bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Strategy for Information Presentation in Spoken Dialog Systems
Authors: Demberg Vera , Winterboer Andi , Moore Johanna D.
Published: March 2011

In spoken dialog systems, information must be presented sequentially, making it difficult to quickly browse through a large number of options. Recent studies have shown that user satisfaction is negatively correlated with dialog duration, suggesting that systems should be designed to maximize the efficiency of the interactions. Analysis of the logs of 2,000 dialogs between users and nine different dialog systems reveals that a large percentage of the time is spent on the information presentation phase, thus there is potentially a large pay-off to be gained from optimizing information presentation in spoken dialog systems.

This article proposes a method that improves the efficiency of coping with large numbers of diverse options by selecting options and then structuring them based on a model of the user's preferences. This enables the dialog system to automatically determine trade-offs between alternative options that are relevant to the user and present these trade-offs explicitly. Multiple attractive options are thereby structured such that the user can gradually refine her request to find the optimal trade-off.

To evaluate and challenge our approach, we conducted a series of experiments that test the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Experimental results show that basing the content structuring and content selection process on a user model increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the user's interaction. Users complete their tasks more successfully and more quickly. Furthermore, user surveys revealed that participants found that the user-model based system presents complex trade-offs understandably and increases overall user satisfaction. The experiments also indicate that presenting users with a brief overview of options that do not fit their requirements significantly improves the user's overview of available options, also making them feel more confident in having been presented with all relevant options.
Beyond the Tipping Point: Understanding Perceptions of Abrupt Climate Change and Their Implications
Authors: Bellamy Rob , Hulme Mike
Published: March 2011

This article explores the influence of personal values and ontological beliefs on people’s perceptions of possible abrupt changes in the Earth’s climate system and on their climate change mitigation preferences. The authors focus on four key areas of risk perception: concern about abrupt climate change as distinct to climate change in general, the likelihood of abrupt climate changes, fears of abrupt climate changes, and preferences in how to mitigate abrupt climate changes. Using cultural theory as an interpretative framework, a multimethodological approach was adopted in exploring these areas: 287 respondents at the University of East Anglia (UK) completed a three-part quantitative questionnaire, with 15 returning to participate in qualitative focus groups to discuss the issues raised in more depth. Supporting the predictions of cultural theory, egalitarians’ values and beliefs were consistently associated with heightened perceptions of the risks posed by abrupt climate change. Yet many believed abrupt climate change to be capricious, irrespective of their psychometrically attributed worldviews or “ways of life.” Mitigation preferences—across all ways of life—were consistent with the “hegemonic myth” dominating climate policy, with many advocating conventional regulatory or market-based approaches. Moreover, a strong fatalistic narrative emerged from within abrupt climate change discourses, with frequent referrals to helplessness, societal collapse, and catastrophe.
The Impact of Cloud Cover on Major League Baseball
Authors: Kent Wes P. , Sheridan Scott C.
Published: March 2011

Although it is often suggested that direct sunlight may affect a player’s vision, no published studies have analyzed this interaction. In this research, a variety of statistical tests were utilized to study how baseball variables respond to different cloud cover conditions. Data from more than 35 000 Major League Baseball games, spanning the seasons from 1987 through 2002, were studied. Eleven baseball variables covering batting, pitching, and fielding performance were included. Overall responses were analyzed, as well as individual responses at 21 different stadiums. Home and away team performances were evaluated separately. This study then synthesized the synergistic differences in offensive production, pitching performance, and fielding performance into changes in the “home field advantage.”

Offensive production generally declines during clearer-sky daytime games compared to cloudy-sky daytime games, while pitching performance increases as conditions become clearer. Strikeouts show the strongest response in the study, increasing from 5.95 per game during cloudy-sky conditions to 6.40 per game during clear-sky conditions. The number of errors per game increases during clear-sky daytime games compared to cloudy-sky daytime games, while fly outs increase and ground outs decrease between daytime and nighttime games, regardless of the amount of cloud cover. Results at individual stadiums vary, with some stadiums displaying a very strong association between baseball performance and changes in cloud cover, while others display a weak association. All of these impacts affect the home field advantage, with the home team winning 56% of the games played under clear skies compared to 52.3% of the games played under cloudy skies.
Lactose-Free Milk Protein-Based Infant Formula: Impact on Growth and Gastrointestinal Tolerance in Infants
Authors: Lasekan John B. , Jacobs Joan , Reisinger Keith S. , Montalto Michael B. , Frantz Mary P. , Blatter Mark M.
Published: March 2011

Lactose, the major carbohydrate in human milk and standard milk—based formulas, provides energy for growth in infants. The use of lactose-free milk protein—based infant formulas has increased in the United States. However, clinical studies of their impact on growth, safety, and gastrointestinal tolerance in infants are limited. Thus, a prospective, blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted in healthy, normal-term infants fed an experimental lactose-free milk protein—based formula (NoLAC; n = 63) versus a standard commercial lactose-containing milk-based formula (LAC; n = 65) for 112 days. Growth (weight, length, and head circumference) was similar and normal in both groups (weight gain: NoLAC = 31.1 ± 0.9 g/day, LAC = 29.4 ± 0.9 g/day, mean ± SEM; P = .895). Serum biochemistries for both groups were within infants’ normal reference ranges. Both groups had comparable tolerance but the NoLAC group had softer stools and lower spit-ups. Thus, the study suggests that absence of lactose in milk-based formula does not adversely affect normal growth in term infants.
Comparison of the Clinical Features of Children Hospitalized With Pandemic 2009 A:H1N1 and Seasonal Influenza
Authors: Ostovar Gholamabbas A. , Rubin Lorry G. , Rajan Sujatha , Sood Sunil K. , Kohn Nina
Published: March 2011

Introduction: We compared the demographics, clinical presentation, course and outcome of children hospitalized with pandemic A:H1N1 and seasonal influenza. Methods: Sixty seven patients hospitalized from April 1st through August 31st 2009 with pandemic A:H1N1 influenza were enrolled. Two seasonal influenza cohorts were identified: 38 inpatients from January 1st 2004 through March 31st 2009, diagnosed by viral culture or direct fluorescent antibody testing; and 42 inpatients from January 1st 2007 through December 31st 2008 diagnosed via a rapid test. The two seasonal cohorts were not significantly different and were combined. Results: Patients with pandemic influenza were older (median age 6.5 years versus 1.3 years, P <.0001); were more often black (46% versus 23%, P <.0002); more frequently had an underlying condition (72% versus 49% P <.0049); and more often had wheezing (57% versus 16%, P <.0001). Conclusion: There was no significant difference between the groups in measures of severity during hospitalization.
Effects of OROS Methylphenidate on Academic, Behavioral, and Cognitive Tasks in Children 9 to 12 Years of Age With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Murray Desiree W. , Childress Ann , Giblin John , Williamson David , Armstrong Robert , Starr H. Lynn
Published: March 2011

Objective. To assess effects of OROS methylphenidate on cognitive and academic tasks in 9 to 12 year olds with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods. A double-blind, within-subject, crossover design was used to compare OROS methylphenidate with placebo in a laboratory classroom setting on several cognitive and academic tasks for 68 children who met randomization criteria. Results. Performance on the following measures was significantly better when children received individually optimized OROS methylphenidate than placebo: math fluency and accuracy measured by the Permanent Product Math Test, ADHD symptoms observed in the laboratory setting, computerized indices of attention and impulsivity as measured by the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), and visual—spatial working memory (Finger Windows Backwards). Study medication was well tolerated; adverse events were generally consistent with previous reports. Conclusions. OROS methylphenidate improves performance on measures of attention and vigilance, behavior, and working memory in a laboratory school setting in 9 to 12 year olds with ADHD.
Do Adjusted Subscores Lack Validity? Don’t Blame the Messenger
Authors: Sinharay Sandip , Haberman Shelby J. , Wainer Howard
Published: March 2011

There are several techniques that increase the precision of subscores by borrowing information from other parts of the test. These techniques have been criticized on validity grounds in several of the recent publications. In this note, the authors question the argument used in these publications and suggest both inherent limits to the validity argument and empirical issues worth examining.
The Hughes Award: Who is they? Inquiries into how individuals construe social context
Authors: Lawrence Barbara S
Published: March 2011

When people are asked about their career decisions, they often invoke the influence of they. They may include family or teachers, but it repeatedly includes some amorphous group of generalized others. This article describes my inquiries into the question: Who is they? Initial studies examined individuals’ perceptions of career timetables within organizations. The results suggested that individuals experience their social context as an intricate territory informed by self-perceptions, shared perceptions, and actual distributions. However, these studies assumed they equalled the employee population. Later work showed that in large organizations this assumption is unwarranted. Each individual acquires his or her own non-random version of social context: an organizational reference group. These individual-level reference groups and the neighborhoods in which they cluster are distinctive because they include distant associations defined only by awareness. Both concepts offer opportunities for exploring the social structure that emerges between individuals’ informal social networks and the organization.
Getting Mad But Ending Up Sad
Authors: Pittman Chavella T.
Published: March 2011

Anger is a common reaction to stressful life events. However, little is known about anger’s use and efficacy as a coping strategy for racism. Is anger a coping strategy for racism that improves mental health? Or does anger operate in an opposing way, deteriorating mental health? The analyses for this research focused on a probability sample of African Americans who reported experiences of acute ( n = 246) or chronic ( n = 120) racial discrimination in a survey interview. General linear model results revealed that using anger to cope with racial discrimination negatively affected the general well-being and psychological distress of African Americans. These findings raise concerns about the effectiveness (or lack therefore of) of anger as a common coping mechanism for racism, given the deleterious effects it may have on African Americans’ mental health.
Information, Commitment, and War
Authors: Wolford Scott , Reiter Dan , Carrubba Clifford J.
Published: March 2011

The authors analyze a bargaining model of war that incorporates both commitment problems due to shifting power and asymmetric information. Four results emerge when both bargaining problems are present. First, in contrast to asymmetric information models, the resolution of uncertainty through fighting can lead to the continuation of war rather than its termination. Second, wars can be less—not more—likely to end in settlement the longer they last. Third, war aims increase over time as a belligerent becomes more confident that its opponent will grow unacceptably strong in the future. Finally, the dynamics that characterize wars in purely asymmetric information or commitment models should exist only when the other factor is absent.
Study on non-devastating measurement and reconstruction of the three-dimensional geometric structure of woven fabrics
Authors: Tianyong Zheng  , Yu Cai  , Shujuan Jing  , Xiangjun Zhang
Published: March 2011

This paper proposes a method to measure the structure of the woven fabric without cutting the sample fabric into slices and to reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) geometric structure based on the measurement. With the Keyence VHX 600 unit, the 3D coordinates of the key points at the surface and the back of the woven fabric are obtained. By punctuating calibration pricks, all the coordinates are transferred into a given unite coordinate system. To simplify the measurement and analysis, suppose the cross-sections of the yarn are all ellipses, the long axis and the short axis of the cross-section of the yarns at given positions are calculated, and the coordinates of all the key control points at the central line of the warps and the wefts corresponding to the weave points are calculated as well. Using these points as the interpolation points, the 3D structure model of the woven fabric is reconstructed based on the principle of a shape-preserving B-spline curve. For the convenience of reconstruction, a specific txt file format is designed to save the measurement. By comparing the photograph by VHX 600 unit and the reconstructed images of the woven fabrics, conclusions are made that the method to measure and reconstruct the woven geometric structure is effective and accurate.
Clearing of dyed poly(lactic acid) fabrics under acidic and alkaline conditions
Authors: Avinc Ozan
Published: March 2011

This study has been conducted to examine the influence of different clearing treatments, following dyeing using different clearing agents under acidic and alkaline pH conditions, on the colour fastness and colour properties of poly(lactic acid) fabrics dyed with alkali-sensitive and alkali-stable disperse dyes. Wet-fastness properties of poly(lactic acid) fibres dyed with both alkali-sensitive and alkali-stable disperse dyes were improved to the commercially acceptable levels with a clearing treament at 60°C for 15 minutes using the right combination of the chemistry of the dye, clearing agent type and pH condition (pH 5 and pH 10.7) of the applied clearing bath. Overall, successful clearing treatments, judged by high wet fastness results, exhibited approximately similar performances for each dyeing compared to a non-cleared control sample. These clearing treatments led to a very slight decrease in colour yield (f(k)), slightly higher chroma (C*), higher lightness (L*) and therefore brighter appearance without significant shade change. No poly(lactic acid) polymer degradation occurred during clearing whichever clearing agent is used, and whether the conditions are acidic or alkaline.
Analyzing stored thermal energy and thermal protective performance of clothing
Authors: Guowen Song  , Wei Cao  , Gholamreza Farzan
Published: March 2011

Protective clothing can store large amounts of energy when exposed to thermal (heat, flame) hazards. After exposure, the stored thermal energy discharges naturally—or may be forced if the clothing is compressed suddenly—and contributes to human skin burn injuries. In this study, the stored thermal energy that develops in thermal protective clothing materials was analyzed under different conditions. A stored energy approach that accounts for the thermal energy contained in the exposed test specimen is developed. The stored energy approach measures the total energy delivered to the sensor from a combination of the energy directly transmitted during exposure and the energy stored in the fabric system that is subsequently discharged after the thermal exposure. The study examines the effects of moisture on protective performance and the influence of air gaps between the fabrics and the sensor in terms of a stored energy approach and TPP/RPP (thermal protective performance/radiant protective performance) approach. A minimum exposure time that caused a prediction of a second degree burn was introduced and its contribution to burn injury was examined. These analyses demonstrate that the stored thermal energy obtained during thermal exposure is significant for multilayer protective clothing. Stored thermal energy contributes a large part of the total energy required to cause a second degree skin burn injury. The results indicate that, in cases of thermal exposure, stored thermal energy can reduce significantly the level of protection expected from wearing protective clothing.
A meshless formulation of Euler-Bernoulli beam theory for prediction of large deformation behavior of fabrics
Authors: Gun Halit , Caliskan Samet , Gun Ahu Demiroz
Published: March 2011

In this study, a meshless formulation of the Euler—Bernoulli theory with non-linear strain-displacement relationship, covering both axial and bending deformations, is presented for the prediction of large deformation behavior of fabrics. Fabrics are assumed to act like a sheet material with constant extensional and bending rigidity. The influences of the choice of basis functions and support sizes for both axial and bending deformations are outlined and it is verified by comparing deformations results with those published in the literature.
Mechanical properties of a woven ramie fabric under multidimensional loadings
Authors: Fuming Chen  , Ge Wang  , Lianjun Li  , Haitao Cheng
Published: March 2011

Mechanical properties of woven ramie fabric under 3D loadings are fundamental to optimizing the design of woven composites that are frequently subjected to complex stress states. This work proposes a novel 3D test analysis system for evaluating woven natural-fiber fabrics under multidimensional loads. The effects of different loading directions, uniaxial (X direction), biaxial (X and Y), bursting (Z direction), and 3D loading (X, Y, and Z) on the breaking strength of the woven ramie (Boehmeria nivea) fabric were compared. Weft breaking strength was lower than that of warp under uniaxial tension. Variability in warp and weft increased in biaxial tension. Bursting strength was significantly affected by the type of loading head used, with an R20 spherical head producing the highest strength values. Warp and weft were positively correlated under biaxial tension, r = 0.58. The synergistic effect of bursting strength accounted for 12.5% of the total correlation under 3D loadings.
The eloquence of music in contemporary culture
Authors: Heaney Maeve Louise
Published: March 2011

The aim of this article is to reflect briefly on the potential of music to offer a specific form of wisdom to spirituality and theology in the contemporary Western cultural context. It begins by situating the importance of music in that context and offering some premises or principles regarding the very attempt to ‘talk about’ music in a theological context. It then addresses the importance of semiotics in the area of theological aesthetics with regard to music, and touches on some elements of comparison between the semiotics of verbal communication and that of musical semiotics. Finally, it identifies some areas of theological and pastoral reflection on music that are in particular need of attention.
Reading texts, seeking wisdom: A Gospel, a system and a poem
Authors: Ford David F.
Published: March 2011

Reading texts is fundamental to Christian wisdom-seeking. In this article three very different texts are interpreted for their wisdom. The closing verses of the Gospel of John are a charter for ongoing discipleship inseparable from continuing theological creativity, at the heart of which is Spirit-guided interpretation of Scripture. Kelsey’s magisterial experiment in theological anthropology is radically God-centred and shifts the doctrine of creation's centre of gravity towards the Wisdom Literature. Kavanagh’s poem ‘Lough Derg’ imagines how God sees and hears us with compassionate wisdom.
Wisdom in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures: The Hebrew Bible and Judaism
Authors: Thiselton Anthony C.
Published: March 2011

Wisdom equips us to face complexities in practical life. We must not confuse it with knowledge or information. Wisdom derives from God, the community and education. Knowledge derives largely from individual reflection. Old Testament conceptions of wisdom come mainly from Proverbs and from the less optimistic view of Providence in Job and Ecclesiastes. In the post-canonical writings, Ben Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon follow each respectively. Wisdom’s complexity leads to 12 types of aphorisms in Proverbs, including the gnomic, educational and metaphorical.
Housing Uncertainty and Childhood Impatience
Authors: Anil Bulent , Jordan Jeffrey L. , Zahirovic-Herbert Velma
Published: March 2011

The study demonstrates a direct link between housing uncertainty and children’s time preferences, or patience. We show that students who face housing uncertainties through mortgage foreclosures and eviction learn impatient behavior and are therefore at greater risk of making poor intertemporal choices such as dropping out of school. We find that large household size and the occurrence of an eviction significantly increases the impatience of children as measured by discount rates. At the same time, we find that living in a single-family home with both parents significantly decreases children’s discount rates and thus impatience.
Personal Outcomes and Moral Responsibility as Motives for News Transmission
Authors: Weenig Mieneke W. H. , Wilke Henk A. M. , Mors Emma ter
Published: March 2011

In two experiments we compared contrasting findings on bad news transmission likelihood between literature on rumors and the MUM-effect in order to contribute to the development of a more general theory of news transmission. We argued that several contextual differences account for the contrasting findings between these research conditions. We predicted that fate similarity and fate uncertainty (both present in many rumor contexts and absent in most MUM-contexts) enhance the anticipated personal outcomes of bad news transmission for communicators and hence increase bad news transmission. Supporting our argument, we found that fate uncertainty and fate similarity each increased the likelihood of bad news transmission up to the level of good news transmission. Furthermore, these effects were mediated by communicators’ anticipated personal outcomes of transmission. In addition, Experiment 2 demonstrated anticipated personal outcomes to be only an important motive for news transmission decisions in superficial relationships; for close relationships, experienced moral responsibility appeared to be the paramount motive for transmission.
Are We Puppets on a String? Comparing the Impact of Contingency and Validity on Implicit and Explicit Evaluations
Authors: Peters Kurt R. , Gawronski Bertram
Published: March 2011

Research has demonstrated that implicit and explicit evaluations of the same object can diverge. Explanations of such dissociations frequently appeal to dual-process theories, such that implicit evaluations are assumed to reflect object-valence contingencies independent of their perceived validity, whereas explicit evaluations reflect the perceived validity of object-valence contingencies. Although there is evidence supporting these assumptions, it remains unclear if dissociations can arise in situations in which object-valence contingencies are judged to be true or false during the learning of these contingencies. Challenging dual-process accounts that propose a simultaneous operation of two parallel learning mechanisms, results from three experiments showed that the perceived validity of evaluative information about social targets qualified both explicit and implicit evaluations when validity information was available immediately after the encoding of the valence information; however, delaying the presentation of validity information reduced its qualifying impact for implicit, but not explicit, evaluations.
The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships: The Mating-Warring Association in Men
Authors: Chang Lei , Lu Hui Jing , Li Hongli , Li Tong
Published: March 2011

Questions about origins of human warfare continue to generate interesting theories with little empirical evidence. One of the proposed explanations is sexual selection theory. Within and supportive of this theoretical framework, the authors demonstrate a mating—warring association among young heterosexual men in four experiments. Male, but not female, participants exposed to attractive, as compared to unattractive, opposite-sex photographs were significantly more likely to endorse war-supporting statements on a questionnaire. The same mating effect was not found in answering trade conflict questions. Male participants primed by attractive faces or legs of young women were significantly faster in responding to images or words of war than those primed by unattractive faces or national flags. The same mating effect was not found in responding to farming concepts or general aggression expressions. Results underscore the link between mating and war, supporting the view that sexual selection provides an ultimate explanation for the origins of human warfare.
Recognition of unfamiliar talking faces at birth
Authors: Coulon Marion , Guellai Bahia , Streri Arlette
Published: March 2011

Sai (2005) investigated the role of speech in newborns’ recognition of their mothers’ faces. Her results revealed that, when presented with both their mother’s face and that of a stranger, newborns preferred looking at their mother only if she had previously talked to them. The present study attempted to extend these findings to any other faces. By using video films, our results revealed that unfamiliar female faces were recognized in the test phase only if they had previously talked to the baby, but not if they had been silent. These results highlight the importance of an early audiovisual perception which already seems to play an important role in face processing at birth.
Adversity, Organizational Culture and Executive Turnover in a Brazilian Manufacturer
Authors: Nelson Reed E.
Published: March 2011

This paper studies the responses of a traditional Brazilian firm to recession and increasing foreign competition as expressed in its subcultural dynamics. A strong association was found between involuntary turnover in the top management team and affiliation with certain clusters of subcultural and even personal values. Although many of the effects found are expressive of themes in the literature on organizational adaptation to adversity, results also suggest unexpected challenges and extensions to current thinking.
Exploring the Relationship between Mission Statements and Work-Life Practices in Organizations
Authors: Blair-Loy Mary , Wharton Amy S. , Goodstein Jerry
Published: March 2011

Corporate mission statements are ubiquitous, but their relationship to organizational practices, especially those noted for their high quality, remains a subject of debate. We use the case of work—life practices in publicly traded financial services firms to illustrate an innovative method for studying this issue. Overall, we find variation in the mission statements of firms in the same organizational field. We also find relationships between these statements and high-quality investment in work—life practices, as recognized by Working Mother magazine and Kinder, Lydenberg, and Domini. The mission statements of firms recognized for their work—life initiatives were more likely than those of competitors to emphasize the value of employees and less likely to stress shareholder value. We identified four types of mission statements, a pattern which may reflect the dual influences of distinctive organizational commitments and pressure from institutional actors. We discuss the implications of our findings for the literatures on work—life initiatives, strategic implementation, and organizational theory.
Organizational Path Dependence: A Process View
Authors: Schreyögg Georg , Sydow Jörg
Published: March 2011

The structuring and behaviour of organizations is increasingly explained with the help of process theories, taking into account that history and sequencing matter. Among them, the notion of path dependence has gained prominence, in particular when an explanation for the rigidification of organizational routines and strategies is at stake. The distinguishing feature of this concept is its emphasis on self-reinforcing mechanisms when explaining the dynamics of narrowing down the scope of alternative actions in and among organizations. After having presented and discussed the theory of organizational path dependence, the paper highlights commonalities and contrasts between related concepts. Thereafter, the papers of this Special Themed Section will be introduced.
The Path of Most Persistence: An Evolutionary Perspective on Path Dependence and Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Vergne Jean-Philippe , Durand Rodolphe
Published: March 2011

This paper extends the dynamic capability view and research on organizational path dependence by arguing that path dependence can be a property of capabilities when a contingently-triggered capability path is subject to self-reinforcement (i.e. a set of positive and negative mechanisms that increases the attractiveness of a path relative to others). The paper introduces an evolutionary perspective, which specifies the underlying selection mechanisms of the property of path dependence in internal and external firm environments. This theorization sheds new light on three paradoxes that currently blur the theoretical contribution of path dependence to research at the managerial, organizational, and industry levels: (1) the problematic coexistence of path irreversibility and managerial intentionality; (2) the ambivalent strategic value of lock-in with regard to competitive advantage; and (3) the relative homogeneity in observed dynamic capabilities, despite their (possible) path dependence that should lead to a wider variety of outcomes owing to the presence of contingency. We highlight the contributions of this perspective to strategic management research and evolutionary theories.
The acknowledgement of transcendence: Anti-theodicy in Adorno and Levinas
Authors: Sachs Carl B.
Published: March 2011

It is generally recognized that Adorno and Levinas should both be read as urging a rethinking of ethics in light of Auschwitz. This demand should be understood in terms of the acknowledgement of transcendence. A phenomenological account of the event of Auschwitz developed by Todes motivates my use of Cavell’s distinction between acknowledgement and knowledge. Both Levinas and Adorno argue that an ethically adequate acknowledgement of transcendence requires that the traditional concept of transcendence as represented in theodicy must be rejected. This rejection takes the form of a rejection of theodicy (Levinas) and a negative theodicy (Adorno). I argue that Adorno’s response is superior because it is a response to the specificity and particularity of the event of Auschwitz as the destruction of, rather than merely the denial of, the humanity of both perpetrators and victims.
Legitimacy and globalization
Authors: Raulet Gérard
Published: March 2011

The financial crisis which recently occurred is the epiphenomenon of a structural crisis of advanced capitalism. Although it referred to a very different context the diagnosis made by Habermas in his work Legitimationsprobleme des Spätkapitalismus, published in 1973, remains a very useful key in order to understand the irreducibility of social policy and the way the post-Fordist capitalism assumes the mediation between the economic and the social sphere — that is, how it deals with both the deficit of rationality and the deficit of legitimacy. Instead of being the political expression of social relations the neo-liberal system decouples labour and capital and, governed by financial markets, disconnects the social and the political rights and undermines the possibility of a true foundation of citizenship. In other words, the ‘refeudalization’ Habermas had reported as early as in Strukturwandel der Offentlichkeit (1962) remains quite topical.
Is the ‘Common-Bundle View’ of ethnicity problematic?
Authors: Rosen Velásquez Ernesto
Published: March 2011

What is ethnicity and how does it inform the way we understand ethical and political issues involving ethnic change and ethnically conscious public policies? Jorge J. E. Gracia put forth what he calls his ‘Familial-Historical View’ of ethnicity in which Hispanic identity is understood in terms of history and family resemblances. He criticizes what he calls the ‘Common-Bundle View’ of ethnicity which understands ethnic belonging in terms of an essence. I defend two negative theses which lead to the outlines of a positive thesis: (1) Gracia’s arguments against the Common-Bundle View are not effective; (2) the Familial-Historical View is inadequate because it downplays the essential role that cultural phenomena play in making Hispanic history ethnically relevant to Hispanic identity. As a way of building on the Common-Bundle View I sketch a reformulation that avoids Gracia’s criticisms and is more politically and ethically effective than his family resemblance view of ethnicity.
Sensus communis as a foundation for men as political beings: Arendt’s reading of Kant’s Critique of Judgment
Authors: Degryse Annelies
Published: March 2011

In the literature on Hannah Arendt’s Lectures on Kant’s Political Philosophy, two sorts of claim have been made by different interpreters. First, there is Beiner’s observation that there is a shift in Arendt’s thoughts on judgment, which has led to the idea that Arendt develops two distinct theories of judgment. The second sort of claim concerns Arendt’s use of Kant’s transcendental principles. At its core, it has led to the critique that Arendt detranscendentalizes — or empiricalizes — Kant, by linking Kant’s judgments of taste to an empirical sociability. In this article, I argue against both of these claims. Early fragments of Arendt’s on judgment make clear that she develops only one theory of judgment. It is only that it is not until later in her life that she fully elaborates it. Nor does Arendt confuse Kant’s idea of enlarged thinking with an actual dialogue with others. In fact, Arendt introduces an interesting interdependence between judgment and speech, or communication. I develop my argument by first outlining the problems Arendt hoped to resolve via judgment. Through my reading of the Lectures on Kant’s Political Philosophy, I show how Arendt interprets Kant’s Critique of Judgment not as his theory of aesthetic judgments, but as an answer to the more general question ‘How do I judge?’ I also clarify the difference Arendt draws between common sense and community sense. With community sense, Arendt uncovers a foundation not only for men as political beings but also for the idea of humanity. This finding is often overlooked in the literature. I conclude with another Arendtian distinction that is often overlooked, that between spectators and the solitary philosopher.
Review essay: William Rehg, Cogent Science in Context: The Science Wars, Argumentation Theory, and Habermas
Authors: Zammito John H.
Published: March 2011

William Rehg believes that the ‘science wars’ of recent times make it acutely necessary that ‘reasonable’ or ‘cogent’ standards for the assessment of scientific claims find acceptance among the various constituencies of the debate. He see ‘Kuhn’s gap’ — the mutual estrangement of philosophy of science from empirical science studies — as lamentable and seeks to bridge these disciplines via ‘argumentation theory’ inspired by the philosophy of Jürgen Habermas. While the use of argumentation theory helps illuminate the complexities of scientific practices of assessment, it may not be enough to engineer the interdisciplinary cooperation Rehg desires.
Histopathological Evaluation of the Nervous System in National Toxicology Program Rodent Studies
Authors: Rao Deepa B. , Little Peter B. , Malarkey David E. , Herbert Ronald A. , Sills Robert C.
Published: March 2011

This article outlines the changes and underlying rationale for modifications to the histopathological evaluation of the nervous system during toxicology and carcinogenesis studies conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP). In the past, routine evaluation of the nervous system was mostly limited to three sections of brain, and occasionally the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Factors such as the increasing occurrence of human neurological diseases and associated economical cost burden, the role of unidentified environmental stressors in neurodegenerative disorders, multiple therapeutic drug-induced neuropathies noted in human clinical trials, and the exponential use of environmental chemicals with unknown neurotoxic potential necessitate a more extensive evaluation of the nervous system. The NTP has modified its protocol to include examination of key anatomic subsites related to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Modifications include four additional sections of the brain. Increasing the number of brain sections permits examination of a greater number of specific anatomic subsites with unique vulnerability. In addition, the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, trigeminal ganglion, and intestinal autonomic ganglia will be evaluated as needed. It is expected that this modified approach will increase the sensitivity of detecting neurotoxicants and neurocarcinogens important in human neurologic and neurodegenerative disorders.
Significance and Implications of Paul’s Concept of Leadership for the Korean Church Today
Authors: Lee So Ra , Smith Craig A.
Published: March 2011

The growth of the Korean Church in the 20th century has been an amazing phenomenon but it is starting to show some cracks, particularly in the area of leadership. This article examines how its culture, in particular the affects of Shamanism and Confucianism, have contributed to some of the problems being experienced in Korean leadership today. The authors consider this issue in light of the Corinthian correspondence, suggesting that appropriation of Paul’s understanding of the church and leadership might go a good distance in helping to rectify this problem.
Shared Learning In and From Transformational Development Programs
Authors: Wilson Paul N.
Published: March 2011

Faith-based, transformational development organizations infrequently utilize impact assessment tools as learning activities. The author argues that the real and significant barriers to program assessment can be managed if shared learning becomes a core value within the organization. By integrating Biblical teaching and program assessment activities with what it means to be a learning organization, the paper outlines a strategy for sharing valuable experiences about holistic development within and outside the faith-based development community.
The Missionary Strategy of the Didache
Authors: O'Loughlin Thomas
Published: March 2011

The Didache is a short text, which was likely intended to be committed to memory, offering training in ‘The Way’ of the Lord, the practices of the churches, and in the community’s hope for the future. Dating from the first century, and quite plausible from before 70 AD, it offers us a unique vantage point into the concerns, attitudes, and praxis of the communities who would have heard our gospels from the lips of the evangelists. The purpose of this paper is to bring it to light in the hope that this can be further studied in relations to the gospels and mission.
Associations between dimensions of security in romantic relationships and interpersonal competence among dating and non-dating high school adolescents
Authors: Paulk Amber L. , Pittman Joe , Kerpelman Jennifer , Adler-Baeder Francesca
Published: March 2011

The current study investigated the association between dimensions of security in romantic relationships, anxiety and avoidance, and general interpersonal competence among two groups of high school-aged adolescents: one currently in a dating relationship (daters) and one not currently involved (non-daters). Our findings show that daters were less anxious, less avoidant, and more competent than non-daters. A moderate negative association was found between avoidance and interpersonal competence for both daters and non-daters. A small positive association was found for anxiety and competence, but only for non-daters. More variance in interpersonal competence was explained in the model for daters than non-daters. The differences observed between the groups appeared to reflect the effects of current experience on self-assessed anxiety, avoidance, and interpersonal competence.
“That’s what friends do”: Informal caregiving for chronically ill midlife and older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults
Authors: Muraco Anna , Fredriksen-Goldsen Karen
Published: March 2011

This study examines the relationships between friends; a caregiver who provides care to a care recipient, who is a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) adult over age 50 in need of assistance due to chronic physical or mental health conditions. Using a sample of 18 care pairs ( n = 36), this work examines qualitative interview data. Findings from the study include: (a) both the care recipient and the caregiver receive benefits from the friendship; (b) caregiving alters and challenges the friendship; and (c) friends assume differential levels of commitment and responsibility in providing care. Studying this population of LGB adults expands our knowledge about the diversity of care arrangements and needs within a relational context.
Music researchers’ musical engagement
Authors: Wöllner Clemens , Ginsborg Jane , Williamon Aaron
Published: March 2011

There is an increasing awareness of the importance of reflexivity across various disciplines, which encourages researchers to scrutinize their research perspectives. In order to contextualize and reflect upon research in music, this study explores the musical background, current level of musical engagement and the listening habits of music researchers. A total of 103 respondents of 17 different nationalities, working in music psychology, music science and related areas at various academic levels (e.g., doctoral students, professors and independent researchers), completed an internet survey. Questions addressed four major areas: (1) detailed demographic information and research interests; (2) musical training; (3) current musical activities (e.g., composing, conducting, improvising, listening, performing); (4) musical preferences and listening habits. Findings indicate that nearly all respondents to the survey had studied one or more musical instrument(s), and around 90% still enjoy performing music to some extent. A relatively high number of researchers had composed or improvised music, thus engaging in particularly creative musical activities. Respondents show stronger preferences for classical music and jazz/blues/RnB as compared with other musical genres. Contrary to notions of expert listening, emotional listening styles were rated as more important than analytical listening. Strong relationships between respondents’ musical practice and research were found, leading to the conclusion that music research is a highly practice-informed field.
Empowering Transformation: A Contemporary Medical Mission Case Study from Rural China
Authors: D-Davidson Veronica J.
Published: March 2011

The paper presents a case study of sustainable development in rural China through a medical mission and missionary education initiative that sought to empower locals through dental health care education. The training method used was culturally adapted so that following the facilitators’ departure, the dental clinic continued to be run by the trained locals who, then, also went on to empower others using the same training method.
Empirical crack estimation on the strengthened concrete members with FRPs
Authors: Oh Hongseob
Published: March 2011

The crack pattern in a strengthened concrete member differs from that in a traditional reinforced concrete member. Generally, average crack spacing and width in strengthened concrete is dependent on strengthening factors other than the rebar. Therefore, it is difficult to determine actual crack widths in a strengthened concrete member with FRPs, such as a beam or a two-way slab, using existing equations. In this study, crack propagation characteristics were identified based on test results; a semi-empirical crack equation is proposed to evaluate the serviceability of strengthened concrete members and the possibility of intermediate crack-induced interfacial debonding failure. Although the proposed equation provides more accurate results, prediction error increases with the strain in the rebar or strengthening material after the rebar yields due to fatigue loading conditions. Therefore, further research is required to improve crack-width predictions after rebar yields.
Licuri fibers: alternative reinforcement to polymeric composites
Authors: Leão M.A. , Aquino E.M.F. , Tinô S.R.L. , Fontes R.S.
Published: March 2011

This research is primarily based on the search for alternative natural reinforcements to polymeric composites. This study begins with a complete characterization of the licuri fiber as an alternative reinforcement to polymeric composites. It then investigates the development of a composite laminate made solely from licuri fibers to understand the behavior of the fiber when impregnated in thermosetting resin (orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin). The composite was developed as a lamina (a sheet with a single reinforcement layer) and industrially manufactured. The fibers were studied to determine their physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of the lamina were determined by uniaxial tensile and three-point bending tests. Macroscopic and microscopic (SEM) studies of the fracture were carried out to determine the influence of fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion on the final composite for both loads.
Resin flowing analysis in sandwich laminates under VARTM process
Authors: Jhan Yu-Ti , Lee Ya-Jung , Chung Cheng-Hsien
Published: March 2011

Utilizing a sandwich structure enables FRP assembly to increase bending stiffness and achieve lightweight requirements. Core surfaces are often cut and infused together with fiber laminates in the VARTM process. Nevertheless, resin infusion in the sandwich structure differs from pure fibrous laminates because resin flows rapidly in the grooves and then saturates into the laminates. This research performed sandwich structure infusion experiments under the VARTM process, and defined four resin saturation stages inside the sandwich assembly by observing and explaining the nonlinear experimental flowing fronts. This study also discussed the race-tracking phenomenon of the sandwich structure in detail. This research executed infusion simulations in the 3D sandwich model, including fiber layers and grooves replaced by the circular pipe elements, to compare with the experimental results. Realization of the permeant characteristics in the sandwich structure establishes a base to ensure complete saturation and to analyze the manufacture of large sandwich structures.