The Chinese state enterprise sector: labour market reform and the impact on male-female wage structure

The paper examines the wage structure in the Chinese state enterprise sector between 1981 and 1987. This period is of particular interest given the introduction of major labour market reforms in China during the early 1980s. In essence the reforms represented a movement away from administratively determined prices towards a market–oriented system combined with a relatively flexible system of labour allocation. The Juhn, Murphy and Pierce (1991) decomposition is employed to shed light on the role of changing labour market institutions over the period.

An assault on identity : the male view of being made redundant

Participation and success in paid work is a key element of identity for many men. The increased prevalence of downsizing, and the discarding of individuals from organisations, therefore has particular pertinence when considering men’s workplace experiences. This paper discusses findings from an exploratory study investigating the experiences of Australian executives who had been made redundant. Three themes related to male identity are presented: the impact on respondents’ positions as breadwinners for their families; a concern for being seen to be capable and in control; and perceptions of loss of status upon returning to work. These executives expressed feelings of anger, sadness, fear and embarrassment as a result of the assault to their identity. There is a need for continued focus on these experiences and their implications for both men and women, particularly as individuals report undergoing multiple redundancies.

Cigarette smoking is negatively associated with family average income among urban and rural men in regional Mainland China

Socio-economic status (SES) has a strong influence on cigarette smoking behaviour. However, as a more sensitive and realistic index of SES, family average income (FAI) has little studied regarding its association with smoking. With a response rate of 90.1%, a cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected urban-rural participants (n  = 29,353) between October of 2000 and March of 2001 in Nanjing, China. The proportion of male participants who were current smokers was 54.7%; for females it was 2.2%. After adjustment for possible confounding variables (area of residence, age, education, occupation) males in the middle (OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.69–0.84) and higher (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.57–0.71) FAI tertiles had lower odds of being smokers than did males in the lower FAI tertile. There were no differences by FAI category in the odds of being an ex-smoker. Therefore, current smoking among adult males is inversely associated with family average income in a regional Chinese population. FAI may inform the targeting of campaigns or other initiatives, particularly in populations where material prosperity is low in some social groups.

MMP2 and MMP9 plasma levels as markers of bone remodeling : a study on young male tennis players

Introduction
Our goal is to study the effects of tennis practice in pre-pubescent boys on bone remodeling, by means of enzyme activity involved in balance of matrix remodeling (MMP2 and MMP9).
Results
Mineral bone density has been found higher in the dominant arm (P < 0.0001) as well as MMP2 and MMP9 levels in plasma (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Tennis practice in children increases bone remodeling, which can be assessed by MMP dosage, in addition of densitometry technique.

Knowledge, risk perceptions and condom usage in male sex workers from three Australian cities

The study identifies factors associated with knowledge and perception of risk of HIV/AIDS, as well as attitudes to and usage of condoms by a sample of male sex workers (MSW). One hundred and eighty-five male sex workers completed a self-reported questionnaire, including knowledge about HIV transmission, attitudes to condom use and perceptions and personal susceptibility to HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk, and a two-week diary recording use of condom during commercial sex encounters. The findings reveal that condom use was found in 77.7% of the encounters with clients and the majority of the respondents perceived themselves to be at no risk for HIV because of sex work. Independent sex workers from Melbourne and workers who owned their place of residence used condoms in a significant lower proportion. Generally speaking, knowledge about the risks associated with AIDS was high, with respondents showing lower knowledge about the risks associated with unprotected receptive or active oral sex. Participants held a positive attitude to condom use; most considered the provisions of condoms to be their responsibility rather than clients; and they were more worried about contracting an STI than HIV. Those who scored higher on the knowledge scale had more positive attitudes to condom use and those who had a more positive attitude to condom use recorded a perceived lower risk of contracting STI but not HIV. The study discusses the relevance of these findings for public health risk reduction and sexual health education campaigns.

Knowledge, attitudes and experience associated with testing for prostate cancer: a comparison between male doctors and men in the community

Background: Debate about testing for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE) continues. The evidence of benefit from screening for prostate cancer using PSA tests is inconclusive, and it is unclear how PSA can be used most effectively in the detection of prostate cancer. Given the lack of consensus, it is important that consumers understand the issues in a way that will permit them to decide whether or not to have a test and, if symptomatic, how their condition is managed.

Aims: To compare prostate cancer knowledge, attitudes and testing experiences reported by male doctors and men in the community, despite the lack of evidence of a benefit.

Methods : The primary method for ascertaining the attitudes of male doctors (MD) was a telephone survey, with some doctors electing to complete a written survey. Each MD was selected, at random, from a register of male practitioners aged ≥ 49 years of age. A total of 266 MD participated in the survey. The community sample (CS) was accessed using a telephone survey. Five hundred male Victorian residents aged ≥ 49 years of age participated in the study.

Results:
Knowledge − Overall, 55% of the CS indicated ­correctly that prostate disease is sometimes cancer, compared to 83% of MD.

Attitudes − Fifty-five per cent of MD believed men should be tested for prostate disease at least every 2 years, compared to 68% of men in the CS.

Testing experience − Forty-five per cent of MD had been tested for prostate cancer in the past, and 92% of those tests were reported as negative. In the CS, 56% had been tested for prostate cancer in the past, and 78% of the results were reported as negative. The ­significant independent predictors of having had a prostate test among MD were: (i) age (≥ 60 years; odds ratio (OR): 1.59; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.30−1.88) and (ii) positive attitudes towards regular testing for prostate cancer (OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.98−2.56). The significant independent predictors for the CS were: (i) age (≥ 60 years; OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.40−1.89), (ii) being married (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.00−1.60), (iii) knowledge that prostate disease was sometimes cancer (OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.26−1.66) and (iv) positive attitudes towards regular testing for prostate cancer (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.90−2.34).

Conclusions: The results highlight that testing for prostate cancer is widespread in the community and in the medical profession. Further research should be undertaken to identify how to help men make fully informed decisions about prostate cancer testing.

Alcohol and drug use in Australian male sex workers: its relationship to the safety outcome of the sex encounter

This paper describes the self-reporting patterns of alcohol and drug consumption among male sex workers (MSWs) in three Australian cities during commercial sex encounters, and examines to what extent alcohol and drugs are used and whether this is related to the safe/unsafe outcome of the commercial sex encounter. One hundred and eighty-six MSWs from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne completed a diary following each commercial sex encounter over a two-week period. MSWs reported 2,087 commercial sex encounters during the study period. Alcohol or drug consumption was reported in 50.5% of the encounters.

What`s the story? An exploration of narrative language abilities in male juvenile offenders

This paper is concerned with the narrative language (story telling) abilities of a group of juvenile offenders completing community-based court orders in Melbourne, Australia. A convenience sample of 30 male young offenders was compared with 50 male non-offenders attending government high schools in the same region of Melbourne. Participants provided an audiotaped description of a six-frame cartoon (the “Flowerpot Incident”). Samples were transcribed and subjected to story grammar analysis, to examine differences between groups regarding both structural and qualitative adequacy. Young offenders produced narratives which were significantly poorer than those of controls with respect to the presence and adequacy of the seven story grammar elements described by Stein and Glenn (In R. O. Freedle (Ed.), New Directions in Discourse Processing (pp. 53-120) 1979). Findings are discussed in relation to implications for investigative and evidentiary interviewing.

Species-specific characteristics and individual variation of the bark call produced by male Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)

Australian fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus are colonial breeding animals forming dense social groups during the breeding season. During this time, males establish and defend territories through physical conflicts, stereotyped posturing and vocalisations. While vocalisations are suggested to play an important role in male recognition systems, it has received little attention. Recordings of nine adult male Australian fur seals were made during the 2000 and 2001 breeding seasons at Kanowna Island (39° 10’S, 146° 18' E), Bass Strait, Australia. The in-air bark vocalisations of territory-holding males were used to characterise the Bark Call and to determine whether males produce individually distinct calls, which could be used as a basis for vocal recognition. Seventeen frequency and temporal variables were measured from a total of 162 barks from nine individual males. The Bark Series was more reliably classified (83%) to the correct caller compared to the Bark Unit. This was assigned with less certainty (68%), although the classification was still relatively high. Findings from this study indicate that there is sufficient stereotypy within individual calls, and sufficient variation between them, to enable vocal recognition in male Australian fur seals.

Systematic review of randomised controlled trials of sildenafil (Viagra®) in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction.

Background: Sildenafil (Viagra®), a new oral drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, was licensed for use across Europe in 1998. Aim: To examine the effectiveness and safety of sildenafil as an oral treatment for erectile dysfunction. Design of study: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Setting: All published or unpublished randomised controlled trials comparing sildenafil with a placebo or alternative therapies. Method: Published studies were sought by computerised searches of electronic databases using the keywords ‘sildenafil’ and ‘Viagra’. A hand search was also done of the British Medical Journal, Lancet, Journal of the American
Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, British Journal of General Practice, Drug, Inpharma and Scrip. An assessment of quality of all identified studies and data extraction was undertaken independently by two researchers. Results were combined in a meta-analysis where appropriate, using RevMan version 3. Results: Twenty-one trials were identified. All trials showed a statistically significant improvement in erectile or sexual function in patients using sildenafil compared with a placebo. A meta-analysis of 16 trials reporting a global efficacy response showed that men were 3.57 (95% CI = 2.93–4.43) times as likely to have improved erections on sildenafil compared with those on a placebo. The number needed to treat to have one man with improved erections was two. The drug has a relatively safe side-effect profile. Conclusions: Available research shows that sildenafil is an effective treatment for male erectile dysfunction. Many trial participants had some baseline erectile function and it is probable that in clinical practice, where the erectile function tends to be more impaired, the number needed to treat may be higher.

Differential Habituation of Male Betta Splendens to Qualitatively Different Stimuli

Habituation is a learning mechanism that functions to decrease the amount of energy and attention focused on a certain stimuli. Male Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens, are territorial animals that defend their territories using a number of aggressive displays. Male Bettas have previously shown the ability to habituate to the presence of a conspecific male when visually exposed to each other. Due to the costly nature of many of the male Betta’s displays, I hypothesized that male Bettas should differentially habituate to qualitatively different stimuli. I presented each of three groups of male Betta splendens with a different stimulus, each presenting a different level of interactivity. I predicted that the Bettas would be more likely to habituate to a less interactive stimulus than a more interactive one. No significant habituation was observed in any of the groups and no significant differences in latency to display or length of display between all three groups were observed. However, overall data trends suggest that habituation was indeed occurring and that the three different stimuli elicited different levels of display. The limited amount of visual exposure to the stimuli in this experiment might account for why results were insignificant.

The influence of fish, meat and polyunsaturated fat intakes on platelet phopholipid polyunsaturated fatty acid in male Melbourne Chinese and Caucasian

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate (1) platelet phospholipid (PL) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition in subjects who were the Melbourne Chinese migrants, compared with those who were the Melbourne Caucasians and (2) the relationship between platelet PL PUFA and intake of fish, meat and PUFA.

Design: Cross-sectional comparison of the Melbourne Chinese and Caucasians.

Setting: Free-living male subjects.

Subjects: Ninety-seven Melbourne Chinese migrants and 78 Melbourne Caucasians who were recruited in Melbourne.

Outcome measures: Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The platelet PUFA was measured by gas-liquid chromatography.

Results: The Melbourne Chinese had significantly higher proportions of platelet PL 20:5n-3 (P=0.006), 22:6n-3 (P<0.0001), total n-3 (P=0.027) and 22:5n-6 (P=0.0002), and a significantly higher intake of fish (P=0.012) and white meat (P=0.0045) compared with the Melbourne Caucasians. In addition, the Melbourne Chinese had significantly lower proportions of 20:3n-6 (P=0.023), 20:4n-6 (P<0.002), 22:4n-6 (P<0.0001), total n-6 (P=0.037), 22:5n-3 (P<0.0001) and ratio of n-6/n-3 (P=0.011), and a significantly lower intake of red and total meat (P<0.0001) than the Melbourne Caucasians. Fish consumption was significantly positively correlated with platelet PL 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, and significantly negatively correlated with 22:5n-3 (P<0.05). Meat consumption was significantly positively correlated with 22:5n-3 and significantly negatively correlated with 22:5n-6, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 (P<0.05). Dietary PUFA intake was significantly positively correlated with 20:3n-6, 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-3, and significantly negatively correlated with 22:5n-6, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Compared with Caucasians, the Melbourne Chinese had a significantly higher level of platelet PL n-3 PUFA, which might contribute to the low CVD mortality in this population. Platelet PL 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 were significantly positively correlated with fish intake, and negatively significantly correlated with dietary intake of meat and PUFA, while 22:5n-3 was significantly positively correlated with dietary meat and PUFA intake, and significantly negatively correlated with fish intake. Dietary intake of PUFA and fish are potential confounding factors for assessing the effects of meat consumption on platelet PL individual PUFA. Dietary intake of PUFA and meat did not influence the incorporation of fish long chain n-3 PUFA to platelet PL in this study population.

A significant inverse relationship between concentrations of plasma hoocysteine and phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid in healthy male subjects

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of a relationship between plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and phospholipid FA (PUFA) in healthy Australian males. One hundred thirty six healthy male subjects aged 20–55 yr were recruited from the Melbourne metropolitan area. Each volunteer completed a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire and gave a blood sample. Plasma Hcy concentrations were determined by an established HPLC method; the plasma phospholipid FA were determined by standard methods. Plasma Hcy concentration was significantly negatively correlated with plasma phospholipid concentration of the PUFA 20∶5n−3 (r=−0.226, P=0.009), 22∶5n−3 (r=−0.182, P=0.036), 22∶6n−3 (r=−0.286, P=0.001), total n−3 (r=−0.270, P=0.002) and the ratio n−3/n−6 PUFA (r=−0.265, P=0.002), and significantly positively correlated with 20∶4n−6 (r=0.180, P=0.037). In the partial correlation analysis, after controlling for serum vitamin B12 and folate concentration, plasma Hcy was significantly negatively correlated with the plasma phospholipid concentration of 22∶6n−3 (r=−0.205, P=0.019), total n−3 (r=−0.182, P=0.038) and the ratio n−3/n−6 PUFA (r=−0.174, P=0.048). Evidence indicates that an increased concentration of n−3 PUFA in tissues has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health. Our findings provide further evidence that increased consumption of dietary n−3 PUFA increases the concentration of n−3 PUFA in plasma phospholipid, which is associated with a protective effect on cardiovascular diseases and lower plasma Hcy levels. The mechanism that might explain the association between plasma 22∶6n−3 and Hcy levels is not clear.