Examining Resident Perceptions of Negative Gambling Impacts with Factual Evidence

This study attempts to establish a dialogue between perceived negative impacts associated with borrowing money to gamble and the resulting bankruptcies in three ways: matching local resident opinions with evidence they are asked to provide; determining causal effects of evidence on perceptions; and confirming the bankruptcy issues by using historical data. The results of the study are mixed. On one hand, they indicate a close tie between borrowing perceptions and real facts. However, on the other hand, they also report that bankruptcy related perceptions are not based on evidence and suggest that several factors are at play besides the casino gambling revenue. An empirical time series analysis of historical data illustrates and supports this contention. These results have important policy implications for regulators and operators of the casino industry

Exploring Social Exchange Theory Dynamics in Native American Casino Settings

The proliferation of Native American casino (NAC) gambling over the past few decades has generated a concern over the social, economic, and environmental impacts. This study examined the local resident perceptions of casino gambling impacts and their subsequent support for the NACs within the Social Exchange Theory (SET) framework. It further applied a similar framework to the non-NAC settings. While majority of the impact constructs failed to generate support for the NACs in the presence of intervening variables, a significant application of SET appeared among the non-NAC communities. Benefits were found to be significant for facilitating higher levels of support for the nonNACs. Overall, the results indicated that SET is not a universal phenomena and nature of casino ownership is more likely to influence residents\u27 level of support

Perceived Impacts of Gambling: Integration of Two Theories

This study explores the race and educational attainment variations on resident perceptions and support for a proposed casino development. In addition, it investigates the influence of perceived benefits and costs on casino gambling support. The findings indicate that residents who are likely to receive personal benefits from gambling development tend to believe that its socioeconomic benefits outweigh the associated costs. Respondents\u27 race is found to exercise a significant influence on their perceptions of benefits and costs, and casino development support. This study integrates two separate research streams of social exchange theory and social representation theory, and in doing so makes a major theoretical contribution in tourism and gaming literature

Factors Contributing to Psycho-Social Ill-Health in Male Adolescents

Objective: To study the prevalence of psychosocial problems in male adolescents and find out various factors contributing to psycho-social ill health. Methods: 500 adolescents were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire to elicit the information about the psychosocial problems including depression, suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts. Association of academic performance, family problems, psychological problems and substance abuse was also included. Results: More than one third (39.6%) adolescents were having psychological problems. These problems were significantly higher in middle adolescence (14-16 years), large extended families (> 8 members) and lower socioeconomic status. Residence had no significant relation to psychological problems in the adolescents. On correlation, these adolescents with psychological problems were having significantly more academic problems, family disputes, domestic violence, lesser number of close friends and greater substance abuse. Conclusion: Considering that male adolescents from large families with lesser education and lower income had higher prevalence of psychosocial problems, it is essential for health care planners to design comprehensive family and health education programs for the adolescents. The family support, teacher student rapport and peer group communication should be strengthened to counteract unsafe behaviours in the adolescents

In-medium pseudoscalar D/BD/B mesons and charmonium decay width

Using QCD sum rules and chiral SU(3) model, we investigate the effect of temperature, density, strangeness fraction and isospin asymmetric parameter on the shift in masses and decay constants of the pseudoscalar $D$ and $B$ meson in hadronic medium, which consist of nucleons and hyperons. The in-medium properties of $D$ and $B$ mesons within QCD sum rule approach depend upon the quark and gluon condensates. In chiral SU(3) model, quark and gluon condensates are introduced through the explicit symmetry breaking term and the trace anomaly property of the QCD, respectively and are written in terms of scalar fields $\sigma$, $\zeta$, $\delta$ and $\chi$. Hence, through medium modification of $\sigma$, $\zeta$, $\delta$ and $\chi$ fields, we obtain the medium modified masses and decay constants of $D$ and $B$ mesons. As an application, using $^3 P_0$ model, we calculate the in-medium decay width of the higher charmonium states $\psi(3686)$, $\psi(3770)$ and $\chi(3556)$ to the $D \bar{D}$ pairs, considering the in-medium mass of $D$ mesons. These results may be important to understand the possible outcomes of high energy physics experiments, e.g., CBM and PANDA at GSI, Germany.Comment: 31 pages and 7 figure

Marketable Surplus and Price-Spread for Maize in Hamirpur District of Himachal Pradesh

A study has been conducted on the production, marketed surplus, disposal channels, margins and price-spread for maize cultivation in the Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. A multi-stage stratified sampling technique has been used to select the sample of blocks (2), villages (10) and maize growers (120) for the year 2001-02. The study on factors affecting marketed surplus, and cost & margins in the marketing of maize has revealed that farm-level marketable surplus is comprised of 53.21 per cent of the total production. The practices of storing maize for sometime and selling at a later date for higher price have led to storage losses to the extent of 0.16 quintal (2.80% of marketable surplus). Much of the marketable surplus of maize (66.92%) was disposed of by a majority of farmers (74.56%) during the first quarter (October- December). Producer → Local trader → WS/ CA → Processor/ Consumer has been found as the main channel in the marketing of maize followed by about 71.93 per cent farmers, accounting for about 70 per cent of the produce. The producer’s share in consumer’s rupee has been estimated at 78.01 per cent in this channel.Agricultural and Food Policy,