bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing the role of the healthcare support worker in sexual health
Authors: Donnelly Caroline , McDermott Carolyn
Published: May 2015

The role of healthcare support workers (HCSWs) in sexual health is as invaluable tools of the trade in providing and developing flexible, client-focused frontline services ( Meek et al, 2014 ). Long client waits within a central Glasgow clinic setting have emphasised the need for change and provided a platform for extending the options available for clients.

This article highlights the extended roles of HCSWs in provision of client-centred care within integrated sexual and reproductive health services in Glasgow. This service provision is underpinned by a defined protocol, incorporating inclusion criteria for asymptomatic screening, which allows a low-risk, self-selection process for the client, deeming them eligible to be seen within a test-only clinic (TOC).
Effects of back and respiratory muscle exercises on posture and respiratory function in elderly patients with osteoporosis
Authors: Dajah Salameh Al , Muthusamy Hariraj
Published: May 2015

Aims:

To examine the impact of respiratory and thoracic muscle strengthening exercises on kyphosis, chest expansion, dyspnoea and peak expiratory flow rate in elderly people with osteoporosis.

Methods:

Twenty elderly patients with mild osteoporosis-related kyphosis and respiratory impairment participated in this study. Participants undertook breathing and thoracic extension exercises three times a week for 6 weeks, in which they performed 40 minutes of resistive diaphragmatic exercise with 50% of their one repetition maximum (1RM).

Results:

Participants in this study demonstrated improvements in: i) dyspnoea, with a reduction in mean score of 8 to 5 on a 10-point dyspnoea grading scale; ii) chest expansion, with a mean increase of 2.01 inches (95% CI 1.59–2.42); iii) peak expiratory flow rate, with a mean increase of 82.50 litre/minute (95% CI 67.25–97.75); iv) range of motion of the spine, with a mean increase of 1.66 inches (95% CI 1.39–1.93).

Conclusions:

A combination of breathing and thoracic muscle strengthening exercises improves respiratory function and dyspnoea relief. Thus, strengthening exercise programmes should be a part of the rehabilitation protocol for improving the respiratory function of elderly patients with osteoporosis.
Knowledge of and willingness to recommend kinesiotape for upper limb overuse injuries: A comparison of therapists', GPs' and surgeons' perspectives
Authors: Taylor Raewyn L , Brown Ted , O'Brien Lisa
Published: May 2015

Background/Aims:

Upper limb overuse injuries, such as tennis elbow, may be challenging in terms of both diagnosis and management, and there is no consensus on a gold standard intervention. Despite limited evidence in the literature to support the efficacy of kinesiotaping, this new treatment modality has gained popularity among athletes and the general public and is commonly used to treat these conditions. Clinicians are therefore relying on lower levels of evidence and/or expert opinion when deciding whether to use this treatment and it is likely that there are varying perspectives on its potential clinical benefits. The purpose of this study was to compare the opinions of hand therapists, general practitioners (GPs) and hand surgeons on the use of kinesiotape for upper limb overuse injuries.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study used a self-report survey to gather data from respondents (n=157). Survey questions aimed to identify practice patterns and gain an understanding of clinicians' reasons for either recommending or not recommending this modality.

Results:

Hand therapists rated their understanding of the use of kinesiotape (Mean±SD = 6.51±1.89) significantly higher than levels reported by GPs (Mean±SD = 3.04± 2.50) and surgeons (Mean±SD = 4.16± 2.52). Hand therapists reported a moderate level of success with the use of kinesiotape (Mean±SD = 6.30±1.59), which was significantly higher than that reported by surgeons (Mean±SD = 4.84±1.21); however, there was no notable difference between hand therapists and GPs (Mean±SD = 5.27± 2.10). Of the three groups, GPs were most likely (69.5%) to indicate that they would not use or recommend kinesiotape, compared with 31% of hand therapists and 38.7% of hand surgeons.

Conclusions:

Hand therapists are more likely to rate kinesiotaping as successful and recommend its clinical use, indicating that they place greater emphasis on their own clinical experience than research evidence. It is inferred that GPs and surgeons have a higher level of scepticism for interventions without supporting evidence, such as kinesiotaping. More evidence from randomised controlled trials is required to inform practitioners on the potential benefits of this intervention.
Research roundup: May 2015
Authors: Greener Mark
Published: May 2015

In brief

▪ Calcium channel blockers may reduce the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease ▪ Heavy drinking more than doubles the risk of major bleeds among people taking warfarin; the risk seems to be up to six-fold higher in people who express certain genes ▪ Several drugs may undermine sexual activity in people with cardiovascular disease; this nurse-led study found that loop diuretics undermine sexual activity, a new finding ▪ Paracetamol is ineffective for low-back pain and provides ‘minimal’ benefit for osteoarthritis ▪ Poor adherence to acne treatments might be more common than previously reported; nurses should consider poor adherence as a possible cause of treatment failure
Prescribing for uncomplicated hypertension in the elderly
Authors: Parmar Paresh , Williams Helen
Published: May 2015

The treatment of older people with high blood pressure (BP) is a challenge as under- and over-treatment can lead to poorer outcomes. There is strong evidence from epidemiological and trial data to show that older people with high BP should be treated at the same threshold and to the same target BP (BP <140/90 mmHg) as younger patients, with the exception of the very elderly (those over the age of 80 years), in whom a less aggressive treatment target is recommended (BP <150/90 mmHg). With anti-hypertensive therapy, older people can experience orthostatic hypotension, drug–drug interactions and adverse drug reactions; older people often have complex co-morbidities and may have barriers to adherence to therapy. Drug therapy should be tailored to achieve a satisfactory BP reduction with minimal adverse effects. Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease in older people should be identified and addressed. Particular consideration should be given to the use of statins.
Avantgarde und Terrorismus
Authors: Hecken Thomas
Published: May 2015

Hinweise zu einer Verbindung von Avantgarde und Terrorismus gibt es bereits viele, fundierte Analysen dazu aber bislang noch nicht. Die Studie geht darum anhand von reichem Material der möglichen Nähe von historischer Avantgarde (Futurismus, Dadaismus, Surrealismus) und terroristischen Kadern (RAF, Weatherman, Tupamaros) nach. Als Bindeglieder fungieren Gruppen wie die Subversive Aktion, die Kommune I und die linken Aktionisten um 1968 (Rudi Dutschke, Provos, Che Guevara-Anhänger). Dabei entsteht das differenzierte Bild von »Spezialisten der Revolte«, deren Verlangen nach einer Aufhebung der Grenzen zwischen Kunst und Leben die Rhetorik des gewaltsamen Bruchs mit allem Bestehenden hervortreibt.
Das unmögliche Museum
Authors: Wall Tobias
Published: May 2015

Die Errichtung immer neuer Museumspaläste für Gegenwartskunst lässt vergessen, dass das Verhältnis von Kunst und Kunstmuseum seit dem Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts äußerst problematisch ist. Mit großem Aufwand im Bereich Präsentation, Kommunikation und Management werden Museumskonzepte weitergeführt, die in wesentlichen Bereichen schon lange von der Kunst überholt und damit fragwürdig sind. Sind vor dem Hintergrund der radikalen Neuerungen in der Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts Kunstmuseen im herkömmlichen Sinne noch sinnvoll? Gibt es Konzepte und Strategien für eine Zukunft eines Museums für Gegenwartskunst? Oder macht die Kunst das Museum grundsätzlich unmöglich?
Der Kulturbetrieb
Authors: Heinrichs Werner
Published: May 2015

Kunst und Kultur finden im Kulturbetrieb statt. In diesem institutionellen Rahmen sind Künstler, Interpreten und Kulturmanager tätig, um Kunst zu produzieren und an ein Publikum zu vermitteln. Dabei spielen spartenspezifische Traditionen und künstlerische Ziele ebenso eine Rolle wie politische, ökonomische und rechtliche Bedingungen, die von außen an den Kulturbetrieb herangetragen werden. In einem oft nur schwer durchschaubaren Geflecht von Zielen, Interessen und Bedingungen fallen im Kulturbetrieb Entscheidungen zur Kunst - und dies nicht selten ohne Rücksicht auf den künstlerischen Gehalt. Das Buch verfolgt das Ziel, diese Zusammenhänge sowohl spartenübergreifend als auch spartenspezifisch zu verdeutlichen. Neben der Frage, warum bestimmte Traditionen den Kulturbetrieb bis heute prägen, ist von besonderem Interesse, durch welche Veränderung der Rahmenbedingungen andere Ziele verfolgt und erreicht werden können. Daraus ergeben sich interessante Perspektiven für die Zukunftsfähigkeit der Künste im Kulturbetrieb.
Die Dopingfalle
Authors: Bette Karl-Heinrich , Schimank Uwe
Published: May 2015

Immer mehr Spitzensportler nutzen offenbar verbotene Mittel, um die eigenen Leistungen zu steigern und tatsächliche oder nur befürchtete Nachteile gegenüber den Mitkonkurrenten aus der Welt zu schaffen. Die Autoren durchleuchten in ihrer Arbeit die strukturellen Dynamiken und Beziehungsfallen, die hinter dem Rücken der Akteure wirksam sind und der Dopingverwendung national und international und über alle Disziplingrenzen hinweg Vorschub leisten. Auf der Grundlage ihrer Analyse schlagen sie einen zusätzlichen, über Kontrolle und Aufklärung hinausgehenden neuen Weg vor, wie die Sportorganisationen in Zusammenarbeit mit den an der Problemerzeugung beteiligten gesellschaftlichen Gruppierungen Doping zukünftig erfolgreicher als bisher eindämmen könnten. Das Buch liefert einen wichtigen Beitrag zur gegenwärtigen Dopingdiskussion.
Soziale Ungleichheit
Authors: Schwinn Thomas
Published: May 2015

Die Theorie sozialer Ungleichheit hat seit den Klassikern der Soziologie keine großen Fortschritte zu verzeichnen. In den einschlägigen Studien dominiert eine auflistende Aneinanderreihung von einzelnen Ansätzen. Es fehlt bisher jedoch eine Theorie sozialer Ungleichheit, die auf der Höhe der aktuellen gesellschaftstheoretischen Diskussion ist. Diese Einführung arbeitet hierzu den Anschluss an die Theorie gesellschaftlicher Differenzierung heraus. Durch die konzeptionelle Integration der beiden makrosozialen Hauptachsen lassen sich viele Aspekte sozialer Ungleichheit angemessen erklären: strukturierte versus unstrukturierte soziale Ungleichheit; das Verhältnis von klassen-, ethnischer und geschlechtsspezifischer Ungleichheit; die Transnationalisierung sozialer Ungleichheit sowie soziale Ungleichheiten auf verschiedenen Aggregationsebenen (Interaktion, Organisation, Ordnung).
Verkörperte Medien
Authors: Bausch Constanze
Published: May 2015

»Verkörperte Medien« spürt fernsehmediale Bildbotschaften in sozialen Interaktionspraxen der Kinder- und Jugendkultur auf. Anhand der eigenproduktiven Methode der Videoinszenierung untersucht die Studie sinnstiftendes Medienhandeln in Form televisuell geprägter Körperinszenierungen. Die interaktions- und metaphernanalytischen Materialinterpretationen führen zu überraschenden Befunden, in denen fernsehmediale Wirkmächtigkeit in einem komplexen Zusammenspiel von Aneignungs- und Distanzierungsprozessen deutlich wird: die Lust am Bilde ebenso wie die Last des Bildes - in frappierender Geschlechterdifferenz.
Piktoral-Dramaturgie
Authors: Leonhardt Nic
Published: May 2015

Im letzten Drittel des 19. Jahrhunderts bildet sich eine visuelle Kultur heraus, konstituiert durch heterogene Bildmedien und Institutionen visueller Unterhaltung. Dieses Buch liefert einen Überblick über die visuelle Kultur in Deutschland und setzt Theater als »Leitmedium« jener Zeit zu ihr in Bezug. In enger Arbeit an historischen Quellenmaterialien werden Bildmedien und Institutionen visueller Kultur vorgestellt und die Ästhetik sowie Ökonomie (populärer) Theaterformen in den Blick gerückt, die von der Theatergeschichtsschreibung bislang nur marginal beachtet wurden. Anhand zahlreicher Beispiele werden die Austauschprozesse zwischen Theater und visueller Kultur diskutiert und begrifflich gefasst. Methodisch verbindet diese Studie in origineller Weise Ansätze der Visual Culture#off("i")#-Forschung mit einer kritischen Theater-Historiographie. Die zahlreichen historischen Text- und Bildquellen sowie die differenzierte Auflistung Berliner Spiel- und Schaustätten im Anhang machen dieses Buch gleichzeitig zu einem grundlegenden Forschungsbeitrag zum deutschen Theater im 19. Jahrhundert.
Ambivalente Selbstpraktiken
Authors: Lüders Jenny
Published: May 2015

Die gegenwärtige Zersetzung des Bildungsbegriffs wirft die Frage auf, ob ›Bildung‹ noch zeitgemäß ist. Ausgehend von dieser Skepsis wird eine Neufassung des Begriffs vorgeschlagen. Dafür werden dessen zentrale Dimensionen aus der bildungstheoretischen Debatte herausgearbeitet und mit Überlegungen des französischen Denkers Michel Foucault konfrontiert. Die so gewonnene Neufassung von ›Bildung‹ als einem kritischen Grenzexperiment wird einer qualitativ-empirischen Prüfung unterzogen: Mit einem auf den Foucault'schen Begriffen Wissen, Macht und Selbst basierenden Instrumentarium werden Bildungsprozesse in Weblogs untersucht.
Lese-Kommunikation
Authors: Charlton Michael , Sutter Tilmann
Published: May 2015

In welcher Weise sind Prozesse der Medien- und Lesesozialisation als soziale Prozesse zu beschreiben? Diese Frage wird in diesem Band auf die sozialen Kontexte der Lesesozialisation zugeschnitten, die als Prozesse der kommunikativen Aneignung von literarischen Texten in den Blick kommen. Das neue Untersuchungsfeld wird u.a. mittels folgender Fragen erschlossen: Wie gehen Menschen mit Roman- und Gedichttexten um? Welche Vorgaben liefern die literarischen Texte? Legen sie bestimmte Deutungen nahe oder lassen sie weite Freiräume für verschiedene Interpretationen offen? Wie sprechen Menschen über das Gelesene und wie profitieren sie von diesen Gesprächen?
Kulturelles Erbe als identitätsstiftende Instanz?
Authors: Michael Holger
Published: May 2015

Nicaragua ist seit der sandinistischen Revolution im Jahr 1979 einem politischen Ringen zwischen Autoritarismus und Demokratisierung unterworfen. Die Studie geht der Frage nach, wie sich der gesellschaftliche Transformationsprozess auf die soziale Organisation dörflicher Gemeinschaften auswirkt und welche Rolle dabei das kulturelle Erbe spielt. Auch wird ein bisher nicht geleisteter Vergleich zwischen den beiden Landesteilen an Atlantik- und Pazifikküste gezogen, da diese aufgrund ihrer unterschiedlichen Kolonialgeschichte kulturelle Besonderheiten aufweisen.
Die SARS-Krise in Hongkong
Authors: Roloff Evelyn Lu Yen
Published: May 2015

Die SARS-Krise in Hong Kong im Jahr 2003 stürzte die Millionenstadt in einen mehrere Monate dauernden Ausnahmezustand, in dem selbst alltägliche Handlungen im städtischen Raum unsicher wurden. Während dieses Zeitraums sammelte die Autorin durch teilnehmende Beobachtungen und Interviews eine Fülle empirischen Materials. Auf dieser Grundlage werden die Regierungskrise, die zivilgesellschaftlichen Reaktionen und die anschließende Hygienepolitik der Regierungsorganisation »Team Clean« mithilfe von Michel Foucaults Vorlesungen zur Gouvernementalität analysiert. Durch gouvernementale Techniken wie »Urban Imagineering« und »Civil Engineering« zielte die Regierung auf die Konstruktion von Sicherheits- und Unsicherheitsräumen ab, mit denen nicht nur intern Normalität wiederhergestellt, sondern auch das angekratzte Image der Global City rehabilitiert werden sollte.
Inszenierung als Widerstand
Authors: Bohn Ralf
Published: May 2015

In seinen Werken überträgt Paul Klee den Übergang von (innerer) Stimme und (äußerem) Bild in ein szenisches Spiel - und stellt uns vor das Problem einer möglichen Opferlosigkeit dieses Übergangs. Als Musiker, Zeichner und Maler experimentiert er vielfältig mit dieser szenischen Dramatik. Werkimmanent stellt sich dabei die Frage, wie die Gewalt der Sinnenübergänge in den Kunst- und Designproduktionen moderiert und Schuldfreiheit »naturhafter« Produktion erreicht werden kann. Seine neurodermitische Erkrankung zeigt in äußerster Verdichtung - der Sklerose als Palimpsest der Organhäute - den einbehaltenen Schuldkonflikt am Körperbild und dessen nothafte Entäußerung in Malerei. Die Sklerose Klees ist die ultimative Antwort auf das faschistische Programm sich selbst restlos konsumierender (Kriegs-)Produktion.
Kritik der transnationalen Gewalt
Authors: Christophersen Claas
Published: May 2015

Universalität der Menschenrechte oder einzelstaatliche Souveränität? Dieser Gegensatz entfaltet sich bei nahezu allen internationalen Konflikten. Vertreter beider Prinzipien setzen auf Gewalt als politisches Mittel. In einer Aktualisierung von Hannah Arendts politischer Philosophie zeigt Claas Christophersen, dass sich die fundamentalen Probleme menschlichen Zusammenlebens auf globaler Ebene nur dann lösen lassen, wenn sich die Weltgemeinschaft in Richtung einer transnationalen Demokratie weiterentwickelt und die politische Teilhabe aller Weltbürgerinnen und Weltbürger gewährleistet ist. Ein innovativer Beitrag zu einer der Schlüsselfragen transnationaler Politik.
Von Freud zur Humanistischen Psychologie
Authors: Johach Helmut
Published: May 2015

Diese Studie korrigiert und ergänzt die Geschichtsschreibung der Psychoanalyse, indem sie die Rolle bedeutender »Dissidenten« bzw. »Revisionisten« in ein neues Licht rückt. Therapeutinnen wie Lou Andreas-Salomé und unorthodoxe Analytiker wie Sándor Ferenczi, Georg Groddeck und Wilhelm Reich prägten die Grundlagen eines humanistischen Verständnisses von Psychoanalyse, auf denen Erich Fromm, Fritz und Laura Perls sowie Ruth C. Cohn mit den von ihnen entwickelten Methoden weiter aufbauen konnten. In biographischen Persönlichkeitsportraits, die die Entwicklung hin zur Humanistischen Psychologie dokumentieren, werden bis heute gültige Leitlinien einer ressourcenorientierten, dialogischen, leibnahen und gesellschaftskritischen Psychologie und Therapie erkennbar.
Interaktivität als Spiel
Authors: Cermak-Sassenrath Daniel
Published: May 2015

Wir alle sind Computerspieler. Um diese neue Perspektive ergänzt das Buch herkömmliche Sichtweisen, die den Umgang mit dem Computer als Kommunikation, Simulation, »interactive narrative« oder »ubiquitous computing« beschreiben: Es argumentiert, dass die alltägliche Computernutzung in zunehmendem Maße Ähnlichkeit mit dem Spiel gewinnt. Das ist keine Folge einer propagierten Medien- und Spielgesellschaft, von Computerspielen oder einer neuen Version von »Windows«, sondern zeigt den spielerischen Charakter des interaktiven Umgangs mit dem Computer. Die Spielhaltung des »Users« wird diskutiert, an Beobachtungen gezeigt und in einen Zusammenhang mit den genannten Sichtweisen gestellt.
Weiblicher Exhibitionismus
Authors: Wohler Ulrike
Published: May 2015

Weiblicher Exhibitionismus ist - da kulturell verankert - im Gegensatz zur strafrechtlich verfolgten männlichen Zeigelust gesellschaftlich integriert. Die Zurschaustellung des weiblichen Körpers kann Ausdruck erotischer Macht und damit eines selbstbestimmten Sexualsubjekts sein. So nutzen Marilyn Monroe und Madonna den befreienden Charakter erotischer Selbstdarstellung und künstlerischer Provokation für progressive Stellungnahmen. Mit soziologischen, medizinischen, psychologischen sowie juristischen Argumenten und unter Rückgriff auf ihre Erfahrungen als Tänzerin zeigt Ulrike Wohler die emanzipatorischen Ziele des weiblichen Exhibitionismus auf.
Theaterfestivals
Authors: Elfert Jennifer
Published: May 2015

Theaterfestivals in Deutschland sind keine weitere Spielart des Events in einer übersättigten Erlebnisgesellschaft, sondern zählen zu den wichtigsten Organisationsformen von Theater seit 1989. Die sorgfältige Studie von Jennifer Elfert geht erstmals den historischen, ökonomischen und kulturellen Dimensionen des Phänomens auf den Grund und legt sowohl einen historisch-kritischen Überblick als auch eingehende Analysen einzelner bedeutender Festivals vor. Warum sollten Theaterfestivals subventioniert werden? Welche sozialen, kulturpolitischen und ökonomischen Bedürfnisse befriedigen sie? Und warum sollten auch Sie ein Theaterfestival besuchen? Antworten liefert dieses Buch.
Simulation and optimization integrated gasification combined cycle by used aspen hysys and aspen plus
Authors: Darabi Mohsen , Mohammadiun Mohammad , Mohammadiun Hamid , Mortazavi Saeed , Montazeri Mostafa
Published: May 2015

Electricity is an indispensable amenity in present society. Among all those energy resources, coal is readily available all over the world and has risen only moderately in price compared with other fuel sources. As a result, coal-fired power plant remains to be a fundamental element of the world's energy supply. IGCC, abbreviation of Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, is one of the primary designs for the power-generation market from coal-gasification. This work presents a in the proposed process, diluted hydrogen is combusted in a gas turbine. Heat integration is central to the design. Thus far, the SGR process and the HGD unit are not commercially available. To establish a benchmark. Some thermodynamic inefficiencies were found to shift from the gas turbine to the steam cycle and redox system, while the net efficiency remained almost the same. A process simulation was undertaken, using Aspen Plus and the engineering equation solver (EES).The The model has been developed using Aspen HysysÂ® and Aspen PlusÂ®. Parts of it have been developed in Matlab, which is mainly used for artificial neural network (ANN) training and parameters estimation. Predicted results of clean gas composition and generated power present a good agreement with industrial data. This study is aimed at obtaining a support tool for optimal solutions assessment of different gasification plant configurations, under different input data sets.
The cost growth of government revisited
Authors: Semat Joshua , Lowery David , Linn Suzanna , Berry William D.
Published: May 2015

What accounts for the growing cost of government in the US? [Berry, William D., and David Lowery. 1984. “The Growing Cost of Government: A Test of Two Explanations.”Social Science Quarterly65 (3): 735–749] tested two explanations for why the costs of goods and services in the public sector have increased faster than these costs in the private sector in the US: “Baumol's Disease” [Baumol, William J. 1967. “Macroeconomics of Unbalanced Growth: The Anatomy of Urban Crisis.”The American Economic Review57 (3): 415–426], which focuses on the need for government to match wage increases in the more productive private sector, and [Buchanan, James M., and Gordon Tullock. 1977. “The Expanding Public Sector: Wagner Squared.”Public Choice31 (1): 147–150] Bureau Voting explanation, which focuses on the voting power of government employees. Berry and Lowery (1984) tested these two explanations using data for the 1947–1979 period and found strong support for the former but little support for the latter. Decades later, a much longer time-series is now available for empirical analysis. Additionally, the character of both public- and private-sector production and the voting power of public employees have changed in ways that may influence the empirical veracity of the two explanations. For these reasons, we extend the original analysis through 2010 to assess whether Baumol's Disease and Bureau Voting continue to have relevance for understanding government cost growth. We find that Baumol's Disease continues to be the better explanation despite changes in both sectors, although public sector wages are now more closely tied to general private rather than manufacturing wages, suggesting that growing production costs may be serving as an increasingly relevant downward pressure on the scope of real government activity.
Inverse determination of thermal conductivity in lumber based on genetic algorithms
Authors: Zhao Jingyao , Fu Zongying , Jia Xiaoran , Cai Yingchun
Published: May 2015

A 3D numerical solution of the heat conduction equation is proposed based on the finite volume method to describe the heating of wood, where the thermal conductivity (ThC) is variable, and the convective heat transfer coefficient is constant. ThC parameters were found through an optimization process based on genetic algorithms. The objective function between measured and simulated curves is determined, and parameters with greatest correspondence between measured and estimated values were obtained. As a result, a new equation for ThC is proposed, which depends on moisture and temperature. The proposed coefficient is validated by experiments, and a good agreement was found between experimental heating curves and those obtained by simulation by means of the new heat conduction equation.
Among ‘Bananas’ and ‘Backyards’: A Statistical Analysis of the Effect of Risk and Scientific Literacy on the Attitude towards a Waste Co-incinerator in Italy
Authors: Tipaldo Giuseppe
Published: May 2015

This paper, based on a social impact research and the possible NIMBY-effect of the Turin, Italy, co-incinerator, deals with risk perception, scientific literacy and their influence on the attitude towards high-tech and controversial industrial plants. The paper argues that plant and infrastructure settlements having a substantial ecological impact represent a highly sophisticated and diverse social phenomenon in which risk plays an important but not unique role. Taking into account some important concomitant variables (such as trust, mass media use, political culture in decision-making processes), it is first of all shown that risk is not a mono-dimensional concept, as assumed by the psychometric tradition, and that two dimensions of the concept are to be found. The collective dimension has a positive monotonic association with a critical attitude towards the co-incinerator, whereas the individual dimension has an unexpectedly negative correlation, which will be explained in further detail. It also demonstrates that scientific literacy has no statistical significance for attitude in our model, confirming the well-known limits of the so called ‘knowledge deficit’ model.
Protected Areas and Overuse in the Context of Socio-Natural Changes: An Interdisciplinary French Case Study
Authors: Claeys Cécilia , Barthelemy Carole , Tatoni Thierry , Bonhomme Patrick
Published: May 2015

This article provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the notion of overuse in natural areas. Based on the case of the French Calanques massif (located along the Mediterranean coast between Marseilles and Cassis), sociology and biology combine their analyses to examine the social processes behind the increasingly widespread use of natural areas and the ecological consequences thereof. The data are comprised of interdisciplinary research based on eighty semi-structured interviews conducted on-site and 330 telephone survey questionnaires. We critically analyse of the notion of overuse and underscore the socio-economic, cultural and ideological weight it carries in the context of socio-natural change; this calls into question the relevance of the ancient nature/culture dichotomy. Drawing on theoretical tools from environmental sociology, this article also provides some perspectives for natural area managers.
Gender and Migration-Driven Changes in Rural Eastern Romania. Migrants’ Perspectives
Authors: Vlase Ionela
Published: May 2015

The article addresses the largely debated linkages between gender and migration, on the one hand, and the impact of migration on migrants’ society of origin, on the other hand. Based on multi-sited research conducted in a village from Eastern Romania and in Rome (the main destination of the population studied), this paper highlights gender differences in the participation to migration process and in the contribution of migrants to the socio-economic development of their society. Using a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews with migrants and participant observations, the research reveals different meanings that migrants (women and men) invest in their actions (i.e. transfers of ideas, money or durable goods and set-up of small local businesses). This study contributes to the understanding of the gendered contribution of migrants to the economic and socio-cultural transformations of their society of origin.
‘I am not Spending on my Appearance’! Examining Self-Evaluated Low-Level Consumers of Clothing and Beauty Care in Finland, 1999–2009
Authors: Sarpila Outi
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this study is to analyse consumers whose identity is not based on appearance-related consumption, but who want distance themselves from consumers willing to spend on physical appearance. The article examines importance of gender, age and place of residence in explaining self-evaluated low-level consumption of beauty care and clothing, and how the proportions of these consumers have changed between socio-demographic groups. The data consists of three cross-sectional consumption and lifestyle surveys collected in 1999 (N = 2 417), 2004 (N = 3 574) and 2009 (N = 1 202). The results suggest that a significant part of Finnish consumers do not consider beauty care or clothing consumption to be a part of their identity. The results indicate some temporal changes in Finnish consumers’ beauty care consumption evaluations. It seems that gender differences have been relatively stable, whereas disparities between consumers of different ages as well as urban and rural consumers have diminished.
Efficiency and Social Impact of Public Policies and Third Sector Practices in Bulgaria
Authors: Zaimova Darina , Genchev Evgeni , Momchilov Hristo
Published: May 2015

The consequent enlargement of the European Union in 2004 and 2007 gave the new-member-states an access to programs and financial sources with significant capacity and impact. The present paper aims to analyze the influence of the social policy framework over the public service delivery in Bulgaria. The first part of the paper is devoted to the general categorization of social services’ suppliers and the already established mechanism of their functioning. In the second part the focus on the conceptual framework introduces the main dimensions of the policy, institutional regulations and operational programs. The third part provides empirical results from the efficiency analysis of the social programs implementation and discussion on their impact.
Geopolitics of the Dakar Rally: International Impediments Threatening Cultural, Religious, and Ecological Harmony among Motorcyclists
Authors: Romanienko Lisiunia A.
Published: May 2015

The contemporary popularity of motorcycling has resulted in a booming manufacturing industry as well as the emergence of a unique culture revolving around very specific forms of material cultural capital. Industry research focusing exclusively on the economic impact of motorcycling gravely underestimates the social and cultural consequences that have been brought about as a result of these ecological alternatives in personal mobility. As routine riding in overcrowded urban environments becomes more and more problematic, motorcyclists find themselves yearning for the self-exile available through the wide open spaces of desert environs in order to optimize the emancipatory potential of this sensual technological Bohemian experience on two wheels. To that end, off road motorcyclists have organized rallies such as the Dakar in unique geological environments to provide riders the technology-driven mystical catharsis they are seeking. Using evidence gathered from ethnographic fieldwork, film portrayals, and contemporary public policies; the paper demonstrates that the widespread popularity of off-road motorcycling and related intercultural harmony represents a significant threat to the routinization of conflict driving the hegemonic world order.
Cosmopolitanism Sits in Places: Consumption and Cosmopolitics in Latin America
Authors: Thompson David
Published: May 2015

Abstract.

Renewed interest in cosmopolitanism has spread across the humanities and social sciences in recent decades. However, this growth has also carried many of the values underpinning cosmopolitanism as a Kantian ideal, including a denigration of consumption and material relations in favour of a putatively social core. In this article, however, I argue that cosmopolitanism is lived through the relations and politics of materiality and consumerism. Through an investigation of ethnographies of urban poverty in Latin America, cosmopolitanism emerges as a diverse, locally instantiated ideology and identity which diverges from many of the debates circulating in sites of academia. With an emphasis on marginalised communities, I reconsider cosmopolitanism as a series of material identities and relationships that develop within the context of economic and social inequality in both local and global scales.
The Impact of Pictures on Best-Worst Scaling in Web Surveys
Authors: Bărbulescu Marinică , Cernat Alexandru
Published: May 2015

Motivation and burden are two of the most important aspects that influence response rates and dropouts in online surveys. As a result, we focus our analyses on how pictures and Best Worst Scaling (BWS), two solutions for each problem, interact in the Web medium. We use an experimental design that compares a BWS with pictures, the experimental group, and BWS without pictures, the control group. Results show that pictures influence measurement of BWS in six out of 16 items. We also observe that Couper's (2001) conclusion that concordant text and images have an accentuation effect while a discordant relationship between the two has an interference impact is partly true in our data. Eight out of the 16 items are at least partially influenced by the concordant/discordant variable while four fully respect this model. We conclude by discussing the impact of our findings and its limitations.
Lifestyle Migration to Bocas del Toro, Panama: Exploring Migration Strategies and Introducing Local Implications of the Search for Paradise
Authors: Spalding Ana K.
Published: May 2015

Lifestyle migration, the flow of relatively affluent people from developed to developing countries, is characterized by the search for ‘lifestyle’ destinations with warm climates, reduced costs of living, and perceived higher quality of life. Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama are three current major lifestyle migration destinations in Latin America. In this article I explore the emergence of this relatively new phenomenon in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago in Northwestern Panama by discussing the contradiction between lifestyle migrants’ idealized perception of place and local realities. I also introduce the implications of these contradicting versions of reality, and how they play out at the local level. Results show that, in general, foreign residents are attracted to Bocas del Toro as a physical manifestation of globally produced images and perceptions of tropical island living. However, an in-depth exploration reveals contradictions between expectations and reality. I suggest that foreigners exhibit a set of attitudes and behaviors towards their new home that are defined by a shared cultural and economic background that, on the ground, contribute to the creation of emerging markets, land conflicts, and changes in environmental practices. The ensuing narrative is contingent upon tensions between and within social, political, and ecological variables at the global and local levels.
The Spread of Asian Tiger Mosquitoes and Related Health Risks Along the French Riviera: An Analysis of Reactions and Concerns Amongst the Local Population
Authors: Claeys Cécilia , Mieulet Elise
Published: May 2015

Since the early 2000s, the accidental introduction of the tiger mosquito has exposed Europe to new diseases previously observed in Southern countries, leading to the onset of new nuisances and health risks. In France, the area first affected was the French Riviera. Based on the results of a qualitative and quantitative survey, this article analyses the reactions and concerns amongst the local population regarding the spread of Asian tiger mosquitoes and the related health risks. While residents are well aware of the mosquitoes’ presence and perceive a related increase in nuisances at different levels, they tend to play down the related health risks, notably due to the high degree of trust placed in the French healthcare system. It is the wealthiest inhabitants that are most affected by the problem, which primarily affects villa districts. Finally, cultural resistance has hindered the success of awareness-raising campaigns due to the stigma associated with mosquitoes.
A Network Analysis of the Romanian Higher Education Graduates’ Intra-generational Mobility
Authors: Lungu Eliza-Olivia , Zamfir Ana Maria , Mocanu Cristina
Published: May 2015

We explore the early career mobility of the Romanian higher education graduates using the network analysis approach. The nodes are represented by occupations (3 digits groups according to ISCO 88), while the links represent movements of individuals from one job to another. A job change is defined as an experience of inter-organisational mobility. The network is constructed as a weighted and directed one with self-loops. Considering that the occupations are related to each other via transferable skills, we visualize paths of mobility and calculate network indicators in order to understand models of connectivity between occupations. Exploiting a dataset on working histories of higher education graduates from Romania during their early career, we provide a novel evidence on the fact that individuals move according to certain career pathways and that the entrance occupation influence their subsequent career.
The Use of Network Metrics in Building Intelligence Early Warning Systems. The Structural Conduciveness Index
Authors: Posastiuc Cristina
Published: May 2015

Specific collective behavior forms (for example, mass protests) emerge only if certain conditions are met simultaneously: good structural conduciveness of the group, a pre-existing structural strain, a formed generalized belief, the appearance of precipitating factors, a grass-roots or top-down mobilization for the action and the already-formed perception that the social control instruments are no longer in the authorities’ hands. Mass protests seem to follow this ‘perfect-storm’ recipe, from Tunis’ violent protests that kick-started the ‘Arab Spring’ to the late 2011 riots in London. This paper presents and discusses how structural conduciveness could be measured using network metrics such as k-cores, clustering, cliqueness, reciprocity, cohesion, homophily, structural holes, triad closure.
An overview of Software Applications for Social Network Analysis
Authors: Apostolato Ioana-Alexandra
Published: May 2015

There is a great variety of software tools that has been developed within the last 20 years, as to facilitate and support the qualitative and quantitative analysis of social networks. This paper gives a brief overview of some of the most popular software packages for social network analysis: Pajek, UCINET 6, NetDraw, Gephi, E-Net, KeyPlayer 1, StOCNET and Automap. Pajek has efficient algorithms for the analysis of large networks, while UCINET 6 includes multiple analytical tools highly efficient for exploring and measuring social network structures. NetDraw, nested in UCINET 6, and Gephi allow network visualization. E-Net and KeyPlayer 1 satisfy rather specific and well-oriented purposes: ego-network analysis and network key-player operations (node removal or utilization). StOCNET provides a platform for statistical methods focusing on probabilistic models, while Automap is a text mining tool for analyzing text relational data.
Innovation Policy as a New Development Driver of the Regions in Slovakia: Does Activity of Regional Self-government Matter?
Authors: Klimovský Daniel , Lacková Zuzana , Černáková Veronika , Maliková Zuzana , Šoltés Tomáš , Želinský Tomáš
Published: May 2015

Fundamental changes that occurred in Central and Eastern Europe (including Slovakia) in recent two decades have caused that regional policy as well as regional development has become one of the hottest national policy issues. If one connects this issue with the existence of regional disparities, there is no surprise that also the EU considers this topic an extra important one. Various scholars point out that innovation policy is the right path how to achieve sustainable regional development and how to improve competitiveness of less developed regions. This article is aimed particularly at the innovation policies of the Slovak self-government regions and their outcomes.
A Decision-making Model for Public Management. The Existence of a Policy Framework for Performance in Romania
Authors: Răuță Emanuel
Published: May 2015

This article aims to assess the public management reform in Romania against a set of management measures that set a framework for performance in public administration. The article is looking at the bulk of reforms that were implemented in the last years and analyses the progress based against a theoretical framework made of four key elements: strategic planning – managerial planning – public policy analysis – transparency and quality of services. In its theoretical section, the article reviews the literature on performance management by highlighting its main characteristic. The case study reviews the state of affairs in Romanian public management reform, aiming to offer the reader a picture of the reform process. It tries to test the hypothesis that, for the reform process to be successful, the Governments will have to adopt a full decision-making framework of strategic planning, managerial planning, transparency and quality, based on a very clear roles and responsibilities of the key actors in the process and considering the experience and administrative background of the Romanian public administration which is a legalistic administrative tradition. A conclusion is that a performance framework is not yet functional in Romania, due to the resistance of public administration to adopt key elements of the performance reform process, to the fact that the reforms so far were only partially implemented, and in correlation with a normative and legalistic administration with limited openness for adoption of new public management elements.
The Economic Efficiency of the Romanian Higher Education at the End of the 1960s. A Demographical Perspective
Authors: Doboș Corina
Published: May 2015

With the development of demography and population studies in the second half of the 1960s in Romania, a special attention was given to the economic efficiency of the Romanian education system, as education was considered ‘the main factor of economic growth’. Several demographic and economic studies reveal a special concern for the developmental effectiveness of the higher education system. This article examines several key concepts (such as ‘intellectual capital’ as opposed to ‘physical capital’, or ‘education stocks’), used by Romanian demographers for the evaluation of the economic efficiency of the Romanian higher education system at the end of the 1960s.
Before Massification: Access to University Education in Ukraine in 1950s-1980s
Authors: Kurbatov Sergiy
Published: May 2015

My paper sets to analyze the Soviet policy on access to higher education during the last four decades of existence of the USSR, with a particular focus on the Ukrainian case. It includes the analysis of discourses on planned economy and central regulations regarding access to universities, and a discussion on official and unofficial benefits (Russian original ‘blat’) during the admission process. The findings led to the conclusion that the number of students, which increased four point four times between 1950 and 1990, was less significant per 100,000 people; thus, generally speaking, access to university education continued to be rather restrictive in social terms. This was one of the main causes of the slow development of Soviet Ukraine in scientific and technological areas.
Higher Education and Long-Term Manpower Planning in Socialist Romania (1950-1975). An Empirical Study
Authors: Pașca Vlad
Published: May 2015

This article sets to analyze the manpower planning approach in respect of the Romanian higher education system during communism. The arguments used intend to demonstrate that long-term planning, although commonly used in the context of demand economy, was not a reliable instrument in education. Archival research has outlined the connections and the variations between long-term ‘cadre’ plans and higher education outcomes, in an attempt to better assess the feasibility of manpower planning in a socialist economy. The empirical analysis confirms the theoretical approach used by Jan Sadlak in the 1980s, but also provides an additional outlook on the practical and conceptual limitations of centralized normative planning.
The Relationship between Higher Education and the Workforce in Romanian Socialist Industry Case-study of the ‘23 August’ Factory
Authors: Vasile Valentin
Published: May 2015

This article presents the mechanisms used to integrate higher education graduates in socialist economic units. The case-study referring to the ‘23 August’ factory in Bucharest mainly relies on the files of Securitate, and those of the economic section of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party. It also outlines the practical difficulties faced by various groups of higher education graduates – engineers, economic staff, human sciences graduates – as well as their efficiency within the communist industrial framework. The study combines the description and analysis of numerical allocation, the responsibilities and the results of the activities carried out by higher education graduates.
Identification and evaluation of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in hospitalized geriatric patients using Beers criteria
Authors: Danisha Pattani , Dilip Chandrasekhar , Mohan Panakkal Linu , Shinu Cholamugath , Parambil Jaffer Chalil , Sajid Muhammed
Published: May 2015

Background: The aim of the study was to identify and evaluate potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in geriatric patients using Beers criteria and also to identify adverse drug events (ADEs) due to PIMs and various drug-drug interactions.

Methods: The medications in the prescriptions of patients above 60 years of age, their dosage regimen respective of their diagnosis were analyzed. Each medication was then checked with Beers list tables, and any medication if mentioned in the Beers list, was noted along with its strength of recommendation and quality of evidence. Any adverse drug event (ADE) due to PIM was identified. Causality of the events was assessed by Naranjo’s Scale. The number of drug-drug interactions per prescription and the severity of each interaction were also analyzed. The collected data from 200 subjects were subjected to statistical treatments using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16.0 for WINDOWS.

Results: Based on the Beers criteria 2012, 106 out of 200 (53%) prescriptions had at least one PIM prescribed. A sum of 1690 medications was prescribed as a whole for the entire study subjects. Among which, 134 PIMs were identified. Most commonly prescribed PIMs were benzodiazepines (39, 19.5%), followed by sliding scale use of insulin (31, 15.5%), and prazosin at a rate of 11.5% (23). A total of 10 ADEs were identified during the study. The average number of drug interactions observed among total samples was found to be 3.0±6.0 with 0±5.0 serious interactions, 2±4.0 significant interactions requiring close monitoring, and 0±6.0 minor interactions.

Conclusions: The study shows high prevalence of prescribing PIMs in hospitalized elderly patients; PIM also caused incidence of ADEs; and serious drug-drug interactions were scarce among the patients.