bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explaining Stability and Change: The Rise and Fall of Logics in Pluralistic Fields
Authors: van Gestel Nicolette , Hillebrand Bas
Published: March 2011

Based on an in-depth, longitudinal case study involving the public employment services in the Netherlands, we provide a novel conceptual imagery of how pluralistic fields may evolve over time. Our study shows how multiple institutional logics remain in play after a dominant logic is settled in an organizational field. We uncover several factors that explain the process of temporary stability and change and focus especially on two factors — negative choice and deliberate ambiguity — that explain ongoing change. These factors solve the struggle between competing logics, but simultaneously sow the seeds for further subsequent change. This study contributes to the institutional logics perspective beyond competing logics to the study of how fields with plural logics evolve.
Understanding Institutional-based Trust Building Processes in Inter-organizational Relationships
Authors: Bachmann Reinhard , Inkpen Andrew C.
Published: March 2011

This paper deals with the role of institutions in the development of trust in relationships between organizations. We review various strands of literature on organizational trust and examine the assumptions made about how trust building processes are influenced by institutional arrangements. Following this conceptual analysis, we discuss four mechanisms that are pivotal in the development of institutional-based trust. We also examine four situations where the influence of institutions can be particularly conducive to building trust. Finally, we argue that each of the situations calls for specific mechanisms to be predominantly employed in order to effectively create trust in inter-organizational relationships.
“Now my ‘old self’ is thin”
Authors: Granberg Ellen M.
Published: March 2011

In this article, I employ a structural symbolic interaction framework to examine the processes by which persons can exit a stigmatized identity. Using the empirical example of weight loss, I analyze how individuals evolve from an identity as “fat” and stigmatized to one that is “normal” with respect to weight and free from identification with stigmatizing self-labels. The results suggest that stigma exits are possible but not easy and that simply sustaining weight loss over time does not necessarily produce an exit from stigma. Instead, stigma exits require evolutions in the responses of significant others and shifts in the way exiters view themselves. Moreover, individuals vary in the intensity of their identification with stigma and this is associated with the kinds of obstacles they find most troublesome as they attempt to exit stigma. Finally, I discuss the application of these findings to theories of structural symbolic interaction and to other forms of stigma.
Exploratory analysis of verbal aggression in romantic relationships among unmarried men and women
Authors: Chung Grace H. , Tucker M. Belinda , Li Gang , Zhou Xiaomeng , Hwang Sun
Published: March 2011

This is an exploratory study that examined verbal aggression in romantic relationships among unmarried Black and White women and men as a function of gender and race. We employed an ecological approach to examine the receipt of verbal aggression separately for men and women at the levels of individual, relationship, and community. We also explored whether gender-specific correlates of verbal aggression interacted with race. Analyses were based on a sample of 212 women and 133 men in non-marital romantic relationships recruited from 21 U.S. cities for a larger study. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that factors related to experiencing verbal aggression differed substantially for unmarried women and men in romantic relationships. Interesting racial differences also emerged distinctly for women and men.
Gender equality during the transition to parenthood
Authors: Quek Karen Mui-Teng , Knudson-Martin Carmen , Orpen Sean , Victor Jason
Published: March 2011

Few studies of marital equality have addressed the issue in a collectivist context. This grounded theory analysis examined movement toward gender equality among 12 dual-career Singaporean couples interviewed as newlyweds and interviewed again five years later when all had children. The analysis focused on the relational processes that reproduced gender patterns and those that undid them. Whether or not parenting was shared depended on four factors: (a) mutual prioritization of women’s careers; (b) fathers' willingness to restructure to actively engage in parenting; (c) conscious discussion of how to share parenting responsibility; and (d) availability of external support. Results suggest that to the extent that parenting is viewed as a shared family responsibility, the processes of gender equality may be somewhat different in collectivist contexts.
Experience, representations and the production of second language allophones
Authors: Shea Christine E , Curtin Suzanne
Published: March 2011

In this study we examined the effect of language experience on the production of second language (L2) allophones. We analysed production data of the Spanish stop—approximant alternation (b d g ~ β ð ) from Low Intermediate and High Intermediate level native English/Spanish L2 speakers and five native Mexican Spanish speakers. This allophonic alternation is conditioned primarily by position in the word and lexical stress. We examined the use of two cues to the alternation — consonant intensity and the presence of a release burst — and analysed how these cues varied in participants’ productions in distinct contexts. Results show that the use of these cues differs with experience; that is, learners with greater language experience exhibit cue use that is closer to the native speakers’ cue use. Results further suggest that Low Intermediate learners may be using a basic rule for producing the alternation, but that over time shift to a more nuanced production pattern. These results indicate that more experienced learners’ ability to use these phonetic cues in a native-like fashion emerges over the course of allophone acquisition.
Case morphology and word order in second language Turkish: Evidence from Greek learners
Authors: Papadopoulou Despina , Varlokosta Spyridoula , Spyropoulos Vassilios , Kaili Hasan , Prokou Sophia , Revithiadou Anthi
Published: March 2011

The optional use of morphology attested in second language learners has been attributed either to a representational deficit or to a ‘surface’ problem with respect to the realization of inflectional affixes. In this article we contribute to this issue by providing empirical data from the early interlanguage of Greek learners of Turkish. Three experiments have been conducted, a cloze task, a sentence picture matching task and an on-line grammaticality judgement task, in order to investigate case morphology and its interaction with word order constraints. The findings of all three experiments point towards a variable use of case morphology, which is also observed in previous studies of Turkish as a second language (L2). Moreover, they show clearly that the learners face difficulties with non-canonical word orders as well as with the interaction of word order constraints and Case. On the other hand, the learners performed well on verbal inflections. On the basis of these findings, we argue that the developmental patterns in the early stages of L2 acquisition cannot be attributed to a global lack of functional categories but rather to more localized difficulties, which seem to be related to (a) whether the features in the L2 are grammaticalized in the first language and (b) the way these features are encoded in the morphosyntax of the first language. Moreover, we claim that processing factors and the specific properties of the morphological paradigms affect L2 development.
Looking Into the Eyes of Those We Serve: Toward Complex Equality in Public Administration Ethics
Authors: Ireni Saban Liza
Published: March 2011

This article adds to the debate on ethical issues surrounding public administration practice by an analysis of integrating partialities into impartial moral reasoning under two formalized theories of social justice. Such ethical deliberation takes a closer than usual look at the moral complexity of public administration practices of partiality. The validity of adopting partiality as a possible principle to guide ethical decision making in public administration will be examined within the broader theories of social justice and how it conforms to social justice criteria. The article concludes by showing how new ethical ordering of partiality and impartiality, supplemented by Walzer’s spherical justice, provides a systematic method for considering partialities in public administration decision making.
Political ecology III
Authors: Neumann Roderick P.
Published: March 2011

In this last of three reports exploring the incorporation of human geography theory within political ecology, I focus on landscape. I begin by surveying recent work on landscape in human geography, which has increasingly stressed non-representational approaches, and then explore how landscape has been treated in political ecology. I found that political ecology shares with human geography more generally many of the same critical responses to the representational landscape approaches of the 1980s' ‘new cultural geography’. Although shifts in approaches to landscape in political ecology and human geography more broadly have often paralleled one another, this has not been an outcome of sustained interaction between the fields. I refer to work in anthropology to illustrate the theoretical and empirical potentialities of a more direct and explicit conversation between political ecology and landscape studies in human geography.
Can error statistical theory include everything that matters?
Authors: Sheppard Eric , Barnes Trevor
Published: March 2011

In response to Dragos Simandan’s commentary on our own article, we argue that the statistical error theory he believes can knit together all the fragments of economic geography is just another version of monism; something that we contested in the original paper. Rather than repairing economic geography, statistical error theory will only reproduce disciplinary fragmentation.
The geographies of cultural geography II
Authors: Tolia-Kelly Divya P.
Published: March 2011

Geography is a visual discipline and as such holds a complex relationship with visual culture. In the last two decades the collaborations between geographers and artists has grown exponentially. In an era where public impact and engagement are politically encouraged, there is a risk of collapsing the differences between visual culture as a discipline and the visual as an accessible mode of research communication. This paper reviews the ways in which collaborations between geographers and visual artists have taken shape, and argues for a careful and respectful engagement between them.
Shamanism in Northern and Southern Eurasia
Authors: Witzel Michael
Published: March 2011

This article seeks to establish that the ‘southern’ shamanism of the San, Andamanese and Australian Aboriginals differs substantially from the well-known ‘classical’ Siberian version found in various forms in large parts of Eurasia and the Americas (‘Laurasia’). The typical southern (‘Gondwana’) shamanistic features of heat rising up the spine are linked to medieval Indian Kundalini yoga and some representations in Paleolithic art. This process is an important aspect of the change of consciousness initiated by shamanistic initiation and practice.
The effects of 17α-ethynylestradiol, 4-nonylphenol and phenol red on vitellogenin synthesis in juvenile Chalcalburnus tarichi primary hepatocyte culture
Authors: Regaib Oğuz Ahmet , Ünal Güler
Published: March 2011

In this study, the effects of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals known as 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), 4-nonylphenol (NP) and phenol red on vitellogenin (Vtg) synthesis in juvenile Chalcalburnus tarichi primary hepatocyte culture were investigated depending on dose and time. Hepatocytes were isolated by collagenase perfusion method and the cells were kept alive in cell culture for more than 2 weeks without using serum. As a result, it was determined that EE2 increased the Vtg synthesis depending on dose and time (p < 0.05), while NP and phenol red did not have any effect on the Vtg synthesis in the Chalcalburnus tarichi primary hepatocyte culture. Besides that, it was observed that high doses of NP (10 -3 and 10-4M) had toxic effects to the hepatocyte culture, too.
Mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead in lobster (Panulirus homarus) from the Persian Gulf
Authors: Raissy Mehdi , Ansari Mahsa , Rahimi Ebrahim
Published: March 2011

Concentrations of four toxic metals including mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium in lobster ( Panulirus homarus) muscles from the Persian Gulf were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Heavy metals concentrations in muscle samples were 32-73 μg/kg for mercury, 118-275 μg/kg for arsenic, 379-1120 μg/kg for lead and 101-401 μg/kg for cadmium, with means of 48.7 μg/kg, 184.3 μg/kg, 629.4 μg/kg and 2 50.6 μg/kg, respectively. Most of the heavy metals studied in the edible muscle tissue in P. homarus ranged within the recommended limits for human consumption, except lead, which was found to be above the acceptable level and represents a health risk for consumers.
A Comparison of Women of Color and Non-Hispanic White Women on Factors Related to Leaving a Violent Relationship
Authors: Lacey Krim K. , Saunders Daniel G. , Lingling Zhang
Published: March 2011

This study compares women of color and non-Hispanic White women regarding the influence of socioeconomic status, family investment, and psychological abuse on leaving a violent relationship. It was found that most women who left stayed away for less than a month. Women of color and non-Hispanic White women did not differ in their length or rate of leaving, although women of color left more frequently when they did leave. Factors associated with leaving for both groups were threat with a weapon, psychological abuse, being single, and having fewer adults in the household. Women of color with higher socioeconomic status were less likely to leave, which was not the case for non-Hispanic White women. Non-Hispanic White women were more likely to leave if they had lived with their partners less than 5 years and had children at home.
Effects of Individual Differences, Awareness-Knowledge, and Acceptance of Internet Addiction as a Health Risk on Willingness to Change Internet Habits
Authors: Jiang Qiaolei , Leung Louis
Published: March 2011

This exploratory study proposes that Internet addiction is a health risk and examines the effects of individual differences (such as flexibility/rigidity, stigma tolerance, and concern with loss of face), awareness/knowledge, and acceptance of Internet addiction as a new mental illness on urban Chinese Internet users’ willingness to change their maladaptive Internet habits. Data were gathered from a 2009 online survey of 497 Internet users in urban China. Based on Young’s classic definition of Internet addiction, results showed that 12.3% can be classified in the high-risk group for potentially suffering from Internet addiction disorder (IAD). The high-risk group tended to be significantly more rigid in personality, more concerned with loss of face, and more aware of Internet addiction. As expected, users who were flexible, tolerant of stigma, concerned about loss of face, and in the low-risk group were found to be more willing to self-discipline their problematic Internet use. Female, nonstudent, and low-income users tended to be more determined to seek self-help to recover from Internet addiction on their own, as addiction clinics in China are still scarce and expensive. Practical health policy implications are discussed.
Exploring Co-Meditation as a Means of Reducing Anxiety and Facilitating Relaxation in a Nursing School Setting
Authors: Malinski Violet M. , Todaro-Franceschi Vidette
Published: March 2011

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore whether co-meditation, shared or cross-breathing, could reduce anxiety and enhance relaxation in a nursing school setting. The specific outcomes to be assessed in the quantitative component were blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and anxiety, both state and trait. A qualitative component explored participants’ experiences with co-meditation following 1 month of practice. Rogers’s Science of Unitary Human Beings formed the theoretical basis for this study. The study employed a pretest/posttest design with participants as their own controls. Quantitative data were collected from a convenience sample of 26 students, faculty, and staff aged 19 to 51 years, male and female. Fourteen participants returned for the qualitative component. Findings suggest that co-meditation may be useful in reducing anxiety, as measured by vital signs and the anxiety inventory forms. Participants reported feeling calmer and more relaxed, balanced, and centered following 1 month of practice. Findings suggest that co-meditation has potential to help transform a nursing educational environment from one that is potentially anxiety provoking to a calmer, more caring one.
The Role of Spirituality in the Breast Cancer Experiences of African American Women
Authors: Tate Johnetta D.
Published: March 2011

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type among African American women. African American women often use spirituality to overcome the physical, psychological, and emotional burdens that accompany a breast cancer diagnosis. Spirituality has been used over the years by African American women to bring hope when dealing with hardships. This integrative review seeks to explore the importance of spirituality to African American women throughout the breast cancer experience. Thirteen qualitative and quantitative studies that discussed how spirituality was used to cope with breast cancer from initial diagnosis to survivorship were reviewed. Spirituality was found to be the main coping mechanism used during all phases of the cancer experience. To provide holistic nursing care, nurses must understand that spirituality is an important coping strategy used by most African American women with breast cancer. The implications for nursing that were identified include the incorporation of spiritual interventions and the utilization of culturally appropriate assessment tools.
Contrasting local and regional Holocene histories of Abies alba in the Czech Republic in relation to human impact: Evidence from forestry, pollen and anthracological data
Authors: Kozáková Radka , Šamonil Pavel , Kuneš Petr , Novák Jan , Kočár Petr , Kočárová Romana
Published: March 2011

After the last glaciation, around 4000 BC, silver fir ( Abies alba Mill.) spread to the area that is now the Czech Republic. This spread was not restricted to high mountains, but also took place across both highland and lowland landscapes. Historical forestry records from around AD 1500 mention a massive expansion of Abies alba, favoured by forest pasturing, litter raking and selective tree cutting. According to the current interpretation of these historical records, this expansion in Czech forests was extensive and lasted until AD 1800. On the other hand, pollen data coming mostly from the Alps consider silver fir as a species that is extremely sensitive to human impact. In this paper, we compare historical forestry reports with pollen and charcoal data from the Czech Republic. Both pollen and charcoal records show that Abies alba reached its maximum during the Bronze (2200—800/750 BC) and Iron Ages (800/750 BC—AD 0). While charcoal records indicate that silver fir wood was important also during the High Medieval, pollen data show that the High Medieval and Modern times were periods of a general decline in Abies. Our data suggest that the expansion of silver fir documented by historical records was not general but rather fragmented, probably according to actual form and the intensity of human impact, as well as environmental conditions. These historical records have contributed much evidence regarding the wider ecological tolerance of Abies.
Mid- to late-Holocene oxygen isotopes from Voldafjorden, western Norway
Authors: Kjennbakken Heidi , Sejrup Hans Petter , Haflidason Haflidi
Published: March 2011

Basin water in deep-silled Norwegian fjords is primarily influenced by inflowing Atlantic water originating from the Norwegian Atlantic Current (NwAC). Previous studies suggest that benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope records from such fjords are strongly influenced by variability in this current. The present paper presents a mid- to late-Holocene record (6–2.2 ka) with 17-yr time resolution from a western Norwegian deep-silled fjord, Voldafjorden. An age model, based on ten AMS radiocarbon dates on marine carbonates and on one plant macrofossil, has been established. The study focuses on the oxygen isotope results, obtained from two species of benthic foraminifera: Cassidulina laevigata and Uvigerina mediterranea. The δ18O C. laevigata record has systematically larger amplitudes than the δ18O U. mediterranea record, which most likely is related to different life cycles/periods of calcification. The oxygen isotope results show a clear shift towards higher values between 5 and 4 ka, interpreted to reflect a temperature drop in the basin water of c. 1°C. After the temperature drop, the high frequency variability (centennial and multidecadal) changes abruptly towards larger amplitudes. This corresponds to changes in subperiodicity, where a 370 year cycle in the δ18O C. laevigata record disappears after 3.8 ka. The δ18O transition corresponds to changes in carbon isotopes and grain size distribution, suggesting that a more extensive change in the fjord environment occurred after the cooling. The timing of the oxygen isotope shift towards higher values and the transition in high frequency variability correspond to major changes recorded in paleoclimate archives within the North Atlantic region and globally.
The Schmidt hammer as a Holocene calibrated-age dating technique: Testing the form of the R-value-age relationship and defining the predicted-age errors
Authors: Shakesby Richard A. , Matthews John A. , Karlén Wibjörn , Los Sietse O.
Published: March 2011

Most recent developments of Schmidt-hammer exposure-age dating (SHD) as a calibrated-age dating tool have been limited by the use of locations at two age control points. This has necessitated: (1) making assumptions about a linear R-value—age relationship; and (2) basing predictions of age errors only on R-value variance at the two age control points. This paper analyses 9900 R-values obtained from multiple-age control points on a sequence of glacio-isostatically raised shorelines with well constrained ages (Skuleskogen High Coast World Heritage Site and environs, Gulf of Bothnia, northern Sweden) ranging from modern to 10.5 ka in age. The sampling design involved 30 measurements on granite beach boulders from 30 sites at 11 age control points. The R-value—age relationship is best described by a linear function (ordinary least squares, OLS) with an R2 of 0.89 ( p < 0.0001). Predicted-age errors are calculated using two approaches: (1) OLS regression, which takes account of the uncertainties associated with the regression line and the age control points; and (2) weighted total least squares (WTLS) regression which, in addition, takes account of possible shoreline age errors and the heteroscedasticity of R-value residuals with increasing age. With both approaches, 95% predicted-age errors are relatively modest: ±355—455 years and ±300—515 years, respectively, with larger R-value variance and hence uncertainty for older surfaces, and the possibility of further improvement from a more selective field sampling scheme that differentiates between age-related and non-age-related rock-surface variability. Our results also indicate that for certain lithologies and weathering environments, it is possible to construct reliable calibrated-age curves from relatively few age control points.
Naproxen-induced fixed drug eruption: A case report
Authors: Akyazi Hikmet , Baltaci Davut , Mungan Sevdegul , Kara Ismail Hamdi
Published: March 2011

Naproxen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) widely used for symptomatic relief of arthritis and other painful disorders, such as dysmenorrheal. Pruritus is the most common side effect of naproxen. Fixed drug eruption (FDE) due to naproxen is a rarely reported side-effect. No previous report has declared cross-reactivity between naproxen and other propionic acid derivatives. A 28-year-old man, presented with edematous and erythematous patchy lesion along with pruritus and inflammation on lip, have been suffering since 3 hours. It started after taking naproxen 550 mg for headache. On detailed inquiry, he defined similar symptom which recurred after whenever he took naproxen. Based on clinical and histopathological findings, it is evaluated as naproxen-induced FDE. We have tested cross-reactivity between naproxen and other propionic acid derivatives, and then we obtained negative result for oral provocation test with flurbiprofen. Here, we present a case of naproxen-induced FDE of 28-year-old man, by overviewing literatures.
Pharmacologic inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system did not attenuate hepatic toxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats
Authors: Ekor Martins , Odewabi Adesina O , Kale Oluwafemi E , Oritogun Kolawole S , Adesanoye Omolola A , Bamidele Titilayo O
Published: March 2011

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) subserves vital physiological functions and also implicated in certain pathological states. Modulation of this system has been proposed in recent studies to be a promising strategy in treating liver fibrosis. We investigated the effect of the pharmacologic inhibition of RAS with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker in CCl4-induced liver injury with a view to ascertaining the chemopreventive benefit. Fifty-six Wistar albino rats were divided into eight experimental groups of seven rats/group. Groups 1–4 received normal saline (10 ml/kg), enalapril (0.6 mg/kg), losartan (1.4 mg/kg) and CCl4 (80 mg/kg), respectively. Groups 5–8 were pretreated with enalapril (0.3 mg/kg), enalapril (0.6 mg/kg), losartan (0.7 mg/kg) and losartan (1.4 mg/kg) 1 hour before CCl4 administration. Experiment lasted 11 days and dosing was via oral route. Rats were killed 24 hours after the last treatment. Serum activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases increased significantly ( p < 0.05) by 46.0%, 90.6% and 122.3%, respectively, with severe hepatic centrilobular necrosis, fatty infiltration and increase in liver weight ( p < 0.05) in the CCl4-treated rats. Enalapril (0.6 mg/kg) and losartan (1.4 mg/kg) significantly ( p < 0.05) increased aspartate aminotransferase activity by 37.0% and 94.7% and produced mild centrilobular and periportal hepatic necrosis, respectively, with enalapril significantly ( p < 0.05) increasing liver weight. Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin and total protein did not change significantly in these rats. Also, glutathione, malondialdehyde and uric acid levels were not significantly altered. Enalapril and losartan failed to attenuate liver injury associated with CCl4 treatment. Although both drugs did not significantly alter serum biochemistry in the CCl4-treated rats, they however produced slight elevations in biomarkers of liver function and appear to worsen liver histopathology. Overall, the chemopreventive benefits of RAS inhibitors in liver disease remain doubtful and should be used with caution during hepatic dysfunction.
Caring, objectivity and justice: An integrative view
Authors: van Hooft Stan
Published: March 2011

The argument of this article is framed by a debate between the principle of humanity and the principle of justice. Whereas the principle of humanity requires us to care about others and to want to help them meet their vital needs, and so to be partial towards those others, the principle of justice requires us to consider their needs without the intrusion of our subjective interests or emotions so that we can act with impartiality. I argue that a deep form of caring lies behind both approaches and so unites them. In the course of the argument, I reject Michael Slote’s sentimentalist form of an ethics of care, and expound Thomas Nagel’s moral theory, which seems to lie at the opposite end of a spectrum ranging from moral sentiments to impersonal objectivity. Nevertheless, Nagel’s theory of normative realism provides unexpected support for the thesis that a deep and subjective form of caring lies at the base of even our most objective moral reasons.
Is there a distinctive care ethics?
Authors: Edwards Steven D
Published: March 2011

Is it true that an ethics of care offers something distinct from other approaches to ethical problems in nursing, especially principlism? In this article an attempt is made to clarify an ethics of care and then to argue that there need be no substantial difference between principlism and an ethics of care when the latter is considered in the context of nursing. The article begins by considering the question of how one could in fact differentiate moral theories. As is explained, this cannot be done merely in light of the moral judgements they defend, nor their ontological commitments (e.g. their view of the nature of persons). Following these methodological beginnings, care-based ethics is described and critically discussed. It is shown that ontological commitments embraced within care ethics do not themselves show that care ethics is distinct from other approaches. The idea of ‘psychological care’ is also discussed, which stems from the work of Margaret Little. Her claim that the ‘gestalts’ of justice and care cannot be combined is rejected in favour of an approach that does just that and which has been developed by Joan Tronto. It is then claimed that the moral commitments of principlism are certainly not incompatible with those of an ethics of care in the nursing context. A challenge to the idea that principlism and ethics of care might be compatible is anticipated in the work of Eva Feder Kittay. This challenge is responded to and it is concluded that care considered as a moral orientation and the moral values embedded in principlism are best combined in the nursing context. Care provides a moral orientation over which the obligations referred to in principlism can be laid.
Mature care and reciprocity: Two cases from acute psychiatry
Authors: Pettersen Tove , Hem Marit Helene
Published: March 2011

In this article we elaborate on the concept of mature care, in which reciprocity is crucial. Emphasizing reciprocity challenges other comprehensions where care is understood as a one-sided activity, with either the carer or the cared for considered the main source of knowledge and sole motivation for caring. We aim to demonstrate the concept of mature care’s advantages with regard to conceptualizing the practice of care, such as in nursing. First, we present and discuss the concept of mature care, then we apply the concept to two real life cases taken from the field of acute psychiatry. In the first example we demonstrate how mature care can grasp tacit reciprocal aspects in caring. In the other, we elucidate a difficulty related to the concept, namely the lack of reciprocity and interaction that affects some relationships.
Harm in the absence of care: Towards a medical ethics that cares
Authors: Martinsen Elin
Published: March 2011

The aim of this article is to investigate the concept of care in contemporary medical practice and medical ethics. Although care has been hailed throughout the centuries as a crucial ideal in medical practice and as an honourable virtue to be observed in codes of medical ethics, I argue that contemporary medicine and medical ethics suffer from the lack of a theoretically sustainable concept of care and then discuss possible reasons that may help to explain this absence. I draw on the empirical studies of Carol Gilligan on care and connectedness as ontologically situated realities in human life. Based on a philosophical elaboration of her findings on the ethics of care emphasizing relationality, I try to show how the notion of ‘relational ontology’ originating from this stream of thought may be of help in developing a medical ethics that acknowledges care as a perspective to be observed in all interactions between physicians and patients.
Using Rubrics to Assess Student Knowledge Related to Sustainability
Authors: Mckeown Rosalyn
Published: March 2011

As institutions of higher education reorient curriculum to address sustainability, the first step is usually to weave sustainability into the curriculum. Changes in pedagogy, including assignments and assessment of student learning, follow. Complex learning related to sustainability requires assessment techniques that mirror such complexity. This article describes an assignment for graduate students in a school of education—designing a sustainability implementation plan—and the 16-dimension rubric with three levels of performance used for assignment assessment. The 16 dimensions assess three components of the assignment: (1) description of elements of the basic plan, (2) description of the context of implementation and (3) application of principles of sustainability. An additional rubric assesses writing skills. Rubrics are useful beyond grading; they also help students conceptualise the assignment.
Models of Education for Sustainable Development and Nonformal Primary Education in Bangladesh
Authors: Shohel M. Mahruf C. , Howes Andrew J.
Published: March 2011

The social purposes of education are long term and oriented towards the construction and maintenance of a sustainable future. This article focuses on developing-country contexts with relatively low formal school enrolment rates, where dropout and failure rates are alarming, and where many children leave school semi-literate, soon to relapse into illiteracy. This has negative consequences for their participation as individuals in the creation of a sus-tainable world. Since the 1960s, nonformal basic education has offered alternative educational and training activities, with innovative learning methods aimed at the development of practical skills, including matters of health, sanitation, literacy, to be applied in real-life situations. Drawing on a five-year empirical study of young people at the point of transition be-tween the nonformal and formal sectors of schooling in Bangladesh, this article analyses the nonformal education paradigm against a framework of models linking education and sustainable development. By following an activist citizen model, nonformal education empowers students to critically consider new circumstances and to believe that they can make a change when needed.
Operating regimes of the government: Accounting and accountability changes in the Sultan Süleyman Waqf of the Ottoman Empire (The 1826 Experience)
Authors: Yayla Hilmi Erdoğan
Published: March 2011

Following Foucauldian accounting research, this article analyzes the relationship between accounting changes and “governmentality” practices by examining the accounting and accountability changes in the Sultan Süleyman Waqf of the Ottoman Empire in accordance with the restructuring regulations of Evkaf-ı Humayun Nezareti, established in 1826 for the purpose of the centralization of waqfs. It is argued that accounting was a technique in the hands of the Ottoman government that facilitated the translation of imperial objectives of the 1826 regulation into practice, the formation of the waqf in tune with government’s desired outcomes, and the construction of governable bodies, as well as providing a controlling device from a distance (Latour, 1987; Miller & Rose, 1990). This article also aims to show how accounting and accountability techniques were used to make people calculable in the organizational spaces of an Islamic state standing in history (Foucault, 1991a). Thus, this article adds to the Foucauldian understanding of the role and functioning of accounting by examining a non-western oriented setting.
The Influence of Context on Pain Practices in the NICU: Perceptions of Health Care Professionals
Authors: Stevens Bonnie , Riahi Shirine , Cardoso Roberta , Ballantyne Marilyn , Yamada Janet , Beyene Joseph , Breau Lynn , Camfield Carol , Finley G. Allen , Franck Linda , Gibbins Sharyn , Howlett Alexandra , McGrath Patrick J. , McKeever Patricia , O'Brien Karel , Ohlsson Arne
Published: March 2011

In this qualitative descriptive study, we explored health care professionals’ perceptions of the influence of context (i.e., organizational culture, structure, resources, capabilities/competencies, and politics) on evidence-based pain practices. A total of 16 focus groups with 147 health care professionals were conducted in three neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in central and eastern Canada. Three overarching themes emerged from the data, which captured influences on optimal pain practices in the NICU, including (a) a culture of collaboration and support for evidence-based practice, (b) threats to autonomous decision making, and (c) complexities in care delivery. These results were consistent with theoretical conceptualizations of how context influences practice, as well as recent empirical research findings. This study supports the importance of context in shaping evidence-based practices by health care professionals in the management of pain in the NICU.
The State of Coverage: The Media’s Representation of International Issues and State Crime
Authors: Collins Victoria Ellen , Farrell Amanda L. , McKee Jesse R. , Martin Favian Alejandro , Monk-Turner Elizabeth
Published: March 2011

This study examines how newsmagazines, in the United States and the United Kingdom, cover domestic and international issues, and specifically how many of these center on domestic or international crime. Four newsmagazines were selected (Time, Newsweek, The Economist, and Prospect) yielding 1,489 covers between the years 2000 and 2008. Primary coding centered on depiction of international issues, international crime, domestic issues, domestic crime, and state crime. As expected, more newsmagazines in U.K. magazines featured international issues (79%) compared to the United States (21%). Few newsmagazines featured either domestic or international crimes in either country. Notably, coverage of state crime was lacking. On the surface, Bicket and Wall’s findings were supported, indicating that the British media is more competitive and aggressive in its international coverage. However, a deeper analysis of the actual content of international coverage seems to contradict Bicket and Wall’s research. This research adds to that of Kohut and Toth, which found that foreign news is still highly selective in its coverage, predominantly focusing on the relationship of the United States to other countries.
The role of material culture in human time representation: Calendrical systems as extensions of mental time travel
Authors: De Smedt Johan , De Cruz Helen
Published: March 2011

Humans have cognitive mechanisms that allow them to keep track of time, represent past events, and simulate the future, but these capacities have intrinsic constraints. Here, we explore the role of material culture as an extension of internal time representations through anthropological and archeological case studies, focusing on Upper Paleolithic material culture. We argue that calendars complement and extend internal time representations, because they enable humans to project past events into the future more accurately than is possible with episodic memory alone, making them one of the factors that significantly improved foraging success during the Upper Paleolithic. We discuss the implications of the epistemic use of material culture for our understanding of the causes of shifts in human behavior during the Upper Paleolithic.
Darwinian embodied evolution of the learning ability for survival
Authors: Elfwing Stefan , Uchibe Eiji , Doya Kenji , Christensen Henrik I
Published: March 2011

In this article we propose a framework for performing embodied evolution with a limited number of robots, by utilizing time-sharing in subpopulations of virtual agents hosted in each robot. Within this framework, we explore the combination of within-generation learning of basic survival behaviors by reinforcement learning, and evolutionary adaptations over the generations of the basic behavior selection policy, the reward functions, and metaparameters for reinforcement learning. We apply a biologically inspired selection scheme, in which there is no explicit communication of the individuals’ fitness information. The individuals can only reproduce offspring by mating—a pair-wise exchange of genotypes—and the probability that an individual reproduces offspring in its own subpopulation is dependent on the individual’s ‘‘health,’’ that is, energy level, at the mating occasion. We validate the proposed method by comparing it with evolution using standard centralized selection, in simulation, and by transferring the obtained solutions to hardware using two real robots.
Support for Democracy in Iran
Authors: Tezcür Güneş Murat , Azadarmaki Taghi , Bahar Mehri , Nayebi Hooshang
Published: March 2011

This article presents the first systematic analysis of support for democracy in the Islamic Republic of Iran and contributes to the scholarly literature on popular views of democracy in an authoritarian regime. It reaches three main findings. First, religiosity is strongly and negatively related with support for democracy. Second, education and age indirectly affect support for democracy; their effects are mediated through satisfaction with regime performance. Third, greater dissatisfaction with the regime strongly correlates with greater demands for democratization. The data come from a survey conducted in Tehran in 2008 and the 2005 Iranian World Values Survey.
Program Planning and Staff Competencies for Forensic Assertive Community Treatment: ACT-Eligible Versus FACT-Eligible Consumers
Authors: Cuddeback Gary S. , Morrissey Joseph P.
Published: March 2011

PURPOSE: Forensic assertive community treatment (FACT) is a recent adaptation of the assertive community treatment (ACT) model; however, more information is needed about how FACT and ACT consumers differ and how FACT should be modified to accommodate these differences. METHOD: Linked, multisystem administrative data from King County, Washington, were used to compare the demographic, clinical, and criminal justice characteristics of ACT- and FACT-eligible consumers. RESULTS: FACT consumers were more likely to be male, persons of color, and had more complex clinical profiles. Also, some FACT consumers were incarcerated for sex offenses, and more than half had violent offenses. CONCLUSIONS: Traditionally, ACT teams avoid serving consumers with personality disorders, violent consumers, and sex offenders; however, given increased use of mandated outpatient treatment and mental health courts, FACT teams may have less discretion to choose whom they serve. The addition of clinical interventions and other modifications may be particularly important for FACT teams.
Assertive Community Treatment and the Physical Health Needs of Persons With Severe Mental Illness: Issues Around Integration of Mental Health and Physical Health
Authors: Shattell Mona M. , Donnelly Natasha , Scheyett Anna , Cuddeback Gary S.
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: Assertive community treatment (ACT) is characterized as a service delivery platform and represents an ideal setting in which mental health and physical health care can be integrated. OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the extent to which ACT integrates physical health care with mental health care or the challenges ACT teams experience. To address this gap, focus groups were conducted with five ACT teams in a Midwestern US state to explore how ACT teams address the physical health care needs of persons with severe mental illness. DESIGN: A qualitative study design was used. RESULTS: Three major themes emerged: ACT teams recognize serious and chronic physical health problems, ACT teams take on a variety of roles to address physical health problems, and there are challenges to integrating primary and mental health care within an ACT setting. CONCLUSIONS: ACT needs to be adapted to incorporate promising practices designed to better integrate physical health care and mental health care.
Practitioner Attributes as Predictors of Restrictive Practices in Assertive Community Treatment
Authors: Moser Lorna L. , Bond Gary R.
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: Practitioners variably use restrictive practices with assertive community treatment (ACT) consumers. Little is known about practitioner attributes, such as pessimistic attitudes and lack of advanced education, which may predict greater use of restrictive practices. OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency of restrictive practices in ACT and examine the relationship between practitioner attributes, particularly pessimistic attitudes and education, and the frequency with which restrictive practices are reportedly used in daily treatment of adults with severe mental illness. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 122 ACT practitioners in one state. RESULTS: More restrictive practices were rarely reported by practitioners. Pessimistic attitudes and lack of graduate-level training were associated with self-reported higher use of restrictive practices, even when controlling for select consumer caseload variables and ACT program fidelity. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates the need to identify practitioner-related factors that may contribute to the high use of restrictive practices, and develop and implement relevant staff training.
Barriers to Vocational Effectiveness in ACT: Staff Perspectives
Authors: Waynor William R. , Pratt Carlos W.
Published: March 2011

Assertive community treatment (ACT), for persons with serious mental illness, includes a vocational focus as an important aspect of community integration. Nevertheless, research suggests that ACT does not assist significant numbers of consumers in achieving employment goals. A two-step survey of New Jersey ACT team members was designed to identify the key issues that hinder ACT staff members in assisting consumers with obtaining employment. Survey items were categorized into three sections: (a) staff attitudes, (b) consumer barriers, and (c) staff barriers to working on employment. The initial survey asked staff members to rate items in each of these categories. Highly rated items were used in a subsequent paired comparison survey to determine the relative importance of each. This method highlighted the following issues: four staff attitude items—(a) returning to work is positive, (b) employment is key to recovery, (c) abstinence from substance abuse is needed to work, and (d) consumers are too ill to work; four consumer barrier items—(a) fear of loss of Social Security Administration benefits, (b) symptoms related to the illness, (c) lack of motivation, and (d) poor social skills; and three barriers to working on employment issues items—(a) clinical issues take priority, (b) other case management issues takes priority, and (c) too many emergencies. The implications for staff training are discussed.