Elizabeth S. Smith

The Effects of Investments in theSocial Capital of Youth on Political and Civic Behavior in Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis

This paper uses the National Education Longitudinal Study to examine whether early investments in the social capital of young people produce greater political involvement and civic virtue in young adulthood. Parental involvement in a young persons life, youth religious involvement, and voluntary association participation were some of the forms of social capital hypothesized to influence adult political behavior. Structural equations modeling was used to trace the effects of the presence of social capital as early as the 8th grade year in shaping young adult political and civic behavior. The analysis shows that early extensive connections to others, close familial relationships, religious participation, and participation in extracurricular activities in ones youth are significant predictors of greater political and civic involvement in young adulthood.

Divergent Perspectives on Citizenship Education: A Q-Method Study and Survey of Social Studies Teachers

This study explored the views of contemporary social studies teachers on citizenship education. Q-technique was used to discern the principal conceptions held by teachers in two small samples. Minnesota teachers held three perspectives (cultural pluralism, communitarianism, and legalism) and teachers nationally held four perspectives (critical thinking, legalism, cultural pluralism, and assimilationism). Analysis of a large national sample survey of social studies teachers allows us to ascertain the popularity of each perspective generally and the characteristics of teachers who hold each perspective. Implications for citizenship education in a multicultural society are discussed.

Pharmacokinetics of Saquinavir-SGC in HIV-Infected Pregnant Women

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate saquinavir (SQV) pharmacokinetics, tolerance, and safety in 10 HIV-infected pregnant women between 14-32 weeks gestation. Method: This was a phase I, prospective, area-under-the-curve (AUC) targeted study. Antepartum treatment consisted of SQV 1200 mg tid, lamivudine 150 mg bid, and zidovudine 200 mg tid. The SQV targeted exposure was an 8-hour AUC (AUC8) of 3000 ng · h/mL; the study was to be halted if the first 4 participants did not achieve this AUC8. Cord blood and plasma samples were collected in neonates at birth. Results: Four women completed the SQV pharmacokinetic assessments. Exposure in all 4 patients was below the target AUC8. Median (range) AUC8 and trough (C8H) were 1672 (738-2614) ng · h/mL and 60 (<15-332) ng/mL, respectively. Oral clearance (CL/F) was 9.3 (5.1-16.6) L/h/kg and Cmax was 599 (177–953) ng/mL. Cord and neonate plasma concentrations were mostly undetectable; 1 of 5 infants was HIV-infected at 24 weeks. Conclusion: These data suggest highly variable SQV pharmacokinetics in pregnant women, and exposure at 1200 mg tid may not be adequate for longer term therapy; both the AUC8 and C8H were considerably below average. Because ritonavir has been shown to significantly increase SQV concentrations, this combination should be further explored in this population.

Pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir in human immunodeficiency virus-infected infants

BACKGROUND Nelfinavir dosed at approximately 20 to 30 mg/kg three times a day (TID) in older children provides exposure similar to 750 mg TID in adults. However, the pharmacokinetics (PK) of nelfinavir in infants who are < 2 years of age is not well-described. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir in infants < 2 years of age. METHODS Nelfinavir concentrations were evaluated in 22 HIV-infected infants between 15 days and 2 years of age receiving nelfinavir as part of Pediatric ACTG Study 356. Nelfinavir therapy was initiated at approximately 25 mg/kg TID (n = 18) or approximately 55 mg/kg twice a day (n = 4) and given in combination with nevirapine, stavudine and lamivudine. PK samples were obtained predose and 1.5 and 4 h postdose at approximately 6-month intervals. Eight infants (all < or = 3 months of age) also had intensive PK samples collected at Week 1. RESULTS The median apparent clearance in the infants with intensive pharmacokinetic sampling was 2.7 liters/h/kg (range, 1.8 to > or = 10) and was similar between twice a day and TID dosing cohorts. Overall nelfinavir concentrations at all collection times were lower in these infants than previously reported in older pediatric patients. CONCLUSIONS Nelfinavir concentrations in infants are highly variable and lower than those seen in adult or older pediatric populations receiving labeled dosing. Therefore it is necessary to further evaluate nelfinavir safety, effectiveness and pharmacokinetics at higher doses than used among other pediatric populations.

Learning about Power through Service: Qualitative and Quantitative Assessments of a Service-Learning Approach to American Government

Scholars of public opinion and socialization have documented extensively the declining levels of political knowledge and the increasing levels of political apathy and individualism among young people. The purpose of this paper is to assess an American Government courses ability to affect young peoples perceptions of power in the political system and their role as citizens through the use of service-learning. The analysis includes qualitative data collected from students as well as from the community organization involved. Additionally, the results of a quasi-experiment conducted during one semester are presented. The results raise interesting questions not only about service-learning and its impact but also about how we should assess such programs.

Long-term safety and efficacy of atazanavir-based therapy in HIV-infected infants, children and adolescents: the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 1020A.

Background: Atazanavir (ATV) is an attractive option for the treatment of Pediatric HIV infection, based on once-daily dosing and the availability of a formulation appropriate for younger children. Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group 1020A was a phase I/II open label study of ATV (with/without ritonavir [RTV] boosting)-based treatment of HIV-infected children; here we report the long-term safety and virologic and immunologic responses. Methods: Antiretroviral-naïve and experienced children, ages 91 days to 21 years, with baseline plasma HIV RNA > 5000 copies/mL (cpm) were enrolled at sites in the United States and South Africa. Results: Of 195 children enrolled, 142 (73%) subjects received ATV-based regimens at the final protocol recommended dose; 58% were treatment naive. Overall, at week 24, 84/139 subjects (60.4%) and at week 48, 83/142 (58.5%) had HIV RNA ⩽ 400 cpm. At week 48, 69.5% of naïve and 43.3% of experienced subjects had HIV RNA ⩽ 400 cpm; median CD4 increase was 196.5 cells/mm3. The primary adverse event (AE) was increased serum bilirubin; 9% of subjects had levels ≥ 5.1 times upper limit of normal (ULN) and 1.4% noted jaundice. Three percent of subjects experienced grade 2 or 3 prolongation in PR or QTc intervals. At week 48, there was a 15% increase in total cholesterol (TC), with TC > 199 mg/dL increasing from 1% at baseline to 5.7%. Conclusions: Use of once-daily ATV, with/without RTV, was safe and well tolerated in children, with acceptable levels of viral suppression and CD4 count increase. The primary AE, as expected, was an increase in bilirubin levels.

Who Taught You to Talk Like That?: The University and Online Political Discourse

Rancorous dialogue among political opponents is nothing new in the American political system. However, in the past two decades or so, pundits and scholars have noted an increase in the overall intensity and frequency of incivility among elected officials and citizens. At the collegiate level, many universities have undertaken some form of civility initiative to help students learn how to address political conversation in a civil manner. However, these initiatives are problematic in that they may tend to attract those already predisposed to such civility goals and lack in external validity. In this article, we investigate how university communities may be able to use online discussions, particularly spontaneous ones, to address controversial political issues. Using the asynchronous online postings at one liberal arts university, Furman University, in response to a campus visit by George W. Bush, we investigate the nature of political discourse in these unstructured political conversations. Through content analysis, we assess the level of democratic incivility versus impoliteness in the discussion, the role of anonymity in facilitating incivility, and the potential of such online exchanges for use by colleges to help socialize young people into how to engage in effective and civil political discourse.

Incorporating Sustainability into an American Government Course: The Problems, the Progress, the Promise

This article evaluates the incorporation of issues of sustainability as a central orienting theme into an American Government course. Issues of sustainability are at the forefront of the American political agenda and are intricately linked to our ability as a nation to prosper economically, socially, and physically. In this course, students are challenged to consider: What is sustainability? How is it about more than just the environment? What is my role as a citizen in addressing sustainability issues? How do various institutions from the Congress to the media to interest groups address the issue of sustainability? This article will offer lessons the instructor has learned in incorporating this theme as well as suggestions and guidelines for other instructors. In addition, this article will include both a quantitative and qualitative assessment of student learning outcomes as a result of participation in the course.

John Stuart Mill's "The Subjection of Women": A Re-Examination

In this article, John Stuart Mills The Subjection of Women is studied through the use of textual and contextual (personal, historical and literary) analyses. A number of the significant criticisms of the Subjection of Women which have been offered by contemporary scholars are reviewed. These criticisms are then met by a re-examination of the text itself as well as with deeper contextual analysis. Ultimately, I argue that The Subjection of Women may best be understood not as a philosophical treatise but, instead, as a political act designed to win suffrage rights for women.

Coming of Political Age: American Schools and the Civic Development of Immigrant Youth. By Rebecca M. Callahan and Chandra Muller. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2013. CLXX, 170 pages.

The political significance of the immigrant community in the United States today is apparent on multiple fronts. From targeting efforts by political parties to attract new loyalists, to the struggle over immigration reform legislation, to the activism of immigrant youth seeking educational opportunities, the growing population of immigrants has significantly shaped the US political agenda. The ability of recent immigrants to become engaged citizens, influence policy, and protect their interests depends in large part on their understanding of the political system. In this book, Callahan and Muller identify a significant gap in our knowledge of the role schools play in preparing immigrant youth to be effective, participatory members of the US political system. Using two large national, longitudinal data sets, coupled with a more in-depth qualitative study, they show the significant impact schools generally, and the high school social science curriculum in particular, have on youth born to at least one parent who is a recent immigrant. Numerous studies of the political socialization process have identified the important role that civics courses can play in increasing knowledge of the political system and in promoting greater participation. The unique contribution of this study is its focus on how schools affect immigrant youth — a group, these scholars argue, which is perhaps best situated to be affected by both a social science curriculum and the general socialization that occurs through involvement in the social and community life of a school. In particular given their parents’ likely limited experience with the US political system as well as others challenges such as language, segregated neighborhoods, and contrasting familial cultures, schools and the social science curriculum may be even more important to immigrant youth than to other students. This study presents significant evidence that indeed this is the case. Callahan and Muller are interested in investigating three socializing activities of schools: (1) engaging students in the social life of the school and in extracurricular activities; (2) preparing students for future success in higher education and in the workplace; and (3) promoting political involvement. They find that immigrant youth face both unique challenges and unique opportunities in how they are shaped by schools in each of these areas. A most important challenge noted by these authors is that immigrant youth often find themselves in schools serving under-privileged communities with limited resources and greater educational needs. Immigrant youth engage in slightly fewer extracurricular activities than their native-born counterparts, but these differences are largely due to lower participation in sports and arts. Most significant in terms of political implications, immigrant youth are found to be more likely to volunteer and as likely to participate in academic and political clubs as their native-born peers. Language challenges, especially placement into English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, and the common correlates of first-generation status (low parental education, low income, etc.) mean that immigrant youth are not taking as many college preparatory classes or doing as well academically as their native-born peers. Finally, however, and perhaps most importantly, these scholars find that social science and civics courses have a significant impact on immigrant youth by promoting greater political participation in young