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The article presents the discussion on psychological barriers that prevent humans from fully engaging with large-scale events and suffering. Topics include emphasizing the difficulty of sustaining compassion for impersonal others; and concepts of psychic numbing, pseudoinefficacy, and the prominence effect, as well as the exploration of human compassion through the lens of literature and psychological studies.

Over the first 18 years of life, students spend a large portion of their time in school and at home. Having a good relationship between the adults at home and school is vital for the success of children throughout their schooling. This relationship can often feel one sided, but what if there is another reason why the relationship between home and school is strained? Barriers that families face can interfere with their ability to be active participants in their children's education. Helping to break down these barriers is important to establishing a positive home-school relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on materials recovered from archaeological sites a cornerstone of archaeological sciences. Topics include explorations of the skills, knowledge, cognition, values, and beliefs of past human societies; and erasure of barriers through collaboration within Africa and between Africa and diferent areas of the Global South and Global North.

Digital technologies are being introduced in all areas of the construction industry with the overarching goals of increasing productivity while simultaneously simplifying work and reducing errors. Nevertheless, their use and the associated implementation in construction companies is currently still inhibited. One reason for this is the lack of a holistic implementation process for digital technologies. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to deliver a concept for such a holistic digital-technology-implementation-process which addresses current barriers. For this purpose, a qualitative literature analysis was conducted first, which reveals the current focus of research on digital technologies. In a second step, current barriers regarding the implementation of digital technologies were identified by conducting interviews with experts from German construction companies. The interview concept combined and adapted the survey instruments Technology Commitment by Neyer et al. and Technophobia by Sinkovics. Based on the findings of the qualitative literature research and the expert interviews, a holistic implementation process for the introduction of digital technologies for construction companies was developed, which specifically addresses the currently prevailing barriers. Therefore, the barriers Acceptance, Control and Competence were classified in a temporal context within the implementation process and recommendations for action are presented for the individual process steps of implementing digital technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the launch of the Indo-Pacific security strategy by the United States to counter the accelerating Chinese naval construction challenging the rebalancing at sea. It is made to face diplomatic, military, and financial obstacles to build networked security architecture. India is seen as a critical element in the US strategy towards China as India is a member of the Quad and a neighbor of China, which seems to positively affect India–US relations.

The unprecedented scale of trench warfare in the First World War posed a series of challenges to attacking forces. This article tracks the early French steps to develop a coherent doctrine for launching offensives against established trench systems, focusing on a specific battle in May-June 1915: Second Artois. This battle would be the first based on lessons learned and digested by the French army after its initial tentative efforts at trench warfare from December 1914 to March 1915. As such it provides an interesting starting point for an analysis of the French army's development of trench tactics in the First World War and of the part this played in the general effort made by the two sides to find ways to break the post-1914 stalemate on the Western Front. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article makes a positive case for an ethnographic sensibility in political theory. Drawing on published ethnographies and original fieldwork, it argues that an ethnographic sensibility can contribute to normative reflection in five distinct ways. It can help uncover the nature of situated normative demands (epistemic argument); diagnose obstacles encountered when responding to these demands (diagnostic argument); evaluate practices and institutions against a given set of values (evaluative argument); probe, question and refine our understanding of values (valuational argument); and uncover underlying social ontologies (ontological argument). The contribution of ethnography to normative theory is distinguished from that of other forms of empirical research, and the dangers of perspectival absorption, bias and particularism are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While recent research focuses on why conflict parties attack peacekeepers, little attention has been given to other types of resistance against peacekeeping missions, such as intimidation and obstruction. It is argued in this article that one reason why peacekeepers are obstructed and intimidated is that armed actors that target civilians want to maintain the operational space to carry out attacks against civilians and want to prevent peacekeepers from monitoring human rights violations. A spatially and temporally disaggregated analysis on resistance against peacekeepers in Darfur between January 2008 and April 2009 indeed suggests that the intimidation and obstruction of peacekeepers is more likely to take place in areas with higher levels of violence against civilians. The findings hold when taking into account the non-random occurrence of violence against civilians through matching the data. Finally, anecdotal evidence from other sites of armed conflict than Darfur suggests that resistance against peacekeepers in these cases is also likely to be related to the targeting of civilians. This suggest that in order to be effective in protecting civilians, peace missions should not only be robust as highlighted in previous research, but peace missions should also develop an effective strategy to deal with armed groups that try to prevent peacekeepers from fulfilling their mandate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of the current study was to use the margins of stability (MoS) to investigate how older adults choose between minimizing the risk of a forward fall when crossing an obstacle and the ease of maintaining forward progression during the steps taken behind the obstacle. In the current study 143 community-dwelling older adults aged between 55 and 83 years old, were divided into three age groups based on tertials of age. All participants were asked to complete five trials of obstacle walking and five trials of normal walking. For the trials of normal walking, the main difference between groups was that MoS at initial contact was lower in the older age groups. For the trials of obstacle crossing the MoS at the instants of obstacle crossing with both the leading and trailing limb became smaller with an increase in age. This result might imply that older people choose to use a strategy during obstacle crossing that results in smaller chance of falling forward if an obstacle was struck. A negative consequence of this more conservative strategy was a smaller MoS at the instants of initial contact after crossing the obstacle, thus a larger chance of a backward fall. These findings provide more insight into the regulation of stability during obstacle crossing and specifically in the differences in strategy between younger and older people, and therefore these results might be used for further research to investigate whether obstacle crossing strategies are trainable in older adults, which could be used as advisory programs aimed at fall prevention and/or engagement in an active lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Collision avoidance in 3D environments is important to the problem of planning safe trajectories for an autonomous vehicle. Existing literature on collision avoidance assumed that obstacle shapes are known a priori and modeled obstacles as spheres or bounding boxes. However, in 3D environments, an obstacle shape is unknown to the autonomous vehicle, and the vehicle detects an obstacle boundary using 3D sensors, such as 3D sonar. In this paper, we introduce control laws for collision avoidance, considering scenarios where a vehicle detects arbitrarily shaped and non-convex obstacles using sensors. Moreover, our control laws are designed considering motion constraints, such as the maximum turn rate and the maximum speed rate of the vehicle. The effectiveness of our control laws is verified using MATLAB simulations. Highlights • Existing literature on collision avoidance assumed that obstacle shapes are known a priori and modeled obstacles as spheres or bounding boxes. • However, in 3D environments, an obstacle shape is unknown to the autonomous vehicle, and the vehicle detects an obstacle boundary using 3D sensors, such as 3D sonar. • In this paper, we introduce control laws for collision avoidance, considering scenarios where a vehicle detects arbitrarily shaped and non-convex obstacles using sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research started from the necessity of finding new ways to physical test the military students that are part of the military pentathlon 50 m race with obstacles team. The research methods used was the experiment method, using two groups: the first group was the control group and the second the experiment group. The experiment consisted in testing the students at: 50 m speed running, 800 m resistance running, push-ups, and specific testing like: 50 m swimming with obstacles, 8 km run in varied terrain. The results of our investigation showed that calculation of the statistical significance of the differences between the averages of the two samples showed significant values at p>0.05, n-1, at the following parameters: running 800 m (t = 2.71> 2.13 - p = 0.05); push-ups (t = 3.01> 2.95 - p = 0.05); freestyle swimming 50m (t = 2.81> 2.13 - p = 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ogilvie's syndrome (acute colonic pseudo-obstruction) is acute massive functional dilatation of bowel without a distal mechanical obstruction. It is a rare, relatively unknown but potentially lethal entity because of its propensity for caecal perforation. Although commonly a disease of elderly with underlying co-morbidities especially following surgical interventions, caesarean section is the most common predisposing factor in obstetric age group. Diagnosis depends on the gross dilatation of caecum and ascending colon and exclusion of distal mechanical obstruction. Failure to respond to conventional measures necessities decompression of colon with colonoscopy and/or tube caecostomy in patients without perforation. Any sign of perforation mandates surgical intervention in which mortality is reported to be around 40%. Increased awareness and early diagnosis are at paramount importance to prevent bowel perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a teacher leadership academy (TLA) organized through a school district/university partnership in a small, US Suburban School District in increasing teachers' participation in leadership activities. Design/methodology/approach - TLA participants (n=11) were surveyed using the Teacher Leadership Activities Scale, and their results were compared to a control group of teachers in the district who were not participating in the TLA (n=12). Interviews and open-ended response items provided qualitative data to examine how the TLA contributed to teachers' growth as leaders. Findings - Results indicated that teachers in the TLA did increase participation in teacher leadership activities. Qualitative data revealed themes of many espoused benefits from TLA participation, including increased interactions with administrators, improved understanding of the obstacles associated with implementing changes, and expanded leadership capacity. Research limitations/implications - Conditions that both enhanced and detracted from teacher leaders' growth were identified and outlined, including formal leaders' participation in TLA activities, material support for projects, and a supportive atmosphere (enhancers) and administrative roadblocks and the inability to remediate capacity issues for teacher leaders (detractors). Originality/value - The conditions outlined above will assist those interested in creating TLAs in doing so with purpose and increased chance for buy in and success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of energy efficiency in industrial companies plays a crucial role for the energy transition. Although significant economic potentials have been identified, the concerned actors are still struggling to realize them fully. To support the implementation of energy efficiency measures by passing policies, a deeper understanding of the barriers affecting different kinds of companies is necessary to better match the options to their needs and requirements. This paper considers companies’ characteristics and barriers to draw conclusions on energy efficiency policies and specific recommendations on energy efficiency measures. It recommends compromises for policies between high administrative efforts to design individual solutions for companies and too generic approaches, which are not tackling the specific barriers and companies’ characteristics. Our analysis assesses monitoring data of 263 enterprises of the Learning Energy Efficiency Networks LEEN in Germany. The LEEN support energy audits, company networking and assesses implemented energy efficiency measures. Lack of information combined with unfavourable reasoning in decision-making impedes the adoption of profitable measures. Thus, financial policy instruments should aim at promoting long-term decision-making. Audits turned out to be an effective information tool and are more common in LEs than in SMEs. Accordingly, the number of implemented measures and the choice of specific measures relate to company size. Regarding barriers to energy efficiency measures, we found financial barriers most prevalent, but there was no general correlation with company size. Moreover, financial restrictions are not necessarily caused by a lack of money, but also by risk aversion or unlikely payback periods. LEs are stronger affected by motivational barriers, especially if the expected organizational effort is high. Reducing transaction costs can increase the willingness to invest greater efforts in energy efficiency measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To propose a classification of the different types of motivators, barriers and benefits existing in the processes of adoption of collaborative initiatives between companies within the supply chain. Originality/value: The results achieved assist managers to know the different types of motivators that drive the adoption of these initiatives, the benefits that can be achieved and the barriers that can be encountered, hence avoiding unsuccessful implementations. Researchers provide a better theoretical understanding of the different types of components present in these initiatives, paving the way for the search for empirical evidence. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review of the literature, focusing on five initiatives: Quick Response (QR), Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), Continuous Replenishment Program (CRP), Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), and Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR). Findings: The motivators for adopting these initiatives are related to the economic or market changes and/or the organization of these companies. The barriers are classified as cultural, behavioral and physical and the benefits are classified as primary and secondary; showing that the primary benefits must be achieved in order for the secondary benefits to appear. The work shows that despite the use of similar nomenclatures, the concepts used may be different for various contexts. In addition, the work shows that information and communication technologies cease to be a barrier and become a facilitator for companies interested in collaborating in their supply chain. The importance of human resources is also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in 2003 raised the question of why Saddam had prevented UN weapons inspectors from fully accounting for his disarmament. The leading explanation for Saddam’s behavior is that he valued ambiguity as part of a strategy of ‘deterrence by doubt’. This article argues that Iraq’s obstruction of inspectors in the late 1990s was motivated by his desire to shield Iraq’s regime security apparatus from UNSCOM’s intrusive counter-concealment inspections. The failure to understand how strongly Saddam’s concerns about his personal safety drove Iraq’s contentious relationship with UNSCOM set the stage for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Soldiers often trip and fall on duty, resulting in injury. This study examined ten male soldiers' ability to negotiate an obstacle. Participants had lead and trail foot minimum foot clearance (MFC) parameters quantified while crossing a low (305 mm) and high (457 mm) obstacle with (19.4 kg) and without (6 kg) body borne load. To minimize tripping risk, participants increased lead foot MFC (p = 0.028) and reduced lead (p = 0.044) and trail (p = 0.035) foot variability when negotiating an obstacle with body borne load. While obstacle height had no effect on MFC (p = 0.273 and p = 0.126), placing the trail foot closer to the high obstacle when crossing with body borne load, resulted in greater lead (R = 0.640, b = 0.241, p = 0.046) and trail (R = 0.636, b = 0.287, p = 0.048) MFC. Soldiers, when carrying typical military loads, may be able to minimize their risk of tripping over an obstacle by creating a safety margin via greater foot clearance with reduced variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this research effort is to find a flyable collision-free path for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in a dynamic environment. Given that the UAV path planning needs to adapt in near real-time to the dynamic nature of the operational scenario, and to react rapidly to updates in the situational awareness, a modified artificial potential field (MAPF) approach is utilized to provide collision avoidance in view of pop-up threats and a random set of moving obstacles. To ensure a practically reachable trajectory, this paper proposes a constraint reference frame to develop MAPF so that the decomposed forces from MAPF can be matched with the physical constraints of the UAV for online adjustment. Simulations and experimental results provide promising validation in terms of the efficiency and scalability of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breaching in light obstacles consists in making openings in the non-structural elements of a building with the view to enabling quick access in emergency cases. The light barriers under scrutiny throughout the current paper stand for walls of brick or concrete masonry units, reinforced concrete walls with thicknesses up to 12.5 cm and metal doors. To create breaches, two different kinds of special explosive devices were used, according to the obstacle: cutting and pushing charges. The subject is looked into from two complementary perspectives, that is, the first approach regards the technical solutions of breaching in light obstacles, whereas the latter is concerned with the protection of the emergency team and people to be rescued. The paper under consideration addresses the overall findings of the experimental research regarding breaching in light obstacles based on the above-mentioned perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of the First World War, Lord Kitchener, Britain's leading general and the recently appointed secretary of state for war, stated his belief that the conflict would last [...]

Background. The paper gives a critical overview of macro-level management efforts to increase energy efficiency in Russia in 1995-2013 with special focus on the shift in goals, methods and approaches. We compare the pace and the trend of evolution of Russian energy efficiency policy with world trends and discuss the effects of policy diffusion on international and regional levels. Research aim. Using the conceptual framework of an extended energy-efficiency gap, this study investigates the existing barriers to energy efficiency and suggests the possible solutions for improvement of energy policy on regional level. Method. We gathered the information for evaluation of effectiveness of current energy policy by empirical research in the form of a mix of medium-scale face-to-face inquiries and semi-structured interviews. Key findings. The findings reveal that the most common barrier is the lack of expertise and competences to identify the inefficiencies, and opportunities to implement energy efficiency measures needs to be overcome first for further improvement of energy efficiency. The convergence of expertise can happen through horizontal interactions on regional level as well as specially organized training programs at the federal level with the participation of international experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the emphasis in path planning, a topic of much interest in several domains, has been on finding the optimal path or at mostkoptimal paths. However, in domains such as adversarial planning, one of the agents might deliberately take less optimal paths to confuse the opponent, and by the same token an agent, for inferring opponent's intent, has to consider all possible paths that the opponent might take. We introduce the notion ofrepresentative pathsin free space (2D) and study the problem of computing all representative paths with different properties, such as all representative paths with at mostLloops, among polygonal regions using a framework of Voronoi diagram. We prove three properties: (1) the upper and lower bounds to the number of simple paths in a Voronoi graph (2) given any path, a homotopic path can always be obtained from the Voronoi diagram of the regions and (3) all representative paths with a given property might not be always obtainable from the Voronoi graph even after searching the graph exhaustively and present an algorithm to work around this limitation. We also show how our findings can be applied for efficient entity re-identification, a problem involving a large number of dynamic entities and obstacles in the military domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2006.03.004 Byline: Richard Schoenberg Keywords: Hostile acquisitions; Takeover defences; Bid premium; Executive departure Abstract: An array of defence strategies is available to help companies defend themselves against unwelcome takeover attempts. However, such takeover defences have been the subject of some controversy, both in terms of their motivations and their effectiveness. This paper presents an empirical investigation into the use and impact of post-bid takeover defences within recent UK hostile acquisitions. Specifically, using data from 56 contested takeover approaches, the study explores the impact of individual defence tactics on the eventual outcome of the takeover attempt, the bid premium offered to shareholders, and the level of executive retention within the target company. Statistical analysis reveals that 'white knights' and 'management buy outs' were the most effective takeover defences and suggests that other commonly employed defence tactics, including the lobbying of stakeholders and regulatory appeals, have a weak and indecisive impact on bid outcome. Furthermore, once in a contested situation, the capacity of executives to use takeover defences either to entrench themselves or to boost the bid premium for shareholders was found to be limited. The findings provide important insights for executives faced with a takeover approach. Author Affiliation: Cranfield School of Management