bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Privacy and Security Concerns When Social Scientists Work with Administrative and Operational Data
Authors: Garfinkel Simson L.
Published: December 2017

Social science research is transitioning from working with “designated data,” collected through experiments and surveys, to working with “organic data,” including administrative data not collected for research purposes, and other data such as those collected from online social networks and large-scale sensor networks. The shift to organic data requires significant innovations in research methodologies. This article reviews the complexities and diversity of organic data and the special efforts that must be undertaken to make those data findable and usable by researchers. In some cases, advanced formal privacy techniques such as differential privacy and secure multiparty computation are needed to work with organic data in a manner that is ethically and logistically permissible, and effort is also required to make studies involving organic data transparent and replicable. These considerations make clear that moving forward, social scientists and information and communications technology (ICT) professionals must work closely to develop appropriate technical controls and ethical frameworks that minimize the risks of research to participants and to society at large.
Data Sharing in the Federal Statistical System: Impediments and Possibilities
Authors: O’Hara Amy , Medalia Carla
Published: December 2017

While federal agencies have engaged in data sharing for decades, current systems of exchange must be transformed to meet the growing needs of analysts in public policy, program evaluation, and basic research. Primary barriers to intra-agency data sharing include both perceived legal barriers and actual financial barriers. To address these problems, the potential path forward could include mandating data sharing for key sources, increasing transparency, and improving efficiency by making it easier for agencies to share data (including developing standards, templates, and incentives). We argue that an agency within the federal statistical system should serve as an intermediary for data integration across the federal statistical system and that the U.S. Census Bureau, with its experience and uniquely broad authority to seek data from any public or private entity for statistical purposes, is well positioned to fill this role.
Barriers to Accessing State Data and Approaches to Addressing Them
Authors: Goerge Robert M.
Published: December 2017

The technical challenges of accessing large administrative datasets are easily addressed with the advances in data security, computational resources, and the Internet. The most vexing barriers are legal and ethical issues, and control of the data by the agencies that generate it. This article describes those issues and promotes the notion that partnerships with the data providers are necessary to facilitate access to researchers, both inside and outside government, but also to provide benefits, in the form of evidence, research, and information to the data providers themselves. Ultimately, training of all stakeholders around the secure and responsible use of data and appropriate data stewardship is necessary to facilitate the increased use of administrative data that is required to develop evidence that will have an impact on government services and programs for individuals and families.
Maximizing the Use of Integrated Data Systems: Understanding the Challenges and Advancing Solutions
Authors: Culhane Dennis , Fantuzzo John , Hill Matthew , Burnett TC
Published: December 2017

State and local governments are seeking to use their health, education, and human services administrative data to address major social problems. As they attempt to move forward to develop and use integrated data systems (IDS), they have encountered substantial challenges. The Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) team at the University of Pennsylvania targeted four common sets of challenges to IDS use: IDS governance, legal agreements, technology and data security, and data standards. The purpose of this article is to present the results from a year-long convening of four panels of national experts in each of these key topic areas. The results specify the greatest IDS challenges in each of these areas, and develop state-of-the-art responses to innovate the IDS field. It discusses how these solutions promote more effective, efficient, and routine use of IDS that are scalable to advance the IDS field beyond these current limitations in practice.
From SkyServer to SciServer
Authors: Szalay Alexander S.
Published: December 2017

Twenty years ago, work commenced on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The project aimed to collect a statistically complete dataset over a large fraction of the sky and turn it into an open data resource for the world’s astronomy community. There were few examples to learn from, and those of us who worked on it had to invent much of the system ourselves. The project has made fundamental changes to astronomy, and we are now faced with the problem of ensuring that the data will be preserved and kept in active use for another 20 years. In redesigning this very large, open archive of data, we made a system that is able to serve a much broader set of communities. In this article, I discuss what we have learned by rebuilding a massive dataset that is available to an increasingly sophisticated set of users, and how we have been challenged and motivated to incorporate more of the patterns of data analytics required by contemporary science.
The Roots of Reciprocity: Gratitude and Reputation in Generalized Exchange Systems
Authors: Simpson Brent , Harrell Ashley , Melamed David , Heiserman Nicholas , Negraia Daniela V.
Published: December 2017

Social scientists often study the flow of material and social support as generalized exchange systems. These systems are associated with an array of benefits to groups and communities, but their existence is problematic, because individuals may be motivated to take from the system without giving back to it. Researchers have identified two broad processes governing prosociality in generalized exchange systems: generalized reciprocity (a person who receives help from someone pays it forward by helping a third person) and indirect reciprocity (a person who helps another establishes a prosocial reputation and, as a consequence, later receives help from a third person). Although generalized exchange systems can be based on either process, generalized and indirect reciprocity are based on different mechanisms and, with few exceptions, have been investigated independently. Here we present an integrated approach to generalized exchange that (1) specifies when each process is most likely to promote prosocial behavior, (2) details the implications for resource inequalities in generalized exchange systems, and (3) describes how generalized and indirect reciprocity jointly influence prosocial behavior. Results from four new experiments strongly support the theoretical arguments.
Stretching for musicians
Authors: Ingalls Mike
Published: December 2017

Musicians are athletes. They prepare their bodies to perform at a peak condition through long hours of conditioning. A virtuoso can play more than 600 notes a minute.
An Empirical Study of the Timbre Differences between Gut Core and Metal Core Violin “A” Strings
Authors: Garretson Homer
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether violinists and violists are able to aurally distinguish tonal differences between these two types of “A” strings.

A series of musical examples were constructed to demonstrate different phases of string usage. These short phrases were then recorded under controlled conditions using both gut-core and metal-core “A” strings. The examples were then arranged in random order on magnetic tapes. On a simple response sheet, violinists and violists from ten universities and colleges were asked to identify which type of “A” string they were hearing. The statistical analysis of this material showed that in 3650 observations, 48.54 percent were correct. Since any value below 50 percent casts no doubt on the null hypothesis, it can be inferred from this study that there is no significant timbre difference observable between the two types.
Swinging on a Gate: Teaching Traditional Folk Music as Chamber Music
Authors: Dabczynski Andrew
Published: December 2017

Having raised their instruments to playing position, the ensemble members directed their eyes in anticipation toward the lead player. His bow poised above the strings, he dipped and raised his scroll, indicating a predecided tempo, and with his final, magnified preparatory gesture, the group began its well-rehearsed rendition of an often-performed selection from the standard literature. With energized precision, the players executed their individual roles; the harmonic structure became rarefied by way of carefully manicured intonation, contrasting rhythmic motives were meticulously manipulated one against another, and all in support of a shimmering melody which floated above the rest with a sense of ease belying its technical complexity. The performers never failed a moment in their communication with each other; eye contact was ever present, balance was adjusted by facial expressions recognized among the players, and spontaneous musical nuances were met with knowing smiles of approval. The audience became instantly engaged, responding to the familiar strains of the melody. Soon they were reacting physically to the rhythmic buoyancy of the music, becoming increasingly involved in this magnificent presentation. And with the final repeated chords of the coda, the crowd burst into joyous applause and shouts of praise, thrilled to have been able to take part in this encompassing artistic experience.
Long-Length Fiber Optic Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy Probes for On-Line Quality Control of Processed Land Animal Proteins
Authors: Garrido-Varo Ana , Sánchez-Bonilla Ana , Maroto-Molina Francisco , Riccioli Cecilia , Pérez-Marín Dolores
Published: December 2017

This research was conducted using a spectral database comprising 346 samples of processed animal proteins (PAPs) with a range of compositions, analyzed using a Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy multichannel instrument (Matrix-F, Bruker Optics) coupled to a 100 m fiber optic cable. Using both its static and dynamic operating modes (on a conveyor belt), simulating the movement of the product in the plant, the predictive capabilities of both modes of analysis were assessed and compared, for the purposes of predicting moisture, protein, and ashes. The results show that both exhibit highly similar degrees of precision and accuracy for predicting these parameters. This research provides a foundation of scientific-technical knowledge, hitherto unknown, regarding the “on-line” incorporation of an instrument (equipped with a 100 m fiber optic cable) into a processing plant of by-products of animal origin.
Thermal Boundary Layer Effects on Line-of-Sight Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) Gas Concentration Measurements
Authors: Qu Zhechao , Werhahn Olav , Ebert Volker
Published: December 2017

The effects of thermal boundary layers on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) measurement results must be quantified when using the line-of-sight (LOS) TDLAS under conditions with spatial temperature gradient. In this paper, a new methodology based on spectral simulation is presented quantifying the LOS TDLAS measurement deviation under conditions with thermal boundary layers. The effects of different temperature gradients and thermal boundary layer thickness on spectral collisional widths and gas concentration measurements are quantified. A CO2 TDLAS spectrometer, which has two gas cells to generate the spatial temperature gradients, was employed to validate the simulation results. The measured deviations and LOS averaged collisional widths are in very good agreement with the simulated results for conditions with different temperature gradients. We demonstrate quantification of thermal boundary layers’ thickness with proposed method by exploitation of the LOS averaged the collisional width of the path-integrated spectrum.
An Examination of the Impacts of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity on the Judicial Processing of Offenders in Family Violence Cases
Authors: Freiburger Tina L. , Romain Danielle
Published: December 2017

Using the focal concerns perspective, the present study examined possible gender, race, and ethnic disparities on judges’ pretrial release, incarceration, and sentence length decisions in family violence cases. The results indicate that males were more likely to receive an order of bail (as opposed to release on own recognizance), received higher bail amounts, were less likely to make bail, were more likely to receive prison opposed to jail, and were incarcerated for significantly longer periods of time than women. Hispanic defendants were more likely than White defendants to receive higher bail amounts and were more likely to be detained until sentencing. Black defendants, on the other hand, were more likely to receive prison as opposed to jail than White offenders.
The ‘inmate code’ in flux: A normative system and extralegal governance in a Ukrainian prison
Authors: Symkovych Anton
Published: December 2017

Building on a semi-ethnographic study in a Ukrainian prison, the first research of its kind in the region, this article discusses the normative and governance system of a post-communist prisoner world. The article offers empirical support for Skarbek’s theory of prison social order by demonstrating how prisoner extralegal governance evolves along with the changing structures in and outside the prison to sustain a predictable and tolerable environment within a dehumanising and intrinsically volatile context. Nevertheless, prisoner self-governance, although generally fairly administered, is itself brutal and institutionalises inequality. As the history of prison ‘societies’ in the US and UK demonstrates, far-reaching penal policy changes can radically transform the inner prison world. Such changes, widely referred to in Ukraine as the ‘humanisation of the penitentiary system’ and ‘Europeanisation’, have corroded the power and legitimacy of the traditional model of social control. Even so, the inability to resolve many inter-prisoner disputes through official channels and the state’s signal failure to meet the demand for protection and arbitration proved the utility of the private justice embedded in the inmate code and the institution of the illicit adjudicators, thus surpassing their legitimacy deficit and retaining the essence of the Soviet underworld.
Conceptualising the role of cities in the governance of religious diversity in Europe
Authors: Martínez-Ariño Julia
Published: December 2017

The sociological literature has devoted less attention to cities than to nation-states as contexts for the regulation of religion and religious diversity in Europe. Drawing on ideas from the literature on migration, urban studies, geography and the sociology of religion, as well as empirical material from fieldwork conducted in three medium-size cities in France, the author conceptualises the governance of religious diversity in cities as complex assemblages where (1) the political interests and claims of various unequally socially positioned actors over (2) a number of domains and objects of the public expression of religiosity are (3) subjected to a variety of municipal interventions, which are (4) shaped by the interplay of supranational legal frameworks, national legislation, policies, institutional arrangements and local contextual factors. The result of these regulation processes are particular (and often contested) normative definitions of ‘accepted’ or ‘legitimate’ public expressions of religiosity, subsequently enacted by a variety of local actors through both formal procedures and informal practices.
Health behaviours of young mothers: Implications for health promotion and cancer prevention
Authors: Hackshaw-McGeagh Lucy , Jamie Kimberly , Beynon Rhona , O’Neill Roisin
Published: December 2017

Objective:

Evidence suggests that younger mothers engage in poorer health behaviours, resulting in increased cancer risk. We aimed to better understand the health behaviours of younger mothers and the factors that influence their lifestyle choices, in order to improve cancer prevention within this population.

Methods:

A multiple focus group, photo-elicitation-aided approach was used, in which young mothers ( n = 27; aged 16–24 years) were provided with cameras and asked to capture ‘a week in your life’. Photographs were developed and participants invited to an initial focus group where photographs were used to elicit discussion, exploring participants’ health behaviours. Data were thematically analysed particularly identifying themes relating to barriers and facilitators of positive health behaviours. Participants were later invited to participate in a second focus group, to explore and validate identified themes further.

Results:

Themes emerged from the data relating to (1) the mothers’ personal perceptions of health, (2) health-related behaviours and (3) beliefs about cancer and its causes. Barriers to positive health behaviours included a lack of money, childcare and cookery skills; facilitators included the social media, commercial weight loss programmes and local community organisations.

Conclusion:

Study findings provide insight into the health behaviours and life choices of young mothers. They help illustrate health perceptions in relation to cancer risk, providing an understanding of how their daily routine and circumstance influence young women’s decisions and lifestyle behaviour choices and highlighting barriers to, and facilitators of, positive health behaviours. Data hold potential to inform future health-related research among young mothers, particularly relating to cancer prevention intervention.
How Credible Is Trade Union Research? Forty Years of Evidence on the Monopoly–Voice Trade-Off
Authors: Doucouliagos Hristos , Freeman Richard B. , Laroche Patrice , Stanley T. D.
Published: December 2017

This article is the second in a series to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the ILR Review. The series features articles that analyze the state of research and future directions for important themes this journal has featured over many years of publication.

In this article, the authors assess the credibility of research that has tested the theoretical contests between the monopoly and the collective voice model of unions developed by Freeman and Medoff in What Do Unions Do? The authors go beyond prior analyses by examining more than 2,000 estimates that consider the effects of unions on a broad range of organizational and individual outcomes, including productivity, productivity growth, capital investment, profits, and job satisfaction. They advance our understanding of the current empirical findings and credibility of this research by using meta-statistical analysis to evaluate research quality, publication selection bias, statistical power, and heterogeneity. The authors conclude that compared to other areas of economics, research on union effects has lower bias but larger problems of statistical power. They argue that Freeman and Medoff’s monopoly–collective voice model helped produce more credible results, and they suggest ways to reduce the power and heterogeneity problems in existing research.
Attitudes of patients with psychiatric illness toward traditional healing
Authors: Omer Abdelaziz A , Mufaddel Amir A
Published: December 2017

Background:

The role of traditional healers in the community remains an issue of debate as they have a role in the community that could not be neglected. Traditional medicine can be a barrier for early intervention and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Aim:

This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study that aims to evaluate the attitude of patients toward traditional healing in Khartoum teaching hospital in Sudan.

Method:

Patients who attended the outpatient clinic were asked about previous history of seeking treatment from traditional healers. A specific questionnaire was introduced to participants. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the data variables, and tabulated tables were used to calculate chi-square test for categorical data and the significance was set at p < .05.

Results:

From a total of 131 subjects, there were 111 (84%) of patients who reported previous history of seeking traditional treatment for psychiatric illness. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of psychiatric diagnosis ( p = .559) or sociodemographic characteristics including age ( p = .740), gender ( p = .469) and educational level ( p = .226). The decision of seeking traditional treatment was mostly taken by families and the patients took the decision in only 27% of cases. The majority of participants (55.9%) believe that their psychiatric symptoms are due to evil eye, and 20.7% believe that the symptoms are due to magic. The type of traditional treatment was significantly related to gender ( p = .003) but not related to level of education ( p = .137).

Conclusion:

The vast majority of psychiatric patients have history of receiving traditional healing, and the decisions regarding treatment are taken by family in most of the cases. Further research is needed to evaluate future projects of providing psychoeducation to the community and to invite traditional healers to participate in channels of referral for cases that need early intervention with psychotropic medications.
Listening to child protection workers in Saudi Arabia: Child protection workers speak of how they experienced the policies and programs introduced to protect children between 2010 and 2013
Authors: Al Faryan Nawaf , Frederico Margarita , Young Janelle
Published: December 2017

The protection of children at risk of abuse and neglect requires engagement of the whole community. In this article, child protection managers and direct service workers in Saudi Arabia report their experiences in implementing new policies. Findings of the study showed that early improvements to child protection policies and programs led to confusion among workers regarding their role and were perceived by the workers to be placing children at risk. Limited power assigned to workers, conflict with cultural norms, and a lack of specialist education in child protection were among the barriers preventing workers from undertaking their roles effectively.
Global problem, local solutions: Challenges to exiting commercial sexual exploitation and service provision
Authors: Wilson Bincy
Published: December 2017

This article explores the challenges (barriers and needs) in exit from commercial sexual exploitation and its implications on service provision across different cultures, using data gathered from 55 service providers in India and the United States. The findings provide an insight into the societal nuances of the exit phenomenon, where the similarities reflect the ubiquitous nature of exploitation and the differences reflect the distinct cultural outlook within each society. The learning would initiate development/modification of interventions that are culturally sensitive and appropriate while sharing knowledge of best practices, thereby helping to make a real impact in the lives of those affected.
India’s Development Cooperation with Ethiopia in Sugar Production
Authors: Kumar Sushil
Published: December 2017

Ethiopia is one of the few countries in Africa with whom India has enjoyed a long-standing partnership in development cooperation. In 2006, India provided a US$640 million Lines of Credit (LoC) to Ethiopia for the development of its sugar industry. The article analyzes the impact of India’s LoC (2007–2012) on the Ethiopian sugar industry. It is found that on completion of the ongoing projects, Ethiopia should be able to produce 1.6 million tonnes of sugar per year. This will lead Ethiopia towards self-reliance in sugar production. It is estimated that economic gain from sugar and ethanol production in Ethiopia would be close to US$961 million per year. Field visits explored several practical challenges to India’s endeavour like absence of appropriate mechanisms for monitoring and verification of the project. This leads to delays, information gaps and coordination failures in project implementation. Indian engagement in Ethiopia’s sugar sector signifies a major boost for the agriculture value chain in Ethiopia; and the ancillary support for railways track building is likely to play an important role in facilitating port connectivity and exports.
The Development Compact
Authors: Chaturvedi Sachin
Published: December 2017

India’s development cooperation efforts began soon after the country gained its Independence in 1947. Indeed, there are some incidences that date back to even pre-Independence days. India is a strong believer of the fact that developing coun- tries should not be entirely dependent upon assistance from the developed world; they must pool their own resources and capabilities to help each other. This article examines the larger framework of Indian external assistance through the concept of ‘development compact’. The new development compact is between actors of the South, rather than the North–South exchange that characterized earlier arrangements; it is no longer about the imposition of conditionalities for recipient countries but more on the principles that govern South–South Cooperation (SSC) such as mutual gain, non-interference, collective growth opportunities and indeed an absence of conditionalities. The modern concept of a development compact provides for development assistance that works at five different levels, namely trade and investment, technology, skills upgrade, lines of credit (LOC) and, finally, grants. The engagement of emerging economies with other Southern countries has provided a major pull factor for a wider engagement across these five elements, which emphasizes the comprehensive support for economic development. These factors are discussed in this article to provide an analytical taxonomy with some illustrative evidence from the Indian experience.
Making of Syrian Crisis
Authors: Ghoble Vrushal T.
Published: December 2017

The West Asian region holds a critical position in the global hydrocarbon regime. The largest source of oil and huge natural gas reserves have made it a strategically sensitive region. The excessive presence of external powers, especially the United States which at one stage defined its national security in terms of secure oil supply from the region, has made the region a centre of competition and conflict. It is well documented that oil was one of the crucial motives behind the overthrow of President Saddam Hussein. It is the contention of this article that the Syrian crisis too can be explained in terms of competitive politics of global and regional powers, to possess regional hegemony and have control over energy resources.

Having looked at the changing global energy dynamics, the article evaluates the ongoing Syrian war, emphasizing that the crisis was significantly, if not primarily, due to the energy pipeline geopolitics and not confined to merely a regime change or a sectarian factor. In the years up to 2011, Syria was exporting more than 150,000 b/d of crude to the international market, which was not much but a sizeable fraction. The crisis has not just sent Syria’s energy sector into turmoil, but has also caused a serious humanitarian catastrophe. The article also underlines, how the recent finds in the East Mediterranean, especially offshore Syria, which are expected to be around 3,450 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas and 1.7 billion barrels (bill. Bbls) of oil reserves, pose a serious competition for the Gulf.

The article is divided into four sections. It begins by underlining the changing energy geopolitics and identifying Syria in the East Mediterranean energy finds. The article then talks about the pipeline geopolitics and the Syrian crisis, which leads to the fourth aspect of the article discussing the regional and external actors, and their stake in the Syrian conflict.
India’s Maritime Strategy and the Emerging Relation with Australia
Authors: Das Shubhamitra
Published: December 2017

The geopolitical reshuffling and developments in the twenty-first century forced the countries in the Indo-Pacific region to understand and improvise their strategies. Continental power projection has considerably shifted to maritime prowess; especially so for both India and Australia. While India’s maritime interest is rather recent, Australia had not created a maritime mindset for nearly seven decades. The region of the Indian and the Pacific Oceans has gained central focus due to economic and strategic reasons with the interplay of non-traditional security issues like piracy and terrorism. The critique on maritime security became much more pronounced with China’s rise and visible aggression in South China Sea. India has been at the centre stage of these shifting balances and geopolitics of the region. Regionalism and cooperative and/or comprehensive security became the buzz words for Indo-Pacific. The study will focus on India’s maritime strategy and its convergence with Australia’s maritime strategy and the emerging relation between the two countries.
India’s Grants and Investments in Africa
Authors: Singh Santosh Kumar
Published: December 2017

In the contemporary era, the world has become integrated and multi-polar. In this process, many emerging economies and developing countries have shifted their economic interest from west to east and north to south. It has built the ‘rise of the south’ and expanding south–south economic collaboration, most importantly in trade and investment. India and Africa had cordial ties throughout the centuries; especially during the period of cold war era and in the fight against the colonialism and imperialism. During this period, both the regions have played an important role to protect and promote their mutual benefits. In this sphere, we can also see that the geographical state of affairs has played an important role to bridge the gap between the two regions. The contemporary period of liberalization, privatization and globalization has eliminated the boundary and space between the regions. In such a situation, it is significant to study the relations between the emerging economies—India as a ‘country’ and Africa as a ‘continent’ in terms of trade and investment. This article has tried to examine the nature of economic relations between the two regions and in this process, it has tried to track out the challenges and opportunities which are available in front of these two regions. This article has also evaluated the initiatives taken by both the regions.
India–China Energy Geopolitics
Authors: Janardhanan Nandakumar
Published: December 2017

Energy geopolitics, marked by competition and rivalry in the global search for petroleum fuels, has been one of the defining elements in the bilateral energy engagement of India and China. In the last decade, the international energy market witnessed fierce race among the two as they competed for overseas petroleum resources. Unlike the politics over the search for petroleum resources witnessed in the last decade, the new energy geopolitics reflects the competition of these two countries as they seek to expand their influence in the alternative energy sector of the developing Asian economies. Investment, technology transfer and aid to develop new energy resource are some of the key economic and diplomatic tools the two countries use to expand their reach. This article focuses on the Sino-Indian competition in the alternative energy space in developing Asia, and aims to understand the level of success the two countries witness in this emerging geopolitical engagement.
Effect of nanoclay concentration on the lap joint shear performance of nanoclay/epoxy adhesive at cryogenic condition
Authors: Ma Hei-Lam , Zhang Xiaoqing , Lau Kin-tak , Shi San-qiang
Published: December 2017

Nanoclay has been a popular kind of nanofiller for polymer-based nanocomposites in industries since adding a small amount of it can effectively enhance the mechanical properties of polymer. In the present study, a suitable sonication time was first found for manufacturing nanoclay/epoxy adhesive. Then, the lap joint shear strengths of nanoclay/epoxy adhesives with different nanoclay content (0, 1, 3, 5 wt%) conditioned at both room temperature and cryogenic temperature environment were investigated. The main failure mechanism of all samples was interfacial failure between the first layer of glass fiber and adhesive due to peeling. Results showed that 1 wt% was the optimal nanoclay concentration for cryogenic temperature. Scanning electron microcopy was used to examine the fracture surfaces of samples. Good exfoliation and dispersion were found in samples containing 1 wt% of nanoclay. Adding nanoclay into epoxy did not greatly affect the lap joint shear strength at room temperature but significantly influence the strength at cryogenic temperature. This was due to a clamping force induced on nanoclay by negative thermal expansion during conditioning from room temperature to cryogenic temperature. With good exfoliation and dispersion, the clamping force can be evenly distributed. Hence, 1 wt% nanoclay/epoxy adhesive is suitable for bonding composite lap joints, which will be servicing at low temperature environment.
Evaluation of vibration damping behavior of different sizes of waste tyre rubber in natural rubber composites
Authors: Chandran V , Nagarajan Lenin , Thomas Manvel Raj
Published: December 2017

The different sizes of waste tyre rubber particles and precipitated silica-filled natural rubber composites were investigated to evaluate the vibration damping behavior of the waste tyre rubber filled rubber composites. In this work, waste tyre rubber particles prepared in three different sizes (100–250, 550–700, and 1000–1150 µm) using ambient grinding process. Then the particles blended with natural rubber and silica compounds, and the blend was synthesized by two roll mill and hydraulic press vulcanization. The various proportions of prepared samples in all sizes were characterized in respect of their vibration damping behavior. The results indicated that large size of waste tyre rubber-filled natural rubber composites showed excellent vibration damping performance compared with other sizes used and were evaluated by both direct and indirect methods. Differential scanning calorimeter study showed that, use of large waste tyre rubber provided more energy absorption than other sizes used which led to increase the damping characterization. Owing to excellent damping performance, large waste tyre rubber-filled natural rubber composites accurately used in the applications where vibration damping is considered as important design criterion.
Character Education and Students with Disabilities
Authors: Lehr Donna , Katzman Lauren , Clinton Leroy , Sullivan Eileen E.
Published: December 2017

The national effort to strengthen character education for all students can benefit from and is a benefit to students with disabilities. The inclusion of ordinary students with disabilities and their relationships with their peers without disabilities can serve to enhance character education efforts by serving to illustrate the complexities of ablesim and by providing opportunities for and creating a climate of personal rsponsibility, kind acceptance, and thoughtful citizenship. Providing opportunities for students with even the most severe disabilities to participate in character education provides a context where teachers must expand their repertoire of effective pedagogical methods. Further, while the character education curriculum used for teaching students should be used for teaching all students, some with disabilities have individualized program goals focusing explicitly on aspects of character education, making their inclusion in the curriculum even more pressing.
African American Students' Perceptions of Differential Treatment in Learning Environments: Examining the Moderating Role of Peer Support, Connection to Heritage, and Discrimination Efficacy
Authors: Brittian Aerika S. , Gray Deleon L.
Published: December 2017

The current study advances prior literature by examining the relationship between African American students' perceptions of differential treatment by teachers and educational outcomes (i.e., importance of schooling and academic self-concept). In addition, we examined factors that promote educational outcomes in the context of perceived discrimination, focusing mainly on the protective value of youth's cultural heritage as well as individual characteristics. Participants included 385 African American students (50% female) who were interviewed at 8th and 11th grade. Results indicated that early experiences with differential treatment predicted declines in importance of schooling and academic self-concept from 8th grade to 11th grade. Peer social support emerged as a protective factor, such that differential treatment was negatively associated with academic self-concept only for adolescents who did not have strong peer support. Implications of the current research for promoting African American students' educational success in learning environments and directions for future research are discussed.
Comparing the Quality of third, Fourth, and Fifth Graders’ Social Interactions and Cognitive Strategy use during Structured Online Inquiry
Authors: Coiro Julie , Sekeres Diane Carver , Castek Jill , Guzniczak Lizabeth
Published: December 2017

This study examined the social and cognitive interaction patterns of third, fourth, and fifth graders as they collaboratively read on the Internet and responded to an inquiry prompt. Data analysis revealed patterns of cognitive strategy use that intersected with social forms and functions of dialogue. Dyads that exhibited higher levels of cognitive strategy use and mutually collaborative social interactions were better able to accomplish the inquiry task. Pairs who read with little or no meaningful discussion were less successful. These contrasting cases show the range of interaction patterns that may occur during co-constructive inquiry-based online reading. Findings can inform the design of instructional scaffolds to foster productive dialogue and strategic reading in online spaces.
School-Based Communities of Practice as Mechanisms for Standards-Based Mathematics Curriculum Implementation
Authors: Hodges Thomas E. , Jong Cindy
Published: December 2017

In this article, we draw upon Remillard and Bryans’ (2004) categorization of curriculum use in observations of two middle-grade teachers’ integration of Standards-based curriculum materials (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1989, 2000). Each teacher participated in a two-year professional development program focused on increasing content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, as well as fostering the development of communities of practice within each school site. We introduce the design of the professional development program to explain how the design supported each teacher's use of Standards-based curriculum materials. Results indicated that the existence of site-based communities of practice established during the professional development program afforded one teacher continued opportunities to reflect upon and critique her instructional decisions, whereas the lack of a community of practice at another school site served to limit the integration of Standards-based materials.
Relationships between Classroom Schedule Types and Performance on the Algebra I Criterion-Referenced Test
Authors: Murray Gregory V. , Moyer-Packenham Patricia S.
Published: December 2017

Public education has options with regard to educational settings and structures. States and school districts may select varying lengths for the school year, the school day, and individual class periods. For example, one option for the length of individual class periods is the schedule type selected to teach mathematics Algebra I classes. In Utah, one measure of students’ achievement is the score on the state's end-of-level criterion-referenced test (CRT) for Algebra I. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student achievement, as indicated by Algebra I CRT scores, and the schedule type used to deliver Algebra I classes. The schedule types compared in this study were: traditional, trimester 3/3, trimester 2/3, and block A/B. The research questions focused on relationships between the schedule types and student scores on Utah's CRT for Algebra I. Data were obtained from the Utah State Office of Education and included the scores for over 40,000 students, from over 300 different schools, who took the identical Algebra I CRT at the end of the same school year. Data were also obtained from each school district to determine the schedule type of each participating student. A multinomial logistic regression analysis and a t-test analysis were conducted to determine relationships between Algebra I CRT scores and schedule types. The results indicated significant differences in student achievement based on the schedule type overall and for individual grade levels. Generally, the earlier the grade level, the higher the CRT score. Within individual grade levels, there were statistically significant and non-significant differences. The schedule types that were generally related to higher Algebra I CRT scores were those where students spent more time in the mathematics classroom and where students’ mathematics classes met daily. The results suggest the value of daily time spent in the mathematics classroom and may assist educators when considering options for school structures in mathematics that foster student achievement.
A High School for the Arts
Authors: Brown Tina Boyer
Published: December 2017

In this article, Tina Boyer Brown reflects on her experience as a founding teacher of a new contract public high school, The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts®). She begins with an account of the school's creation as a place where the academic and the artistic join to offer a comprehensive, challenging education to prepare gifted young artists from diverse backgrounds for college, conservatory, and/or career. Ms. Boyer Brown describes the Arts Curriculum in detail and reports on the reflections of students who are nearing the completion of their education. The article closes with Ms. Boyer Brown's own reflections on the value of arts education. She concludes, “It is the effort of taking a set of practical skills and imbuing them with one's humanity that makes the practice of art so powerful for a student, a teacher, anyone” (p. 19).
Rethinking Teaching and Learning Mathematics for Social Justice from a Critical Race Perspective
Authors: Larnell Gregory V. , Bullock Erika C. , Jett Christopher C.
Published: December 2017

What is teaching and learning mathematics for social justice (TLMSJ)? How has TLMSJ been taken up in mathematics education—both historically and contemporarily? Along with unpacking these two central questions, another purpose of this article is to assess the current capacity and stance of TLMSJ toward addressing issues of racial injustice. We begin with an overview of TLMSJ as an epistemic perspective and introduce an analytical lens based on selected tenets of critical race theory. We then use this analytical lens to examine extant TLMSJ scholarship toward broadening the possibilities of justice-oriented scholarship in mathematics education.
Teaching young Dual Language Learners to be Writers: Rethinking Writing Instruction through the Lens of Identity
Authors: Wagner Christopher J.
Published: December 2017

For young dual language learners (DLLs) the process of learning to write and use language expressively differs from that of children who are monolingual English speakers. Yet these differences often remain unaddressed in curricula and in writing instruction. Despite a recent “identity turn” (Moje & Luke, 2009, p. 415) in the literacy field that has shifted attention to how children's identities shape writing practices and motivations for writing, common frameworks for understanding identity in literacy processes have been used only in a limited way to consider identities of both young children and DLLs. This article reports relevant theory and research on the writing identities of young DLLs to explicate a framework of writing instruction that is informed by these understandings. This framework is intended to provide a model for elementary-grade instruction that supports the language acquisition and writing development of DLLs, including positive self-identification with writing.
Prediction of Psychiatric Hospitalization, Diagnoses, Arrests, and Violent Behavior Through Scored Drawings and Associations
Authors: Dyer Frank J.
Published: December 2017

The article presents a completely empirical approach to using drawings and associations as a supplemental tool in forensic psychological assessment. The present system represents a modern alternative to prior theory-driven “projective technique” approaches that have failed to pass scientific scrutiny. Using an archival sample of 252 forensic cases, House-Tree-Person drawing protocols were scored according to preliminary test items developed from published handbooks, academic courses, and workshops on the use of drawings and related associations for assessment. Intermediate test items were selected according to their being significantly correlated with at least one external psychometric, behavioral, or clinical variable. Psychometric and editorial considerations guided the development of a final set of 66 test items. A “flagged for pathology” approach demonstrated modest convergent and discriminant validity for the final set of test items against clinical criteria on an independent sample of 150 cases of the same type used in the preliminary item development phase. Included are sample items and discussion of psychometric issues in working with this class of data.
Incentive Use for Improving Maternal Health: Perspective From Behavioral Science
Authors: Washio Yukiko
Published: December 2017

Incentive use to improve maternal health behavior has been controversial, and guidelines to effectively design and implement such an intervention have been published. This commentary briefly describes a perspective from behavioral science for the existing guideline on the development of an incentive-based intervention to change maternal health behaviors. It is recommended to emphasize the saliency of incentives as an important variable to maintain the intervention effect while addressing barriers to feasibility and sustainability.
Active Solidarity: Centering the Demands and Vision of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Teacher Education
Authors: Mayorga Edwin , Picower Bree
Published: December 2017

In the era of Black Lives Matter (#BLM), urban teacher education does not exist in isolation. The White supremacist, neoliberal context that impacts all aspects of Black lives also serves to support antiblackness within the structures of teacher education. In this article, the authors, who are grounded in a race radical analytical and political framework, share a vision of what it means to be an urban teacher who actively understands and teaches in solidarity with #BLM. The authors unpack their theoretical framework and the vision of #BLM while examining the state of teacher education in this era of neoliberal multiculturalism. The authors contemplate what a race radical, #BLM-aligned, approach to urban teacher education might look like. The article concludes by addressing ways that teacher educators must be in active solidarity with the #BLM movement to better prepare teachers who understand that the lives of their students matter within and outside of their classrooms.