff score of ≥16. Conclusion: The results suggest that a short-form CES-D can be used to screen for MDD within an RA sample with a degree of efficiency that is generally comparable to that of the full-scale instrument. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accessing the spoken word

Spoken-word audio collections cover many domains, including radio and television broadcasts, oral narratives, governmental proceedings, lectures, and telephone conversations. The collection, access, and preservation of such data is stimulated by political, economic, cultural, and educational needs. This paper outlines the major issues in the field, reviews the current state of technology, examines the rapidly changing policy issues relating to privacy and copyright, and presents issues relating to the collection and preservation of spoken audio content .     

Teaming in the Design Laboratory

A sequence of senior design courses for electrical and computer engineering emphasizing the team concept is described. These courses build on the technical information and concepts developed in lower level required courses and add reality to the design process by using engineering teams. Each team in the class uses the same design specifications based on the IEEE Region 3 Student Hardware Design Contest. A discussion of grouping, managing, reporting, and evaluating teams for five successful semesters of this design experience is presented. Benefits of team-structured design courses are presented and discussed.     

The relative efficacy of avoidant and nonavoidant coping strategies: A meta-analysis.

Conducted a series of meta-analyses, involving 43 studies, to ascertain whether there were systematic patterns in the empirical literature that described when attention strategies were more or less effective than avoidant strategies. Results of an overall analysis of studies providing tests of attention vs avoidance indicated little evidence for one strategy's superiority. However, supplementary analyses suggested there were boundary conditions that defined the relative efficacy of a specific strategy. Overall, avoidance was associated with more positive adaptation in the short-run. However, attention was superior to avoidance if the former involved a focus on sensory schemata rather than emotional processing. If attention involved an emotional interpretational set or no explicit set, then it was associated with more negative outcomes than avoidance. In terms of long-term outcomes, avoidance indicated better outcomes initially, but with time, attention was associated with more positive outcomes. A final set of analyses found that both attention and avoidance facilitated adaptation as compared with no instruction controls. The meta-analyses suggested the important role of interpretational set and whether one looks at the immediate or at the long-term effects of coping. (5 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Method for detecting random answers on personality questionnaires.

Developed and evaluated several strategies for detection of randomly answered protocols for the 16 pf using 250 undergraduates. Cattell's sabotage index predicted poorly, indeed in the wrong direction, between normal and randomly answered sheets (t = 2.10, p = .05). Random and carelessness indexes were derived and predicted very well, providing ts of 15.02 and 12.67 (significant at well beyond the .001 level), respectively, between random and normal sheets. Both indexes, while correctly selecting 86 and 88% of the random answer sheets, respectively, incorrectly picked out only about 6% of the normal group. Since the design of the study included a form of cross-validation, it is suggested that these indexes might be of great practical use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defensiveness on the MMPI as a function of the warmth of test introduction.

Hypothesized that a warmer introduction to the MMPI would reduce defensiveness as measured by the K and F-K scores and permit the revelation of more psychiatric symptoms. Over a 7-mo period the MMPI with either a warm or cold introduction was administered to a total of 61 mothers and 47 fathers of children being evaluated in a child psychiatric clinic. The K scores were significantly higher and the F-K scores significantly lower for the cold-form group. Mothers who received the warm form scored higher on the F scale, while fathers did not differ across forms. It is concluded that, while an increase in honesty resulted from the manipulation of the forms, there was little evidence to indicate that there was also an increase in the acknowledgment of psychiatric problems. It is suggested that high K and low F-K scores, rather than indicating the covering up of symptoms, are an assertion of psychological health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)