Decisional balance of condom use and depressed mood among incarcerated male adolescents.

The association between depressed mood and condom use was examined among incarcerated male adolescents. One hundred and eighty male adolescents who were detained in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States were interviewed during a period of incarceration. Contrary to patterns generally found in adult samples, nearly 50% of this adolescent sample that did not use condoms regularly actually recognized the advantages of condom use. This behavior pattern was deemed &#34;inconsistent,&#34; and those engaging in this &#34;inconsistent&#34; behavior pattern were found to have a higher score of depressed mood compared to participants with a &#34;consistent&#34; behavior pattern. As a result, a relationship between depressed mood and decisional balance for condom use within adolescents was evident. These findings suggest that assessment and treatment of depressed mood within this high-risk population could potentially contribute to a reduction in high-risk sexual behaviors.</p

Is your EPL attractive? Classification of publications through download statistics

Here we consider the download statistics of EPL publications. We find that papers in the journal are characterised by fast accumulations of downloads during the first couple of months after publication, followed by slower rates thereafter, behaviour which can be represented by a model with predictive power. We also find that individual papers can be classified in various ways, allowing us to compare categories for open-access and non-open-access papers. For example, for the latter publications, which comprise the bulk of EPL papers, a small proportion (2%) display intense bursts of download activity, possibly following an extended period of less remarkable behaviour. About 18% have an especially high degree of attractiveness over and above what is typical for the journal. One can also classify the ageing of attractiveness by examining download half-lives. Approximately 18% have strong interest initially, waning in time. A further 20% exhibit "delayed recognition" with relatively late spurs in download activity. Although open-access papers enjoy more downloads on average, the proportions falling into each category are similar.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in EP

Double and single pion photoproduction within a dynamical coupled-channels model

Within a dynamical coupled-channels model which has already been fixed from analyzing the data of the pi N -> pi N and gamma N -> pi N reactions, we present the predicted double pion photoproduction cross sections up to the second resonance region, W< 1.7 GeV. The roles played by the different mechanisms within our model in determining both the single and double pion photoproduction reactions are analyzed, focusing on the effects due to the direct gamma N -> pi pi N mechanism, the interplay between the resonant and non-resonant amplitudes, and the coupled-channels effects. The model parameters which can be determined most effectively in the combined studies of both the single and double pion photoproduction data are identified for future studies.Comment: Version to appear in PRC. 16 pages, 13 figure

Trends in drop out, drug free discharge and rates of re-presentation: a retrospective cohort study of drug treatment clients in the North West of England

BACKGROUND Governments aim to increase treatment participation by problematic drug users. In the UK this has been achieved by fiscal investment, an expanded workforce, reduced waiting times and coercive measures (usually criminal justice (CJ) led). No assessment of these measures on treatment outcomes has been made. Using established monitoring systems we assessed trends in 'dropped out' and 'discharged drug free' (DDF), since the launch of the national drug strategy, and rates of treatment re-presentation for these cohorts. METHODS A longitudinal dataset of drug users (1997 to 2004/05, n = 26,415) was used to identify people who dropped out of, and were DDF from, services for years 1998 to 2001/02, and re-presentations of these people in years to 2004/05. Trends in drop out and DDF, baseline comparisons of those DDF and those who dropped out and outcome comparisons for those referred from the CJ system versus other routes of referral were examined using chi square. Logistic regression analyses identified variables predicting drop out versus DDF and subsequent re-presentation versus no re-presentation. RESULTS The proportion of individuals dropping out has increased from 7.2% in 1998 to 9.6% in 2001/02 (P < 0.001). The proportion DDF has fallen from 5.8% to 3.5% (P < 0.001). Drop out was more likely in later years, by those of younger age and by CJ referrals. The proportion re-presenting to treatment in the following year increased from 27.8% in 1998 to 44.5% in 2001/02 (P < 0.001) for those DDF, and from 22.9% to 48.6% (P < 0.001) for those who dropped out. Older age and prior treatment experience predicted re-presentation. Outcome (drop out or DDF) did not predict re-presentation. CONCLUSION Increasing numbers in treatment is associated with an increased proportion dropping out and an ever-smaller proportion DDF. Rates of drop out are significantly higher for those coerced into treatment via the CJ system. Rates of re-presentation are similar for those dropping out and those DDF. Encouragingly, those who need to re-engage with treatment, particularly those who drop out, are doing so more quickly. The impact of coercion on treatment outcomes and the appropriateness of aftercare provision require further consideration

Electroexcitation of nucleon resonances at Q^2=0.65 GeV/c^2 from a combined analysis of single- and double-pion electroproduction data

Data on single- and double-charged pion electroproduction off protons are successfully described in the second and third nucleon resonance regions with common N* photocouplings. The analysis was carried out using separate isobar models for both reactions. From the combined analysis of two exclusive channels, the gamma* p --> N*+ helicity amplitudes are obtained for the resonances P11(1440), D13(1520), S31(1620), S11(1650), F15(1680), D33(1700), D13(1700), and P13(1720) at Q2=0.65 GeV/c^2.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures (eps), Published in PHYSICAL REVIEW C 72, 045201 (2005

The role of alcohol in deaths presenting to the Coroner’s Service in Cork city and county.

A retrospective study was conducted in order to determine the prevalence and concentration of alcohol in post-mortem blood samples sent for toxicological analysis in Cork City and County in 2003 and 2004. Post mortem reports of these deaths were reviewed for the presence or absence of alcohol at the time of autopsy, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at time of death, age and sex of the decedents. Of samples sent for blood alcohol analysis (BAA), 38.4% were positive for alcohol. Significant differences were found between the proportions of alcohol positive cases by cause of death. Alcohol positive cases were significantly younger (44.3 ± 17.8 years) than alcohol negative cases (51.9 ± 19.4years) and fifty two percent of drivers were positive for alcohol at the time of death. Awareness of the harmful and potentially fatal effects of alcohol should continue to be raised within the community, so as to prevent future fatalities

Multivariate side-band subtraction using probabilistic event weights

A common situation in experimental physics is to have a signal which can not be separated from a non-interfering background through the use of any cut. In this paper, we describe a procedure for determining, on an event-by-event basis, a quality factor ($Q$-factor) that a given event originated from the signal distribution. This procedure generalizes the "side-band" subtraction method to higher dimensions without requiring the data to be divided into bins. The $Q$-factors can then be used as event weights in subsequent analysis procedures, allowing one to more directly access the true spectrum of the signal.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure