The effects of work control and job demands on employee adjustment and work performance

The present study examined the effects of work control and job demands on employee adjustment and work performance using a multidimensional measure of work control (assessing levels of task control, decision control and work scheduling control). It was proposed that the negative effects of job demands and employee adjustment would be moderated by high levels of task control. It was also proposed that there would be evidence of main effects of both job demands and work control (particularly task-related levels of control) on employee adjustment. To test these predictions, a study of 135 university employees holding administrative positions was undertaken. Methodological improvements over previous research included the use of both self-reported adjustment measures and supervisor ratings of work performance as outcome variables, and the assessment of the predictor and outcome measures at different points in time (self-reported adjustment was assessed at both Times 1 and 2). The results revealed some support for the proposal that the effects of job demands would be buffered by high levels of task control, but not more peripheral aspects of work control. There were also significant main effects of task control on job satisfaction.

The burden of disease and injury in Australia

An overview of the results of the Australian Burden of Disease (ABD) study is presented. The ABD study was the first to use methodology developed for the Global Burden of Disease study to measure the burden of disease and injury in a developed country. In 1996, mental disorders were the main causes of disability burden, responsible for nearly 30% of total years of life lost to disability (YLD), with depression accounting for 8% of the total YLD. Ischaemic heart disease and stroke were the main contributors to the disease burden disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), together causing nearly 18% of the total disease burden. Risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, obesity and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption were responsible for much of the overall disease burden in Australia. The lessons learnt from the ABD study are discussed, together with methodological issues that require further attention.

Reaching those most in need: a review of diabetes self-management interventions in disadvantaged populations

There has been increased recognition of the importance of developing diabetes self-management education (DSME) interventions that are effective with under-served and minority populations. Despite several recent studies in this area, there is to our knowledge no systematic review or synthesis of what has been learned from this research. An electronic literature search identified five formative evaluations and ten controlled DSME intervention trials focused on under-served (low-income, minority or aged) populations. The RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) evaluation framework was used to evaluate the controlled studies on the dimensions of reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Fifty percent of the studies identified reported on the percentage of patients who participated, and the percentages were highly variable. The methodological quality of the articles was generally good and the short-term results were encouraging, especially on behavioral outcomes. Data on adoption (representativeness of settings and clinicians who participate) and implementation were almost never reported. Studies of modalities in addition to group meetings are needed to increase the reach of DSME with under-served populations. The promising formative evaluation work that has been conducted needs to be extended for more systematic study of the process of intervention implementation and adaptation with special populations. Studies that explicitly address the community context and that address multiple issues related to public health impact of DSME interventions are recommended to enhance long-term results. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Assessing cost-effectiveness in mental health: family interventions for schizophrenia and related conditions

Objective: Existing evidence suggests that family interventions can be effective in reducing relapse rates in schizophrenia and related conditions. Despite this, such interventions are not routinely delivered in Australian mental health services. The objective of the current study is to investigate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of introducing three types of family interventions, namely: behavioural family management (BFM); behavioural intervention for families (BIF); and multiple family groups (MFG) into current mental health services in Australia. Method: The ICER of each of the family interventions is assessed from a health sector perspective, including the government, persons with schizophrenia and their families/carers using a standardized methodology. A two-stage approach is taken to the assessment of benefit. The first stage involves a quantitative analysis based on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. The second stage involves application of 'second filter' criteria (including equity, strength of evidence, feasibility and acceptability to stakeholders) to results. The robustness of results is tested using multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Results: The most cost-effective intervention, in order of magnitude, is BIF (A$8000 per DALY averted), followed by MFG (A$21 000 per DALY averted) and lastly BFM (A$28 000 per DALY averted). The inclusion of time costs makes BFM more cost-effective than MFG. Variation of discount rate has no effect on conclusions. Conclusions: All three interventions are considered 'value-for-money' within an Australian context. This conclusion needs to be tempered against the methodological challenge of converting clinical outcomes into a generic economic outcome measure (DALY). Issues surrounding the feasibility of routinely implementing such interventions need to be addressed.

Protein crystallography and examples of its applications in medicinal chemistry

The field of protein crystallography inspires and enthrals, whether it be for the beauty and symmetry of a perfectly formed protein crystal, the unlocked secrets of a novel protein fold, or the precise atomic-level detail yielded from a protein-ligand complex. Since 1958, when the first protein structure was solved, there have been tremendous advances in all aspects of protein crystallography, from protein preparation and crystallisation through to diffraction data measurement and structure refinement. These advances have significantly reduced the time required to solve protein crystal structures, while at the same time substantially improving the quality and resolution of the resulting structures. Moreover, the technological developments have induced researchers to tackle ever more complex systems, including ribosomes and intact membrane-bound proteins, with a reasonable expectation of success. In this review, the steps involved in determining a protein crystal structure are described and the impact of recent methodological advances identified. Protein crystal structures have proved to be extraordinarily useful in medicinal chemistry research, particularly with respect to inhibitor design. The precise interaction between a drug and its receptor can be visualised at the molecular level using protein crystal structures, and this information then used to improve the complementarity and thus increase the potency and selectivity of an inhibitor. The use of protein crystal structures in receptor-based drug design is highlighted by (i) HIV protease, (ii) influenza virus neuraminidase and (iii) prostaglandin H-2-synthetase. These represent, respectively, examples of protein crystal structures that (i) influenced the design of drugs currently approved for use in the treatment of HIV infection, (ii) led to the design of compounds currently in clinical trials for the treatment of influenza infection and (iii) could enable the design of highly specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that lack the common side-effects of this drug class.

Dietary trends: Estimates from food supply and survey data

Objective: To illustrate methodological issues involved in estimating dietary trends in populations using data obtained from various sources in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s. Methods: Estimates of absolute and relative change in consumption of selected food items were calculated using national data published annually on the national food supply for 1982-83 to 1992-93 and responses to food frequency questions in two population based risk factor surveys in 1983 and 1994 in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The validity of estimated food quantities obtained from these inexpensive sources at the beginning of the period was assessed by comparison with data from a national dietary survey conducted in 1983 using 24 h recall. Results: Trend estimates from the food supply data and risk factor survey data were in good agreement for increases in consumption of fresh fruit, vegetables and breakfast food and decreases in butter, margarine, sugar and alcohol. Estimates for trends in milk, eggs and bread consumption, however, were inconsistent. Conclusions: Both data sources can be used for monitoring progress towards national nutrition goals based on selected food items provided that some limitations are recognized. While data collection methods should be consistent over time they also need to allow for changes in the food supply (for example the introduction of new varieties such as low-fat dairy products). From time to time the trends derived from these inexpensive data sources should be compared with data derived from more detailed and quantitative estimates of dietary intake.

Introduction: Casting new light on old stones

The purpose of this monograph is to take a new look at various aspects of stone artefact analysis that reveal important and exciting new information about the past. This invovles reorienting our methodological approach to stone artefacts as well as the questions asked of them. The papers making up this volume tackle a number of issues that have long been at the heart of archaeology’s problematic relationship with stone artefacts, including our understanding of the dynamic nature of past stoneworking practices, the utility of traditional classificatory schemes, and ways to unlock the vast amount of information about the strategic role of lithic technology that resides in stone artefact assemblages.

Domestic objects and the taste epiphany - A resource for consumption methodology

The presentation of an aesthetic identity involves the accomplishment of a coherent, plausible narrative which links one's choices to desired characteristics of the self. As symbolic evidence of a person's taste, material culture is a vital component of a successful narrative. Via case studies of pivotal household objects, this paper uses face-to-face interview data as a way of investigating processes of aesthetic choice. Household objects are interpreted as material elements imbricated in the presentation of a socially plausible and internally consistent aesthetic self. Narrative analysis, and the concept of the epiphany-object, are proposed as useful ways of accounting for tastes in domestic material culture. Methodological questions of truth-telling and authenticity in the face-to-face context are considered, and the sociological problem of taste is scrutinized in light of ideas about social accountability and textual identity.

Postmaterialist and economic voting in Australia, 1990-98

Recent research in Australian sociology and political science has debated the extent to which postmaterialist values and economic self-interest shape voting in federal elections. Some researchers have argued that postmaterialist values have partly displaced materialist concerns with physical security and economic well-being in Australian public life. This displacement, coupled with the adoption by major political parties of postmaterialist 'quality of life' issues such as the environment, has meant that voting in Australia has come to be more dependent on postmaterialist values than on perceptions of economic interest. Other research, however, has found no relationship between postmaterialist values and voting behaviour, while economic evaluations remain a strong determinant of voting behaviour. Part of the disagreement reflects methodological differences in the research. But different methodological problems compromise each of the previous studies. In this paper we use data from the 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1998 Australian Election Studies to investigate postmaterialist and economic voting in the Commonwealth House of Representatives and the Senate. Using various statistical methods, we first explore bivariate relationships between key variables and then use multivariate models of postmaterialist and economic voting to adjudicate between the contending positions.

Towards a definition of "difference" in osteoarthritis

To assess existing information regarding detectable differences in osteoarthritis (OA), a systematic literature search was conducted up to December 1999. Thirty-three articles were considered methodologically relevant to the definition and categorization of detectable differences in OA. It was determined that the musculoskeletal literature contains a wealth of information that relates to observed changes, much of which is derived from the clinical trials literature, but there have been relatively few methodological studies that have systematically evaluated the nature, categorization, and relevance of the change. Furthermore, most of those that have been published take the perspective of an individual or groups of experts other than that of the patient. This summary of the current literature reveals that the diverse sources of information go part way towards developing an understanding of detectable differences and their importance in the area of OA research and clinical practice. Stakeholders' interests as well as factors that modulate perceptions of importance need to be taken under consideration. In particular, the patient's perspective of the importance of change at an individual level requires further evaluation. This area of clinical research is relatively underdeveloped, but there is considerable opportunity for progress.

Alterations in Plasmodium falciparum genotypes during sequential infections suggest the presence of strain specific immunity

Many of the asexual stage Plasmodium falciparum proteins that are the targets of host protective responses are markedly polymorphic. The full repertoire of diversity is not defined for any antigen. Most studies have focused on the genes encoding merozoite surface proteins 1 and 2 (MSP1, MSP2). We explored the extent of diversity of some of the less studied merozoite surface antigens and analyzed the degree of complexity of malaria field isolates by deriving nucleotide sequences of several antigens. We have determined the genotype of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) in a group of 30 field samples, collected over 29 months, from individuals living in an area of intense malaria transmission in Irian Jaya, identifying 14 different alleles. AMA1 genotyping was combined with previously determined MSP2 typing. AMA1 had the greatest power in distinguishing between isolates but methodological problems, especially when mixed infections are present, suggest it is not an ideal typing target. MSP1, MSP3, and glutamate-rich protein genotypes were also determined from a smaller group of samples, and all results were combined to derive an extended antigenic haplotype. Within this subset of 10 patients, nine different genotypes could be discerned; however, five patients were all infected with the same strain. This strain was present in individuals from two separate villages and was still present 12 months later. This strain was predominant at the first time point but had disappeared at the fourth time point. This significant change in malaria genotypes could be due to strain-specific immunity developing in this population.

Testing the relationship between morphological and molecular rates of change along phylogenies

Molecular evolution has been considered to be essentially a stochastic process, little influenced by the pace of phenotypic change. This assumption was challenged by a study that demonstrated an association between rates of morphological and molecular change estimated for total-evidence phylogenies, a finding that led some researchers to challenge molecular date estimates of major evolutionary radiations. Here we show that Omland's (1997) result is probably due to methodological bias, particularly phylogenetic nonindependence, rather than being indicative of an underlying evolutionary phenomenon. We apply three new methods specifically designed to overcome phylogenetic bias to 13 published phylogenetic datasets for vertebrate taxa, each of which includes both morphological characters and DNA sequence data. We find no evidence of an association between rates of molecular and morphological rates of change.

Yehoshua Gitay: 'What is He Doing?'

This article provides a response to an article by Yehoshua Gitay, ‘Prophetic Criticism—"What are they Doing?": The Case of Isaiah—A Methodological Assessment’ (JSOT 96), in which he assesses the articles in the volume, New Visions of Isaiah. These articles were originally delivered as papers to the Formation of the Book of Isaiah Seminar of the Society of Biblical Literature. Gitay characterizes the entire work of the Seminar as having a redaction-critical focus. I argue that to characterize my article as representing a redaction-critical approach is to misunderstand what others and I were doing as participants in the Isaiah seminar. My article was in fact a critique of redaction criticism and its author-centred approach to textual meaning.