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This narrative review pursues an understanding of the relationship of libraries to the concepts of soft power and public and cultural diplomacy. The cross-disciplinary nature of the study required that the search approach include literature from both the International Relations and Library and Information Science disciplines. The analysed literature reveals three key gaps. First, research explicitly addressing the topic of ‘libraries and soft power’ is scarce. Second, the little Library and Information Science literature that addresses libraries and soft power rarely considers contemporary discourse. Third, the literature often has an implicit liberal institutionalist perspective, overlooking negative or hegemonic aspects of soft power. Given that soft power is considered increasingly relevant for representing national interests, understanding libraries’ roles and impact in international relations is significant and warrants further research.

One potential obstacle to cooperation between political parties is ingroup projection, the tendency for members of subgroups to define superordinate groups based on characteristics of their own ingroups. In five studies spanning 11 years and three presidential administrations, we demonstrated that ingroup projection can be an obstacle that prevents bipartisanship between Republicans and Democrats. Study 1 showed that Americans perceived political ingroups as more prototypical of Americans than outgroups and that the degree of mismatch between the outgroup and the superordinate group was associated with ingroup bias. Studies 2–5 demonstrated that perceiving the outgroup as poorly fitting the prototype of the superordinate group predicted opposition to bipartisan cooperation and a lower likelihood of having engaged in bipartisan behavior (Studies 4 and 5). These studies provide evidence for ingroup projection among American political parties and suggest that it contributes to political polarization.

The collection and use of empirical data for educational decision-making in the United States is required by the Every School Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Results Driven Accountability mandate, but there is insufficient data available for one population, in particular: refugee, asylee, and humanitarian migrant (RAHM) students. As a result, the terms of these US federal programs are violated by all states, districts, and campuses who count refugee, asylee, or humanitarian migrant students among their populations. Evidence suggests that almost no standardized, publicly-available educational data is available for refugee, asylee, and humanitarian migrant students in the US, but what publicly-available and reported data is available is either so localized so that it can be neither replicated nor generalized or so aggregated that it cannot be disaggregated for analysis and decision-making.

Background: The International Hip Outcome Tool–33 (iHOT-33) was developed to evaluate patients seeking surgery for hip and/or groin (hip/groin) pain and may not be appropriate for those seeking nonsurgical treatment. Purpose: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the iHOT-33 total (iHOT-Total) score and all subscale scores in adults with hip/groin pain who were not seeking surgery. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Patients with hip/groin pain who were not seeking surgery were recruited from 2 ongoing studies in Australia. Semistructured one-on-one interviews assessed content validity. Construct validity was assessed by testing hypothesized correlations between iHOT-33 and Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) subscale scores. Test-retest reliability was assessed in patients not undertaking treatment and who reported “no change” in their Global Rating of Change (GROC) score at 6-month follow-up. Scores were reliable at group and individual levels if intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were ≥0.80 and ≥0.90, respectively. Scores were responsive if Spearman rank correlations (ρ) between the change in the iHOT-33 score and the GROC score were ≥0.40. Results: In total, 278 patients with hip/groin pain (93 women; mean age, 31 years) and 55 pain-free control participants (14 women; mean age, 29 years) were recruited. The iHOT-33 demonstrated acceptable content validity. Construct validity was acceptable, with all hypothesized strong positive correlations between iHOT-33 and HAGOS subscale scores confirmed ( r range, 0.60-0.76; P < .001), except for one correlation between the iHOT-Sport and HAGOS-Sport ( r = .058; P < .001). All scores were reliable at the group level, except for the iHOT-33 job subscale (iHOT-Job) (ICC range, 0.78-0.88 [95% CI, 0.60-0.93]). None of the subscales met the criteria for adequate reliability for use at the individual level (all ICCs Conclusion: All iHOT-33 subscale scores were valid for use in patients with hip/groin pain who were not seeking surgery. Acceptable test-retest reliability was found for all subscale scores at the group level, except the iHOT-Job. All subscale scores, excluding the iHOT-Job, were responsive, regardless of undertaking physical therapist–led treatment or no treatment.

Background Pregnancy in women with cystic fibrosis (CF) is becoming more common. Long-term metabolic issues such as diabetes are also becoming more common and have potentially important impacts on pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to assess the impact of diabetes on pregnancy outcomes for women with CF. Methods We undertook a retrospective chart audit of pregnancies to women with CF at the two tertiary obstetric hospitals in Southeast Queensland associated with CF and transplant management clinics between 2006 and 2016. Results A total of 38 pregnancies among 26 women were identified. Four women (five pregnancies) had cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) diagnosed prior to pregnancy, and 12 women (15 pregnancies) developed gestational diabetes (GDM) complicating pregnancy. CFRD and GDM were associated with higher rates of delivery complications, prematurity, and the need for neonatal intensive care unit admission. Conclusion Diabetes is common during pregnancy in women with CF and impacts pregnancy outcomes.

Question(s)What is the impact of including an allied health assistant (AHA) role on physiotherapy service delivery in terms of service provision, scope of practice and skill mix changes in an acute respiratory service?DesignA pragmatic pre-post design study examined physiotherapy services across two three-month periods: current service delivery [P1] and current service delivery plus AHA [P2].Outcome measuresClinical and non-clinical activity contributing to physiotherapy services delivery quantified as number, type and duration (per day) of all staff activity, and categorised for skill level (AHA, junior, senior).ResultsOverall physiotherapy service delivery increased in P2 compared to P1 (n=4730 vs n=3048). Physiotherapists undertook fewer respiratory (p < 0.001) and exercise treatments (p < 0.001) but increased patient reviews for inpatients (p < 0.001) and at multidisciplinary clinics in P2 (56% vs 76%, p < 0.01). The AHA accounted for 20% of all service provision. AHA activity comprised mainly non-direct clinical care including oversight of respiratory equipment use (e.g. supply, set-up, cleaning, loan audits) and other patient related administrative tasks associated with delegation handovers, supervision and clinical documentation (72%) and delegated supervision of established respiratory (5%) and exercise treatments (10%) and delegated exercise tests (3%). The AHA completed most of the exercise tests (n = 25). AHA non-direct clinical tasks included departmental management activities such as statistics and ongoing training (11%). No adverse events were reported.ConclusionInclusion of an AHA in an acute respiratory care service changed physiotherapy service provision. The AHA completed delegated routine clinical and non-clinical tasks. Physiotherapists increased clinic activity and annual reviews. Including an AHA role offers safe and sustainable options for enhancing physiotherapy service provision in acute respiratory care services.

There are known disparities in the burden of illness and access/quality of care for African, Latino/a, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) patients diagnosed with depressive disorders, which may occur because of health inequities. Racial stress and trauma (RST), or the significant fear and distress that can be imparted from exposure to racism, is one such inequity linked to the development of depression. The current review summarizes past research examining the association between racism, RST, and depression, as well as avenues in which RST becomes biologically embedded in ALANA individuals. We describe multimodal research that supports vigilance as a potential mediator of the association between RST and depression and consider the nuanced role that vigilance plays during experiences with racism. Finally, we describe methodological advances in the assessment of vigilance evoked by RST and the clinical implications that may be generated by future improvements. In each of these areas, we present examples of how ongoing and future research can be leveraged to provide support for psychosocial programs that facilitate autonomous community healing and resilience, increase calls for public policy changes, and support clinical interventions that lessen the burden of racism on ALANA communities.

The vision for science teaching in the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards requires a radical departure from traditional science teaching. Science literacy is defined as three-dimensional (3D), in which students engage in science and engineering practices to develop and apply science disciplinary ideas and crosscutting concepts. This knowledge building presents many challenges for teachers. We describe a two-pronged program for scaling 3D science professional development (PD) across a state: (a) 24 teachers developed expertise in 3D learning and facilitating teacher study groups; (b) these peer facilitators led 22 study groups of teachers in 3D science activities, analyzing student learning, and investigating classroom interactions. We describe design approaches for supporting teacher and facilitator learning. We present analyses of teacher learning, including shifts in 3D science, beliefs, and pedagogical content knowledge that supports 3D science teaching, and ...

Background Pain can be a significant burden for patients with cancer and may have negative effects on their quality of life. Opioids are potent analgesics and serve as a foundation for pain management. The variation in response to opioid analgesics is well characterized and is partly due to genetic variability. Methods We reviewed the results of clinical studies to evaluate the relationships between genetic variants and select genes involved in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of opioids, with an emphasis on patients with cancer. Results In patients with cancer-related pain, genetic variation in OPRM1, COMT, and ABCB1 is associated with response to morphine, which is the most well-studied opioid. Although it has not been studied in patients with cancer-related pain, the effect of CYP2D6 variation is well characterized with codeine and tramadol. Evidence is limited for associating the genetic variation and pain response of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl in patients with cancer. Conclusion The clinical availability of pharmacogenomic testing and research findings related to these polymorphic genes suggest that genotyping patients for these genetic variants may allow health care professionals to better predict patient response to pain and, thus, personalize pain treatment.

Secondary skin infection with Staphylococcus aureus is a significant problem in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients.This study evaluated antimicrobial resistance patterns of S aureus isolates from skin lesions in AD patients and empiric antimicrobial prescribing patterns.Resistance patterns from positive skin cultures obtained from AD patients in the Allergy/Immunology clinic from May 1, 2006, to December 31, 2008, were compared with all outpatient wound cultures over the same period.Fifty-nine cultures were obtained from 38 AD patients. S aureus was the most common pathogen cultured from AD patients (53/59 cultures). S aureus resistance to clindamycin and methicillin differed significantly between the study group and the outpatient reference population (37.7% vs 9.4% and 45.3% vs 76.4%). Clindamycin was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial (59%). Overall, 31.4% of organisms showed resistance to the antimicrobial prescribed.Susceptibility profiles of S aureus isolates from AD patients vary significantly from that of the general population.

Our recently developed continuum-level, physically based, high strain-rate, large-strain, high-pressure mechanical material model for soda-lime glass has been enhanced to include differences in the flaw-size population between the so-called air-side and the so called tin-side of float-glass plates, and adapted for use in the case of borosilicate glass. The model was structured in such a way that it is suitable for direct incorporation, as a material user-subroutine, into standard commercial transient non-linear dynamics finite-element-based software packages. The model was parameterized using various open-literature sources. The experimental portion of the work, which consisted of 28 projectile impacts onto glass/polyurethane/polycarbonate-based test laminates, was intended to allow for quantification of the effect of air- versus tin-side borofloat strike surface when incorporated into a multi-layer, multi-functional test laminate. Experimental findings indicated the lack of a significant difference in the impact resistance of air- versus tin-side test laminate strike surfaces. Subsequent to these findings, computational simulations were carried out in order to establish if the proposed borofloat material model could capture the prominent experimentally observed damage modes and the measured V50, reconfirming the experimental findings. In general, a good agreement was found between the computational and the experimental results.

Purpose. The majority of people with type 2 diabetes do not meet dietary and physical activity recommendations. It is not well understood how diabetes educators translate diet and physical guidelines for their clients and if diabetes educators have sufficient resources to promote healthy eating and physical activity. This research addressed these questions through exploratory qualitative interviews. Method. A total of 13 diabetes educators who work in Alberta, Canada, were interviewed. Results. The reasons for lack of client uptake of lifestyle recommendations were complex and interwoven. The strongest theme to emerge was the clients’ prior knowledge and skills affecting their ability to uptake knowledge. However, educators recognized that clients are affected by social, environmental, cultural, and personal factors. Conclusions. Health system and societal issues cause a cascade effect resulting in difficulties for both educators and clients. To achieve appropriate treatment of type 2 diabetes, changes need to occur at a health systems level.

This article reports on a certification examination for teachers of students with visual impairments--the National Literary Braille Competency Test (NLBCT). It discusses the history, development, pilot testing, and validation of NLBCT and the creation of the National Certification in Literary Braille. Data on the current administration of the test and directions for future development are presented. ********** For as long as there has been a profession for teachers of the braille code, there have been discussions about professional standards, proficiency thresholds, and certification or licensure requirements (Amato, 2002; D'Andrea, Lewis, & Rosenblum, 2009). To help address these concerns, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) of the Library of Congress, along with other interested stakeholders, worked to create a test of braille competence. The National Literary Braille Competency Test (NLBCT) is the result of that effort, yet its road to realization was a long and uncertain one. Not until 2007 was NLBCT introduced for public use under the administration of the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB). This article chronicles the need for professional standards in English braille, the evolution of the test, its current administration, and directions for future development and maintenance. The need for professional certification In the United States, there are primarily two types of professionals who are responsible for providing instruction in English literary braille: teachers of students who are visually impaired (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) and rehabilitation teachers or instructors who work principally with adults who are visually impaired. Although these professionals perform many different job responsibilities, the teaching of literary braille to young students is equivalent to providing braille instruction to adult learners and, therefore, the terms teacher and instructor are used interchangeably throughout this article. A critical gap exists in the United States between the providers and consumers of braille instruction. More specifically, this gap is multifaceted and includes a shortage of teachers in all locations where individuals need braille instruction, the lack of access to materials for teaching or learning braille, the lack of support from educational and support systems, and the lack of teachers' continued proficiency in the braille code. This lack of access to high-quality braille instruction has been evidenced in national reports (National Federation of the Blind, NFB, 2009), the research literature (Ponchillia & Durant, 1995), current legislation (NFB, 2009), and the emphasis on braille literacy in public policy (Mullen, 1990). The most salient evidence suggests that the shortage of qualified instructors of braille can be attributed to multiple factors, including the insufficient number of individuals for training (Mullen, 1990), the nature and rigor of professional preparation (D'Andrea et al., 2009; Wittenstein, 1993), the lack of standardization across instructional approaches (D'Andrea et al., 2009; Ponchillia & Durant, 1995), and the lack of national standards for certification or credentialing (Amato, 2009; D'Andrea et al., 2009; Mullen, 1990; NFB, 2009; Ponchillia & Durant, 1995; Wittenstein, 1993). Efforts are under way in many segments of the profession to address this problem. This article focuses on the development of the U.S. National Certification in Literary Braille (NCLB) as one important element in increasing professional credentialing and maintaining the proficiency of teachers and instructors of braille. History of NLBCT For more than two decades, efforts have been under way to develop a test of proficiency in braille that could be used nationwide to certify the braille competence of teachers of students who are visually impaired in the United States (Allman & Lewis, 1996). …

This article reports on a mentoring project designed for transition-age youth (ages 16–26) who are persons with legal blindness. Youth were matched with adult mentors who were also persons with blindness but who have achieved academic and career success. Results demonstrate that youth who participated in the project for 2 years had significant increases in career decision-making efficacy, positive personal hope for the future, and positive attitudes about blindness. Implications for practitioners suggest that mentoring is a valuable tool to assist youth with blindness as they prepare for the academic and work world.

A comprehensive finite element investigation is carried out of the effect of up-armouring on the off-road performance of a prototypical high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle. The effect of up-armouring on the vehicle performance was investigated under the following off-road manoeuvres: straight-line flat-land braking; straight-line off-angle downhill braking; sharp left turn. In each case, the appropriate vehicle performance criteria are identified and the parameters used to quantify these criteria are defined and assessed. The computational results obtained clearly revealed the compromises in vehicle off-road performance caused by the up-armouring employed to improve vehicle blast and ballistic protection performance and survivability. The results obtained are also analysed and explained in terms of general field-test observations in order to judge the physical soundness and fidelity of the present computational approach. Finally, the potential benefits and ramifications of lightweight up-armouring in providing the needed level of blast and/or ballistic performance while causing fewer compromises in the vehicle off-road performance are also discussed.

Seventy-three children with visual impairments aged 2–10 and their parents participated in a project that examined the children's interest in and exploration of tactile graphics. The parents reported that the children's interest in and conceptual understanding of the project's tactile workbook were high and that the children explored the workbook's raised-line drawings using both hands without a consistent preference.

A comprehensive finite-element-based computational investigation of the ability of different measures (e.g. up-armouring, seat cushion, or seat belt restraint system) to protect the occupant(s) of a prototypical high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle in the event of an anti-vehicle mine detonation under the vehicle's front right wheel is carried out. While assessing the effectiveness of these protective measures, different injury criteria had to be defined and/or employed, their values calculated (during the initial response stage of the blast event), and compared with the limiting values corresponding to the critical levels of injury. The efficacies are compared both when these measures are implemented in isolation and in the presence of other protective measures with respect to specific injuries.

A new material model for sand has been developed in order to include the effects of the deformation rate and the degree of saturation on the constitutive response of this material. The model is an extension of the original high strain-rate compaction model for sand developed by Laine and Sandvik and an elastic—visco-plastic material model for sand recently proposed by Tong and Tuan in which these effects were neglected. The new material model was parameterized using the available experimental data for sand with different levels of saturation tested mechanically at different strain rates. The model is next used, within a non-linear-dynamics transient computational analysis, to study: (a) various phenomena associated with the explosion of shallow-buried and ground-laid mines and (b) the dynamic behaviour of a vehicle during an off-road ride. The computational results are then compared with the corresponding experimental results. This comparison suggested that the newly developed material model for sand captures the essential features of the dynamic behaviour of sand with different levels of saturation when subjected to realistic high and low strain-rate loading conditions.

Since ballistic and blast survivability and off-road handling and stability of military vehicles, such as the high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV), are two critical vehicle performance aspects, they both (including the delicate balance between them) have to be considered when a new vehicle is being designed or an existing vehicle retrofitted (e.g. up-armoured). Finite-element-based transient non-linear dynamics and multi-body longitudinal dynamics computational analyses were employed, relatively, in the present work to address the following two specific aspects of the performance of an HMMWV: first, the ability of the vehicle to survive detonation of a landmine shallow buried into sand underneath the right wheel of the vehicle and, second, the ability of the vehicle to withstand a simple straight-line brake manoeuvre during off-road travel without compromising its stability and safety of its occupants. Within the first analysis, the kinematic and structural responses (including large-scale rotation and deformation, buckling, plastic yielding, failure initiation, fracture, and fragmentation) of the HMMWV to the detonation of a landmine were analysed computationally using the general-purpose transient non-linear dynamics analysis software ABAQUS/Explicit. The second analysis was carried out using Simpack, a general-purpose multi-body dynamics program, and the main purpose of this analysis was to address the vehicle stability during the off-road travel. The same sand model was used in both types of analysis. Finally, the computational results obtained are compared with general field-test observations and data in order to judge the physical soundness and fidelity of the present approach.

In the present work, a ballistic material-model development approach is combined with transient non-linear dynamics simulations of the projectile/armour interactions to explore the armour-hard-facing potential of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced, poly-vinyl-ester-epoxy (PVEE)-matrix composite mats. This approach is applied to improving the ballistic-protection performance of E-glass fibre-mat reinforced PVEE-matrix laminate armour. Two different architectures of the MWCNT-reinforced/PVEE-matrix composite mats were considered: (a) a MWCNT-ply mat structure in which the MWCNT reinforcements are aligned parallel to the armour faces and (b) a MWCNT-forest mat structure in which the MWCNT reinforcements are aligned orthogonally to the armour faces. The projectile/armour interaction simulation results showed that, at low volume fractions of MWCNTs, both armour architectures yield no discernable increase in the armour ballistic-protection performance as measured by the armour. On the other hand, at high MWCNT volume fractions of MWCNTs, the first armour architecture remained ineffective whereas the second showed a minor improvement in the ballistic-protection performance relative to the corresponding monolithic armour. These results were rationalized using published experimental observations pertaining to the effect of MWCNTs on the in-plane and the through-the-thickness properties of fibre-mat/polymer-matrix composite materials.

St. John's wort (SJW) is a popular dietary supplement involved in numerous dietary supplement-drug interactions with prescription and non-prescription drugs. The supplement has been shown to affect the metabolism of various CYP3A4 substrates. The CYP3A4 pathway mediates the metabolism of a large number of drug entities, including the corticosteroids prednisone and prednisolone.To examine the effects of long-term SJW administration on the pharmacokinetics of prednisone and its reversible metabolite prednisolone in male subjects.Eight male subjects participated in this single-dose study. The pharmacokinetics of prednisone and prednisolone were evaluated before and after 28 days of SJW administration. Plasma corticosteroid concentrations were determined using a normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography assay. Model-independent methods were used to evaluate corticosteroid pharmacokinetics.Twenty-eight days of SJW treatment resulted in no significant alterations in the pharmacokinetic parameters for prednisone or prednisolone. Oral administration of prednisone resulted in prednisone mean +/- SD area under the curves (AUCs) of 115.89 +/- 39.52 microg x h/L prior to SJW treatment and 128.76 +/- 32.71 microg x h/L after 28 days of treatment. Prednisolone mean AUCs were 714.19 +/- 153.29 microg x h/L before SJW administration and 700.74 +/- 89.68 microg x h/L after treatment.Concurrent administration of SJW had no significant effect on the single-dose pharmacokinetics of prednisone or metabolic prednisolone in male subjects.

Undergraduate psychology students in two statistics classes (N = 77) counted blooms on rose bushes on campus using sample sizes of either 30 or 60 bushes, and submitted sample means and standard deviations to an online database. Students used that database to graph sampling distributions and complete other homework problems. Students preferred the activity to lecture, found it helpful for understanding sampling distributions and a majority listed it as a favourite class activity (n = 48). A pretest and posttest evaluation of learning administered to one course section showed a statistically significant learning increase. This memorable, enjoyable and effective activity exposes students to practical research challenges and can be replicated using other dependent variables found in naturalistic environments.

Single antigen-targeted intraperitoneal radioimmunotherapy for ovarian cancer has shown limited success. Due to the heterogeneous expression of tumor antigens on cancer cells, a multi-antigen targeting approach appears logical to augment the therapeutic efficacy of antibody-guided therapy. In the interest of developing this novel approach, ovarian cancer tissue microarray slides containing cancer and benign/non-neoplastic tissue samples ( n = 92) were processed for single-, double-, and triple-antigen labeling using antibodies for the tumor-associated antigens TAG-72, MUC1, and CA125. Among all ovarian cancer types, 72%, 61%, and 50% of the samples showed immunolabeling for TAG-72, MUC1, and CA125, respectively. Expression level of these antigens was significantly ( p70%), a heterogeneous labeling pattern was observed (only 30–40% of the cancer cells within the sample were labeled). However, upon combining the three antigens (triple-antigen labeling), 98% of the epithelial ovarian cancer samples were labeled and >95% of the cancer cells within each sample were labeled. Our data indicate that the heterogeneous expression of cancer antigens appears to be a major obstacle in antibody-guided therapy, and this can be overcome by multiple antigen targeting. Therapeutic efficacy of antibody-guided therapy for ovarian cancer treatment will be enhanced by the combined targeting of TAG-72, MUC1, and CA125. (J Histochem Cytochem 55: 867–875, 2007)

Acute lupus pneumonitis is a rare form of pulmonary involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We present herein a patient with acute lupus pneumonitis who presented with acute onset of fever, cough, dyspnea and a miliary pattern on chest radiographs and computer tomography. Lung histopathology revealed bronchocentric granulomatosis. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of granulomas in lung parenchyma believed to be caused by SLE. The differential diagnoses of acute lupus pneumonitis and the pertinent literature are discussed.

There is a general sense today that constructivist teaching isn't up to the task of preparing students for high-stakes exams. But the authors describe a highly effective constructivist approach used to teach students in a learning situation that takes the meaning of "high stakes" to another level. ********** MANY educators today would call themselves constructivists. Yet we often lack the courage of our convictions. We say we believe in constructivist approaches, but we don't feel we have the time to use them. We see the test battery looming, and the high stakes attached to it push us back to a more didactic approach. (1) But a small group of educators have important lessons to teach us about constructivist teaching: they are the teachers of "cane travel." Cane travel refers to a set of skills a person who is blind or who has low levels of vision uses to navigate the world independently. The stakes involved are certainly high, but teachers of cane travel maintain a steadfast dedication to constructivism. To begin to understand the context in which this kind of learning takes place, imagine the lives of people who are blind. First, let's imagine a young man in his mid-twenties who has lost sight as a result of diabetes. Many people in this situation go through a period of depression and simply hole up at home. Blindness for our imaginary young man is a new condition, so he has no skills with which to navigate and may fear going out into the world. Imagine another person--this time a girl who was born blind. Her parents, feeling a natural concern for her safety, may overprotect their daughter. In limiting the chances that she may come to harm, they may also limit her opportunities to go out and experience the world. Both of these scenarios are real, and they offer skilled educators a chance to make a profound difference in people's lives. If a blind person can learn to travel independently, the freedom gained is enormous. That person can experience the world firsthand and can decide when and how to do so. The development of solid cane travel skills can deliver that freedom and independence. Leaders within the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), over several decades of dedicated work, have developed methods for teaching cane travel. (2) Much of this work was done by individuals who are blind themselves, and these techniques are today collectively referred to as "structured discovery" or the "structured discovery method." (3) This method is used in many training centers across the nation, but three of the strongest examples are found in the three training centers that are affiliated with the NFB: the Louisiana Center for the Blind, the Colorado Center for the Blind, and BLIND Incorporated in Minnesota. (4) Although you will not find the word "constructivism" in any of the existing literature about structured discovery, it is a dominant element of the method. Elliot Eisner offers the following concise description of constructivism: We have come to realize that meaning matters and that it is not something that can be imparted from teacher to student. In a sense, all teachers can do is to "make noises in the environment." By this I mean that we have in education no main line into the brains of our students. We are shapers of the environment, stimulators, motivators, guides, consultants, resources. But in the end, what children make of what we provide is a function of what they construe from what we offer. Meanings are not given, they are made. (5) Instructors using structured discovery intentionally guide their students in the construction of their own knowledge and skill with respect to independent travel. The method has a defined scope and sequence that begins with instruction covering the knowledge base necessary for independent travel. The constructivist aspect of the method is largely employed in the extended-practice portion of the training. …

This article describes a collaboration between academic researchers and residents of a low-income, inner-city community to develop and deliver an HIV and AIDS prevention program for Black youth. The Chicago HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP) Program was developed and implemented to decrease HIV and AIDS risk exposure among youth living in a community that has been dramatically affected by HIV and AIDS. The article outlines (a) phases in the collaborative process to develop the program; (b) strategies used to embed contextually relevant themes and activities that address individual and systemic factors influencing HIV and AIDS risk; (c) a process model, based on the CHAMP experience, that can be replicated to develop programs for other youth problems; (d) descriptions of the CHAMP preadolescent and early adolescent curricula; (e) and how university- and community-based facilitators were trained to collaborate as a team to implement the CHAMP Program. Information is also provided about delivering the program in a distressed urban setting.

Objective:To determine there are consistent neurobiological differences between patients with bipolar I disorder (BD I) and those with bipolar II disorder (BD II).Method:We reviewed the literature in areas where the most consistent neurobiological findings have been reported for bipolar disorder, specifically, neuroimaging and brain metabolism. The imaging studies reviewed, examined structure, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and function, using functional MRI, positron emission tomography, and single photon emission computed tomography. We used magnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine brain chemistry. We reviewed those metabolic studies that examined cell calcium, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, and protein kinase C.Results:Some genetic studies suggest that there may be differences between BD II and BD I patients. However, our review of the imaging and metabolic studies identified few studies directly comparing these 2 groups. In those studies, there were few differences, if any, and these were not consistent.Conclusions:While genetic data suggest there may be differences between BD II patients and BD I patients, the neurobiological findings to date do not provide support. However, this may be owing to the small number of studies directly comparing the 2 groups and also to the fact that those carried out have not been adequately powered to detect possible small true differences. This is an important issue because, if there are no neurobiological differences, it would be anticipated that similar treatments would be similarly effective in both groups. Given the importance of understanding whether there are neurochemical differences between these groups, further research in this area is clearly needed.

The Abuse Assessment Screen, Severity of Violence Against Women Scales, and Appraisal of Violent Situations scales were translated into versions for women originating from Brazil, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The procedure of back translation was chosen as the most reliable method for translation of these three instruments. The translated instruments were used to screen women for abuse during pregnancy and to determine the prevalence and severity of that abuse. This article discusses the translation process and illustrate with versions of the instruments for use with pregnant women from Puerto Rico.

This article describes an ecophenomenological model of domestic violence that helps to conceptualize the ways in which various contextual factors inform the experiences of African American victims of partner violence. The implications of this model for the culturally competent treatment of African American victims of partner abuse are discussed, as is the issue of violence as an outgrowth of an African American male entitlement dysfunction. The article also examines culturally grounded messages that contribute to the development of attitudes that promote violence against African American women. In addition, the article explores the patient's own relational life as a site of meaning making and sustained healing. Finally, the article considers the therapeutic alliance as a source of healing.

The ability of motor oils to control valve train wear adequately is ensured by the evaluation of new formulations in a variety of standard industry tests. The most critical of these tests have single-overhead-cam valve train systems with pivoted (rocker- or finger-type) followers. Although many vehicles in service have these types of valve train, there is a strong trend towards the use of roller-follower and direct-acting tappet (DAT) systems in recently introduced passenger car engine designs. Roller designs virtually eliminate sliding between the cam and follower and in gasoline engines reduce wear and friction to low levels. Practical experience indicates that DAT systems also give lower wear and friction than pivoted systems do. The parameters affecting wear in the pivoted-follower valve trains of the Sequence VE and Peugeot TU-3 tests are analysed in comparison with equivalent DAT systems. The friction and wear benefits observed with DAT systems are shown to be inherent in the geometry and kinematics of this type of valve train. The consequences of this finding are discussed in relation to the requirements for antiwear protection provided by future motor oils.

There are several practically important engineering systems that fail by scuffing long after the initial running-in has been completed. A common feature of these systems is repeated contact between the same points on the mating surfaces. The processes leading up to such mid-life scuffing failures have been examined by monitoring the development of cam follower surface roughness and wear at regular intervals during a series of valve train wear tests in a fired engine. By the application of both statistical and numerical models for the elastic contact of rough surfaces, the following stages in the scuffing process have been identified: (a) surface roughening in the mild-wear regime, which progressively increased maximum asperity contact pressures until (b) the elastic shakedown limit was exceeded, causing plastic deformation wear, accelerated roughening and enlargement of valleys, leading eventually to (c) a transition to high rates of wear, probably resulting from hydrodynamic pressure loss and oil-film collapse.

A novel optical approach to single-shot chemical imaging with high spectroscopic resolution is described with the use of a prototype dimension-reduction fiber-optic array. Images are focused onto a 30 × 20 array of hexagonally packed 250 μm o.d. f/2 optical fibers that are drawn into a 600 × 1 distal array with specific ordering. The 600 × 1 side of the array is imaged with an f/2 spectrograph equipped with a holographic grating and a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera for spectral analysis. Software is used to extract the spatial/spectral information contained in the CCD images and de-convolute them into wavelength-specific reconstructed images or position-specific spectra that span a 190 nm wavelength space. “White light” zero-order images and first-order spectroscopic images of laser plumes have been reconstructed to illustrate proof-of-principle. Index Headings: Fiber optics; Chemical imaging; Spectroscopic imaging; Charged-coupled device (CCD); Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

Literally, the word "outreach" evokes the image of "reaching out," attempting to touch what is currently beyond one's grasp. Activities that help organizations to "reach out" are important elements of most services, and some organizations employ outreach paraprofessionals whose primary function is to help recruit participants into a program. Because outreach is supposed to occur before individuals receive the goods or services offered by an organization, evaluations generally do not measure the amount of outreach contact. However, outreach and program intervention activities tend to overlap when an organization encounters resistance from a population of potential consumers. Drawing on 10 years of experience evaluating HIV risk-reduction interventions for drug users who are not in treatment, the authors argue that outreach workers are part of the intervention continuum, and have important effects not only on recruitment, but also on service delivery. We argue that the evaluation and measurement issues raised by pre-enrollment outreach contacts can be best addressed by improving quantitative pre-enrollment data collection. Finally, we present and discuss specific elements of a system for measuring pre-enrollment contacts.

Literally, the word “outreach” evokes the image of “reaching out,” attempting to touch what is currently beyond one's grasp. Activities that help organizations to “reach out” are important elements of most services, and some organizations employ outreach paraprofessionals whose primary function is to help recruit participants into a program. Because outreach is supposed to occur before individuals receive the goods or services offered by an organization, evaluations generally do not measure the amount of outreach contact. However, outreach and program intervention activities tend to overlap when an organization encounters resistance from a population of potential consumers. Drawing on 10 years of experience evaluating HIV risk-reduction interventions for drug users who are not in treatment, the authors argue that outreach workers are part of the intervention continuum, and have important effects not only on recruitment, but also on service delivery. We argue that the evaluation and measurement issues raised by pre-enrollment outreach contacts can be best addressed by improving quantitative pre-enrollment data collection. Finally, we present and discuss specific elements of a system for measuring pre-enrollment contacts.

Analysis of used oils from a series of Peugeot TU-3 engine tests has been performed to investigate the effect of engine operating temperature on valve train wear in this engine. Iron content of intermediate and end-of-test used oil samples has been used as a monitor of valve train wear during the test and has indicated that a significant proportion of the wear occurs during the initial low-temperature phase of the test. Analysis of used oils using 31phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (3lP NMR) suggests that this is associated with low rates of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDTP) degradation during low-temperature operation, resulting in levels of extreme-pressure (e.p.)/anti-wear materials which are insufficient to provide the necessary wear protection. Modification of the TU-3 test procedure, such that the high operating temperature phase precedes the low-temperature phase, results in very much lower observed levels of valve train wear.31 P NMR analysis indicates that this is associated with a much more rapid buildup of active ZDTP degradation products during initial high-temperature operation, which can then provide the necessary anti-wear protection during subsequent low-temperature operation.

The positions of maximum wear on the surfaces of automotive cams and followers have been found to be characterized by low velocities of the point of contact over the surface in question, in combination with significant sliding velocities and thin oil films. The modelling of these critical conditions has now been extended to examine the significance of low contact velocities in two internationally accepted engine tests for the evaluation of the anti-wear properties of lubricants in valve train systems. Calculations of the contact dwell times and the corresponding sliding distances against the opposing surfaces indicate that the particular susceptibility to wear and surface distress in these systems arises from the extreme values of these parameters experienced by particular points on the surfaces during each rotation of the cam. The conditions on the follower surfaces appear to be more severe than on the cams in this respect. It is shown that kinematic conditions representative of the more severe parts of the operating cycles of the engine tests can be reproduced in a modified Amsler two-disc machine, thus enabling the use of small, flat test specimens, which are accessible to a wide range of advanced surface analysis instruments, to facilitate the study of lubricant anti-wear additive film formation.

A multivariate method for aligning Raman spectra that suffer from spectral shifts resultant from diode laser mode-hopping is presented. This alignment method permits accurate alignment without necessitating a consistent reference peak while avoiding the uncertainties of estimating the maxima of broad or noisy peaks. This method differs from multivariate standardization methods in that the training set needs to be measured only once. The spectra are not compared to the spectra of a separate instrument. It is shown that the alignment enhances the performance of Raman spectroscopy for quantitative and qualitative applications. This evidence is supported by Monte Carlo simulations, quantitation of a mixture of aromatics by Raman spectroscopy, and imaging of a polymer surface by a Raman microscope.

Various aspects of duality, in switching algebra and mapping techniques, are examined. It is shown that familiarity with the principles of duality, as applied to switching networks, leads to a deeper understanding of switching theory and can give improvements in manipulative methods.

The effect of test length on predictive validity is examined empirically by successively omitting the poorest items and by calculating the correlations between the reduced test scores and the criterion. It was found, for four tests, that the curve of validity against test length had a very gentle slope for the longer tests and that all tests could be reduced by more than 60% without appreciable decreases in validity.

Visual Interactive Simulation (VIS) has dominated discrete-event simulation in the United Kingdom throughout the eighties. Con ceived and initially implemented by Hurrion (1976), who also coined the phrase, VIS first gained widespread exposure through the package SEE-WHY The ideas behind VIS are fundamentally different from what is referred to in the United States as anima tion, since the prime motivator is user interaction with the run ning simulation, rather than just portrayal of the simulation. After presenting a short history of VIS, we will discuss some of the research and development that has been undertaken in the United Kingdom and North America. Following presentation of an example, the state of VIS and a number of generally accepted guidelines for doing VIS are discussed. A number of recent developments, many of them also relevant to animation, and four major issues in the research and prac tice of VIS are presen ted.

The classroom discipline model described on the following pages is designed to allow the teacher to adapt it to his or her classroom situation and teaching style.