bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Operationalizing Levels of Academic Mastery Based on Vygotsky’s Theory
Authors: Nezhnov Peter , Kardanova Elena , Vasilyeva Marina , Ludlow Larry
Published: May 2014

The present study tested the possibility of operationalizing levels of knowledge acquisition based on Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive growth. An assessment tool (SAM-Math) was developed to capture a hypothesized hierarchical structure of mathematical knowledge consisting of procedural, conceptual, and functional levels. In Study 1, SAM-Math was administered to 4th-grade students ( N = 2,216). The results of Rasch analysis indicated that the test provided an operational definition for the construct of mathematical competence that included the three levels of mastery corresponding to the theoretically based hierarchy of knowledge. In Study 2, SAM-Math was administered to students in 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th grades ( N = 396) to examine developmental changes in the levels of mathematics knowledge. The results showed that the mastery of mathematical concepts presented in elementary school continued to deepen beyond elementary school, as evidenced by a significant growth in conceptual and functional levels of knowledge. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for psychological theory, test design, and educational practice.
Intergroup Sentiments, Political Identity, and Their Influence on Responses to Potentially Ameliorative Proposals in the Context of an Intractable Conflict
Authors: Kahn Dennis T. , Liberman Varda , Halperin Eran , Ross Lee
Published: May 2014

Two studies examined the association of particular sentiments and political identities with Jewish-Israeli students’ responses to a generic plan to end the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and to narrower proposals for cooperative undertakings. Three composites—hatred/anger, compassion/empathy (reverse-coded), and guilt/shame (reverse-coded), and also a global composite combining these three sets of sentiments, were generally associated with negative responses to those plans and negative attributions about the wisdom and patriotism of supporters of those plans. Most of the associations between the global sentiments composite and the relevant responses continued to be statistically significant even after controlling for participants’ political identity. The interaction between the relevant sentiments and the putative authorship of one of the proposals was also investigated. Issues of generalizability, replicability, robustness, and of the relevance of mediational analysis, as well as implications for conflict resolution and potential directions for future research are addressed in a concluding discussion.
The labor market regimes of Denmark and Norway – One Nordic model?
Authors: Gooderham Paul N , Navrbjerg Steen E , Olsen Karen Modesta , Steen Christina Roe
Published: May 2014

The literature on the Danish and Norwegian labor market systems emphasizes the commonalities of the two systems. We challenge this perception by investigating how employers in multinational companies in Denmark and Norway communicate with employees on staffing changes. We argue that the development of ‘flexicurity’ in Denmark grants Danish employers considerably greater latitude in engaging in staffing changes than its Nordic counterpart, Norway. Institutional theory leads us to suppose that large firms located in the Danish setting will be less likely to engage in employer–employee communication on staffing plans than their Norwegian counterparts. In addition, we argue that in the Danish context indigenous firms will have a better insight into the normative and cognitive aspects to flexicurity than foreign-owned firms, meaning that they are more likely to engage in institutional entrepreneurialism than their foreign-owned counterparts. We supplement institutional theory with an actor perspective in order to take into account the role of labor unions. Our analysis is based on a survey of 203 firms in Norway and Denmark which are either indigenous multinational companies or the subsidiaries of foreign multinational companies. The differences we observe cause us to conclude that the notion of a common Nordic model is problematic.
‘I Don’t Really Like Tedious, Monotonous Work’: Working-class Young Women, Service Sector Employment and Social Mobility in Contemporary Russia
Authors: Walker Charlie
Published: May 2014

This article contributes a global perspective to the emerging literature on girlhood in western contexts by examining the changing shape of transitions to adulthood amongst working-class young women in St. Petersburg, Russia. As in many western countries, new forms of service sector employment and an increasingly accessible higher education system appear to offer young women new prospects for social mobility. In contrast to the increasingly impoverished and denigrated traditional pathways into work, the young women in the study derive significant value from these new opportunities, constructing narratives of self-actualisation and approximating notions of respectable femininity. Nevertheless, actual social mobility is elusive, as familiar patterns of classed and gendered stratification limit their prospects. Despite its specificity, the case thus further illustrates the limited nature of the transformations available to young women through the new forms of education and work characteristic of global neoliberal contexts.
Picturing Urban Green Attachments: Civic Activists Moving between Familiar and Public Engagements in the City
Authors: Blok Anders , Meilvang Marie Leth
Published: May 2014

In this article, we explore the cultural-political tensions and ambiguities of urban ecology, by way of following how activists move and translate between ‘familiar’ and ‘public’ engagements in the green city. Empirically, we locate our exploration in and around Nordhavnen (The North Harbor), a large-scale sustainable urban development project in Copenhagen. Invoking Laurent Thévenot’s pragmatic sociology of ‘regimes of engagement’, we sketch a culturally sensitive approach to urban ecological activism, highlighting the critical moral capacities involved in building new forms of ‘commonality in the plural’ in the city. In particular, we stress the role assumed in such engagements by various image-making practices, as means for activists to express, share and render publicly visible a range of embodied urban attachments. Pragmatic sociology, we conclude, may contribute to a novel understanding of urban politics as inclusive learning processes, more hospitable to a wider diversity of familiar attachments to cities and their ecologies.
Employment, Social Networks and Undocumented Migrants: The Employer Perspective
Authors: Bloch Alice , McKay Sonia
Published: May 2014

This article draws on data from qualitative interviews with ethnic enclave and ethnic economy business entrepreneurs from Chinese, Bangladeshi and Turkish-speaking communities in London. Routes into business and worker recruitment practices are explored, demonstrating the centrality of social capital in the form of family and other social networks within these processes. The article investigates what employers consider the desirable characteristics of workers: trust, kinship, gender, social networks, language compatibility and the needs of the business intersect with racialised notions of workers’ strengths and characteristics. Finally, we consider changing practices in relation to the employment of undocumented migrants, in the context of an increasingly punitive legislative regime. The complex and variable impact of policy alongside the ways in which other obligations and positions outweigh the fear and risks of sanctions associated with non-compliance is revealed.
Analytic Affordance: Transcripts as Conventionalised Systems in Discourse Studies
Authors: Gibson Will , Webb Helena , vom Lehn Dirk
Published: May 2014

This article explores the role of transcripts in the analysis of social action. Drawing on a study of the interactional processes in optometry consultations, we show how our interest in the rhythm of reading letters from a chart arose serendipitously from our orientation to transcription conventions. We discuss our development of alternative transcription systems, and the affordances of each. We relate this example to constructivist debates in the area of transcription and argue that the issues have been largely characterised in political terms at the expense of a focus on the actual processes of transcription. We show here that analytic affordances emerge through an orientation to professional conventions. The article ends by suggesting that a close reflection on the design of transcripts and on transcription innovation can lead to more nuanced analysis as it puts the researcher in dialogue with the taken for granted ideas embedded in a system.
Self-employment and intention of permanent urban settlement: Evidence from a survey of migrants in China’s four major urbanising areas
Authors: Cao Guangzhong , Li Ming , Ma Yan , Tao Ran
Published: May 2014

Drawing on a survey of migrants in 12 cities across four major urbanising areas in China, this paper analyses rural migrants’ intention for permanent urban settlement. We focus on one sizeable but often overlooked group of rural migrants, that is, the self-employed. Our hypothesis is that the self-employed migrants tend to have stronger intention for permanent urban settlement since they are usually more ingrained in urban economy and society. The empirical evidence supports our hypothesis. Moreover, the social and economic choices made by the self-employed migrants are consistent with their expressed intentions: they are more likely to migrate with spouses and to live with their family members, more likely to have a plan for house purchase in cities; they are also more integrated into urban society in terms of learning local dialects and making friends with local permanent residents.
Reconsidering the Role of Intentionality in Deceptive Communication
Authors: Cole Tim
Published: May 2014

Traditional models of deceptive communication approach message production from a top-down, conscious-centric point of view. Information Manipulation Theory 2 and Truth Deception Theory challenge this assumption by arguing that the intent to deceive can occur during and after attempts to mislead have been enacted. I argue that this conceptual shift in our understanding of deceptive message production may be helpful to scholars studying the use of deception in relational contexts.
Introduction to Georg Simmel’s Essay ‘On Art Exhibitions’
Authors: Harrington Austin
Published: May 2014

This introduction to Georg Simmel’s essay ‘On Art Exhibitions’ (1890) sketches the context and relevance of some striking points of commonality to Walter Benjamin’s much better-known ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’ of 1936, as well as to Simmel’s own subsequent essay on ‘The Metropolis and Mental Life’ of 1903. The introduction is followed by a complete English translation.
Upper limb training using Wii Sports Resort™ for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: a randomized, single-blind trial
Authors: Chiu Hsiu-Ching , Ada Louise , Lee Hsin-Min
Published: May 2014

Objective:

To investigate whether Wii Sports Resort™ training is effective and if any benefits are maintained.

Design:

Randomized, single-blind trial.

Participants:

Sixty-two hemiplegic children with cerebral palsy (6–13 years).

Intervention:

Experimental group undertook six weeks of home-based Wii Sports Resort™ training plus usual therapy, while the control group received usual therapy.

Main measures:

Outcomes were coordination, strength, hand function, and carers’ perception of hand function, measured at baseline, six, and 12 weeks by a blinded assessor.

Results:

There was a trend of mean difference (MD) for the experimental group to have more grip strength by six (MD 4.0 N, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.8 to 8.8, p = 0.10) and 12 (MD 4.1 N, 95% CI −2.1 to 10.3, p = 0.19) weeks, and to have a higher quantity of hand function according to carers’ perception by six (MD 4.5 N, 95% CI −0.7 to 9.7, p = 0.09) and strengthened by 12 (MD 6.4, 95% CI 0.6 to 12.3, p = 0.03) weeks than the control group. There was no difference between groups in coordination and hand function by six or 12 weeks.

Conclusion:

Wii™ training did not improve coordination, strength, or hand function. Beyond the intervention, carers perceived that the children used their hands more.
Hedonic, Instrumental, and Normative Motives
Authors: Dijkstra Jan Kornelis , Kretschmer Tina , Lindenberg Siegwart , Veenstra René
Published: May 2014

This study examined to what extent motives for behavior differentiated between popular, accepted, and rejected adolescents. Based on goal-framing theory, three types of motives were distinguished: hedonic (aimed at short-term gratification), instrumental (aimed at improvement of one’s situation), and normative (aimed at acting in accordance with what one thinks one is ought to do) motives, which were based on teachers’ assessments. These motives were related to peer-reported popularity, acceptance, and rejection in a sample of adolescent boys ( n = 287) and girls ( n = 303; [Formula: see text] = 13.51; SD = 0.54). Results showed that popular adolescents were mainly characterized by instrumental and normative motives. Accepted adolescents were high in hedonic and normative motives, but low in instrumental motivation, whereas rejected adolescents showed the exact opposite pattern. These results indicate that being successful among peers is not only a matter of behavior but also of motives underlying behaviors.
Computer determination of weld lines in injection molding based on filling simulation with surface model
Authors: Yang Ding , Zhao Peng , Zhou Huamin , Chen Lu
Published: May 2014

Weld line is aesthetically unpleasant and affects the mechanical strength of injection molded parts. Because of the ever-increasing requirements for parts performance, lots of researchers have performed various studies related to the weld lines optimization. However, research about the computer determination of weld lines in injection molding remains scarce. In this paper, a weld line computer determination method based on filling simulation with surface model is proposed, from which the positions and lengths of the weld lines can be predicted. According to the characteristics of the surface model, all weld lines are classified into two different types. Initial welding node searching and revision algorithms for the two different types of weld lines are first developed. Starting from initial welding nodes, weld lines are then extended by a pre-extension algorithm and an extension algorithm. In the weld line extension algorithm, 135° is set as a welding angle threshold for forming weld lines. Finally, the effects of cavity thickness, process parameters, and mesh densities have been investigated. Moreover, Moldflow simulation results and real parts in production have been conducted to verify the proposed determination method, which demonstrate that the proposed method is correct and effective in actual production.
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a Framework for Change
Authors: Vargus-Adams Jilda N. , Majnemer Annette
Published: May 2014

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) utilizes domains of body functions and structures, activities and participation, as well as environmental and personal factors to fully encapsulate the concepts of health and disability. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health provides a rich and holistic understanding of functioning that is particularly valuable in the setting of childhood disability and rehabilitation. With applicability that enhances a nuanced understanding of each child within their family, school, and community, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health also ensures facile and meaningful communication between professionals. Use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health promotes improved treatment plans for individual children and for larger programmatic decisions. This article demonstrates how the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health has reinvented the language and understanding of childhood disability and rehabilitation.
Serum Alpha Tocopherol, Vitamin B12, and Folate Levels in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Survivors With and Without Neuropathy
Authors: Jain Puneet , Gulati Sheffali , Toteja G. S. , Bakhshi Sameer , Seth Rachna , Pandey R. M.
Published: May 2014

Various micronutrients are essential for optimal functioning of the peripheral nervous system. Serum vitamin E, vitamin B12, and folic acid were estimated in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors aged between 5 and 18 years in first continuous remission within 3 years of completion of vincristine-based chemotherapy with and without electrophysiologically defined neuropathy. A total of 80 children were studied. Neuropathy was seen in 27 (33.75%) children electrophysiologically. None of the children had vitamin E deficiency. However, the alpha tocopherol/(cholesterol + triglyceride) ratio was significantly lower in children with neuropathy ( P = .05). The prevalence of folate ( P = .48) and vitamin B12 ( P = .21) deficiency in children with and without neuropathy was not significantly different. Thus, the prevalence of deficiencies of these micronutrients was not significantly different in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors with or without electrophysiologically defined neuropathy.
Dietary and Medication Adjustments to Improve Seizure Control in Patients Treated With the Ketogenic Diet
Authors: Selter Jessica H. , Turner Zahava , Doerrer Sarah C. , Kossoff Eric H.
Published: May 2014

Unlike anticonvulsant drugs and vagus nerve stimulation, there are no guidelines regarding adjustments to ketogenic diet regimens to improve seizure efficacy once the diet has been started. A retrospective chart review was performed of 200 consecutive patients treated with the ketogenic diet at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2007 to 2013. Ten dietary and supplement changes were identified, along with anticonvulsant adjustments. A total of 391 distinct interventions occurred, of which 265 were made specifically to improve seizure control. Adjustments led to >50% further seizure reduction in 18%, but only 3% became seizure-free. The benefits of interventions did not decrease over time. There was a trend towards medication adjustments being more successful than dietary modifications (24% vs 15%, P = .08). No single dietary change stood out as the most effective, but calorie changes were largely unhelpful (10% with additional benefit).
Prevalence and Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women With Disabilities in Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Tanvir , Muhaddes Tisa , Camellia Suborna , Selim Nasima , Rashid Sabina Faiz
Published: May 2014

This study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a sample of 226 women with disabilities living in four different districts of Bangladesh. It also explored the physical and psychological suffering of women experiencing violence and their various coping strategies. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 226 women with disabilities to measure the prevalence of IPV, and 16 in-depth interviews were conducted to document in detail the experiences of violence encountered by the abused women. Among the 226 women interviewed in the survey, about 84% reported ever having experienced at least one act of emotional abuse, physical, or sexual violence from their partner during their lifetime. Women who were older (aged above 32 years), separated, and members of economic/savings group were more likely to report ever having experienced any IPV than women with disabilities who were younger (aged 32 years and less), married, and not members of economic/savings group. Most of the women experiencing violence reported sufferings from physical and psychological problems. Of all the women who experienced violence, less than half (45%) reported seeking support to minimize or avoid violence experiences. However, seeking support from informal network such as family and relatives was commonly reported by many (81.4%) of them. Study findings suggest that women with disabilities who possess poor socio-economic status coupled with economic dependency on husbands’ income and wide-spread social stigma against disability make them vulnerable to IPV. Future interventions to address IPV against women with disabilities should include building community knowledge of disability and IPV, countering the pervasive social stigma against disabilities, and improving the socio-economic conditions of women with disabilities through education and employment.
Labeling of Sexual Assault and Its Relationship With Sexual Functioning
Authors: Kelley Erika L. , Gidycz Christine A.
Published: May 2014

Little research has examined the relationship between women’s labeling of their sexual assault experiences and sexual functioning, as well as identification of variables that may mediate the labeling-trauma outcome relationship. The purpose of this study was to fill this gap in the literature, by examining the potential mediating role of coping strategies in response to sexual assault in the relationship between labeling and sexual functioning. The sample included 135 college women with a history of adolescent/early adulthood sexual assault. Labeling was not bivariately related to sexual functioning outcomes; however, anxious coping mediated the relationships between labeling and both sexual lubrication and sexual satisfaction. This suggests that correlational analyses between labeling and trauma outcomes may not capture the complexity of this relationship, as it may be more indirect. Furthermore, results suggest that labeling is part of the coping process in response to sexual assault; some women who consider their experience to be sexual assault may engage in anxious coping efforts, contributing to difficulties with sexual lubrication and sexual dissatisfaction. Victims actively working to integrate their sexual assault experience with prior beliefs and self-concept may benefit from treatment focused on decreasing anxious coping, especially as it relates to sexual functioning.
Application of macromolecular chain extender and contribution to the toughening of poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Tan Zhiyong , Liu Shichun , Cui Xiuli , Sun Shulin , Zhang Huixuan
Published: May 2014

An epoxy macromolecular chain extender, polymethyl methacrylate- co-glycidyl methacrylate (PMMA- co-GMA), was synthesized by continuous random free radical polymerization, which was introduced into poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and PET blends. The modified PET blends exhibited higher torque with increasing the content and the polymerization degree of PMMA- co-GMA. The rise of torque after initial melting period was observed, which indicated the occurrence of reaction between the epoxy group of PMMA-co-GMA and hydroxyl or carboxyl end groups of PET. The melting temperature, crystallization temperature, and crystallization degree of PET blends decreased. The chain extender was introduced in PET/ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (EPDM)-graft-GMA (EPDM- g-GMA) blends with the composition of 85/15, which exhibited brittle fracture behavior. The blends, in which the chain extender content in PET was over 8 wt%, exhibited ductile fracture behavior. EPDM- g-GMA was used to toughen PET with 8 wt% chain extender. The brittle–ductile transition took place between the rubber content of 10 wt% and 15 wt%. The transition was in advance when compared with PET/EPDM- g-GMA blends. The content of chain extender in PET showed little influence on the compatibility of PET blends. The macromolecular chain extender was an effective extender for PET. The introduction of macromolecular chain extender showed contribution for the toughening PET.
Sensitivity thermal analysis of electrical discharge machining process based on probabilistic design system
Authors: Tian Xiaojie , Liu Yonghong , Deng Wei , Sun Pengfei , Zheng Chao , Liu Zengkai
Published: May 2014

The probabilistic design system is introduced for the sensitivity analysis to analyze the effects of machining parameters during electrical discharge machining process. An axisymmetric finite element thermal model is presented to investigate the electrical discharge machining process. By comparing the discharge crater geometry for the finite element method results and experiment results under different conditions, the deterministic thermal model is proved to be validated. Monte Carlo simulation method and response surface method are both used in the sensitivity analysis. Parameters of discharge voltage, peak current, pulse-on time and discharge channel radius are selected as the design variables. The sensitivity analysis results meet the confidence limit of 0.95. It is concluded that the discharge voltage and peak current have significant influences on the electrical discharge machining process, whereas the pulse-on time and discharge channel radius have little influence. Moreover, the increase in discharge channel radius can reduce the material removal rate. The increase in other parameters can increase the material removal rate.
Optimization of piping expansion loops using ASME B31.3
Authors: Shehadeh Bahaa , Ranganathan Shivakumar I , Abed Farid H
Published: May 2014

Piping is the main transportation method for fluids from one location to another within an industrial plant. Design and routing of piping is heavily influenced by the stresses generated due to thermal effects and high pressure of the operating fluid. In particular, pressurized fluids create critical loads on the supports and elbows of the pipe which increases the overall stresses in the piping. Moreover, long pipes operating under high temperature gradients tend to expand significantly. Therefore, designers and engineers usually provide an expansion loop in order to relieve the pipe from the critical stresses. However, expansion loops require extra space, supports, elbows, bends, additional steel structure that could adversely affect the operating cost. It is therefore necessary to optimize the geometry, the number of expansion loops, and the supports. Reducing the number of loops in one single system or reducing the length of the loop itself is always favored as long as stresses are within safe limits. Usually, the commercial software (PipeData) is used in the industry to get the dimensions of the expansion loop. However, this software is mostly based on empirical models that rely on past experience rather than engineering fundamentals. Accordingly, this paper conducts an optimization analysis concerning the expansion loop dimensions and the number of supports without compromising on the safety of piping. The design approach is conducted as per the guidelines of ASME B31.3 (Process Piping) code and uses the commercial software (CAESAR II) for stress calculations. A full comparison for the expansion loop dimension is conducted between the empirical approach and the optimization analysis using ASME B31.3 for one of the existing oilfield projects. Results indicate that optimization reduces the dimensions and the number of expansion loops as well as the total number of supports. This results in significant savings in the piping cost without any compromise on the safety.
Can the history of psychology have an impact?
Authors: Pettit Michael , Davidson Ian
Published: May 2014

In a recent issue of Theory & Psychology, Robinson, Danziger, and Teo raise a number of important questions about the current role of historiography in psychology. We concur that there have been genuine costs to the historian in psychology adopting the disciplinary norms and epistemic virtues of the professional historian. Building on recent developments in historiography, we suggest a number of avenues for exploring the relationship between history and psychology. Taken together they illustrate the possibilities of an “eventful psychology” attentive to historical time.
Riding in the shadows: The reaction of the British print media to Chris Froome’s victory in the 2013 Tour de France
Authors: Groves Mark , Griggs Gerald
Published: May 2014

On 21 July 2013 Chris Froome became only the second British cyclist to win the Tour de France. This paper examines how the events surrounding Froome’s victory in the 2013 Tour de France were reported in the British (London-based) print media the day after his victory. Data were collected from nine different daily newspapers on 22 July with a total of 52 pages of coverage devoted to the story. Thematic coding revealed that, despite a comprehensive victory, Froome appeared to be framed as being in the shadow of two other prominent cyclists. Firstly, Froome’s victory appeared to be framed within a moral panic surrounding the use of performance-enhancing drugs in cycling, with his achievements partially overshadowed by the ‘folk devil’ that is Lance Armstrong. Secondly, the data suggested that narratives around British national identity were prevalent within the reporting of Chris Froome, with this reporting particularly focused on the issue of his African heritage. Initial analysis indicated that the British print media actually celebrated Froome’s African roots, suggesting that they may be starting to embrace a new post-imperial form of national identity that reflects the multicultural or hybrid nature of 21st century Britain. However, we would also argue that Froome may only have achieved an ambivalent position as a British hero and that his African heritage – although celebrated to an extent – means that in the eyes of the British print media he still sits below Sir Bradley Wiggins in what might be described as a ‘hierarchy of Britishness’.
Cultural- and Educational-Level Differences in Students Knowledge, Attitudes, and Preferences for Working With Older Adults
Authors: Zisberg Anna , Topaz Maxim , Band-Wintershtein Tova
Published: May 2014

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nursing education on students’ knowledge, attitudes, and preferences to work with older adults in an ethnically diverse Israeli society. Methods: In a cross-sectional design, Kogan’s Old People Scale was used to measure attitudes toward older adults and Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz-1 to assess the level of knowledge of nursing students in four cohorts. Results: Of the 224 nursing students who responded to the survey, 55% were Jewish and 45% were Arabs. Ethnicity and knowledge were the strongest correlates ( p < .0001) of attitudes, and attitudes and ethnicity ( p < .0001) correlated with work preferences. Conclusions: While knowledge of old age among students increased, preferences for future career in geriatrics declined with education. Ethnicity was a strong predictor of attitudes and future intentions to work with older adults. Culturally tailored educational programs focused on changing the attitudes toward aging are critically needed.
The Challenges of Providing Culturally Competent Care Within a Disability Focused Team
Authors: Heer Kuljit , Rose John , Larkin Michael
Published: May 2014

Purpose: The study explored how service providers address the challenges of providing culturally competent care within disability services in the United Kingdom. Design/Method: Focus groups and interpretative phenomenological analysis were used to explore the experiences of 20 service providers from a range of professions, working with South Asian families. Results/Findings: Two superordinate themes emerged. The first concentrated on difficulties with language and communication and the challenges posed by the use of interpreters. The second included five subthemes that broadly described a five-stage process of dealing with barriers and engagement to service delivery, followed by reflections on the effort made to provide culturally competent care in the face of limited resources and training. Discussion/Conclusion: The study makes recommendations for cultural competency within health and social care services.
Perceptions of Abuse in Nursing Home Care Relationships in Uruguay
Authors: Figueredo Borda Natalie , Yarnoz Adelaida Zabalegui
Published: May 2014

Purpose: To describe the care relationships between caregivers and elderly people in Uruguayan nursing homes. Design: A qualitative study with an ethnographic approach conducted at nine nursing homes for elderly people located in four Uruguayan departments. Twenty-three purposively and theoretically selected participants were interviewed and observed between January 2011 and January 2012. Results: Study of relationships among caregivers, managers, and residents revealed a number of issues: perception and experience of elder abuse, suffering when faced with death, and existential pain. Conclusion: A cultural context of discrimination against the elderly and other factors converge to perpetuate elder abuse and suffering in care homes: the lack of adequate regulations covering safety and quality of care, lack of a care model and regular inspections, absence of minimum training requirements for caregivers, and lack of support in situations that have psychic and spiritual repercussions. The inclusion of nurses could promote the development of educational interventions to modify abusive conduct. Nursing home managers need knowledge, skills, and communication strategies to identify and manage inappropriate behavior. An urgent review of nursing home regulations is required to protect elderly people’s rights.
Preferences on End-Of-Life Decisions Among Older Chinese in Macau
Authors: Ho Sio-Wa , Sanders Gregory F.
Published: May 2014

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to learn about the perspectives on end-of-life decision making among older Chinese people in Macau. Method: A qualitative approach was used, and interviews were conducted with 18 Chinese aged 65 years or older. Results: Four major themes were identified: (a) institutionalized care at the end of life was preferred as not to be a burden on family, (b) life-prolonging measures were not preferred, (c) funeral arrangement preferences were based on personal and religious beliefs, and (d) end-of-life decision making would be deferred to others. Discussion and Conclusions: These themes provide an understanding of personal preferences of older Chinese on end-of-life issues, and personal preferences are always secondary to their respect toward family and medical doctors. This compliance with family and medical authority can be understood through Chinese cultural beliefs. Implications for Practice: Knowledge of cultural influences is needed for nursing professionals to deal effectively with older adults and families regarding end-of-life issues.
Testing a Violence-Prevention Intervention for Incarcerated Women Using a Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Kubiak Sheryl Pimlott , Kim Woo Jong , Fedock Gina , Bybee Deborah
Published: May 2014

Objective:

Beyond Violence (BV), a new prevention program for women with assaultive offenses, demonstrated feasibility in previous studies. This study’s purpose is to assess the efficacy of BV using a randomized control trial.

Method:

Eligible women were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) and the experimental condition (BV). Measures of mental health and anger were administered to women at pre- and postintervention.

Results:

Outcomes reveal positive changes for both groups. Significant between-group differences favor BV on measures of anxiety and anger. Moreover, BV is cost-effective with only 20 sessions compared to 44 sessions for TAU.

Conclusion:

The demonstrated effectiveness of BV is promising for this underserved population of women. Next steps: Replication and assessing long-term outcomes.
Network Analysis as a Communication Audit Instrument
Authors: Zwijze-Koning Karen H. , de Jong Menno D. T.
Published: May 2014

Network analysis is one of the instruments in the communication audit toolbox to diagnose communication problems within organizations. To explore its contribution to a communication audit, the authors conducted a network analysis within three secondary schools, comparing its results with those of two other instruments: interviews focusing on critical incidents and a communication satisfaction questionnaire. The results show that network analysis may complement interview and survey data in several ways, by uncovering unique problems or by explaining or corroborating problems that were uncovered by the critical incidents or the survey. The results also show that additional data are sometimes needed to make sense of network characteristics.
Postscript
Authors: Damberg Cheryl L. , McNamara Peggy
Published: May 2014

There is significant interest in building the next generation of public reporting tools that will more effectively engage consumers and better enable them to make use of comparative performance information when selecting a provider. Demand for public reporting tools that make health care cost and quality information transparent is fueled by a variety of market forces underway. A host of public reporting efforts and studies have identified a number of challenges, highlighting that we still do not understand how best to design public reports to meet the needs of the consumer. We identify five areas for additional research that, if addressed, could foster better design and delivery of quality and cost information to consumers.
Low Self-Control and Police Deviance: Applying Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory to Officer Misconduct
Authors: Donner Christopher M. , Jennings Wesley G.
Published: May 2014

Prior research assessing police misconduct has generally focused on prevalence and demographic correlates while neglecting traditional criminological theories. Some recent research has begun to fill the void in this area, but the link between self-control and police misconduct has yet to be explored. The current study utilizes a behavioral measure of self-control to evaluate the extent to which low self-control predicts police misconduct. Data from a sample of 1,935 police officers from the Philadelphia Police Department are analyzed, and the results generally indicate that low self-control is related to police misconduct. Specific findings, policy implications, and directions for future research are discussed.
The ‘living entity’
Authors: Morgan Alastair
Published: May 2014

In his attempt at a renewal of the concept of reification, Axel Honneth has referred to reification as a kind of forgetting. He uses an epigraph from Adorno and Horkheimer’s work to introduce this theme. This article considers the different accounts that are given by Honneth, on the one hand, and Adorno and Horkheimer, on the other, as to the way that reification is a forgetting of core experiential capacities of intersubjective human relations. It argues that Honneth’s account relies too much on a foundational and undifferentiated notion of ‘empathetic engagement’, and that in order to articulate the damage done by reification, we need to contend with the more radical notion of forgetting that is outlined in Adorno and Horkheimer’s work.
Kuwaiti political cartoons during the Arab Spring: Agenda setting and self-censorship
Authors: Alkazemi Mariam F , Wanta Wayne
Published: May 2014

Where criticism of a government could be punishable, political cartoons are used to make critical social commentary in a less direct way. In this study, political cartoons published in four Kuwaiti newspapers during Arab Spring protests were analyzed. Most of the 261 cartoons linked negative attributes to Arab Spring and Kuwaiti politics, society and economy despite certain press restrictions. Newspapers established after a change in press regulations in 2006 were remarkably similar to older newspapers. Liberal and conservative papers both published mainly negative messages but provided starkly different issue agendas; of the 89 cartoons depicting the Arab Spring, only 8 appeared in conservative papers. Conservative papers concentrated on topics relating to Kuwaiti society, economy, and politics.
Who has a wine-identity? Consumption practices between distinction and democratization
Authors: Rössel Jörg , Pape Simone
Published: May 2014

The relevance of consumer goods and consumer behaviour for the constitution and confirmation of a self-concept is widely acknowledged in consumer studies. However, in light of discussions in sociological theory, there is a question whether this is a self-concept planed individually and connected to feelings of anxiety, as analysts of the contemporary society like Baumann, Beck and Giddens would have it, or whether consumption in the end is still bound to social identities grounded in belonging to social categories or socio-economic position. The question is empirically tested in this essay using the example of wine consumption and the relevance of such consumption for constructing a self-concept. The empirical analysis indicates first, that only a small group of consumers with high involvement in wine consumption considers wine relevant for their identity, and second, that both the construction of a wine-related consumer identity, as well as the feelings of insecurity and embarrassment associated with it are not directly influenced by socio-structural factors. Instead, in the case of wine consumption, these are transmitted through lifestyles and social networks.
The role of symbols in value cocreation
Authors: Akaka Melissa Archpru , Corsaro Daniela , Kelleher Carol , Maglio Paul P. , Seo Yuri , Lusch Robert F. , Vargo Stephen L.
Published: May 2014

This article explores the role of symbols in value cocreation in order to develop a deeper understanding of how actors communicate, interact, and reconcile perspectives as they integrate and exchange resources to create value for themselves and for others. We draw on a service ecosystems approach to value cocreation and propose a conceptual framework that highlights varying views of value and articulates the way in which value cocreation results from the integration of resources and interactions among multiple actors. We argue that symbols guide actors in enacting particular practices that enable the cocreation of shared meanings, which help actors determine the value of current and future interactions. In this way, symbols support the coordination of interaction, the communication of information, the integration of resources, and the evaluation of value, among actors. We provide an empirical example of our conceptual framework as supporting evidence for the role of symbols in value cocreation and point toward directions for future research.
Core principles for involving people with dementia in research: Innovative practice
Authors:   Scottish Dementia Working Group Research Sub-Group, UK
Published: May 2014

The Scottish Dementia Working Group Research Sub-group is part of the Scottish Dementia Working Group, an internationally renowned campaigning group of people with dementia. We co-created our core principles for involving people with dementia in research between September and December 2013. The principles address six areas: (i) how people with dementia are valued and involved in research, (ii) lived experience as valid knowledge, (iii) physical and emotional safety, (iv) accessibility of all aspects of research, (v) training for researchers and (vi) the impact of our experiences of time on research processes. Through our core principles, we challenge researchers across all disciplines to re-consider how we and other people with dementia are involved in research as well as how knowledge in dementia research is created.
What do we know about the attitudes, experiences and needs of Black and minority ethnic carers of people with dementia in the United Kingdom? A systematic review of empirical research findings
Authors: Johl Nicholas , Patterson Tom , Pearson Lesley
Published: May 2014

This paper reviews recent literature on the experiences, attitudes and needs of caring for someone with dementia in Black and minority ethnic communities in the United Kingdom. Eight articles, which investigated carer experiences from Black and minority ethnic communities when caring for someone with dementia, were critically appraised. All eight studies used a qualitative methodology. The review identified several themes and issues across the qualitative studies. These included memory loss being viewed as a normal process of ageing, care being perceived as an extension of an existing responsibility, a poor understanding of what support services provide, the influence of migration, the impact of stigma and increased female responsibility. Methodological limitations of the research literature studies are also highlighted and clinically relevant implications are discussed, alongside recommendations for future research in this area.
Wayfinding difficulties among elders with dementia in an assisted living residence
Authors: Caspi Eilon
Published: May 2014

The concerning phenomena of spatial disorientation and wayfinding difficulties among elders with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia in assisted living residences are understudied. This qualitative study aimed to identify the types of wayfinding difficulties as experienced by residents with memory-loss in two special care units of an assisted living residence. The data collection period included participant observation complemented by semi-structured interviews with care staff and managers and review of clinical records. A wide spectrum of wayfinding difficulties was identified as experienced by six residents. The residents experienced difficulties reaching several destinations on the units. The implications of the findings to practice, architectural design, and policy are discussed.
Combined decellularisation and dehydration improves the mechanical properties of tissue-engineered sinews
Authors: Lebled Claire , Grover Liam M , Paxton Jennifer Z
Published: May 2014

Novel sources of replacement sinews are needed to repair damaged tissue after injury. The current methods of repair ultilise autografts, allografts or xenografts, although each method has distinct disadvantages that limit their success. Decellularisation of harvested tissues has been previously investigated for sinew repair with the long-term aim of repopulating the structure with autologous cells. Although this procedure shows promise, the demand for donor scaffolds will always outweigh supply. Here, we report the fabrication of fibrin-based tissue-engineered sinews, which can be decellularised, dehydrated and stored. The sinews may then be rehydrated and repopulated with an autologous cell population. In addition to enabling production of patient-specific implants, interestingly, the process of combined decellularisation, dehydration and rehydration enhanced the mechanical properties of the sinew. The treated sinews exhibited a 2.6-fold increase in maximum load and 8-fold increase in ultimate tensile strength when compared with the control group ( p < 0.05 in both cases).