bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case of feline injection-site sarcoma at the site of cisplatin injections
Authors: Martano Marina , Morello Emanuela , Iussich Selina , Buracco Paolo
Published: May 2012

A spayed 14-year-old female domestic shorthair cat presented with a squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum and was treated with intralesional chemotherapy. During nasal infiltrations with cisplatin mixed with the cat’s own serum, a new carcinomatous lesion developed at the medial canthus of the right eye, which was also treated using intralesional chemotherapy. Two months after the treatment course, the cat developed a new mass at the site of the eyelid chemotherapy, which was diagnosed as a soft tissue sarcoma. At the owner’s request, the tumour was marginally excised, but it recurred after 10 months. No lung or lymph node metastases were evident at the time of euthanasia. The histotype of the tumour, the coincidence with injections and the histological description make the hypothesis of an injection-site sarcoma likely. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case of an injection-site sarcoma at the site of a cisplatin injection.
Bilateral choanal atresia in a cat
Authors: Schafgans Kristin E , Armstrong P Jane , Kramek Betty , Ober Christopher P
Published: May 2012

A 7-month-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat was presented for investigation of stertor, open mouth breathing without apparent distress, and chronic bilateral nasal discharge that was unresponsive to antibiotics. Complete bilateral bony choanal atresia was diagnosed with computed tomography and nasopharyngoscopy. Choanal atresia is an uncommon congenital condition where the choana (nasal passage into the nasopharynx) is blocked by abnormal bone or soft tissue uni- or bilaterally. The cat’s clinical signs improved dramatically immediately after trans-palatal surgical correction. Post-surgical complications included the development of nasopharyngeal scar tissue and subsequent stenosis, persistent right-sided nasal discharge, and permanent damage to the right eye (blindness and cataract formation). Nasopharyngeal stenosis was managed with repeated balloon dilatations and temporary stenting, and the owner reported an excellent quality of life at 8-month follow-up. Bilateral bony choanal atresia has not been previously reported in cats. Uni- or bilateral choanal atresia should be considered in young cats presenting with refractory stertor, chronic nasal discharge, and/or open mouth breathing.
Clinical evaluation of urine Histoplasma capsulatum antigen measurement in cats with suspected disseminated histoplasmosis
Authors: Cook Audrey K , Cunningham Lauren Y , Cowell Annette K , Wheat L Joseph
Published: May 2012

Diagnosis of Histoplasma capsulatum infection in cats traditionally relies upon identification of organisms in circulating monocytes or in tissue specimens from affected organs. In this retrospective study, results of a urine antigen assay were compared with standard diagnostic methods in cats with clinical signs suggestive of histoplasmosis. Antigenuria was detected in 17/18 cats with a histopathologic or cytopathologic diagnosis of histoplasmosis. This preliminary evaluation of the Histoplasma urine antigen test suggests it may be a useful aid in diagnosing this disease in cats.
Evaluation of low-velocity impact response of honeycomb sandwich structures using factorial-based design of experiments
Authors: Butukuri RR , Bheemreddy VP , Chandrashekhara K , Samaranayake VA
Published: May 2012

A response surface analysis of data from factorial experiments is used to determine the effect of different design factors on the low-velocity impact response of the honeycomb sandwich structures. A low-cost, out-of-autoclave manufacturing process is utilized to manufacture aerospace quality honeycomb sandwich panels. CYCOM® 5320 out-of-autoclave prepreg and FM® 300-2M are used as facesheet and adhesive, respectively. The out-of-autoclave process uses the vacuum bag pressure, thus, avoiding costly tooling and making the process more economical. A completely randomized design is used while manufacturing and testing the samples. Three design factors: angle difference between successive prepreg layers, number of prepreg layers, and number of adhesive layers, are selected as experimental variables. Each variable is considered at three levels, yielding a 33 factorial design. To investigate the effect of the experimental variables on the three response variables: energy absorbed (X); peak contact force (Y) and maximum deflection (Z), a low-velocity impact test is conducted. Analysis of variance and response surface techniques are used to analyze the data. The significant design factors for each response variable are identified using analysis of variance. Response surface analysis is carried out and the resulting regression models are employed to quantify the behavior of each of the response variables in response to changes in the design factors. The regression models are verified with the confirmation test results and both are in close agreement.
A new two-dimensional refined higher order theory for in-plane free vibrations of sandwich and composite thick curved beams with flexible cores
Authors: Fard K Malekzadeh , Estiri J , Davar A
Published: May 2012

Closed-form formulations of two-dimensional refined higher order beam theories and higher order beam theories for the free vibration analysis of simply supported cross-ply laminated composite and sandwich curved beams are presented. The present refined higher order beam theory analysis incorporates a trapezoidal shape factor that arises due to the fact that the stresses through the thickness of the beam are integrated over a curved surface. Therefore, the present theory refines other higher order beam theories established hitherto for free vibration analysis of strongly thick circular curved beams. The stress–strain relationship is derived from an orthotropic lamina in a three-dimensional state of stress. Numerical results are presented for the natural frequencies of laminated composite and sandwich thin/thick straight beams and shallow/deep and moderately/strongly thick curved beams. The closed-form solutions presented herein are compared with the available exact two-dimensional elasticity and analytical solutions in the available literature and excellent agreement is obtained.
First-order shear deformation analysis of the sandwich plate twist specimen
Authors: Hernández-Pérez Adrián , Avilés Francis , Carlsson Leif A
Published: May 2012

An analytical solution of the deflection of the sandwich twist specimen based on first-order shear deformation theory is presented. The solution utilizes a Fourier series approach for the loading and displacements. Parametric analysis of the influences of face and core stiffnesses, core thickness and panel in-plane size on the plate compliance is conducted. The results are compared to finite element analysis. The first-order shear deformation compliance results are in good agreement with finite element analysis for sandwich panels with soft, shear deformable cores, whereas for stiff cores the first-order shear deformation solution underpredicts the panel compliance. Reasons for the discrepancy and limits for the use of the analysis are discussed.
We are about to cure multiple sclerosis in the next 10 years, even though we do not know its cause: Yes
Authors: Scolding Neil
Published: May 2012

Proposal

Never underestimate the pervasive, powerful influence of constructive chaos in medical progress
Extreme right foot soldiers, legacy effects and deprivation
Authors: Goodwin Matthew , Ford Robert , Cutts David
Published: May 2012

Despite a vast pan-European literature on extreme right parties (ERPs), few studies speak convincingly to questions of party membership and activism. This article draws on a unique membership dataset to examine contextual predictors of membership of the British National Party (BNP), currently the dominant representative of the extreme right in British politics. We operationalize and test for the impact of both demand-side and supply-side factors, including the seldom examined effects of historical legacies, and of party activism and electoral success on membership levels. Aside from congregating in urban areas that are more deprived and have low education levels, we also find evidence of a ‘legacy effect’, whereby membership levels are higher in areas with a historic tradition of extreme right activism. This research is the first ever systematic investigation of national extreme right party membership.
The impact of initial teacher education on understandings of physical education
Authors: Chróinín Déirdre Ní , Coulter Maura
Published: May 2012

Evaluation of professional socialisation can provide insight on the impact of Physical Education Teacher Education. A large-scale ( n=326) single question ‘What is PE?’ qualitative methodology was used to access pre-service primary teachers’ understandings of the nature and purpose of physical education . Data analysis involved word frequency queries and coding using a qualitative coding framework based on the dominant discourses of physical education. Trustworthiness of the analysis was addressed using memos, coding checks and peer de-briefing. While responses at the beginning of the programme were dominated by sport and health discourses, an educational discourse grounded in the key messages of the primary physical education curriculum with emphasis on equality of opportunity emerged at the end of the programme. The complexity of addressing understandings in teacher education contexts is highlighted.
Physical education within the Scottish context
Authors: Gray Shirley , MacLean Justine , Mulholland Rosemary
Published: May 2012

In 2010, schools in Scotland implemented a new curriculum, a Curriculum for Excellence, and for physical education (PE), this represented a move from the ‘Expressive Arts’ to ‘Health and Wellbeing’ (HWB). To understand this new position, we explored the thoughts of those who were directly involved in the construction of the policy text for PE within HWB ( n = 10). All of the participants supported the position of PE within HWB, accepting that PE has an important role to play in improving pupils’ health and wellbeing, although there was some concern that teachers might misinterpret the role of PE within HWB. However, all of the participants believed that this new position for PE would encourage other professionals to value PE more highly. We conclude by suggesting that there should be a greater involvement of teachers in the reform process so that future curricular innovations are more closely aligned with the knowledge and practice of teachers. This may enable them to understand policy more clearly and implement policy more effectively.
School–university partnerships and physical education teacher education student learning: A fruitful division of labour?
Authors: Chambers Fiona , Armour Kathleen
Published: May 2012

Tikunoff, Ward & Lazar (1980) argue that parity or ‘equality of status’ (p.12) is one of the most important ingredients of successful collaboration. During the placement of students on teaching practice (TP), therefore, it can be argued that school and university personnel should be equal partners if the collaboration is to be effective. This paper reports one set of data from a study of Irish physical education teacher education (PETE) students and considers the impact of ineffective school–university partnerships on their professional learning during TP. The study employed a range of qualitative research methods centred on one umbrella case study and five individual case studies. Data were analysed using a systematic grounded theory process and findings indicated a perceived lack of parity between schools and the university. This resulted in PETE students developing in an unsupported and often isolated manner. The implications for career-long professional learning are considered.
‘Am I able? Is it worth it?’ Adolescent girls’ motivational predispositions to school physical education: Associations with health-enhancing physical activity
Authors: Fairclough Stuart , Hilland Toni , Stratton Gareth , Ridgers Nicola
Published: May 2012

The study purpose was to investigate predictive associations between adolescent girls’ motivational predispositions to physical education (PE) and habitual physical activity. Two hundred girls (age 13.1 ± 0.6 years) completed the Physical Education Predisposition Scale and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. ANCOVAs revealed that girls with the highest Perceived PE Worth and Perceived PE Ability scores were the most habitually active groups ( p < .0001). Significant predictors of physical activity identified by hierarchical regression were Perceived PE Ability and body mass index, which accounted for 17% and 3% of variance, respectively. As Perceived PE Ability was strongly associated with physical activity, the correlates of this construct should be further established to inform future school and PE-based interventions.
Physical activity levels during adventure-physical education lessons
Authors: Gehris Jeffrey , Myers Elizabeth , Whitaker Robert
Published: May 2012

Adventure-physical education has been proposed to promote adolescents’ physical development, but little is known about physical activity levels during such lessons. Using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time, we observed students’ (ages 11–14 years) physical activity levels in co-educational classes during 43 adventure-physical education lessons at seven public schools. The mean percentage (±SD) of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was 28.3% (±16.3%). The greatest percentage of lesson time was spent in two activities—high elements (24.1% ± 36.5%) and initiatives (22.3% ± 32.4%). When data were aggregated across all lessons, 40.0% of the time in high elements and 13.7% of the time in initiatives was spent in MVPA. Of all MVPA time, 31.5% occurred in high elements and another 12.6% in initiatives. Compared with traditional physical education lessons, less time is spent in MVPA during adventure lessons. Efforts to increase MVPA should target high elements and initiative activities.
Bodily Integrity and the Surgical Management of Intersex
Authors: Grabham Emily
Published: May 2012

Surgeries inevitably raise questions of bodily integrity: how the post-surgical body reframes (or does not reframe) its experiences of functionality to incorporate new features. Nevertheless, when we try to define or delimit the concept of bodily integrity, it becomes increasingly important to think about how the physical and social unease caused by some forms of surgeries sits alongside the more transformative potential of surgical bodily modification. This article focuses on aesthetic genital surgeries on infants with disorders of sex development (DSD, previously termed ‘intersex’ conditions). Using the work of Pierre Bourdieu and Elizabeth Freeman on time, bodies and ‘chrononormativity’, this article excavates not only the temporalities that produce what I would term ‘chrono-abnormalities’ of sex development, but also the temporalized medical responses, including surgeries, which retrieve ‘abnormal’ bodies into more normative time-lines. My conclusion is that when DSD-affected individuals experience aesthetic genital surgeries as painful and full of social unease this is not necessarily because the pre-surgical body was the ‘natural’, ‘whole’ or ‘intact’ body prior to surgery. Instead, it is because these surgeries interrupt what Bourdieu would term a sense of corporeal ‘immersion into the forthcoming’; an immersion which, in his theory of time as social action, is intimately linked with social power and possibilities.
Anorexia and Abjection: A Review Essay
Authors: Ferreday Debra
Published: May 2012

This article draws on a review of Megan Warin’s 2010 book, Abject Relations: Everyday Worlds of Anorexia, to discuss the ways in which a feminist ethnographic approach might disrupt dominant cultural narratives of eating disorders and embodiment. My argument draws on feminist work on figuration and ‘body image’ to discuss how the anorexic body becomes a figure of abjection, both in media images and in popular feminist discourse. I examine how cultural narratives and images are pathologically capable of both engendering disgust in the non-anorexic spectator and, second (and more threateningly), moving vulnerable, female spectators to imitation – a power to affect and infect onlookers which is central to contemporary debates about what is popularly called ‘body image’. By drawing on Warin’s work, the article examines how a critical feminist ethnography might move debates on eating disorders beyond the reproduction of tropes of abjection, disgust and discipline which have led to an impasse in the field, and ask whether, by paying attention to the lived experience of anorexia, it might be possible for the anorexic subject to speak.
Theorizing the role of the ‘war on drugs’ in US punishment
Authors: Lynch Mona
Published: May 2012

Numerous scholars have described how the ‘war on drugs’ has played a central role in US penal change, especially its racialized impact. Yet there remain aspects of this ‘war’ that are under-explored in punishment and society scholarship. This article delineates five distinct modes by which the contemporary regulation of drugs in the USA speaks to penal change, and in so doing suggests that its reach is much more diffuse, insidious, and variegated than suggested by prevailing conceptualizations of the drug war–punishment relationship.
The purloined prisoner
Authors: Han Sora Y.
Published: May 2012

This article argues, in the form of demonstration, for the necessity of disciplinary openness in punishment and society scholarship. Theories about the political culture of punishment and sentimental accounts of the toll mass incarceration takes on the personal lives of millions are insufficient for developing a critical knowledge of the relationship between race, law and gender. Approaching the object of the letter unfettered by traditional disciplinary methods, the article traces the centrality of the prisoner’s letter in the lifeworld of punishment. The letter is analyzed as both itself a paper-trail, and the subject of various other forms of paper-trails, including prisoners’ First Amendment rights jurisprudence, official political rhetoric, and cinematic production.
Shifting and targeted forms of penal governance: Bail, punishment and specialized courts
Authors: Hannah-Moffat Kelly , Maurutto Paula
Published: May 2012

Studies of punishment have focused predominantly on emerging forms of penal governance, and the revival of punitive forms of punishment. Although this research helps to raise concerns about forms of penal excess and neoliberal penal patterns, it does not clarify how these strategies co-exist with, modify and are re-assembled with older and sometimes seemingly contradictory penal strategies. Our article examines how practices used by Canadian specialized courts are changing the parameters of punishment and thereby challenging the prevailing theories about neo-liberal punishment. Specialized courts are motivated by therapeutic and preventative goals, and they rely on relationships with local community groups to create a new range of interactions with the court and the offender. Our analysis of how bail strategies and techniques are altered in specialized courts provides a valuable context in which to analyse emerging theoretical issues associated with the management of risk, community/court interactions, the connotation of ‘therapeutic justice’ and the subtext of punishment and penal change.
Civil society and public health research in the European Union new member states
Authors: Mccarthy Mark , Knabe Agnese
Published: May 2012

Introduction: Civil society organisations (CSOs) are not-for-profit organisations working for the public interest with concerns complementary to public health. We investigated the contribution of CSOs in public health research. Methods: Within a European project STEPS (Strengthening Engagement with Public Health Research), CSOs with interests in health were identified in the new member states of the European Union (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Malta, and Cyprus) and workshops organised, held in their own languages. The reports of the workshops were translated into English and drawn together through a framework analysis. Results: CSOs can contribute in all stages of the research cycle, through championship, priority-setting, capacity building and generation of resources, sharing and application of the research results, and dissemination across their network of contacts. There have been successful CSO–researcher collaborations in public health fields. Funding is important, and ministries of health and public institutions should interact more with CSOs. Barriers include attitudes, technical understanding across public health fields. Conclusion: There is little European empirical literature linking health CSOs and research: our results indicate benefits and further opportunities. In contrast to biomedicine’s link with industry, public health research can align with civil society in not-for-profit research. CSOs are important for European integration, and their contribution should be better recognised at international level.
Is there equity in use of healthcare services among immigrants, their descendents, and ethnic Danes?
Authors: Nielsen Signe S. , Hempler Nana F. , Waldorff Frans B. , Kreiner Svend , Krasnik Allan
Published: May 2012

Background: Legislation in Denmark explicitly states the right to equal access to healthcare. Nevertheless, inequities may exist; accordingly evidence is needed. Our objective was to investigate whether differences in healthcare utilisation in immigrants, their descendents, and ethnic Danes could be explained by health status, socioeconomic factors, and integration. Methods: We conducted a nationwide survey in 2007 with 4952 individuals aged 18–66 comprising ethnic Danes; immigrants from the former Yugoslavia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, Turkey; and Turkish and Pakistani descendents. Data were linked to registries on healthcare utilisation. Using Poisson regression models, contacts to hospital, emergency room (ER), general practitioner (GP), specialist in private practice, and dentist were estimated. Analyses were adjusted for health symptoms, sociodemographic factors, and proxies of integration. Results: In adjusted analyses, immigrants and their descendents had increased use of ER (multiplicative effect 1.19–5.02 dependent on immigrant and descendent group) and less frequent contact to dentist (multiplicative effect 0.04–0.80 dependent on the group). For hospitalisation, GP, and specialist doctor, physical health symptoms had positive but different explanatory effects within groups; however, most immigrant and descendent groups had increased use of services compared with that of ethnic Danes. Socioeconomic factors and integration had no systematic effect on the use in the different groups. Conclusions: The Danish healthcare system seems responsive to health across different population groups. We found no systematic pattern of inequity in use of free-of-charge healthcare services, but for dentists, who require co-payment, we found inequity among immigrants and descendents compared with ethnic Danes.
Experiences from a randomised, controlled trial on cycling to school: Does cycling increase cardiorespiratory fitness?
Authors: Børrestad Line A.B. , Østergaard Lars , Andersen Lars B. , Bere Elling
Published: May 2012

Aims: The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of a 12-week randomised controlled cycling-to-school trial on cardiorespiratory fitness. Methods: A total of 53 10- to 13-year-old children from one public school were included. The children were randomised into either a cycling group or a control group. The cycling group was encouraged to cycle to and from school each day during a period of 12 weeks. Peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and anthropometrical data (weight and height) were measured at baseline and at the end of the 12-week period. Results: No significant differences were observed in VO2peak change over the 12-week period between the cycling group and the control group (49.7 ml O2/min/kg vs. 50.6 ml O2 /min/kg; effect size=−0.13, F=0.495, p=0.486). Within the intervention group, 69.2% (95% CI 50.1–88.2) started cycling, and within the control group 40.8% (95% CI 20.9–60.5) started cycling. Given that several children in both groups (intervention and control) started cycling to school, re-analyses were conducted between those starting cycling and those not starting cycling. At follow up, a significant difference between those starting cycling and those who did not starting cycling was observed in VO2peak (51.7 ml O2/min/kg vs. 47.9 ml O2/min/kg; effect size=0.49, F=8.145, p=0.007), after adjustment for baseline scores, gender and age. Conclusions: This study indicates that cycling to school improves cardiorespiratory fitness.
Vibroacoustics of composite housing for electrical motors
Authors: Meyer M , Biermann J-W
Published: May 2012

This study is aimed at the specific practicable application of certain composite elements for housing of electrical motors. This article presents a novel analytical model for forced vibrations and vibroacoustic investigations of a laminated shell composed of two metallic layers with a polymeric interlayer. This material composition differs from classical sandwich materials due to the thickness-relations (thickness ratio of cover layer to the interlayer of about 20) as well as jump of stiffness between the single layers (ratio of about 20,000). The dynamic theory of cylindrical shells has been enhanced to include the vibroacoustic behaviour of the composite shell with polymeric interlayer. The results presented in this article include mode shapes and frequency of free vibrations as well as the forced vibrations of composite shell with polymeric interlayer and its monolithic counterpart. The damping values of this structural composition were found to exceed those of a corresponding monolithic metallic shell by a factor of over 100. Moreover, a number of dynamic and vibroacoustic finite element simulations were also carried out whereby close correlation between the analytical models and the numerical finite element results were achieved. Using this composite material, and its related models, a reduction of the transverse vibration amplitude by a factor of 10 compared to the monolithic material is obtained. The results of this article can be an effective tool for the vibroacoustic analysis and design of electrical motor housings.
Identification of regular and chaotic isothermal trajectories of a shape memory oscillator using the 0–1 test
Authors: Bernardini Davide , Rega Giuseppe , Litak Grzegorz , Syta Arkadiusz
Published: May 2012

Shape memory oscillators are thermomechanical hysteretic systems that, in a wide range of model parameters, can exhibit complex non-periodic non-linear dynamic responses under the excitation of a periodic force. In this study, the statistical 0–1 test based on the asymptotic properties of a Brownian motion chain is applied to periodic and non-periodic isothermal trajectories to examine the type of motion. The analysis is based on the computation of the control parameter K that approaches asymptotically 0 or 1 for regular and chaotic motions, respectively. The presented approach is independent of the integration procedure, being based on the characteristic sampling distance between the points of the analysed time series. The numerical results show that the test is able to unambiguously distinguish periodic from chaotic trajectories.
Newspapers experiment online: Story content after a decade on the web
Authors: Barnhurst Kevin G
Published: May 2012

Mainstream US newspapers since the 1890s moved away from event-centered news of local persons and places and toward interpretative news of more distant issues, a trend called the new long journalism that continued when the press moved online. By the mid-2000s social media and web interactivity were common, and print news had not yet entered the profitability and jobs crisis-to-come. A study in 2005 replicates and extends the baseline measures of online news content. The long journalism trends continued for politics, a core topic in serving the public, and for NYTimes.com , a leader in the media and innovator online. But for breaking news topics such as accidents and for less prominent news outlets, online content moved toward shorter, less analytical coverage linked to individuals, other current happenings, and an especially local focus. The results show how journalists were experimenting at a key moment in the development of online news.
The dimensionality of political space: Epistemological and methodological considerations
Authors: Benoit Kenneth , Laver Michael
Published: May 2012

Spatial characterizations of agents’ preferences lie at the heart of many theories of political competition. These give rise to explicitly dimensional interpretations. Parties define and differentiate themselves in terms of substantive policy issues, and the configuration of such issues that is required for a good description of political competition affects how we think substantively about the underlying political space in which parties compete. For this reason a great deal of activity in political science consists of estimating such configurations in particular real settings. We focus on three main issues in this article. First, we discuss the nature of political differences and from this construct an interpretation of the dimensionality of the political space needed to describe a given real setting, underscoring the essentially metaphorical and instrumental use of this concept. Second, we contrast ex ante and ex post interpretations of this dimensionality. Third, we illustrate potential hazards arising from the purely inductive estimation of political spaces using a spatial example from the physical world and political competition in the European Parliament as a political example.
Who emphasizes and who blurs? Party strategies in multidimensional competition
Authors: Rovny Jan
Published: May 2012

Most studies of party competition consider the presentation of ambiguous positions a costly strategy. This literature, however, does not study party strategies in multiple issue dimensions. Yet multidimensionality may play an important role in parties’ strategic calculus. Although it may be rational for a party to emphasize a certain issue dimension, it may be equally rational to disguise its stance on other dimensions by blurring its position. This article argues that parties employ strategies of issue emphasis and position blurring in various dimensional contexts. Who emphasizes and who blurs thus depends on the actors’ relative stakes in different issue dimensions. The paper makes its case by performing cross-sectional analyses of 132 political parties in 14 West European party systems using Comparative Manifesto Project data, the 2006 Chapel Hill expert survey and the 2009 European Election Study.
Complexity in the European party space: Exploring dimensionality with experts
Authors: Bakker Ryan , Jolly Seth , Polk Jonathan
Published: May 2012

Does the n-issue space in domestic European polities reduce to one, two, or more dimensions? How do these dimensions relate to each other? More broadly, how does dimensionality vary across countries? We attempt to advance our understanding of political contestation in Europe by mapping the dimensionality of the political space across 24 countries using Chapel Hill expert survey (CHES) data. We test how well different models of the European political space fit the CHES data and find that three-dimensional models best fit the data in all countries. However, there is considerable cross-national variation in how the three dimensions relate to one another. Given this, we present a new measure of dimensional complexity that captures the degree to which these three dimensions are related. In so doing, we improve our understanding of the complexity of the political space in European countries.
The anthropology of nepotism
Authors: Kragh Simon Ulrik
Published: May 2012

Nepotism is widespread in organizations in developing countries but has so far received scant attention in cross-cultural management research. The paper seeks to contribute to the underdeveloped research topic suggesting an anthropological explanation of nepotism. It is argued that nepotism reflects the presence of tribal and peasant social morals in organizations where they replace norms and principles typical of industrial society. Examples from African and Latin American organizations show how nepotism works, and drawing on quantitative data it is suggested that nepotism is relatively common in countries at the earlier stages of industrial development. Four managerial approaches to nepotism are outlined: managers can accept nepotistic ambiguity; they can attempt to strengthen the modern organization; they can use the tribal and peasant norms underlying nepotism as the basic principle of the organization; or they can codify the pre-industrial norms and make them part of the formal organization.
An examination of the psychometric properties and efficacy of Dementia Care Mapping
Authors: Cooke Heather A , Chaudhury Habib
Published: May 2012

This paper offers a critique of Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) as a practice development and research tool by examining the psychometric properties and efficacy of DCM as a method for evaluating and enhancing care quality and quality of life. Based on a review and analysis of the published empirical studies utilizing DCM, it becomes apparent that there is mixed support for the tool’s validity and reliability. More importantly, there is a need for additional studies specifically examining the range of related assessments to provide conclusive evidence for DCM’s relevance, applicability and reliability as a practice and research tool in dementia care. The paper identifies methodological issues of implementation and use of DCM, i.e., coding practices, mapping duration. Also, a summary of the tool’s strengths and limitations in practice and research settings, areas for improvement and future research avenues is provided.
The role of leisure within the dementia context
Authors: Genoe M Rebeccas , Dupuis Sherry L
Published: May 2012

While our understanding of the subjective experience of dementia is growing, leisure’s role within that experience is less clear. This study, guided by hermeneutic phenomenology, aimed to understand the meaning and experience of leisure for persons living with early stage memory loss. Four participants with early stage dementia participated in interviews, participant observation, and photovoice, in which participants are given cameras and asked to take photos of their day to day lives ( Wang, 1999 ). Data revealed that participants experienced daily life with dementia, including leisure, within a paradox of challenge and hope. They struggled with the changes they experienced as a result of dementia, such as muddled thinking, fluctuating abilities, draining energy, frightening awareness, and disquieting emotions. However, they found ways to tackle life with dementia, by reconciling life as it is, battling through by being proactive, living through relationships, being optimistic, and prolonging engagement in meaningful activity to live their lives with hope.
Re-creating a vision of motherhood: Therapeutic Drug Court and the narrative
Authors: Vandermause Roxanne , Severtsen Billie , Roll John
Published: May 2012

The experience of mothering for women recovering from drug abuse in the criminal justice system is a serious issue. This article describes a study nested in a multi-method community participatory project to improve the services of the Therapeutic Drug Court (TDC) for citizens in our community. Interviews with felonious female offenders with minor children completing a TDC and mental health associates who work with them were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach in the Heideggerian tradition. Findings revealed that mothers could reclaim a vision of parenting with or without their children, with help. This article shows how this reclamation occurs.
A tagline proportional–derivative control method for the anti-swing motion of a heavy load suspended by a floating crane in waves
Authors: Ku Nam-Kug , Cha Ju-Hwan , Roh Myung-Il , Lee Kyu-Yeul
Published: May 2012

This paper presents a tagline proportional–derivative control method for suppressing the swing motion of a heavy load suspended by a floating crane in an ocean environment. The tagline mechanism, which is connected between the floating crane and the heavy load, is applied to the floating crane. The winch, which is mounted on the deck of the floating crane, is used to control the tension of the tagline. A proportional–derivative control algorithm is applied to generate the control force of the winch. Swing angle feedback of the proportional–derivative control is supplied by the encoder attached at the boom tip of the floating crane. To demonstrate the performance of the tagline control method, numerical simulations are performed on a non-linear six-dimensional mathematical model of the floating crane and the heavy load. The mathematical model of the floating crane is constructed to consider both the three-degree-of-freedom principle of the floating crane and the heavy load, based on multi-body system dynamics. The numerical and experimental simulation results are compared using a one-hundredth-scale model of the floating crane in the model basin. The results of the numerical simulation and experiment show that the tagline proportional–derivative control method suppresses the swing motion of the load.
The role of formal contracts with weak legal enforcement: A study in the Chinese context
Authors: Duan Mingming
Published: May 2012

This article explores in depth the mechanisms through which formal contracts and relational governance complement each other, focusing on the role played by formal contracts in transitional economies characterized by weak legal enforcement and a culture oriented around informal ties. The findings, drawn from case studies conducted at five firms across China, suggest that formal contracts are used even when they are not legally enforceable because by defining the rights and obligations in an exchange, contracts reinforce reciprocity in long-term exchange relationships. Although this role of contracts has not previously been clarified in the literature, it is particularly important in China because its cultural traditions prioritize reciprocity. The findings have implications for developing a theory of inter-firm relationship governance and optimal contracting, particularly in transitional economies.
Transforming professionalism: Relational bureaucracy and parent–teacher partnerships in child care settings
Authors: Douglass Anne , Gittell Jody Hoffer
Published: May 2012

Dramatic shifts in early childhood policy in the US are increasing the bureaucratic nature of early childhood programs and influencing the field’s definition of professionalism. Despite the many benefits of professionalizing the child care field, the current trend toward formalization and standardization may have unintended negative consequences for parent–teacher partnerships, a key dimension of child care quality. This article employs an interdisciplinary lens to explore the conflict between family-centered practice and bureaucratic organizational systems, and suggests an alternative hybrid organizational model that transforms conventional notions of professionalism and bureaucracy. Effective partnerships with families in formal child care settings may depend on this ‘relational bureaucratic’ organizational context.
Integrated vs. differentiated school systems and their impact on delinquency
Authors: Egli Nicole M. , Lucia Sonia , Berchtold André
Published: May 2012

The Swiss school system is based on selectivity and classification. From a relatively young age, students are assigned to levels leading to different professional orientations, from apprenticeship to university. Using data from the Swiss ISRD-2 (Second International Self-Reported Delinquency Study), this study analyses the link between Swiss schools and delinquency, as measured by prevalence in the 12 months before filling out the questionnaire. Three dependent variables with large prevalence rates were considered: shoplifting, vandalism and a composite variable, all offences. The results were generated using two analytical methods, controlling for sociodemographic and individual characteristics and variables related to the family and the neighbourhood. The analyses reveal that being in the lowest track either in the school itself or in the school system is not related to increased risk of delinquency.
Procedural and interactional justice: A comparative study of victims in the Netherlands and New South Wales
Authors: Laxminarayan Malini , Henrichs Jens , Pemberton Antony
Published: May 2012

Justice evaluations have become a widely studied area in the past 25 years. Such research indicates that victims have numerous legal preferences, which are in tune with the theories of procedural and interactional justice. This study examines these theories with regard to victims and the justice system from a comparative perspective including the Netherlands and New South Wales. After outlining the victim’s position in criminal justice, hierarchical regression analysis investigates several differences in perceptions of justice. Findings indicate that victims in the Netherlands perceived greater levels of process control and decision control, in addition to less improper treatment by the defence counsel. Accuracy and treatment by the police, prosecutor and judge were not significantly different between legal systems. Implications are discussed.
Does the mobility of foreign offenders fit the general pattern of mobility?
Authors: Van Daele Stijn , Beken Tom Vander , Bruinsma Gerben J.N.
Published: May 2012

Research on offender mobility is directed to three main elements: distance, anchor points, and direction. Previous research in geographical criminology has revealed that: (1) the journey to crime is limited in distance and follows a distance decay pattern; (2) the home of the offender plays a central role as the starting point of crime trips; and (3) the direction of the trip is influenced by the opportunities to commit crimes. The findings are more or less accepted as ‘laws’ in the field. However, research on offender mobility is often limited by its method, data and sample of arrested offenders. This study, in contrast, investigated a sample of arrested foreign offenders (East Europeans) who were staying temporarily in Belgium. They lack the space awareness and routine activities of residential offenders. Using multiple methods and data, including police statistics, case file analysis and offender interviews, we investigated the travelling patterns of these offenders both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings demonstrate that: (1) the degree of distance decay is much more moderate than generally found in the literature; (2) the official living address plays hardly any role at all as an anchor point; and (3) these offenders travel away from opportunity structures, which is different from the routine activity patterns of Belgian offenders. Overall, our findings indicate that offender mobility does not fit the accepted general pattern or ‘laws’ as assumed in previous research.
A DEA Approach to Performance-Based Budgeting of Formula One Constructors
Authors: Gutiérrez Ester , Lozano Sebastián
Published: May 2012

This article assesses the relative efficiency of teams participating in Formula One (F1) World Constructors’ Championship. A nonparametric method based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been used. The aim is to measure each constructor’s performance, comparing its efficiency relative to all other competing constructors. The study uses financial and performance data to assess the proximity of the constructors to the best practices frontier. The analysis has been made considering the results of the 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011 F1 seasons. In order to create a parsimonious DEA model, a variable screening method for dimensionality reduction is considered. The results indicate that, generally, a substantial reduction should be made to the constructors’ budget over the seasons in order to be efficient as compared to the identified benchmarks. In addition, scale efficiency reveals that most constructors operate below their most productive scale size.
Inspecting the Hierarchy of Life Roles
Authors: Greer Tomika W. , Egan Toby M.
Published: May 2012

Role salience is a reflection of the importance and value that people attribute to the roles central to their lives and identities. One pivotal aspect of role salience is individual responsibilities to organizational roles. Role salience has meaningful implications for employees and organizations. Understanding and acknowledging the importance of holistic treatment of role salience has the potential to affect organizational policies, HRD practices, and, ultimately, employee learning and performance. In this study, findings from a systematic review of the role salience literature are reported. Following a search of four Human Resource Development (HRD) journals, the PsycINFO database, and the Academic Search Complete database, 67 articles and papers were identified for inclusion in the literature review. The authors argue that role salience research has implications for HRD professionals; however, role salience has largely been ignored in the HRD literature. The authors speculate on why role salience has not been common in HRD literature and ways in which role salience perspectives and related applications can benefit HRD, organizations, and individuals.
President Jimmy Carter’s Urban Policy
Authors: Meck Stuart , Retzlaff Rebecca
Published: May 2012

On March 21, 1977, President Jimmy Carter directed six federal cabinet heads to form an urban and regional policy working group to devise the nation’s first urban policy. The policy-making process ended over a year later, during which federal department officials, public interest groups, big city mayors, and state governors jousted with each other over the focus and extent of the urban policy. The attempt yielded proposals for federally supported regional land-use planning, regional tax-base sharing, neighborhood empowerment, an urban development bank, and “urban impact analysis” of federally supported projects. This article chronicles the formulation of the urban policy, its initiatives, and its eventual implementation, and questions whether a national urban policy for the United States can ever be developed.
Zoning and Diversity in Historical Perspective
Authors: Talen Emily
Published: May 2012

The notion of urban diversity is a key component of successful urbanism. It is ironic that the rules of citymaking—in particular, zoning—came to be associated with the near antithesis of diversity. Instead of promoting the mixing of people and uses, zoning produced just the opposite. While the history of zoning and its negative effects on urban diversity are widely known, the history of this association is more complex than is generally reported. This article sheds light on the connection between zoning and diversity from a new, historically informed perspective. The author contends that, although zoning was used for exclusionary purposes, the original thinking about zoning was often more nuanced with regard to diversity and mix than most critics of zoning allow. The author presents an historical review of what the original framers of zoning thought about the mixing of people and land uses in cities, and what their motivations were. The author concludes with an assessment of current zoning reform efforts in light of this history.