bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Photographs of Meaning Program for Pediatric Palliative Caregivers: Feasibility of a Novel Meaning-Making Intervention
Authors: Levy Kathryn , Grant Pei C. , Depner Rachel M. , Tenzek Kelly E. , Pailler Megan E. , Beaupin Lynda K. , Breier Jennifer M. , Byrwa David J.
Published: January 2019

Background:

Research indicates that informal caregiving can have intense physical and mental impact on the individual. Relative to caregivers of adults, pediatric palliative caregivers appear less in literature despite experiencing greater mental, physical, financial, and social strain. There is limited research on the creation and evaluation of interventions specifically for this population despite clear need.

Objective:

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and engagement of the Photographs of Meaning Program, a modified meaning-making intervention for pediatric palliative caregivers.

Design:

Participants completed a pre–post intervention meaning-in-life measure. Over a 9-week period, participants followed a meaning-making curriculum whereby they created and shared photo narratives via social media. As part of the intervention, a community photo exhibition was held featuring these photo narratives. Exit interviews were also conducted at study close.

Setting/Participants:

Nine individuals providing informal care to children in a pediatric palliative care program participated in the intervention. All participants were female and are older than 18 years. Settings for research include participant homes and at The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care in Cheektowaga, New York.

Results:

Participants posted 95 photographs and 96 narratives during the intervention, posting on average once each week. Statistical analysis within the small sample indicated an increased presence of meaning in the lives of participants ( P = .022). Exit interviews conveyed satisfaction with the intervention.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest that the Photographs of Meaning Program is a practical intervention with life-enhancing potential for pediatric palliative. Future research should aim to collect additional evidence of the intervention’s effectiveness.
Teacher Perceptions of the Impact of an Evaluation System on Classroom Instructional Practices
Authors: Donahue Erika , Vogel Linda R.
Published: January 2019

While many states have adopted new requirements for teacher evaluations in pursuit of Race to the Top funding (Darling-Hammond, 2013), this qualitative case study of one Rocky Mountain school district that has been working on developing a system of supervision and evaluation to support teacher effectiveness for over a decade examines how teachers believe the supervision and evaluation practice impacts their daily classroom instructional practices. Five themes emerged from the interview data of 30 teachers across the district and in diverse teaching positions. Feedback, quality of relationships, the evaluation rubric, modeling, personal integrity, and self-reflection were identified as mechanisms that enabled teachers to benefit from the existing system. These themes revealed the complexity of the system in which multiple mechanisms must work in coordination in order for teachers to realize the benefits in their daily instructional practice.
When Johnny Becomes Janie
Authors: Hart Walter H. , Hart Laura
Published: January 2019

As transgender individuals receive more attention nationwide, it is only a matter of time before increased numbers of transgender educators seek placement in teacher education programs, and eventually, employment as teachers. Given the high levels of discrimination against transgender individuals historically, it is reasonable that P–12 school leaders and educator preparation programs (EPPs) would seek to proactively determine obstacles that may exist when placing transgender teacher candidates (and future employees) in schools for field experiences. The researchers for this study engaged in a qualitative approach, interviewing 14 school leaders in seven different districts on their attitudes regarding field placement and possible hiring of transgender teacher candidates. Emerging themes noted that while school leaders expressed an appreciation for diversity, they believed the presence of a transgender teacher candidate would stimulate resistance in their local communities. Further comments by participants indicated a need for training to provide leaders with guidance on navigating these issues, as well as training to better understand the transgender experience.
Teacher Collaborative Action Research
Authors: Curry Katherine A. , Mania-Singer Jackie , Harris ED , Richardson Shawna
Published: January 2019

This qualitative case study utilized distributed leadership theory and Capobianco and Feldman's (2006) conceptualization of conditions for collaborative action research (CAR) to describe the implementation of CAR as professional development (PD) and school improvement strategy in two educational contexts, one alternative school and one rural, in a Midwestern state. Findings indicate that distributed leadership facilitates CAR as a powerful PD tool and results in development of action plans for school improvement; however, conditions are necessary for CAR to effect professional practice.
Embedding Performance Assessments for Leaders into Preparation
Authors: Orr Margaret Terry , Hollingworth Liz , Cook Janice
Published: January 2019

This article presents pilot study results of two leadership performance assessments, designed for a California principal preparation program and embedded in preparation using two learning approaches. The pilot study had two purposes: to evaluate the assessments‘ content validity and to evaluate the candidates’ leadership skills as demonstrated through their assessment products and an independent self-assessment tool. The evidence showed the tasks to be valid and useful tools for formative leadership development for different candidates and school settings. Participant feedback on the assessments‘ benefits and independent self-assessment ratings provided construct validation. We concluded that these are promising assessment tools for programs’ use in candidate assessment.
Perceptions of Elementary Principals on Compass Evaluation System
Authors: Brown Eboni , Bista Krishna
Published: January 2019

This study explores the perceptions of elementary school principals on the Compass teacher evaluation system in a Southern Louisiana school district in the United States. There were seven themes that emerged from the qualitative data analysis: compliance, subjectivity, accountability, expectation, confinement, inconsistency, and helpfulness. Data analysis led to the following major findings: (a) all principals comply with the functions of Compass; (b) principals experience subjectivity when using the Compass teacher evaluation system; (c) principals believe that Compass holds teachers accountable for their performances; (d) principals would like Compass to be consistent, unambiguous, and not place limitations on teacher practices; and (e) principals experience a lack of involvement and support from the central office.
Using Classroom Observations and Student Surveys to Evaluate Alternatively Certified Teachers
Authors: Swanson Elise , Ritter Gary
Published: January 2019

One of the greatest challenges faced by school leaders across the United States is the recruitment of high-quality educators, and many programs have been developed to address this problem. This study evaluates one such program. We evaluate the Arkansas Teacher Corps (ATC), an alternative teacher certification program that places teachers in high-needs schools in Arkansas. We measure teacher effectiveness through classroom observations and student surveys. We form our comparison group by matching ATC Fellows with 1–2 similar teachers in the same school who were not certified through ATC. We use multivariate regression to examine differences between ATC Fellows and comparison teachers on multiple dimensions of teaching. Students rate ATC teachers as significantly more effective on teacher-student relationships in class, teacher-student relationships out of class, and class engagement. Third-party observers detect no significant differences.
A Historical and Political Look at the Modern School Choice Movement
Authors: Logan Stephanie R.
Published: January 2019

School choice in the United States can be traced back to the start of civil society when wealthy families selected a school based on educational philosophy, location, or religious tradition. As common schools emerged, larger portions of the population were able to gain access to education. However, many discovered that quality public schools were not a reality for all students. In response, some looked to school choices within and outside of the public school sector. This literature review chronicles school choice efforts to emerge following the 1954 Brown decision and highlights liberal and conservative political heritages of school choice in the United States.
The Evolution of Inclusive Practice in Two Elementary Schools: Reforming Teacher Purpose, Instructional Capacity, and Data-Informed Practice
Authors: Hoppey David , Black William R. , Mickelson Ann M.
Published: January 2019

This qualitative case study focuses on the evolution of inclusive school reform in two elementary schools in a large metropolitan district. Four central themes that emerged during data analysis are highlighted: (1) Unifying a vision: Reframing special education; (2) Developing collaborative structures for inclusion; (3) Increasing confidence and capacity: The importance of data-informed practice; and (4) Negotiating district and state constraints on inclusive practice. This article concludes with a discussion of the study's implications for inclusive school reform as well as directions for future research.
Is There Real Freedom of School Choice?: An Analysis from a Study in Chile1
Authors: Mediavilla Mauro , Zancajo Adrián
Published: January 2019

Between 1981 and 1990, Chile began to implement an education reform based on school choice and a financing system through vouchers. In theory, the system ensures complete freedom of choice of school by families. This article attempts to identify the existence of factors that conditioned the enrollment process in different types of schools existing nowadays in the Chilean educational system, the largest quasi-market of Latin America. Results show a social stratification and separation by schools and indicate how geographical distance and social composition are the most critical factors for families when choosing a school.
Aligning the Tuning Forks: Using the Intersections of Organizational Frames and Systems Disciplines: Facilitating Effective Collaboration between Schools Needing Improvement and Regional Improvement Agencies
Authors: Bernato Richard
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this article is to align the needs and wants of schools in need of improvement and state, federal, and regional agencies charged with assisting them in their reform efforts by using spreadsheet thinking through two lenses, Bolman and Deal's four organizational paradigms and Peter Senge's five disciplines of a learning organization. Taken together, in a force-fitting Tuning Forks model approach, where analysts use the intersection of each framework insofar as they act on each other, enables school improvement collaborators to align new action perspectives.

This article is divided into three sections: The first part presents the context to the issues associated with collaboration between Regional Educational Improvement Agencies (REA) and Schools in Need of Improvement (SU). The second section provides descriptions of the two analytical dimensions. These are then synthesized into cross impact charts that demonstrate potential issues either driving or obstructing their collaborative efforts. A third section provides guidelines to minimize obstructions and promotes collaborative alignment between schools in need of reform and regional agencies charged with assisting their efforts.
Development of a 50-State Typology of Education Governance
Authors: Smith Joanna , Gasparian Hovanes
Published: January 2019

To better understand the complexities of state education governance systems, this study uses Brewer and Smith's (2008) framework to examine the structures, policies, and processes in each state's K–12 education system. We conducted a legislative review to examine three dimensions of educational governance: (1) level of control, (2) distribution of authority, and (3) degree of participation. The resulting 7 indicators and 35 sub-indicators were weighted to create a typology that sorts states into eight possible designations. This typology enables policymakers and future researchers to understand how various policies enhance or inhibit educational goals in different state settings.
Selecting a Reading Intervention Program for Struggling Readers: A Case Study of an Urban District
Authors: Auletto Kathryn C. , Sableski Mary-Kate
Published: January 2019

Reading intervention programs provide the foundation for the educational success of students, especially those who are considered struggling readers. States across the country recently implemented legislation related to reading achievement, in which districts are required to provide specific literacy interventions to struggling readers in order to prevent retention. The choice in reading instructional programs has long-term impact on the future of students, as it is these programs that determine the need for retention in response to this legislation. This research study examines the factors that affect the decision of an urban district in selecting a reading intervention program to support struggling readers. The primary data sources include interviews and observations of two teachers who have chosen different reading intervention programs within the district. This study provides insights into schools currently affected by this policy and how they are choosing to respond to the new demands. The research question is: What factors influence an urban school district's decision about specific reading instruction programs for struggling readers in response to state legislation requirements?
Assessment Reform in Shanghai: Issues and Challenges
Authors: Tan Charlene , Ng Connie S. L.
Published: January 2019

This article investigates the perceptions of educators from Shanghai on the assessment system and reform in their municipality. The study shows that the Chinese educators perceive the conventional assessment system in Shanghai, particularly the national college entrance exam (gaokao), to be rigorous and fair but inadequate in fostering the holistic development of students. While the Chinese educators support the current assessment reform that is aimed at holistic education, they highlight the challenges of enacting alternative assessment due to prevailing historical and socio-cultural conditions. The case of Shanghai illustrates the continual relevance, strengths, and weaknesses of conventional assessment as well as its potential in complementing alternative assessment.
Notes on Technology Devices in Research: Negotiating Field Boundaries and Relationships
Authors: Mainsah Henry , Prøitz Lin
Published: January 2019

This article explores the consequences of ethnographic practice when social and mobile media are used both as tools for research and sites of study. We draw on incidents from our fieldwork practice to reflect on the research intimacies that are produced when digital media technologies bring different spheres of researchers’ worlds in close proximity. We show how managing the unstable rhythms and temporal structures of ethnographic fieldwork practice might involve dispensing a considerable amount of affective energy.
The Politics of Gray Data: Digital Methods, Intimate Proximity, and Research Ethics for Work on the “Alt-Right”
Authors: Rambukkana Nathan
Published: January 2019

This article addresses how gray data, or research data that have their provenance in the gray area between found texts and the products of participants, is complicated by issues inherent to studying the “alt-right,” especially in social justice–oriented and digital methods work. Although ethical guidelines and recommendations have not reached a consensus on issues such as requiring consent for doing work on gray data in general, fruitful contextual discussions that take in differing worldviews and political goals can help triangulate an approach to making decisions for specific projects. Furthermore, the overt hostility of “alt-right” groups to researchers is also considered as a complicating factor, one that extends the meaning of “ethical responsibility” to also include responsibilities to additional parties, such as those you are citing, research assistants, and family members. The article concludes with a consideration of the intimate proximities created by social justice–oriented and digital methods research on the “alt-right,” and a set of guiding questions for doing such work that, while not quite a set of best practices, are offered as signposts to help researchers navigate what are ultimately highly singular and emergent ethical problematics.
The Current Psychiatric Mental Health Registered Nurse Workforce
Authors: Phoenix Bethany J.
Published: January 2019

OBJECTIVE: To define and describe the current psychiatric mental health registered nursing (PMHN) workforce providing care for persons with mental health and substance use conditions, evaluate sources of data relevant to this workforce, identify additional data needs, and discuss areas for action and further investigation. METHOD: This article uses currently available data, much of it unpublished, to describe the current PMHN workforce. RESULTS: The available data indicate that PMHNs represent the second largest group of behavioral health professionals in the United States. As is true of the overall nursing workforce, PMHNs are aging, overwhelming female, and largely Caucasian, although the PMHN workforce is becoming more diverse as younger nurses enter the field. PMHNs are largely employed in the mental health specialty sector, and specifically in institutional settings. Similar to other behavioral health professionals, a significant shortage of PMHNs exists in rural areas. Because of data limitations and difficulty accessing the best available data on the PMHN workforce, it is often overlooked or mischaracterized in published research and government reports on the behavioral health workforce. CONCLUSIONS: Although PMHNs are one of the largest groups in the behavioral health workforce, they are largely invisible in the psychiatric literature. Psychiatric nursing must correct misperceptions about the significance of the PMHN workforce and increase awareness of its importance among government agencies, large health care organizations, and within the broader nursing profession.
Reversing Positions: Constructions of Masculine Victimhood in Online Discussions about Intimate Partner Violence Committed by Women
Authors: Venäläinen Satu
Published: January 2019

Discussions about men’s victimization by their female intimate partners have gained increased visibility in the last two decades. These discussions put victim positions on offer for men that stand in stark contrast to more widespread associations between masculinity and perpetration of violence. This article examines how these contradictory positionings play out and are discursively negotiated in Finnish online discussions of female-inflicted intimate partner violence (IPV). Two recurring types of positioning of men were identified in the analysis: neglected victims and naturally superior perpetrators. The analysis illustrates how gendered differences between men and women in relation to violence are both reiterated and denied in the processes of enacting, balancing, and rhetorically employing these positionings. Thereby, light is shed on the multiplicity of complex and fluid ways in which masculinities are constructed and customized in the context of meaning-making surrounding the issue of IPV.
Can Therapeutic Hypothermia Diminish the Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury in Drosophila melanogaster?
Authors: Lateef Shan , Holman Aubrie , Carpenter Jessica , James Jennifer
Published: January 2019

Background/main objectives:

No effective strategy exists to treat the well-recognized, devastating impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is the brain degeneration likely caused by repeated head trauma. The goals of this project were (1) to study the effects of single and recurrent TBI (rTBI) on Drosophila melanogaster’s (a) life span, (b) response to sedatives, and (c) behavioral responses to light and gravity and (2) to determine whether therapeutic hypothermia can mitigate the deleterious effects of TBI.

Methods:

Five experimental groups were created: (1) control, (2) single TBI or concussion; (3) concussion + hypothermia, (4) rTBI, and (5) rTBI + hypothermia. A “high-impact trauma” (HIT) device was built, which used a spring-based mechanism to propel flies against the wall of a vial, causing mechanical damage to the brain. Hypothermia groups were cooled to 15°C for 3 minutes. Group differences were analyzed with chi-square tests for the categorical variables and with ANOVA tests for the continuous variables.

Results:

Survival curve analysis showed that rTBI can decrease Drosophila lifespan and hypothermia diminished this impact. Average sedation time for control vs concussion vs concussion + hypothermia was 78 vs 52 vs 61 seconds ( P < .0001). Similarly, rTBI vs rTBI/hypothermia groups took 43 vs 59 seconds ( P < .0001). Concussed flies preferred dark environments compared with control flies (risk ratio 3.3, P < .01) while flies who were concussed and cooled had a risk ratio of 2.7 ( P < .01). Flies with rTBI were almost 4 times likely to prefer the dark environment but only 3 times as likely if they were cooled, compared with controls. Geotaxis was significantly affected by rTBI only and yet less so if rTBI flies were cooled.

Conclusions:

Hypothermia successfully mitigated many deleterious effects of single TBI and rTBI in Drosophila and may represent a promising breakthrough in the treatment of human TBI.
The Effect of Sodium Channel Blocker, Mexiletine, on Body Weight in Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Visceral Obesity
Authors: Ueno Naohiko
Published: January 2019

Objective:

Mexiletine is an anti-arrhythmic agent also used for the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy. In this study, the effect of mexiletine on body weight was evaluated in type 2 diabetes patients with diabetic neuropathy exhibiting visceral obesity.

Methods:

Type 2 diabetes patients with neuropathy exhibiting visceral obesity (n = 21) treated by mexiletine (300 mg/day) and a control group of type 2 diabetes patients with the same condition who received vitamin B12 (n = 12) were retrospectively evaluated. Body weight, waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, liver function, serum lipids, and serum uric acid were assessed before and 6 months after the treatment.

Results:

Mexiletine significantly decreased body weight and waist circumference. The changes in body weight and waist circumference in 6 months in the mexiletine group were greater than in the control group. In metabolic parameters, there were significant decreases in triglyceride (TG) and serum uric acid. There were positive relationships between the change in body weight and the changes in TG, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and HbA1c.

Conclusions:

Mexiletine may affect body weight regulation. It ameliorated the metabolic parameters possibly by decreasing visceral fat. Further study should be performed to clarify the mechanism of the effect.
Breaking down barriers to birth control access: An assessment of online platforms prescribing birth control in the USA
Authors: Zuniga Carmela , Grossman Daniel , Harrell Sara , Blanchard Kelly , Grindlay Kate
Published: January 2019

Introduction

In the USA, the requirement that individuals obtain a prescription for hormonal contraception is a significant barrier for women who lack the time, finances, insurance coverage or means of transportation to visit a provider. The emergence of telemedicine services has removed some of these barriers by providing women with the opportunity to conveniently obtain birth control prescriptions through their computer or smartphone.

Methods

In this article, we compare the prescribing processes and policies of online platforms that prescribe hormonal contraceptives to women in the USA, and use the recommendations of the 2016 US medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use to evaluate whether online prescribers are providing evidence-based care.

Results

As of February 2018, nine online platforms prescribed hormonal birth control to women across various states in the USA. These platforms varied in regard to their prescribing processes, range of methods offered, locations of operation, fees for services, and policies regarding age restrictions.

Discussion

An assessment of each platform’s online health questionnaire reveals that these telemedicine services are adequately screening for contraindications and safely providing birth control methods to patients, although efforts could be made to strengthen the rigour of online health questionnaires to ensure they adequately screen for all contraindications.
They’re a sorry bunch: Perceptions of outgroup entitativity shape the receipt of intergroup apology
Authors: Leonard Diana J.
Published: January 2019

This paper explores whether perceived entitativity of a group (i.e., how much it is seen as a unit) influences how its apologies are perceived. Because entitative groups are assigned agency and collective responsibility and their members are viewed as interchangeable, their apologies were hypothesized to appear more sincere and less due to ulterior motives. This effect emerged with small groups apologizing for minor grievances (Studies 1 and 2), although not always if the apology came from a leader (vs. the whole group). In Study 3, these benefits of entitativity extended to greater liking for the more entitative group, and in the case of a government apologizing for international harm. Whereas past research has emphasized the harmful impact outgroup entitativity can have on intergroup relations, these studies suggest entitativity can have benefits when the intergroup behavior is a beneficial one (e.g., apology).
Use of the electromechanical impedance method in the detection of inclusions: application to mammary tumors
Authors: Menegaz Gabriela Lima , Tsuruta Karina Mayumi , Finzi Neto Roberto Mendes , Steffen Valder , Araujo Cleudmar Amaral , Guimarães Gilmar
Published: January 2019

Breast cancer is a public health problem and has the highest incidence and mortality in the female population worldwide. Early detection of breast cancer is essential for reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. Some methods for detecting breast tumors include ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, tomosynthesis, and mammography, which are recommended as screening techniques. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, such as discomfort to the patient during examination, possible reactions to the contrast agent, radiation emission, operator dependence for the analysis of results, difficulty of detection in dense tissues, lack of access for people with disabilities or low mobility, high cost, and radioactive waste production. The main objective of this work is to apply the electromechanical impedance method to the detection of inclusions so that it can be used as an alternative to existing techniques for the detection of breast tumors. The application of the electromechanical impedance method using piezoelectric transducers, acting simultaneously as sensors and actuators, coupled to the analyzed structure allows the monitoring of mass, rigidity, and/or damping variations, and consequent detection of inclusions. The detection of inclusions is possible owing to damage metrics, which are statistical parameters capable of numerically representing the difference between two measurements before and after damage. In this work, silicone samples and phantom breast models were analyzed. In addition, it was observed that external heating imposed on the models and the presence of heat generation in the inclusions aided detection. This work presents important contributions in the analysis of structural behavior, expanding the applications of damage detection techniques to hyperplastic materials.
Learning nature in schools: Benjamin contra Dietzgen on nature’s ‘free gifts’
Authors: Boxley Simon
Published: January 2019

When we learn nature, do we encounter her as ‘free’ in the sense of having neither cost nor price? Is she something ‘given’? And is that which nature offers us ‘gratis’? In the UK, many schoolchildren have been encouraged to ‘give thanks’ for nature’s gifts. But why, if she is free, give thanks; and thanks to whom? If one learns to encounter nature as ‘free’, is she then really free for the taking? Walter Benjamin notably derided Joseph Dietzgen for regarding what nature supplies to humanity as ‘gratis’, and long argument has continued among Marxists since Benjamin's time concerning how we regard nature’s ‘gifts’. This paper addresses the ideological appropriation of nature, and makes this a pedagogical question best approached through readings of Benjamin and Dietzgen. It does so in a context where education policy reflects little if any concern with the acquisition of a disposition towards nature among children.
Archives and Special Collections at the University of La Verne: Putting the Repository of a Small Liberal Arts College to Work Online
Authors: Jenkins Benjamin , Darancette Keren
Published: January 2019

Archives and Special Collections at the Wilson Library of the University of La Verne, located in inland southern California, offers an informative case study of descriptive practices and metadata attached to digital collections at a small liberal arts college. Since recruiting a staff specifically tasked to manage the archives, the Wilson Library has increased the number of collections available to patrons online through the creation of a digital collections Web page. Digitized, hosted collections include the papers of a faculty member from the early 20th century, photographs of early La Verne, historic local newspapers, and manuscript sources regarding Japanese American internment. Metadata fields at Wilson Library have developed to encompass a greater variety of contextual information about digitized records, improving users' ability to put the collections to use for research. Ultimately, this case study demonstrates what a library at a small university can accomplish with a dedicated staff and a clear objective, even with limited resources.
African Art at the Kreeger Museum: Validating a Collection and Its Historic Stakeholders
Authors: Dapena-Tretter Antonia , Pelton Eloise
Published: January 2019

Written by The Kreeger Museum's former head of education and its founding archivist, this article looks closely at provenance and makes use of primary source documents and photographs to relive the rich story of how The Kreeger Museum's African art collection came to be. A detailed account of the negotiations, communications, transactions, and circulations of people, objects, and ideas—the following narrative offers an interesting case study into the early European and American art collectors' circuit.
Imaging as Praxis: Cataloging, Housing, and Installing Lele Saveri's The Newsstand
Authors: Lutek Tasha
Published: January 2019

In 2013, The Newsstand, a pop-up space featuring hundreds of zines and art objects, was installed in a Brooklyn, New York, subway station. The space was designed to be a site of collaboration and inspiration for artists. Even though the intention was not for it to be an artwork, two years later the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) re-created and exhibited The Newsstand in its galleries. To activate the installation, visitors were invited to engage with the space and read the zines contained inside. At the close of the exhibition, the work entered MoMA's collection and shortly after was lent to the Fondation Louis Vuitton (FLV). The volume of material and interactive qualities of The Newsstand present unique challenges for collection staff. Using two museum installations as departure points, this is a case study outlining the strategies employed for cataloging, housing, and installing this complex work, focusing on how imaging played an essential role in making sense of the transition from nonart status to collection object.
Preserving Patchogue: A Small Institution Rehouses and Digitizes Glass Plate Negatives
Authors: Menzo Daniel J.
Published: January 2019

In 2015, the Greater Patchogue Historical Society in Long Island, New York, received a gift of nearly 2,000 glass plate negatives dating from the early 20th century. While the donor alluded to rare images of this small town and its people, the collection presented a series of preservation concerns. Many of the objects were soiled, and almost all were still in their original acidic paper sleeves. Determined to both protect and utilize the collection, this small institution, with the assistance of a graduate student intern, formalized a preservation plan that also created multiple points of access to the visual and historical information that these objects contained. After minimally cleaning, rehousing, and photographing a selected portion of the negatives, the digital files were later processed with editing software so that the organization's members and local citizens could see the historic images. In addition to digitizing the negatives, the original sleeves were imaged to preserve valuable information, such as people's names, the location of views, or a negative's date. This ongoing project is an example of how smaller institutions can make a meaningful influence in their local communities by preserving photographic objects and implementing methods of digitization.
Decoding: A Guide to Kodak Paper Surface Characteristics
Authors: Fisher Erin
Published: January 2019

From 1880 to 2005, the Eastman Kodak Company manufactured black-and-white fiber-based gelatin silver paper in a wide variety of weights, grades, and formats. Kodak manufacturer records and sample books include details about Kodak paper surface characteristics and are an invaluable resource for understanding photographic paper materials. Using the extensive number of Kodak data books, manuals, and manufacturing records spread out in the collections of three Rochester, New York-based institutions—George Eastman Museum, University of Rochester Special Collections, and Image Permanence Institute—I created a chronological guide to Kodak photographic paper surface characteristics. This guide is not an approximate identification guide for Kodak papers but rather a resource that can be used to fill in gaps and propose questions about Kodak manufacturing history that is no longer easily accessible. The guide aims to help researchers, photography archivists and historians, conservators, collection managers, or anyone else interested in Kodak history gain access to a better understanding of photographic paper produced by Kodak from 1930 to 1955. The process for creating the guide is described in this article and may be used as a starting point for future research while also illuminating the importance of documenting and providing access to technological and material details about photographic objects.
Shaking table test and numerical analysis of mid-story isolation eccentric structure with tower–podium
Authors: Wu Yingxiong , Lu Jianfeng , Qi Ai
Published: January 2019

Mid-story isolation eccentric structures with tower–podium are examples of vertically irregular structures. Its seismic performance and the related mechanisms, however, have not been experimentally examined. In this study, a representative model of a practical mid-story isolation eccentric structure with a large podium was fabricated, tested, and simulated to investigate its seismic response under different earthquakes. The results were then compared to those of an anti-seismic model without the isolation layer. The results show that (a) the mid-story isolation eccentric structure with tower–podium has the similar characteristics of seismic performance with the regular story isolation structure; (b) as the peak acceleration value increases, the podium could quickly enter the elastoplastic state and reach the medium damage level. The damage extent in the second layer of the podium is larger than that in its first layer. It is thus recommended that the structural components of the podium be strengthened, and the elastoplastic displacement angle limit of the podium be increased. The modeling results also indicate the torsional effects of such eccentric structure are effectively inhibited. Our study enhances the understanding of the mid-story isolation eccentric structure with tower–podium and pioneers a guide to the seismic design of such a structure.
Flow control in supersonic flow field based on micro jets
Authors: Liu Yanming , Zhang Hong , Liu Pingchao
Published: January 2019

The flow field around supersonic aircraft is usually accompanied by complex flow phenomena, such as shock wave and shock wave/boundary layer interaction, which cause some adverse effects on aircraft performance. Seeking effective flow control methods has been a hot topic for many researchers. As an important method to improve the flow characteristics in supersonic flows, micro jet technology and its control mechanism have been paid much attention. In this article, we used compression corner calculation model and conducted detailed numerical investigations in the supersonic flow field with different injection pressure ratios, various actuation positions, and different nozzle types. The interaction between the micro jets and supersonic upstream flows generates complex flow structures, which contain bow shocks, barrel shocks, Mach disk, counter-rotating vortex pairs, and so on. The flow characteristics with micro jet schemes are superior to those in the no-control case. The controlling performance of micro jet is mainly determined by the following aspects. First, the downwash effect of counter-rotating vortex pairs can bring high-energy fluid into the bottom of the boundary layer to activate low-energy fluid and then strengthen the ability of resisting the flow separations. Second, the bow shock, which is generated upstream of the micro jet, significantly decelerates the downstream flows. Thus, the shock intensity at the corner is weakened and the characteristic of shock wave/boundary layer interaction is improved. In addition, the effective function range of MJ, that is, the distance between the counter-rotating vortex pair and the wall surface, is also an important factor. When both the counter-rotating vortex pairs and the bow shock are further from the wall, the flow characteristics around the corner in a larger area can be improved. Research shows that the micro jet scheme with Laval nozzle gives better controlling effect on shock wave/boundary layer interaction when the injection pressure radio is set to be 0.6, with the actuation location being 20 times the jet outlet diameter upstream of the corner.
Influence of attack angle on vortex-induced vibration and energy harvesting of two cylinders in side-by-side arrangement
Authors: Zhang Li , Mao Xinru , Ding Lin
Published: January 2019

The vortex-induced vibration and energy harvesting of two cylinders in side-by-side arrangement with different attack angles are numerically investigated using two-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations. The Reynolds number ranges from 1000 to 10,000, and the attack angle of free flow is varied from 0° to 90°. Results indicate that the vortex-induced vibration responses with attack angle range of 0°≤  α ≤ 30° are stronger than other attack angle cases. The parallel vortex streets are clearly observed with synchronized vortex shedding. Relatively large attack angle leads to a phase difference between the wake patterns of the two cylinders. Hydrokinetic energy can be obviously harvested when Re > 4000. Compared with the larger attack angle case, the two side-by-side cylinders with smaller attack angle have better performance on energy conversion. The maximum energy conversion efficiency of 21.7% is achieved. The optimum region for energy conversion is 5000 ≤  Re ≤ 7000 and 0°≤  α ≤ 30°.
ERK and p38 contribute to the regulation of nociceptin and the nociceptin receptor in human peripheral blood leukocytes
Authors: Zhang Lan , Stüber Frank , Lippuner Christoph , Schiff Marcel , Stamer Ulrike M
Published: January 2019

Little is known about the mechanisms involved in the regulation of nociceptin and its receptor (nociceptin opioid peptide receptor, NOP) in response to inflammation and pain in humans. In this study, specific signaling pathways contributing to the regulation of nociceptin and NOP in human peripheral blood leukocytes were investigated. After approval by the ethics committee, peripheral blood obtained from healthy donors was cultured with or without phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Prepronociceptin (ppNOC) and NOP mRNA were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and nociceptin concentrations in culture supernatants by fluorescent enzyme immunoassay. Nociceptin and NOP protein levels in blood leukocyte subsets were determined using flow cytometry. To examine the contribution of signaling pathways to ppNOC and NOP regulation, blood was pre-treated with kinase inhibitors specific for ERK, JNK, p38, and NFκB pathways prior to culturing with or without PMA. PMA dose-dependently upregulated ppNOC mRNA but downregulated NOP mRNA in human peripheral blood leukocytes. PMA 10 ng/ml increased ppNOC after 6 h and suppressed NOP after 3 h compared to controls (both P <0.005). Nociceptin concentrations were increased in supernatants of PMA-induced blood samples after 24 h ( P <0.005), whereas expression of cell-membrane NOP was decreased by PMA in blood leukocyte subsets (all P <0.05). Blockade of ERK or p38 pathways partially prevented PMA effects on ppNOC and NOP mRNA (all P <0.05). The combination of ERK and p38 inhibitors completely reversed the effects of PMA ( P <0.05). ERK and p38 are two major signaling pathways regulating nociceptin and its receptor in human peripheral blood leukocytes under inflammatory conditions.
Methods for fault diagnosis of high-speed railways: A review
Authors: Zang Yu , Shangguan Wei , Cai Baigen , Wang Huashen , Pecht Michael G
Published: January 2019

High-speed railways have a high demand for safety, but they are complex systems when it comes to fault diagnosis. The failure propagation path is difficult to trace which makes it hard to detect and identify a fault in the traditional way like signal-based methods. In recent years, artificial intelligence methods have been successfully applied in system health diagnosis and prognosis. Fault diagnosis methods based on artificial intelligence methods provide a new inspiration for fault diagnosis in the high-speed railway systems. In this article, the current research status of fault diagnosis was introduced, and the practical application of fault diagnosis methods in high-speed railways was summarized. Then taking the train control system as an example, fault diagnosis based on the artificial intelligence methods was discussed using several case studies; the results proved that the fusion of different methods has the potential to improve the diagnostic accuracy. Finally, the future research direction of fault diagnosis for high-speed railways was proposed.
Saturn and its Rings: Four Centuries of Imperfect Amodal Completion
Authors: Roncato Sergio
Published: January 2019

The planet Saturn is a familiar image for us, but it presents perceptual peculiarities that impeded the discovery of its structure and which can still be misleading today. Saturn appears to be surrounded by rings which hide it to a certain extent and then continue behind the outline of the planet. What we perceive is the result of a double amodal completion in which the planetary globe and the rings exchange the roles of occluding and occluded surface. Saturn was hidden to 17th-century astronomers for half a century because their rudimentary telescopes did not reveal the pictorial clues that are fundamental for discovering such a complex perceptual organization as that formed by a globe surrounded by rings. Moreover, the existence of a celestial body of this nature was inconceivable in light of the knowledge of those times. The improvement of telescopes has substantially enriched our knowledge of Saturn, but historic documents highlight the importance of perceptual organization factors. Astronomical observations were a rich source of information, but only Huygens was capable of integrating them and hypothesizing the true structure of Saturn. His drawings are the result of a particular ability to integrate observations and also the ability to use pictorial information. It is likely that these diagrams were an important instrument for the solution. The image of Saturn, however clear, will not find universal consensus. The planet has “residual (perceptual) capacities” of hiding itself which can even deceive modern instruments. Here, we will try to understand why.
African Christian diaspora religion and/or spirituality: A concept analysis and reinterpretation
Authors: Counted Victor
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this article is to analyze how the concept of African Christian diaspora religion and/or spirituality, as a missionary-based model, is currently being used and defined within African transnational research and diaspora religion. I conducted a review using a citation search strategy to retrieve peer-reviewed articles that explore the extent to which the seminal paper of Steven Vertovec on “Diaspora Religion” has informed the conceptualization and analysis of the concept of African Christian diaspora religion and/or spirituality (ACDRS). The search generated empirical articles which met the inclusion criteria and were included for concept analysis. This concept analysis identified five emerging attributes of ACDRS as (a) a network of support, (b) a transnational dynamic, (c) a platform for civic engagement and activism, (d) the basis for developing place bonds and diaspora identity, and (e) as an experiential religion. These defining attributes position ACDRS as a multidimensional concept encompassing noninstitutionalized religious expressions and activities, albeit with limited empirical data. I also discussed some study limitations and conceptual issues related to the attributes, antecedents, consequences, and cases of ACDRS.
Imagined Affordances of Instagram and the Fantastical Authenticity of Female Gulf-Arab Social Media Influencers
Authors: Hurley Zoe
Published: January 2019

This study explores the image sharing site Instagram to reveal how affordances, or uses of the platform, occur within a nexus of technological architecture, sociocultural contexts, and globalized commercial practices. It suggests social actors draw upon Instagram’s affordances at material, conceptual, and imaginary levels while using social media. This triadic model for theorizing affordances of Instagram responds to the need for mapping ontologies and typologies of social media within increasingly visual, intercultural, and non-Western contexts. The lenses of critical multimodality and a participant-centered method consider how female Gulf-Arab social media influencers operate through an interplay of shifting affordances in ways that challenge current conceptions of authenticity surrounding social media influencers. It is suggested that the triadic affordances of Instagram, occurring at material, conceptual, and imaginary levels, provide both influencers and followers with strategies of “fantastical authenticity” for navigating conflicting modes of representation and self-presentation within local and globalized economies.