bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A modal acoustic emission signal classification scheme derived from finite element simulation
Authors: Burks Brian , Kumosa Maciej
Published: April 2013

The ability of broadband modal acoustic emission to classify the most common forms of damage mechanisms occurring within a polymer matrix composite material with rod type geometry has been shown. The composite under study was a unidirectional hybrid polymer matrix composite material, with carbon and glass fibers reinforcing a high temperature epoxy matrix. Signal discrimination was achieved through the development of a classification scheme derived from explicit finite element simulation of the most common deformation mechanisms. The classification scheme identified the type of failure mechanism, as well as the material of origin, based upon the spectral content of the signal which is directly influenced by the wave modes that propagate. The classification scheme was used to evaluate the effect that atmospheric aging at elevated temperature had on the hybrid composite subjected to flexure loading at various time periods. Advantages of the proposed method include computational efficiency, the ability to inherently account for geometric and material boundary layer reflections, as well as the ability to be readily adapted to complex part geometries.
Hydraulic engine mounts: a survey
Authors: Marzbani Hormoz , Jazar Reza N , Fard M
Published: April 2013

An ideal engine mount should provide a dual behavior. It needs to be soft to reduce the transmitted force, and to be hard to limit the relative displacement. The constant parameter linear mounts are unable to provide a good isolation when the excitation frequency is variable. Hydraulic engine mounts were invented as smart isolators to passively produce a soft isolator at low amplitude and a hard isolator at high amplitude. Having a dual behavior puts the mounts in the domain of nonlinear systems which in turn causes many new phenomena which have never appeared in linear analysis. The dual behavior hydraulic engine mounts were introduced around 1980 and passed through many analytic and technical improvements. This article will review these improvements up to 2012 and discusses the technical problems and methods of remedy.
Simultaneous positioning and non-minimum phase vibration suppression of slewing flexible-link manipulator using only joint actuator
Authors: Chu Ming , Chen Gang , Jia Qing-Xuan , Gao Xin , Sun Han-Xu
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a new global terminal sliding mode control (GTSMC) methodology for the simultaneous positioning and vibration suppression of slewing a flexible-link manipulator. The proposed control scheme is realized using only a joint actuator without an extra actuator (for example, the widely used piezoelectric zirconate titanate), and the non-minimum phase vibration control problem is solved. Firstly, based on the differential geometry method, the initial dynamic system is decomposed into two subsystems, namely an input-output subsystem and a zero-dynamics subsystem. Secondly, a continuous GTSMC strategy without chattering phenomenon is designed for the input-output subsystem, and the limited convergence time is deduced. Moreover, the eigenvalues of the zero-dynamics subsystem can be pointed by setting proper controller parameters for Lyapunov asymptotical stability. Finally, simulation and experimental results demonstrated the efficacy and feasibility of the proposed control methodology.
Reduction of wheel force variations with magnetorheological devices
Authors: Makowski Michal , Knap Lech
Published: April 2013

At present, owing predominantly to advances in measurement technology and microprocessor control, development of a new generation of smart materials may lead to widespread adoption of semi-active damping systems into everyday life. An important class of such materials includes so-called “intelligent” magneto-rheological. A dominant feature of these materials is that their physical properties can be altered relatively easily under the influence of an external magnetic field. In this paper, a simplified model of a vehicle equipped with in-time controlled semi-active magneto-rheological suspension system is presented. Moreover, simple algorithms employed to control it are described and their efficacy studied by computer simulation and direct experiment.

Torsional as well as reciprocating vibration magneto-rheological dampers (MRD) were used as in-time semi-active controls. In addition, a magneto-rheological rotary brake (MRB) was employed as a torsional vibration damper. As a result of direct experiments and simulations we were able to obtain characteristics of both devices showing dissipative features and relationship between model parameters.

The main goal of this paper is to present methods for assessing the impact of changes in properties of MRD and MRB dampers for a reduction in variations in vertical wheel forces. These properties are controlled by demonstrated optimization algorithm responsible for an optimal selection of friction in magneto-rheological dampers. Also, an optimization criterion has been proposed.

A control algorithm presented in this paper has been verified by means of conducting an extensive experimental investigation employing a Ford Transit van. Based on the results of our numerical and experimental studies it has been proved that through properties changes in MRD and MRB dampers it had been possible to reduce the variations in vertical wheel forces. Thus, an increase in the safety of the vehicle is possible.
Study on the nonlinear dynamical behavior of deepsea Spar platform by numerical simulation and model experiment
Authors: Liu Liqin , Zhou Bin , Tang Yougang
Published: April 2013

The nonlinear motion of the Spar platform hull is studied by numerical simulation and model experiment in this paper. The nonlinear differential equation for a coupled heave-pitch of a platform hull is established in a regular wave. The bifurcation pictures of response amplitude with wave frequency variation, Poincare’ maps and time histories are calculated to study the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of the platform hull. The parameters domain for unstable pitch motion is calculated numerically. It is found that the platform motion is sensitive to wave frequency. With the changing of wave frequency the platform exhibits harmonic motion, twice super-harmonic motion, 1/2 sub-harmonic motion, quasi-periodic motion and chaotic motion. The nonlinear 1/2 sub-harmonic motion and the parameter domain for unstable pitch motion are qualitatively verified by the model experiment.
Modified function projective lag synchronization in fractional-order chaotic (hyperchaotic) systems
Authors: Chao Luo , Xingyuan Wang
Published: April 2013

In this paper, a novel modified function projective lag synchronization (MFPLS) for fractional-order chaotic (hyperchaotic) systems is proposed. Considering fractional derivatives do not satisfy the Leibniz product rule, as it is known in integer-order calculus, it is difficult to achieve the synchronization with a scaling function between the drive and response systems in the time domain. In this paper, we construct the equivalent integer-order systems based on the Laplace transform and make numerical calculation. By means of the Lyapunov stability theory, an adaptive controller is designed to achieve MFPLS for the transformed systems. According to the mapping relationship between the original and transformed systems, MFPLS for the fractional-order chaotic systems is achieved. Theoretical proof and numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed scheme.
A note on the stability of linear dynamical systems with time delay
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Yan , Sun Jian-Qiao
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a stability study of linear time-invariant and periodic systems with time delay. The methods of semi-discretization, continuous time approximation and Lyapunov stability theory are used to study the stability of two benchmark systems. It is found that for linear time-invariant systems, the Lyapunov method is usually conservative leading to a much smaller domain of stability in a parameter space than the true solution, with the exception of the complete Lyapunov functional due to Gu, which gives highly accurate predictions with little conservatism. For periodic systems, it is difficult to find appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals. Numerical methods such as semi-discretization and continuous time approximation are more appealing, and can compute geometrically complex stability boundaries in the parameter space with high accuracy.
System identification for a general class of observable and reachable bilinear systems
Authors: Lee Cheh-Han , Juang Jer-Nan
Published: April 2013

A novel method is developed incorporating a special input sequence for a general class of observable and reachable bilinear system identification. An order reduction scheme is introduced to determine the system matrices. This method makes a significant improvement to its predecessors by removing the observability requirement for the linear part of the bilinear systems. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the method developed in this paper.
Predicting blast-induced ground vibration using general regression neural network
Authors: Xue Xinhua , Yang Xingguo
Published: April 2013

Blasting is still an economical and viable method for rock excavation in mining and civil works projects. Ground vibration generated due to blasting is an undesirable phenomenon which is harmful for the nearby inhabitants and dwellings and should be prevented. In this study, an attempt has been made to predict the blast-induced ground vibration and frequency by incorporating rock properties, blast design and explosive parameters using the general regression neural network (GRNN) technique. To validate this methodology, the predictions obtained were compared with those obtained using the artificial neural network (ANN) model as well as by multivariate regression analysis (MVRA). Among all the methods, GRNN provides excellent predictions with a high degree of correlation.
Challenges and Dangers of Reporting in a Tumultuous Border Region
Authors: Carter Cathleen , Kodrich Kris
Published: April 2013

Journalists at the El Paso Times routinely cover violence in neighboring Ciudad Juarez, where thousands of men, women, and children have been murdered in recent years. Utilizing border theory and research involving journalists and trauma, this qualitative newsroom study examines how journalists at the El Paso Times are dramatically affected by their daily exposure to the unrelenting violence in this border region. The study recommends that newsroom management provide journalists with the necessary resources and support that will help them cope.
When Retweets Attack
Authors: Stewart Daxton R. “Chip”
Published: April 2013

Under the republication doctrine, repeating false and defamatory statements has traditionally triggered liability for the repeater. However, some confusion has emerged regarding retweeting posts of others on Twitter, the popular microblog site. Does retweeting the defamatory statement of another open the retweeter to liability? This article examines exceptions to the republication doctrine, such as the single publication rule, the wire service defense, and the Communications Decency Act (CDA) to answer this question. A review of court opinions leads to the conclusion that Section 230 of the CDA provides a powerful shield for users of interactive computer services such as Twitter.
An edge dislocation interacting with an elastic thin-layered semi-infinite matrix
Authors: Li Jia , Liu Youwen , Wen Pihua
Published: April 2013

The model of an edge dislocation inside a elastic thin layered semi-infinite matrix is utilized to study the interaction between an edge dislocation and the elastic thin layered semi-infinite matrix. The analytic solutions of complex functions of an edge dislocation in the matrix and in the thin layer are obtained by applying a complex potential approach in conjunction with the techniques of the image method. With the aid of the obtained stress fields and the Peach–Koehler formula, the explicit expressions for the glide and climb forces acting on the edge dislocation are obtained. The results indicate that, the material elastic dissimilarity, the thickness of thin layer and the position of the dislocation have a significant influence on the glide and climb forces acting on the dislocation. The glide and climb forces will increase with the decrease in thickness of thin layer when an edge dislocation is in the matrix or in the layer. In addition, they will increase with a decrease in the shear modulus ratio of the layer to the matrix, when the matrix is softer than the layer and an edge dislocation is in the matrix or in the layer.
Socializing to Co-Produce
Authors: Guo Lin , Arnould Eric J. , Gruen Thomas W. , Tang Chuanyi
Published: April 2013

Success rates of behavior change counseling programs (e.g., weight loss, smoking cessation, and debt management), where consumers seek to overcome their destructive habits and enhance well-being, are very low. Characterized by extended and complex service encounters, the providers of these programs face the challenge of gaining consumers’ compliance to adhere to the programs’ requirements and turning these consumers into effective co-producers of the service outcomes. This study investigates the process of customer organizational socialization in these programs, how it may promote co-production behaviors, and thus enhance consumers’ well-being as well as satisfaction with the organization. The context of debt management programs is used to test the model. Data were obtained from 364 clients of a major credit counseling organization in the United States. The results reveal the differential effects of three aspects of socialization (role clarity, task mastery, and goal congruence) on three different types of consumer co-production behaviors (compliance, individual initiative, and civic virtue). Overall, compliance has the greatest contribution to well-being, while both compliance and individual initiative enhance satisfaction with the organization. Furthermore, consumers with a higher or lower ongoing dependence on the organization have different routes to well-being, with the high-dependence group relying on individual initiative, and the low-dependence group favoring compliance. This study contributes to the literature of co-production, organizational socialization, and consumers’ well-being by showing how these three streams are connected. Managerial and policy implications focus on the need for these organizations to include efforts to ensure that consumers are effectively socialized into the program.
Income predictors of smoking cessation among Hispanics
Authors: Chiang Karl , Borrelli Belinda
Published: April 2013

Higher socioeconomic status smokers are more successful at smoking cessation. Few studies have investigated the prospective association between multiple measures of socioeconomic status and Hispanic smoking cessation. We assessed four measures to examine which predicted smoking cessation. Hispanics without debt had 18.5 times higher odds of 30-day cessation (odds ratio = 18.47, 95% confidence interval = 3.26–104.66, p < .01) and 11-fold increased odds of 7-day point prevalence abstinence (odds ratio = 11.32, 95% confidence interval = 2.45–52.24, p < .01) at 3-month follow-up. Yearly income, education, work status, money to see a doctor, and money for medications were not predictive of smoking cessation. Debt level may better measure socioeconomic inequities by capturing objective and subjective social status associated with Hispanic smoking cessation.
Mood enhancement in health-promoting non-aerobic exercise: The role of non-specific mechanisms
Authors: Gaitan-Sierra Carolina , Hyland Michael E
Published: April 2013

Eighty participants took part in a 5-day intervention Qi Gong study to enhance well-being and were randomised to either positive or body focus and either high or low hand position. The high hand position improved negative affect and was reported more intrinsically motivating but was unrelated to perceived effort. Positive focus produced better positive affect. For all groups combined, intrinsic motivation and effort predicted all three outcomes. The association between expectancy and perceived benefit was mediated via intrinsic motivation and perceived effort. Results support motivational concordance and positive focus as mechanisms of benefit but not response expectancy.
Development and initial validation of the Perceptions of Parental Illness Questionnaire
Authors: Bogosian Angeliki , Moss-Morris Rona , Bishop Felicity L , Hadwin Julie
Published: April 2013

The Perceptions of Parental Illness Questionnaire was developed based on interviews with 15 adolescents with a parent with multiple sclerosis and refined using cognitive interviews. In total, 104 adolescents with a parent with multiple sclerosis then completed the Perceptions of Parental Illness Questionnaire and adjustment measures at two time points 6 months apart. Principal component analysis resulted in 11 Perceptions of Parental Illness Questionnaire sub-scales. Mixed-effect models showed that adolescents’ perceptions of parental multiple sclerosis at baseline rather than disease severity were associated with their psychosocial well-being 6 months later. The results indicate that Perceptions of Parental Illness Questionnaire may be a reliable and valid measure of adolescents’ representations of parents’ multiple sclerosis. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings with other illness groups.
The management of situated risk: A parental perspective on child food allergy
Authors: Stjerna Marie-Louise , Vetander Mirja , Wickman Magnus , Olin Lauritzen Sonja
Published: April 2013

Food allergy is an illness that requires constant risk management in everyday life. To date, there is no cure or preventive treatment, and the only way to manage the condition is therefore careful avoidance of the offending foodstuff and treatment of reactions when they occur. This article draws on a socio-cultural approach to explore parents’ understandings and management of child food allergy in the context of everyday life, as ‘situated’ risk. A focus group study was carried out with 31 parents of children diagnosed with food allergy at two children’s hospitals. The analysis of the focus group material reveals how the management of allergy risk seems to permeate most aspects of everyday life as well as how the parents draw on a dominant norm of risk avoidance as well as a counter-discourse of calculated risk taking. The patterns of risk management found in this study are discussed in terms of how risk avoidance and risk taking are intertwined and balanced in the context of moral parenthood.
Outline of a social theory of rights
Authors: Silva Filipe Carreira da
Published: April 2013

This article articulates a neo-pragmatist theory of human rights by drawing and expanding upon the American classical pragmatism of G.H. Mead. It characterizes this neo-pragmatist theory of rights by its anti-foundationalist, relational, fictive, and constitutive nature, and begins by providing a reconstruction of Mead’s social pragmatist approach to rights, a contribution systematically ignored by contemporary sociologists of rights. Next, it details the cost of this disciplinary oblivion by examining how much neo-pragmatism, critical theory, and legal consciousness studies have meanwhile gained by engaging with Mead’s work on rights. Finally, it discusses the contributions of this historical-theoretical exercise to the rapidly growing sociology of rights, and shows that by supplementing the neo-Meadian approach with a recent interpretation of Hobbes’s fictional theory of politics, there appear to be substantive gains in the empirical study of the origins, consequences, meaning, and denial of rights.
Referrals from nursing home to hospital: Reasons, appropriateness and costs
Authors: Vossius Corinna Elisabeth , Ydstebø Arnt Egil , Testad Ingelin , Lurås Hilde
Published: April 2013

Background: Nursing home residents represent a frail and multimorbid group of patients. The rationality of the hospitalisation of nursing home patients has therefore been questioned. Objective: To investigate hospital referrals of nursing home patients in the municipality of Stavanger, Norway and identify the number of inappropriate referrals and costs. Methods: The number of referrals was retrospectively identified by the emergency dispatch centre in the 18 municipalities of South Rogaland in 2011. For the municipality of Stavanger, referring instance, reason for referral, purpose of referral, the existence of an advance care plan, and appropriateness were assessed. Total costs and costs for inappropriate referrals were estimated. Results: In Stavanger there were 0.38 hospital referrals per nursing home bed per year as compared to 0.60 in the surrounding municipalities. Of 359 referrals, 78.6% resulted in an in-hospital stay, in-hospital mortality rate was 7.8%, and 7% were assessed as being inappropriate. The costs per referral were estimated to be €6198. Conclusion: Stavanger had a lower referral rate than the surrounding municipalities. The results also show that the in-hospital mortality rate and the share of inappropriate referrals were low compared to other studies in the field. Further research is needed in order to evaluate which interventions are effective in improving medical care at nursing homes and thus reduce referral rates.
The design of Five Wounds: An Illuminated Novel
Authors: Walker Jonathan
Published: April 2013

In recent ‘hybrid novels’, which incorporate illustrations and other visual material as an integral part of the narrative, design is not just a matter of typography and layout. Rather, design organises all the signifying elements on a page within an integrated system, so that form exemplifies content. In this reflective practitioner article, the author uses his novel Five Wounds as a case study of this approach to design.
Does vocational schooling facilitate criminal offending? A study of educational tracking in Finland
Authors: Savolainen Jukka , Hughes Lorine A , Hurtig Tuula M , Ebeling Hanna , Taanila Anja M
Published: April 2013

The Finnish educational system streams students to academic or vocational tracks at the transition to upper secondary school. Organized as specialized training programs, vocational schools in Finland are highly segregated by gender and tend to attract significant concentrations of poorly motivated students with behavioral problems. Drawing on differential association theory, we hypothesize that these settings facilitate criminal involvement. Evidence from longitudinal data suggests that participation in vocational education is criminogenic for males but not females. Moreover, supporting the cumulative disadvantage hypothesis, participation in the vocational track mediates the association between low academic performance and the risk of criminal conviction. These findings raise concerns about a system of tracking prevalent in many European countries.
Under the Knife and Under the Lens: Ethical Issues in Broadcasting Live Surgery
Authors: Huxtable Richard
Published: April 2013

Live broadcasts of surgical procedures are most common at professional conferences, but they are not uncommon in the wider public arena, with operations having recently been transmitted in realtime on public television in the UK. This phenomenon raises ethical concerns familiar from the professional context, along with some distinct considerations which merit further attention. In this article I aim to examine the issues in terms of patient autonomy, patient welfare and the public interest. Prompted by the interest recently expressed by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, under each topic I pose a series of questions, before closing with a call for enhanced ethical oversight, such as might be afforded by a clinical ethics committee.
A Mental Capacity Act 2005 Questionnaire
Authors: Rowley Christine , Perry Dexter , Brickwood Rebecca , Mellor Nicola
Published: April 2013

The hospital's clinical ethics committee sought to gauge health-care professionals’ level of knowledge and usage of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 within the hospital trust. The hospital's personnel were asked to complete a 10 part questionnaire relating to the basic contents of the Act. Four hundred questionnaires were distributed and 249 (62%) were returned completed and valid for analysis. A ‘pass-mark’ of 70% (7/10) was assumed; the results showed that 48% of respondents scored ≤ 50% (≤5/10), 74% of respondents scored <70% (<7/10) and only 24% of respondents scored ≥70% (≥7/10). It was concluded that the Mental Capacity Act 2005 was not being effectively implemented within the Trust. Measures to increase the awareness and usage of the Act have subsequently been instigated. We believe that these measures will improve the awareness and knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 within the hospital Trust lead to its better utilization.
From Empathy to Assisted Dying: An Argument
Authors: Berry Philip A
Published: April 2013

Assisted dying (AD) has not been legalized despite a number of presentations to parliament. It is necessary for doctors who support AD to justify themselves in the context of repeated legislative failure. This article describes the author's personal approach to the problem, one that prioritizes respect for autonomy above legal or societal objections. It is argued that for debilitated patients, the preservation of autonomy depends on a doctor's empathy and willingness to advocate. This sequence can be interrupted by externally and internally imposed barriers. External factors include indiscriminate respect for the law and society's institutions, an inaccurate perception of the balance of risks to society and insufficient compensation for the dying person's inability to mount a sustained challenge. Internal brakes to advocacy such as elevation of personal morality above the needs of patients, attenuation of the therapeutic relationship in cases of moral complexity and the temptation to abdicate the role of physician are also explored. It is concluded that if AD could in theory be of benefit to a patient, but cannot be achieved due to its illegality, doctors have a duty to actively represent their demands as they would for other forms of treatment.
Doctors, Dying Children and Religious Parents: Dialogue or Demonization?
Authors: Jones David Albert , Katz David R , Wyatt John
Published: April 2013

A recent online article in the Journal of Medical Ethics, which received wide media coverage, raised the possibility that children are being ‘subjected to torture’ due to the ‘fervent or fundamentalist views’ of their parents. However, the quality of argument in that article was inadequate to sustain such a radical thesis. There was no engagement with the perspectives of different religious traditions about end-of-life care. Instead the authors invoked practices such as male infant circumcision which are wholly irrelevant to the end-of-life theme. There were serious failings in relation to core principles of social and epide-miological research practice: the study based its conclusion on a sample of only six cases and failed to consider even the more obvious confounding features. Rather than demonizing the religious beliefs of parents there should be recognition of the need for mutual respect, dialogue based on an ‘expert-expert relationship’ and collaboration based on ‘shared understanding’.
Panic Versus Epilepsy
Authors: Boutros Nash N. , Gjini Klevest , Moran John , Chugani Harry , Bowyer Susan
Published: April 2013

The differential diagnosis of panic attacks (PAs) from temporal lobe epilepsy is important and challenging. Despite advances in understanding the neural basis of psychiatric disorders, current practice strongly emphasizes dichotomous thinking of either “functional” PAs of psychiatric etiology or a seizure disorder. We present a case with PA features strongly suggestive of a seizure disorder. An extensive workup failed to resolve the dichotomy between functional and neurological. The possibility is raised that there may be degrees of abnormal hyperexcitability, leading to the emergence of symptoms, but not enough to generate large potentials that can be detected at the scalp.
Transformational and Passive Leadership
Authors: Bogler Ronit , Caspi Avner , Roccas Sonia
Published: April 2013

The study investigated whether students perceive their university instructors in a virtual learning environment as leaders. Referring to the full range leadership theory (FRLT), we examined the effects of transformational and passive leadership styles of university instructors on students' satisfaction and learning outcomes. Completed web-based questionnaires were obtained from 1270 students who enrolled in large academic courses led by instructors in web-based instructional environments. Data analyses confirmed the validity of the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) in the virtual asynchronous communication setting with three second-order factors model composed of transformational, active management-by-exception and passive leadership. Leadership styles correlated with student satisfaction: the more the students attributed transformational leadership style to the instructor and the less they attributed a passive leadership style, the more satisfied they were. The attributed leadership style was not related to the actual participation of the students in the virtual discussions or to their academic achievements. The findings suggest that subordinates' satisfaction might be tied more strongly to their perception of the leader than to the actual tangible benefits the leader can provide. Moreover, the study shows that the FRLT is applied to the asynchronous, web-based, instructional environment which is being increasingly adopted in higher education institutions.
Leadership Development for Experienced New Zealand Principals
Authors: Cardno Carol , Youngs Howard
Published: April 2013

This article presents the perceptions of approximately 300 experienced New Zealand principals who participated in a pilot leadership development initiative funded by the Ministry of Education. The Experienced Principals Development Programme (EPDP) underwent a rigorous evaluation that included formative (mid-point) and summative (end-point) feedback to participants and providers over an 18-month period. As the literature on leadership development indicates, particular issues arise for those who are experienced in their leadership roles and have progressed beyond early career challenges. To sustain and develop experienced principals, leadership development programmes need to be relevant, personalized and unique. The evaluation methodology used in this study employed a mixed methods approach comprising quantitative and qualitative analysis of two major participant surveys and data collected for three case studies via observation of delivery events and focus group interviews with participants. The findings confirm that the programme was highly relevant for the participants because it was responsive to individual needs and learning styles. A highly effective component was the school-based inquiry project which was viewed as a conduit for personal development and school improvement. Overall, the programme provided opportunities for both personal and professional learning.
Diabetes self-management in a low-income population: impacts of social support and relationships with the health care system
Authors: Vest Bonnie M , Kahn Linda S , Danzo Andrew , Tumiel-Berhalter Laurene , Schuster Roseanne C , Karl Renée , Taylor Robert , Glaser Kathryn , Danakas Alexandra , Fox Chester H
Published: April 2013

Objectives:

This article reports on results of a qualitative study of social supports and institutional resources utilized by individuals living with diabetes in a high-poverty urban setting. The goal was to examine how access to social capital among low-income populations facilitates and impedes their self-efficacy in diabetes self-management.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 patients with diabetes from a safety net primary care practice in Buffalo, New York.

Results:

Facilitators and barriers to successful self-management were identified in three broad areas: (1) the influence of social support networks; (2) the nature of the doctor–patient relationship; and (3) the nature of patient–health care system relationship. Patients’ unmet needs were also highlighted across these three areas.

Discussion:

Participants identified barriers to effective diabetes self-management directly related to their low-income status, such as inadequate insurance, and mistrust of the medical system. It may be necessary for patients to activate social capital from multiple social spheres to achieve the most effective diabetes management.
A diabetes peer support intervention that improved glycemic control: mediators and moderators of intervention effectiveness
Authors: Piette John D , Resnicow Ken , Choi Hwajung , Heisler Michele
Published: April 2013

Objective

In a randomized trial, a guided diabetes peer support intervention improved glycemic control (A1c), with a difference in A1c change between groups of 0.58% ( p = 0.004). The current study examined whether improvements in insulin uptake and perceived diabetes social support mediated the intervention’s impact on A1c. We also examined potential moderation by patients’ health literacy, diabetes social support, or diabetes distress.

Methods

We conducted secondary analyses for 212 type 2 diabetes patients participating in the trial using accepted methods for testing mediation and moderation effects. Results: Roughly half (49%, 95% CI: 3–80%) of the A1c effect was mediated by increased insulin use, while changes in diabetes social support had a negligible impact. A1c impacts varied across subgroups defined by baseline diabetes social support and functional health literacy (both p < 0.01). The intervention was particularly beneficial among patients with low baseline diabetes support or literacy levels. The intervention had a greater impact on A1c among patients with more frequent engagement in peer support calls ( p < 0.01).

Discussion

Patients receiving increased peer support had improved glycemic control largely due to their greater likelihood of initiating insulin. Greater intervention engagement was associated with stronger effects. The intervention had its greatest benefits among patients with low support or poorer health literacy.
Living with chronic low back pain: a metasynthesis of qualitative research
Authors: Snelgrove Sherrill , Liossi Christina
Published: April 2013

Objectives

The purpose of this qualitative metasynthesis is to articulate the knowledge gained from a review of qualitative studies of patients’ experiences of chronic low back pain.

Methods

Meta-ethnographic methodology guided the review of 33 articles representing 28 studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2012. A systematic comparison of the main themes from each study was conducted and ‘synthesised’ to create superordinate themes.

Results

Three overarching interrelated themes were identified: the impact of chronic low back pain on self; relationships with significant others that incorporated two streams – health professionals and the organisation of care and relationships with family and friends; coping with chronic low back pain. Coping strategies were predominantly physical therapies, medication and avoidance behaviours with very few successful strategies reported. Professional and family support, self-efficacy, motivation, work conditions and exercise opportunities influenced pain experiences. Review authors’ recommendations included psychological therapies, education, the facilitation of self-management strategies and support groups.

Discussion

The review substantiates chronic low back pain as complex, dynamic and multidimensional, underpinned by experiences of persistent distressing pain, loss, and lowered self-worth, stigma, depression, premature aging, fear of the future. Future research should address the paucity of longitudinal studies, loss and issues of ethnicity, gender, ageing.
Illness beliefs and psychological outcome in people with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Simpson Jane , Lekwuwa Godwin , Crawford Trevor
Published: April 2013

Illness beliefs are important predictors of psychological outcome in people with chronic illness and evidence suggests these could also be significant in furthering our understanding of psychological functioning in people with Parkinson’s disease. Illness beliefs are specific, dynamic representations of an illness and cover dimensions such as cause, identity, consequences and controllability. Eighty-one people with Parkinson’s disease completed a series of questionnaires to provide demographic, clinical and psychosocial data, which were then used to assess the relative impact of illness beliefs on their psychological functioning. Psychological functioning was assessed by measuring levels of depression, anxiety, stress, positive affect and emotional well-being. Hierarchical block regression indicated that illness beliefs were important independent predictors across some but not all outcomes and the results emphasised the importance of testing new predictors against more established predictors of outcome such as physical functioning and self-esteem. The illness beliefs most important in psychological outcome in people with PD were causal beliefs (particularly in psychosocial causes) and illness coherence (the level of understanding of the illness). The therapeutic potential of psychosocial variables was discussed given that these can be modified during therapy and this change can positively influence psychological outcome.
Assessing the potential of Channel NewsAsia as the next ‘Al Jazeera’: A comparative discourse analysis of Channel NewsAsia and the BBC
Authors: Wu Shangyuan
Published: April 2013

In the last decade, Western news organizations such as CNN and the BBC have been increasingly upstaged by satellite news services from the global South. The Qatari news network, Al Jazeera, has emerged as a prime example of a global media contra-flow that has been able to give its region a voice in the international news arena. At a time when developments like the global economic crisis have called for greater checks and balances on Western governments and corporations, this paper takes a critical look at an increasingly prominent news player in the fast-growing developing region of East Asia, Channel NewsAsia, to ascertain if it is likely to rise up the ranks to the level of Al Jazeera. A critical discourse analysis comparing the coverage of Channel NewsAsia and the BBC’s most salient stories, however, shows that the Singapore-based station falls short in its claim to ‘provide Asian perspectives’ because it is constrained by political-economic factors to operate within an authoritarian developmental news model.
“Ahead of the Lawmen”: Law and Morality in Disney Animated Films 1960–1998
Authors: Nielsen Laura Beth , Patel Nehal A. , Rosner Jacob
Published: April 2013

This article examines the relationship between law and morality in a selection of animated Disney movies released between 1960 and 1998. The authors analyze all of the fully-animated, G-rated movies that grossed $100 million or more (adjusted for inflation) which shaped the childhood of lawyers practicing today. We find that the predominant representation of the relationship between law and morality is that they are at odds. Law most often is portrayed as having no relationship to morality or, even worse, as an obstacle to justice. These findings have implications for theories of law and morality, justice, and ethics. These findings also raise provocative questions concerning the role of mass media and popular culture on children’s moral development and understanding of the role of law.
Enchantment, Disenchantment, Re-enchantment? An Address Given at the Northeast Law and Society Conference, 2013
Authors: Meyer Linda Ross
Published: April 2013

This speech, given at the Northeast Law and Society Conference, January 2013, explores some possibilities for a “re-enchantment” of law and for the future of “law and society” scholarship.
Welfare, Community and Solidarity
Authors: Gearey Adam
Published: April 2013

Radical constitutional scholarship could make use of a concept of solidarity to enable a new engagement with concepts of welfare and political community. Rather than a welfare state, with all its attendant problems, it is possible to link the concept of solidarity to the notion of a welfare community. A welfare community asserts the importance of common life against capitalist market relationships. Conceiving of the welfare community requires insights from continental philosophy, as well as developments of co-production and core economy thinking. Most importantly, this approach grounds welfare in a political critique of free market capitalism, rather than a theory of rights, and requires a bold assertion of a constitution as a limitation of the socially and economically destructive effects of markets.
Evaluation of home testing to improve follow up after gestational diabetes (Fingerstick Assessments of Sugar Two-months postpartum or FAST)
Authors: Carson Michael P , Lewis Beth G , Pagan Elvis R , Evers Martin
Published: April 2013

Objective

Historically the rates of postpartum glucose tolerance testing for women with gestational diabetes (GDM) average a suboptimal 33%. Barriers include the need for new mothers to miss work and/or arrange for childcare in order to engage in a two-hour test at a commercial lab. This pilot study was initiated to test the theory that a home testing regimen would be accepted by patients and increase the rate of postpartum glucose assessments relative to published rates, without requiring additional health-care staff or resources to achieve this goal.

Study design

Six weeks postpartum, women with GDM from an academic private practice were asked to check fingerstick blood glucose (FAST Protocol) four times a day for two days, and then obtain an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The physician consultants saw the women each month during pregnancy and arranged the postpartum testing.

Results

Two of 69 refused to be consented. Twelve of the remaining 67(18%) women completed both the FAST regimen and the OGTT, three completed only the OGTT and five completed only the FAST regimen for a final follow-up rate of 20/67 (30%). The demands of caring for a newborn, or the annoyance of fingersticks, were barriers to compliance.

Conclusions

In spite of intense physician involvement, this home testing regimen was not associated with an increase in the rates of women participating in postpartum glucose assessments.
Rethinking Recidivism
Authors: Koschmann Matthew A. , Peterson Brittany L.
Published: April 2013

Prisoner reentry is one of the main criminal justice challenges confronting the United States, especially as the costs of recidivism and incarceration take increasing tolls on city and state budgets, and the effects of criminal activity are felt by families and local communities. Our goal in this article is to develop an alternative approach to prisoner reentry. Our contention is that many reentry efforts focus mainly on the visible effects of recidivism (e.g., parole violations, criminal behavior, and treatment compliance) but do not get at the underlying causes that lead to recidivism in the first place. While traditional methods of surveillance and control focus on the observable problems of recidivism, we argue that the underlying cause is a communication breakdown of being cut off from networks and meaningful relationships that provide the necessary social capital needed for successful reintegration. Therefore, we propose reframing prisoner reentry from a communication perspective, and developing subsequent communication solutions. We suggest that mentoring is one such communication solution, and we present a case study of a successful reentry mentoring program. Our case study uses a mixed research methodology, including quantitative data from a third-party assessment and qualitative data from in-depth interviews. Our key conclusions are that mentoring provides important communication links to enable coordinated service delivery for ex-prisoners, and that mentoring is a valuable conversational resource to help socially construct a favorable postrelease environment for successful reentry. Our target audience are those interested in prisoner reentry and reforming the overall criminal justice system.
Sexual Exploitations, Concealment and Adolescent Mothers’ Agency in a Semiurban Community in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Agunbiade Ojo Melvin
Published: April 2013

Adolescent motherhood in many sub-Saharan African countries has remained daunting. Motherhood at this stage is often frustrating. This article examines the invisibility of adolescent motherhood and their agency within the Yoruba sociocultural context. With empirical data from 19 semistructured interviews with adolescent mothers (15–20 years), the findings revealed a continuum of struggles for the adolescent mothers as reflected in the stigmatization of adolescents’ sexuality and uninformed sexual negotiations. However, pregnancy incident became a vehicle for defining their social identity and access to available opportunities. Concerns for conformity were evident in the desperation to terminate unplanned pregnancy or contraction of emergency traditional wedding ceremonies to minimize social stigma. Pregnancy occurrence was insufficient to sustain a marriage as some of the adolescent mothers left their partners shortly after child delivery. Against the demanding conditions and inadequate support, the participants expressed fears over the plausible consequences of their past and present on their future and that of their children. To overcome this fear, some of the participants engaged in economic activities backed with prayers and resilience in empowering themselves and ensuring that their children become educated. These self-initiatives have achieved little in assisting adolescent mothers to renegotiate their social positions. Initiatives that will recognize adolescent mothers’ agency at all levels could minimize the burden of early motherhood on their psychosocial well-being and that of their children.
Applications of Forensic Sociology and Criminology to Civil Litigation
Authors: Kennedy Daniel B.
Published: April 2013

Social scientists play an increasingly important role in the prosecution and defense of both criminal and civil matters before the courts. An expanding area of forensic sociology and criminology involves the analysis of crime foreseeability and security standards of care as they relate to the question of liability for negligent security. Criminologists analyze prior crimes at a location and consider the totality of circumstances in order to determine foreseeability. If there is a duty to provide security, the efficacy of these measures is then considered. Forensic sociologists and criminologists also examine liability issues pertaining to workplace violence and personnel administration. Levels of analysis appropriate for courtroom testimony are discussed.