bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job, His Daughters and His Wife
Authors: Wilcox Karl G.
Published: April 2018

The epilogue and prologue of the book of Job reveal that Job treated his second set of daughters better than his first: Job's first daughters are invited to their brothers' birthday feasts, but they have no birthday feasts of their own. This reveals a practice of benevolent yet prejudicial exclusion within the Joban family system that contrasts heavily with the epilogue's description of how Job's second set of daughters received ‘inheritances among their brothers’. This contrast raises the question as to what caused Job to change in this treatment of his daughters. A probable answer is explored in this article: namely, that Job's suffering approximated the experience of his first set of daughters to the extent that Job suffered through no fault of his own and therefore, through his suffering, Job gained empathy for his daughters leading to a remarkable change in terms of how Job treated his second set of daughters. It follows that Job's suffering had the purpose of stimulating an ethical reform that could only have been achieved via Job's unjust suffering.
‘Is Anything Too Hard for Yahweh?’: Fulfillment of Promise and Threat in Genesis 18–19
Authors: Irvine Stuart A.
Published: April 2018

The Yahwist's narrative in Gen. 18.1–16, 20–22a, 33b, and 19.1–27a, 28 focuses on a single theological concern, namely, the power of Yahweh to fulfill the promise of a son for Sarah and Abraham. In the annunciation scene, the deity himself articulates this issue: ‘Is anything too hard for Yahweh?’ The Sodom tale suggests a negative answer—nothing is too hard for Yahweh—by demonstrating the power of Yahweh to fulfill a threat of destruction. The theological reasoning of the Yahwist who joined the Mamre and Sodom episodes is close, though not identical, to the thought of the exilic and post-exilic texts in Jeremiah 32 and Zechariah 7–8.
Tenability analysis for improvement of firefighters’ performance in a methane fire event at a coal mine working face
Authors: Haghighat Ali , Luxbacher Kray
Published: April 2018

Due to the high rate of methane ignitions at active continuous miner working faces in underground coal mines, this location has been the focus of many researchers, as well as safety initiatives. Multiple ignitions occur annually in US mines, and outcomes vary widely based on the magnitude of the ignition and the subsequent damage to ventilation controls or development of active fire. Depending on the magnitude of the explosion or fire, auxiliary ventilation controls, such as exhausting line curtain or tubing may be damaged or completely removed, affecting the ventilation into the area. Investigation of a typical dead end continuous miner working face with exhausting ventilation was undertaken to explore firefighting conditions post ignition. Regular mining crews are trained in the fighting of mine fires, while mine rescue or fire brigade teams may also be utilized for firefighting depending upon the conditions. The research in this article develops an approach to analyze the tenable limits in a fire event in an underground coal mine for barefaced miners, mine rescue teams, and fire brigade teams in order to improve safety and training of personnel trained to fight fires. A detailed computational fluid dynamics analysis was conducted to investigate temperature, visibility, radiation, and concentration of combustion products based on different damage assumptions following an ignition at the continuous miner working face. The source of the combustion products analysis and the exposure effects were considered to assess the potential for harm to mine personnel, mine rescue teams, or fire brigades during a firefighting operation, taking into account their training and personal protective equipment during the 5- and 15-min exposure. This study has shown that if the exhausting line curtain was destroyed, the situation would not be tenable for barefaced personnel. The findings were utilized to recommend the tenable limits for barefaced miners, mine rescue team, and fire brigade teams during the 15-min exposure to the methane fire at a continuous miner working face. The outcome of this research, applied to training, will result in the more efficient evacuation, as well as safe and effective firefighting under certain conditions.
“Why Can’t We Be Friends?” The Coalition Potential of Presidents in Semi-presidential Republics—Insights from Romania
Authors: Anghel Veronica
Published: April 2018

Coalition governments are a regularly studied feature of parliamentary democracies. Debates still linger in the field as to what extent the outcomes of these studies are also applicable in determining who has the upper hand over coalition formation in semi-presidential regimes. This article explores the dynamics of government formation under semi-presidential regimes using evidence from Romania (1990–2016) and discusses the formal and informal potential of the president to shape coalitions. It covers a lacuna in qualitative studies by using evidence gathered from in-depth interviews with prime ministers, cabinet members, and key party decision makers and shows that under certain circumstances presidents can play an influential role in government formation, but these are rather the exception than the rule. Using a case that presents the incentives for an increase in the presidentialization of politics, I show that the mechanisms of a multiparty regime mostly limit the president’s exclusive bargaining advantage to nominating the prime minister and then, much as in a parliamentary democracy, render him or her dependent on the coalition potential of his or her own party.
Does Partisanship Hurt Electoral Accountability? Individual-Level and Aggregate-Level Comparisons of Western and Postcommunist Democracies
Authors: Jung Dong-Joon
Published: April 2018

While the negative effect of partisanship on electoral accountability has been assumed in established Western democracies, its empirical test has been rare, especially for postcommunist democracies whose democratization processes are so distinct that their partisanship might deliver different political impacts from their Western counterparts. Through individual- and aggregate-level regressions, I find that partisanship, in general, does hurt electoral accountability at both levels. From a comparative perspective, the individual-level tests reveal that such a negative effect of partisanship has been more salient among the postcommunist voters with fewer electoral resources to rely on than among the Western voters whose abilities to hold the government accountable are stronger. At the aggregate level, however, this tendency becomes reversed as any increase in partisanship beyond its current relatively high level may induce the over-institutionalization of the Western party systems restricting electoral accountability, while it could rather help to stabilize the postcommunist party systems making it easier for voters to discern which political group is accountable for policy outcomes.
From Frozen Conflict to Mobile Boundary: Youth Perceptions of Territoriality in War-Time Ukraine
Authors: Fournier Anna
Published: April 2018

Scholarly and media sources have often described the conflict in Ukraine’s east as a potential “frozen conflict” similar to other such conflicts in the post-Soviet space. My interviews with young Ukrainian citizens reveal that many imagine not a stalemate but rather a continuous repositioning of the border between Ukraine and Russia. I use the term “mobile boundary” to describe the widespread belief within my sample that the Ukraine-Russia boundary may move back and forth within Ukrainian territory. Some interviewees express their willingness, at least in theory, to surrender the contested territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, but it is their fear of Russian encroachment beyond those territories that provides the rationalization for continued military defense of the Donbas.
Performance analysis of a semi-active suspension system using coupled CFD-FEA based non-parametric modeling of low capacity shear mode monotube MR damper
Authors: Tharehalli Mata Gurubasavaraju , Kumar Hemantha , Mahalingam Arun
Published: April 2018

In this work, an approach for formulation of a non-parametric-based polynomial representative model of magnetorheological damper through coupled computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis is presented. Using this, the performance of a quarter car suspension subjected to random road excitation is estimated. Initially, prepared MR fluid is characterized to obtain a relationship between the field-dependent shear stress and magnetic flux density. The amount of magnetic flux induced in the shear gap of magnetorheological damper is computed using finite element analysis. The computed magnetic field is used in the computational fluid dynamic analysis to calculate the maximum force induced under specified frequency, displacement and applied current using ANSYS CFX software. Experiments have been conducted to verify the credibility of the results obtained from computational analysis, and a comparative study has been made. From the comparison, it was found that a good agreement exists between experimental and computed results. Furthermore, the influence of fluid flow gap length and frequency on the induced force of the damper is investigated using the computational methods (finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamic) for various values. This proposed approach would serve in the preliminary design for estimation of magnetorheological damper dynamic performance in semi-active suspensions computationally prior to experimental analysis.
Mental Imagery Induces Cross-Modal Sensory Plasticity and Changes Future Auditory Perception
Authors: Berger Christopher C. , Ehrsson H. Henrik
Published: April 2018

Can what we imagine in our minds change how we perceive the world in the future? A continuous process of multisensory integration and recalibration is responsible for maintaining a correspondence between the senses (e.g., vision, touch, audition) and, ultimately, a stable and coherent perception of our environment. This process depends on the plasticity of our sensory systems. The so-called ventriloquism aftereffect—a shift in the perceived localization of sounds presented alone after repeated exposure to spatially mismatched auditory and visual stimuli—is a clear example of this type of plasticity in the audiovisual domain. In a series of six studies with 24 participants each, we investigated an imagery-induced ventriloquism aftereffect in which imagining a visual stimulus elicits the same frequency-specific auditory aftereffect as actually seeing one. These results demonstrate that mental imagery can recalibrate the senses and induce the same cross-modal sensory plasticity as real sensory stimuli.
Flow investigations of reverse running volute pumps with backward vanes in comparison to forward type turbine vanes
Authors: Sun-Sheng Yang , Singh Punit , Zhang Hui
Published: April 2018

The use of centrifugal pumps as turbines in the recent years has come as a boon to small and micro power application given its simplicity and robustness. However, attempts are continuously being made to improve the performance by modifying the geometry, and yet to retain its simpleness. This paper proposes a new design to the impeller of an existing pump with forward-shaped vanes in an unchanged volute that is in complete contrast to the conventional backward vanes. Three methodologies are involved in the analysis starting with classical theory, experiment and simulations. The theory entails the focus on optimizing the nozzle shape of the impeller to reduce viscous and eddies. The forward vane having shorter nozzle length has proved to be more efficient compared to the longer backward vane impeller, with an efficiency increase of nearly 5%. The experimental and CFD analysis to study the internal flow saw similitude in the streamline change in Euler moment. It also showed that there were not only increased viscous effects but also enhanced flow separation in the backward vanes at overload flows. The study also found radial clearance losses to be unacceptable for both the shapes. The overall conclusion was to move ahead with the forward design and convince the industry to adopt them for there have been greater strides in cost-effective manufacturing processes. The paper also recommends more study of intermediate blade angles since there was still persistence of small degree of vorticities in the forward blade nozzle. The optimization of volute-impeller interface along with the influence of non-flow zone would be other areas for future investigation. Synergy of academia and industry is also welcome to lend improved understanding in pumps as turbines and better translation to praxis.
The use of pyrosequencing for detection of hemagglutinin mutations associated with increased pathogenicity of H5N1 avian influenza viruses in mammals
Authors: Wang Chenxi , Zhang Yongning , Bing Guoxia , Zhang Xuxiao , Wang Caixia , Wang Mingyang , Sun Yipeng , Wu Shaoqiang , Lin Xiangmei , Pu Juan , Liu Jinhua , Sun Honglei
Published: April 2018

Hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage is critical for virulence of influenza viruses. The amino acid residue at the P6 position of the HA cleavage site (HACS) has been shown to be most variable and to have a direct correlation with the cleavage efficiency and pathogenicity of H5N1 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in mammals. Among these amino acid variants, serine has been associated with the highest virulence in mammals, and its detection may serve as an indicator for H5N1 AIVs with high pathogenicity and potential public risk. We developed a rapid detection method based on reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR and pyrosequencing to detect a mutation at the HACS that is associated with increased pathogenicity of H5N1 AIVs in mammals. Herein, we provide a specific, sensitive, and reliable method for rapid detection of one of the virulence determinants associated with increased pathogenicity of H5N1 AIVs in mammals.
International Counterterrorism Laws and Practices
Authors: Morag Nadav
Published: April 2018

This article focuses on the varying approaches to counterterrorism (CT) laws and practices in Israel and France and draws some lessons from these practices. The article looks at each country in the context of their respective legal approaches toward terrorism offenses, their various precharge and/or preventive detention practices, their investigatory and prosecutory approaches, their judicial institutions and frameworks, and, finally, the range of national agencies tasked with CT duties. This article then draws some conclusions regarding similarities and differences between the approaches employed by Israel and France and suggests some questions for future research.
Changes in Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations From Child Participation in Bicycle Trains for Commuting to and From School
Authors: Huang Cathy , Dannenberg Andrew L. , Haaland Wren , Mendoza Jason A.
Published: April 2018

Background. Active commuting to school (ACS) is associated with increased physical activity and lowered risk of obesity. In observational studies, ACS was associated with child self-efficacy, parent self-efficacy, and parent outcome expectations, although few experiments have assessed changes in these behavioral constructs. Aim. This study examined the effects of a bicycle train intervention (BTI) on child self-efficacy, parent self-efficacy, and parent outcome expectations in a diverse, low socioeconomic status population. Method. Data were from a 2014 BTI pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) on fourth to fifth graders aged 9 to 12 years, n = 54, from four schools serving low-income populations in Seattle, Washington. The BTI was a group of children and study staff who cycled together to/from school daily, while controls received no intervention. Responses to validated child self-efficacy, parent self-efficacy, and parent outcome expectations questionnaires ranged from 1 to 3. Adjusted linear mixed effects models estimated standardized coefficients for child self-efficacy, parent self-efficacy, and parent outcome expectations comparing intervention and controls from Time 1 (preintervention) to Time 2 (final 4-6 weeks of intervention). Results. The intervention group had increases in child self-efficacy of 0.84 standard deviations (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.37, 1.31]), parent self-efficacy of 0.46 standard deviations (95% CI [0.05, 0.86]), and parent outcome expectations of 0.47 standard deviations (95% CI [0.17, 0.76]) compared with controls from Times 1 to 2 (all ps <.05). Conclusion. A BTI improved child self-efficacy, parent self-efficacy, and parent outcome expectations, which warrants a larger RCT to examine long-term changes to these behavioral constructs and ACS.
Is My House My Home? An Analysis of “Nowhereness” Among “Noknowers” in Transitional Settings
Authors: Subasinghe Chamila
Published: April 2018

This study investigates the concept of home versus house among people who have been forcibly evicted from their long-term homes and are living in transitional settings due to the conflict in northeastern Sri Lanka. The discourse is built on two common notions related to liminalities of internally displaced people’s (IDP’s) transitional setting: “nowhereness” and “noknowers.” The study examines the causes and consequences of IDP’s perceived “nowhereness” in an unfamiliar physical setting, which in turn makes them “noknowers” in an unsupportive social setting. Transcripts from in-depth, open-ended interviews with IDPs are interpolated and categorized to distil themes among core meanings attached to the home. Though these IDPs were originally interviewed to ascertain their sense of home in the transitional shelter, many interviewees ended up focusing on nostalgic memories of their lost homes. The transitional shelter is not a home, but rather an indefinite process of making a home from sociocultural residues.
Malcolm Turnbull’s conversational career on Twitter: the case of the Australian Prime Minister and the NBN
Authors: Fuller Glen , Jolly Angus , Fisher Caroline
Published: April 2018

Politicians’ use of Twitter during election periods has been extensively researched. There has been less scholarly focus on the way politicians’ use of Twitter changes depending on their political circumstances. This article reports on an analysis of Malcolm Turnbull’s Twitter account from October 2008 to July 2016 examining his ‘engagement’ in terms of ‘conversations’ with political journalists, specialist technology writers and other Twitter users. It found Turnbull ‘conversed’ with the general public more than elites and revealed heated exchanges with specialist technology writers about the National Broadband Network (NBN) and more genial ‘banter’ with political journalists. It also showed a peak in ‘conversations’ when he was Shadow Minister for Communications and a sharp decline once he became Minister for Communications and then Prime Minister. This article points to the need for further long-duration research to better understand the impact of changing political contexts on politicians’ use of social media.
Voiceless but empowered farmers in corporate supply chains: Contradictory imagery and instrumental approach to empowerment
Authors: McCarthy Lucy , Touboulic Anne , Matthews Lee
Published: April 2018

There have been calls for a shift of focus toward the political and power-laden aspects of transitioning toward socially equitable global supply chains. This article offers an empirically grounded response to these calls from a critical realist stance in the context of global food supply chains. We examine how an imaginary for sustainable farming structured around an instrumental construction of empowerment limits what is viewed as permissible, desirable, and possible in global food supply chains. We adopt a multimodal critical discourse analysis to examine the sustainable farming imaginary for smallholder farmers constructed by one large organization, Unilever, in a series of videos produced and disseminated on YouTube. We expose the underlying mechanisms of power and marginalization at work within the sustainability imaginary and show how ‘empowerment’ has the potential to create new dependencies for these farmers. We recontextualize the representations to show that while the imaginary may be commercially feasible, it is less achievable in terms of empowering smallholder farmers.
Implementing systems-based innovations to improve access to early screening, diagnosis, and treatment services for children with autism spectrum disorder: An Autism Spectrum Disorder Pediatric, Early Detection, Engagement, and Services network study
Authors: Broder Fingert Sarabeth , Carter Alice , Pierce Karen , Stone Wendy L , Wetherby Amy , Scheldrick Chris , Smith Christopher , Bacon Elizabeth , James Stephen N , Ibañez Lisa , Feinberg Emily
Published: April 2018

In 2013, the National Institute of Mental Health funded five trials of unique, multicomponent, systems-based innovations designed to improve access to early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorder—collectively known as the Autism Spectrum Disorder Pediatric, Early Detection, Engagement, and Services Network. As part of an ongoing effort to pool data and learn from shared experience, we collected information across all studies about innovation components and implementation strategies. First, each study group completed standardized checklists based on the Template for Intervention Description and Replication and the Expert Recommendation for Implementing Change. Then, we interviewed principal and co-investigators of each study (n = 9) to further explore innovation components and assess barriers and facilitators to implementation. Innovation strategies were diverse (five different autism spectrum disorder screeners were used, 40% included early intervention trainings, 60% involved new technology). Common implementation strategies included developing stakeholder relationships and provider trainings. Barriers included inefficient systems of care, difficulty engaging families in the innovations, provider attitudes, and organizational culture (e.g. difficulty changing clinic processes). These findings suggest that—despite diverse settings and a variety of innovation content—common facilitators and challenges exist in implementing innovations to enhance access to early autism spectrum disorder screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
The prevalence of autistic traits in a homeless population
Authors: Churchard Alasdair , Ryder Morag , Greenhill Andrew , Mandy William
Published: April 2018

Anecdotal evidence suggests that autistic people experience an elevated risk of homelessness, but systematic empirical research on this topic is lacking. As a step towards filling this gap in knowledge, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the prevalence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) autism symptoms in a group of long-term homeless people. The entire caseload ( N = 106) of a UK homeless outreach team was screened (excluding individuals born outside of the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland) using an in-depth, semi-structured interview with keyworkers, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) diagnostic criteria. This showed adequate inter-rater reliability, as well as evidence of criterion and construct validity. Of the sample, 13 people (12.3%, 95% confidence interval (7.0, 20.4)) screened positive, meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) autism criteria by keyworker report. A further nine people (8.5%, 95% confidence interval (4.5, 15.3)) were ‘marginal’, having autistic traits that were not quite sufficient to meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) criteria. Those with elevated autistic traits, compared to those without, tended to be more socially isolated and less likely to use substances. This study has provided initial evidence that autistic traits are over-represented among homeless people and that autistic homeless people may show a distinct pattern of characteristics and needs. Further investigation is required to build upon these provisional findings.
The touch of iconoclasm
Authors: Pitcher Ben
Published: April 2018

This article reflects on some depicted intentional acts of iconoclasm undertaken by Isis in Northern Iraq and viewed as online videos. It attempts to consider what makes these moving images compelling to audiences who share an orientation to the protection and preservation of ancient artefacts. In doing so, it prompts a reflection on their circulation as part of stories that get told about cultural heritage, and particularly the simple civilizational oppositions that get set up between ‘Western’ and ‘Islamic’ culture. Centring on the significance of the sensation of touch to practices of cultural inscription, it suggests that the Northern Iraq videos animate forms of synaesthesic material engagement that are denied by the modernist technologies of museum culture.
Recovering the critical potential of social pathology diagnosis
Authors: Harris Neal
Published: April 2018

While the framework of social pathology remains a crucial tool for critical social theorists, there is confusion and debate surrounding the precise nature of the heuristic. The core argument of this article is that while the diagnosis of social pathology harbours radical potential as a critical device, recent developments have led to the ascendancy of a restrictive, recognition-cognitive understanding. I argue that this has displaced alternate, more radical framings. To illustrate the changing face of the heuristic, this article opens by articulating the merits and demerits of five predominant conceptions of social pathology. The second section elucidates the turn to increasingly view social pathology in a manner compatible with just one of these five framings. By drawing on, and extending, the existing critical literature, I seek to demonstrate the relative limitations of such an understanding. Throughout this analysis, I argue for the continued relevance of social pathology diagnosis, the need for sustained critical scholarship, and the dangers of embracing too readily the turn to an exclusively recognition-cognitive understanding of social pathology.
Democratic ideals and levels of political participation: The role of political and social conceptualisations of democracy
Authors: Oser Jennifer , Hooghe Marc
Published: April 2018

Concerns about democratic legitimacy in contemporary democracies bring new urgency to understanding how citizens’ attitudes and ideals affect their political activity. In this article, we analyse the relationship between citizens’ democratic ideals and political behaviour in the European Social Survey’s 2012 uniquely extensive questions on these topics in 29 countries. Using latent class analysis, we identify two groups of citizens who emphasise different citizenship concepts as discussed by T.H. Marshall, namely, a political rights and a social rights conception. The multilevel regression analyses indicate that those who emphasise social rights have relatively high levels of non-institutionalised political participation, but are less involved in institutionalised participation. In contrast, those who emphasise political rights are more active in all forms of participation. We conclude by discussing the implications of the findings that, even in an era of economic austerity, those who emphasise social rights are not the most politically active.
Pull-out bond strength and flexural load test of concrete beam with ethylene-vinyl acetate–modified cement slurry-coated rebar
Authors: Jo Youngkug , Do Jeongyun
Published: April 2018

A study has been conducted on a bond strength test of ethylene-vinyl acetate–modified ultra-high early strength cement slurry–coated rebar embedded in concrete and did a flexural loading test with the aim to verifying the feasibility of early strength cement slurry–coated rebar as a replacement for epoxy-coated rebar. Pull-out bond properties of the early strength cement slurry–coated rebar embedded in concrete with a 28-day compressive strength of 27 MPa depending on the coating thicknesses, curing ages, and polymer–cement ratios were experimentally investigated and mutually compared with two respective references consisting of a plain steel rebar and an epoxy-coated one. The effects of the uncoated, early strength cement slurry–coated, or epoxy-coated rebar embedded in a concrete beam with dimensions of 250, 350, and 3000 mm for the depth, height, and length, respectively, on the flexural loading capacity were investigated. From the results of this study, it was concluded that the early strength cement slurry–coated rebar with a coating thickness of 100 µm, and a curing time of 7 days could be competitive enough to replace epoxy-coated rebar based on the bond strength and flexural loading test results.
The development and use of the assessment of dementia awareness and person-centred care training tool in long-term care
Authors: Griffiths Alys Wyn , Surr Claire A , Creese Byron , Garrod Lucy , Chenoweth Lynn
Published: April 2018

Policy and practice guidelines recommend person-centred care to support people to live well with dementia in long-term care. Therefore, staff working in long-term care settings need to be trained in dementia awareness and person-centred care. However, the access to, content of and reach of training across long-term care settings can be varied. Data on current and ongoing access to person-centred care training can form an important component of data gathered on usual care in research studies, in particular clinical trials within long-term care. However, no suitable assessment tools are available to measure dementia awareness and person-centred care training availability, content and reach. This paper describes the development of a training audit tool to meet this need for a usual care measure of dementia awareness and person-centred care training. The ‘Assessment of Dementia Awareness and Person-centred care Training’ tool was based on a review of published person-centred care literature and consultation with dementia and aged care experts. The Assessment of Dementia Awareness and Person-centred care Training tool was piloted in 13 long-term care facilities the UK and Australia, before being used to assess the content of dementia and person-centred care awareness training in 50 UK settings in a randomized controlled trial as part of usual care recording. Following pilot testing, modifications to the Assessment of Dementia Awareness and Person-centred care Training tool’s wording were made to enhance item clarity. When implemented in the randomized controlled trial, pre-baseline training assessment data showed that the Assessment of Dementia Awareness and Person-centred care Training tool was able to differentiate between the training in different long-term care settings and identify settings where further dementia awareness training was required. The Assessment of Dementia Awareness and Person-centred care Training tool was then used as a method of recording data on dementia awareness and person-centred care training as part of ongoing usual care data collection. The Assessment of Dementia Awareness and Person-centred care Training tool is suitable for use by researchers to establish the availability, content and reach of dementia and person-centred care awareness training to staff within research studies.
Educating girls in Congo: An unsolved pedagogical paradox since colonial times?
Authors: Depaepe Marc , Lembagusala Kikumbi Annette
Published: April 2018

Generally speaking, colonial education in Congo did not engender a very great widening of consciousness among the local population. Mostly, it resulted in inevitable submission through discipline and order. This was particularly the case for girls, for which fewer initiatives were taken than for boys. Moreover, gender stereotypes from the ‘mother’ country clearly dominated the evolution of female education in Congo. At best girls were trained for care-taking professions. After independence, some Congolese leaders, like Mulele (the first Minister of Education of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mobutu (who called himself ‘the founding president of Zaire’) wanted to break the colonial tradition by putting education in a more authentic African context. However, both educational models – the one of Mulele as well as the one of his adversary Mobutu - were in the end not very successful. The least we can say, at the basis of some oral history, is that the pedagogical paradox between the rhetoric of emancipation and the existing everyday educational realities in Africa is far from being solved.
Adherence to long-term oxygen therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Gauthier Amélie , Bernard Sarah , Bernard Emmanuelle , Simard Serge , Maltais François , Lacasse Yves
Published: April 2018

Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) has beneficial effects on survival in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe hypoxemia at rest. Two landmark trials suggested that these benefits depend on the time of exposure to oxygen. Patients are usually prescribed LTOT for at least 15–18 hours/day. The primary objective of this study was to determine the average daily exposure to supplemental oxygen in patients with severely hypoxemic COPD who were newly prescribed LTOT and the proportion of patients who were adherent to their prescription. The secondary objective was to identify predictors of compliance to LTOT. We performed a retrospective observational study of patients newly registered in a regional home oxygen program in Quebec, Canada, between July 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014. Daily exposure to oxygen was objectively measured from the concentrator’s counter clock. From 196 patients registered in the program during the study period, 115 contributed to the analysis. Most patients ( n = 84; 73%) were prescribed oxygen for ≥18 hours/day. Overall, the 115 patients were exposed to home oxygen for 17.8 hours/day; 60% of the patients were compliant according to our definition. Increasing age and ambulatory oxygen utilization predicted adherence to oxygen therapy. Adherence to home oxygen therapy is suboptimal. Behavioral and psychological interventions to improve compliance to LTOT should be investigated.
South African Research Ethics Committee Review of Standards of Prevention in HIV Vaccine Trial Protocols
Authors: Essack Zaynab , Wassenaar Douglas R.
Published: April 2018

HIV prevention trials provide a prevention package to participants to help prevent HIV acquisition. As new prevention methods are proven effective, this raises ethical and scientific design complexities regarding the prevention package or standard of prevention. Given its high HIV incidence and prevalence, South Africa has become a hub for HIV prevention research. For this reason, it is critical to study the implementation of relevant ethical-legal frameworks for such research in South Africa. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to explore the practices and perspectives of eight members of South African research ethics committees (RECs) who have reviewed protocols for HIV vaccine trials. Their practices and perspectives are compared with ethics guideline requirements for standards of prevention.
Experimental and numerical analysis of hydrodynamic impact on stiffened side of three-dimensional elastic stiffened plates
Authors: Sun Hua , Wang De-yu
Published: April 2018

Hydroelasticity is a phenomenon which occurs during the interaction between water and a deformable structure. Predicting the structural deformation and stress during water entry is a highly challenging endeavor and suitable computer-aided design tools are currently being developed and validated. This article discusses a hydrodynamic problem of the water impact on the stiffened side of elastic stiffened plates; the problem is addressed via an experimental approach and by explicit finite element method with a Multi-Material Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian solver. A series of water entry tests were conducted to measure the impact pressure and effective stress on the stiffened panel at different drop heights. Convergence studies were conducted to run the numerical analysis; the results are consistent with the experimental data. Influences of drop height, stiffeners, and air cushion on pressure and effective stresses are discussed. Impact pressure and effective stress increase linearly with drop height. Stiffeners with different dimensions and directions appear to exert various effects on the maximum value, duration, and starting time of pressure and stress. The air cushion primarily increases the pressure duration and reduces its maximum value, and its property is discussed in detail.
Research on adaptive grasping with object pose uncertainty by multi-fingered robot hand
Authors: Fan Shaowei , Gu Haiwei , Zhang Yuanfei , Jin Minghe , Liu Hong
Published: April 2018

In the process of grasping objects by robot, the uncertainty of the object pose has greater impact on the stability of grasping. In this article, an adaptive grasping strategy is proposed to solve the problem of pose uncertainty in the grasping process. The strategy is based on the finger state function to switch control method, so as to realize the contact with the object by the fingers, and the application of grasp force to ensure the pre-grasp stability of the object; then, the object pose error is estimated through the contact between finger and object, and the pose error of the object is compensated according to the different error ranges to reduce the influence of the pose error on the grasp stability. Finally, the grasping experiments by humanoid robot are carried out to verify the performance of the adaptive grasping method proposed in this article.
Adaptation and validation of the Transactive Memory System Scale in Sport (TMSS-S)
Authors: Leo Francisco M , González-Ponce Inmaculada , Sánchez-Oliva David , Pulido Juan J , García-Calvo Tomás
Published: April 2018

This study aimed to adapt and validate the Transactive Memory System Scale in Sport with professional players. The participants were 375 male and 229 female professional players, aged between 15 and 38 years ( M = 24.34, SD = 4.03). The structure of the instrument was analyzed through confirmatory procedures and supporting the hypothesized theoretical model of one second-order factor and three first-order factors. Results showed that the hierarchical structure solution had a good fit of the data. Thus, the structure of the Transactive Memory System Scale in Sport is composed with one second-order factor and three first-order factors: specialization, credibility, and coordination. Furthermore, reliability and invariance across gender were also shown, and the scale had good concurrent validity. These results suggest that the Transactive Memory System Scale in Sport is a valid and reliable instrument to measure the transactive memory system in sport with male and female professional players.
Contribution of APCs to mucosal-associated invariant T cell activation in infectious disease and cancer
Authors: Shey Muki Shehu , Balfour Avuyonke , Wilkinson Katalin Andrea , Meintjes Graeme
Published: April 2018

APCs such as monocytes and dendritic cells are among the first cells to recognize invading pathogens and initiate an immune response. The innate response can either eliminate the pathogen directly, or through presentation of Ags to T cells, which can help to clear the infection. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are among the unconventional T cells whose activation does not involve the classical co-stimulation during Ag presentation. MAIT cells can be activated either via presentation of unconventional Ags (such as riboflavin metabolites) through the evolutionarily conserved major histocompatibility class I-like molecule, MR1, or directly by cytokines such as IL-12 and IL-18. Given that APCs produce cytokines and can express MR1, these cells can play an important role in both pathways of MAIT cell activation. In this review, we summarize evidence on the role of APCs in MAIT cell activation in infectious disease and cancer. A better understanding of the interactions between APCs and MAIT cells is important in further elucidating the role of MAIT cells in infectious diseases, which may facilitate the design of novel interventions such as vaccines.
The ouroboros of rubrics: A conundrum, a case, and a call
Authors: Bright Anita
Published: April 2018

In this think piece, the author explores a conundrum and tension related to using rubrics to evaluate doctoral work. She ponders whether the use of rubrics provides beneficial ways for students to “crack the code” of academia, and/or whether the use of rubrics is perhaps a tool to engender conformity. With these competing ideas in mind, the author considers in what ways one might press for means to provide this on-ramp of access for students to the existing power structures, while at the same time seeking to change academia, to more equitably provide spaces for a range in ways of knowing, growing, expressing, framing, and presenting research. How might scholars support their students in engaging in what Rochelle Gutiérrez describes as simultaneously “playing the game” while also “changing the game?” Invoking challenges to existing power structures, such as those voiced in critical race theory and decolonizing epistemologies, this essay speaks to the tensions within the sacred spaces in academia which have been established by those with the greatest historical power.
Extended bioreactor conditioning of mononuclear cell–seeded heart valve scaffolds
Authors: VeDepo Mitchell , Buse Eric , Quinn Rachael , Hopkins Richard , Converse Gabriel
Published: April 2018

The tissue-engineered heart valve may be the ideal valve replacement option but still must overcome challenges in leaflet recellularization. This study sought to investigate the potential for leaflet matrix restoration and repopulation following mononuclear cell seeding and extended periods of bioreactor conditioning. Human aortic heart valves were seeded with mononuclear cells and conditioned in a pulsatile bioreactor for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 6 weeks. The results of this study determined that a mononuclear cell population can be readily localized within the leaflet tissue in as little as 3 days. Furthermore, as extended bioreactor condition continued to the 3- and 6-week time points, the mesenchymal stem cell subfraction proliferated and appeared to become the predominant cell phenotype. This was evident through positive expression of mesenchymal stem cell markers and no expression of mononuclear cell markers observed by immunohistochemistry in the 3- and 6-week groups. In addition, cells in the 3- and 6-week groups exhibited an up-regulation of mesenchymal stem cell–associated genes ( THY1, NT5E, and ITGB1) and a down-regulation of mononuclear cell–associated genes ( CD14, ICAM1, and PECAM1) compared to the initial seeded cell population. However, repopulation of the leaflet interstitium was less extensive than anticipated. Valves in the 6-week time point also exhibited retracted leaflets. Thus, while the 3-week bioreactor-conditioning period used in this study may hold some promise, a bioreactor-conditioning period of 6 weeks is not a viable option for clinical translation due to the negative impact on valve performance.
Evaluating A Safe Space Training for School Counselors and Trainees Using a Randomized Control Group Design
Authors: Byrd Rebekah , Hays Danica G.
Published: April 2018

School counselors need to advocate and act as an ally for all students. Safe Space, a training designed to facilitate competency for working with and serving LGBTQ youth (i.e., LGBTQ competency), has received increased attention in the field of school counseling. However, limited empirical support exists for training interventions such as Safe Space, with only one study to date examining its effectiveness for graduate psychology students (see Finkel, Storaasli, Bandele & Schaefer, 2003). This study used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design to evaluate and examine the impact of Safe Space training on competency levels of a sample of school counselors/school counselor trainees and to explore the relationship between LGBTQ competency and awareness of sexism and heterosexism.
“So I Went Out There”: A Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of Rural School Counselor Social Justice Advocates
Authors: Grimes Lee Edmondson , Haskins Natoya , Paisley Pamela O.
Published: April 2018

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of rural school counselors as social justice advocates. The first author interviewed seven participants in their respective communities and identified five themes, including both positive and negative elements: the stability of place, community promise, mutual reliance, professional and personal integration, and a focus on individuals. The authors include implications for practice and future research on the ways that rural school counselors can use community resources to advocate for marginalized groups of students.
An Examination of the Role of Online Technology in School Counseling
Authors: Steele Tracy M. , Jacokes Darlene E. , Stone Carolyn B.
Published: April 2018

A national study conducted with the members of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) database examined school counselors’ utilization of online technologies. The researchers also explored beliefs and practices and examined mitigating factors such as school counselors’ background, training, and experience. Training impacted counselors’ belief in the advantages of technology and their level of comfort. Females were significantly more likely to blur personal and professional boundaries irrespective of their training. The article discusses implications for school counselors.
Role of Active Versus Passive Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches in Pain Management
Authors: Cosio David , Lin Erica
Published: April 2018

Background

A general conclusion about the treatment of chronic, noncancer pain is that the results from traditional, passive modalities are disheartening. Perhaps this may be due to the propensity of patients to seek out passive versus active treatments. In pain management, active treatments should be the primary focus, with passive interventions as an adjunct.

Objective

The current study tested the hypotheses that Veterans would report a greater significant increase in active versus transitional and active versus passive complementary and integrative health (CIH) utilization after completing a formal pain education program.

Methods

The current study is a secondary analysis of existing data from an original study. The current study used a quasi-experimental, 1-group, pre-/posttest design. One hundred three Veterans completed a 12-week, “Pain Education School” program at a Midwestern VA Medical Center between November 4, 2011, and October 26, 2012. As part of the introduction and conclusion of the program, all Veterans completed a pre- and posteducation assessment which included an adaptation of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire©, SECTION A: Use of Alternative Health Care Providers measure.

Results

Significant differences were found between the pre- and posttest measures of use of active ( P = .000) ( p<.001), transitional ( P = .011), and passive ( P = .007) CIH modalities.

Conclusion

The current findings suggest that an educational intervention in conjunction with the availability of treatment options has the potential to increase the use of those treatments. The current pain education program also seems to be aligned with the goal of pain self-management, which is to utilize more active interventions as a primary therapy.