bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Female Offenders’ Perceptions of Police Procedural Justice and Their Obligation to Obey the Law
Authors: Baker Thomas , Gau Jacinta M.
Published: December 2017

Although the process-based model of criminal justice has received substantial empirical attention, few previous studies have examined individuals embedded in a criminal lifestyle and at the most risk for future offending, and few have focused exclusively on female offenders. Employing structural equation modeling, the present study tests the process-based model of self-regulation among a sample of 694 incarcerated females. Specifically examined is the effect of perceptions of voice in respondents’ most recent encounter with police on their perceptions of police procedural justice and the impact of respondents’ procedural justice perceptions on their perceived obligation to obey the law. Results reveal support for the process-based model among serious female offenders, though the impact may be attenuated by increased experience with the criminal justice system. Policy implications are discussed.
The Nature of Animal Crime: Scope and Severity in Chicago
Authors: Burchfield Keri B.
Published: December 2017

This study sought to contribute to our sociological understanding of animal crime. Using Chicago Police Department data that include primary and secondary charges of all animal crimes between 2009 and 2012, findings indicate that most animal crime offenders were male, African American or Hispanic, and under 35 years. When other crimes were committed with animal crime, they were likely drug or weapons offenses. Juveniles arrested for animal crimes tended to commit more severe animal crimes than adult offenders. Finally, regression results indicated that race was positively related to animal crime severity, while concurrent drug offenses were inversely related to animal crime severity. Implications for theory, research, and policy are discussed.
Social mobilization in a changing China: A critical review of the literature
Authors: Gao Jia , Su Yuanyuan
Published: December 2017

Social mobilization has long been considered a major characteristic of Chinese life and, more recently, a key aspect of China’s state capacity. The existing literature on social mobilization in the country, however, is characterized by studies of pre-1978 China, many of which are scattered and fragmentary. This problem has not only resulted in misjudging the vital role of social mobilization as a process of change and an analytical construct, but has also overlooked the work of other researchers, especially those in China, studying a wide range of aspects of socio-economic and socio-political activities in present-day China. As a result, the research literature has not kept pace with the profound changes occurring in the country, providing no adequate theoretical foundation and capability for analyzing and theorizing the dynamics at work in contemporary China. This analytical article seeks to critically review the current state of knowledge relating to social mobilization in China and the main theoretical problems in the literature, paying special attention to the missing links between different perspectives.
Seeping Deficit Thinking Assumptions Maintain the Neoliberal Education Agenda: Exploring Three Conceptual Frameworks of Deficit Thinking in Inner-City Schools
Authors: Sharma Manu
Published: December 2017

This article draws awareness to the subtle and seeping “common sense” mentality of neoliberalism and deficit thinking assumptions about racially marginalized students in inner-city schools. From a literature review conducted on deficit thinking and deficit practices in schools, I developed three different frameworks for understanding the roots of deficit thinking: (a) pseudo-scientific, (b) sociological-cultural, and (c) socioeconomic. This article examines the serious ethical implications of disengagement, internalized deficit beliefs, and being “pushed out” of school that arise from each framework. I argue that these implications, in conjunction with neoliberal agendas for schooling, have a double negative impact on the schooling experiences of racially marginalized students who attend inner-city schools.
Summed Score Likelihood–Based Indices for Testing Latent Variable Distribution Fit in Item Response Theory
Authors: Li Zhen , Cai Li
Published: December 2017

In standard item response theory (IRT) applications, the latent variable is typically assumed to be normally distributed. If the normality assumption is violated, the item parameter estimates can become biased. Summed score likelihood–based statistics may be useful for testing latent variable distribution fit. We develop Satorra–Bentler type moment adjustments to approximate the test statistics’ tail-area probability. A simulation study was conducted to examine the calibration and power of the unadjusted and adjusted statistics in various simulation conditions. Results show that the proposed indices have tail-area probabilities that can be closely approximated by central chi-squared random variables under the null hypothesis. Furthermore, the test statistics are focused. They are powerful for detecting latent variable distributional assumption violations, and not sensitive (correctly) to other forms of model misspecification such as multidimensionality. As a comparison, the goodness-of-fit statistic M2 has considerably lower power against latent variable nonnormality than the proposed indices. Empirical data from a patient-reported health outcomes study are used as illustration.
Towards an understanding of when non-climate frames can generate public support for climate change policy
Authors: Walker Benjamin J.A. , Kurz Tim , Russel Duncan
Published: December 2017

There is a growing tendency for policy makers to frame climate change action in terms of non-climate benefits, raising important empirical questions regarding the utility of such approaches. Across three studies we explore whether (and when) non-climate frames can lead to greater support for climate policy relative to climate frames. In Study 1 we framed a car-use reduction policy in relation to climate change or public health and showed that non-climate frames can stimulate greater support for climate policy. Study 2 explored frame relevance as a potential boundary condition to the efficacy of non-climate frames. Study 3 found that attempts to frame climate policy in relation to non-climate issues that affect participants personally can fail if that issue is not seen as being sufficiently relevant. We suggest that non-climate frames can be an effective tool in stimulating support for climate policy, however greater consideration of the key mechanisms is required.
Mindfulness, Pro-environmental Behavior, and Belief in Climate Change: The Mediating Role of Social Dominance
Authors: Panno Angelo , Giacomantonio Mauro , Carrus Giuseppe , Maricchiolo Fridanna , Pirchio Sabine , Mannetti Lucia
Published: December 2017

In recent years, mindfulness has been considered as a potential source of proenvironmental attitudes and behavior. Present research is aimed at consolidating and expanding previous knowledge by proposing that mindfulness is related to both proenvironmental behavior and belief in global climate change through social dominance orientation (SDO). A first study was conducted on undergraduate students ( n = 279) and found, as expected, that trait mindfulness was related to proenvironmental behavior through SDO. A second study using a known groups approach compared practitioners ( n = 44) and nonpractitioners ( n = 53) of Buddhist meditation, which is known to develop a mindful stance. Moreover, in Study 2, a measure of belief in global climate change was adopted as a further outcome. Again, trait mindfulness was related to both proenvironmental outcomes through SDO. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Do Employers Have More Monopsony Power in Slack Labor Markets?
Authors: Hirsch Boris , Jahn Elke J. , Schnabel Claus
Published: December 2017

This article confronts monopsony theory’s predictions regarding workers’ wages with observed wage patterns over the business cycle. Using German administrative data for the years 1985 to 2010 and an estimation framework based on duration models, the authors construct a time series of the labor supply elasticity to the firm and estimate its relationship to the unemployment rate. They find that firms possess more monopsony power during economic downturns. Half of this cyclicality stems from workers’ job separations being less wage driven when unemployment rises, and the other half mirrors that firms find it relatively easier to poach workers. Results show that the cyclicality is more pronounced in tight labor markets with low unemployment, and that the findings are robust to controlling for time-invariant unobserved worker or plant heterogeneity. The authors further document that cyclical changes in workers’ entry wages are of similar magnitude as those predicted under pure monopsonistic wage setting.
More Than a Feeling: The Role of Empathetic Care in Promoting Safety in Health Care
Authors: Leana Carrie , Meuris Jirs , Lamberton Cait
Published: December 2017

In this article, the authors use inductive and deductive methods to explore the role of empathy in care-giving jobs: specifically, the relationship between empathetic care and patient safety. The authors argue that empathetic care is evidenced by extra-role behavior, emotional engagement, and relational richness between paid caregivers and clients. They develop a model using qualitative interviews with paid caregivers and test it using quantitative case studies in six skilled-nursing facilities. Findings show that empathetic care predicts patient safety, but only under some circumstances. Specifically, patient load, overtime work, and financial hardship dampen the otherwise positive relationship between empathetic care and safety. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for the design of care jobs.
Micro disasters: Expanding the social work conceptualization of disasters
Authors: Willett Jennifer
Published: December 2017

Environmental problems, like environmental disasters, mirror oppressive structural forces in society, as the primary victims of environmental degradation are also the main victims of other injustices. However, scholarship is lacking on the impacts of environmental disasters in these populations. Using a participatory phenomenological approach from a social work standpoint, this study uses the concept of slow violence to explore disasters in several poor communities in Kenya. Findings include the development and operationalization of a new term, micro disasters. Micro disasters are everyday problems that are linked to development and have no formal aid support for survivors, which deepens poverty.
Understanding the role of patriarchal ideology in intimate partner violence among South Asian women in Hong Kong
Authors: Tonsing Jenny C , Tonsing Kareen N
Published: December 2017

This article explores intimate partner violence using a patriarchal framework, which sheds light on how the problem of intimate partner violence against women is anchored in social and cultural conditions, rather than in individual attributes. The study participants comprised South Asian women who have migrated to Hong Kong. Narrative analyses revealed how patriarchal norms are linked to intimate partner violence and how this has a direct effect on the position and role of females in the home and produces inequality in marriage. Within the framework of patriarchy, and the limitations of using a small, specific sample population, the article also identifies implications for practice.
The Past is Long-Lasting: Park Chung Hee Nostalgia and Voter Choice in the 2012 Korean Presidential Election
Authors: Kang WooJin
Published: December 2017

The main goal of this study is to examine the political influence of Park Chung Hee (PCH) nostalgia on citizens’ support for Park Guen-hye (PGH) in the 2012 Korean presidential election. The 2012 presidential election offers a rare opportunity to test the political influence of PCH nostalgia on citizens’ electoral choices. To do so, this study analyzes dual aspects of PCH nostalgia and its influence on voters choosing PGH in the 2012 presidential election: voter preference for PGH, and voter identification with developmentalism, the PCH government’s dominant ideology. The findings of this study confirm that both aspects of PCH nostalgia significantly influenced citizens who chose to support Park Chung Hee’s daughter. These findings also have comparative implications, relevant to similar political situations in other emergent democracies.
Effect of polymer foam anisotropy on energy absorption during combined shear-compression loading
Authors: Mosleh Yasmine , Vanden Bosche Kelly , Depreitere Bart , Vander Sloten Jos , Verpoest Ignaas , Ivens Jan
Published: December 2017

Polymeric foams are extensively used in applications such as packaging, sports goods and sandwich structures. Since in-service loading conditions are often multi-axial, characterisation of foams under multi-axial loading is essential. In this article, quasi-static combined shear-compression behaviour of isotropic expanded polystyrene foam and anisotropic polyethersulfone foam was studied. For this, a testing apparatus which can apply combined compression and transverse shear loads was developed. The results revealed that the shear and compression energy absorption, yield stress and stiffness of foams are dependent on deformation angle. The total energy absorption of the anisotropic polyethersulfone foam is shown to be direction dependent in contrast to isotropic expanded polystyrene. Furthermore, for similar relative density, polyethersulfone foam absorbs more energy than expanded polystyrene foam, regardless of deformation angle. This study highlights the importance of correct positioning of foam cells in anisotropic foams with respect to loading direction to maximise energy absorption capability.
Synergistic effects of intumescent flame retardant and nano-CaCO3 on foamability and flame-retardant property of polypropylene composites foams
Authors: Depeng Li , Chixiang Li , Xiulei Jiang , Tao Liu , Ling Zhao
Published: December 2017

Synergistic effects of intumescent flame retardant and nano-CaCO3 on foamability and flame retardant property of polypropylene composites and their foams were carefully investigated. The differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the intumescent flame retardant played a plasticizing effect on the polypropylene/intumescent flame-retardant composites and accelerated the crystallization rate. The rheological properties and supercritical CO2-assisted molding foaming behaviors of the polypropylene/intumescent flame retardant/nano-CaCO3 composites showed that the nano-CaCO3 could enhance their foamability. Scanning electron microscopy pictures and mechanical properties of the polypropylene/intumescent flame-retardant composites foams indicated that the agglomeration of intumescent flame retardant would reduce the cell uniformity and even cause the cell collapse. Furthermore, the stress concentration, caused by the agglomeration, could reduce the mechanical properties of the PP composites foams. The synergistic effect of the nano-CaCO3 could improve the cell uniformity and reduce the stress concentration so that the mechanical properties of the polypropylene/intumescent flame retardant /nano-CaCO3 composites foams were improved. Moreover, the polypropylene/intumescent flame retardant/nano-CaCO3 composites foams had the higher limit oxygen index values than the polypropylene/intumescent flame-retardant foams. TGA results also showed that the nano-CaCO3 could improve the thermal stability of the polypropylene composites foams by forming compact carbon layer. The experimental results indicated that the foamability of the polypropylene composites and the flame-retardant property of their foams could be improved by the synergistic effects of intumescent flame retardant and nano-CaCO3.
The development of a modified bi-axial composite test specimen
Authors: Torres Anthony S. , Maji Arup K.
Published: December 2017

The significance of biaxial testing is increasing with the use of composites in more complex applications and the advent of new manufacturing techniques. Existing failure theories have not been proven to be accurate for predicting failure for laminated composites and very limited test data are available for woven composites. It is believed that the fabrication process used to make composite biaxial specimens induces initial damage into the specimen. Two different methods were developed to reduce the amount of damage induced into a biaxial tests specimen. In addition, the effect of stress concentration due to a center hole added to a composite biaxial specimen is also studied.
The Influence of GI and GII on the compression after impact strength of carbon fiber/epoxy laminates
Authors: Nettles Alan Tate , Scharber Luke
Published: December 2017

This study measured the compression after impact strength of IM7 carbon fiber laminates made from epoxy resins with various mode I and mode II toughness values to observe the effects of these toughness values on the resistance to damage formation and subsequent residual compression strength-carrying capabilities. A total of seven different epoxy resin systems were used ranging in approximate GI values of 245–665 J/m2 and approximate GII values of 840–2275 J/m2. The results for resistance to impact damage formation showed that there was a direct correlation between GII and the planar size of damage as measured by thermography. Subsequent residual compression strength testing suggested that GI had no influence on the measured values and most of the difference in compression strength was directly related to the size of damage. Thus, delamination growth assumed as an opening type of failure mechanism does not appear to be responsible for the loss of compression strength.
The influence of fibre orientation in aluminium–carbon laminates on low-velocity impact resistance
Authors: Jakubczak Patryk , Bienias Jarosław , Surowska Barbara
Published: December 2017

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of fibre orientation in hybrid fibre metal laminates based on aluminium and carbon fibres on the impact of low-velocity impact. The analysis was conducted on the basis of fibre metal laminate impact resistance criteria, including impact force, energy absorption, bending stiffness, damage area and failure. To assess the resistance of various aluminium–carbon laminates, qualitative and quantitative evaluation criteria were employed, including the shape of the force–time curve, characteristic impact forces, energy absorption, bending stiffness, damage area and external failure analysis. Among others, authors concluded that no explicit influence of the composite layer fibre orientation on the shape and value of characteristic forces was observed. It was found that the fibre orientation and the changing number of interfaces of low durability show no explicit influence on the size and shape of delaminations.
Nonlinear anisotropic electrical response of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Haider Mohammad F , Majumdar Prasun K , Angeloni Stephanie , Reifsnider Kenneth L
Published: December 2017

Composites materials are often subjected to multi-physics conditions in different applications where, in addition to mechanical loads, they also need to sustain other types of loads such as electrical currents. Composite materials have heterogeneous electrical properties at the local level that can be different at the global level. In this study, electrical response was measured to explore how different lamina orientation and electrical current density affect anisotropic electrical properties of composite. For in-plane study, current was applied up to 80 kA/m2 for both unidirectional and quasi-isotropic composite. In thickness direction, maximum current density was 6 kA/m2. As expected, electrical properties are indeed dependent on fiber architecture which acts as conduction path in the laminate, and also depends on progressive increase in current density. Anisotropic electrical behavior was measured experimentally and the threshold of nonlinear behavior due to high current was identified. Threshold current density for unidirectional composite in fiber direction and for quasi isotropic are, respectively, 48.14 ± 4.3% kA/m2, 56.06 ± 4.4% kA/m2. For off-axis fiber laminates, this threshold limit shifts from 34.36 ± 5.9% kA/m2 to a lower value of 17.95 ± 7.9% kA/m2 as the fibers are oriented away from the x axis. In thickness direction, this threshold limit is in between 2.56 and 3.80 kA/m2. The electrical-thermal responses were also studied experimentally with thermography tests and the results were compared to indicate damage. A 3D X-ray microscope has been used to visualize and quantify (down to 1 micron) such local material state changes due to electrical current.
Thermoset composite recycling – Driving forces, development, and evolution of new opportunities
Authors: Overcash Michael , Twomey Janet , Asmatulu Eylem , Vozzola Eric , Griffing Evan
Published: December 2017

Thermoset composites represent a substantial challenge for recycling, even as composite products increase in market interest. The concept of putting all future thermoset composite products into landfills over the next decades is unlikely to continue. This paper examines the three eras in the history of thermoset product recycling, the drivers for increased recycling, and possible future trends. Technology for managing thermoset composite products at end-of-life first focused on retrieving fiber and to a lesser extent resin. Then in a second era, research focused on better utilization of recovered fiber and finally the third era is now keeping more of the original resin–fiber structure to reuse these composites. Drivers are emerging to stimulate thermoset recycling, including States with success in recycling other challenging products (tires, carpets, automobile parts, etc.) setting policy and fees to encourage recycling. The evolution of heat recovery as a thermoset recycling option in Europe is another driver. Additionally, efforts at certification of recycled fiber quality may stimulate greater reuse.
‘Travail et progrès’: Obligatory ‘Educational’ Labour in the Belgian Congo, 1933–60
Authors: Fernández Soriano Víctor
Published: December 2017

The authorities of the Belgian Congo imposed a series of compulsory workloads to the local communities under the argument that these tasks contributed to the ‘education' of the native populations, which they called ‘Travaux d'ordre éducatif' (TOE). Such workloads represented the main legal form of forced labour which existed in the Belgian Congo from their creation in 1933 until independence in 1960. Unlike what happened in most colonial empires, these workloads were not abolished after the Second World War. This article shows, through the case study of the province of Equateur, how these workloads were conceived and organized by the Belgian colonial administration. It seeks an answer to the question of why this form of forced labour remained legal in Congo until its independence.
Heroism Research: A Review of Theories, Methods, Challenges, and Trends
Authors: Franco Zeno E. , Allison Scott T. , Kinsella Elaine L. , Kohen Ari , Langdon Matt , Zimbardo Philip G.
Published: December 2017

Heroism as an expression of self-actualization and a pinnacle social state is of fundamental interest to humanistic psychology and the field more broadly. This review places the growing discussion on heroic action in a humanistic perspective, as heroism aligns with ethical self-actualization in its highest form, personal meaning making, and social good, and can also involve profound existential costs. This review is organized in four major sections: First, the historical and philosophical underpinnings of heroism are examined, moving from ancient Greco-Roman perspectives, to more modern interpretations of Continental philosophy, and to Freud and Le Bon. Second, the article summarizes in detail a renaissance of interest in the psychology of heroism that began in the early 2000s, moving from a modern re-theorizing of heroism toward empirical exploration. This renewal of interest is described as six overlapping phases: theory building and exploration of operational definitions of heroism, taxonometric approaches to heroic figures, implicit theories of heroism, social ascription of heroic status, social influence of heroes, and internal motivations for heroic action. Third, key methodological challenges in studying heroism are discussed. Finally, the renewed interest in heroism is considered as a social movement involving not just researchers but also the broader public.
An Exploration Into Effectiveness of Existential–Phenomenological Therapy as a U.K. NHS Psychological Treatment Intervention
Authors: Stephenson Linda , Hale Beverley
Published: December 2017

Counselling and psychotherapy are rooted in humanistic and phenomenological approaches that place emphasis on a choice of therapies being available to individuals. Practice-based evidence makes an important contribution to the field of evidence-based practice on which National Health Service (NHS) clinicians and patients base decisions about psychological treatment interventions that are most likely to be effective. This research aimed to explore the effectiveness of Existential–Phenomenological Therapy (EPT) as routinely used to treat NHS patients in a U.K. secondary care setting. Quantitative data were analyzed from all available NHS routine patients’ ( N = 143) Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measures for all those who were treated with EPT ( n = 34) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ( n = 109) from January 2008 to September 2010. Differences were found between waiting list and posttherapy ( p = .016) and between pretherapy and posttherapy ( p = .03) for EPT research participants and mean results produced reliable and clinically significant change for some. A quarter of these participants moved from a clinical to nonclinical population from pretherapy to posttherapy. A similar pattern was found for the EPT and cognitive behavioral therapy NHS routine practice patients.
Learning to Read a Semitic Abjad: The Triplex Model of Hebrew Reading Development
Authors: Share David L. , Bar-On Amalia
Published: December 2017

We introduce a model of Hebrew reading development that emphasizes both the universal and script-specific aspects of learning to read a Semitic abjad. At the universal level, the study of Hebrew reading acquisition offers valuable insights into the fundamental dilemmas of all writing systems—balancing the competing needs of the novice versus the expert reader (Share, 2008). At the script-specific level, pointed Hebrew initially employs supplementary vowel signs, providing the beginning reader a consistent, phonologically well-specified script while helping the expert-to-be unitize words and morphemes via (consonantal) spelling constancy. A major challenge for the developing Hebrew reader is negotiating the transition from pointed to unpointed Hebrew, with its abundance of homographs. Our triplex model emphasizes three phases of early Hebrew reading development: a progression from lower-order, phonological (sublexical) sequential spelling-to-sound translation (Phase 1, Grade 1) to higher-order, string-level (lexical) lexico-morpho-orthographic processing (Phase 2, Grade 2) followed, in the upper elementary grades, by a supralexical contextual level (Phase 3) essential for dealing with the pervasive homography of unpointed Hebrew.
What Reading Disability? Evidence for Multiple Latent Profiles of Struggling Readers in a Large Russian Sibpair Sample With at Least One Sibling at Risk for Reading Difficulties
Authors: Kornilov Sergey A. , Grigorenko Elena L.
Published: December 2017

In this study, we performed a latent profile analysis of reading and related skills in a large ( n = 733) sibpair sample of Russian readers at risk for reading difficulties. The analysis suggested the presence of seven latent profiles, of which two were characterized by relatively high performance on measures of spelling and reading comprehension and the remaining five included severely as well as moderately affected readers with deficits in the domains of phonological, orthographic, and morphological processing. The results suggest that the development and manifestation of reading difficulties in Russian is mappable on a complex pattern of interactions between different types and severities of processing deficits. The results point to the psychological reality of multiple different suboptimal patterns of deficits in reading and reading-related skills and support the multifactorial view of the disorder, with intriguing implications for future neurobiological studies.
Preparing Mainstream Classroom Teachers of English Learner Students: Grounding Practice-Based Designs for Teacher Learning in Theories of Adaptive Expertise Development
Authors: Von Esch Kerry Soo , Kavanagh Sarah Schneider
Published: December 2017

Preparing classroom teachers to teach English Learner (EL) students continues to challenge teacher educators. This article argues for EL teaching work to be situated within theories of professional learning that focus on developing teachers who can flexibly and innovatively integrate EL instructional practice into content area teaching. We propose a framework of adaptive expertise that highlights scaffolding instructional practice while simultaneously creating opportunities for preservice teachers to collectively engage with problems of practice and critical reflection in real time in classrooms. Using data from a qualitative study involving a practice-based design—the studio day—in teacher education, we illustrate key elements of the framework. We examine the potential of studio days to help preservice teachers build integrated knowledge about rigorous mathematics and language instruction. Framing the preparation of classroom teachers to teach EL students within theories of adaptive expertise may inform teacher education pedagogies and contexts for teacher learning.
Simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens by multiplex PCR coupled with DNA biochip hybridization
Authors: Tung Hsiang-Yun , Chen Wei-Chen , Ou Bor-Rung , Yeh Jan-Ying , Cheng Yeong-Hsiang , Tsng Ping-Hua , Hsu Ming-Hua , Tsai Ming-Shiun , Liang Yu-Chuan
Published: December 2017

Traditional serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is routinely used to monitor pathogens during quarantine in most animal facilities to prevent possible infection. However, the ELISA platform is a single-target assay, and screening all targeted pathogens is time-consuming and laborious. In this study, to increase sensitivity and to reduce diagnosis time for high-throughput processes, multiplex PCR and DNA biochip techniques were combined to develop a multi-pathogen diagnostic method for use instead of routine ELISA. Eight primer sets were designed for multiplex PCR to detect genes from seven targeted bacterial and viral pathogens. DNA–DNA hybridization was conducted on a biochip following the multiple PCR analysis. Using this method, a total of 24 clinical samples were tested, and the result showed that not only single infection but also co-infection by multi-pathogens can be detected. In conclusion, multiplex PCR coupled with a DNA biochip is an efficient method for detecting multi-pathogens in a reaction. This platform is a useful tool for quarantine services and disease prevention in animal facilities.
Second Language Perception of Mandarin Vowels and Tones
Authors: Hao Yen-Chen
Published: December 2017

This study examines the discrimination of Mandarin vowels and tones by native English speakers with varying amounts of Mandarin experience, aiming to investigate the relative difficulty of these two types of sounds for English speakers at different learning stages, and the source of their difficulty. Seventeen advanced learners of Mandarin (Ex group), eighteen beginning learners (InEx group), and eighteen English speakers naïve to Mandarin (Naïve group) participated in an AXB discrimination task. The stimuli were two Mandarin vowel contrasts, /li–ly/ and /lu–ly/, and two tonal contrasts, T1–T4 and T2–T3. The predicted difficulty for each contrast was hypothesized based on the assimilation of these sounds to English reported in previous work. The results showed that the Naïve group was more accurate with vowel contrasts than with tones, suggesting that non-tonal language speakers without any Mandarin training are less sensitive to tonal distinction than to vowels. The two learner groups, on the other hand, were highly accurate with all contrasts except for the T2–T3 pair, and achieved significantly higher accuracy than the Naïve group on /li–ly/ and T1–T4. This lends support to the view that experience in Mandarin improves English speakers’ sensitivity to tonal distinction, helping them discriminate some tones as accurately as vowels. However, all three groups achieved low accuracy in discriminating T2 and T3, suggesting that this contrast may be inherently difficult and resistant to improvement. This study shows that various factors in addition to the native language experience may affect the perception of non-native vowels and tones.
The Associations of Complicated Grief, Depression, Posttraumatic Growth, and Hope Among Bereaved Youth
Authors: Salloum Alison , Bjoerke Anne , Johnco Carly
Published: December 2017

Research on the association between complicated grief (CG), hope, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among bereaved youth is limited. Measures of CG, depression, hope, and PTG were completed by 85 youth (aged 7–18 years). Results indicated a strong positive relationship between CG and depressive symptoms, an inverse relationship between hope and depressive symptoms, and a moderate positive relationship between hope and PTG. There was no significant association between CG and hope or between CG and PTG. Higher levels of CG and lower levels of hope independently predicted greater depressive symptoms, but PTG did not. Results have implications for assessing positive outcomes in bereaved youth.
On waiting, hauntings and surviving: Chronicling life with cancer through solicited diaries
Authors: Broom Alex , Kenny Katherine , Kirby Emma
Published: December 2017

The ‘typical’ trajectory of a person with cancer has been from diagnosis, through treatment, and towards cure (life) or the end of life (death). Yet, cancer survivorship as a social practice is no longer contained by such neat categorisations. Much of the lived experience of cancer now centres on: living with, rather than beyond, disease; the perpetuity of treatment rather than the spectre of disease; and, making sense of incurability. Using a solicited diary methodology, in this article the authors seek to chronicle life with cancer for those living in the in-between – the often-overlooked lives of incurable survivors. In the analysis of survivors’ diaries, the authors argue for an emphasis on the phenomenology of waiting and sociological exploration of how clinical prognostications affectively haunt the present. This, they posit, will further sociological understandings of the lived experience of affliction and care, especially within relations of chronicity and perpetuity, in this case focusing on advanced cancer and the steadily changing oncological milieu.
Social class, symbolic domination, and Angst: The example of the Norwegian social space
Authors: Schmitz Andreas , Flemmen Magne , Rosenlund Lennart
Published: December 2017

Today, ‘fear’ in its diverse facets is a topic growing in relevance in the media discourse. However, apart from analyses of individual psychic pathologies or general macro-sociological diagnoses, it has been largely neglected in (empirical) social sciences. The increasingly influential works of Bourdieu are no exception here, even though the concept of habitus inherently transcends positive interests such as lifestyle preferences, as analyzed in La Distinction. This becomes explicitly clear in his late works, above all in La Misère du monde, where the dispositions of agents are described in terms of the fears and worries associated with their positions in the social space and societal transformation processes. In this article the authors show that concerns, fear, and worries are constitutive characteristics of the habitus by investigating the structure of ‘fear manifestations’ in relation to the social space. Following Bourdieu’s conception, they construct a model of the Norwegian social space by applying Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to survey data. They then investigate how questions on fears and concerns are related to the capital structure of the space. The article concludes with a discussion of the findings and a reflection of their implications for a sociology of symbolic domination.
Application of air bladders for medical compression hosieries
Authors: Hakala Tomi , Puolakka Arja , Nousiainen Pertti , Vuorela Timo , Vanhala Jukka
Published: December 2017

The research work presents a new design of compression hosiery where compression around a human limb is generated using special air bladders. The pressure inside the air bladders is adjustable. The objective of the research was to study graduated compression and its control on the limb using the prototype with air bladders and two commercial compression products. The compression forces were measured around the limb under a knee in three sectors: a foot, a middle part and an upper part of the leg. Measurements were mainly done in vivo using the limb of a test person – although some pre-trials were done in vitro. During the tests it was concluded that the exact control of the compression was very difficult to achieve due to, for example, the shape and the composition of the limb. Based on the results, the compression values were unstable under the sectors and the graduated compression was nonlinear in the vertical direction for every tested hosiery. There is some analogy concerning the pressure distribution reported about standard mechanical compression hosiery. The results prove that our prototype enables one to achieve very high compression values in seconds, and to manage and to adjust instantly the compression rate in each sector. Efficient controllability and comfort are important matters in the medical treatment, where a patient wears the hosieries for prolonged times.
Making Student Achievement a Priority: The Role of School Counselors in Turnaround Schools
Authors: Hines Erik M. , Moore James L. , Mayes Renae D. , Harris Paul C. , Vega Desireé , Robinson Dwan V. , Gray Crystal N. , Jackson Candice E.
Published: December 2017

Much attention has been paid to administrators and teachers in turnaround schools; however, little focus, if any, is given to school counselors and the vital role that they play in improving student outcomes. In turnaround schools, it is critical that all school personnel are involved in improving school outcomes, such as academic achievement and graduation rates, in the lowest performing high schools in the United States. The authors highlight the critical role that school counselors play in turnaround schools and offer specific recommendations on how they may collaborate with other stakeholders to improve student achievement in such school settings.
Liberal Ideologies and Federal School Reform: Following Individualism, Meliorism, and Neutrality Through SIG Policy to Adelante Alternative School
Authors: Castagno Angelina E.
Published: December 2017

By exploring how liberalism is at work through a federally driven effort to improve academic achievement in schools serving youth of color and those from low-income communities, this article attempts to advance an understanding of the mechanisms that reify structural inequity in urban schools. Based on both a critical analysis of School Improvement Grant (SIG) policy and qualitative data from a school undergoing SIG reform, this article illustrates the power of individualism, meliorism, and presumed neutrality to shape schooling and the ways educators engage in school reform.
Compassion in Urban Teaching: Process, Arenas, and Factors
Authors: Oplatka Izhar , Gamerman Orit
Published: December 2017

The current explorative study aimed at understanding the subjective meanings of “compassion” in teaching and its process and determinants. Based on 14 semi-structured interviews with teachers who are considered by their colleague to be compassionate, it was found that compassion consists of two phases—identification and compassionate behavior, and triggered by varied sources of suffering (e.g., distress at the student’s home, academic failure, chronic illness, exam anxiety, school violence, and special education needs). Likewise, four major factors of compassionate behavior in teaching have been identified: personal background, career experience, close teacher–students relations, and educational leadership. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Car dependence and housing affordability: An emerging social deprivation issue in London?
Authors: Cao Mengqiu , Hickman Robin
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates the combined problem of high car dependence and housing affordability, in view of likely continued volatility in oil prices (and hence higher petrol and diesel prices), and rising house prices. Household budgets are likely to be stretched where there are high levels of car dependency and housing unaffordability – with little flexibility for rising costs in either or both of these. A composite car dependence and housing affordability (CDHA) index is developed, using indices of oil vulnerability related to car travel and housing affordability. Greater London is used as the case study, with 2001 and 2011 data analysed at the level of Lower Super Output Areas, and presented using Geographic Information System and R statistical software. The findings reveal that there are high levels of composite car dependence and housing price vulnerability in many suburban areas across Greater London, adding to the previous areas of social deprivation found mainly in East London. The composite CDHA index illustrates where the most vulnerable areas are spatially. Many neighbourhoods may become less attractive for those on median or even relatively high incomes. The areas most affected may become much more expensive to live in, potentially leading to much greater pressure on travel and housing costs as people could be forced to live further from the centre of London, including beyond the Greater London boundary, which has further implications for travel. Failing to consider these emerging affordability issues represents an oversight in terms of transport planning in London.
Rural migrants in villages-in-the-city in Guangzhou, China: Multi-positionality and negotiated living strategies
Authors: Chung H
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates rural Chinese migrants’ agency through their multi-positionality and negotiated living strategies. The idea of ‘multi-positionality’ conceptualises a migrant’s mobility between physical locations and shifting social positions. Through individual migrants’ multi-positionality, this study discusses their place-specific social relations and thereby the diverse way to negotiate a living in villages-in-the-city in Guangzhou, China. These strategies include simple approaches such as facilitating physical movements between different locations and more sophisticated ones which develop multiple roles with outsiders and native villagers in different localities. While the former allows individual migrants to use their local knowledge to make a living in the context of institutional exclusion and discrimination, the latter further cultivates changes and an upgrade in social relations. Rural migrants' everyday stories are used to unfold an individual’s particular people–place relationship and how he/she has tapped into a place-specific resource to make a living. It does not aim to generalise rural migrants’ experience; rather it seeks to show diversity and complexity. Migrants’ stories are collected through extensive research in a village-in-the-city in Guangzhou, China. Through these stories, not only does this paper articulate the social relations which underlie individual migrants’ shifting positions, but also extends translocal studies on migrants beyond the narrative of physical locations.
Agency and social construction of space under top-down planning: Resettled rural residents in China
Authors: Zhang Min , Wu Weiping , Zhong Weijing
Published: December 2017

Resettled rural communities are a product of China’s rapid urbanisation and associated top-down planning. For local governments, relocating farmers from natural villages into new, concentrated residential neighbourhoods serves the dual purpose of implementing national directives on farmland conservation and integrated urban–rural planning. For resettled residents, however, the transition process is fraught with livelihood, social and cultural contest. This paper explores how such residents in a Chinese city, Zhenjiang, exercise agency to reconstruct community and public space in their new neighbourhood. Keeping alive patterns and practice of thoughts acquired during their rural lives, habitus, resettled residents have deployed their new spatial situation in creative ways. Pre-existing social fabric and mutual benefit-sharing provide the foundation for spatial adaptation and transformation, allowing residents to achieve a sense of normalcy or even to recreate village life. Theoretically, our analysis highlights the importance of situating spatial agency within the context of shifting regime of property rights and its effect on the maintenance of habitus.
The Development and Testing of an Instrument to Measure Youth Social Capital in the Domain of Postsecondary Transitions
Authors: Ryan Sarah , Junker Brian W.
Published: December 2017

Through the development and field testing of an instrument designed to measure youth social capital in the context of postsecondary transitions, this research addresses the need for theory-driven measures of social capital among youth. The results offer preliminary evidence that dimensions of youth social capital, including network structure and network content, can be reliably measured and that these dimensions of social capital are interrelated in a manner consistent with theory. The results also offer initial support for the validity of the social capital construct within the domain of youth postsecondary transitions. Taken together, the findings provide a foundation for continued research that might surmount inadequate measures and theoretical disputes to encompass more careful and rigorous empirical scrutiny when it comes to the measurement of social capital among children and adolescents.
Misperceiving A Code of Silence: Peer Support for Telling Authorities About Weapons at School Among Middle School and High School Students in the United States
Authors: Perkins Jessica M. , Perkins H. Wesley , Craig David W.
Published: December 2017

This study explores misperceptions about peer norms in support of telling authorities about weapons at school and whether perceptions predict personal support for telling authorities. Anonymous surveys were conducted among youth in 30 schools (Grades 5-12) in six states ( n = 12,903) between 2006 and 2014. Personal support for telling principals, teachers/counselors, police/security, and parents, separately, about weapons at school was measured as well as perception of peers’ support for telling authorities. Most students in most schools personally thought that students should tell authorities about weapons. However, depending on the authority, 37% to 52% of students mistakenly believed that most students did not support students telling authorities. Regression analysis revealed that perceiving support for telling authorities as normative among peers was highly predictive of personal support—much more so than other predictors. Thus, misperceptions of the peer norm as a code of silence may contribute to the problem of weapons at school.