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Scholars have expressed concern over waning support for democracy worldwide. But what do ordinary citizens mean by the term "democracy," and how do their definitions of democracy influence their support for it? Using global cross-national survey data, this study demonstrates that individual variation in the understanding of democracy is substantively linked to democratic support across countries and regime contexts. Individuals who define democracy in terms of elections and the protection of civil liberties and those with greater conceptual complexity express higher support for democracy. This relationship between democratic conceptualization and support holds across diverse political contexts and alternative explanations. These results suggest that it is essential to consider divergent conceptualizations of democracy—and how they may vary systematically—when analyzing popular opinions of democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As our society becomes more technologically advanced and jobs require additional related skills, it is important that all girls, not just those interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (commonly referred to as the STEM disciplines), take advanced levels of science and math in high school. Evidence suggests that intervention programs such as Girls in Science (GIS) can improve girls' interest in and attitude toward science, which may in turn impact future course selections and career choices (Gaston 2001; McCormick and Wolf 1993; Stake and Mares 2001). This article describes this after-school program model that works.

Density functional theory (DFT) and the coupled cluster method have been used to study the mechanism of the cycloaddition of acetylene to silene, [H.sub.2]Si = C[H.sub.2], and germene, [H.sub.2]Ge = C[H.sub.2], at the B3LYP/6- 311++G(d,p) and CCSD/6-311++G(d,p) levels of theory. Diradical, zwitterionic, and concerted pathways were located for both metallenes. The computational results were compared to experimental data to propose the most likely reaction pathway for each metallene. Key words: silene, germene, acetylene, cycloaddition, mechanism, computational study. La theorie de la fonctionnelle de la densite (TFD) et la methode du cluster couple ont ete utilisees pour etudier le mecanisme de cycloaddition de l'acetylene aux silenes, [H.sub.2]Si = C[H.sub.2], et aux germenes, [H.sub.2]Ge = C[H.sub.2], aux niveaux B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) et CCSD/6-311++G(d,p) de la theorie. Des voies diradicalaires, zwitterioniques et concertees ont ete reperees pour les deux metallenes. Les resultats theoriques ont ete compares aux donnees experimentales afin de proposer la voie reactionnelle la plus probable pour chaque metallene. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: silene, germene, acetylene, cycloaddition, mecanisme, etude theorique., Introduction Compounds that contain multiple bonds to heavy group 14 elements have long been of interest in inorganic chemistry; however, it was not until stable derivatives, including those of silicon [...]

A variety of terminal alkynes were added to dimesitylfluorenylidenegermane, [Mes.sub.2]Ge=[CR.sub.2] (where [CR.sub.2] = fluorenylidene). The addition of phenylacetylene and 1-hexyne to [Mes.sub.2]Ge=[CR.sub.2] gave a germacyclohexene via a cycloaddition where the germene acts as the 4π component and the alkyne as the 2π component. Through the use of a mechanistic probe, trans-(2-phenylcyclopropyl)acetylene, the reaction was postulated to proceed through a concerted [2+4] cycloaddition. The addition of ethoxyacetylene to the germene produced both a [2+2] cycloadduct, a germacyclobutene, and a [2+4] cycloadduct, a germacyclohexene. The results of this study are compared to the results of the addition of alkynes to [Mes.sub.2]Ge=CH[CH.sub.2]-t-Bu. Key words: germene, alkyne, cycloaddition, mechanism. Divers alcynes terminaux ont ete ajoutes au dimesitylfluorenylidenegermane, [Mes.sub.2]Ge=[CR.sub.2] (ou [CR.sub.2] = fluorenylidene). L'addition du phenylacetylene et du hex-1-yne au [Mes.sub.2]Ge=[CR.sub.2] a produit un germacyclohexene par une cycloaddition lors de laquelle le germene agit comme le composant 4π et l'alcyne comme le composant 2π. En utilisant une sonde mecanistique, trans-(2-phenylcyclopropyl)acetylene, on suppose que la reaction s'effectue par l'intermediaire d'une cycloaddition concertee [2+4]. L'addition d'ethoxyacetylene au germene a produit a la fois un cycloadduit [2+2], le germacyclobutene, et un cycloadduit [2+4], le germacyclohexene. Les resultats de la presente etude sont compares a ceux de l'addition d'alcynes au [Mes.sub.2]Ge=CH[CH.sub.2]t-Bu. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: germene, alcyne, cycloaddition, mecanisme., Introduction Cycloaddition reactions of group 14 metallenes have been attracting the interest of chemists for more than 40 years due to the high levels of regio- and stereospecificity. (1) The [...]

Stress has been related to both lower socioeconomic status and poorer health. This research tests a model which suggests that teenagers from varying socioeconomic backgrounds differ not only in terms of exposure to negative life events, but also in their interpretation of life situations. Study participants were 100 high school students (roughly half African American, the other half Caucasian). Students watched two different videos in a laboratory setting, one consisting of an ambiguous situation, the other a negative situation. Students answered open-ended questions, completed a questionnaire, and had their heart rate and blood pressure monitored. Results found that lower socioeconomic adolescents were more likely to interpret the ambiguous social situations as threatening, suggesting that interventions aimed at minimizing youth's threat interpretations may reduce the physiological toll associated with these perceptions.

The article finds that trade apprentices are at great risk for significant work-related injury and discusses the characteristics of such injuries in trade apprentices, as well as finding a need for the occupational health and safety training of apprentices in the trade occupations. Results are based on a cohort of trade apprentices at the Canberra Institute of Technology over an approximate one-year period.

A variety of factors appear to be associated with ineffective vaccination against hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a blood-borne virus. Any employee who is at risk for exposure to blood or blood products must be offered vaccination against hepatitis B according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Blood samples from 595 health care personnel in Minnesota were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of hepatitis B vaccination. Twenty-eight percent (169) of the participants were vaccinated with Engerix-B and the remainder received Recombivax HB. Increasing age, increasing body mass index (BMI), smoking, male gender and the vaccine brand used were associated with ineffective vaccination as measured by a lack of antibodies to hepatitis B. For those vaccinated with Recombivax HB, age, smoking and increasing BMI were associated with a lack of antibodies. Men were more likely to lack antibodies only if vaccinated with Engerix-B., Objective.--To assess the presence of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) at postvaccination testing in Minnesota health care workers receiving recombinant hepatitis B vaccines, and to identify risk factors for lacking anti-HBs following hepatitis B vaccination. Design.--Retrospective cohort study. Setting.--Ten acute care hospitals in Minnesota. Participants.--A total of 595 health care workers who had received hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax HB or Engerix-B) between June 1987 and December 1991 and who underwent postvaccination testing for anti-HBs within 6 months after receiving the third dose of vaccine. Main Outcome Measure.--Presence or absence of anti-HBs following hepatitis B vaccination. Results.--Five variables were independently associated with lacking anti-HBs by multivariate analysis: vaccine brand, smoking status, gender, age, and body mass index. Stratifying by vaccine brand demonstrated that age (P = .01), body mass index (P

Authoritarian leaders face a dilemma in choosing whether to fund higher education: risk promoting educated students who are more likely to protest, or increase human capital and promote economic growth? We argue that autocrats invest in higher education to gain the support of those in the middle and upper-classes when there is a large public sector. Panel data analysis confirms this hypothesis, but offers limited insight into why. We examine the Kazakh case to better understand the causal mechanisms at play. The evidence is strongly suggestive that higher education can be an important part of the authoritarian toolbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]