Speaking the unspeakable in forbidden places: addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in the primary school

This paper interrogates the ways in which school is produced as a particular bounded place (or collection of places) where sexuality, and particularly non-heterosexuality, is carefully policed by these boundaries. Drawing upon data generated in primary schools during a nationwide action research project (No Outsiders), we focus on three very different school places: the classroom, the staff room and a school -based afterschool art club. Our analysis engages with the contingency of place-making to show that place is neither a unitary experience nor a neutral stage upon which social relations are enacted. The three vignettes analysed offer insights into the critical potential of consciously and persistently working across (apparently) boundaried spaces within and beyond schools

Impact of Changes in Energy Input Prices on Ethanol Importation and Prices

Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Sample Size and Robustness of Inferences from Logistic Regression in the Presence of Nonlinearity and Multicollinearity

The logistic regression models has been widely used in the social and natural sciences and results from studies using this model can have significant impact. Thus, confidence in the reliability of inferences drawn from these models is essential. The robustness of such inferences is dependent on sample size. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of sample size on the mean estimated bias and efficiency of parameter estimation and inference for the logistic regression model. A number of simulations are conducted examining the impact of sample size, nonlinear predictors, and multicollinearity on substantive inferences (e.g. odds ratios, marginal effects) and goodness of fit (e.g. pseudo-R2, predictability) of logistic regression models. Findings suggest that sample size can affect parameter estimates and inferences in the presence of multicollinearity and nonlinear predictor functions, but marginal effects estimates are relatively robust to sample size.Logistic Regression Model, Multicollinearity, Nonlinearity, Robustness, Small Sample Bias, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

National characteristics and variation in Arabic handwriting

From each of four Arabic countries; Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Oman, 150 participants produced handwriting samples which were examined to assess whether national characteristics were discernible. Ten characters, which have different configurations depending upon their position in the word, along with one short word, were classified into distinguishable forms, and these forms recorded for each handwriting sample. Tests of independence showed that character forms used were not independent of country (p < 0.001) for all but one character-position (this was dropped from subsequent analyses). A correspondence analysis ordination plot and analysis of similarity (R = 0.326, p = 0.0002) showed that whole samples were discernibly grouped by country, and a tree analysis produced a classification which was 71% accurate for the original data and 83% accurate for 80 new handwriting samples that underwent ‘blind’ classification. When the countries were combined into two regions, North Africa and Middle East, the grouping was more marked. Thus, there appears to be some scope for narrowing down the nationality, and particularly the wider geographical region of an author based upon the character forms they use in Arabic handwriting

Assessing nutrition knowledge and nutritional risk level of older women in Extension Homemakers Association

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of nutrition knowledge of older women and compare their nutrition knowledge score with regards to nutritional risk level, age, and level of education attained. This study examined relationships between nutritional risk level and age subgroups of participants in regards to nutrition knowledge scores. Members of the Indiana Extension Homemakers Association (IEHA) of Shelby County (n=92) were given the DETERMINE Checklist with demographic survey and a nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Results: nutrition knowledge scores were inversely associated with nutritional risk level and significantly different between levels of education attained; there was significant correlation between nutritional risk level and level of education. No significant interactions with nutrition knowledge scores and all variables combined (nutritional risk level, age, and level of education attained) were noted. This study contributes to the limited amount of research done with Extension Homemakers and will help identify future program needs and nutrition education topics.Department of Family and Consumer SciencesThesis (M.S.

Decrease in health-related quality of life associated with awareness of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in Scotland

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can significantly reduce health-related quality of life (QoL), but it is not clear if reduction is associated with the infection or with being aware of one's infection status. Understanding the impact of a HCV diagnosis on QoL is essential to inform decision-making regarding screening/testing and treatment. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed QoL in 2898 people who inject drugs (PWID), surveyed in Scotland during 2010 using EQ-5D. Multifactorial regression compared self-reported QoL between PWID who were (i) chronically HCV-infected and aware of their infected status, (ii) chronically HCV-infected but unaware, and (iii) not chronically infected. Median time since onset of injecting was 10years; not chronically infected PWID were younger and had shorter injecting careers than chronically infected PWID. Median EQ-5D was highest for the not chronically infected and the chronic/unaware groups (0.73) compared with the chronic/aware group (0.66). After adjustment for demographic and behavioural co-factors, QoL was significantly reduced in chronic/aware compared with chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.09, p=0.005); there was no evidence for a difference in QoL between not chronically infected and chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.03, p=0.13). Awareness of one's chronic HCV status was associated with reduced health-related QoL, but there was no evidence for further reduction attributable to chronic infection itself after adjusting for important covariate differences