Thinking Critically About Rural Gender Relations: Toward a Rural Masculinity/Male Peer Support Model of Separation/Divorce Sexual Assault

After decades of neglect, a growing number of scholars have turned their attention to issues of crime and criminal justice in the rural context. Despite this improvement, rural crime research is underdeveloped theoretically, and is little informed by critical criminological perspectives. In this article, we introduce the broad tenets of a multi-level theory that links social and economic change to the reinforcement of rural patriarchy and male peer support, and in turn, how they are linked to separation/divorce sexual assault. We begin by addressing a series of misconceptions about what is rural, rural homogeneity and commonly held presumptions about the relationship of rurality, collective efficacy (and related concepts) and crime. We conclude by recommending more focused research, both qualitative and quantitative, to uncover specific link between the rural transformation and violence against women.

Theorizing Police Response to Domestic Violence in Singapore: Police Subculture Revisited

This article focuses on the well documented, yet potentially contested concept of rank-and-file policesubculture to conceptualize policeresponse to situations of domesticviolence in Singapore. It argues that the utility of the concept to explaining police behavior is often undermined by an all-powerful, homogenous, and deterministic conception of it that fails to take into account the value of agency in police decision-making and the range of differentiated policeresponse in situations of domesticviolence. Through reviewing the literature on policeresponse to domesticviolence, this study called for the need to rework the concept of policesubculture by treating it as having a relationship with, and response to, the structural conditions of policing, while retaining a conception of the active role played by street-level officers in instituting a situational practice. Using Pierre Bourdieu's relational concepts of ‘habitus’ and ‘field,’ designating the cultural dispositions of policesubculture and structural conditions of policing respectively, the study attempted to reconceptualize the problem of policing domesticviolence with reference to the Singaporean context.

Measuring voluntary dietary change in response to exercise : a focus on dietary fat

Traditional treatments for weight management have focussed on prescribed dietary restriction or regular exercise, or a combination of both. However recidivism for such prescribed treatments remains high, particularly among the overweight and obese. The aim of this thesis was to investigate voluntary dietary changes in the presence of prescribed mixed-mode exercise, conducted over 16 weeks. With the implementation of a single lifestyle change (exercise) it was postulated that the onerous burden of concomitant dietary and exercise compliance would be reduced, leading to voluntary lifestyle changes in such areas as diet. In addition, the failure of exercise as a single weight loss treatment has been reported to be due to compensatory energy intakes, although much of the evidence is from acute exercise studies, necessitating investigation of compensatory intakes during a long-term exercise intervention. Following 16 weeks of moderate intensity exercise, 30 overweight and obese (BMI≥25.00 kg.m-2) men and women showed small but statistically significant decreases in mean dietary fat intakes, without compensatory increases in other macronutrient or total energy intakes. Indeed total energy intakes were significantly lower for men and women following the exercise intervention, due to the decreases in dietary fat intakes. There was a risk that acceptance of the statistical validity of the small changes to dietary fat intakes may have constituted a Type 1 error, with false rejection of the Null hypothesis. Oro-sensory perceptions to changes in fat loads were therefore investigated to determine whether the measured dietary fat changes were detectable by the human palate. The ability to detect small changes in dietary fat provides sensory feedback for self-initiated dietary changes, but lean and overweight participants were unable to distinguish changes to fat loads of similar magnitudes to that measured in the exercise intervention study. Accuracy of the dietary measurement instrument was improved with the effects of random error (day-to-day variability) minimised with the use of a statistically validated 8-day, multiple-pass, 24 hour dietary recall instrument. However systematic error (underreporting) may have masked the magnitude of dietary change, particularly the reduction in dietary fat intakes. A purported biomarker (plasma Apolipoprotein A-IV) (apoA-IV) was subsequently investigated, to monitor systematic error in self-reported dietary intakes. Changes in plasma apoA-IV concentrations were directly correlated with increased and decreased changes to dietary fat intakes, suggesting that this objective marker may be a useful tool to improve the accuracy of dietary measurement in overweight and obese populations, who are susceptible to dietary underreporting.

Single-subject analysis reveals varied knee mechanics during step landing in response to isokinetic fatigue of the quadriceps

Introduction: The ability to regulate joint stiffness and coordinate movement during landing when impaired by muscle fatigue has important implications for knee function. Unfortunately, the literature examining fatigue effects on landing mechanics suffers from a lack of consensus. Inconsistent results can be attributed to variable fatigue models, as well as grouping variable responses between individuals when statistically detecting differences between conditions. There remains a need to examine fatigue effects on knee function during landing with attention to these methodological limitations. Aim: The purpose of this study therefore, was to examine the effects of isokinetic fatigue on pre-impact muscle activity and post-impact knee mechanics during landing using singlesubject analysis. Methodology: Sixteen male university students (22.6+3.2 yrs; 1.78+0.07 m; 75.7+6.3 kg) performed maximal concentric and eccentric knee extensions in a reciprocal manner on an isokinetic dynamometer and step-landing trials on 2 occasions. On the first occasion each participant performed 20 step-landing trials from a knee-high platform followed by 75 maximal contractions on the isokinetic dynamometer. The isokinetic data was used to calculate the operational definition of fatigue. On the second occasion, with a minimum rest of 14 days, participants performed 2 sets of 20 step landing trials, followed by isokinetic exercise until the operational definition of fatigue was met and a final post-fatigue set of 20 step-landing trials. Results: Single-subject analyses revealed that isokinetic fatigue of the quadriceps induced variable responses in pre impact activation of knee extensors and flexors (frequency, onset timing and amplitude) and post-impact knee mechanics(stiffness and coordination). In general however, isokinetic fatigue induced sig nificant (p<0.05) reductions in quadriceps activation frequency, delayed onset and increased amplitude. In addition, knee stiffness was significantly (p<0.05) increased in some individuals, as well as impaired sagittal coordination. Conclusions: Pre impact activation and post-impact mechanics were adjusted in patterns that were unique to the individual, which could not be identified using traditional group-based statistical analysis. The results suggested that individuals optimised knee function differently to satisfy competing demands, such as minimising energy expenditure, as well as maximising joint stability and sensory information.

Response to comments on "Productivity is a poor predictor of plant species richness"

Pan et al. claim that our results actually support a strong linear positive relationship between productivity and richness, whereas Fridley et al. contend that the data support a strong humped relationship. These responses illustrate how preoccupation with bivariate patterns distracts from a deeper understanding of the multivariate mechanisms that control these important ecosystem properties.

Formal complaints of workplace sexual harassment lodged with Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commissions - 1 July 2009 - 31 December 2009

This report presents an analysis of quantitative data collected from the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Anti-Discrimination Commission of Queensland, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, the Anti-Discrimination Board of New South Wales, the Equal Opportunity Commission of South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory Human Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunity Commission Western Australia, the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission, and the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner (Tasmania) (hereafter referred to as the Commissions). The data comprise formal complaints lodged under the various federal, state and territory anti-discrimination laws in the period 1 July 2009 to 31 December 2009 where a complainant had alleged sexual harassment in the area of employment.