bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selecting Measures for Human Factors Research
Authors: Kantowitz Barry H.
Published: July 2017

Selecting measures is a necessary component of human factors research. Proper selection must take into account the representation problem (how is the assignment of numbers to objects or phenomena justified?) and the uniqueness problem (to what degree is this assignment unique?). Other key human factors measurement issues include subject representativeness, variable representativeness, and setting representativeness. It is difficult to create a single measure that captures essential characteristics of complex systems. Several examples illustrate how theory can guide measurement selection in such diverse human factors research as vigilance, turning off warning alarms, information requirements for military command centers, subjective workload, heart-rate signal analysis, and heat stress in nuclear power plants.
Comparison of Four Subjective Workload Rating Scales
Authors: Hill Susan G. , Iavecchia Helene P. , Byers James C. , Bittner Alvah C. , Zaklade Allen L. , Christ Richard E.
Published: July 2017

Four subjective workload scales were compared along four dimensions: sensitivity, operator acceptance, resource requirements, and special procedures. The scales were the Modified Cooper-Harper scale, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (TLX), the Overall Workload (OW) scale, and the Subjective Workload Assessment Technique. Three U.S. Army systems were studied for potential workload concerns. Data from five different studies on the three systems were compared along the aforementioned four dimensions. Results indicate that all four scales are acceptable tools and are sensitive to different levels of workload. However, TLX and OW are consistently superior when considering sensitivity, as measured by factor validity, and operator acceptance. This research is an example of a systematic approach for examining human factors measurement tools.
Cognitive Predictors of Vigilance
Authors: Matthews Gerald , Davies D. Roy , Holley Peter J.
Published: July 2017

Three studies are reported of individual differences in performance of high event rate vigilance tasks. In each study, measures of attentional resource availability and elementary cognitive components of sustained attention were correlated with vigilance performance. It was predicted that correlates of vigilance should vary with two parameters of the task: the type of target discrimination required (simultaneous or successive) and the type of stimuli used (sensory or symbolic). Speed and accuracy of controlled, resource-demanding visual search predicted overall perceptual sensitivity on three out of four successive tasks used, but only one out of four simultaneous tasks, partially confirming the hypothesis that successive tasks are more strongly resource-limited than simultaneous tasks. Other correlates of overall level vigilance did not appear to vary systematically with task parameters. Few correlates of temporal decrement in perceptual sensitivity were found, possibly for statistical reasons. The data suggest that measures of controlled search may be useful in predicting vigilance on certain real-world tasks, although a substantial part of the variance of vigilance tasks may not be predictable fromts short cognitive tasks.
The Visibility of Symbolic Highway Signs Can Be Increased among Drivers of All Ages
Authors: Kline Donald W. , Fuchs Perry
Published: July 2017

Visibility and comprehension of standard text, standard symbolic, and improved symbolic highway signs were compared among young, middle-aged, and elderly observers. The average distance at which standard symbolic signs could be identified was about two times that of text signs for all three age groups. The visibility distances of the improved symbolic signs, which were designed using an optical blur (i.e., low-pass) approach in order to avoid higher spatial frequencies, exceeded those of both text and standard symbolic signs. Visibility distance was decreased significantly among older drivers on some signs but not others. There were no significant age differences in the comprehension of symbolic signs. Acuity, a good predictor of visibility distance of both text and standard symbolic signs, was only weakly related to the visibility distance of the improved symbolic signs. These findings demonstrate that low-pass symbolic signs have significant advantages in visibility over their text counterparts for all drivers.
Performance under Dichoptic versus Binocular Viewing Conditions: Effects of Attention and Task Requirements
Authors: Kimchi Ruth , Gopher Daniel , Rubin Yifat , Raij David
Published: July 2017

Three experiments investigated subjects' ability to allocate attention and cope with task requirements under dichoptic versus binocular viewing conditions. Experiments 1 and 2 employed a target detection task in compound and noncompound stimuli, and Experiment 3 employed a relative-proximity judgment task. The tasks were performed in a focused attention condition in which subjects had to attend to the stimulus presented to one eye or field (under dichoptic and binocular viewing conditions, respectively) while ignoring the stimulus presented to the other eye or field, and in a divided attention condition in which subjects had to attend to the stimuli presented to both eyes or fields. Subjects' performance was affected by the interaction of attention conditions with task requirements, but it was generally the same under dichoptic and binocular viewing conditions. The more dependent the task was on finer discrimination, the more performance was impaired by divided attention. These results suggest that at least with discrete tasks and relatively short exposure durations, performance when each eye is presented with a separate stimulus is the same as when the entire field of stimulation is viewed by both eyes.
Effects of Age and Task Similarity on Dual-Task Performance
Authors: Korteling J. E.
Published: July 2017

When a dual tracking task consisting of two incoherent (uncorrelated) subtasks is partly integrated, such that it is characterized by incompatibility of similarity, or when axis similarity of subtasks is high, it may be difficult to map subtask stimuli to the proper responses. Especially for older adults, an increase in mapping demands may be a source of confusion (cross talk). In the present experiment this issue was addressed with a dual task consisting of two unrelated one-dimensional compensatory tracking tasks with position dynamics. Task performance was measured in terms of root mean square tracking error and cross-axial correlations. Tracking error data were consistent with the hypothesis that older subjects are penalized when there is incompatibility between control and display integration. In general, negative effects of incompatibility of integrality were the greatest when partial integration involved integration of the response component. Both performance measures indicated that with increasing incoherent similarity, task performance of the old subjects was more hampered than was that of their young counterparts.
Aggregation Bias and the Use of Regression in Evaluating Models of Human Performance
Authors: Walker Neff , Catrambone Richard
Published: July 2017

Regression analyses are increasingly being used to provide confirmatory evidence for models of human performance. The amount of information made available to judge these models is reduced because clearly established standards in the techniques of performing and reporting regression analyses are lacking. This paper addresses two primary problems in regression analysis: aggregation of data and the aggregation of variables into composite models. We provide examples of the misuse of regression techniques and recommend ways in which the amount of information made available to evaluate the model being tested can be maximized in analysis and reporting.
Spatial Ability and Land Navigation under Degraded Visual Conditions
Authors: Cuqlock-Knopp V. Grayson , Whitaker Leslie A.
Published: July 2017

Land navigation tasks require the use of visual cues. When these cues are degraded by the loss of resolution, navigators suffer varying degrees of performance decrements. We tested the hypothesis that these decrements are less severe for people of high spatial ability than they are for people of low spatial ability. We tested 108 noncommissioned officers on a task that required them to determine if two woodland photographs taken from different directions (N. NE, E ... NW) were of the same location; spatial ability was assessed using the Cognitive Laterality Battery. Spatial ability was related to the ability to do this task. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between spatial ability and visual resolution on recognition performance. This article discusses the implications of these results for teleoperations and land navigation.
Curvilinear Approach to an Intersection and Visual Detection of a Collision
Authors: Berthelon Catherine , Mestre Daniel
Published: July 2017

Visual motion perception plays a fundamental role in vehicle control. Recent studies have shown that the pattern of optical flow resulting from the observer's self-motion through a stable environment is used by the observer to accurately control his or her movements. However, little is known about the perception of another vehicle during self-motion-for instance, when a car driver approaches an intersection with traffic. In a series of experiments using visual simulations of car driving, we show that observers are able to detect the presence of a moving object during self-motion. However, the perception of the other car's trajectory appears to be strongly dependent on environmental factors, such as the presence of a road sign near the intersection or the shape of the road. These results suggest that local and global visual factors determine the perception of a car's trajectory during self-motion.
Encoding Apparent Motion in Animated Mimic Displays
Authors: Bennett Kevin B.
Published: July 2017

Animated mimic displays represent system components, the physical connections between components, and the analogical flow of information or resources. These displays have the potential to improve the effectiveness of both training and realtime performance. One animation technique that is particularly efficient (from a computational perspective) is color table animation, which produces a subjective impression of movement through apparent motion. Display variables likely to influence the effectiveness of apparent motion were investigated in two experiments. The primary experimental manipulations were the levels of chromatic and luminance contrast in the displays (temporal frequency and direction of apparent motion were also varied). The results suggest that both types of contrast can bused to encode apparent motion but that luminance contrast is more effective. Several additional variables likely to influence the effectiveness of animation were held constant and are discussed briefly.
Improving Auditory Warning Design: Quantifying and Predicting the Effects of Different Warning Parameters on Perceived Urgency
Authors: Hellier Elizabeth J. , Edworthy Judy , Dennis Ian
Published: July 2017

The effects of four parameters (speed, fundamental frequency, repetition units, and inharmonicity) on perceived urgency were scaled using an application of Stevens's power law. From the exponents obtained, equal units of urgency change were calculated for three parameters. The units were combined in a set of stimuli, and the order of urgency was predicted. The obtained and predicted orders of urgency were highly correlated. The results also showed that even when equalized by psychophysical techniques, some parameters contribute more to perceived urgency than do others. This may be attributable to the different types of parameters scaled or the proportion of the usable range of each parameter that represents a unit change in urgency. The implication of the work for the design and improvement of auditory warnings is discussed.
Age and Fatal Work-Related Falls: SHORT NOTE
Authors: Agnew Jacqueline , Suruda Anthony J.
Published: July 2017

In the work environment, an increased risk of fatal injury from falls is seen at ages not normally considered to be old. This study examined fatality data from a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health death certificate database and from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigations to analyze the relationship of age to fatal work-related falls. For 1980 to 1986, death certificates reported 43 505 fatal work injuries in men, 4179 of which were from falls. Fatality rates from falls showed an increase for older workers beginning with the age group of 45-54, whereas fatal injury rates for other work-related causes did not increase until the age group of 55-64. OSHA investigations of 996 fatal work related falls in 1984-1986 reported that falls from ladders accounted for 20% of fatal falls in workers aged 55 and over, significantly more than the average of 9% of all falls for workers of all ages. OSHA data also showed that fatal falls among older workers were associated with lower energy of impact, which means that the height of fatal falls tends to decrease with increasing age.
Control/Display Relationship of the Four-Burner Stove: A Reexamination
Authors: Hsu Sheng-Hsiung , Peng Yu
Published: July 2017

Several previous studies concerning the arrangement of the control/burner relationship of a four-burner stove showed discrepancy in their results. For this reason, a further analysis of this arrangement is necessary and worthwhile. Two research methods were adopted to duplicate earlier studies. One was the paper-pencil test in which subjects took three different questionnaire forms that used alphabetical, sign, and numerical code systems. The other method was computer simulation in which subjects took part in a performance test of four arrangements of con troll burner designs, and reaction time and error rate were measured. The results indicated the existence of a suggestive effect, which is a tendency by some stimulicues to induce a specific response unawares in subjects. This confounding variable must be controlled in the test tool design. Results also revealed a population stereotype in the controllburner linkage relationship that was different for Chinese subjects and for American subjects. The equivalence of research methods between the paper-pencil test and computer simulation was not completely assured.
Effects of Aging, Skill Modification, and Demand Alternation on Multiple- Task Performance
Authors: Korteling J. E.(Hans)
Published: July 2017

The magnitude of age effects in single- and dual-tasks may be affected by the degree to which performance depends on well-learned skills that were previously developed. In addition, age-effects may be affected by the requirement to modify these skills and by attentional requirements emerging from the mutual relation of subtasks. Effects of skill modification and emergent attentional processes were examined in an experiment in which experienced subjects performed two perceptual-motor tasks, a vehicle steering task and car-following task in a driving simulator. Car-following was performed under two conditions of familiarity, determining whether or not a normal psychomotor routine had to be modified. In dual-task performance, the demand of sub tasks was constant or alternating in counterphase. In general, the older subjects' performance did not differ from that of their younger counterparts, except when the single- or dual-task involved routine modification in car-following. Dual-task costs were basically manifested in the car-following task. Post hoc interpretations of the data indicated that the results were not completely consistent with the complexity hypothesis.
Implications of Graphics Enhancements for the Visualization of Scientific Data: Dimensional Integrality, Stereopsis, Motion, and Mesh
Authors: Wickens Christopher D. , Merwin David H. , Lin Emilie L.
Published: July 2017

This study examines the effectiveness of four techniques to assist scientists in evaluating multidimensional data. Subjects viewed a series of complex 3D data sets, each representing an underlying complex surface, from which a set of discrete points or observations were sampled. From each sample they answered questions that required focus of attention on certain data points or integration across varying numbers of data points and dimensions. After a number of samples were viewed from each surface, subjects were tested for their retention of the surface characteristics. In Experiment 1, 3D (perspective) representations were found to support superior performance to 2D (planar) representations, but only for more integrative questions. Animated motion provided no benefits. In Experiment 2, stereoptic views of a 3D display were also found to support performance, particularly for integrative questions, but the ability to rotate the data space (motion parallax)and the presence of a mesh surface connecting the points did not. The posttests revealed some evidence that 3D representations improved the ability to visualize the surface, but neither 3D renderings nor stereopsis led to a better abstract representation of the data.
Graphical Displays for Orientation Information
Authors: Hooper Erika Yungkurth , Coury Bruce G.
Published: July 2017

New technology for submarine periscopes requires that all information be presented on a graphics workstation. The research presented in this paper is concerned with the design of periscope workstation displays for orientation information. In this experiment 24 people made judgments of orientation using three types of component displays (submarine, periscope, and relative) and two types of worldviews (north-up and track-up). Results revealed that the judgments of orientation were best with the north-up display, with relative questions the most difficult to make. When rotations were required for a response, characteristic mental rotation curves were found. The results are discussed in terms of factors affecting the design of displays for orientation information, selecting the best display format for the periscope workstation, and the processing strategies used to process orientation information.
Intelligibility and Localization of Speech from Virtual Directions
Authors: Ricard Gilbert L. , Meirs Susan L.
Published: July 2017

We studied the intelligibility of speech and the ability of listeners to localize speech when synthetic direction information was added to the signal. Masked thresholds for single synthesized words were measured for simulated, horizontal angular separations of speech in the presence of a masking noise. Speech recognition was measured using the Modified Rhyme Test; the masker was broad-band white noise. A single set of head-related transfer functions conditioned the speech and noise waveforms presented over headphones, and listeners were free to move their heads relative to the apparent directions of these signals. The masker was fixed at 0 deg, and when speech was presented from other azimuths, its intelligibility typically increased by 4 to 5 dB. Individuals' masked thresholds were variable yet repeatable, and the plot of threshold by azimuth seemed unique to each subject. In a separate test, the same listeners were asked to estimate the azimuth of items from the rhyme test. Localization was accurate and performance was similar to previous work, except that confusions of source locations in the front and rear hemispheres were evenly distributed across azimuth.
A Conceptual Model of Oxerexertion, Safety, and Risk of Injury in Occupational Settings
Authors: Kumar Shrawan
Published: July 2017

A conceptual generic model for fatigue-mediated overexertion, margin of safety, and job-related risk of injury is proposed. The model has been built with the variables of force, effective exposure in time domain, and motion of the exertion in space. With the proposed model, the physical risk factors can be identified and quantified. It also allows one to gauge a relative contribution of various integral factors involved in fatigue-mediated occupational injuries. Although the model is based on established relationships between the job variables (strength [force], frequency-duration of exposure, recovery from exposure, and range of required motion) and the injuries sustained, it has not been validated within any single study. The model provides a framework for numerous validation studies. With availability of more information through such studies, the model can be appropriately refined for accuracy of its prediction.
Blink Rate: A Possible Measure of Fatigue
Authors: Stern John A. , Boyer Donna , Schroeder David
Published: July 2017

The literature on blink rate as a measure of fatigue is reviewed. The evidence of increases in blink rate as a function of time on task is compelling. However, variables other than time on task also affect blink rate. These variables range from perceptual demandingness of the task to cognitive variables. Other aspects of blinking, such as flurries of blinks, timing with respect to information-processing demands, and blink closure duration, are reviewed as additional variables sensitive to task demands and fatigue effects.
Driver Fatigue
Authors: Brown Ivan D.
Published: July 2017

Psychological fatigue is defined as a subjectively experienced disinclination to continue performing the task at hand. It generally impairs human efficiency when individuals continue working after they have become aware of their fatigue. It does not depend on energy expenditure and. cannot be measured simply in terms of performance impairment. The interacting causal contributions to fatigue are the length of continuous work spells and daily duty periods, time available for rest and continuous sleep, and the arrangement of duty, rest, and sleep periods within each 24-h cycle. Empirical evidence for the separate and combined effects of these factors on fatigue, performance decrement, and accident risk are briefly reviewed, and the implications of these findings for driving and road safety are considered, with particular reference to the professional driver. This study shows that fatigue is insufficiently recognized and reported as a cause of road accidents and that its effects stem largely from prolonged and irregular working hours, rather than simply from time spent at the wheel.
Fatigue in Operational Settings: Examples from the Aviation Environment
Authors: Rosekind Mark R. , Gander Philippa H. , Miller Donna L. , Gregory Kevin B. , Smith Roy M. , Weldon Keri J. , Co Elizabeth L. , Mcnally Karen L. , Lebacqz J. Victor
Published: July 2017

The need for 24-h operations creates nonstandard and altered work schedules that can lead to cumulative sleep loss and circadian disruption. These factors can lead to fatigue and sleepiness and affect performance and productivity on the job. The approach, research, and results of the NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program are described to illustrate one attempt to address these issues in the aviation environment. The scientific and operational relevance of these factors is discussed, and provocative issues for future research are presented.
The Roles of Immediacy and Redundancy Relative Subjective Workload Assessment
Authors: Tsang Pamela S. , Vidulich Michael A.
Published: July 2017

Subjective workload assessment is one of the most frequently used tools for system evaluation. However, little is known about which factors contribute to the sensitivity, validity, and reliability of subjective workload ratings. One major classification of subjective workload assessment tools is based on relative judgments of the workload of different task conditions. The present research evaluated different approaches to relative subjective workload assessment in terms of their sensitivity to demand manipulations, concurrent validity with performance, and test-retest reliability. Results indicated that performing relative judgments retrospectively after having experienced all task conditions was superior to rating each task condition immediately after performing it. Further, redundant relative comparisons may produce more sensitive ratings than do relative comparisons to a single reference task. Overall, the results support the use of retrospective relative workload judgments as an evaluation tool.
The Accuracy of Consumer-Made Body Measurements for Women's Mail-Order Clothing
Authors: Yoon Jongsuk C. , Radwin Robert G.
Published: July 2017

An anthropometric study was performed on 103 women 19 to 50 years of age. Each subject measured 19 dimensions of her own body and then performed similar measurements on a random partner using a conventional tape measure with 1/16 inch (1.6-mm) precision. The experimenter measured all subjects using a laboratory-grade anthropometer and tape measure with 1.0-mm precision as a standard. Subjects' measurements of different body dimensions had significantly different average errors, ranging from -4.54 cm to +6.15 cm. Hip circumference, which is often utilized as a key dimension for garment sizing, was significantly undermeasured (M = -4.54 cm). Measurements having the least error included waist, bust, and neck circumferences and shoulder and waist heights. Subjects' measurements of their own bodies had greater absolute error (M = 4.10 cm, SD = 6.06 cm) than those of their partners (M == 3.34 cm, SD = 4.86 cm). Although subjects used a tape measure having 1.6-mm precision, 97% reported measurements using only 1/4-inch (6.4-mm) precision or less. Subjects overestimated their own stature by an average error of 0.68 cm (SD = 4.02 cm) and an absolute error of 2.26 cm (SD = 3.39 cm).
P300 as a Measure of Workload during a Simulated Aircraft Landing Task
Authors: Fowler Barry
Published: July 2017

The P300 component of the event-related brain potential was assessed as a measure of mental workload using 12 subjects who flew simulated visual flight rules final approaches and landings under workloads varied by manipulating turbulence and hypoxia. P300 was elicited with auditory and visual "oddball" subsidiary tasks requiring the detection of infrequent tones or flashes of an artificial horizon. The results showed that root mean square error flying performance was systematically degraded by both workload manipulations. P300 amplitude exhibited a complex pattern that was not strongly related to performance. By contrast, P300 latency covaried closely with performance, increasing as a function of workload in both modalities. These results suggest that P300 latency indexes the slowing of perceptual/cognitive processing caused by workload and that this measure is sensitive to an important aspect of flying.
Assessment of Push/Pull Door Signs: A Laboratory and Field Study
Authors: Kline Theresa J. B. , Beitel Gerald A.
Published: July 2017

We assessed 11 versions of push/pull door signs for their utility using six different measures. Three measures of reaction time---identification, conspicuity present, and conspicuity absent---were performed in a laboratory with 60 subjects, who also ranked the 11 signs in terms of preference and meaningfulness. We conducted a field test by observing the compliance of 1100 individuals to the push and pull signs. Results showed that different versions of the signs were better suited for different tasks. In general, a mixed-modality (words plus symbols) sign most effectively communicated that a push or pull action was required of the user. In addition, a positive correlation (rs = 0.83) occurred between the subjectively ranked sign meaningfulness and compliance rate in the field. Results are discussed in terms of the applicability of the results, the need to include mixed-modality signs in future research, the task-dependent determination of sign effectiveness, the importance of conducting both laboratory and field tests when doing this type of research, and the validity of using subjective rankings to assess signs.
When the past comes back to haunt you: The enduring influence of upbringing on the work–family decisions of professional parents
Authors: Lupu Ioana , Spence Crawford , Empson Laura
Published: July 2017

Prior research generally presents work–family decisions as an individual’s rational choice between alternatives, downplaying the crucial role that upbringing plays in shaping work and parenting decisions. This article emphasizes how habitus – historically constituted and embodied dispositions – structures perceptions about what is ‘right’ and ‘normal’ for working mothers and fathers. This relational approach explores how the entrenched dispositions of individuals interact dynamically with contextual imperatives to influence professionals’ work–family decisions. Drawing on 148 interviews with 78 male and female professionals, our study looks at much deeper rooted causes of work–family conflict in professional service firms than have hitherto been considered. We show how dispositions embodied during one’s upbringing can largely transcend time and space. These dispositions hold a powerful sway over individuals and may continue to structure action even when professionals exhibit a desire to act differently. In turn, this implies that the impediments to greater equality lie not only in organizational and societal structures, but within individuals themselves in the form of dispositions and categories of perception that contribute towards the maintenance and reproduction of those structures. Additionally, in a more limited number of cases, we show how dispositions adapt as a result of either reflexive distancing or an encounter with objective circumstances, leading to discontinuity in the habitus.
“Ngozi” (Avenging Spirit), Zimbabwean Transnational Migration, and Restorative Justice in Brian Chikwava’s Harare North (2009)
Authors: Musanga Terrence
Published: July 2017

This article explores the nexus between the Zimbabwean Shona concept of “ngozi” (avenging spirit), Zimbabwean transnational migration, and restorative justice in Brian Chikwava’s Harare North. In Shona cosmology, once “ngozi” is committed, it has to be recompensed in order for restorative justice to occur between individuals, families, and the community in general. However, failure to appease “ngozi” results in inexplicable misfortunes such as sicknesses or eventual death or deaths of the person or persons who would have committed the “ngozi.” Thus, engaging in transnational migration as a way of escaping “ngozi” is futile as the only solution to “ngozi” is to recompense the victim and his or her family and ensure that restorative justice takes place between individuals, families, and society in general.
Poly(lactic acid) foams reinforced with cellulose micro and nanofibers and foamed by chemical blowing agents
Authors: Zimmermann Matheus VG , da Silva Michelle Paola , Zattera Ademir J , Santana Ruth MC
Published: July 2017

Biodegradable polymeric foams have gained increasing attention as an alternative to conventional polymeric foams, whose recycling is economically unviable due to its low density. Based on this, this article discusses the development of poly(lactic acid) foams produced with the insertion of four and eight parts hundred resin (phr) of long and short cellulose fibers and nanofibers. Short fibers of nanocellulose were obtained by mechanical defibrillation and dried by lyophilization, and long fibers by CO2 supercritical fluid extraction. The poly(lactic acid) foams were produced by adding a chemical blowing agent with a pressure-free expansion method. In general, short fibers of cellulose act as nucleating agents during the expansion of the foam, which is observed by its greater number of smaller-size cells than the non-reinforced poly(lactic acid) foams. The insertion of long fibers of cellulose restricts the mobility of the polymer matrix during the expansion, thus hindering the foam its growth and formation of bubbles.
Postmodernism and politics in Meena Kandasamy’s The Gypsy Goddess
Authors: Herrero Dolores
Published: July 2017

Meena Kandasamy’s debut novel The Gypsy Goddess tackles the plight of a community of Dalit agricultural labourers who live and work in inhuman conditions, coping with the unrelenting oppression and heartbreaking atrocities inflicted upon them by their ruthless upper-caste landlords in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In particular, this novel revolves around the historical massacre that took place in the village of Kilvenmani on Christmas Day, 1968. The aim of this article will be to analyse the different ways in which Kandasamy, so far known as a critically acclaimed poet, uses the novel as a literary genre, together with some well-known postmodern theories and strategies, in order to disclose the shortcomings of traditional linear plot-driven novels, criticize the exoticism so often displayed in contemporary Indian fiction, unearth the “other” side of official Indian history, dig up the traumatic story of an entire Dalit community’s fight for freedom, and give voice to those who were for so long relegated to silence, invisibility, and oblivion. As this analysis will make clear, the experimental nature of this novel allows Kandasamy to confront readers with an unpalatable reality beyond the capacity of the conventional realist novel.
Miscarriages of Justice and University Law Schools
Authors: Kerrigan Kevin
Published: July 2017

This article reviews the case of Alex Allan whose successful appeal to the Court of Appeal against a conviction for robbery was eventually brought about by the combined efforts of the Criminal Cases Review Commission and the Student Law Office, Northumbria University School of Law. The students' contribution to the preparation of the case is described and assessed.
The Retrospective Effect of S. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998
Authors: Dingwall Gavin
Published: July 2017

When the House of Lords delivered its judgment in Lambert, comment initially concerned the fact that their Lordships held that the legal burden of proof placed on defendants in s. 28 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 contravened the presumption of innocence contained in Article 6(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights. This was indeed a major and potentially far-reaching finding, but it was in fact obiter dicta for the House also held that a defendant who was convicted prior to s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 coming into force could not rely on that section in an appeal after the Act came into force, except in certain carefully prescribed circumstances. It is only now when subsequent case law has challenged this finding that its importance has been fully recognised. This article aims to respond to the academic neglect of this point through a careful scrutiny of the judgments in Lambert and will argue that, despite recent judicial criticism, the majority in Lambert deconstructed a complex statutory framework to expose Parliament's limited intention to ‘bring rights home’.
Hearsay: Identification and Admissions
Authors: Cooper Simon
Published: July 2017

This article seeks to explore the relationship between identification evidence and the rule against hearsay evidence. It focuses on how the courts have ignored or sought to evade application of the rule and concludes by examining a recent decision of the Court of Appeal that illustrates the lengths that courts will resort to in order to admit evidence perceived as being reliable.
Protected industrial action ballots: An empirical view
Authors: Creighton Breen , Denvir Catrina , Johnstone Richard , McCrystal Shae
Published: July 2017

Workplace relations in Australia, including requirements relating to the use of industrial action in the context of enterprise bargaining, are governed by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act). Legally protected industrial action by employees and their bargaining representatives can lawfully be taken only in the context of, and is conditional upon, approval through a secret ballot of the employees to whom the proposed agreement is to apply. Conducting such a ballot is itself conditional upon first obtaining a protected industrial action ballot order from the Fair Work Commission. Whilst there is a relatively large body of published industrial relations research exploring both the frequency and the impact of strike action, there is significantly less published material on the regulation of decisions relating to industrial action by workers and their trade unions. This article provides a preliminary report on a research project which is intended to help fill this gap in the literature. Drawing on data resulting from an analysis of every protected industrial action ballot order application made to the Fair Work Commission during the reference period, the article describes the protected industrial action ballot order process in practice. This in turn facilitates understanding of the regulatory contribution made by the provisions and raises significant questions over whether the administrative burden is justified by the outcomes achieved.
Models of Reading in Different Orthographies: An Introduction
Authors: Joshi R. Malatesha , McCardle Peggy
Published: July 2017

The authors provide a summary of the articles in the special series on reading development in different orthographies from various writing systems and scripts.
Does Target-hardening Result in Deadlier Terrorist Attacks against Protected Targets? An Examination of Unintended Harmful Consequences
Authors: Hsu Henda Y. , McDowall David
Published: July 2017

Objectives:

This study examines whether the use of target-hardening measures engenders greater amounts of casualty terrorist attacks against protected targets. Specifically, this study evaluates the impact of augmenting aviation security and protection of U.S. embassies and diplomats on the frequency and proportion of casualty attacks against aviation targets and U.S. diplomatic targets, respectively.

Method:

Using time-series data from the Global Terrorism Database (1970 to 2001), this study conducts time-series intervention analysis. To provide a more comprehensive test, a variety of supplementary analyses—consisting of data transformations, various onsets of the interventions, autoregressive integrated moving average, Poisson, and vector autoregression models of time-series data—are performed.

Results:

We found no increase in the frequency or proportion of casualty attacks against protected targets following target-hardening interventions. The results show that the typical ensuing terrorist attack against hardened targets is not violence based (i.e., maximizing casualties).

Conclusions:

Findings that attacks against hardened targets did not become deadlier provide support for the criminological message that unintended harmful effects from situational terrorism prevention strategies are the exception rather than the rule.
Ultrasound guided percutaneous common carotid artery access in piglets for intracoronary stem cell infusion
Authors: Anderson Jason H , Taggart Nathaniel W , Edgerton Sarah L , Cantero Peral Susana , Holst Kimberly A , Cetta Frank ,   for the Wanek Program Preclinical Pipeline
Published: July 2017

In pigs, the deep location of the common carotid artery and overlying sternomastoideus muscle in the neck has led to the recommendation for a surgical cutdown for common carotid access, as opposed to minimally invasive techniques for vascular access. We sought to determine if direct percutaneous common carotid artery access in piglets is attainable. Seventeen piglets were anesthetized and intubated. Under two-dimensional and color flow Doppler ultrasound guidance, a 21 gauge needle was utilized to access the right common carotid artery. Following arterial puncture, the Seldinger technique was applied to place a 4 or 5 French introducer. Upon completion of cardiac catheterization with intracoronary stem cell infusion the introducer was removed and manual pressure was applied to prevent hematoma development. Successful access with an introducer was achieved in all 17 piglets. The average weight was 8.5 ± 1.7 kg. One piglet developed a hematoma with hemorrhaging from the catheterization site and was euthanized. This piglet was given bivalirudin for the procedure. After this incident, subsequent piglets were not given anticoagulation and no other complications occurred. Ultrasound guided percutaneous common carotid artery access in piglets is attainable in a safe, reliable, and reproducible manner when performed by microvascular experts.
Preoperative planning for a multi-arm robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery system
Authors: Du Zhijiang , Wang Wei , Wang Weidong , Dong Wei
Published: July 2017

The preoperative preparation of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery is more critical and complicated than traditional minimally invasive surgeries. The crucial issues in preoperative planning are presented and investigated in this paper, in which a new dexterity index IICV and an intracorporeal collaboration space index IICS are proposed for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery. The kinematic performance of the robotic manipulator, the visual field conditions, and the cooperation space of the instrument are considered. A set of multi-objective preoperative optimization methods based on non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm 2 (NSGA-II) is designed, which is used to simultaneously optimize the incision placement and the initial pose of the manipulator. The simulation experiment results show that the preoperative planning scheme obtained by the optimization algorithm can provide a relatively superior operating environment for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries.
Energy propagation modeling of nonlinear soft tissue deformation for surgical simulation
Authors: Zhang Jinao , Zhong Yongmin , Smith Julian , Gu Chengfan
Published: July 2017

Realistic modeling of nonlinear soft tissue deformation in real-time is a challenging research topic in surgical simulation. This article presents an energy propagation method based on Poisson propagation for modeling of nonlinear soft tissue deformation for surgical simulation. It carries out soft tissue deformation from the viewpoint of potential energy propagation, in which the mechanical load of an external force applied to soft tissues is considered as the equivalent potential energy, according to the law of conservation of energy, and is further propagated in the volume of soft tissues based on the principle of Poisson energy propagation. The proposed method combines Poisson propagation of mechanical load and non-rigid mechanics of motion to govern the dynamics of soft tissue deformation. Computer simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is not only able to handle homogeneous, anisotropic, and heterogeneous materials, but also able to accommodate nonlinear deformation of soft tissues.
Colonial Modernity and Methodological Nationalism: The Structuring of Sociological Traditions of India
Authors: Patel Sujata
Published: July 2017

This article traces traditions of sociological thinking in India and suggests that in order to write the disciplines’ history, it is important to identify the episteme that governs these traditions. It suggests that there are two broad epistemes that have defined sociology as a discipline in India—colonial modernity and methodological nationalism—and it argues that they organise theories, perspectives, methodologies and methods, teaching and research practices of the discipline. The history of the imprint of these epistemes is investigated at four levels: first, in the way one or both defined the discipline’s identity and, thus, organised its characteristic mode of thinking methodologically; second, in the way this identity defined its theoretical direction and the theories that it borrowed, adapted to and reframed; third, in the way the first two organised its professional orientation and made it choose its identity as an academic discipline whose main role is restricted to teaching and research within academic institutions at an expense of a public orientation; and fourth, the way the aforementioned three defined its geographical compass, limiting its queries to national concerns wherein the macro became reduced to the micro abjuring discussions on global debates. This article suggests that today there is a crisis in the received epistemes, and in this context, it becomes imperative to take command to define a new episteme which intersects the local, regional, national and global concerns, is theoretical and methodologically eclectic and is comparative in nature.
Doing Sociology of Gender in the Classroom: Re-imagining Pedagogies
Authors: Pujari Leena
Published: July 2017

While curriculum constitutes an important facet of teaching and learning, what is of critical importance is how we engage with the curriculum and what pedagogical strategies we use to engage students. This article is an attempt to engage in a serious dialogue on how we do Sociology of Gender in our classrooms. How students effectively construct, represent and transform knowledge and how they develop competence in and beyond the learning areas depend much on the pedagogical insights that instructors employ in classrooms. The article argues for a critical feminist pedagogy that sees the classroom as a site of possibilities, believes in engaged student learning and recovers students’ voices.
Book Review: Ayub Khan, Eunuchs in Politics or Politics in Eunuchs
Authors: Sharma Satish K.
Published: July 2017

Ayub Khan, Eunuchs in Politics or Politics in Eunuchs. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company Pvt. Ltd, 2015, xiv + 150 pp., ₹500 (hardback), ISBN 93-5125-163-2.
Book Review: Rabindra Nath Mukerjee and Arunansu Ghoshal, Social Thought from Comte to Mukerjee
Authors: Kahlon Kirtpreet
Published: July 2017

Rabindra Nath Mukerjee and Arunansu Ghoshal, Social Thought from Comte to Mukerjee. Delhi: Vivek Prakashan, 2015 (First Published 1999), 316 pp., ₹400 (hardback), ISBN: 978-81-7004-212-7.
Book Review: Ravinder Kaur (ed.), Too Many Men and Too Few Women: Social Consequences of Gender Imbalance in India and China
Authors: Sandhu Jasmeet
Published: July 2017

Ravinder Kaur (ed.), Too Many Men and Too Few Women: Social Consequences of Gender Imbalance in India and China. New Delhi: Orient BlackSwan, 2016, xi + 340 pp. (hardback), ₹753, ISBN 978-81-250-6249-3.
The politics of age and generation at the GAZE International LGBT Film Festival in Dublin
Authors: Binnie Jon , Klesse Christian
Published: July 2017

Despite their global proliferation, queer film festivals, like film festivals more broadly, are somewhat understudied within the social sciences. This is despite scholarship within film studies that argues that they are significant sites of queer collectivity and sociality. This article examines queer film festivals as sites for the production of community and queer bonds. The authors argue that questions of age, temporality and intergenerationality are central to discourses of community mobilized by festival organizers. The article draws on empirical material from a qualitative study of the GAZE International LGBT Festival in Dublin – which formed part of a larger comparative study of the cultural activist politics of queer film festivals in Europe. Ken Plummer has argued for a greater appreciation of the role of time and generation within sexuality studies. Age, temporality and intergenerationality emerged as important issues within interviews conducted with organizers and volunteers at the festival. The analysis of these issues focuses on three key themes: (1) GAZE as a site of intergenerational community; (2) GAZE as a site of remembrance; and (3) demography and the sustainability of the festival. The article argues that the festival provides a distinctive site of intergenerational queer bonds; and that despite the creation of transnational spaces and discourses, references to the nation and national identity remain central to bonding experiences at the festival.