bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Optimism against all odds’: Polish National Identity in War Films of Jerzy Passendorfer
Authors: Kunicki Mikołaj
Published: January 2018

‘Optimism against all odds’: Polish National Identity in War Films of Jerzy PassendorferUsing archival sources, movie reviews, secondary sources and films, this article examines the cinema of Jerzy Passendorfer, the founding father of action movies genre in People’s Poland, but also the staunch supporter of Władysław Gomułka’s ‘Polish road to Socialism’ and General Mieczysław Moczar’s ultranationalist faction of the Partisans in the Polish United Workers’ Party. It demonstrates how Passendorfer’s blend of mainstream cinema and propaganda legitimized the party state and contributed to the construction of a new ethos, identity, and politics of history that enforced historical amnesia and syncretized past and present. It also argues that Passendorfer’s promotion of nationalist and authoritarian state ideology, militaristic patriotism and Polish-Soviet alliance, commissioned by the regime, sat well with mass audiences, precisely because of the use of popular genres adopted from the West and the quench for optimistic visions of nationhood. Although Passendorfer’s patriotic actions flicks faded away with the fall of Gomułka’s regime, they constitute a model, which can be still emulated. “Trudny optymizm”: polska tożsamość narodowa w filmach wojennych Jerzego PassendorferaOpierając się na źródłach archiwalnych, publikacjach naukowych i analizie filmów, niniejszy artykuł bada twórczość filmową Jerzego Passendorfera, ojca chrzestnego filmu akcji w PRL, zwolennika ‘polskiej drogi do socjalizmu’ Władysława Gomułki oraz sympatyka nacjonalistycznej frakcji generała Mieczysława Moczara w Polskiej Zjednoczonej Partii Robotniczej. Passendorfer łączył w swoich filmach popularne kino gatunkowe z propagandową legitymizacją władzy partii. Współtworzył nowy etos i świadomość narodową oraz uprawiał politykę historyczną, która zsynchronizowała przeszłość z teraźniejszością, doprowadzając do swoistego rodzaju amnezji. Artykuł stawia tezę, że zaproponowana przez Passendorfera synteza nacjonalizmu, autorytaryzmu i militaryzmu cieszyła się sporą popularnością wśród masowego widza z powodu zapożyczeń z zachodniego kina gatunkowego oraz potrzeby optymistycznej wizji wspólnoty narodowej. Patriotyczne filmy akcji Passendorfera uległy zapomnieniu po upadku Gomułki, jednak w dalszym ciągu stanowią kulturowy model, który może być wykorzystywany na potrzeby polityki historycznej.
Post-accession Female Mobility between Poland and Norway. New Trends and New Ways of Thinking about Migration
Authors: Main Izabella , Czerniejewska Izabela
Published: January 2018

Post-accession Female Mobility between Poland and Norway. New Trends and New Ways of Thinking about MigrationThis paper presents recent research on Polish female migration to Norway. We focus our discussion of existing literature on this subject on issues of gendered migration trajectories, children and adult education, career paths of migrant women, and the effects of migration on families and communities in Norway and Poland. There are many thematic and methodological gaps in recent scholarship on migration of Polish women to Norway despite an increased number of research projects and publications. Most scholars center on social attitudes towards migration, and consequently decisions on migration made by women and their families. Poakcesyjna mobilność kobiet pomiędzy Polską a Norwegią. Nowe kierunki myślenia o migracjiW tekście przedstawiamy trendy w badaniach migracji Polek do Norwegii we współczesnej literaturze. Skupiamy się na kilku wątkach: genderowych ścieżkach migracyjnych, edukacji dzieci i dorosłych, pracy zawodowej kobiet oraz wpływie migracji na sytuację rodzin i społeczności w Norwegii i Polsce. Analizując stan wiedzy zawarty w tekstach naukowych, dostrzegamy luki w wiedzy i stosowanej metodologii. Wskazujemy również na wpływ prezentowanych trendów opisów migracji na społeczną ocenę migracji, a w konsekwencji na decyzje podejmowane przez migrujące kobiety i rodziny. Mimo wzrostu liczby projektów badawczych i publikacji naukowych dotyczących ostatnich migracji Polaków do Norwegii wiele aspektów życia Polek-migrantek nie zostało dotąd przeanalizowanych.
W poszukiwaniu idei narodowej: „krajowość” początku XX wieku jako próba ideologii „Polaków litewskich”
Authors: Smalianczuk Aleksander
Published: January 2018

In the Search for a National Idea: Krajowość in the Beginning of the Twentieth Century as an Attempt at “Lithuanian Poles’" IdeologyKrajowość as the national ideology of the “civil” (or “political”) type developed in Belarus and Lithuania at the beginning of the twentieth century. The adherents of krajowośćclaimed that all native inhabitants of historical Lithuania, disregarding their ethno-cultural identity, are “the citizens of the Kraj” [the Countrymen] and therefore belong to one nation. Some called them “the nation of Lithuanians.” The category of “the native inhabitants” was used in relation to the Lithuanians, Belarusians, Poles, Jews, and almost never to Russians. As the main criterion for a national identity they proclaimed patriotism and self-identification as citizens.The krajowość idea appeared among the nobility. Its representatives belong to the combined Polish culture in respect of their own Lithuanian and Belarusian origin. The former Grand Duchy of Lithuania was interpreted by them as a historical native land. It was the determining factor in the formation of a new identity.All adherents of krajowość (Michal Romer, Roman Skirmunt, Kanstancyja Skirmuntt, Ludwik Abramovich, etc.) belonged to the group of the “Lithuania (vel Belarus) Poles”. Despite their intentions, the krajowość idea was formed on the basis of the “Lithuanian Poles’” struggle for their own place in the new society. As a result, the ideology for “Lithuanian Poles” was created, but it could not neutralize the existing Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian conflict. W poszukiwaniu idei narodowej: „krajowość” początku XX wieku jako próba ideologii „Polaków litewskich”„Krajowość”, czyli ,,ideologia krajowa”, została sformułowana na Białorusi i Litwie na początku XX wieku. Krajowcy stwierdzali, że wszyscy rdzenni mieszkańcy historycznej Litwy, niezależnie od ich etnokulturowej i stanowej przynależności, należą do jednego „narodu Litwinów”. Za główne kryteria owej narodowej przynależności uznano poczucie patriotyzmu w stosunku do Litwy historycznej. Jednym z celów krajowości było pogodzenie partykularnych interesów miejscowych narodów z ich ogólnym interesem, pod jakim rozumiano dobro wspólnej Ojczyzny, historycznej Litwy. Jednak mimo zamiarów ideologów, którzy mówili o „obywatelach Kraju”, krajowość wyrosła z poszukiwania przez Polaków litewskich swego miejsca w nowym społeczeństwie. Koncepcja krajowa była ideologią Polaków litewskich, stworzoną przede wszystkim dla nich. Z postanowieniami krajowców była związana przede wszystkim perspektywa polskości na Litwie historycznej.
„Na dole to Izrael, na górze Stany Zjednoczone, a uchodźcy to Palestyńczycy” – aktywiści, projekty integracyjne i samoorganizacja uchodźców w przestrzeni Rog w Ljubljanie
Authors: Kochaniewicz Agata
Published: January 2018

„Down is Israel, Upstairs United States, and Refugees are Palestinians” – Activists, Integration Projects and Self-organization of Refugees in Rog’s Space in LjubljanaSince 2015 Slovenia has become an important place on the Balkan refugee route. From the transit country it transformed into a country where more and more refugees decide to settle their lives. The article describe the story of Second Home – a place created by and for refugees and Slovenian activists. Activities fund by integration programs are critically analyzed by one of the “beneficiaries” of the projects – an Iranian refugee. The critical perspective reveals paternalistic behavior of privileged local activists involved in helping refugees. The example of a small community of refugees and activists in Ljubljana points to a broader problem when NGO organizations and volunteers replace the state’s duties and obligations. „Na dole to Izrael, na górze Stany Zjednoczone, a uchodźcy to Palestyńczycy” – aktywiści, projekty integracyjne i samoorganizacja uchodźców w przestrzeni Rog w LjubljanieSłowenia od 2015 roku stała się ważnym miejscem na bałkańskim szlaku uchodźców. Z kraju tranzytowego przekształca się w kraj, w którym coraz więcej uchodźców postanawia ułożyć sobie życie. Artykuł pokazuje historię Second Home – miejsca stworzonego przez i dla uchodźców oraz aktywistów słoweńskich. Działania, na które dostali dofinansowanie w ramach programów integracyjnych, poddane są krytycznej analizie oczami jednego z ich „beneficjentów” – uchodźcy z Iranu. Krytyczna perspektywa obnaża paternalizm uprzywilejowanych lokalnych działaczy, włączonych w pomoc uchodźcom. Historia niewielkiej społeczności uchodźców i aktywistów w Ljubljanie ukazuje szerszy problem zastępowania przez organizacje pozarządowe i wolontariuszy państwa w jego obowiązkach.
Praktyki polskości
Authors: Grudzińska-Gross Irena
Published: January 2018

Polishness in PracticeThere were two phases in the post-1989 Polish historical politics as projected abroad. The initially “normal” Poland gradually transformed itself around year 2004 into a Poland of suffering and redemption. An important role in that transformation was played by the reaction to the external vision of Poland’s role and fate during the Second World War, causing the “Holocaustization” of the Polish historical self-image. The article discusses the main elements of that self-image and the way it is used. Praktyki polskościSkierowana na zagranicę polityka historyczna państwa polskiego dzieli się, po roku 1989, na dwie fazy. Początkowo Polska przedstawiała siebie jako kraj „normalny”; około roku 2004 stopniowo przemieniała się w Polskę cierpienia i martyrologii. Ważną rolę w tej transformacji odegrał zewnętrzny obraz roli i losu Polski w czasie drugiej wojny światowej, powodując „holokaustyzację” polskiej tożsamości historycznej. W artykule analizowane są części składowe tej tożsamości i użytek z nich robiony w państwowej polityce historycznej.
Strengthening and Westward Shift of the Tropical Pacific Walker Circulation during the Mid-Holocene: PMIP Simulation Results
Authors: Tian Zhiping , Li Tim , Jiang Dabang
Published: December 2017

Based on the zonal mass streamfunction, the mid-Holocene annual and seasonal changes in the tropical Pacific Walker circulation (PWC) are examined using numerical simulations from the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project Phases 2 and 3. Compared to the preindustrial period, the annual mean of the PWC intensity strengthened (with an average increase of 0.26 × 1014 kg2 m−2 s−1 or 5%), and both the western edge and center of the PWC cell shifted westward (by an average of 4° and 3°, respectively) in the majority of the 29 models used for analysis during the mid-Holocene. Those changes were closely related to an overall increase in the equatorial Indo-Pacific east–west sea level pressure difference and low-level trade winds over the equatorial Pacific. Annual mean PWC changes come mainly from boreal warm seasons. In response to the mid-Holocene orbital forcing, Asian and North African monsoon rainfall was strengthened due to large-scale surface warming in the Northern Hemisphere in boreal warm seasons, which led to an intensified large-scale thermally direct east–west circulation, resulting in the enhancement and westward shift of the tropical PWC. The opposite occurred during the mid-Holocene boreal cold seasons. Taken together, the change in the monsoon rainfall over the key tropical regions of Asia and North Africa and associated large-scale east–west circulation, rather than the equatorial Pacific SST change pattern, played a key role in affecting the mid-Holocene PWC strength.
Implementation and Evaluation of the Early-Onset Sepsis Risk Calculator in a High-Risk University Nursery
Authors: Beavers Jessica B. , Bai Shasha , Perry Jennifer , Simpson Jordan , Peeples Sara
Published: December 2017

There is growing interest in the Kaiser early-onset sepsis (EOS) risk calculator though institutions are hesitant to deviate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and implement this in their hospitals. We describe the process of implementing routine use of the risk calculator in term and late preterm newborns delivered to mothers with chorioamnionitis in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A retrospective chart review of infants delivered to mothers with chorioamnionitis from 2011 to 2014 was performed. Implementation of routine use of the calculator began in January 2015; preintervention and postintervention data were analyzed after a 9-month period of routine use. Following implementation, NICU admission rates, number of blood cultures drawn, and rates of antibiotic use dropped by 54%, 42%, and 59%, respectively ( P < .001). No negative outcomes were reported. In this article, we describe how the calculator was safely implemented in our NICU while decreasing the number of interventions.
Using Mobile, Wearable, Technology to Understand the Role of Built Environment Demand for Outdoor Mobility
Authors: Duchowny Kate , Clarke Philippa , Gallagher Nancy Ambrose , Adams Robert , Rosso Andrea L. , Alexander Neil B.
Published: January 2018

Walking outdoors requires navigating a complex environment. However, no studies have evaluated how environmental barriers affect outdoor mobility in real time. We assessed the impact of the built environment on outdoor mobility, using mobile, wearable inertial measurement units. Data come from a convenience sample of 23 community-dwelling adults in Southeast Michigan. Participants walked a defined outdoor route where gait metrics were captured over a real-world urban environment with varying challenges. Street segments were classified as high versus low environmental demand using the Senior Walking Environmental Assessment Tool. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 74 years (mean age of 47 years). Outdoor gait speed was 0.3 m/s slower, and gait variability almost doubled, over the high- versus low-demand environments (coefficient of variability = 10.6% vs. 5.6%, respectively). This is the first study to demonstrate the feasibility of using wearable motion sensors to gather real-time mobility data in response to outdoor environmental demand. Findings contribute to the understanding of outdoor mobility by quantifying how real-world environmental challenges influence mobility in real time.
Characterization of tensile property of high-performance fiber bundles combined with epoxy resin using advanced video extensometer
Authors: Wang Weixin , Gu Yizhuo , Li Min , Wang Shaokai , Zhang Zuoguang
Published: December 2017

The increased desire to use high-performance fibers in the fields of industry and aerospace requires better understanding of their mechanical behaviors, especially in polymer matrix composite structure. By means of an advanced video extensometer using digital image correlation, the tensile properties of six kinds of high-performance organic and inorganic fiber bundles combined with epoxy resin were successfully determined in this paper, which have testing difficulties using contacting extensometer because of curved surface and small diameter of sample. The advanced video extensometer system was initially used for three kinds of carbon fibers impregnated and cured with epoxy resin to determine the optimum experimental conditions. The comparative tests demonstrate that the accuracy of the results is affected by light source and sampling frequency, but independent on crosshead speed. The tensile properties of other five kinds of epoxy impregnated fibers were subsequently measured using optimal conditions. The results show excellent agreement with the measurement of contacting dynamic extensometer for all studied fibers, and both relative error of Young’s modulus and elongation at break are in acceptable ranges. The capability of the advanced video extensometer system to record real-time, high-accuracy, and complete strain enables it to directly measure elongation. Then, Young’s modulus at different strain ranges was further studied. Different changing trends of Young’s modulus of various impregnated fibers with increasing strain were seen, which are related to the changes of fiber structure during testing.
Prevailing Wages, Side-By-Side Bids, and School Construction Costs
Authors: Duncan Kevin
Published: January 2018

School districts in Maryland may ask contractors to submit two bids for the same construction project: one bid includes the payment of minimum prevailing wage and benefit rates, the other bid does not. Results from a fixed effects estimate of an unbalanced panel of nonunion roofing contractors indicate that the gap between the two bids decreases as the level of bid competition and accumulated contractor bid experience increases. The bid gap is also influenced by a contractor’s eagerness to win a project. Additional analysis illustrates how the sample average bid gap of 9.9 percent disappears under particular bid behaviors and outcomes.
Can Propensity Score Analysis Approximate Randomized Experiments Using Pretest and Demographic Information in Pre-K Intervention Research?
Authors: Dong Nianbo , Lipsey Mark W.
Published: January 2018

Background:

It is unclear whether propensity score analysis (PSA) based on pretest and demographic covariates will meet the ignorability assumption for replicating the results of randomized experiments.

Purpose:

This study applies within-study comparisons to assess whether pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) treatment effects on achievement outcomes estimated using PSA based on a pretest and demographic covariates can approximate those found in a randomized experiment.

Methods:

Data—Four studies with samples of pre-K children each provided data on two math achievement outcome measures with baseline pretests and child demographic variables that included race, gender, age, language spoken at home, and mother’s highest education. Research Design and Data Analysis—A randomized study of a pre-K math curriculum provided benchmark estimates of effects on achievement measures. Comparison samples from other pre-K studies were then substituted for the original randomized control and the effects were reestimated using PSA. The correspondence was evaluated using multiple criteria.

Results and Conclusions:

The effect estimates using PSA were in the same direction as the benchmark estimates, had similar but not identical statistical significance, and did not differ from the benchmarks at statistically significant levels. However, the magnitude of the effect sizes differed and displayed both absolute and relative bias larger than required to show statistical equivalence with formal tests, but those results were not definitive because of the limited statistical power. We conclude that treatment effect estimates based on a single pretest and demographic covariates in PSA correspond to those from a randomized experiment on the most general criteria for equivalence.
Sorption properties of hybrid organic-silica material towards 137Cs, 90Sr and 90Y radionuclides
Authors: Krasnopyorova AP , Khristenko IV , Yuhno GD , Ostapenko EV , Levishko AS
Published: January 2018

Hybrid organic-silica material modified by amino groups has been investigated as adsorbent of radionuclides [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] from aqueous solutions. The sorption ability of the organic-silica material in the pH range of 2–9 with thermostating is studied by static sorption method. Analysis of sorption kinetic curves of radionuclides for aminoxerogel has shown that sorption equilibrium is established in 3–3.5 h. It is shown that the mechanisms of radionuclides sorption on the organic-silica material are combined by the complex formation and ion-exchange mechanism. The amino containing organic-silica material can be recommended for the cleaning of surfaces and purification of water solutions contaminated with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
Is pulling the lever sexy? Deontology as a downstream cue to long-term mate quality
Authors: Brown Mitch , Sacco Donald F.
Published: December 2017

Deontological and utilitarian moral decisions have unique communicative functions within the context of group living. Deontology more strongly communicates prosocial intentions, fostering greater perceptions of trust and desirability in general affiliative contexts. This general trustworthiness may extend to perceptions of fidelity in romantic relationships, leading to perceptions of deontological persons as better long-term mates, relative to utilitarians. In two studies, participants indicated desirability of both deontologists and utilitarians in long-term mating (LTM) and short-term mating contexts. In Study 1 ( n = 102), women perceived a deontological man as more interested in long-term bonds, more desirable for LTM, and less prone to infidelity, relative to a utilitarian man. However, utilitarian men were undesirable as short-term mates. Study 2 ( n = 112) had both men and women rate opposite-sex targets’ desirability after learning of their moral decisions in a trolley problem. We replicated women’s preference for deontological men as long-term mates. Interestingly, both men and women reporting personal deontological motives were particularly sensitive to deontology communicating long-term desirability and fidelity, which could be a product of the general affiliative signal from deontology. Thus, one’s moral basis for decision-making, particularly deontologically motivated moral decisions, may communicate traits valuable in LTM contexts.
Institutional Factors and Processes in Interagency Collaboration: The Case of FEMA Corps
Authors: Ward Kevin D. , Varda Danielle M. , Epstein Diana , Lane Barbara
Published: January 2018

This article details the development and implementation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Corps program, a federal interagency partnership. While many federal agencies partner through fee-for-service arrangements and contracts, few contemporary examples of interagency program creation and implementation are available. This article develops an interagency collaboration framework by drawing from the collaboration literature, as well as literature on institutions, to examine the development of this unique partnership. This research draws on key informant interviews and content analysis of documentation, including the interagency agreement (IAA), historical records, memos, meeting minutes, and participant observations. Findings suggest that even in formal IAAs, a strong history of informal institutional collaboration may be an important antecedent of forming and implementing collaborative arrangements. Similarly, the presence of a champion may play an important role in cultivating and developing both informal and formal institutions that create an opportunity to collaborate. Finally, the rules-in-use and the rules-in-form may vary at different levels of management. As the federal government increasingly employs interagency partnerships, this article provides lessons for developing relationships, identifying and understanding roles, crossing organizational boundaries, and merging both agency cultures and administrative processes.
Histologic Grade Does Not Predict Outcome in Dogs with Appendicular Osteosarcoma Receiving the Standard of Care
Authors: Schott Courtney R. , Tatiersky Laetitia J. , Foster Robert A. , Wood Geoffrey A.
Published: December 2017

Canine appendicular osteosarcoma is an aggressive bone neoplasm that imposes a short survival time. There are several published histologic grading systems for canine osteosarcoma but no universally accepted system. Location within the skeleton and therapy received are both correlated with survival time, but these factors were not always considered when the prognostic value of published grading systems was determined. Our objective was to compare 2 published histologic grading systems in a population of dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma treated with the standard of care for curative intent. Three evaluators graded 85 tumors using 2 histologic grading systems. The relationships between histologic grade as well as individual histologic features and outcome (survival time and disease-free interval) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival functions and a univariate Cox proportional hazards model. Histologic grade, as assigned by any evaluator, did not correlate with outcome. Increased number of mitotic figures per 3 randomly selected 400× microscope fields, as assessed by 1 evaluator, was correlated with both survival time and disease-free interval; this was the only individual histologic feature that was significantly correlated with outcome for any evaluator. These findings cast doubt on the predictive value of routine histologic grading in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma who receive amputation followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and highlight the need for better tools to predict outcome in canine appendicular osteosarcoma.
Experimentally Induced Selenosis in Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta scripta)
Authors: Haskins David L. , Howerth Elizabeth W. , Tuberville Tracey D.
Published: January 2018

Selenosis, or selenium toxicosis, occurs in wildlife and livestock, usually because of excessive intake of selenium via selenium-containing plants. Although it is known that wild slider turtles can accumulate large amounts of selenium, little is known about how selenium exposure may affect these reptiles. In this study, the authors report histopathologic changes in yellow-bellied sliders ( Trachemys scripta scripta) caused by experimental exposure to selenomethionine. Microscopic changes in kidney and claw tissue were most significant and resembled those reported in birds. Turtles in the selenium treatment groups had acute tubular degeneration and regeneration in the kidney, with hyaline droplets in the high-dose animals, and changes in the claws ranging from epidermal hyperplasia with disorganization and intercellular edema to ulceration, and accumulation of seroheterophilic exudate between the epidermis and cornified layer. Although selenium burdens in this study are comparable with values found in wild slider turtles, more data are needed to determine if similar histopathologic abnormalities arise in wild animals exposed to high levels of selenium.
A temperature-dependent asymmetric constitutive model for cast irons under cyclic loading conditions
Authors: Hosseini Ehsan , Holdsworth Stuart Richard , Flueeler Urs
Published: December 2017

An elastic-plastic-creep constitutive model is developed for describing the asymmetric deformation behaviour of cast irons under tensile and compressive loading conditions for a wide range of temperatures. The model is implemented into two commercial finite element packages, PERMAS and ABAQUS, using FORTRAN subroutines. The model is then employed for representation of the deformation behaviour of a flake cast iron under isothermal monotonic and thermomechanical cyclic loading conditions. Good agreement between the model representation and experimental data is obtained. Ultimately, the developed model is employed for assessment of the stress state at critical locations of a diesel engine cylinder head subjected to a severe thermal-shock engine test.
The Role of Perceived Discrimination and Other Psychosocial Factors in Explaining Diabetes Distress Among Older African American and White Adults
Authors: Williams Ishan C. , Clay Olivio J. , Ovalle Fernando , Atkinson Deidra , Crowe Michael
Published: January 2018

Background: Diabetes distress, also referred to as diabetes-related emotional distress, has been shown to contribute to worsening diabetes status over time as well as increased depressive symptoms. Other psychosocial factors, including perceived discrimination, are also related to poorer diabetes outcomes. This study explores the relationships between diabetes distress and several psychosocial variables relevant to health disparities (i.e., race, cognition, social support, physician trust, and perceived discrimination) among older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Design and Method: Structured telephone interviews were conducted with 148 African American and White adults (age ≥65) with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results: Perceived discrimination and physician trust partially explain the relationship between African American race and diabetes distress. Younger age, less satisfaction with social support, and lower physician trust were associated with higher levels of diabetes distress. Conclusion: These results highlight the need to address unique stressors, such as perceived discrimination, among racial/ethnic minorities to improve diabetes-related outcomes.
Utilization of Formal and Informal Home Care: How Do Older Canadians’ Experiences Vary by Care Arrangements?
Authors: Lee Yeonjung , Barken Rachel , Gonzales Ernest
Published: January 2018

This study investigates how the receipt of formal, informal, and/or a combination of both types of care at home relates to older adults’ perceived loneliness, life satisfaction, and day-to-day lives. Quantitative analyses using the Canadian Community Health Survey ( n = 3,928) reveal that older adults who only received formal care reported lower levels of loneliness and higher levels of life satisfaction when compared with respondents who received informal or a blend of home care. Qualitative analyses of persons aged 65+ years receiving formal and informal home care in Ontario ( n = 34) suggest that formal care bolstered care recipients’ autonomy and reduced their sense of being a burden on family. In turn, receiving formal care served to improve these older adults’ social connectedness and well-being. Findings underscore older adults’ symbolic, functional, and emotional attachment to formal care services, as well as the limitations of a reliance on informal support.
The Influence of Supportive Supervisory Practices and Health Care Aides’ Self-Determination on the Provision of Person-Centered Care in Long-Term Care Facilities
Authors: Caspar Sienna , Le Anne , McGilton Katherine S.
Published: December 2017

Person-centred care (PCC) is recognized as best practice in long-term care (LTC). Using a cross-sectional design, we examined the relationship between supportive supervisory practices and health care aides’ (HCAs) self-determination on HCAs’ perceived ability to provide PCC. A total of 131 HCAs from four LTC facilities participated in the study. There were strong, positive associations between HCAs’ self-determination and their perceived ability to provide PCC, r = .59, p < .0001, and how supportive their supervisors were, r = .50, p < .0001. Mediation analysis using structural equation modeling found the direct effect of self-determination on PCC was 73% of its total effect on PCC; its indirect effect mediated through supervisory support was 27% of its total effect on PCC. Improving supportive supervisory relationships that encourage and enable HCAs’ self-determination in LTC settings may be an important and effective means by which to increase the provision of PCC.
Predicting Use of Outdoor Fall Prevention Strategies: Considerations for Prevention Practices
Authors: Chippendale Tracy
Published: January 2018

Purpose: Outdoor falls are just as common as indoor falls, but have received less attention in research and practice. Behavioral strategies play an important role in outdoor fall prevention. The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of strategy use. Method: Backward stepwise regression was used to study factors associated with use of outdoor fall prevention strategies among a random sample ( N = 120) of community-dwelling seniors. Results: Significant negative predictors of strategy use included higher education levels ( p < .01) and living in an urban versus a suburban environment ( p < .01). Concern about falls and number of identified risks were positive predictors ( ps < .05). Differences were found between outdoor fallers and nonfallers in the use of three different types of strategies ( ps < .05). Conclusion: There are some differences in the profiles of people who use and do not use outdoor fall prevention strategies. Further study of additional factors is warranted.
Factors Affecting Students’ Performance in Distributed Pair Programming
Authors: Xinogalos Stelios , Satratzemi Maya , Chatzigeorgiou Alexander , Tsompanoudi Despina
Published: December 2017

Pair Programming has been shown to increase productivity and code quality not only in professional software development but also in the context of programming education. The provision of broadband Internet access gave rise to Distributed Pair Programming (DPP) enabling two programmers to collaborate remotely. To gain insight into the benefits of DPP, we performed an empirical study on an object-oriented programming course where 62 students carried out assignments through a DPP platform. The goal of the study is to investigate, in the context of DPP, whether prior programming skills (assessed at the level of student, his or her partner and pair) and pair compatibility are related to student performance. To further examine the effect of DPP on learning outcomes, we have studied whether a pair’s performance on DPP assignments is related to the students’ grade. The findings indicate that the student’s actual skill and the pair’s actual skill affect his or her performance in an object-oriented programming course. The results also suggested that there is no association between pair compatibility and his or her own performance. Finally, pair performance on DPP assignments is related to the individual student performance in the final exams. Such evidence can be used to guide instructors when planning DPP assignments and especially when forming student pairs.
Circadian Clearance of a Fungal Pathogen from the Lung Is Not Based on Cell-intrinsic Macrophage Rhythms
Authors: Chen Shan , Fuller Kevin K. , Dunlap Jay C. , Loros Jennifer J.
Published: December 2017

Circadian rhythms govern immune cell function, giving rise to time-of-day variation in the recognition and clearance of bacterial or viral pathogens; to date, however, no such regulation of the host-fungal interaction has been described. In this report, we use murine models to explore circadian control of either fungal-macrophage interactions in vitro or pathogen clearance from the lung in vivo. First, we show that expression of the important fungal pattern recognition receptor Dectin-1 ( clec7a), from either bone marrow–derived or peritoneum-derived macrophages, is not under circadian regulation at either the level of transcript or cell surface protein expression. Consistent with this finding, the phagocytic activity of macrophages in culture against spores of the pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus also did not vary over time. To account for the multiple cell types and processes that may be coordinated in a circadian fashion in vivo, we examined the clearance of A. fumigatus from the lungs of immunocompetent mice. Interestingly, animals inoculated at night demonstrated a 2-fold enhancement in clearance compared with animals inoculated in the morning. Taken together, our data suggest that while molecular recognition of fungi by immune cells may not be circadian, other processes in vivo may still allow for time-of-day differences in fungal clearance from the lung.
Aspirational Emotion Work: Calling, Emotional Capital, and Becoming a “Real” Writer
Authors: Lois Jennifer , Gregson Joanna
Published: January 2018

Drawing on a seven-year ethnography, we illuminate how unpublished romance writers employed emotional capital to negotiate the competitive publishing industry. To legitimate themselves as “real” writers, aspirants constructed occupational calling narratives, which they then drew upon to manage their emotions when publication was elusive. We call this process “aspirational emotion work” to illustrate how writers made use of their emotional capital to manage their feelings and sustain their identities without knowing if they would realize their dreams. We posit that aspirational emotion work is particularly prevalent among those seeking work in the creative industries, where potential for self-actualization is high but opportunity for secure employment is low.
Effect of dendrimer-functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on improving thermal and mechanical properties of DGEBA/IPD epoxy networks
Authors: Jafari-Soghieh Fariba , Maleki Behrooz , Behniafar Hossein
Published: December 2017

In this work, the effects of dendrimer-functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4@D-NH2) on improving thermal and mechanical properties in epoxy networks (ENs) are investigated. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are prepared by coprecipitation of iron (II) chloride tetrahydrate with iron (III) chloride hexahydrate. Poly(amido-amine) dendrimer is synthesized by Michael addition reaction from diethylenetriamine with methyl acrylate. The fabricated dendrimer has been used to stabilize and functionalize magnetic nanoparticles. Then, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are encapsulated within the dendrimer and subsequently loaded into diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin in two different contents, that is, 5 and 10 wt%. The amine groups of dendrimer-functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles allow them to be covalently linked to the polymer matrix alongside the main amine hardener. The resulting epoxy/magnetic iron oxide nanocomposites are thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Probing the thermal behaviors of the epoxy/magnetic iron oxide nanocomposites by thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the temperature of 10% decomposition and the temperatures of the maximum decomposition rate values of Fe3O4@D-NH2@EN series increased up to 20 and 10°C, respectively. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis also indicated that the organo-magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can lead to an excellent interaction between the nanoparticles and the resulting DGEBA/isophorone diamine ENs.
Development of an aggressive Miller Cycle engine with extended Late-Intake-Valve-Closing and a two-stage turbocharger
Authors: He Yongsheng , Liu Jim , Sun David , Zhu Bin
Published: December 2017

This paper describes the development of an aggressive Miller cycle gasoline engine with stoichiometric combustion, a high expansion ratio of 12.5:1, a 65 crank angle degrees (CAD) longer duration Late-Intake-Valve-Closing (LIVC) cam, and a two-stage turbocharger. The full-load performance and part-load fuel consumption of the baseline and Miller cycle engines were assessed through engine dynamometer testing. The aggressive Miller cycle engine achieved the maximum Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) of 22 bar at 1500 rpm, which was enabled by the 65 CAD longer duration LIVC cam to further reduce the effective compression for controlling knock and by the two-stage turbocharger to provide significantly higher boost for maintaining and increasing trapped mass. It was shown that the more aggressive Millerization was realized while maintaining the specific output and advantages of current downsized boosted engines, such as lower friction and lower pumping losses. The aggressive Miller cycle engine achieved above 6% brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) reduction over the baseline turbocharged spark-ignition engine on average. The 65 CAD longer duration LIVC cam provided the benefit of pumping loss reduction with delayed intake valve closing and the benefit of hot residual dilution with relatively advanced intake cam phasing simultaneously, which provided the significant fuel economy improvement at non-knocking light-load conditions. Even without the latest technology enhancements and friction reduction methods on its base engine hardware, the aggressive Miller cycle engine achieved a very broad BSFC island of 230 g/kWh or lower, with the lowest BSFC of 223 g/kWh at 2000 rpm and 10 bar BMEP.
Experimental analysis of railway track settlement in transition zones
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Markine Valeri , Liu Xiangming
Published: December 2017

Transition zones in railway tracks are the locations with considerable changes in the vertical support structures. Due to the differential stiffness and settlement in the open track and the engineering structure resulting in the dynamic amplification of the wheel forces, track settlement is usually observed in the approaching zones. The settlement in transition zones is detrimental to the track components and passenger comfort. This paper presents the results of the experimental analysis performed in three transition zones which were in various conditions. The dynamic displacements of rails due to passing trains were measured at multiple points (dynamic profile) in the approaching zones. The device employed is a contactless mobile device for measuring displacements, which is based on the digital image correlation technique. Because the operational parameters of the digital image correlation-based devices are important for measurement accuracy, prior to the in situ measurements, this device was tested in a laboratory to study the influence of the operational parameters, including the elevation/heading angles, the focal length of the cameras, and the measuring distance. After determining the optimal operational parameters for the railway field, multiple-point measurements were performed in the transition zones. The length of the approaching zone was studied first. Also, the dynamic profiles of the embankment–bridge and bridge–embankment transitions were analysed. Finally, by comparing the multiple-point displacements in the approaching zones in different conditions, it was found that the dynamic profile of the rail displacements has a good correlation with the track condition in the transition zone. The results are presented and discussed.
Effects of different foot progression angles and platform settings on postural stability and fall risk in healthy and medial knee osteoarthritic adults
Authors: Khan Saad Jawaid , Khan Soobia Saad , Usman Juliana , Mokhtar Abdul Halim , Abu Osman Noor Azuan
Published: December 2017

This study aims to investigate the effects of varying toe angles at different platform settings on Overall Stability Index of postural stability and fall risk using Biodex Balance System in healthy participants and medial knee osteoarthritis patients. Biodex Balance System was employed to measure postural stability and fall risk at different foot progression angles (ranging from −20° to 40°, with 10° increments) on 20 healthy (control group) and 20 knee osteoarthritis patients (osteoarthritis group) randomly (age: 59.50 ± 7.33 years and 61.50 ± 8.63 years; body mass: 69.95 ± 9.86 kg and 70.45 ± 8.80 kg). Platform settings used were (1) static, (2) postural stability dynamic level 8 (PS8), (3) fall risk levels 12 to 8 (FR12) and (4) fall risk levels 8 to 2 (FR8). Data from the tests were analysed using three-way mixed repeated measures analysis of variance. The participant group, platform settings and toe angles all had a significant main effect on balance ( p ≤ 0.02). Platform settings had a significant interaction effect with participant group F(3, 144) = 6.97, p < 0.01 and toe angles F(21, 798) = 2.83, p < 0.01. Non-significant interactions were found for group × toe angles, F(7, 266) = 0.89, p = 0.50, and for group × toe angles × settings, F(21, 798) = 1.07, p = 0.36. The medial knee osteoarthritis group has a poorer postural stability and increased fall risk as compared to the healthy group. Changing platform settings has a more pronounced effect on balance in knee osteoarthritis group than in healthy participants. Changing toe angles produced similar effects in both the participant groups, with decreased stability and increased fall risk at extreme toe-in and toe-out angles.
Why we need to study (US) militarism: A critical feminist lens
Authors: Wibben Annick TR
Published: January 2018

Responding to the special issue call to examine security and militarism alongside one another, this article adopts a critical feminist lens to explore what is at stake when critical scholars study security rather than militarism – and why, for critical feminists in particular, studying one without attention to the other is not helpful. Anchoring the discussion of (US) militarism in ongoing debates about women in combat, the article proposes that studying security without attention to militarism leads scholars to miss the deeply militarist orientation of security studies. It further suggests that feminist scholarship, because it treats militarism and militarization as an integral part of feminist security studies and considers the everyday a crucial site for inquiry, is well suited to studying militarism and security alongside one another. The article then lays out what a critical feminist approach to studying militarism entails and presents some feminist insights on militarization, focusing in particular on what attention to gender can reveal about shared norms of manliness and war. Overall, the article shows why feminist perspectives offer such strikingly different insights into the relationship between militarism and security and what we miss when feminist scholarship is ignored or marginalized in scholarship on these issues.
Return of the generals? Global militarism in Africa from the Cold War to the present
Authors: Abrahamsen Rita
Published: January 2018

Militarism is always historically constructed and context specific and must therefore be studied at the intersection of the global and the local. This article does so by tracing the continuities and changes of global militarism in Africa from the Cold War to the present. It argues that contemporary global militarism on the continent differs from its predecessor in two crucial aspects. First, it is promoted by development actors as much as by military establishments and is more firmly embedded within discourses of development and humanitarianism. Second, contemporary militarism remains focused on political order and stability but it is more concerned with war and direct combat. The article probes this paradox through an engagement with the concepts of security and securitization. It argues that today’s militarism is suffused with the values of security and that it is precisely the logic of security and securitization that gives it its contemporary political force.
Building civilian militarism: Colombia, internal war, and militarization in a mid-term perspective
Authors: Rodriguez Saul M
Published: January 2018

In late 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia signed a peace agreement to bring an end to an internal war in Colombia that had lasted more than 50 years. During this process, pro-military attitudes within Colombian society that called for a hardline solution and rejected the peace agreement were highly visible, revealing the extent to which militarism had been embedded in Colombia over the years. This embedding of militarism had been enabled by the country’s many years of chaos and the use of counterinsurgency forms of warfare, which over the years had led civilian elites to adopt a militaristic approach to countering threats. In this article, I will examine key issues related to the central role of militarism and militarization in the scenario of violence and insecurity in Colombia, drawing on mid- and short-term historical perspectives, to highlight what I refer to as the country’s ‘civilian militarism’. First, I discuss how the main conceptual framing regarding militarism, militarization, and security applies to the Colombian case. Second, I describe and analyze the origin of civilian militarism in the context of the struggle between Colombia’s traditional political parties, and the militarization of the police and the intertwining of its role with that of the army as a legacy of that time. Third, I briefly examine how various presidential programs have embedded the concept of security in the 1990s and thereafter, though this is seen as a façade to enable the unfolding of a military approach to countering threats over the years, and how mandatory military service was used until recently as a tool to bolster support for militarism among everyday people.