bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
UWB dual‐polarised dipole array with dielectric and FSS superstrate and 65° scanning
Authors: Yetisir Ersin , Li Jiantong , Ghalichechian Nima
Published: November 2018

The authors report the design of an ultra‐wideband (UWB), dual‐polarised, tightly coupled dipole array (TCDA) with an integrated balun for wide‐angle scanning. A dual‐pol dipole design enables massive bandwidth, large scanning volume, and high polarisation purity, concurrently. To achieve wide‐angle impedance matching without exciting surface waves, two types of superstrates are evaluated on a finite array: (i) dielectric superstrate and (ii) novel planar frequency‐selective surface (FSS). The latter architecture is capable of scanning 70° in E‐plane and 65° in H‐plane and shows, on average, 5° scanning improvement to the former. The impedance bandwidth is 5.25:1 (0.8–4.2 GHz) at the broadside (voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR)<2). The bandwidth reduces to 4.3:1 (0.9–3.9 GHz) when the maximum scanning angle or θmax increases to 65° for the H‐plane and 70° for the E‐plane (VSWR < 3.2). The proposed array is a great candidate for wide‐angle wideband scanning applications covering the entire L and S bands.
Ultracompact microstrip dual‐ and triple‐band bandpass filters with a common resonator feeding structure
Authors: Chen Chi‐Feng , Chang Sheng‐Fa , Zhou Kai‐Wei , Li Jhong‐Jhen , Wang Guo‐Yun
Published: November 2018

Microstrip dual‐ and triple‐band bandpass filters (BPFs) exhibiting an ultracompact size and high frequency selectivity are proposed in this study. A common resonator feeding technique is proposed and was applied to design the multiband BPFs. In the design, the first and last resonators are realised using stepped‐impedance resonators and are used to form a passband that has lower operating frequencies than the passband(s) of other resonator(s). Moreover, the first and last resonators serve as the input–output feeding structure and provide a source–load coupling for the passband(s) operating at higher frequencies. Thus, finite transmission zeros can be formed over the stopband. Hence, size miniaturisation and high frequency selectivity can be achieved simultaneously. The higher operating passband(s) is (are) formed by the dual‐mode stub‐loaded resonator(s) to reduce the number of resonators and the overall size of a filter. To verify the design approach, a dual‐band BPF centred at 1.3 and 2.58 GHz with an ultracompact circuit size of 0.048 λg × 0.088 λg (λg: guided wavelength at the central frequency of the lower passband) and a triple‐band BPF centred at 1.24, 2.5, and 3.5 GHz with an ultracompact circuit size of 0.15 λg × 0.12 λg were designed and fabricated. The measurement and electromagnetic simulation results were in good agreement.
Coupled‐inductor based diode assisted boost inverter for achieving highgain
Authors: Iqbal Taosif , Lu Haibin , Zaman Shah , Tan Siew‐Chong , Li Guojun , Zhang Xiongwen
Published: November 2018

A high‐gain single‐stage three‐phase coupled‐inductor diode‐assisted boost inverter (CL‐DABI) is presented for energy applications. A new scheme has been proposed which is simple, has less number of energy storage components and uses non‐shoot‐through pulse‐width modulation (PWM) techniques such as sine‐wave PWM and space vector modulation to get the maximum gain from a low‐voltage dc source. During simulation and hardware implementation, it was observed that the SPWM method resulted in a lower conversion rate and higher device stress. To improve the shortcomings, extended sine‐wave PWM (ESPWM) method is proposed to achieve high gain without compromising the conversion efficiency and putting devices under stress. Mathematical analysis, simulations results and experimental verifications are presented here. Hardware results prove the validity of the proposed CL‐DABI with ESPWM by achieving high intermediate dc gain, excellent dc–ac coupling, less device stress, comparable power quality and smaller size.
Sinusoidal charging of Li‐ion battery based on frequency detection algorithm by pole placement control method
Authors: Vazini Hossein , Asadi Mehdi , Karimadini Mohammad , Hajisadeghian Hossein
Published: November 2018

This study presents a control system to track the sinusoidal ripple current (SRC) of lithium (Li)‐ion batteries. In this method, a combination of a DC and a sinusoidal ripple current is injected to the battery. By choosing the appropriate frequency, the minimum AC impedance of the battery is obtained. This study, the impact of temperature has been considered as a protection criterion in the proposed charge algorithm, also a state‐space model of the charger system has been developed, and finally a pole placement controller has been proposed to control charging current. To evaluate the design, a laboratory setup has been implemented to obtain experimental results from a 1 kW Li‐ion battery pack. Also, simulations have been carried out by Simulink/MATLAB. The proposed pole placement control method for tracking of SRC and the optimal frequency detection algorithm have been designed and tested on a practical 10 Ah Li iron phosphate battery pack in different charge modes. In addition, results of the conventional proportional–integrator (PI) controller have been compared with the proposed controller. Both simulation and experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and control system to track SRC reference current in all frequencies.
Charms & Harms: Devil's Claw
Authors: Barnes Joanne
Published: November 2018

SUMMARY MESSAGE: There is evidence that Devils Claw can be an effective short-term treatment for acute exacerbations of low back pain and, to a lesser extent, in rheumatic and osteoarthritic conditions. Acute adverse effects reported in clinical trials were mild diarrhoea and flatulence. Long-term adverse effects have not been studied. As with all herbal medicines, Devils Claw products differ in their pharmaceutical quality, and the implications of this for efficacy and safety should be considered.
Ever decreasing circles: terminal illness, empowerment and decision-making
Authors: Richardson Kate , MacLeod Rod , Kent Bridie
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Empowerment is the personal and political processes patients go through to enhance and restore their sense of dignity and self-worth. However, there is much rhetoric surrounding nurses facilitating patients daily choices and enabling empowerment. Furthermore, there is frequently an imbalance of power sharing, with the patient often obliged to do what the health professional wants them to do. METHOD: This phenomenological study describes the lived experience of patients attending an outpatient clinic of a community hospice. A qualitative study using Max van Manens phenomenological hermeneutic method was conducted to explore issues surrounding empowerment and daily decisionmaking with terminally ill patients. The participants stories became a stimulus for learning about the complexities of autonomy and empowerment. It also engendered reflection and analysis of issues related to power and control inequities in current nursing practices. FINDINGS: The results revealed not only the themes of chaoticum, contracting worlds and capitulation, but that health professionals should be mindful of the level of control they exert. Within the palliative care setting they need to become partners in care, enhancing another persons potential for autonomous choice. CONCLUSION: Empowerment must not be something that simply occurs from within, nor can it be done by another. Intentional efforts by health professionals must enable terminally ill people to be able to stay enlivened and connected with a modicum of autonomy and empowerment over daily decisions, no matter how mundane or monumental they might be. KEYWORDS: Phenomenology; empowerment; autonomy; terminal care; decision-making
The value of te reo in primary care
Authors: Pitama Suzanne , Ahuriri-Driscoll Annabel , Huria Tania , Lacey Cameron , Robertson Paul
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: The influence of indigeneity is widely recognised as a health determinant; however the impact of the utilisation of the indigenous language on health care has not been closely examined. AIM: To explore the Maori language (te reo) as a determinant of health from a Maori patients perspective. METHODS: Maori patients were recruited through Maori health networks and the snowballing technique. Thirty participants participated in one of three focus group interviews. A semi-structured interview explored the utilisation of health services, comfortability with service delivery and perceptions of general practice surgeries cultural competency. Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret the data. RESULTS: Te reo was recognised as an important cultural competency, noted by participants as contributing to the development of appropriate doctorpatient relationships and their feelings of being valued within a practice. Patient-led use of te reo was identified as most appropriate, an indicator of quality of care. DISCUSSION: The training of primary care staff in te reo should be encouraged. Developed as a competency, this will see primary care settings better able to respond to Maori patients and in turn support Maori health gains. KEYWORDS: Maori health; Maori language; family practice; quality health indicators
Potion or Poison? Lemon balm
Authors: Rasmussen Phil
Published: November 2018

SUMMARY MESSAGE: Evidence to date supports mild relaxant and cognitive enhancing actions by lemon balm in healthy persons, and results from one small trial suggest similar effects in Alzheimers patients. However, further studies involving much larger numbers of patients are needed. Evidence is less convincing for its efficacy in digestive conditions or herpes simplex. As with all herbal medicines, different lemon balm products vary in their pharmaceutical quality, and the implications of this for dosage, efficacy and safety should be considered.
Access to general practice for Pacific peoples: a place for cultural competency
Authors: Ludeke Melissa , Puni Ronald , Cook Lynley , Pasene Maria , Abel Gillian , Sopoaga Faafetai
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Access to primary health care services has been identified as a problem for Pacific peoples. Although cost is the most frequently cited barrier to Pacific service utilisation, some research has indicated that access may also be influenced by features of mainstream primary care services. This study aimed to identify features of mainstream general practice services that act as barriers to accessing these services for Pacific peoples in order to explore strategies that providers could adopt to enable their practices to be more welcoming, accessible and appropriate for Pacific peoples. METHODS: Pacific participants were recruited through Pacific networks known to Pegasus Health and via snowball sampling. In total, 20 participants participated in one of three focus groups. A semi-structured interview explored the participants views and experiences of mainstream general practice care. Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret the data. FINDINGS: The analysis revealed five themes highlighting non-financial features of mainstream general practice services that may influence the availability and acceptability of these services to Pacific peoples: language and communication; rushed consultations; appointment availability; reception; and Pacific presence. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that all personnel within the primary care setting have the ability to directly engage in the improvement of the health status of Pacific peoples in New Zealand by developing cultural competency and incorporating flexibility and diversity into the care and service they provide. KEYWORDS: Pacific health care; access to health care; inequalities; cultural competency; New Zealand
New Zealand pharmacists experiences, practices and views regarding antibiotic use without prescription
Authors: Dameh Majd , Norris Pauline , Green James
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Very few studies have investigated pharmacists views, experiences and practices regarding the use of antibiotics without prescription. This study aimed to explore through self-report and hypothetical scenarios what factors determine New Zealand pharmacists behaviour and attitudes towards non-prescription use of antibiotics. METHODS: A purposeful sample of 35 registered community pharmacists of differing ethnic backgrounds was selected from a mixture of pharmacies that predominantly either serve New Zealand European customers or customers of other ethnicities. Semi-structured interviews including general background questions and six hypothetical scenarios were used for the investigation. Pharmacists ethnicity, education, years of experience, and customers ethnicity may influence their views, experiences and practices regarding the use of antibiotics without prescription. Customer demand or expectation, business orientation and competitiveness within community pharmacies, standards and practice of fellow pharmacists, ethics and professionalism, legislation, enforcement of the legislation, and apprehension of the consequences of such practice were hypothesised to have an effect on antibiotic use or supply without prescription by pharmacists. FINDINGS: The supply of antibiotics without prescription is not common practice in New Zealand. However, personal use of antibiotics without prescription by pharmacists may have been underestimated. Pharmacists were aware of legalities surrounding selling and using antibiotics and practised accordingly, yet many used antibiotics without prescription to treat themselves and/or spouses or partners. Many pharmacists also reported that under certain legislative, and regulatory and situational conditions they would sell antibiotics without a prescription. CONCLUSION: Views and practices regarding antibiotic use without prescription by community pharmacists require further exploration. KEYWORDS: Non-prescription antibiotics; hypothetical scenarios; legislation enforcement; New Zealand
Can formal Collaborative methodologies improve quality in primary health care in New Zealand? Insights from the EQUIPPED Auckland Collaborative
Authors: Palmer Celia , Bycroft Janine , Healey Kate , Field Adrian , Ghafel Mazin
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Auckland District Health Board was one of four District Health Boards to trial the Breakthrough Series (BTS) methodology to improve the management of long-term conditions in New Zealand, with support from the Ministry of Health. AIM: To improve clinical outcomes, facilitate planned care and promote quality improvement within participating practices in Auckland. METHODS: Implementation of the Collaborative followed the improvement model / Institute for Healthcare Improvement methodology. Three topic areas were selected: system redesign, cardiovascular disease/diabetes, and self-management support. An expert advisory group and the Improvement Foundation Australia helped guide project development and implementation. Primary Health Organisation facilitators were trained in the methodology and 15 practice teams participated in the three learning workshops and action periods over 12 months. An independent evaluation study using both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted. RESULTS: Improvements were recorded in cardiovascular disease risk assessment, practice-level systems of care, self-management systems and follow-up and coordination for patients. Qualitative research found improvements in coordination and teamwork, knowledge of practice populations and understanding of managing long-term conditions. CONCLUSION: The Collaborative process delivered some real improvements in the systems of care for people with long-term conditions and a change in culture among participating practices. The findings suggest that by strengthening facilitation processes, improving access to comprehensive population audit tools and lengthening the time frame, the process has the potential to make significant improvements in practice. Other organisations should consider this approach when investigating quality improvement programmes. KEYWORDS: Chronic disease; primary health care; quality improvement
Interprofessional education for physiotherapy, medical and dietetics students: a pilot programme
Authors: Pullon Sue , McKinlay Eileen , Beckingsale Louise , Perry Meredith , Darlow Ben , Gray Ben , Gallagher Peter , Hoare Kath , Morgan Sonya
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Interprofessional education (IPE) has been shown to enhance interprofessional practice among health professionals. Until recently there has been limited opportunity to undertake such initiatives within existing pre-registration degree courses in New Zealand. AIM: This study aimed to test the feasibility of delivering an interprofessional component within existing health professional courses for medicine, physiotherapy and dietetics at the University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand. METHODS: An interprofessional case-based course component (on chronic condition management) was developed by academic clinical teachers from schools of medicine, physiotherapy and dietetics at the same location. Evaluation was undertaken using a previously validated pre- and post-survey tool, to ascertain changes in attitude among students towards interprofessional practice, IPE and the effectiveness of health care teams. Focus groups were conducted with students and teachers. RESULTS: Survey results indicated pre-existing positive attitudes to interprofessional practice and education among students. There was a statistically significant increase in positive attitude towards such practice and education, and increased confidence in the effectiveness of heath care teams. Focus group findings were consistent with the survey results for students, and highlighted challenges experienced by the teachers. DISCUSSION: Students and teachers alike enjoyed the interprofessional interaction and benefited from a collaborative approach to chronic condition management. The timing and nature of learning activities and assessment methods created logistical challenges. Such course components have potential to improve collaborative practice and the quality and safety of health care among graduates. Interprofessional course components need to be equitable across disciplines and embedded in the unidisciplinary courses. KEYWORDS: Dietetics; education; interprofessional relations; medicine; New Zealand; physiotherapy; primary health care
Adequacy of inhaler technique used by people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Bryant Linda , Bang Christine , Chew Christopher , Hee Baik Sae , Wiseman Diane
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are ongoing concerns to the health system. Poor inhaler technique results in less than optimal delivery of medicine to the lungs and consequent inadequate symptom control. AIM: This study aimed to assess inhaler technique amongst people with asthma and/or COPD. The secondary aims were to investigate who provided education on inhaler technique and whether age, gender or ethnicity was associated with poor inhaler technique. METHODS: People with asthma or COPD who presented to a community pharmacy with a prescription for a respiratory inhaler were invited to participate in the study. Participants completed a brief questionnaire and had their inhaler technique assessed against a standard checklist. RESULTS: There were 103 participants from 26 pharmacies, 86 with asthma and 17 with COPD. Just over half (52.5%) of the assessments indicated good inhaler technique, with 68% of people using the Turbuhaler having good technique compared to 53% for the pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) with spacer and 47% for the pMDI alone. The majority of people (76%) received their initial inhaler technique instruction from their doctor. Over half of participants did not recall having their inhaler technique rechecked. DISCUSSION: After prescribing appropriate therapy, correct inhaler technique is a cornerstone of achieving adequate therapy. Rechecking inhaler technique is a gap in care that needs to be addressed from an interdisciplinary perspective. KEYWORDS: Asthma; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; dry powder inhalers; metered dose inhalers; spacer inhalers
The association between church attendance and obesity-related lifestyle behaviours among New Zealand adolescents from different Pacific ethnic groups
Authors: Dewes Ofa , Scragg Robert , Raina Elley C
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is disproportionately prevalent among Pacific population groups in New Zealand. Lifestyle behaviours of excessive consumption of high energy, unhealthy foods and inadequate physical activity are risk factors for obesity that can be modified. AIM: To identify and describe the risk factors for and protective factors against obesity among Pacific Island (PI) adolescents who attend church and compare them with PI adolescents who do not attend church. METHODS: We investigated the lifestyle behaviours of 2495 PI adolescents at six secondary schools in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ), 77% of whom attend a church or other place of worship. The cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 2005. Structured individual interviews and anthropometric measurements were undertaken. RESULTS: Church attendees had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) compared with non-attendees (BMI 27.4 vs BMI 26.6), adjusted for age, gender and PI ethnicity (p=0.01). The weight status of attendees was associated with less healthy breakfast and lunch sources, lower levels of physical activity, and limited knowledge of the risk factors for obesity (p<0.05) DISCUSSION: Culturally appropriate and ethnic-specific weight management interventions, including monitoring and policy development programmes, are needed urgently to change pro-obesity lifestyle behaviours in PI adolescents and to avoid the burgeoning future obesity-related illnesses that would otherwise result. The church may be an important venue and change agent in the prevention of obesity for this population. KEYWORDS: Adolescents; church; health behaviors; obesity; Oceanic ancestry group; Pacific Islands
Nursing roles and responsibilities in general practice: three case studies
Authors: Walker Léonie , Clendon Jill , Nelson Katherine
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: Primary care nursing teams may now comprise registered nurses (usually termed practice nurses), nurse practitioners, physician assistants, enrolled nurses, and primary care practice assistants, clinical assistants, or nursing assistants. There is a need to understand how practitioners in the different roles work with patients in the changed environment. The aim of this study was to describe the different configurations of health professionals? skill-mix in three dissimilar primary care practices, their inter- and intra-professional collaboration and communication, and to explore the potential of expanded nursing scopes and roles to improve patient access. METHODS: Document review, observation and interviews with key stakeholders were used to explore how health practitioners in three practice settings work together, including their delegation, substitution, enhancement and innovation in roles and interdisciplinary interactions in providing patient care. A multiphase integrative, qualitative and skill-mix framework analysis was used to compare findings related to nursing skill-mix across case studies. FINDINGS: Three models of primary care provision, utilising different nursing skill-mix and innovations were apparent. These illustrate considerable flexibility and responsiveness to local need and circumstances. CONCLUSION: Enabling nurses to work to the full extent of their scope, along with some adjustments to the models of care, greater multidisciplinary cooperation and coordination could mitigate future workforce shortages and improve patient access to care. KEYWORDS: Advanced practice nursing; primary care nursing; primary health care; New Zealand
Adherence to modified constraint-induced movement therapy: the case for meaningful occupation
Authors: Walker Johanne , Moore Melanie
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION
Modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) has been shown to improve function of an affected upper limb post stroke. However, factors influencing adherence of individuals undertaking a mCIMT protocol require further investigation.

AIM
To explore the experience of two participants undergoing a mCIMT protocol and examine factors influencing adherence to the protocol.

METHODS
A qualitative case study design was used. Two participants with upper limb hemiparesis following a stroke were recruited and received mCIMT (two hours of therapy, three days per week for a total of two weeks). During the treatment period, participants were also encouraged to wear the restraint mitt for four hours per day at home.

RESULTS
Participants reported increased confidence and self-esteem following participation, as well as improvements in bi-lateral upper limb function. Participants reported the mCIMT protocol as being highly frustrating. However, motivation to adhere to the protocol was positively influenced by the meaningfulness of the occupations attempted.

CONCLUSION
Although mCIMT can prove frustrating, meaningful occupations may act as a powerful motivator towards adherence to a mCIMT protocol. Further research is required.
3‐min all‐out effort on cycle ergometer is valid to estimate the anaerobic capacity by measurement of blood lactate and excess post‐exercise oxygen consumption
Authors: Zagatto Alessandro Moura , Redkva Paulo Eduardo , de Poli Rodrigo Araújo Bonetti , González Joel Abraham Martinez , Brandani Jeniffer Zanetti , Penedo Thiago , Bertuzzi Rômulo Cássio De Moraes
Published: November 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of a single 3‐min all‐out maximal effort to estimate anaerobic capacity (AC) through the lactate and excess post‐exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) response methods on a cycle ergometer. Eleven physically active men (age = 28.1 ± 4.0 yrs, height = 175.1 ± 4.2 cm, body mass = 74.8 ± 11.9 kg and ⩒O2max = 40.7 ± 7.3 mL kg−1 min−1), participated in the study and performed: i) five submaximal efforts, ii) a supramaximal effort at 115% of intensity of ⩒O2max, and iii) a 3‐min all‐out maximal effort. Anaerobic capacity was estimated using the supramaximal effort through conventional maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) and also through the sum of oxygen equivalents from the glycolytic (fast component of excess post‐exercise oxygen consumption) and phosphagen pathways (blood lactate accumulation) , while during the 3‐min all‐out maximal effort the anaerobic capacity was estimated using the procedure. There were no significant differences between the three methods (p > 0.05). Additionally, the anaerobic capacity estimated during the 3‐min all‐out effort was significantly correlated with the MAOD (r = 0.74; p = 0.009) and methods (r = 0.65; p = 0.029). Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the 3‐min all‐out effort is valid to estimate anaerobic capacity in physically active men during a single cycle ergometer effort.
Gender politics and geopolitics of international criminal law in Uganda
Authors: Bunting Annie
Published: November 2018

This paper explores the views of victim survivors – both men and women – on the current prosecution of Dominic Ongwen at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, including the crime of forced marriage. This case will be used as the central story around which the potential and limitations of international criminal law for gender justice will be explored. The Ongwen case has blurred the lines between victims and perpetrators of child soldiering and has generated much debate within and outside the continent. It has resuscitated the contestation and controversies surrounding the ICC regime in Uganda and Africa more broadly. The reflections I share in this paper come out of a collaborative research project I direct called ‘Conjugal Slavery in War: Partnerships for the study of enslavement, marriage and masculinities’ (CSiW 2015-2020). While Uganda and the Ongwen case will be central to this paper, our research project includes partners working with survivors of conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and northern Nigeria. We collected well over 250 interviews with women who were abducted for forced marriage. Using interview data from Uganda, as well as court records, this paper explores in-depth the geopolitics and gender politics of prosecuting conjugal slavery as an international crime.
The ABCs of Media and Children: Attention, Behavior, and Comprehension
Authors: Wartella Ellen A. , Lauricella Alexis R. , Beaudoin-Ryan Leanne , Cingel Drew P.
Published: November 2018

This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. Please check back later for the full article.

Children are and have been active media users for decades. Historically, the focus on children and media issues have centered on the concerns and consequences of media use, generally around violence. In the last 40 years, we have seen a shift to study children and media from a more holistic approach, to understand both the positive and negative relationships between children and media use. Further, the recognition of the very important developmental differences that exist between children of different ages and the use of grand developmental theories, including those by Piaget and Vygotsky, have supported the field’s understanding of the unique ways in which children use media and the effects it has on their lives. Three important constructs related to a more complete understanding of children’s media use are the ABCs (attention, behavior, and comprehension). The first construct, attention, focuses on the way in which children’s attention to screen media develops, how factors related to parents and children can direct or influence attention to media, and how media may distract attention. The second construct is the behavioral effect of media use, including the relationship between media use and aggressive behavior, but importantly, the positive effect of prosocial media on children’s behavior and moral development. Finally, the third construct is the important and dynamic relationship between media and comprehension and learning. Taken together, these constructs describe a wide range of experiences that occur within children’s media use.
Deaf or Hard of Hearing Message Recipient Sociodemographic Characteristics
Authors: McKee Michael
Published: November 2018

Hearing loss is common, with approximately 17% of the population reporting some degree of a hearing deficit. Hearing loss has profound impacts on health literacy, health information accessibility, and learning. Much of existing health information is inaccessible. This is largely due to the lack of focus on tailoring the messages to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals with hearing loss. DHH individuals struggle with a variety of health knowledge gaps and health disparities. This demonstrates the importance of providing tailored and accessible health information for this population. While hearing loss is heterogeneous, there are still overlapping principles that can benefit everyone. Through adaptation, DHH individuals become visual learners, thus increasing the demand for appropriate visual medical aids. The development of health information and materials suitable for visual learners will likely impact not only DHH individuals, but will also be applicable for the general population. The principles of social justice and universal design behoove health message designers to ensure that their health information is not only accessible, but also equitable. Wise application of technology, health literacy, and information learning principles, along with creative use of social media, peer exchanges, and community health workers, can help mitigate much of the health information gaps that exist among DHH individuals.
Politician-Public Group Dynamics
Authors: Caetano João R. , Martins Alexandra F.
Published: November 2018

Politics is a field of interaction between a multiplicity of actors—both individual and collective—with different interests operating in the so-called public space and trying to influence the outcomes of the state’s (or groups of states’) action, typically public policies. In politics, people do not defend their interests alone but within groups and in relation to other groups, which presupposes a communication strategy and tactics. The diversity of political and social groups has not ceased to grow in recent decades throughout the world, particularly in democratic systems, with implications for the way politics and democracy are depicted by the media, as well as the way the make-up of public policies is analyzed. This important issue gets at the essence of politics and of society, in relation to communication processes, and is subject to new interdisciplinary approaches and developments in social science, particularly in political communication (the study of the connections between politics and citizens and the interactions connecting groups).

Political and social groups are groups composed of two or more people who interact and maintain relations of interdependence in order to obtain power, stay in power, or influence policy makers, in their own interest. Every day, people see the action of political and social groups when they watch television, listen to the radio, access the Internet, or simply talk with other people, in different situations. In fact, an isolated person would not need politics. Only the necessity of regulating relations between people in society explains the creation of politics and the action of political and social groups through the use of communication tools.

Political and social groups can be categorized in different ways, according to their structure, functions, and types of activity. According to a structural perspective, political and social groups can be classified as political institutions, political and social (nonstate or public) organizations, and social movements. One can distinguish between permanent and nonpermanent groups, depending on their expected or usual time of duration, and based on function there are: public and private groups, interest aggregation groups, and interest articulation groups. Lastly, according to their activities, there are institutional and noninstitutional groups, taking into account their role in political decision-making processes.

During the early 21st century, the use of technology has revolutionized the way people conceive of politics. Networks brought with them new social demands and forms of public scrutiny. As a result political and social groups have been experimenting with new ways of doing politics as they break with the past. These new facts require social scientists—facing a new and demanding scientific challenge—to rethink the politics of today in relation to society. Communication is important because it relates to many of these political dynamics.
Terrorism and Intergroup Communication
Authors: Betus Allison E. , Jablonski Michael K. , Lemieux Anthony F.
Published: November 2018

Terrorism employs violence or the threat of violence to diffuse and amplify messages to an audience beyond the immediate target or victim of an attack. Violent acts initiate media coverage, as well as word-of-mouth transmission, functioning as a gateway that draws attention to the terror group and its messages in a manner that increases the salience of the communication; then media provides additional information contextualizing the original act. Media coverage may make the group initiating the communication look more dangerous or powerful than is warranted.

Terrorist communication strategy involves a noteworthy violent act, or threat thereof, that secondarily communicates with multiple audience groups. One audience may be supporters of the terror group who construct identity from the violent act as well as from grievances that the group seeks to advertise. Another may be outgroups sympathetic with the substance of communicated messages. Still another may be foreign countries, which may provide a sense of legitimacy to the actions of the group.

A violent group successfully portrayed as victimized will solidify ingroup cohesion and outgroup hostility while justifying the use of violence as a moral consequence of circumstances. Terrorists often dehumanize the outgroup by stereotyping them in ways they argue will justify violence. People sympathetic with the dehumanization of the outgroup may provide support without actually joining in the perpetration of terror. Some may be radicalized by communication produced by terrorists, such as on social media, to become actors themselves. Counter-terror tactics may disrupt intergroup communication, thus interfering with recruitment or operational capabilities of those supporting or engaging in terrorism.
Tourism and Intergroup Communication
Authors: Ota Hiroshi
Published: November 2018

This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. Please check back later for the full article.

Tourism connects people across geographical, chronological, and cultural borders. In Henri Tajfel’s terms, it is a prime example of intergroup process where collective and interpersonal factors play major roles. People become tourists to fulfill their self-derived motivations, including sensation-, novelty-, and pleasure-seeking, or even good will. Their motivations to travel are influenced by group-related factors, such as media portrayals of the destination and the sense of connectedness to the place of visit. Moreover, contextual variables, such as the presence of diplomatic relations or the level of peace and security, should indicate whether the borders are permeable and open to the tourists, and if the destination is accessible as a viable option for them to visit. Needless to say, simply wanting to be different from one’s everyday selves or desiring to be in a different environment are legitimate reasons for one to be a tourist.

Tourists have contact with other people at various phases of their travel to and from their destinations. Through contact, tourists as guests communicate with their hosts, who are local residents of the destination and tourism-related service providers. Guest-host contact often takes place in limited contexts, and tends to be fleeting, non-intimate, and power-structured, often cast in a “they-us” frame. However, such contact can ultimately bring important social consequences to the tourists and to the destination.

Communication accommodation holds an important key to some of the major outcomes of host-guest contact. Accommodation involves adjustment of one’s linguistic and non-linguistic behaviors during communication for smooth interaction and social approval from others. Successful contact through accommodation can bring positive outcomes to the communicators such as an increase in positive attitudes toward the other and advances in intercultural communication competence, while exploitation, deception, and maintenance of power-differentiated relations are also likely associated with communication accommodation. Likewise, contact between tourists and local residents has potential to contribute to long-term changes in the macro cultural milieu of the destination, including the resurgence or erosion of the traditional culture and languages, increased presence of foreign languages, and building of peaceful relationships between societies, all of which in turn become precursors to the further development of tourism.
Interannual Variability of the Indian Monsoon and Its Link to ENSO
Authors: Kucharski Fred , Abid Muhammad Adnan
Published: November 2018

The interannual variability of Indian summer monsoon is probably one of the most intensively studied phenomena in the research area of climate variability. This is because even relatively small variations of about 10% to 20% from the mean rainfall may have dramatic consequences for regional agricultural production. Forecasting such variations months in advance could help agricultural planning substantially. Unfortunately, a perfect forecast of Indian monsoon variations, like any other regional climate variations, is impossible in a long-term prediction (that is, more than 2 weeks or so in advance). The reason is that part of the atmospheric variations influencing the monsoon have an inherent predictability limit of about 2 weeks. Therefore, such predictions will always be probabilistic, and only likelihoods of droughts, excessive rains, or normal conditions may be provided. However, even such probabilistic information may still be useful for agricultural planning. In research regarding interannual Indian monsoon rainfall variations, the main focus is therefore to identify the remaining predictable component and to estimate what fraction of the total variation this component accounts for. It turns out that slowly varying (with respect to atmospheric intrinsic variability) sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) provide the dominant part of the predictable component of Indian monsoon variability. Of the predictable part arising from SSTs, it is the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) that provides the main part. This is not to say that other forcings may be neglected. Other forcings that have been identified are, for example, SST patterns in the Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and parts of the Pacific Ocean different from the traditional ENSO region, and springtime snow depth in the Himalayas, as well as aerosols. These other forcings may interact constructively or destructively with the ENSO impact and thus enhance or reduce the ENSO-induced predictable signal. This may result in decade-long changes in the connection between ENSO and the Indian monsoon. The physical mechanism for the connection between ENSO and the Indian monsoon may be understood as large-scale adjustment of atmospheric heatings and circulations to the ENSO-induced SST variations. These adjustments modify the Walker circulation and connect the rising/sinking motion in the central-eastern Pacific during a warm/cold ENSO event with sinking/rising motion in the Indian region, leading to reduced/increased rainfall.
Network Science and International Relations
Authors: Maoz Zeev
Published: November 2018

Network analysis has been one of the fastest-growing approaches to the study of politics in general and the study of international politics in particular. Network analysis relies on several key assumptions: (a) relations are interdependent, (b) complex relations give rise to emergent and unintended structures, (c) agents’ choices affect structure and structure affects agents’ choices, and (d) once we understand the emergent properties of a system and the interrelations between agents and structure, we can generalize across levels of analysis. These assumptions parallel many of the key features of international relations. Key contributions of network analysis helps shed light on important puzzles in the study and research of international relations. Specifically, (a) network analytic studies helped refine many key concepts and measures of various aspects of international politics; (b) network analysis helped unpack structures of interdependence, uncovering endogenous network effects that have caused biased inferences of dyadic behavior; (c) network analytic studies have shed light on important aspects of emergent structures and previously unrealized units of analysis (e.g., endogenous groups); and (d) network analytic studies helped resolve multiple puzzles, wherein results found at one level of analysis contradicted those found at other levels of analysis.
The Impact of Meso-Level Assumptions on Grand Theorizing: Using Unit, State, and Regime Type for Constructing IR’s Historical Narratives (and Theory-Building)
Authors: Green Daniel M.
Published: November 2018

Narratives of history profoundly shape international relations (IR) scholarship. Periodizations and grand historical narratives are vitally consequential, establishing the very parameters in which IR scholars labor, speculate, and theorize. Therefore, we should be highly attentive to how we produce these narratives. Yet there is a surprising lack of reflection on general practices in such matters. One common method that international relations uses to set these parameters—identify the basic properties of international systems, chart their comparative dynamics, and construct periodizations and grand narratives of history—is to begin with an initial focus on the predominating units, unit types, and/or regime types present in the global system at any given point in time. Dynastic families, states, city-states, empires, democracies, and autocracies—all have had ideal-typical worlds of relations constructed around them. This “unit approach” is important in making behavioral arguments about actors in international relations and is especially interested in how it has been and can be used to construct improved narratives of IR history that liberate us from the “Waltzian hangover” of a dysfunctionally simple account of history. The three main versions of the unit approach are based on unit type, state type, and regime type. This paper makes arguments about the appropriateness of a unit approach to historical narrative construction and its advantages over other approaches, such as structure-oriented developments.
Suicide Terrorism Theories
Authors: Martin Susanne , Pedahzur Ami
Published: November 2018

Suicide terrorism has captured considerable attention since the attacks on September 11, 2001. Governments offered unprecedented support for scholars who were willing to research the phenomenon. One result has been a tremendous growth in the volume of research on terrorism. The research has also become more diverse. Until 2001, 84% of the articles appeared within the disciplines of political science and international relations. Since 2002, though, only 53% of articles belonged to these disciplines. Meanwhile, other areas (most notably economics) increased in prominence. Despite the growth in the volume and diversity of the research, important aspects of the phenomenon remain largely unexplored. This is particularly evident when it comes to studies of suicide terrorism. Two areas requiring further attention include the “theater of terrorism” and the role of culture. The case of ISIS demonstrates the significant roles of the mass media and culture in explaining contemporary suicide terrorism.