bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Return of the Golden Calf: Economy, Idolatry, and Secularization since Gaudium et spes
Authors: Cavanaugh William T.
Published: December 2015

Pope Francis consistently addresses economic issues with the concept of idolatry, but Gaudium et spes treats the economy as an autonomous, secular realm amenable to technocratic solutions guided by principles of right reason. Cavanaugh accounts for this difference by examining changes in theories about secularization from the 1960s to the present. He argues that today we are less likely to see the secular realm as neutral and devoid of belief, and more likely to see it as enchanted and idolatrous.
Presuppositions of Balthasar’s Universalist Hope and Maritain’s Alternative Eschatological Proposal
Authors: Brotherton Joshua R.
Published: December 2015

Hans Urs von Balthasar and Jacques Maritain are both confronted by the apparent contradiction between the reality of damnation and the universal salvific will of God. While Balthasar’s understanding of grace lends itself to universalism, Maritain’s more harmonious perspective is able to avoid the pitfalls of which Balthasar is frequently criticized. Digging beneath the aporia that so plagued Balthasar, Maritain offers an innovative theory that seems to reconcile the divine will to be “all in all” and the enduring choice of some creatures to refuse God’s grace. Thus, going beyond any problems with Balthasar’s universalist hope, Maritain’s proposal seems to represent a higher synthesis of diverse eschatological truths.
Portrayal vs. practice: Contemporary women’s contributions to Christian mission
Authors: Dzubinski Leanne M.
Published: December 2015

From the late 1800s onward, women have comprised two-thirds of the missionary workforce. Yet despite their numbers, women’s mission practice is frequently overlooked in accounts of mission work; instead it may be attributed to a male missionary. Single women are frequently cast in supportive roles and their work credited to that of a male supervisor. Married women’s mission practice is often attributed to their husband as part of the two-person career structure. As a result, women’s mission practice is rarely considered in mission theorizing, and few women are counted among missiologists even today. Studies that do seek to uncover women’s mission theorizing and practice typically focus on their historical contributions. There is a need for further research on contemporary women missionaries to understand their contributions, both embodied and theoretical, to the global mission enterprise. This article presents the findings from the study of women in one mid-sized mission organization. Results show that the women engage in a wide variety of ministry, face specific gender-related challenges, and struggle to understand themselves as valued contributors to the global mission enterprise.
Designed to Fit
Authors: Hamilton Zachary , Kigerl Alex , Campagna Michael , Barnoski Robert , Lee Stephen , van Wormer Jacqueline , Block Lauren
Published: December 2015

Recidivism risk assessment tools have been utilized for decades. Although their implementation and use have the potential to touch nearly every aspect of the correctional system, the creation and examination of optimal development methods have been restricted to a small group of instrument developers. Furthermore, the methodological variation among common instruments used nationally is substantial. The current study examines this variation by reviewing methodologies used to develop several existing assessments and then tests a variety of design variations in an attempt to isolate and select those which provide improved content and predictive performance using a large sample ( N = 44,010) of reentering offenders in Washington State. Study efforts were completed in an attempt to isolate and identify potential incremental performance achievements. Findings identify a methodology for improved prediction model performance and, in turn, describe the development and introduction of the Washington State Department of Correction’s recidivism prediction instrument—the Static Risk Offender Need Guide for Recidivism (STRONG-R).
If You Are Committed, Then so Am I: The Role of Social Networks and Social Influence on Organizational Commitment
Authors: Siciliano Michael D. , Thompson James R.
Published: December 2015

Research on organizational commitment has generally ignored the role that social networks may play in shaping work-related attitudes. In this article, we explore two network-based mechanisms: (a) structural position effects, based on centrality, and (b) social influence, based on direct social contact with peers. Relying on network, survey, and administrative data for more than 400 employees in 21 different organizations, our findings suggest that both structural position and social influence are associated with organizational commitment. These findings have important implications for how public organizations structure work teams, hire and promote employees, and engage in reform efforts.
A practical note on transferring ideas and methods from consultancy practice to the MPA classroom
Authors: Ry Nielsen JC , Quinn Brid
Published: December 2015

At the lead author’s home institution – Copenhagen Business School (CBS) – the combination of theory and practice is seen as very important in teaching. Research-based teaching is the slogan. In this respect, CBS has the same ambition as other universities. But it seems as if CBS has an advantage at the master’s level, because students come with a lot of experience. The average age of the MPA students is generally over 40. Consequently, they are able to bring practice into the classroom and to confront it with theories and also the experiences of their fellow students. There are, however other ways of bringing practice and theory together. In this note, the author reviews a three-year consultancy/research project in a merging hospital department. The aim of the note is twofold. One is to detail the more exploratory methods used to develop the organization. The second is to evaluate whether these methods can be transferred to a potential MPA module at CBS. It is concluded that for some of the methods such as diary-keeping and agenda-setting, transfer is easy. Other methods, such as using a cross-sectional group or manager role-analysis, may not transfer easily but could be applied in the home organizations of participants. The design of the module and the non-traditional roles of the teachers are very important for successful implementation.
A new agenda for teaching public administration and public policy in Brazil
Authors: Gomes Sandra , Almeida Lindijane SB , Lucio Magda L
Published: December 2015

This article discusses the reasons and teaching objectives of an array of new undergraduate courses on public administration and public policy management which have emerged recently in Brazil. While in 2001 there were only two undergraduate courses teaching formal public administration in the country, by 2015, they had risen to 40, and also included more diverse but related courses, such as public policy management, public management, public policy, and other similar ones. If one adds to this figure, distance education, and technological undergraduate courses, the total courses in these areas in Brazil amount to approximately 130 and an estimate of 25,600 students’ enrolments. All these courses are understood as belonging to the same field of knowledge, a statement made public by a national movement of professors, course coordinators, and students that stated the specificities and identity of this field of knowledge. This group became known as “The Public Field” movement, declaring the need for training students and future practitioners or academics within courses that are concerned with the public interest and democratic, and ethical governments. The discussion in the article focuses on two main aspects. First, the institutional and political reasons that opened a “window of opportunity” for these courses to emerge in Brazil. Second, the pedagogical objectives of these courses are discussed, and two experiences of innovative teaching in two Brazilian universities are presented as an example of the training objectives these courses are trying to achieve.
The future of ICRP: towards a centenary and beyond
Authors: Cousins C.
Published: December 2015

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has been in existence for 87 y, since its establishment in 1928. It remains a leading authority in radiological protection, and its role is to provide recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection against ionising radiation. The published recommendations of ICRP form the basis of radiation safety standards worldwide. Modernisation of the organisation in recent years has led to new initiatives and changes. These have included writing a strategic plan and code of ethics for the first time. Elections for committee membership have been through open nominations, a process which will shortly be repeated for the membership in the next term, commencing on 1 July 2017. Biennial symposia started in 2011, and the success of the first two symposia has secured this venture as a regular part of the ICRP calendar. ICRP has also revised its method of working with other organisations by establishing ‘special liaison organisation’ status. This has improved collaboration with the ever-expanding number of organisations working in radiological protection, with whom it is important that ICRP has essential links. ICRP is also looking to review its legal basis and governing documents in the future, in order to ensure that best practices are being followed as ICRP evolves. In addition, the strategic plan will be reviewed and updated regularly. Other ways of working with organisations will be considered to further strengthen engagement with the wider radiological protection community. ICRP aims to make its publications available at low or no cost, and to produce both a plain language overview of the system of radiological protection and a summary of the recommendations. These activities will require additional financial resources, and ICRP has embarked on a fundraising campaign to support such efforts. ICRP can be proud of its history of maintaining its independence and preserving the wide respect earned over many years. Despite long traditions, ICRP has evolved and will continue to do so to perform as a more modern organisation as it heads towards a centenary and beyond.
Measuring, discussing, and living together: lessons from 4 years in Suetsugi
Authors: Ando R.
Published: December 2015

Cooperating with radiological protection experts and taking radiation measurements, the residents of Suetsugi, Iwaki City, Fukushima have been striving to reshape their lives since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Suetsugi lies within 30 km of the power plant, so the residents have had serious reservations about continuing their lives there since the accident. Today, radiation remains a ‘line’ dividing their lives, with any dose measurements directly affecting their daily decision making. Assisted by medical and scientific specialists, the residents faced this challenging situation by measuring exposures individually and then discussing the results among themselves. Since 2012, the residents of Suetsugi have been using personal dosimeters, made village-wide trips for whole-body counter tests, and measured food contamination throughout the village. The results have been shared openly between the residents. Obtaining and discussing their own data were crucial to gain understanding of various results and to practice radiological protection in their daily routine. These 4 y of experience in Suetsugi demonstrate cooperation between various stakeholders, which should be a lesson for the future.
Can Renewal Emerge from Destruction? Crisis and Opportunity in Wisconsin
Authors: Taylor Don
Published: December 2015

This article explores public sector labor relations in Wisconsin after the 2011 “uprising” and subsequent attempts to recall public officials, including the governor. While unions there have faced catastrophic setbacks and confront an uncertain future, the potential exists for Wisconsin to forge a new approach to escape the confines of the “service model,” which has left unions as “houses of straw.” If Wisconsin public sector unions can combine lessons from history and nonbargaining states with comprehensive plans for organizational culture change, a crucially important model could take shape for the entire U.S. labor movement.
Promises Unfulfilled
Authors: Manzo Frank
Published: December 2015

This article examines the early economic track record of Indiana’s “right-to-work” (RTW) law on labor market outcomes. It analyzes various labor market metrics to compare the experience in Indiana relative to nine neighboring states, as well as to the United States in the aggregate. Data are analyzed both 36 months before and 36 months after Indiana passed RTW. Initial “difference-in-difference” estimates find that the labor market performance of Indiana has not surpassed that of neighboring states following passage of the law, contrary to the claims promised by its proponents. Wage and employment growth in Indiana’s construction industry, in particular, has fallen significantly behind the rest of the region. Regression analyses are subsequently performed, which conclude that RTW’s unique effect has been to lower hourly wages in the state economy by 1.1 to 1.5 percent on average and have little to no impact on employment. The combination of effects results in state income tax revenues that are annually $16 to $52 million lower than they would be in the absence of the RTW policy.
‘Give It Back, George’: Network Dynamics in the Philanthropic Field
Authors: Maclean Mairi , Harvey Charles
Published: December 2015

This paper assumes a network dynamics perspective to explore the charitable sector campaign known as ‘Give it Back, George’, which overturned a threatening tax change announced in the UK Budget 2012. We consider network activity from diverse viewpoints. Collaboration by disparate players enhanced the campaign’s legitimacy, high-status actors with a tertius iungens strategic orientation eschewing the limelight while others took centre stage. While extant research has shown how lower-status actors may profit from the networks of prominent individuals, we demonstrate that the reverse may apply. We suggest that elite actors who activate ties and bring together disconnected others are often less visible than apparent dominant actors. Social movements are not always reformist but may be deployed by elite incumbents to preserve the status quo. The story we narrate here is therefore less concerned with field transformation than with field preservation at the elite level when faced with threatening change.
Dynamics of Social Capital: Effects of Performance Feedback on Network Change
Authors: Parker Andrew , Halgin Daniel S. , Borgatti Stephen P.
Published: December 2015

We present a theory of social capital dynamics. In particular, we examine how individuals in organizations respond to events such as performance evaluations by changing whom they interact with and the extent to which they utilize their contacts. We argue that positive performance feedback from supervisors increases levels of self-efficacy and results in the creation of new social capital as well as the increased utilization of existing social capital (i.e., forming new ties with sources of information and aid, and increasing interactions with existing contacts). In addition, negative feedback decreases self-efficacy, resulting in reallocation of social capital utilization to concentrate on a small number of existing frequently-accessed contacts (i.e., decreasing interactions with some contacts while increasing interactions with others). Our arguments highlight the role of individual agency in social capital dynamics and clarify the role that individual performance evaluations can play in the evolving structure of social networks. To test our hypotheses, we use a longitudinal social network data-set collected over a six-year period in the IT department of a global engineering firm. Using fixed-effects panel regression models, we find support for our hypotheses, suggesting that performance feedback is a determinant factor in social capital dynamics.
Grant‐Writing Pearls and Pitfalls
Authors: Liu Jeffrey C. , Pynnonen Melissa A. , St John Maie , Rosenthal Eben L. , Couch Marion E. , Schmalbach Cecelia E.
Published: December 2015

This invited article reviews the grant process to include the following objectives: (1) to provide an understanding of otolaryngology funding mechanisms in the context of career progression; (2) to outline key components of a well‐written grant; (3) to highlight vital members of a successful research team, with emphasis on the mentor‐mentee relationship; and (4) to clarify grant scoring with emphasis on common pitfalls to avoid. Current otolaryngology funding mechanisms and up‐to‐date resources are provided. The review is aimed to assist otolaryngology residents, faculty new to the grant process, as well as experienced researchers striving to improve their grant review scores.
A case study of diverse multimodal influences on music improvisation using visual methodology
Authors: Tomlinson Michelle M.
Published: December 2015

This case study employed multimodal methods and visual analysis to explore how a young multilingual student used music improvisation to form a speech rap. This student, recently arrived in Australia from Ethiopia, created piano music that was central to his music identity and that simultaneously, through dialogue with his mother, enhanced his linguistic skills. He selected and redesigned communicative modes across principal modes (learning domains). Through analysis of this student’s redesign of a speech rap during his music improvisation at the piano, it was demonstrated that he promoted cognition and higher thinking. Conclusions showed he made a shift in understanding or meaning, empowering relations with his parents through a heightened understanding of music modes as the elements of music. The study revealed that modes encompassed all the senses (visual, aural, gestural and proxemics) in music improvisation while enhancing his verbal linguistic skills. By triangulating interviews and observations with video analysis, this study established that modes are not just unchangeable tools, but a means of situated social positioning and identity formation, and therefore resources for learning. It established that prior multicultural music learning was crucial to assist students’ music improvisation to enhance communication across borders in local and global information societies.
Children composing and the tonal idiom
Authors: Roels Johanna Maria , Van Petegem Peter
Published: December 2015

Existing studies have demonstrated how children compose, experiment and use their imagination within the conventions of the tonal idiom with functional harmony. However, one area of research that has hardly been explored is how tonality emerges in the compositions of children who compose by transforming their own non-musical ideas, such as their drawings and stories. To that end, and within a context in which children individually compose at the piano, the present study examines the differences or similarities that, with respect to the tonal idiom, result from both approaches to composing. The findings demonstrate how interdisciplinary and symbolic thinking can help children achieve a better understanding of the tonal idiom and at the same time lower the threshold to compose.
Fractured knowledge: Mapping the gaps in public and private water monitoring efforts in areas affected by shale gas development
Authors: Kinchy Abby , Parks Sarah , Jalbert Kirk
Published: December 2015

Spatial gaps in environmental monitoring have important consequences for public policy and regulation of new industrial developments. In the case of Marcellus Shale gas extraction, a water-intensive new form of energy production that is taking place in the state of Pennsylvania (USA), the perception of large gaps in government water monitoring efforts have motivated numerous civil society organizations (CSOs) to initiate their own monitoring programs. Using geospatial mapping, this study reveals that nearly half of the watersheds in the region lack government water monitoring, and CSOs are the sole source of continuous or frequent monitoring data in 22% of the watersheds. While many watersheds remain unmonitored, the gaps do not map on to demographic characteristics typically associated with environmental injustice. This study probes both the reasons for and the implications of the gaps in watershed monitoring, drawing conclusions about the promise and limitations of citizen science.
The sociocultural sources of urban buzz
Authors: Arribas-Bel Daniel , Kourtit Karima , Nijkamp Peter
Published: December 2015

Cities have become playgrounds for competitive behaviour and rapid economic dynamics. However, in many cities (or urban agglomerations) economic growth is mainly manifested in specific geographic areas, where creative people and innovative entrepreneurs are located. In this paper we offer first the conceptual and operational foundation for analyzing this so-called ‘urban buzz’ and its interlinked primary drivers. We next develop an analytical framework for testing the buzz hypothesis, with a special reference to the importance of social bonds and networks in Amsterdam. In our empirical analysis we use a unique dataset on social network connectivity and spatial concentration in a city, based on location-sharing services through the use of Foursquare data. Our urban buzz model shows clearly that buzz and socioeconomic (cultural) diversity are closely connected phenomena.
Entrepreneurial affect: Attachment to work practice in San Francisco's digital media sector
Authors: Cockayne Daniel G
Published: December 2015

In this paper I examine entrepreneurial work in San Francisco's digital media sector to consider how affect and desire are invested in sites of neoliberal production. Drawing on recent writing on affect, I treat affect as ambivalent and coextensive with the mode of production, suggesting an approach that looks beyond the investment of value in commodities, to how desire is produced and directly located in economic infrastructures. Entrepreneurial affect functions through the embodiment of work as a site of personal “satisfaction,” the development of passionate attachments to that work, and the production of working subjectivities characterized by their “compulsory sociality.” I argue that affect functions through entrepreneurial forms of digital media work to produce and reproduce attachments to precarious working conditions. Drawing on recent debates on precariousness and precarity, I reflect on the possible consequences of affective attachments to entrepreneurial work as a primary site for the justification of precarious work practices and neoliberal modes of governance in general.
Comparative study of the neuroprotective and nootropic activities of the carboxylate and amide forms of the HLDF-6 peptide in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Bogachouk Anna P , Storozheva Zinaida I , Solovjeva Olga A , Sherstnev Vyacheslav V , Zolotarev Yury A , Azev Vyacheslav N , Rodionov Igor L , Surina Elena A , Lipkin Valery M
Published: December 2015

A comparative study of the neuroprotective and nootropic activities of two pharmaceutical substances, the HLDF-6 peptide (HLDF-6-OH) and its amide form (HLDF-6-NH2), was conducted. The study was performed in male rats using two models of a neurodegenerative disorder. Cognitive deficit in rats was induced by injection of the beta-amyloid fragment 25–35 (βA 25–35) into the giant-cell nucleus basalis of Meynert or by coinjection of βA 25–35 and ibotenic acid into the hippocampus. To evaluate cognitive functions in animals, three tests were used: the novel object recognition test, the conditioned passive avoidance task and the Morris maze. Comparative analysis of the data demonstrated that the neuroprotective activity of HLDF-6-NH2, evaluated by improvement of cognitive functions in animals, surpassed that of the native HLDF-6-OH peptide. The greater cognitive/ behavioral effects can be attributed to improved kinetic properties of the amide form of the peptide, such as the character of biodegradation and the half-life time. The effects of HLDF-6-NH2 are comparable to, or exceed, those of the reference compounds. Importantly, HLDF-6-NH2 exerts its effects at much lower doses than the reference compounds.
How do soil properties affect alpine treelines? General principles in a global perspective and novel findings from Rolwaling Himal, Nepal
Authors: Müller Michael , Schickhoff Udo , Scholten Thomas , Drollinger Simon , Böhner Jürgen , Chaudhary Ram P.
Published: December 2015

Little is known about how soil properties control tree growth at its upper limit. This paper reviews the state of knowledge and discusses the results specifically related to ecozones, to the scale-dependent importance of single factors, and to new findings from a near-natural treeline ecotone in Rolwaling Himal, Nepal. This paper identifies gaps in literature and shows where new research is needed, both conceptual and geographical. The review shows that at a global scale and throughout diverse ecozones, growing season soil temperature is considered a key factor for tree growth. Soil temperatures differ greatly at a local scale, and are mainly determined by local climatic, edaphic, and topographic conditions. Our result of 7.6 ± 0.6°C for growing season mean soil temperature at treeline in Rolwaling is 1.2 K higher compared to the postulated 6.4 ± 0.7°C for alpine treelines. We suggest a broadening of the ±0.7°C error term to cover the wide range at a local scale. The role of major soil nutrients and soil moisture for treeline shift has been underestimated by far. In Rolwaling, significantly decreasing nutrient availability (N, K, Mg) in soils and foliage with elevation might explain why treeline shift and global warming are decoupled. Further, soil moisture deficits early in the year impede seedling and sapling establishment, which could be an important mechanism that controls treeline position. These findings question previous results which argue that alpine treelines are unaffected by soil nutrient availability and soil moisture. We assume that specific combinations of soil properties as well as single soil properties limit tree growth even below climatic treelines.
An evaluation of a protocol for the validation of computational solid mechanics models
Authors: Hack Erwin , Lampeas George , Patterson Eann A
Published: December 2015

The terminology of validation of computational models and the framework within which it should be performed has been well-defined in a series of standards documents developed in the United States. However, there is no universally accepted protocol for performing validation, although a number of approaches have been proposed. The objective of the reported study was to assess the effectiveness and usefulness of a recently published approach that provides an efficient method for comparing data fields from the simulations and experiments, and which incorporates the uncertainty arising in the experimental data in the assessment of the model validity. An international comparison exercise was designed based on the standard for Inter-Laboratory Studies. Fifteen organisations participated in the Inter-Laboratory Study and the results demonstrated the efficacy of the validation protocol and provided feedback on a number of issues, including the definition of regions of interest, the need for a measure of the quality of the simulation results and importance of designing experiments specifically for validation exercises. The refined validation protocol has been incorporated into CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 16799:2014.
Working Children
Authors: van Sittert Lance
Published: December 2015

There is a lacuna in the scholarship on child labor in Africa in general and the Cape Colony in particular between the abolition of slavery in the 1830s and the start of state regulation of childhood around the turn of the twentieth century. This is not for want of sources. Historians of the Cape colony have traditionally mined the criminal records to divine relations of production in the postemancipation countryside, which they have unsurprisingly characterized as marred by high levels of violence between settlers and black labor. There is a danger in the reliance on the criminal records of (mis)taking the exception for the rule or of doing history “backward.” The records generated by the implementation of the Masters and Servants Acts offer a much needed corrective to the criminal record, documenting as they do the everyday relations of production in the postemancipation colonial Cape countryside rather than the exceptional moments of breakdown. Read for their aggregate trends, they provide a rich and illuminating source on ordinary child employment practices and suggest the fashioning of postemancipation rural black childhood as manual labor. The surviving archives of two Great Karoo magistracies, Beaufort West and Colesberg, contain the indenture contracts of more than 550 children over the half century after 1856, two-thirds of whom were indentured by their own families and the other third by magistrates acting in loco parentis for either “destitute children” or “juvenile offenders.”
Depression Symptomatology and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Authors: Garcia Grant H. , Wu Hao-Hua , Park Min Jung , Tjoumakaris Fotios P. , Tucker Bradford S. , Kelly John D. , Sennett Brian J.
Published: December 2015

Background:

Recent literature has recognized a correlation with depression and poor self-reported functional outcome after orthopaedic procedures. However, the effect of depression on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) outcome has never been studied.

Purpose:

To quantify the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and correlate depression symptoms with patient-rated knee function in patients undergoing ACLR.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

In this multicenter prospective cohort study, 64 consecutive adult patients undergoing primary ACLR were given the 16-item self-report Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) to assess MDD symptoms preoperatively and at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, and 1 year postoperatively. Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective scores were obtained at the same time points to assess self-reported knee function. A QIDS score ≥6 served as a validated threshold for diagnosis of MDD. MDD and non-MDD group assignment was based on preoperative QIDS score. Student t test analysis was performed to compare ACLR outcomes between MDD and non-MDD patients. Correlation among QIDS, Lysholm, and IKDC scores was determined with Spearman r value.

Results:

A total of 27 patients (42%) were categorized in the MDD group. At baseline, the MDD group reported mean Lysholm (50.8) and IKDC (43.7) scores that were significantly lower than those (64.9 and 57.0, respectively) reported by the non-MDD group ( P < .05). Both cohorts showed similar and significant absolute improvement from baseline to 1 year postoperatively (MDD vs non-MDD, increase in mean Lysholm: +24.4 vs +23.5 [ P = .63]; MDD vs non-MDD, increase in mean IKDC: +28.1 vs +32.3 [ P = .21]). While Lysholm and IKDC scores improved in both groups, at 1-year follow-up, MDD patients reported significantly lower mean Lysholm (75.2 vs 88.4; P = .04) and mean IKDC (71.8 vs 89.3; P = .001) scores as compared with their non-MDD counterparts. In addition, a moderate inverse correlation was found between QIDS and Lysholm scores ( r = −0.50) and between QIDS and IKDC scores ( r = −0.54). Interestingly, 4 patients experienced complications in the MDD cohort (15%), while there were no complications in the non-MDD group.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that ACLR may be an equally effective intervention for MDD and non-MDD patients, given their similar significant absolute improvements in functional scores from baseline to 1 year after ACLR. However, MDD patients still reported significantly lower self-reported functional scores at baseline and 1 year postoperatively.
The use of reverse logistics for waste management in a Brazilian grocery retailer
Authors: Dias Karina TS , Braga Junior Sergio S
Published: December 2015

Retail growth is a result of the diversification of departments with the intention to look to consumer’s needs and level of demand. Pressed by consumers and by the law, the adoption of environmental preservation practices is becoming stronger among grocery retailers. The objective of this research was to analyse the practices of reverse logistics performed by a retailer and measure the amount of waste generated by each department. To reach the proposed goal, a field research study was conducted to directly observe a grocery retailer in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a period of 6 months and monitor the amounts of cardboard and plastic discarded by each department. Using the Wuppertal method, the first result observed was that the retailer stopped its monthly production of approximately 20 tonne of biotic and abiotic material, which influence global warming and degradation of the ozone layer. Another result observed with the implementation of reverse logistics, was that the general grocery department mostly used cardboard and plastic. This sector includes products such as food cupboard, drinks, household, health and beauty, and pet articles. The fresh fruit and vegetable department and the meat, chicken and frozen department were increasingly using less plastic and cardboard packaging, increasing the use of returnable and durable packaging and thus promoting sustainability.
Testing a Technology Integration Education Model for Millennial Preservice Teachers
Authors: Holland Denise D. , Piper Randy T.
Published: December 2015

The technology integration education model is a 12 construct model that includes 8 primary constructs and 4 moderator constructs. By testing the relationships among two primary constructs (motivation and technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge competencies) and four moderator constructs (goals, feedback, task value, and self-regulation), this study advances technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge research. This study investigated three research questions and found that goals, feedback, task value, and self-regulation moderated the predictive form relationships among intrinsic motivation and technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge. However, only goals moderated the explanation form relationship between intrinsic motivation and technological knowledge. This study provided data-driven insights for educators of preservice teachers as they continue to become evidence-based managers and data-driven decision makers. Educators may be misallocating resources if they only focus on self-determination motivation theory and applications and never consider whether goals, feedback, task value, and self-regulation interact with motivation. The researchers created a new instrument consisting of a 16-item measure of the goals construct and a 6-item measure of the feedback construct. For this exploratory study, the sample consisted of 90 elementary education majors and 51 secondary education majors.
Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Practices among HIV-Exposed Infants in Coastal Tanzania
Authors: Williams Anne M. , Chantry Caroline , Geubbels Eveline L. , Ramaiya Astha K. , Shemdoe Aloisia I. , Tancredi Daniel J. , Young Sera L.
Published: December 2015

Background:

Appropriate infant feeding is a persistent challenge for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected mothers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective:

This study aimed to describe correlates of infant feeding among HIV-infected mothers in coastal Tanzania.

Methods:

HIV-infected women (n = 400) with infants younger than 18 months were enrolled from June to November 2011 from 3 public health facilities in Pwani, Tanzania: Tumbi Regional Hospital (TRH), Chalinze Health Center (CHC), and Bagamoyo District Hospital (BDH). Participants were surveyed about sociodemographics and infant feeding behavior at enrollment; infant feeding data were collected prospectively and retrospectively in the month of study follow-up.

Results:

Statistically significant correlates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) were infant age (months) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-0.9), enrollment facility (TRH: reference; CHC: AOR = 5.0, 95% CI, 1.2-20.8; BDH: AOR = 11.6, 95% CI, 2.3-59.9), and HIV disclosure to one’s mother (AOR = 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.6). Exclusive breastfeeding prevalence among infants younger than 6 months was 77%, but 50% of infants older than 6 months no longer receiving breast milk did not receive animal source foods (ASF) daily. Enrollment facility (TRH: reference; CHC: AOR = 0.2, 95% CI, 0.1-1.0; BDH: AOR = 0.1, 95% CI, 0.01-0.4) and HIV disclosure (to mother-in-law: AOR = 0.2, 95% CI, 0.1-0.8; to brother: AOR = 0.3, 95% CI, 0.1-0.8) were negatively associated with ASF provision.

Conclusion:

High prevalence of EBF suggests that it is an attainable behavior, whereas low prevalence of daily ASF provision suggests that adequate diets are difficult to achieve after breastfeeding cessation. These findings support current recommendations for HIV-infected mothers in resource-poor regions to continue breastfeeding for at least 1 year and suggest the need for greater support with complementary feeding. Associations between HIV disclosure and infant feeding merit further exploration, and correlations between enrollment facility and infant feeding highlight the potential influence of clinics on achieving infant feeding recommendations.
Alcohol Use Predicts 10-Year Depressive Symptom Trajectories in the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Brennan Penny L. , SooHoo Sonya , Lemke Sonne , Schutte Kathleen K.
Published: December 2015

Objective: To determine effects of late-middle-aged adults’ baseline drinking behavior on their subsequent 10-year depressive symptom trajectories. Method: Health and Retirement Study participants ( N = 7,939) were assessed on baseline demographic, health, and drinking characteristics, and biennially assessed for the next 10 years on their depressive symptoms. Results: Growth mixture modeling generated four classes of depressive symptom trajectories: Consistently low (72%), consistently elevated (6%), increasing (12%), and decreasing (10%). Baseline abstinence from alcohol, possibly enforced by poorer health and a history of drinking problems, and heavier drinking, “binge” drinking, and having a history of drinking problems, raised risk of membership in the “consistently elevated” class. Abstinence by participants without history of drinking problems—and light, moderate, and heavier drinking—protected against membership in the “increasing” class. Abstinence by participants without history of drinking problems elevated—and moderate drinking reduced—likelihood of membership in the “decreasing” class. Discussion: Late-middle-aged adults’ alcohol use is associated with the subsequent long-term course of their depressive symptoms.
Can learning sets help policy managers with their wicked problems?
Authors: Gleeson Deborah , Dwyer Judith , Lin Vivian , Legge David , Hughes Alison
Published: December 2015

This paper reports on an evaluation of a national action learning set for health policy managers from three Australian state/territory health authorities, conducted during 2010–2011. We collected and analysed qualitative data about the major problems the participants encountered in their work, their experiences of the learning set and their perceptions of the outcomes. The predominant concerns of participants were ‘wicked problems’ in four areas: managing the environment, managing the policy process, managing the self and managing the policy team. Participants reported that the learning set had assisted them to gain greater awareness of and ability to navigate their environment, developed their judgement, strategic and problem-solving skills, contributed to empowerment and self-efficacy, and assisted them in providing support for their staff and building capacity in their organisation. Aspects of the method that contributed to learning included engaging with problems experienced by other members and discussing one’s own problems and strategies; and gaining new insight into ways of framing, analysing and responding to problems. The findings suggest that learning sets can be a powerful method for building policy capacity amongst middle-senior policy managers.
Design and workspace analysis of a 3-degree-of-freedom parallel swivel head with large tilting capacity
Authors: Guo Jiangzhen , Wang Dan , Fan Rui , Chen Wuyi
Published: December 2015

Traditional parallel mechanisms are usually characterized by small tilting capability. To overcome this problem, a 3-degree-of-freedom parallel swivel head with large tilting capacity is proposed in this article. The proposed parallel swivel head, which is structurally developed from a conventional 3-PRS parallel mechanism, can achieve a large tilting capability by means of structural improvements. First, a modified spherical joint with a maximum tilting angle of ±120° is devised to diminish the physical restrictions on the orientation workspace. Second, a UPS typed leg is introduced for the sake of singularity elimination. The superiority of the proposed parallel swivel head is theoretically proved by investigations of singularity-free orientation workspace and then is experimentally validated using a prototype fabricated. The theoretical and experimental results illustrate that the proposed parallel swivel head has a large tilting capacity and thus can be used as swivel head for a hybrid machine tool which is designed to be capable of realizing both horizontal and vertical machining.
A system for computer-aided gating design for multi-cavity die-casting dies
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Madan Jatinder
Published: December 2015

The gating system design for a die-casting die is a non-trivial task that involves a number of steps and computations, in which many factors related to part design, material, and process need to be accounted. In case of a multi-cavity die-casting die, the non-triviality of the gating system design increases manifold. The main contribution of this article is to develop a computer-aided system for design of gating system for multi-cavity die-casting dies. The proposed system applies design knowledge and rules, accounting for various influencing factors to design gating system elements and generate their computer-aided design models in an efficient manner. To demonstrate the capabilities of the developed system, the results for an industrial case study part are presented. We expect that the proposed system would help reduce manufacturing cost and lead time, alongside bridging gaps between design and manufacturing of the die-casting process.
Determination of overconstraint and mobility analysis for planar mechanisms
Authors: Zeng Daxing , Lu Wenjuan , Huang Zhen
Published: December 2015

The mobility(or degree of freedom) analysis of planar mechanisms is traditionally calculated using the Grübler–Kutzbach formula. However, this method often fails in practice due to overconstraint, which is a core problem in all mobility analysis. Analyzing the cause of overconstraint, it is presented that overconstraint in closed-loop mechanisms can be recognized by analyzing the relative movements of the two elements in a rigidity re-closure. A solution to determine the overconstraint in multiloop mechanisms is also proposed. In this method, each loop is opened and the overconstraint can be calculated when the loop is reclosed. A mobility analysis must begin by determining the overconstraint. However, given that most planar mechanisms do not have any overconstraint, it is important to identify rapidly whether overconstraint exists in a mechanism. This paper proposes a concise technique to determine the existence of overconstraint based on the concept of “Assur groups”. To simplify the process of mobility analysis, three new concepts and four relevant theories are introduced. In this paper, the proposed methodology is applied to several types of planar mechanisms, producing results in accordance with the prototype. This shows that the proposed methodology makes performing the mobility analysis of planar mechanisms, including complicated planar mechanisms, accurate, convenient, and fast.
Adaptive radial sinc kernel distribution and its application in mechanical fault diagnosis
Authors: Li Zhinong , Zhu Ming , Chu Fulei , He Xuping
Published: December 2015

Based on the deficiency of fixed-kernel in the traditional time–frequency distribution, which is lack of adaptability, a new adaptive kernel function, which is named as the adaptive radial sinc kernel, is proposed according to design criteria of adaptive optimal kernel. The definition and algorithm of radial sinc kernel are given, and the proposed method is compared with the tradition time–frequency distribution. The simulation results show that the proposed method is superior to the traditional fixed-kernel functions, such as Wigner–Ville distribution, Choi–Williams distribution, cone-kernel distribution and continuous wavelet transform. The adaptive radial sinc kernel can overcome the deficiency of fixed-kernel function in traditional time–frequency distribution, adopt the optimizing method to filter the cross-terms adaptively according to the signal distribution, obtain good time–frequency resolution and has extensive adaptability for an arbitrary signal. Finally, the proposed method has been applied to the fault diagnosis of rolling bearing, and the experiment result shows that the proposed method is very effective.
Low-frequency resonance suppression in stabilized loop of inertially stabilized platforms
Authors: Liao Hongbo , Fan Dapeng
Published: December 2015

In this article, an additional feedback control using the speed difference between the motor and load is proposed to suppress the mechanical resonance in the flexible framework of inertially stabilized platforms. The disadvantages of the classic control scheme of the stabilized loop about the disturbance and resonance suppression are analyzed. In order to damp the torsional vibration effectively, two kinds of additional feedbacks based on the inner motor speed loop are used. The control parameters are given by analytical equations; the disturbance and resonance suppression performance of the stabilized loop with additional feedbacks are comparatively analyzed. Finally, experimental verification is performed on the proposed control algorithms, and the additional feedback signal which is added on the feedback channel of the inner motor speed loop exhibits its superiority in the resonance and disturbance suppression.
Economic crisis, austerity and trade union responses: The Irish case in comparative perspective
Authors: Geary John
Published: December 2015

This article examines trade union responses to the economic crisis in Ireland. The ‘Irish story’ is primarily one of union accommodation and cooperation. Conflict was present, but was sporadic and generally sectional in nature, and did not reach the scale of mass mobilization witnessed in the other European countries that received financial aid from the Troika. Why was Ireland different? This is explained by the nature of the contextual challenge, unions’ ideological inheritance, their organizational capacity and the opportunity structures available.