On ranking sets of statements in terms of plausibility

The axioms adopted by Packard (1981) and Heiner and Packard (1983) for plausibility ranking of sets of statements are critically examined. It is shown that the informational requirement of the Heiner-Packard (1983) framework is much stronger than Packard's (1981) framework and hence both axiomatic setups are examined separately. A characterization of the leximin rule is provided in Packard's framework and the nonintuitive implications of the Heiner-Packard (1983) axioms are discussed. It is also demonstrated that in both frameworks, minor variations of some of the axioms convert the characterization results into logical impossibilities.I am grateful to Prof. P. K. Pattanaik for many helpful suggestions.     

Dimensions and Latent Classes of Episodic Mania-Like Symptoms in Youth: An Empirical Enquiry

The dramatic increase in diagnostic rates of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents in the USA has led to an intense interest in the phenomenology of the disorder. Here we present data from a newly-developed instrument to assess episodic mania-like symptoms in youth in a large population-based sample (N = 5326) using parent- and self-report. We found that a substantial proportion of children screened positive for having episodes of “going high” and were at an increased risk for morbidity and impairment. Using factor analysis, we identified that episodic mania-like symptoms comprised two dimensions: An under-controlled dimension that was associated with significant impairment, and a low-risk exuberant dimension. Using latent class analysis, we identified a small group of children scoring high on a range of manic symptoms and suffering from severe psychosocial impairment and morbidity. Our results carry implications for the nosology and psychosocial impairment associated with episodic mood changes in young people.     

Covariates of Multiplicity of Risk Behavior Among Injecting Drug Users in Nepal

Drug abuse, needle sharing, and high-risk sexual behaviour are often compounded to increase the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. This paper analyzes covariates of multiplicity of risk behavior among injecting drug users (IDUs). Findings are based on data from 1471 IDUs following modified time-location cluster sampling across Nepal in 2010–2011. Among Nepalese IDUs, average duration of injecting drugs is 4.4 years with two-fifths initiating it before age 20. Alcohol use is common with two-fifths reporting its daily consumption. Needle sharing is quite prevalent especially among younger and alcoholic IDUs. Further, IDUs practicing needle sharing exhibit rampant multi-partner behavior. Condom use with non-commercial partners is almost 80 %, whereas with intimate partner it is 41 %. Coexistence of needle sharing and unprotected sex enhances STI prevalence (7 %), which is further pronounced among alcoholics (9 %). Working towards risk reduction for IDUs must deal with multiplicity of risk. Interventions should deal with covariates of risk, addressing youth, substance abuse and risky sexual behavior.     

Prevalence and Nature of Spiritual Distress Among Palliative Care Patients in India

In palliative care research, little attention has been paid to the empirical study of spirituality in patients in non-Western countries. This study describes the prevalence and nature of spiritual distress among Indian palliative care patients. Data from 300 adult cancer patients who had completed a questionnaire with 36 spirituality items were analyzed. Spirituality was shaped by the Indian religious and economic context. A latent class analysis resulted in three clusters: trustful patients (46.4 %), spiritually distressed patients (17.4 %), and patients clinging to divine support (36.2 %). After regression, the clusters were found to be associated with pain scores (p < .001), gender (p = .034), and educational level (p < .006). More than half of the patients would benefit from spiritual counselling. More research and education on spirituality in Indian palliative care is urgently required.     

3-D eye movement analysis

This paper presents a novel three-dimensional (3-D) eye movement analysis algorithm for binocular eye tracking within virtualreality (VR). The user’s gaze direction, head position, and orientation are tracked in order to allow recording of the user’s fixations within the environment. Although the linear signal analysis approach is itself not new, its application to eye movement analysis in three dimensions advances traditional two-dimensional approaches, since it takes into account the six degrees of freedom of head movements and is resolution independent. Results indicate that the 3-D eye movement analysis algorithm can successfully be used for analysis of visual process measures in VR. Process measures not only can corroborate performance measures, but also can lead to discoveries of the reasons for performance improvements. In particular, analysis of users’ eye movements in VR can potentially lead to further insights into the underlying cognitive processes of VR subjects.     

Influence of Profession as Risk of STIs in Intimate Partner Relationship in South Asian Countries

Mixing of sexual partners as part of the profession of female sex workers (FSWs) can be a risk in intimate partner relationship, which is primarily based on love and affection. Sexual relation with one partner provides emotional and psychological support. However, when it is a web of partners, it often results in unprotected sex, consequently creating a pathway for disease and increasing the vulnerability of FSWs to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This paper analyses the subtleties of sexual behavior of FSWs and their vulnerability toward STIs in intimate partner relationship in South Asian countries. The basic data used in this paper have been taken from 3 countries, 1271 FSWs from Bangladesh, 1404 FSWs from Nepal, and 7399 FSWs from India. The data were collected through modified time location cluster sampling as a part of mapping and size estimation of most-at-risk populations (MARPs) in Nepal and key affected populations (KAPs) in Bangladesh during the period of 2010–2016. The data for India are taken from the integrated behavioral and biological assessment (IBBA), which assesses the prevalence of high risk population in India. The findings reveal that the majority of the FSWs were married, which reveals dynamics of sexual activity placing them at higher risk of STIs. About half of the FSWs had more than 15 coituses in the last 30 days in Nepal, which is a high risk factor. Unprotected sex is reported high across all three countries irrespective of all background characteristics. Condom use during intercourse in Bangladesh is less likely in older FSWs and more likely among educated FSWs who had coital frequency of 7 or more in the last 30 days. Interestingly, unmarried FSWs in Nepal are less likely to use condom in their last sex as against India where FSWs are more likely to use condom in their last sex. The prevalence of STI among uneducated FSWs is found higher in Bangladesh as compared to Nepal and India. The socio-demographic background characteristics showed a significant association with unprotected sex, coital frequency and prevalence of STI across all three countries.     

Commodification of seeds

Unnatural Selection: Technology, Politics and Plant Evolution, by Cary Fowler. International Studies in Global Change, volume 6. Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach, 1994. 352 pages, £33/$50 cloth, £13/$20 pb.     

Religion and mental health among Hindu young people in England

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between mental health and attitude toward their religious tradition among a sample of 330 young people attending the Hindu Youth Festival in London. The participants completed the Santosh–Francis Scale of Attitude toward Hinduism together with the abbreviated form of the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire which provides measures of neuroticism and psychoticism. The data indicated that a more positive attitude toward Hinduism was associated with lower psychoticism scores but unrelated to neuroticism scores. There is no evidence, therefore, to associate higher levels of religiosity with poorer mental health among young people within the Hindu community.