A predictive model of adolescent pregnancy risk : a black-white comparison.

The purpose of this study was to delineate the role of race in the prediction of at-risk status for pregnancy among Black and White high school females from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Research findings relative to adolescent pregnancy were assimilated into a proposed three factor model of pregnancy risk which included: Knowledge and Attitude toward Sexuality and Childbearing, Current Life Situation, and Opportunity for Sex. A questionnaire was developed to assess risk factors within the structure of the three model factors. The questionnaire examined the social, familial, and personal variables that influence a teen\u27s sexual activity. The questionnaire was administered to 152 high school females aged 14-19. It was hypothesized that: (1) at-risk status for pregnancy was associated with high risk scores on the model variables and factors; (2) Black subjects would receive higher risk scores on the Knowledge and Attitude toward Pregnancy and Childbearing factor than White students and that Current Life Situation and Opportunity for Sex would predict pregnancy status but show no racial differentiation; (3) if the second hypothesis was correct, a differential pattern of pregnancy risk by race would result that could be incorporated into a model that discriminates risk status by race. The scores on the variables were analyzed through the use of: multivariate tests of significance (MANOVA), univariate $F$-tests, and discriminant function analyses. Additionally, factor analysis was used to assess the proposed model and develop new models for specific application. Not all hypotheses were accepted. Pregnancy status was predicted by the first hypothesis with findings reaching significance. On hypothesis 2, White pregnant subjects were more at-risk than other groups followed by Black pregnant subjects, Black never-pregnant subjects and, finally, White never pregnant-subjects. The questionnaire identified differential patterns for each racial group which validated the use of a stepwise discriminant analysis to help discriminate pregnancy risk status by race. The use of discriminant analysis derived variables increased prediction of pregnancy accuracy to 98.48% for Black subjects and 94.52% for White subjects. The need for replication studies and investigations of other racial and ethnic groups is discussed

Predominance of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus -ST88 and New ST1797 causing Wound Infection and Abscesses.

Although there has been a worldwide emergence and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), little is known about the molecular epidemiology of MRSA in Tanzania. In this study, we characterized MRSA strains isolated from clinical specimens at the Bugando Medical Centre, Tanzania, between January and December 2008. Of 160 S. aureus isolates from 600 clinical specimens, 24 (15%) were found to be MRSA. Besides molecular screening for the Panton Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes by PCR, MRSA strains were further characterized by Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) and spa typing. Despite considerable genetic diversity, the spa types t690 (29.1%) and t7231 (41.6%), as well as the sequence types (ST) 88 (54.2%) and 1797 (29.1%), were dominant among clinical isolates. The PVL genes were detected in 4 isolates; of these, 3 were found in ST 88 and one in ST1820. Resistance to erythromycin, clindamicin, gentamicin, tetracycline and co-trimoxazole was found in 45.8%, 62.5%, 41.6%, 45.8% and 50% of the strains, respectively. We present the first thorough typing of MRSA at a Tanzanian hospital.  Despite considerable genetic diversity, ST88 was dominant among clinical isolates at the Bugando Medical Centre. Active and standardized surveillance of nosocomial MRSA infection should be conducted in the future to analyse the infection and transmission rates and implement effective control measures

Who can be nudged? Examining nudging effectiveness in the context of need for cognition and need for uniqueness

In the last decade, there has been a growing research focus on the subtle modifications of choice architecture that have strong effects on consumer behavior and are subsumed under the term nudging. There is still little research, however, on how different nudges influence individuals with different personality characteristics. An experimental online shopping scenario is used to test whether a customer\u27s Need for Cognition and Need for Uniqueness moderate the effectiveness of two of the most prominent nudges—defaults and social influence. Two experiments with samples stratified by age, gender, and education (total N = 1,561) reveal that defaults and social influence have the predicted impact on a customer\u27s decision. Across both studies, nudge effectiveness was partially impacted by Need for Cognition and not impacted at all by Need for Uniqueness. These findings imply that both types of nudges are strong and robust techniques to influence consumer decision‐making and are effective across different levels of consumer\u27s Need for Cognition or Need for Uniqueness

AN EVALUATION OF ELECTRONIC MEETING SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Strategic management, defined as the overall process of formulating and implementing goals, policies and plans of organizational strategy, is an important organizational task that is typically performed by groups of managers. While information technology has long been used to support strategic management, it has only recently been used to support the group processes of strategic management through the provision of Electronic Meeting Systems (EMS). An EMS can affect meetings by providing process support, process structure, task structure, and task support. Process support improves communication among group members (via an electronic communication channel), while process structure directs the pattern or content of discussion (via an agenda). Task structure refers to the use of a structured technique to analyze the task (a mathematical or conceptual model), while task support refers to the provision of information or computation support without additional structure (a data base or calculator). The objective of this paper is to evaluate the capability of EMS to support strategic management. The results of a series of seventeen case studies indicate that use of EMS technology can enhance six capabilities that prior research has linked to increased strategic management success. Process support and process structure were perceived to be more important than task structure and task support in contributing to success. An analysis of less successful meetings suggests that a lack of communication between the group leader/meeting organizer and meeting participants and extenuating external circumstances were primary causes for the lack of success

What Drives Innovation Activities in German SMEs in the Service and Production Sector? An Integration of Theoretical and Empirical Findings

Innovation management is an essential prerequisite for the effective and efficient generation, planning, and implementation of ideas and thus for the further development of companies in a dynamic market and competitive environment. In order to investigate the internal innovation potential of production and service companies, this article examines basic success factors and challenges of innovation management in German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a view to the sector to which they belong. On the basis of a questionnaire and interviews with experts, companies were considered with regard to their assessment of their innovative capacity. Based on an analysis of data from 30 participants, we show that the innovation capacity of SMEs with regard to success factors and challenges in production companies differs significantly from that of service companies. We also find that there is a discrepancy in the assessment of the potential for improvement of success factors and challenges. Our study shows that in the field of German SMEs, there is no “best way” to increase innovative capacity, but it depends on a combination of different factors

Sex-specific associations between serum lipids and hemostatic factors: the cross-sectional population-based KORA-fit study

Background Studies on the associations between lipid parameters and different hemostatic factors in men and women from the general population are scarce. It was therefore examined whether there are possible relationships between routinely measured serum lipids (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides) and different hemostatic factors (activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen, factor VIII, antithrombin III (AT III), protein C, protein S, and D-dimer). Methods The analysis was based on data from the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA)-Fit study, which included 805 participants (378 men, 427 women) with a mean age of 63.1 years. Sex-specific associations between serum lipids and coagulation factors were investigated using multivariable linear regression models. Results In men, total cholesterol was inversely related to aPTT but positively associated with protein C activity. HDL cholesterol was inversely related to aPTT and fibrinogen. LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides showed a positive association with protein C and protein S activity. In women, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and non-HDL-cholesterol were positively related to AT III concentrations and protein C and S activity. Additionally, non-HDL-cholesterol was positively associated with factor VIII activity. HDL cholesterol was inversely related to fibrinogen. Triglycerides showed a positive relationship with protein C activity. Conclusions There seem to be sex differences regarding various associations between blood lipid levels and hemostatic factors. Further studies are needed to address the possible impact of these associations on cardiovascular risk and the underlying mechanisms

When Does Evidence Suffice for Conviction?

There is something puzzling about statistical evidence. One place this manifests is in the law, where courts are reluctant to base affirmative verdicts on evidence that is purely statistical, in spite of the fact that it is perfectly capable of meeting the standards of proof enshrined in legal doctrine. After surveying some proposed explanations for this, I shall outline a new approach – one that makes use of a notion of normalcy that is distinct from the idea of statistical frequency. The puzzle is not, however, merely a legal one. Our unwillingness to base beliefs on statistical evidence is by no means limited to the courtroom, and is at odds with almost every general principle that epistemologists have proposed as to how we ought to manage our beliefs