Racial Pedagogy of the Oppressed: Critical Interracial Dialogue for Teachers of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohli, Rita

2012-01-01

Brazilian education activist Paulo Freire (1970) argues that to create social change, oppressed people must have critical consciousness about their conditions, and that this consciousness is developed through dialogue. He theorizes that dialogue allows for reflection and unity building, tools needed to transform society. When considering racial…

Undocumented Latino Student Activists' Funds of Knowledge: Transforming Social Movements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Nicholas

2017-01-01

There are approximately 28,000 to 55,000 undocumented enrolled in postsecondary institutions in the United States (Passel, 2003). In order to achieve their educational ambitions despite the structural social, socioeconomic, political, and legislative barriers facing them, undocumented students utilize various resources they have at their disposal.…

Critical Qualitative Research Reader. Critical Qualitative Research. Volume 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinberg, Shirley R., Ed.; Cannella, Gaile S., Ed.

2012-01-01

This volume of transformed research utilizes an activist approach to examine the notion that nothing is apolitical. Research projects themselves are critically examined for power orientations, even as they are used to address curricular problems and educational or societal issues. Philosophical perspectives that have facilitated an understanding…

Health Activism Targeting Corporations: A Critical Health Communication Perspective.

PubMed

Zoller, Heather M

2017-02-01

Health activists and health social movements have transformed medical treatment, promoted public health policies, and extended civil rights for people with illness and disability. This essay explores health activism that targets corporate-generated illness and risk in order to understand the unique communicative challenges involved in this area of contention. Arguing for greater critical engagement with policy, the article integrates policy research with social movements, subpolitics, and issue management literature. Drawing from activist discourse and multidisciplinary research, the article describes how a wide array of groups groups build visibility for corporate health effects, create the potential for networking and collaboration, and politicize health by attributing illness to corporate behaviors. The discussion articulates the implications of this activism for health communication theory, research, and practice.

Lessons in Copyright Activism: K-12 Education and the DMCA 1201 Exemption Rulemaking Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Renee

2016-01-01

Digital learning is being transformed by changes in copyright law. This article discusses the author's personal journey as a copyright education activist through two rounds of rulemaking proceedings before the Copyright Office concerning the anti-circumvention provisions of one part of the copyright law, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act…

Strike, Occupy, Transform! Students, Subjectivity and Struggle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pusey, André

2016-01-01

This article uses student activism to explore the way in which activists are challenging the student as consumer model through a series of experiments that blend pedagogy and protest. Specifically, I suggest that Higher Education is increasingly becoming an arena of the post-political, and I argue that one of the ways this student-consumer…

Performing Transformation in the Community University of the Rivers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Dan Baron

2015-01-01

Dan Baron Cohen is a community-based art educator and cultural activist of Welsh-Quebecois origin, who lives and works in the Brazilian Amazon city of Maraba. After completing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Oxford University, he developed collaborations with young people and their post-industrial communities at risk in northern England…

Use of the Transformative Framework in Mixed Methods Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweetman, David; Badiee, Manijeh; Creswell, John W.

2010-01-01

A concern exists that mixed methods studies do not contain advocacy stances. Preliminary evidence suggests that this is not the case, but to address this issue in more depth the authors examined 13 mixed methods studies that contained an advocacy, transformative lens. Such a lens consisted of incorporating intent to advocate for an improvement in…

Two Good Gay Teachers: Pioneering Advocate-Practitioners Confronting Homophobia in Schooling in British Columbia, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grace, André P.

2017-01-01

This article investigates the political, cultural, and educational work of two pioneering Canadian gay teachers during the 1990s: James Chamberlain and Murray Corren. These advocate-practitioners took up roles as social activists, cultural workers, and engaged teachers whose transgressive acts focused on the social and cultural transformation of…

Dandelion Seeds: Poetry as Performance and Research for Social Justice in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanley, Mary Stone

2013-01-01

A rally in Washington, DC to transform the U. S. schools provided an example of merging poetry, performance, and research for social justice activism. The arts-based research forms of a/r/tography and performance ethnography provided the poet/performer/researcher/activist with frameworks of sense-making that were fluid, intrasubjective, and…

Creative Disruption: The Emergence of Transformational Leaders and Educator Activists during a "Teach-Out"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Danielle

2014-01-01

This study examined instructional and attitudinal changes influencing faculty members in a proprietary college after the parent company divorced itself from day-to-day leadership decisions during a "teach-out." A teach-out is the process of school closure, when the college stops enrolling new students, but teaches out currently enrolled…

Pedagogies of Dissent and Transformation: A Dialogue about Post Modernity, Social Context, and the Politics of Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaren, Peter; Gutierrez, Kris

1994-01-01

Two activist teacher educators discuss the ravages of global capitalism, abandonment of American cities, breakdown of Keynesian economics, dismantling of the welfare state, and resulting dissolution of identities and entire lives. Schools must fight social injustice and racism. Teachers should pursue classroom-based research that investigates the…

Online network organization of Barcelona en Comú, an emergent movement-party.

PubMed

Aragón, Pablo; Gallego, Helena; Laniado, David; Volkovich, Yana; Kaltenbrunner, Andreas

2017-01-01

The emerging grassroots party Barcelona en Comú won the 2015 Barcelona City Council election. This candidacy was devised by activists involved in the Spanish 15M movement to transform citizen outrage into political change. On the one hand, the 15M movement was based on a decentralized structure. On the other hand, political science literature postulates that parties develop oligarchical leadership structures. This tension motivates to examine whether Barcelona en Comú preserved a decentralized structure or adopted a conventional centralized organization. In this study we develop a computational methodology to characterize the online network organization of every party in the election campaign on Twitter. Results on the network of retweets reveal that, while traditional parties are organized in a single cluster, for Barcelona en Comú two well-defined groups co-exist: a centralized cluster led by the candidate and party accounts, and a decentralized cluster with the movement activists. Furthermore, results on the network of replies also shows a dual structure: a cluster around the candidate receiving the largest attention from other parties, and another with the movement activists exhibiting a higher predisposition to dialogue with other parties.

Interdisciplinarity and Social Justice: Revisioning Academic Accountability. SUNY Series, Praxis--Theory in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Joe, Ed.; Samantrai, Ranu, Ed.; Romero, Mary, Ed.

2010-01-01

In the 1960s and 1970s, activists who focused on the academy as a key site for fostering social change began by querying the assumptions of the traditional disciplines and transforming their curricula, putting into place women's and ethnic studies programs that changed both the subject and methods of scholarship. The pattern of scholars and…

Catching the Spark: Student Activism and Student Data as a Catalyst for Systemic Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Debra; McCambly, Heather; Durham, Brian

2016-01-01

The newest student activist movement appears to be amplifying what some higher education practitioners have talked about for a long time: students of color have been granted access to an educational opportunity that was not as advertised, and the result is not good enough. Others are shining the spotlight on race, class, identity, and equity as…

Power to the People: Tribal Activists Transform Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talahongva, Patty

2010-01-01

When everyone told them it couldn't be done, Joe McDonald, Ed.D., remembers how firmly tribal leaders stuck to their guns and helped draft federal legislation to fund the tribal college system. When her own husband questioned her efforts to get a college degree, Alvena Oldman ignored his cutting remarks and kept on taking classes. When people try…

Forum: Communication Activism Pedagogy. Critical Pedagogy Meets Transformation: Creating the Being of Communication Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Matthew C. J.; Tracy, Sarah J.

2017-01-01

Communication activism pedagogy (CAP) is rooted in many of the same ideals as participatory action research (e.g., attending to issues of social inequality and oppression with the goal of enacting social change). Not only does participatory action serve an important role in taking research outside of the ivory tower, but also it notably gives…

Place-based education: a transformative activist stance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coughlin, Christine A.; Kirch, Susan A.

2010-12-01

The ethnography presented by van Eijck and Roth focuses on the activities of people involved in a government funded internship program in conservation and restoration, which was offered by a `multidisciplinary research center' through a local First Nation adult education center. The internship was designed, in partnership with a local non-profit conservation society (OceanHealth), to appeal to First Nation men and women considering career change, returning to school, or re-entering the work place. The primary aim of the internship was to `provide authentic science for diverse student populations (and their teachers), with particular attention to the needs of students from First Nations, to become scientifically literate to the extent that it prepares them for participating in public debates, community decision-making, and personal living consistent with long-term environmentally sustainable forms of life'. The authors report that at least one of the two interns was not interested in science and a WSÁNEC elder expressed dissatisfaction with the efforts to establish the nature park and its current approved uses. Van Eijck and Roth argue that the divergence between the project aims and the goals of the participants are a result of how `place' is viewed in place-based education and that disagreements like these can be resolved if place is theorized as chronotope. There are many interesting ideas raised and directions taken in the article by van Eijck and Roth. After several discussions during the review process, we decided to focus our forum response on the meaning of `place' in place-based education, the utility of theorizing place as a chronotope, the implications for teaching-learning (`education'), and musings on what remains unclear.

Virtually There--Transforming Gifted Education through New Technologies, Trends and Practices in Learning, International Communication and Global Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eriksson, Gillian

2012-01-01

"It is the year 2025 and I am compiling this article for an instant VPD (videopod) that is streamed over the world. An EESR (Educational Expert Service Request) came from an empathetic computer HIAS (Hi, I am Sam) that matched my qualifications with a quest by online activists SFT (Searching for Truth) to examine global interactions in…

Protest Music as Adult Education and Learning for Social Change: A Theorisation of a Public Pedagogy of Protest Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haycock, John

2015-01-01

Since the 1960's, the transformative power of protest music has been shrouded in mythology. Sown by musical activists like Pete Seeger, who declared that protest music could "help to save the planet", the seeds of this myth have since taken deep root in the popular imagination. While the mythology surrounding the relationship between…

"Can I Do It in My Pajamas?" Negotiating a Physical Education Curriculum with Teenage Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enright, Eimear; O'Sullivan, Mary

2010-01-01

The data for this paper were generated during a three-year, Participatory Action Research project, with 41 15-19-year-old female co-researchers and activists, within and beyond the walls of a secondary school. The purpose of the larger study was to work with these students to understand and transform their self-identified barriers to physical…

Transpersonalism: Ego Meets Soul.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strohl, James E.

1998-01-01

The transpersonal approach has emerged from mainstream psychology to address the effects of spirituality and consciousness on personal transformation and health, and to explore optimal levels of human functioning. This article provides an overview of the historical development, scientific basis, philosophical stance, theoretical principles, and…

The Prison Houses of Knowledge: Activist Scholarship and Revolution in the Era of "Globalization"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Souza, Radha

2009-01-01

The rise of new social movements has produced an emerging discourse on activist scholarship. There is considerable ambiguity about what the term means. In this article I draw on my work as a trade unionist, political activist, and activist lawyer in Mumbai, and later as a social justice activist in New Zealand to reflect on the meaning of activist…

Elementary Classroom Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Elizabeth A.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand how elementary classroom Web sites support children's literacy. From a sociocultural perspective of literacy and a transformative stance toward the integration of literacy and technology, and building on explorations of new literacies, I discuss opportunities provided by the Internet that can support…

Evolution of the environmental justice movement: activism, formalization and differentiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colsa Perez, Alejandro; Grafton, Bernadette; Mohai, Paul; Hardin, Rebecca; Hintzen, Katy; Orvis, Sara

2015-10-01

To complement a recent flush of research on transnational environmental justice movements, we sought a deeper organizational history of what we understand as the contemporary environmental justice movement in the United States. We thus conducted in-depth interviews with 31 prominent environmental justice activists, scholars, and community leaders across the US. Today’s environmental justice groups have transitioned from specific local efforts to broader national and global mandates, and more sophisticated political, technological, and activist strategies. One of the most significant transformations has been the number of groups adopting formal legal status, and emerging as registered environmental justice organizations (REJOs) within complex partnerships. This article focuses on the emergence of REJOs, and describes the respondents’ views about the implications of this for more local grassroots groups. It reveals a central irony animating work across groups in today’s movement: legal formalization of many environmental justice organizations has made the movement increasingly internally differentiated, dynamic, and networked, even as the passage of actual national laws on environmental justice has proven elusive.

Activist model of political party growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffs, Rebecca A.; Hayward, John; Roach, Paul A.; Wyburn, John

2016-01-01

The membership of British political parties has a direct influence on their political effectiveness. This paper applies the mathematics of epidemiology to the analysis of the growth and decline of such memberships. The party members are divided into activists and inactive members, where all activists influence the quality of party recruitment, but only a subset of activists recruit and thus govern numerical growth. The activists recruit for only a limited period, which acts as a restriction on further party growth. This Limited Activist model is applied to post-war and recent memberships of the Labour, Scottish National and Conservative parties. The model reproduces data trends, and relates realistically to historical narratives. It is concluded that the political parties analysed are not in danger of extinction but experience repeated periods of growth and decline in membership, albeit at lower numbers than in the past.

Resident Teachers Take an Inquiry Stance: The Impact of Guided Collaborative Inquiry Groups on the Development of Guided Reading Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crain de Galarce, Patricia

2014-01-01

Urban schools are struggling to hire and retain effective literacy teachers. Alternative certification programs throughout the country seek to bridge the achievement gap and to bring qualified teachers to underserved classrooms. This dissertation explores the transformative inquiry of developing "resident" teachers in their journey as…

Awakening Vision: Examining the Reconceptualization of Aboriginal Education in Canada via Kaupapa Maori Praxis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rico, Braden

2013-01-01

Kaupapa Maori theory was conceptualized in the 1980s in New Zealand as a framework for revolutionizing Indigenous education. Its success marks it as a transformational praxis beneficial to educators beyond the shores of Aotearoa. This theory propounds a practical, proactive stance that enables a shift in thinking away from the psychology of…

To Transform or to Reproduce: Critical Examination of Teacher Inquiry within Early Childhood Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Sophia; Blank, Jolyn; Berson, Ilene R.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine how and to what extent preservice teachers (PSTs) who engage in teacher inquiry develop a critical reflective stance towards their teaching practices in early childhood classrooms. As we, a team of early childhood teacher educators, incorporated teacher inquiry into our reformed early childhood teacher…

A Problem-Solving Conceptual Framework and Its Implications in Designing Problem-Posing Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Florence Mihaela; Voica, Cristian

2013-01-01

The links between the mathematical and cognitive models that interact during problem solving are explored with the purpose of developing a reference framework for designing problem-posing tasks. When the process of solving is a successful one, a solver successively changes his/her cognitive stances related to the problem via transformations that…

Gamification of Learning and Teaching in Schools--A Critical Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buck, Marc Fabian

2017-01-01

The ongoing transformation of learning and teaching is one facet of the progressing digitalization of all aspects of life. Gamification's aim is to change learning for the better by making use of the motivating effects of (digital) games and elements typical of games, like experience points, levelling, quests, rankings etc. Especially in the light…

The Values of Australian Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellerman, D. A.; Feather, N. T.

1976-01-01

Relevant literature on student activism was reviewed so as to discover leads for predictions about differences between activists and non-activists in the way they might be expected to rank the terminal and instrumental values from Rokeach's Value Survey. (Editor)

Clout, activists and budget: The road to presidency.

PubMed

Böttcher, Lucas; Herrmann, Hans J; Gersbach, Hans

2018-01-01

Political campaigns involve, in the simplest case, two competing campaign groups which try to obtain a majority of votes. We propose a novel mathematical framework to study political campaign dynamics on social networks whose constituents are either political activists or persuadable individuals. Activists are convinced and do not change their opinion and they are able to move around in the social network to motivate persuadable individuals to vote according to their opinion. We describe the influence of the complex interplay between the number of activists, political clout, budgets, and campaign costs on the campaign result. We also identify situations where the choice of one campaign group to send a certain number of activists already pre-determines their victory. Moreover, we show that a candidate's advantage in terms of political clout can overcome a substantial budget disadvantage or a lower number of activists, as illustrated by the US presidential election 2016.

Clout, activists and budget: The road to presidency

PubMed Central

Herrmann, Hans J.; Gersbach, Hans

2018-01-01

Political campaigns involve, in the simplest case, two competing campaign groups which try to obtain a majority of votes. We propose a novel mathematical framework to study political campaign dynamics on social networks whose constituents are either political activists or persuadable individuals. Activists are convinced and do not change their opinion and they are able to move around in the social network to motivate persuadable individuals to vote according to their opinion. We describe the influence of the complex interplay between the number of activists, political clout, budgets, and campaign costs on the campaign result. We also identify situations where the choice of one campaign group to send a certain number of activists already pre-determines their victory. Moreover, we show that a candidate’s advantage in terms of political clout can overcome a substantial budget disadvantage or a lower number of activists, as illustrated by the US presidential election 2016. PMID:29494627

How Activism Features in the Career Lives of Four Generations of Canadian Nurses.

PubMed

MacDonnell, Judith A; Buck-McFadyen, Ellen

2016-11-01

Recent nursing research using a critical feminist lens challenges the prevailing view of political inertia in nursing. This comparative life history study using a critical feminist lens explores the relevance of activism with four generations of Canadian nurses. Purposeful sampling of Ontario nurses resulted in 40 participants who were diverse in terms of generation, practice setting, and activist practice. Interviews and focus groups were completed with the sample of Ontario registered nurses or undergraduate and graduate nursing students: 8 Generation X, 9 Generation Y (Millennials), 20 Boomers, and 3 Overboomers. Factors such as professional norms and personal and organizational supports shaped contradictory nursing activist identities, practices, and impacts. Gendered norms, organizational dynamics, and the political landscape influenced the meanings nurses attributed to critical incidents and influences that prompted activism inside and outside the workplace, shaping the transformative potential of nursing. Despite its limitations, the study has implications for creating professional and organizational supports for consideration of health politics and policy, and spaces for dialogue to support practice and research aligned with social justice goals.

Reviewing responsibilities and renewing relationships: an intervention with men on violence against women in India.

PubMed

Das, Abhijit; Mogford, Elizabeth; Singh, Satish K; Barbhuiya, Ruhul Amin; Chandra, Shishir; Wahl, Rachel

2012-01-01

Violence against women is increasingly seen as a key women's rights issue in India. Some efforts to address it have started to engage men. The current study focuses on the impacts of Men's Action to Stop Violence Against Women (MASVAW), a network of men working on gender-based violence in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which MASVAW activists incorporate gender-equitable attitudes and practices into their own lives and to identify their influence on men around them. The cross-sectional study includes three groups: activists, men living in an area where activists conducted outreach activities and a control group living in an area with no MASVAW activities. Both activists and activist influenced men scored higher on measures of gender-equitable beliefs and practices than controls, suggesting that MASVAW activism is successful. Furthermore, men from the activist influenced group scored higher in gender progressiveness even if they did not have contact with MASVAW themselves, suggesting a diffusion effect of social change. However, there were some areas where the activists had low scores, suggesting need for additional inputs.

Teacher Perceptions of Their Roles and Adoption of Educational Technology: Challenges in the Chinese Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Chang

2010-01-01

In the new digital and knowledge society, education is facing great challenges in transitioning from traditional ways of instruction and learning toward more innovative approaches. It also raises great demands for the transformation of the teacher role from that of the traditional knowledge transmitter to a new stance. This article focuses on the…

Less Hope, More Paint: On the Political War Being Waged in Urban Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boda, Phillip A.

2017-01-01

In this response to the call for transformative models of teaching students in urban contexts, the author presents his own experiences in becoming a critical pedagogue, the path that led him there, and three models of classrooms that he sees in such contexts. He emphasizes the need to reject an apolitical stance in urban education, and provides a…

The ambiguities of the 'partnership' between civil society and the state in Uganda's AIDS response during the 1990s and 2000s as demonstrated in the development of TASO.

PubMed

Grebe, Eduard

2016-01-01

This article critically investigates state-civil society relations in the Ugandan AIDS response by tracing the history of Uganda's 'multisectoral' and 'partnership' approaches, particularly as it pertains to The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO). It finds that the Ugandan government's reputation for good leadership on AIDS is more ambiguous than commonly supposed and that the much-vaunted 'partnership' approach has not enabled strong critical civil society voices to emerge or prevented the harmful impact of a socially conservative agenda. By the 1990s, TASO had become the most important provider of medical and psychosocial support services to HIV/AIDS patients, but was less effective in influencing policy or holding the state accountable (because the political context prevented a more activist stance). The effectiveness of civil society has been constrained by an authoritarian political culture and institutions that discourage vocal criticism. Despite these limitations, however, state-civil society partnership did contribute to the emergence of a relatively effective coalition for action against HIV/AIDS. Donors were essential in encouraging the emergence of this coalition.

Toward Social Movement Activist Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez, Rhoda Rae; Lipman, Pauline

2016-01-01

In this article, we grapple with possibilities and dilemmas of activist scholarship in the struggle for education justice and political power. As activists and scholars, our social movement praxis seeks to produce knowledge that shifts the dominant neoliberal policy discourse, exposes racism inherent in neoliberal education policies, and supports…

Perspectives of Social Justice Activists: Advocating against Native-Themed Mascots, Nicknames, and Logos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinfeldt, Jesse A.; Foltz, Brad D.; LaFollette, Julie R.; White, Mattie R.; Wong, Y. Joel; Steinfeldt, Matthew Clint

2012-01-01

This study investigated perspectives of social justice activists who directly advocate for eliminating Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos. Using consensual qualitative research methodology, the research team analyzed transcripts of interviews conducted with 11 social justice activists to generate themes, categories, and domains within the…

Proposed Junior College Administrative Action and Reaction to the Student Activist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anders, Don F.

This study examined student activists and their characteristics, demands, and goals. Student politics no longer retain only their traditional liberalism, but include many philosophies--idealism, revolution, conservatism, reaction, etc. Four traits shared by the activists were a desire to master frustration rather than conform, a will to change…

Leveraging complex understandings of urban education for transformative science pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Natalie R.; Ingber, Jenny; McLaughlin, Cheryl A.

2014-12-01

Despite the abundance of literature that attests to a myriad of complex and entrenched problems within urban education, the authors of this forum maintain that in addition to shedding light on oppressive structures and ideologies, critical pedagogues must remain steadfastly engaged in solution-oriented endeavors. Using Cheryl McLaughlin's analysis as a worthy starting point, we consider both old paradigms and new ideas regarding the transformation of public science education. Topics for discussion include theoretical framing, urban teacher preparation, science education reform approaches, and the role of scholarship. While it is evident that securing rigorous and empowering science education for diverse learners will require arduous, collective effort on many fronts, this text upholds a sense of optimism in the potential of activist-teacher-researchers to overcome barriers to liberatory science teaching and learning.

Youth Activists: Be Proud of Who You Are, and Never Stop Fighting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carabello, Licelot; Donahue, Aidan; Merlain, Thaina

2017-01-01

This article presents an interview with three high school seniors who discuss the highest priorities for their activism, advice they would give to other student and adult activists, and what they would like to pass on to younger student activists right now as they look toward the next four years.

Teacher Activist Organizations and the Development of Professional Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Rand; Carl, Nicole Mittenfelner

2015-01-01

Teacher professional agency refers to the ability of teachers to control their work within structural constraints. In this paper, we show how teacher activist organizations can assist in the development of professional agency. We focus on a teacher activist organization in a large urban district in the United States and identify three…

Community Colleges Are Key to "Green" Jobs, Activist Says

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCandlish, Laura

2008-01-01

This article reports on the message of an environmental activist during a speech last week at a conference of the National Council for Workforce Education. According to the environmental activist Van Jones, community colleges play a pivotal role in pushing the fossil-fuel-dependent economy toward a reliance on renewable energy. A community…

Sense of Cohesion among Community Activists Engaging in Volunteer Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Drorit; Itzhaky, Haya; Zanbar, Lea; Schwartz, Chaya

2012-01-01

The present article attempts to shed light on the direct and indirect contribution of personal resources and community indices to Sense of Cohesion among activists engaging in community volunteer work. The sample comprised 481 activists. Based on social systems theory, three levels of variables were examined: (1) inputs, which included personal…

Occupy Activists, Moved or Not by Secondary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abendroth, Mark

2014-01-01

This article explores whether and how activists who identify with the Occupy movement think of their secondary schooling as influential upon their activism. Testimonies of six activists from two small focus groups reveal a range from those who claimed no such influence to those who saw a significant connection. The diversity among the six was…

The Writing on the Wall: Activist Rhetorics, Public Writing, and Responsible Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundvall, Scott; Fredlund, Katherine

2017-01-01

Drawing from their experiences teaching two different activism-focused writing courses, the authors consider the benefits, pitfalls, and potential dangers of activist writing pedagogy. Scott provides a retrospective on a rhetoric and writing course focused on the employment of digital rhetoric, while Katherine reflects on an activist-rhetoric…

Framing a 'social problem': Emotion in anti-abortion activists' depiction of the abortion debate.

PubMed

Ntontis, Evangelos; Hopkins, Nick

2018-02-27

Social psychological research on activism typically focuses on individuals' social identifications. We complement such research through exploring how activists frame an issue as a social problem. Specifically, we explore anti-abortion activists' representation of abortion and the abortion debate's protagonists so as to recruit support for the anti-abortion cause. Using interview data obtained with UK-based anti-abortion activists (N = 15), we consider how activists characterized women having abortions, pro-abortion campaigners, and anti-abortion campaigners. In particular, we consider the varied ways in which emotion featured in the representation of these social actors. Emotion featured in different ways. Sometimes, it was depicted as constituting embodied testament to the nature of reality. Sometimes, it was depicted as blocking the rational appraisal of reality. Our analysis considers how such varied meanings of emotion shaped the characterization of abortion and the abortion debate's protagonists such that anti-abortion activists were construed as speaking for women and their interests. We discuss how our analysis of the framing of issues as social problems complements and extends social psychological analyses of activism. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

What Recourse for the Principal Abused by Community Activists? The Case of "Stevens v. Tillman."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menacker, Julius

1990-01-01

"Stevens v. Tillman" illustrates the limited reach of federal law in controversies where community activists use extreme, even illegal, methods to exert their will over objecting school officials. Defamation charges against activists for verbal abuses will apparently be very difficult to sustain, given court views that being called a…

Relieving Burnout and the "Martyr Syndrome" among Social Justice Education Activists: The Implications and Effects of Mindfulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorski, Paul C.

2015-01-01

Activist burnout, which causes activists to disengage from their activism, is a formidable barrier to the sustainability of social justice movements, including those focused on social justice in educational contexts. However, the cultures of these movements often disregard the importance of self-care, seeing it as self-indulgence, putting…

Student Activists in Higher Education: Exploring the Relationships between Perceptions of Culture and Change Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ropers-Huilman, Becky; Carwile, Laura; Lee, Crystal; Barnett, Kathy

This study focused on how student activists' perceptions of institutional culture affect the nature and extent of their behaviors. Student activism was defined as more than just organizational involvement; instead, it implied involvement in and commitment to social change or social justice. Interviews were conducted with 26 student activists at a…

Global Internet Video Classroom: A Technology Supported Learner-Centered Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Oliver

2010-01-01

The Global Internet Video Classroom (GIVC) Project connected Chicago Civil Rights activists of the 1960s with Cape Town Anti-Apartheid activists of the 1960s in a classroom setting where learners from Cape Town and Chicago engaged activists in conversations about their motivation, principles, and strategies. The project was launched in order to…

Inventing Citizens, Imagining Gender Justice: The Suffrage Rhetoric of Virginia and Francis Minor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Angela G.; Richards, Cindy Koenig

2007-01-01

From the late 1860s through the mid-1870s, woman suffrage activists developed an ingenious legal argument, claiming that the U.S. Constitution already enfranchised women citizens. The argument, first articulated by St. Louis activists Virginia and Francis Minor, precipitated rhetorical performances by movement activists on public platforms and in…

Activist engineering: changing engineering practice by deploying praxis.

PubMed

Karwat, Darshan M A; Eagle, Walter E; Wooldridge, Margaret S; Princen, Thomas E

2015-02-01

In this paper, we reflect on current notions of engineering practice by examining some of the motives for engineered solutions to the problem of climate change. We draw on fields such as science and technology studies, the philosophy of technology, and environmental ethics to highlight how dominant notions of apoliticism and ahistoricity are ingrained in contemporary engineering practice. We argue that a solely technological response to climate change does not question the social, political, and cultural tenet of infinite material growth, one of the root causes of climate change. In response to the contemporary engineering practice, we define an activist engineer as someone who not only can provide specific engineered solutions, but who also steps back from their work and tackles the question, What is the real problem and does this problem "require" an engineering intervention? Solving complex problems like climate change requires radical cultural change, and a significant obstacle is educating engineers about how to conceive of and create "authentic alternatives," that is, solutions that differ from the paradigm of "technologically improving" our way out of problems. As a means to realize radically new solutions, we investigate how engineers might (re)deploy the concept of praxis, which raises awareness in engineers of the inherent politics of technological design. Praxis empowers engineers with a more comprehensive understanding of problems, and thus transforms technologies, when appropriate, into more socially just and ecologically sensitive interventions. Most importantly, praxis also raises a radical alternative rarely considered-not "engineering a solution." Activist engineering offers a contrasting method to contemporary engineering practice and leads toward social justice and ecological protection through problem solving by asking not, How will we technologize our way out of the problems we face? but instead, What really needs to be done?

Lives of women and men active in the social protests of the 1960s: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Franz, C E; McClelland, D C

1994-01-01

This study found that 46 of 116 children from the R. R. Sears, E. E. Maccoby, and H. Levin (1957) child-rearing study classified at age 31 as participants in the protest movements of the 1960s came more often from middle-class families and attained higher educational levels than their counterparts who did not participate in the protests. In midlife, activists remained more rebellious and altruistic than their peers of equivalent education. Sixties activists did better in grade school and had positive permissive parents at age 5. Parenting style was associated with doing well in school only in girls. As adults, female activists were less involved in family life and had better jobs than their peers. Male activists did less well occupationally and were less happy than their male peers or the female activists.

Organising, Educating, and Training: Varieties of Activist Learning in Left Social Movements in Sheffield (UK)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grayson, John

2011-01-01

The article is based on activist research working in an anti-deportation social movement, and on sixteen interviews with both experienced and less experienced activists between 2009 and 2011. The anti deportation social movement made up of a range of organisations, is identified as a left social movement situated in an historic producer…

Exploring an Activist Approach of Working with Boys from Socially Vulnerable Backgrounds in a Sport Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luguetti, Carla; Oliver, Kimberly L.; Kirk, David; Dantas, Luiz

2017-01-01

This study explores an activist approach for co-creating a prototype pedagogical model of sport for working with boys from socially vulnerable backgrounds. This paper addresses the key features that emerged when we identified what facilitated and hindered the boys' engagement in sport. This study was an activist research project that was conducted…

"Frayed All Over:" the Causes and Consequences of Activist Burnout among Social Justice Education Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorski, Paul C.; Chen, Cher

2015-01-01

Despite the growing body of scholarship on burnout among social justice activists who are working on a variety of issues, from labor rights to queer justice, little attention has been paid to burnout among those whose activism focuses on issues of educational justice. To begin to address this omission and understand what supports might help social…

From Theorizing in the Ivory Tower to Creating Change with the People: Activist Research as a Framework for Collaborative Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Denisha

2017-01-01

This article provides an overview of activist research and how it is used in various field including anthropology, social movements, and education. It discusses the impetus for incorporating activism into theoretical frameworks and research methodologies and the distinct aspects of activist research. Youth participatory action research is examined…

Nurses Respond to Healthcare Restructuring: The Transformation of the Massachusetts Nurses Association

PubMed Central

Wilson, Beth; Slatin, Craig; O’Sullivan, Michael

2018-01-01

The most recent period of Massachusetts healthcare system reorganization began in the early 1980s. In part, this has been a response to soaring healthcare costs, countering them with diminished reimbursements. To decrease labor costs and survive in an increasingly competitive and market-driven healthcare environment, hospitals downsized and laid off nursing staff. Patient care and safety has concomitantly suffered. These efforts severely challenged nurses’ status. Radicalized rank and file members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association mobilized against the association leadership’s weak efforts to protect nurses’ social and economic interests and the deteriorating quality of care. They transformed an association whose main focus was supporting nursing’s professional image to one which became an activist labor union of professional workers. The history of this often contentious transformation is presented here within the context of these healthcare system changes. The MNA’s successes and pending challenges within the Massachusetts healthcare system are also discussed. PMID:16803745

From "Anna O." to Bertha Pappenheim: transforming private pain into public action.

PubMed

Kimball, M M

2000-02-01

Bertha Pappenheim ("Anna O,") was treated for hysteria by Josef Breuer when she was a young adult. As a mature adult she became a leading social worker, writer, and feminist activist in the German Jewish community. This article examines her therapy with Breuer, her own struggle for recovery, and some links between her earlier and later life, in particular the lack of intimate relationships in her life and her work against the victimization of women. Throughout the article psychoanalytic interpretations, social history, and feminist analyses are integrated to provide a contextualized examination of Pappenheim's life.

The Making of a Feminist: Spaces of Self-Formation among Latina Immigrant Activists in Madrid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyrness, Andrea

2016-01-01

This article explores the role and meaning of auto-formación (self-formation) in the making of feminist, activist identities among Latin American activist women in Madrid, Spain. I argue that auto-formación, a collective process of self-recovery and consciousness-raising that is shared by third world feminists around the world, allows migrant…

Stigma, activism, and well-being among people living with HIV.

PubMed

Earnshaw, Valerie A; Rosenthal, Lisa; Lang, Shawn M

2016-01-01

Evidence demonstrates that HIV stigma undermines the psychological and physical health of people living with HIV (PLWH). Yet, PLWH describe engaging in HIV activism to challenge stigma, and research suggests that individuals may benefit from activism. We examine associations between experiences of HIV stigma and HIV activism, and test whether HIV activists benefit from greater well-being than non-activists. Participants include 93 PLWH recruited from drop-in centers, housing programs, and other organizations providing services to PLWH in the Northeastern USA between 2012 and 2013 (mean age = 50 years; 56% Black, 20% White, 18% Other; 61% non-Latino(a), 39% Latino(a); 59% male, 38% female, 3% transgender; 82% heterosexual, 15% sexual minority). Participants completed a cross-sectional written survey. Results of regression analyses suggest that PLWH who experienced greater enacted stigma engaged in greater HIV activism. Anticipated, internalized, and perceived public stigma, however, were unrelated to HIV activism. Moreover, results of a multivariate analysis of variance suggest that HIV activists reported greater social network integration, greater social well-being, greater engagement in active coping with discrimination, and greater meaning in life than non-activists. Yet, HIV activists also reported somewhat greater depressive symptoms than non-activists, suggesting that the association between HIV activism and well-being is complex. By differentiating between HIV stigma mechanisms, the current study provides a more nuanced understanding of which experiences of HIV stigma may be associated with HIV activism. It further suggests that engagement in activism may offer benefits to PLWH, while raising the possibility that activists could experience greater depressive symptoms than non-activists. Given the preliminary nature of this study, future research should continue to examine these complex associations between HIV stigma, activism, and well-being among PLWH. As this work continues, PLWH, as well as interventionists and clinicians invested in improving well-being among PLWH, should carefully weigh the benefits and potential costs of activism.

Managing between the agendas: implementing health care reform policy in an acute care hospital.

PubMed

Sorensen, Roslyn; Paull, Glenn; Magann, Linda; Davis, JanMaree

2013-01-01

This paper aims to assess administrative and clinical manager stances on health system reform. Understanding these stances will help to identify cultural differences and competing agendas between these two key health service stakeholders and contribute to developing strategies to improve organisational performance. A qualitative methodology was used comprising in-depth open-ended interviews conducted in 2007 with 26 administrative and clinical managers who managed clinical units. This paper provides empirical insights into the ways that administrative and clinical mangers conceive of their managerial roles in relation to health care reform and performance improvement in health services. The findings suggest that developing a hybrid clinical manager culture as a means to bridge the gap between administrative and clinical manager stances on reform objectives, while possible, is not yet being realised. The research has relevance for health services that are experiencing organisational transformation. However, its location in one health service limits the generalisability of findings to other sites. Further research is needed to assess the opportunities for a hybrid culture to emerge as well as its effect. While attention is predominantly directed to clinician groups as a key stakeholder in implementing health reform policies, this paper has implications for how administrative managers also structure their roles and responsibilities to create an organisational climate conducive to change. This will include strategies to support clinical managers to make the transition from a predominantly clinical, to a clinical managerial, orientation. This paper addresses a significant problem in health service governance, namely the divide between the value stances of dual hierarchies. This problem is only now gaining prominence as a significant barrier to health reform.

Fostering Sustained Climate Engagement and Collaborative Leadership through Creativity and Science-Informed Arts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rothballer, K.; Sturges, M. J.

2016-12-01

Join veteran artist/activist Molly Sturges for a presentation on FIREROCK: PASS THE SPARK performances and engagement processes that foster personal and collective creativity for sustained climate engagement and collaborative leadership. FIREROCK: PASS THE ROCK opens in San Francisco in October 2016. This project is an evolving, long-term, social innovation project that has been developed with faith, Indigenous and directly impacted communities as well as schools, towns and universities. Informed by science, social justice, Indigenous knowledge, and grassroots activism FIREROCK includes performances that are accompanied by a series of activities designed to build community and engineer creative spaces for dialogue and response. The FIREROCK team has found that people are excited to engage around climate when there are venues available for expressivity and meaningful exchange. FIREROCK supports us in moving from our current stance in which we are paralyzed— often not knowing what to do or how to act—to seeing ourselves as part of the solution. FIREROCK is a family-friendly catalytic musical journey inviting people into the complexity of climate change and sparking an inspired response to the mythic challenges of our time. Through story, song and unique engagement experiences, FIREROCK builds community towards action and solutions. FIREROCK provides partners with everything they need to make the project their own, including a comprehensive toolkit to assist groups in learning how to develop community partnerships, convene FIREROCK engagement activities and facilitate dialogue and skill sharing. This dynamic storytelling project is scalable and can be employed, adapted and localized by groups and communities nationwide as a powerful catalyst for climate engagement work. Molly Sturges is a national leader in arts, ecology and social change work. She is the Founding Artistic Director of Littleglobe, a diverse arts cooperative made up of artistic and cultural workers devoted to arts and social change. Sturges was a professor in Arts and Ecology at The University of New Mexico for six years before joining the faculty at The Academy for the Love of Learning. She recently founded The Institute for Living Story, a hub of participatory arts and social transformation projects.

Embodiment without bodies? Analysis of embodiment in US-based pro-breastfeeding and anti-male circumcision movements.

PubMed

Newman, Harmony D; Carpenter, Laura M

2014-06-01

This article uses the cases of pro-breastfeeding and anti-circumcision activism to complicate the prevailing conceptualisation of embodiment in research on embodied health movements (EHMs). Whereas most EHM activists draw on their own bodily experiences, in the breastfeeding and circumcision movements, embodiment by proxy is common. Activists use embodiment as a strategy but draw on physical sensations that they imagine for other people's bodies, rather than on those they experience themselves. Pro-breastfeeding activists, who seldom disclose whether they were themselves breastfed, target mothers, encouraging them to breastfeed rather than to formula feed their children in order to reduce their child's risk of disease. Anti-circumcision activists, only some of whom are circumcised men, urge parents to leave their sons' penises intact in order to avoid illness and disfigurement and to preserve the sons' rights to make their own informed decisions as adults. In both movements activists use embodiment as a persuasive strategy even though they themselves do not necessarily embody the risks of the negative health outcomes with which they are concerned. Future research on EHMs should reconceptualise EHMs to include embodiment by proxy and examine whether this important phenomenon systematically affects movement strategies and outcomes.

Short-Term Effect of Prosthesis Transforming Sensory Modalities on Walking in Stroke Patients with Hemiparesis

PubMed Central

Sekiguchi, Yusuke; Honda, Keita; Ishiguro, Akio

2016-01-01

Sensory impairments caused by neurological or physical disorders hamper kinesthesia, making rehabilitation difficult. In order to overcome this problem, we proposed and developed a novel biofeedback prosthesis called Auditory Foot for transforming sensory modalities, in which the sensor prosthesis transforms plantar sensations to auditory feedback signals. This study investigated the short-term effect of the auditory feedback prosthesis on walking in stroke patients with hemiparesis. To evaluate the effect, we compared four conditions of auditory feedback from plantar sensors at the heel and fifth metatarsal. We found significant differences in the maximum hip extension angle and ankle plantar flexor moment on the affected side during the stance phase, between conditions with and without auditory feedback signals. These results indicate that our sensory prosthesis could enhance walking performance in stroke patients with hemiparesis, resulting in effective short-term rehabilitation. PMID:27547456

Description of a research-based health activism curriculum for medical students.

PubMed

Cha, Stephen S; Ross, Joseph S; Lurie, Peter; Sacajiu, Galit

2006-12-01

Few curricula train medical students to engage in health system reform. To develop physician activists by teaching medical students the skills necessary to advocate for socially equitable health policies in the U.S. health system. Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. We designed a 1-month curriculum in research-based health activism to develop physician activists. The annual curriculum includes a student project and 4 course sections;health policy, research methods, advocacy, and physician activists as role models; taught by core faculty and volunteers from academic institutions, government, and nongovernmental organizations. From 2002 to 2005, 47 students from across the country have participated. Students reported improved capabilities to generate a research question, design a research proposal,and create an advocacy plan. Our curriculum demonstrates a model for training physician activists to engage in health systems reform.

Condemning violence without rejecting sexism? Exploring how young men understand intimate partner violence in Ecuador.

PubMed

Goicolea, Isabel; Öhman, Ann; Salazar Torres, Mariano; Morrás, Ione; Edin, Kerstin

2012-01-01

This study aims to explore young men's understanding of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ecuador, examining similarities and differences between how ordinary and activist young men conceptualize IPV against women. We conducted individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with 35 young men--five FGDs and five interviews with ordinary young men, and 11 interviews with activists--and analysed the data generated using qualitative content analysis. Among the ordinary young men the theme 'too much gender equality leads to IPV' emerged, while among the activists the theme 'gender inequality is the root of IPV'. Although both groups in our study rejected IPV, their positions differed, and we claim that this is relevant. While activists considered IPV as rooted in gender inequality, ordinary young men understood it as a response to the conflicts generated by increasing gender equality and women's attempts to gain autonomy.

Using Checklists to Assess Your Transition to Alternative Fuels: A Technical Reference

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Risch, C. E.; Santini, D. J.; Johnson, L. R.

The Checklist for Transition to New Alternative Fuel(s) was published in September 2011 by Chuck Risch and Dan Santini. Many improvements, described below, have been incorporated into this current document, Checklists for Assessing the Transitions to New Highway Fuels.2 Further, the original authors and Larry Johnson, co-author of the current report, identified a need for a succinct version of the full report and prepared a brochure based on it to aid busy decisionmakers: Check It Out: Using Checklists to Assess Your Transition to Alternative Fuels.2 These checklists are tools for those stakeholders charged with determining a feasible alternative fuel ormore » fuels for highway transportation systems of the future. The original had four major players whose needs had to be satisfied for a successful transition. The term “activist,” intended to encompass environmental and other special interests, was included in the “customers” category. Activists are customers of the government in the sense that they organize citizens to exert political pressure to regulate the design of vehicles, fuel infrastructure, and roadway networks. Many who evaluate alternative fuels view activists, particularly environmental activists, as a separate category. Further, “activist” has become a pejorative term to many people. Therefore, we have used the word “advocate” or “activist/advocate” instead. Thus, in this update we recognize that environmental and other activists/advocates have been--and will continue to be--a powerful force promoting change in the nature of the fuels that are used in transportation.« less

AIDS--Policies and Prospects: III. AIDS and the Politics of Drug Lag.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogel, David

1989-01-01

Examines the impact of AIDS on recent reform of the Food and Drug Act Amendments of 1962. Discusses the role of gay activists, consumer protection groups, the American Medical Association, and feminist activist groups. (FMW)

Algeria: Current Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-16

the victims and recognized the Berber language, Tamazight , as a national, but not as an official language, as Berber activists want. Prime Minister...national referendum be held on granting official status to Tamazight . Berber activists, perhaps aware that they represent a minority and would lose

Albertina Sisulu 1918-2011 Nurse and South African anti-apartheid activist.

PubMed

Earl, Geoff

2011-07-13

Albertina Sisulu, nurse and political activist, has died at the age of 92. In a message read to mourners at her state funeral, former president Nelson Mandela paid tribute to her as 'one of the greatest South Africans'.

Moral reasoning about great apes in research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Carol Midori

2006-04-01

This study explored how individuals (biomedical scientists, Great Ape Project activists, lay adults, undergraduate biology and environmental studies students, and Grade 12 and 9 biology students) morally judge and reason about using great apes in biomedical and language research. How these groups perceived great apes' mental capacities (e.g., pain, logical thinking) and how these perceptions related to their judgments were investigated through two scenarios. In addition, the kinds of informational statements (e.g., biology, economics) that may affect individuals' scenario judgments were investigated. A negative correlation was found between mental attributions and scenario judgments while no clear pattern occurred for the informational statements. For the biomedical scenario, all groups significantly differed in mean judgment ratings except for the biomedical scientists, GAP activists and Grade 9 students. For the language scenario, all groups differed except for the GAP activists, and undergraduate environmental studies and Grade 9 students. An in-depth qualitative analysis showed that although the biomedical scientists, GAP activists and Grade 9 students had similar judgments, they produced different mean percentages of justifications under four moral frameworks (virtue, utilitarianism, deontology, and welfare). The GAP activists used more virtue reasoning while the biomedical scientists and Grade 9 students used more utilitarian and welfare reasoning, respectively. The results are discussed in terms of developing environmental/humane education curricula.

Chapter Leadership Profiles among Citizen Activists in the Drunk Driving Movement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ungerleider, Steven; Bloch, Steven

1987-01-01

Study of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) analyzed the chapter emphasis, levels of satisfaction and relationship to national office on several measures. Surveying 212 chapters, MADD leadership provided profile of independent, autonomous activists in the drunk driving countermeasure movement. (Author)

Self Perceptions of Student Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astin, Helen S.

1971-01-01

This study examines personality differences and similarities between student groups in protest activities by comparing activists to student leaders and random students. Results indicate many similarities in personality dimensions but protesters are more adventurous, autocratic and individualistic. They are also more spontaneous and irresponsible.…

The effect of vision elimination during quiet stance tasks with different feet positions.

PubMed

Sarabon, Nejc; Rosker, Jernej; Loefler, Stefan; Kern, Helmut

2013-09-01

Literature confirms the effects of vision and stance on body sway and indicates possible interactions between the two. However, no attempts have been made to systematically compare the effect of vision on the different types of stance which are frequently used in clinical and research practice. The biomechanical changes that occur after changing shape and size of the support surface suggest possible sensory re-weighting might take place. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of vision on body sway in relation to different stance configurations and width. Thirty-eight volunteers performed four quiet stance configurations (parallel, semi-tandem, tandem and single leg), repeating them with open and closed eyes. Traditional parameters, recurrence quantification analysis and sample entropy were analyzed from the CoP trajectory signal. Traditional and recurrence quantification analysis parameters were affected by vision removal and stance type. Exceptions were frequency of oscillation, entropy and trapping time. The most prominent effect of vision elimination on traditional parameters was observed for narrower stances. A significant interaction effect between vision removal and stance type was present for most of the parameters observed (p<0.05). The interaction effect between medio-lateral and antero-posterior traditional parameters differed in linearity between stances. The results confirm the effect of vision removal on the body sway. However, for the medio-lateral traditional parameters, the effects did not increase linearly with the change in width and stance type. This suggests that removal of vision could be more effectively compensated by other sensory systems in semi-tandem stance, tandem and single legged stance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safety and walking ability of KAFO users with the C-Brace® Orthotronic Mobility System, a new microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis

PubMed Central

Pröbsting, Eva; Kannenberg, Andreas; Zacharias, Britta

2016-01-01

Background: There are clear indications for benefits of stance control orthoses compared to locked knee ankle foot orthoses. However, stance control orthoses still have limited function compared with a sound human leg. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of a microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis compared to stance control orthoses and locked knee ankle foot orthoses in activities of daily living. Study design: Survey of lower limb orthosis users before and after fitting of a microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis. Methods: Thirteen patients with various lower limb pareses completed a baseline survey for their current orthotic device (locked knee ankle foot orthosis or stance control orthosis) and a follow-up for the microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis with the Orthosis Evaluation Questionnaire, a new self-reported outcome measure devised by modifying the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire for use in lower limb orthotics and the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire. Results: The Orthosis Evaluation Questionnaire results demonstrated significant improvements by microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis use in the total score and the domains of ambulation (p = .001), paretic limb health (p = .04), sounds (p = .02), and well-being (p = .01). Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire results showed significant improvements with the microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis with regard to perceived safety and difficulty of activities of daily living. Conclusion: The microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis may facilitate an easier, more physiological, and safer execution of many activities of daily living compared to traditional leg orthosis technologies. Clinical relevance This study compared patient-reported outcomes of a microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis (C-Brace) to those with traditional knee ankle foot orthosis and stance control orthosis devices. The C-Brace offers new functions including controlled knee flexion during weight bearing and dynamic swing control, resulting in significant improvements in perceived orthotic mobility and safety. PMID:27151648

Safety and walking ability of KAFO users with the C-Brace® Orthotronic Mobility System, a new microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis.

PubMed

Pröbsting, Eva; Kannenberg, Andreas; Zacharias, Britta

2017-02-01

There are clear indications for benefits of stance control orthoses compared to locked knee ankle foot orthoses. However, stance control orthoses still have limited function compared with a sound human leg. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of a microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis compared to stance control orthoses and locked knee ankle foot orthoses in activities of daily living. Survey of lower limb orthosis users before and after fitting of a microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis. Thirteen patients with various lower limb pareses completed a baseline survey for their current orthotic device (locked knee ankle foot orthosis or stance control orthosis) and a follow-up for the microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis with the Orthosis Evaluation Questionnaire, a new self-reported outcome measure devised by modifying the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire for use in lower limb orthotics and the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire. The Orthosis Evaluation Questionnaire results demonstrated significant improvements by microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis use in the total score and the domains of ambulation ( p = .001), paretic limb health ( p = .04), sounds ( p = .02), and well-being ( p = .01). Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire results showed significant improvements with the microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis with regard to perceived safety and difficulty of activities of daily living. The microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis may facilitate an easier, more physiological, and safer execution of many activities of daily living compared to traditional leg orthosis technologies. Clinical relevance This study compared patient-reported outcomes of a microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis (C-Brace) to those with traditional knee ankle foot orthosis and stance control orthosis devices. The C-Brace offers new functions including controlled knee flexion during weight bearing and dynamic swing control, resulting in significant improvements in perceived orthotic mobility and safety.

Canadian Association for University Continuing Education Conference Proceedings (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, June 10-13, 1992).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Association for University Continuing Education, Ottawa (Ontario).

This document contains the following papers: "University Continuing Educators: Entrepreneurs or Social Activists" (Phyllis Cunningham); "Ambivalent Activists, Uneasy Enterprisers--and the Search for Truth" (Milton Stern); "Our Role as Change Agents" (Timothy Pyrch, Albert A. Einsiedel); "Entrepreneurial…

Internet Research, Uncensored

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kean, Sam

2007-01-01

In this article, the author discusses a computer program called Psiphon which bypasses government filters undetected. The University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, a research center for digital media and politics, designed Psiphon for technology-savvy activists. Some technology-savvy activists use other open-source software, like Tor (which relies on…

Exploring Dimensions of Critical Reflection in Activist-Facilitator Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Cindy

2013-01-01

This article explores how 14 diverse, Canadian activist-facilitators working in international development experience and understand "critical reflection" as a component of participatory methodologies in facilitation practices. The findings, based on my doctoral study, demonstrate that although critical reflection is often discussed as…

If it matters for the group then it matters to me: collective action outcomes for seasoned activists.

PubMed

Blackwood, Leda M; Louis, Winnifred R

2012-03-01

The present article reports a longitudinal study of the psychological antecedents for, and outcomes of, collective action for a community sample of activists. At Time 1, activist identification influenced intentions to engage in collective action behaviours protesting the Iraq war, both directly and indirectly via perceptions of the efficacy of these behaviours for achieving group goals, as well as perceptions of individual-level benefits. At Time 2, identification was associated with differences in the dimensions on which the movement's success was evaluated. In the context of the movement's failure to achieve its stated objectives of troop withdrawal, those with strong activist identity placed less importance on influencing government decision making. The implications are discussed in terms of models of collective action and social identity, focusing on a dynamic model that relates identification with a group to evaluations of instrumentality at a group and individual level; and to beliefs about strategic responses to achieve group goals. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

Condemning violence without rejecting sexism? Exploring how young men understand intimate partner violence in Ecuador

PubMed Central

Goicolea, Isabel; Öhman, Ann; Salazar Torres, Mariano; Morrás, Ione; Edin, Kerstin

2012-01-01

Background This study aims to explore young men’s understanding of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ecuador, examining similarities and differences between how ordinary and activist young men conceptualize IPV against women. Methods We conducted individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with 35 young men – five FGDs and five interviews with ordinary young men, and 11 interviews with activists – and analysed the data generated using qualitative content analysis. Results Among the ordinary young men the theme ‘too much gender equality leads to IPV’ emerged, while among the activists the theme ‘gender inequality is the root of IPV’. Although both groups in our study rejected IPV, their positions differed, and we claim that this is relevant. While activists considered IPV as rooted in gender inequality, ordinary young men understood it as a response to the conflicts generated by increasing gender equality and women’s attempts to gain autonomy. PMID:22723767

Discourse over a contested technology on Twitter: A case study of hydraulic fracturing.

PubMed

Hopke, Jill E; Simis, Molly

2015-10-04

High-volume hydraulic fracturing, a drilling simulation technique commonly referred to as "fracking," is a contested technology. In this article, we explore discourse over hydraulic fracturing and the shale industry on the social media platform Twitter during a period of heightened public contention regarding the application of the technology. We study the relative prominence of negative messaging about shale development in relation to pro-shale messaging on Twitter across five hashtags (#fracking, #globalfrackdown, #natgas, #shale, and #shalegas). We analyze the top actors tweeting using the #fracking hashtag and receiving @mentions with the hashtag. Results show statistically significant differences in the sentiment about hydraulic fracturing and shale development across the five hashtags. In addition, results show that the discourse on the main contested hashtag #fracking is dominated by activists, both individual activists and organizations. The highest proportion of tweeters, those posting messages using the hashtag #fracking, were individual activists, while the highest proportion of @mention references went to activist organizations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Unipedal stance testing in the assessment of peripheral neuropathy.

PubMed

Hurvitz, E A; Richardson, J K; Werner, R A

2001-02-01

To define further the relation between unipedal stance testing and peripheral neuropathy. Prospective cohort. Electroneuromyography laboratory of a Veterans Affairs medical center and a university hospital. Ninety-two patients referred for lower extremity electrodiagnostic studies. A standardized history and physical examination designed to detect peripheral neuropathy, 3 trials of unipedal stance, and electrodiagnostic studies. Peripheral neuropathy was identified by electrodiagnostic testing in 32%. These subjects had a significantly shorter (p <.001) unipedal stance time (15.7s, longest of 3 trials) than the patients without peripheral neuropathy (37.1s). Abnormal unipedal stance time (<45s) identified peripheral neuropathy with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 71%, whereas a normal unipedal stance time had a negative predictive value of 90%. Abnormal unipedal stance time was associated with an increased risk of having peripheral neuropathy on univariate analysis (odds ratio = 8.8, 95% confidence interval = 2.5--31), and was the only significant predictor of peripheral neuropathy in the regression model. Aspects of the neurologic examination did not add to the regression model compared with abnormal unipedal stance time. Unipedal stance testing is useful in the clinical setting both to identify and to exclude the presence of peripheral neuropathy.

Limb locomotion--speed distribution analysis as a new method for stance phase detection.

PubMed

Peham, C; Scheidl, M; Licka, T

1999-10-01

The stance phase is used for the determination of many parameters in motion analysis. In this technical note the authors present a new kinematical method for determination of stance phase. From the high-speed video data, the speed distribution of the horizontal motion of the distal limb is calculated. The speed with the maximum occurrence within the motion cycle defines the stance phase, and this speed is used as threshold for beginning and end of the stance phase. In seven horses the results obtained with the presented method were compared to synchronous stance phase determination using a force plate integrated in a hard track. The mean difference between the results was 10.8 ms, equalling 1.44% of mean stance phase duration. As a test, the presented method was applied to a horse trotting on the treadmill, and to a human walking on concrete. This article describes an easy and safe method for stance phase determination in continuous kinematic data and proves the reliability of the method by comparing it to kinetic stance phase detection. This method may be applied in several species and all gaits, on the treadmill and on firm ground.

The war between the women.

PubMed

Luker, K

1984-01-01

The dilemma is whether the embroyo or fetus is a person or only a potential person. To explore what makes the public debate about abortion in the United States so heated and passionate, interviews with activists on both sides were conducted over a 5-year period. A sample of more than 200 prolife and prochoice activists in California was taken. These interviews made 3 things clear. The present-day abortion debate largely involves 2 very different groups of women. These women are differentiated not only by their beliefs about abortion, but by the circumstances of their lives as well. The life circumstances and beliefs of the activists on both sides serve to reinforce 1 another in such a way that the activists have little room for dialogue, and few incentives for it. It is a confrontation between those women to whom traditional "natural" roles still work (patriarchy) and those seeking new roles (social). The typical prochoice activist is a 44-year-old married woman whose father was a college graduate. She married at age 22 or older, has 1 or 2 children, and has had some graduate or professional training after her bachelor's degree. She is married to a professional man, is herself employed, and has a family income of more than US $50,000 a year. She attends church rarely, if at all. Religion is not particularly important. The average prolife activist is also a 44-year-oldd married woman. She, however, married at age 17, and has 3 or more children. Her father was graduated from high school only. She, herself, has a good chance of having gone no further in school. She is not employed, and is married to a small businessman or lower-income white-collar worker. Her family income is less than US $30,000 a year. Her religion is important to her; she attends church at least once a week. She is probably a Catholic, but may be a convert to Catholicism. Prolifers see the world divided into 2 spheres--public for men and private for women. Prochoice activists reject this. The 2 sides are fundamentally opposed to each other on what abortion means.

Collaboration and cogenerativity: on bridging the gaps separating theory-practice and cognition-emotion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stetsenko, Anna

2008-07-01

In this rejoinder, I comment on how going through the activity of participating in this forum and of engaging in dialogue with my commentators makes sense at several levels—most importantly, at the personal and the conceptual—and how these two levels are intricately connected. The link between the personal and conceptual (cognition and emotion)—their de facto unity—is highlighted through a discussion of a theoretical stance that has to do with ineluctable dialogicality of any and all aspects, incarnations, and expressions of human development, being, and learning. The dialogicality of knowing comes to the fore if knowledge is understood as being part and parcel of ongoing real life activities out in the world imbued with ideology, values, and commitments. In this stance, knowing and acting, words and deeds, theory and practice cannot be ever thought of as separate realms; instead they inevitably and necessarily appear as belonging together and as forming inherent aspects (or dimensions) of one and the same process of people collaboratively engaging with and transforming the world.

Three components of postural control associated with pushing in symmetrical and asymmetrical stance.

PubMed

Lee, Yun-Ju; Aruin, Alexander S

2013-07-01

A number of occupational and leisure activities that involve pushing are performed in symmetrical or asymmetrical stance. The goal of this study was to investigate early postural adjustments (EPAs), anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs), and compensatory postural adjustments (CPAs) during pushing performed while standing. Ten healthy volunteers stood in symmetrical stance (with feet parallel) or in asymmetrical stance (staggered stance with one foot forward) and were instructed to use both hands to push forward the handle of a pendulum attached to the ceiling. Bilateral EMG activity of the trunk and leg muscles and the center of pressure (COP) displacements in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions were recorded and analyzed during the EPAs, APAs, and CPAs. The EMG activity and the COP displacement were different between the symmetrical and asymmetrical stance conditions. The COP displacements in the ML direction were significantly larger in staggered stance than in symmetrical stance. In staggered stance, the EPAs and APAs in the thigh muscles of the backward leg were significantly larger, and the CPAs were smaller than in the forward leg. There was no difference in the EMG activity of the trunk muscles between the stance conditions. The study outcome confirmed the existence of the three components of postural control (EPAs, APAs, and CPAs) in pushing. Moreover, standing asymmetrically was associated with asymmetrical patterns of EMG activity in the lower extremities reflecting the stance-related postural control during pushing. The study outcome provides a basis for studying postural control during other daily activities involving pushing.

DIY Activists: Communities of Practice, Cultural Dialogism, and Radical Knowledge Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemphill, David; Leskowitz, Shari

2013-01-01

This study explored innovative alternative processes of living, learning, and knowledge sharing of a loosely knit community of anarchist, anticapitalist "Do-It-Yourself" (DIY) activists. Generated through participant observation and interviews, findings reinforced adult education theories--that adults can diagnose their own learning…

Barry Commoner, a great presidential candidate (1917-2012).

PubMed

LaBotz, Dan

2012-01-01

Dan LaBotz reflects on Barry Commoner's political leadership in the Citizens Party and his campaign for the presidency of the United States. He argues that Commoner brought together environmental activists, consumer activists, and labor unions in what was a socialist campaign that prefigured the ecosocialist movement.

In Search of Activist Pedagogies in SMTE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsop, Steve; Bencze, Larry

2012-01-01

David Burns and Stephen Norris's (2012) article entitled "Activist Environmental Education and Moral Philosophy" offers a thought-provoking response to the CJSMTE special edition. The authors would like to thank these authors for their supportive and philosophically adroit arguments. Burns and Norris provide an opportunity to continue…

Black Feminist Activism: Theory as Generating Collective Resistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pérez, Michelle Salazar; Williams, Eloise

2014-01-01

Black feminist scholars have theorized ways in which power permeates our everyday lived experiences. The authors of this article, a university faculty member and a grassroots community activist, share their collective Black feminist activist efforts to find spaces of resistance and empowerment within oppressive conditions in the city of New…

Sexual Minority Teachers as Activist-Educators for Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Kristopher

2017-01-01

This empirical research explores the conditions, challenges, and lived experiences of how four diverse Canadian educators transcended heteronormative and gender-normative educational environments to become activist-educators for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer inclusion in their K-12 schools and communities. The co-creation of queer…

Rethinking Youth Political Socialization: Teenage Activists Talk Back

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Hava R.; Taft, Jessica K.

2011-01-01

This article draws from the experiences and narratives of teenage activists throughout the Americas in order to add a needed dimension, that of peer political socialization, to the larger political and civic socialization literature. The authors argue that although the existing literature emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of adults in…

Lenin: An Activist Burdened by a Passivist Philosophy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Karen S.

The paper discusses Lenin's attempts to alleviate discrepancies between Marxist philosophy and his own personal activist creed by, first, introducing Hegelian logic into dialectical materialism and, second, by creating an ideology of organizational activity. Lenin the man is examined in order to understand his interpretation of Marx and the gap…

Empowering Adolescents for Activist Literacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Sally L.

2013-01-01

An essential requirement for supporting the activist literacies of adolescents is a critical understanding of the purposes, practices and roles of engaged citizens and of the linguistic and broader semiotic resources they deploy in response to their multi-layered contexts. Drawing on theories from social semiotic and rhetorical traditions as well…

Hollis Sigler: Artist, Teacher, and Activist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Shank, Deborah L.

2007-01-01

Hollis Sigler was an artist, teacher, and activist. Her works seductively invite us to consider fantasies and challenge to confront the monsters. Sigler's narrative artwork after 1991 focused almost exclusively on issues relating to her and her family's history with breast cancer. It purposefully calls into question the capricious nature of life…

Environmental Education Researchers as Environmental Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Karen

2006-01-01

This article is a reflective account of a researcher's journey whilst embarking on a study which was political in its intentions and participatory in its orientation. Learning from feminist writings, where researchers have shared stories and explored notions of insider/outside, academic/activist, the central argument of the article is the…

Two Assessments of Community Environmental Quality: The Mayor and the Environmental Activist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridgeland, William M.; Sofranko, Andrew J.

1978-01-01

The assessments of community conditions by public officials and issue proponents have been traditionally viewed as widely divergent. This study focuses on the assessments of mayors and environmental activists on several dimensions of the community environmental quality issue. The findings appear to contradict the traditional assumptions.…

Activist Academics: What Future?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grey, Sandra J.

2013-01-01

Four decades on from the Year of the Student, when university campuses were sites of protest and dissent, it is crucial to consider how the involvement of university academics in activist causes has changed. Using social movement frameworks this article examines how organisational, political and cultural contexts have hindered social and political…

Activist Research and Organizing: Blurring the Boundaries, Challenging the Binaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choudry, Aziz

2014-01-01

This article draws from ongoing research into the practices and processes of activist researchers. It discusses social relations of knowledge production located outside of academia with/in social movement milieus. Focusing on the politics of research in people's organizations and social movement organizations in the Philippines, it builds on…

Voices of Social Justice Activist Educators in Arizona

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eversman, Kimberly A.

2013-01-01

The passing of anti-immigrant legislation in the state of Arizona over the last decade has exacerbated an already oppressive system perpetuated by globalization and its byproducts, neoliberalism and neoconservativism. The social justice activist educators who live and work with the children and families most affected by these laws and policies…

The Making of an Environmental Activist: A Developmental Psychological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsuba, M. Kyle; Pratt, Michael W.

2013-01-01

This chapter reviews the research on environmental exemplars, or activists. General themes that have been identified in the literature include early experiences in nature, the influence of other people and organizations, opportunities for environmental education, environmental self and identity formation, and generativity. With these themes in…

Effect of stance width on multidirectional postural responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, S. M.; Fung, J.; Horak, F. B.; Peterson, B. W. (Principal Investigator)

2001-01-01

The effect of stance width on postural responses to 12 different directions of surface translations was examined. Postural responses were characterized by recording 11 lower limb and trunk muscles, body kinematics, and forces exerted under each foot of 7 healthy subjects while they were subjected to horizontal surface translations in 12 different, randomly presented directions. A quasi-static approach of force analysis was done, examining force integrals in three different epochs (background, passive, and active periods). The latency and amplitude of muscle responses were quantified for each direction, and muscle tuning curves were used to determine the spatial activation patterns for each muscle. The results demonstrate that the horizontal force constraint exerted at the ground was lessened in the wide, compared with narrow, stance for humans, a similar finding to that reported by Macpherson for cats. Despite more trunk displacement in narrow stance, there were no significant changes in body center of mass (CoM) displacement due to large changes in center of pressure (CoP), especially in response to lateral translations. Electromyographic (EMG) magnitude decreased for all directions in wide stance, particularly for the more proximal muscles, whereas latencies remained the same from narrow to wide stance. Equilibrium control in narrow stance was more of an active postural strategy that included regulating the loading/unloading of the limbs and the direction of horizontal force vectors. In wide stance, equilibrium control relied more on an increase in passive stiffness resulting from changes in limb geometry. The selective latency modulation of the proximal muscles with translation direction suggests that the trunk was being actively controlled in all directions. The similar EMG latencies for both narrow and wide stance, with modulation of only the muscle activation magnitude as stance width changed, suggest that the same postural synergy was only slightly modified for a change in stance width. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the trunk displacement, as well as of CoP displacement, was modified based on the degree of passive stiffness in the musculoskeletal system, which increased with stance width. The change from a more passive to an active horizontal force constraint, to larger EMG magnitudes especially in the trunk muscles and larger trunk and CoP excursions in narrow stance are consistent with a more effortful response for equilibrium control in narrow stance to perturbations in all directions.

Using a Stance Corpus to Learn about Effective Authorial Stance-Taking: A Textlinguistic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Peichin

2012-01-01

Presenting a persuasive authorial stance is a major challenge for second language (L2) writers in writing academic research. Failure to present an effective authorial stance often results in poor evaluation, which compromises a writer's research potential. This study proposes a "textlinguistic" approach to advanced academic writing to complement a…

Health Care Reform and Social Movements in the United States

PubMed Central

Hoffman, Beatrix

2003-01-01

Because of the importance of grassroots social movements, or “change from below,” in the history of US reform, the relationship between social movements and demands for universal health care is a critical one. National health reform campaigns in the 20th century were initiated and run by elites more concerned with defending against attacks from interest groups than with popular mobilization, and grassroots reformers in the labor, civil rights, feminist, and AIDS activist movements have concentrated more on immediate and incremental changes than on transforming the health care system itself. However, grassroots health care demands have also contained the seeds of a wider critique of the American health care system, leading some movements to adopt calls for universal coverage. PMID:12511390

Visual analysis of online social media to open up the investigation of stance phenomena

PubMed Central

Kucher, Kostiantyn; Schamp-Bjerede, Teri; Kerren, Andreas; Paradis, Carita; Sahlgren, Magnus

2015-01-01

Online social media are a perfect text source for stance analysis. Stance in human communication is concerned with speaker attitudes, beliefs, feelings and opinions. Expressions of stance are associated with the speakers' view of what they are talking about and what is up for discussion and negotiation in the intersubjective exchange. Taking stance is thus crucial for the social construction of meaning. Increased knowledge of stance can be useful for many application fields such as business intelligence, security analytics, or social media monitoring. In order to process large amounts of text data for stance analyses, linguists need interactive tools to explore the textual sources as well as the processed data based on computational linguistics techniques. Both original texts and derived data are important for refining the analyses iteratively. In this work, we present a visual analytics tool for online social media text data that can be used to open up the investigation of stance phenomena. Our approach complements traditional linguistic analysis techniques and is based on the analysis of utterances associated with two stance categories: sentiment and certainty. Our contributions include (1) the description of a novel web-based solution for analyzing the use and patterns of stance meanings and expressions in human communication over time; and (2) specialized techniques used for visualizing analysis provenance and corpus overview/navigation. We demonstrate our approach by means of text media on a highly controversial scandal with regard to expressions of anger and provide an expert review from linguists who have been using our tool. PMID:29249903

Visual analysis of online social media to open up the investigation of stance phenomena.

PubMed

Kucher, Kostiantyn; Schamp-Bjerede, Teri; Kerren, Andreas; Paradis, Carita; Sahlgren, Magnus

2016-04-01

Online social media are a perfect text source for stance analysis. Stance in human communication is concerned with speaker attitudes, beliefs, feelings and opinions. Expressions of stance are associated with the speakers' view of what they are talking about and what is up for discussion and negotiation in the intersubjective exchange. Taking stance is thus crucial for the social construction of meaning. Increased knowledge of stance can be useful for many application fields such as business intelligence, security analytics, or social media monitoring. In order to process large amounts of text data for stance analyses, linguists need interactive tools to explore the textual sources as well as the processed data based on computational linguistics techniques. Both original texts and derived data are important for refining the analyses iteratively. In this work, we present a visual analytics tool for online social media text data that can be used to open up the investigation of stance phenomena. Our approach complements traditional linguistic analysis techniques and is based on the analysis of utterances associated with two stance categories: sentiment and certainty. Our contributions include (1) the description of a novel web-based solution for analyzing the use and patterns of stance meanings and expressions in human communication over time; and (2) specialized techniques used for visualizing analysis provenance and corpus overview/navigation. We demonstrate our approach by means of text media on a highly controversial scandal with regard to expressions of anger and provide an expert review from linguists who have been using our tool.

Reflections on Writing a Biographical Account of a Woman Educator Activist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jane

2001-01-01

Reflects on the process of writing a biographical account about the female educator activist, Mary Bridges Adams. States the writing method should transpire in an analytical, linear, sociological narrative approach. Concludes that the past has been told from a masculine gendered narrative, not giving due attention to representing women. (MER)

Shaping Student Activists: Discursive Sensemaking of Activism and Participation Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taha, Diane E.; Hastings, Sally O.; Minei, Elizabeth M.

2015-01-01

As social media becomes a more potent force in society, particularly for younger generations, the role in activism has been contested. This qualitative study examines 35 interviews with students regarding their perceptions of the use of social media in social change, their perceptions of activists, and their level of self-identification as an…

"Femicide" and Rhetorics of "Coadyuvante" in Ciudad Juarez: Valuing Rhetorical Traditions in the Americas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serviss, Tricia C.

2013-01-01

This article analyzes the writings of activist women in modern-day Juarez, Mexico. I present their explanations about their own composition and delivery of two particular activist campaigns, highlighting the rhetorical strategies and practices they developed. Looking closely at these two campaigns, the article describes the rhetorical concept of…

Activist Literacies: Validating Aboriginality through Visual and Literary Identity Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montero, M. Kristiina; Bice-Zaugg, Cassandra; Marsh, Makwa Oshkwenh-Adam Cyril John; Cummins, Jim

2013-01-01

Framed at the intersection of activist and Indigenous research methodologies, this article explores the way two First Nations senior high school students made sense of their visual and literary identity texts (Cummins & Early, 2011). An Ojibwe artist-in-residence at an urban secondary school in southwestern Ontario and a university-based…

Forum: Communication Activism Pedagogy. Look to Our Campuses for Focus and Inspiration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, Kathleen F.

2017-01-01

Lawrence R. Frey and David L. Palmer describe communication activism pedagogy (CAP) as "putting meat on critical pedagogy's theoretical bones" and applying theory to real-life activist movements (Frey & Palmer 2014). Their hope is to inspire students "beyond matriculation to develop their roles as activists," and Frey and…

From Margins to Mainstream: Social Media as a Tool for Campus Sexual Violence Activism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder, Chris; Myers, Jess S.; Riggle, Colleen; Lacy, Marvette

2016-01-01

Using Internet-related ethnography (Postill & Pink, 2012), we examined the role of social media in campus sexual violence activism. Based on observations of online activist communities and interviews with 23 activists, we highlight raising awareness, community building, and interrupting power dynamics as activism strategies enhanced by social…

Learning from the Experiences of Self-Identified Women of Color Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder, Chris; Rodriguez, Katrina L.

2012-01-01

We studied 7 women of color student activists on a large, predominantly White college campus and employed intersectionality theory and multiple identity development theory to examine how they make meaning of their multiple identities. Findings from this narrative study highlight ways students' identities led them to activism, experiences of…

A Teacher Activist's Response to Schools Closing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Sam, III

2013-01-01

In this article, the author presents his thoughts, as a teacher activist, on the school closing process in Philadelphia, particularly the effect of the closing process on Beeber Middle School and its response to the closing. The District's Facilities Master Plan originally called for closing 37 schools, Some schools were removed from the closing…

Approaches to Diversity in Educating for LGBTQ-Friendly Changes in a University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Githens, Rod Patrick

2012-01-01

In this case study, I examine the approaches to education used in various organizational contexts by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) activists seeking domestic partner benefits within a major state university system throughout a nearly 20-year effort. Diversity education by activists occurred through self-censoring…

Activist Forest Monks, Adult Learning and the Buddhist Environmental Movement in Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Pierre

2007-01-01

In the tradition of grassroots environmental movements worldwide, activist Buddhist monks in rural Thailand have, since the late 1980s, led a popular movement to protect local forest, water and land resources while at the same time challenging dominant state and corporate "economist" development paradigms. Most famously, these…

The Internet as Potential Equalizer: New Leverage for Confronting Social Irresponsibility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombs, W. Timothy

1998-01-01

Contends activists have a new weapon (the Internet) which can change the organization-stakeholder dynamic. Uses recent development in stakeholder theory to explain how the Internet, when used effectively, can allow activist groups to become more powerful and to command the attention of organizations. Illustrates the theoretical points presented…

Doing the Work: A Portrait of an African American Mother as an Education Activist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kakli, Zenub

2011-01-01

In recent years, much research has documented the benefits of parent involvement and offered strategies on how educators can encourage parents' trade; participation in their children's education. While the literature has brought much needed attention to school-family relationships, little is known about parents who are activists for educational…

The campaign to raise the tobacco tax in Massachusetts.

PubMed

Heiser, P F; Begay, M E

1997-06-01

Question 1 raised the Massachusetts state tobacco tax to fund tobacco education programs. This paper examines the process of qualifying and passing Question 1. Information was gathered from internal memoranda, meeting minutes, newspaper articles, internal documents, letters, newsletters, news and press releases, and personal interviews. Data about campaign contributions were obtained from the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Three factors help explain why Question 1 passed: (1) the policy environment was favorable because of the social unacceptability of smoking; (2) the activists assembled a large coalition of supporters; and (3) the activists countered industry claims that the new tax would hurt small business and lower-income smokers and would be wasted by the legislature. The ballot initiative passed despite the industry's $7 million campaign to defeat it. The apparent influence of the tobacco industry on the legislature was the driving force behind the decision of public health activists to qualify Question 1. Moving policy-making out of the legislature into the public arena widened the scope of conflict and enabled public health activists to win.

Development and implementation of a science training course for breast cancer activists: Project LEAD (leadership, education and advocacy development).

PubMed

Dickersin, K; Braun, L; Mead, M; Millikan, R; Wu, A M; Pietenpol, J; Troyan, S; Anderson, B; Visco, F

2001-12-01

To develop and implement Project LEAD (leadership, education, and advocacy development), a science course for breast cancer activists. Students were breast cancer activists and other consumers, mainly affiliated with advocacy organizations in the United States of America. Project LEAD is offered by the National Breast Cancer Coalition; the course takes place over 5 days and is offered 4 times a year, in various cities in the United States of America. The Project LEAD curriculum has developed over 5 years to include lectures, problem-based study groups, case studies, interactive critical appraisal sessions, a seminar by an 'expert' scientist, role play, and homework components. A core faculty has been valuable for evaluating and revising the course and has proved necessary to provide consistent high quality teaching. Course evaluations indicated that students gained critical appraisal skills, enhanced their knowledge and developed confidence in selected areas of basic science and epidemiology. Project LEAD comprises a unique curriculum for training breast cancer activists in science and critical appraisal. Course evaluations indicate that students gain confidence and skills from the course.

Ninth Grade Students' Negotiation of Aesthetic, Efferent, and Critical Stances in Response to a Novel Set in Afghanistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taliaferro, Cheryl

2011-01-01

This qualitative, action research study was guided by two primary research questions. First, how do students negotiate aesthetic, efferent, and critical stances when reading a novel set in Afghanistan? Second, how do aesthetic and efferent stances contribute to or hinder the adoption of a critical stance? A large body of research exists that…

An Activist Approach to Sport Meets Youth from Socially Vulnerable Backgrounds: Possible Learning Aspirations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luguetti, Carla; Oliver, Kimberly L.; Dantas, Luiz Eduardo Pinto Basto Tourinho; Kirk, David

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study was a 2-phase activist research project aimed at co-creating a prototype pedagogical model for working with youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds in a sport context. This article addresses the learning aspirations (learning outcomes) that emerged when we created spaces for youth to develop strategies to manage the risks…

Youth Learning to Be Activists: Constructing "Places of Possibility" Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goessling, Kristen

2017-01-01

This paper draws from a critical qualitative study that took place in Vancouver, British Columbia and focused on a group of young people learning to be activists through participation at a youth-driven organization, "Think Again" (TA). In this paper, I focus on one aspect of the youths' participation at TA--their creative action…

Subjective Experience and the Preparation of Activist Teachers: Confronting the Mean Old Snapping Turtle and the Great Big Bear.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kugelmass, Judy W.

2000-01-01

Describes the use of autobiographical storytelling, personal myths, and visual imagery in preparing elementary and special educators for activist roles in creating effective, inclusive schools. Graduate students were presented with a social-constructivist perspective toward the content and process of schooling. Examples of materials produced by…

Activist Media in Native AIDS Organizing: Theorizing the Colonial Conditions of AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgensen, Scott

2008-01-01

In this article, the author examines how activist media by Native AIDS organizers promoted anticolonial analyses of AIDS, gender, and sexuality as a contribution to scholarship on Native responses to AIDS. His discussion centers on the organizers who created media as authorities on and in their media. In contrast to recent accounts that popularize…

The Art Therapist as Social Activist: Reflections and Visions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junge, Maxine Borowsky; Alvarez, Janise Finn; Kellogg, Anne; Volker, Christine

2009-01-01

From a systems perspective, the role of the art therapist as social activist at a time of deep and crucial change for our clients, mental health systems, our country, and the world is discussed. Despite the fact that art therapists, through our artists' identities, are natural agents of change, our education and strivings for professional…

Beyond Batteries and Bulbs, Circuits and Conductors: Building Green, Activist-Oriented Student Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haun-Frank, Julie; Matthews, Catherine E.; Allen, Melony Holyfield

2012-01-01

In this article we provide an example of how to foster an activist-oriented student community by critically examining green technology. We designed this curriculum unit to teach students about the fundamentals of electricity, green technology, and experimental design. Additionally, we viewed this activity as an opportunity for students to apply…

When Sexual and Religious Orientation Collide: Considerations in Working with Conflicted Same-Sex Attracted Male Clients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haldeman, Douglas C.

2004-01-01

The debate among scholars and gay activists and religious/political activists about the appropriateness and efficacy of conversion therapy has left out a number of individuals for whom neither gay-affirmative nor conversion therapy may be indicated. The present discussion, through the use of case material, offers considerations for the…

Should We Go ''Home'' to Eat?: Toward a Reflexive Politics of Localism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuPuis, E. Melanie; Goodman, David

2005-01-01

''Coming home to eat'' [Nabhan, 2002. Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods. Norton, New York] has become a clarion call among alternative food movement activists. Most food activist discourse makes a strong connection between the localization of food systems and the promotion of environmental sustainability and social…

Sylvia Pankhurst (1882-1960), Suffragette, Political Activist, Artist and Writer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purvis, June

2008-01-01

In this article, a biographical overview is offered of the life of [Estelle] Sylvia Pankhurst (1882-1960), suffragette, political activist, artist and writer, in order to provide a context for her 1959 proposal for an Ethiopian women's college, which is published for the first time in this journal. Sylvia, one of five children born in Manchester,…

"Where Do I Go from Here?": Learning to Become Activist Teachers through a Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Kimberly L.; Luguetti, Carla; Aranda, Raquel; Nuñez Enriquez, Oscar; Rodriguez, Ana-Alycia

2018-01-01

Background: Student-Centered Inquiry as Curriculum (SCIC) is an activist approach [Oliver, K. L., and H. A. Oesterreich. 2013. "Student-Centered Inquiry as Curriculum as a Model for Field-Based Teacher Education." "Journal of Curriculum Studies" 45 (3): 394-417. doi:10.1080/00220272.2012.719550] inspired by years of research…

Working at Community Boundaries: A Micro-Analysis of the Activist's Role in Participatory Learning Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorpe, Mary; Kubiak, Chris

2005-01-01

The interaction of agency and context in workplace learning is explored through a micro-analysis of the implementation of networked learning communities in schools in England. Interviews with local activists show evidence of co-participation between individuals' responses and their workplace roles and experience as they take up the opportunity to…

A Career in Activism: A Reflective Narrative of University Governance and Unionism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosanquet, Agnes; Rytmeister, Cathy

2017-01-01

This paper examines what it means to be an activist and to do activist work in the Australian contemporary university. In a context of globalisation, massification and marketisation, what does academic or scholar activism look like? In a time of political uncertainty about fee deregulation, further cuts to public funding and changes to the…

Leadership for Social Change: Learning from the Perspectives of Latina/Chicana Activist Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venegas-García, Marcia

2013-01-01

Literature in leadership studies is devoid of knowledge about the unique ways that Latina/Chicana educators engage as leaders, activists, and agents for change. Women's studies, ethnic studies, and Chicana feminist studies alert us to the complex role that social context and the intersectionality of gender, ethnicity/race, and class play in the…

"To Balance the Picture": Peace Activists and the Struggle for Equal Access in Chicago Schools, 1980-1985

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kershner, Seth

2014-01-01

For more than forty years, parents, teachers, veterans, and community activists have engaged in grassroots resistance to the military's presence in schools. The historical study of campaigns against militarism in schools remains underdeveloped. This is a glaring omission, given the breadth and history of this activism. Militarism in the…

Social Justice Art: A Framework for Activist Art Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewhurst, Marit

2014-01-01

In this lively and groundbreaking book, arts educator Marit Dewhurst examines why art is an effective way to engage students in thinking about the role they might play in addressing social injustice. Based on interviews and observations of sixteen high schoolers participating in an activist arts class at a New York City museum, Dewhurst identifies…

From Awareness to Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Micklos, John, Jr.

2012-01-01

What inspires young people to become activists? Events such as wars or regime changes obviously raise high emotions. But some choose to get involved because they saw a need and felt compelled to take action. Young Americans have a long track record as activists. Among other things, they played a key role in the civil rights movement of the 1950s…

Leveraging Conflict to Achieve Advances in Civil Rights: Community Leadership--An Unfinished Work for Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canfield-Davis, Kathy; Gardiner, Mary E.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research was to identify community leadership praxis of an activist for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender civil rights in community housing, employment and public accommodations. The qualitative single-case study included data from city council meetings, interviews with Tony Stewart, the community leader/activist, other…

Organic Activists: Undocumented Youth Creating Spaces of Acompañamiento

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuñez-Janes, Mariela; Ovalle, Mario

2016-01-01

Our research brings attention to undocumented youth activism as a space controlled by marginalized youth. We discuss the case study of a youth-led grassroots group in Texas to explore how undocumented youth engage a pedagogy of acompañamiento through activism. We worked with undocumented youth activists as allies over the past seven years and…

Feminist HCI for Real: Designing Technology in Support of a Social Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimond, Jill P.

2012-01-01

How are technologies are designed and used tactically by activists? As the HCI community starts to contend with social inequalities, there has been debate about how HCI researchers should address approach this type of research. However, there is little research examining practitioners such as social justice activists who confront social problems,…

Community mobilization and the framing of alcohol-related problems.

PubMed

Herd, Denise

2010-03-01

The goal of this study was to describe how activists engaged in campaigns to change alcohol policies in inner city areas framed alcohol problems, and whether or not their frameworks reflected major models used in the field, such as the alcoholism as a disease model, an alcohol problems perspective, or a public health approach to alcohol problems. The findings showed that activists' models shared some aspects with dominant approaches which tend to focus on individuals and to a lesser extent on regulating alcohol marketing and sales. However, activists' models differed in significant ways by focusing on community level problems with alcohol; on problems with social norms regarding alcohol use; and on the relationship of alcohol use to illicit drugs.

Ethical ideology, animal rights activism, and attitudes toward the treatment of animals.

PubMed

Galvin, Shelley L; Herzog, Harold A

1992-01-01

In two studies, we used the Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ) to investigate the relationship between individual differences in moral philosophy, involvement in the animal rights movement, and attitudes toward the treatment of animals. In the first, 600 animal rights activists attending a national demonstration and 266 nonactivist college students were given the EPQ. Analysis of the returns from 157 activists and 198 students indicated that the activists were more likely than the students to hold an "absolutist" moral orientation (high idealism, low relativism). In the second study, 169 students were given the EPQ with a scale designed to measure attitudes toward the treatment of animals. Multiple regression showed that gender and the EPQ dimension of idealism were related to attitudes toward animal use.

Ex-gay rhetoric and the politics of sexuality: the Christian antigay/pro-family movement's "truth in love" ad campaign.

PubMed

Fetner, Tina

2005-01-01

In 1998, a coalition of antigay, pro-family activist organizations published a set of full-page print advertisements in several nationally recognized newspapers. These ads promoted sexual (ex-gay) conversion therapy for homosexuals. I examine these advertisements as a contest over cultural symbols and values, and over the very definition of lesbian and gay identity. This discursive contest had the potential to impact activist politics greatly, but this impact was mitigated significantly by a similar set of ads produced in response by an opposing movement: the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement. The interactive dynamics between opposing movements impact the political field in which activists on each side pursue their goals.

Body sway at sea for two visual tasks and three stance widths.

PubMed

Stoffregen, Thomas A; Villard, Sebastien; Yu, Yawen

2009-12-01

On land, body sway is influenced by stance width (the distance between the feet) and by visual tasks engaged in during stance. While wider stance can be used to stabilize the body against ship motion and crewmembers are obliged to carry out many visual tasks while standing, the influence of these factors on the kinematics of body sway has not been studied at sea. Crewmembers of the RN Atlantis stood on a force plate from which we obtained data on the positional variability of the center of pressure (COP). The sea state was 2 on the Beaufort scale. We varied stance width (5 cm, 17 cm, and 30 cm) and the nature of the visual tasks. In the Inspection task, participants viewed a plain piece of white paper, while in the Search task they counted the number of target letters that appeared in a block of text. Search task performance was similar to reports from terrestrial studies. Variability of the COP position was reduced during the Search task relative to the Inspection task. Variability was also reduced during wide stance relative to narrow stance. The influence of stance width was greater than has been observed in terrestrial studies. These results suggest that two factors that influence postural sway on land (variations in stance width and in the nature of visual tasks) also influence sway at sea. We conclude that--in mild sea states--the influence of these factors is not suppressed by ship motion.

Detecting Underlying Stance Adopted When Human Construe Behavior of Entities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terada, Kazunori; Ono, Kouhei; Ito, Akira

Whether or not humans can construe the behaviors of entities depends on their psychological stance. The philosopher Dennett proposed human cognitive strategies (three stances) in which humans construe the behavior of other animated objects, including other humans, artifacts, and physical phenomena:‘intentional’, ‘design’ and ‘physical’ stances. Detecting the psychological stance taken toward entities is difficult, because such mental state attribution is a subjective cognitive process and hard to measure. In the present study, we proposed a novel method for detecting underlying stance adopted when human construe behavior of entities. In our method the subject was asked to select the most suitable action sequence shown in three movies each of which representing Dennett’s three stances. To valid our method we have conducted an experiment in which the subjects were presented thirty short videos and asked to compare them to the three movies. The result indicated that the subjects did not focused on prior knowledge about the entity but could focused on motion characteristics per se, owing to simple and typical motion of an abstract shaped object.

Exploring individual differences in preschoolers' causal stance.

PubMed

Alvarez, Aubry; Booth, Amy E

2016-03-01

Preschoolers, as a group, are highly attuned to causality, and this attunement is known to facilitate memory, learning, and problem solving. However, recent work reveals substantial individual variability in the strength of children's "causal stance," as demonstrated by their curiosity about and preference for new causal information. In this study, we explored the coherence and short-term stability of individual differences in children's causal stance. We also began to investigate the origins of this variability, focusing particularly on the potential role of mothers' explanatory talk in shaping the causal stance of their children. Two measures of causal stance correlated with each other, as well as themselves across time. Both also revealed internal consistency of response. The strength of children's causal stance also correlated with mother's responses on the same tasks and the frequency with which mothers emphasized causality during naturalistic joint activities with their children. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Oiling the system: How activities and the state shaped the politics of petroleum development in Tabasco, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, Heather Dawn

This dissertation analyzes the social, economic and political processes that accompanied the development of petroleum resources in Tabasco, Mexico. Through an historical examination of the case of Tabasco, I explore the general question of how and why state-led development becomes a contested terrain. Why does this sort of activism flourish during some time periods and not others? Under what conditions are relatively marginalized people able to effectively challenge the sort of domination inherent in state-led development plans? To what extent can activists succeed at reshaping the course of development? I argue that protest of state-led development is not necessarily linked to the pace or absolute impact of the social, environmental and economic changes being promoted. Instead, what is most central is the degree to which activists can successfully portray state-led development as an unjust process that contributes to inequality. However, the fact that activists are always constrained by the limits of existing state discourse seriously constrains the range of actions open to marginalized people. In the case of oil development in Tabasco, while activists were free to challenge the uneven distribution of rents, they have not been able to challenge the process itself. Indeed, the promise of material progress is common ground for both activists and the state. I conclude my dissertation with the observation that just as state discourses simultaneously create and limit possibilities for citizen protest, so social movement discourses simultaneously push for change and solidify the existing inequitable social structures.

Becoming a Youth Activist in the Internet Age: A Case Study on Social Media Activism and Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullam, Jordan

2017-01-01

This paper draws on a case study of one youth activist, and explores connections between social media activism, identity development, and critical education. Justin Rodriguez, a 17-year-old high school student in Newark, New Jersey, leveraged social media and texting as organizing tools and garnered support for a school walkout to protest…

Activism and Apathy: The Prices We Pay for Both

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihesuah, Devon A.

2003-01-01

The topic in the author's mind lately is how activists in the academy can best get their messages across with minimal stress and maximum impact. It is difficult to be an academic activist mainly because the status quo does not want to be challenged. Why is activism important? The answer to this question is obvious and simple: If Natives do not do…

The Movement We Make Is the Community We Become: On Being an Activist in the Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madeloni, Barbara

2014-01-01

As social justice educators we operate within an academy that often denies the necessity of activism in our work. In this article the author explores, through one person's story, how hierarchies of knowledge and status work within neoliberal paradigms to marginalize scholar-activists and embodied knowledge, and offers possible paths toward…

Speaking Truth to Power: Du Bois as Educator and Community Activist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Carl A.; Grant, Paul D.

2017-01-01

This article uses W. E. B. Du Bois's work as an education and community activist to discuss race, oppression, and speaking-back to power in this time of racialized policies enacted by the Trump administration. This article centers a comparative discussion of the racialization of democracy by presidents Wilson and Trump to show the ways Du Bois was…

A Tribute to Thomas P. Carter (1927-2001): Activist Scholar and Pioneer in Mexican American Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valencia, Richard R.

2006-01-01

This article presents a testimony to the late Dr. Thomas P. Carter. Well known for his classic (1970) book, Mexican Americans in School: A History of Educational Neglect, Carter was an activist scholar and pioneer in Mexican American education. His considerable interactions with South Americans, Mexicans, and Mexican Americans served as a…

Catching up with ... Joyce Ladner: Portrait of Joyce Ladner, Sociologist and Activist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Ronald

2005-01-01

From her late teenage years as a civil rights activist to an interim presidency at Howard University, Dr. Joyce A. Ladner has lived as heroic and accomplished a life as any scholar of her generation. A 1964 graduate of Tougaloo College, Ladner, in her college days, with her sister, Dorie Ladner, and other students from the Student Nonviolent…

Intercreativity: Mapping Online Activism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meikle, Graham

How do activists use the Internet? This article maps a wide range of activist practice and research by applying and developing Tim Berners-Lee's concept of ‘intercreativity' (1999). It identifies four dimensions of Net activism: intercreative texts, tactics, strategies and networks. It develops these through examples of manifestations of Net activism around one cluster of issues: support campaigns for refugees and asylum seekers.

[Lee Jungsook, a Korean independence activist and a nurse during the Japanese colonial period].

PubMed

Kim, Sook Young

2015-04-01

This article examines the life of Lee Jungsook, a Korean nurse, as a independence activist during the Japanese colonial period. Lee Jungsook(1896-1950) was born in Bukchung in Hamnam province. She studied at Chungshin girl's high school and worked at Severance hospital. The characteristics and culture of her educational background and work place were very important factors which influenced greatly the life of Lee Jungsook. She learned independent spirit and nationalism from Chungshin girls' high school and worked as nurse at the Severance hospital which were full of intense aspiration for Korea's independence. Many of doctors, professors and medical students were participated in the 3.1 Independence Movement. Lee Jungsook was a founding member of Hyulsungdan who tried to help the independence activists in prison and their families and worked as a main member of Korean Women's Association for Korean Independece and Kyungsung branch of the Korean Red Cross. She was sent to jail by the Japanese government for her independence activism. After being released after serving two years confinement, she worked for the Union for Women's Liberation as a founding member. Lee Joungsook was a great independence activist who had a nursing care spirit as a nurse.

Development and implementation of a science training course for breast cancer activists: Project LEAD (leadership, education and advocacy development)

PubMed Central

Dickersin, Kay; Braun, Lundy; Mead, Margaret; Millikan, Robert; Wu, Anna M.; Pietenpol, Jennifer; Troyan, Susan; Anderson, Benjamin; Visco, Frances

2008-01-01

Objective To develop and implement Project LEAD (leadership, education, and advocacy development), a science course for breast cancer activists. Population Students were breast cancer activists and other consumers, mainly affiliated with advocacy organizations in the United States of America. Setting Project LEAD is offered by the National Breast Cancer Coalition; the course takes place over 5 days and is offered 4 times a year, in various cities in the United States of America. Results The Project LEAD curriculum has developed over 5 years to include lectures, problem‐based study groups, case studies, interactive critical appraisal sessions, a seminar by an ‘expert’ scientist, role play, and homework components. A core faculty has been valuable for evaluating and revising the course and has proved necessary to provide consistent high quality teaching. Course evaluations indicated that students gained critical appraisal skills, enhanced their knowledge and developed confidence in selected areas of basic science and epidemiology. Conclusions Project LEAD comprises a unique curriculum for training breast cancer activists in science and critical appraisal. Course evaluations indicate that students gain confidence and skills from the course. PMID:11703495

Making big tobacco give in: you lose, they win.

PubMed

Wander, Nathaniel; Malone, Ruth E

2006-11-01

To better understand how the tobacco industry responds to tobacco control activists, we explored Philip Morris's response to demands that consumers in developing countries be informed about smoking risks, and analyzed the implications of negotiating with a tobacco company. We reviewed internal tobacco industry documents and related materials, constructed a case history of how Philip Morris responded to a shareholder campaign to require health warnings on cigarettes sold worldwide, and analyzed interactions between (1) socially responsible investment activists, (2) Philip Morris management, (3) institutional investors, and (4) industry competitors. After resisting for 11 years, Philip Morris unilaterally reversed direction, and proposed its own labeling initiative. While activists celebrated, Philip Morris's president detailed privately how the company would yield little and benefit disproportionately. Activists portrayed the tobacco industry as preying on the poor and uneducated and used delegitimization to drive a wedge between the industry and its financial and political allies. When Philip Morris "gave in" to their demands, it exchanged negative publicity for positive public relations and political credibility. Tobacco companies can appear to accommodate public health demands while securing strategic advantages. Negotiating with the tobacco industry can enhance its legitimacy and facilitate its ability to market deadly cigarettes without corresponding benefits to public health.

Two Birds, One Stone: Unintended Consequences and a Potential Solution for Problems With Recovery in Mental Health.

PubMed

Hunt, Marcia G; Resnick, Sandra G

2015-11-01

Recovery began as a social justice movement. In more recent years, professionals have joined the movement, unintentionally co-opting and mainstreaming the more radical goals of these earlier activist consumer movements. The goals of the patient-centered care movement in general medical care are similar to those of "professional recovery." If mental health professionals instead adopted the language and goals of patient-centered care as a first step toward joining the two movements, the recovery movement could reclaim its social justice roots, and progress would be made toward reducing the duality between physical and mental health care systems. Professionals should return the recovery movement to those with lived experience, adopt the unified language of patient-centered care, and align professional transformation efforts under one holistic movement.

Health and social policies in the new South Africa.

PubMed

Pillay, Y G; Bond, P

1995-01-01

South Africa's first democratic government is today confronted with the challenge of recasting apartheid social and health policies, transforming a moribund bureaucracy's mode of governance, and restructuring a variety of public and private institutions, including the national Department of Health. In the attempt to redress racial, gender, and class inequities, enormous barriers confront health policy analysts and planners, progressive politicians, and activists within civil society who work in the field of health. This article sets the broad social policy context for the emerging strategies, documents some of the continuing inequities in the health sector, and recounts some recent experiences in one of the nine provinces (KwaZulu-Natal). to illustrate the difficulties and potentials that change of this magnitude presents under the prevailing conditions of neoliberal politics and economics.

Social support satisfaction in adults with eating disorders: Does stance matter?

PubMed

Geller, Josie; Iyar, Megumi; Srikameswaran, Suja; Zelichowska, Joanna; Dunn, Erin C

2017-07-01

Although the role of social support is clearly established in the recovery of youth with eating disorders, little is known about factors that contribute to support satisfaction and improved treatment outcome in adults. This study examined the contribution of patient factors and perceived support stance used by family and friends in determining social support satisfaction. Individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for an eating disorder (n = 182) completed measures of eating disorder and psychiatric severity, interpersonal functioning, perceived support stance used by family and friends, and social support satisfaction. Correlations indicated that both patient factors (lower psychiatric distress and fewer interpersonal difficulties) and perceived support stance (higher concerned and lower directive support) were associated with patient support satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses indicated that perceived support stance accounted for greater variance in social support satisfaction than did patient factors. Patient age was associated with differences in preferred support stance: expressions of caring were most critical for younger patients, whereas not being criticized or told what to do was most significant for older patients. This research suggests that the stance used when offering support is vital to the care of individuals with eating disorders. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"If I Can't Bake, I Don't Want to Be Part of Your Revolution": CODEPINK's Activist Literacies of Peace and Pie

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubisar, Abby M.

2016-01-01

By focusing on the cookbook "Peace Never Tasted So Sweet," this article argues that CODEPINK strategically combines peace activist and food literacies to engage audiences in their antiwar efforts, strategies that take on benefits and drawbacks. Although feminist scholars from a variety of disciplines have studied cookbooks, researchers…

Activists within the Academy: The Role of Prior Experience in Adult Learners' Acquisition of Postgraduate Literacies in a Postapartheid South African University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Linda

2011-01-01

The article takes as a case study a group of disability rights activists who were given access to a master's program via Recognition of Prior Learning. The question explored is "Can adult learners' prior experiential knowledge act as a resource for the successful acquisition of postgraduate academic literacy practices?" The analysis is…

Physical Education "in All Sorts of Corners:" Student Activists Transgressing Formal Physical Education Curricular Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enright, Eimear; O'Sullivan, Mary

2012-01-01

The data for this paper were generated during a 3-year, participatory action research project, with 41 female coresearchers and activists ages 15-19 years old, within and beyond the walls of a secondary school. The two questions we sought to answer were (a) what happens when we engage with students to challenge formal physical education curricular…

From prowar soldier to antiwar activist: Change and continuity in the narratives of political conversion among Iraq War veterans

Treesearch

David Flores

2016-01-01

This study examines conversion narratives of Iraq War military veterans who have become antiwar political activists. I examine how antiwar veterans construct and emplot prewar, wartime, and postwar narrative periods to shape and reclaim their moral identities as patriots fighting for a just cause, and how through a communal antiwar story they work to both...

Al Qaeda in Iraq: Demobilizing the Threat

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

sources of manpower, finances , and material resources as well as an informational forum for disseminating the group’s message.9 Preexisting...education within their own country and finance the educational export of their form of Islam throughout the region as visible evidence of their...activists, finances , and military equipment. In a parallel effort, other Muslim states also exported their militant activists to Afghanistan to do their

Meaningful Experiences in PE for All Students: An Activist Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walseth, Kristin; Engebretsen, Berit; Elvebakk, Lisbeth

2018-01-01

Background and purpose: The research literature in physical education (PE) is placing a growing focus on the need for research that can illuminate not only the challenges PE faces but also how we can develop PE to meet the needs of all students. The activist approach aims to study future possibilities in PE, and the goal is for all young people…

LGBT Student Leaders and Queer Activists: Identities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Identified College Student Leaders and Activists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renn, Kristen A.

2007-01-01

This qualitative study provided evidence of common patterns of involvement, leadership, and identity among 15 students leading lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) campus groups. Participants were 7 men, 5 women, and 3 female-to-male transgender students; one first-year, 4 sophomores, 4 juniors, and 6 seniors; and 8 White, 2 Black, one…

Activism on the Corporate Campus: It Just Doesn't Have That You Know What Anymore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolhinow, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Student activists, like all activists, need space to organise, take part in actions, and educate their peers. On many campuses, these spaces can be a refuge for progressive students who may not find support for their activism in other spaces on campus. This article examines the development, function, and demise of one such space. In particular,…

Negotiating treatment preferences: Physicians' formulations of patients' stance.

PubMed

Landmark, Anne Marie Dalby; Svennevig, Jan; Gulbrandsen, Pål

2016-01-01

Eliciting patients' values and treatment preferences is an essential element in models of shared decision making, yet few studies have investigated the interactional realizations of how physicians do this in authentic encounters. Drawing on video-recorded encounters from Norwegian secondary care, the present study uses the fine-grained empirical methodology of conversation analysis (CA) to identify one conversational practice physicians use, namely, formulations of patients' stance, in which physicians summarize or paraphrase their understanding of the patient's stance towards treatment. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to explore what objectives formulations of patients' stance achieve while negotiating treatment and (2) to discuss these objectives in relation to core requirements in shared decision making. Our analysis demonstrates that formulating the patient's stance is a practice physicians use in order to elicit, check, and establish patients' attitudes towards treatment. This practice is in line with general recommendations for making shared decisions, such as exploring and checking patients' preferences and values. However, the formulations may function as a device for doing more than merely checking and establishing common ground and bringing up patients' preferences and views: Accompanied by subtle deprecating expressions, they work to delegitimize the patients' stances and indirectly convey the physicians' opposing stance. Once established, these positions can be used as a basis for challenging and potentially altering the patient's attitude towards the decision, thereby making it more congruent with the physician's view. Therefore, in addition to bringing up patients' views towards treatment, we argue that physicians may use formulations of patients' stance as a resource for directing the patient towards decisions that are congruent with the physician's stance in situations with potential disagreement, whilst (ostensibly) avoiding a more authoritarian or paternalistic approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of hand dominance on martial arts strikes.

PubMed

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Silva, Jansen Henrique; Marzullo, Ana Carolina de Miranda; Bolander, Richard P; Bir, Cynthia A

2012-08-01

The main goal of this study was to compare dominant and non-dominant martial arts palm strikes under different circumstances that usually happen during martial arts and combative sports applications. Seven highly experienced (10±5 years) right hand dominant Kung Fu practitioners performed strikes with both hands, stances with left or right lead legs, and with the possibility or not of stepping towards the target (moving stance). Peak force was greater for the dominant hand strikes (1593.76±703.45 N vs. 1042.28±374.16 N; p<.001), whereas no difference was found in accuracy between the hands (p=.141). Additionally, peak force was greater for the strikes with moving stance (1448.75±686.01 N vs. 1201.80±547.98 N; p=.002) and left lead leg stance (1378.06±705.48 N vs. 1269.96±547.08 N). Furthermore, the difference in peak force between strikes with moving and stationary stances was statistically significant only for the strikes performed with a left lead leg stance (p=.007). Hand speed was higher for the dominant hand strikes (5.82±1.08 m/s vs. 5.24±0.78 m/s; p=.001) and for the strikes with moving stance (5.79±1.01 m/s vs. 5.29±0.90 m/s; p<.001). The difference in hand speed between right and left hand strikes was only significant for strikes with moving stance. In summary, our results suggest that the stronger palm strike for a right-handed practitioner is a right hand strike on a left lead leg stance moving towards the target. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THE EFFECT OF HAND DOMINANCE ON MARTIAL ARTS STRIKES

PubMed Central

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Silva, Jansen Henrique; de Miranda Marzullo, Ana Carolina; Bolander, Richard P.; Bir, Cynthia A.

2011-01-01

The main goal of this study was to compare dominant and non-dominant martial arts palm strikes under different circumstances that usually happen during martial arts and combative sports applications. Seven highly experienced (10 ± 5 years) right hand dominant Kung Fu practitioners performed strikes with both hands, stances with left or right lead legs, and with the possibility or not of stepping towards the target (moving stance). Peak force was greater for the dominant hand strikes (1593.76 ± 703.45 N vs. 1042.28 ± 374.16 N; p < .001), whereas no difference was found in accuracy between the hands (p = .141). Additionally, peak force was greater for the strikes with moving stance (1448.75 ± 686.01 N vs. 1201.80 ± 547.98 N; p = .002) and left lead leg stance (1378.06 ± 705.48 N vs.1269.96 ± 547.08 N). Furthermore, the difference in peak force between strikes with moving and stationary stances was statistically significant only for the strikes performed with a left lead leg stance (p = .007). Hand speed was higher for the dominant hand strikes (5.82 ± 1.08 m/s vs. 5.24 ± 0.78 m/s; p = 0.001) and for the strikes with moving stance (5.79 ± 1.01 m/s vs. 5.29 ± 0.90 m/s; p < .001). The difference in hand speed between right and left hand strikes was only significant for strikes with moving stance. In summary, our results suggest that the stronger palm strike for a right-handed practitioner is a right hand strike on a left lead leg stance moving towards the target. PMID:22047701

Effect of stance position on kick performance in taekwondo.

PubMed

Estevan, Isaac; Jandacka, Daniel; Falco, Coral

2013-01-01

In taekwondo, the stance position can potentially affect kick performance. The aim of this study was to analyse mechanical variables in the roundhouse kick in taekwondo according to three stance positions (0°, 45°, 90°). Nine experienced taekwondo athletes performed consecutive kicking trials in a random order according to these three relative positions of the feet on the ground. Measurements for the mechanical analysis were performed using two 3D force plates and an eight-camera motion capture system. The taekwondo athletes' reaction and execution times were shorter when starting from the 0° and 45° stance positions than from the 90° position (P < 0.05). Moreover, the ground reaction force was negatively correlated with execution time and positively with velocity of thigh and shank. Our results suggest that the stance position affects the execution technique of taekwondo athletes' kicks. It is suggested that athletes should not adopt the 90° stance position because it will not enable them to achieve the best performance in the roundhouse kick.

Learning styles of postgraduate and undergraduate medical students.

PubMed

Shukr, Irfan; Zainab, Roop; Rana, Mowadat H

2013-01-01

To compare learning styles of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. Observational, comparative study. Department of Medical Education, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, during February and March 2012. A total of 170 students were divided into two equal groups of undergraduate students of Army Medical College, and postgraduate students of Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute, Rawalpindi. Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) was used to assess and categorize the participants into Honey and Mumford classification of learning styles. The responses of each student ranging from 'very strong,' 'strong', 'moderate', and 'low' preference towards activist, theorist, reflector and pragmatist learning styles were compiled. The two groups were compared using SPSS version 17, using Fisher's exact test and the chi-square test. A p-value of $lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Preferences for all four learning styles were present in both groups. The results reveal an overall statistically significant difference in the 'very strong' preference in learning styles between the two study groups (p=0.002). Among the undergraduate students, 45% had a very strong preference for being an activist, whereas in postgraduate students, 38% had very strong preference for reflector, and 35% for theorist. This was statistically significant for activist, and reflector, and attained a p-value of < 0.001, for activist, and of 0.018 for reflector. The most uncommon 'very strong', and 'strong preference' for learning style was pragmatist in both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Diversity of learning styles at undergraduate and postgraduate level of medical education calls for multiplicity of instructional and assessment modalities to match them. The learning styles amongst the undergraduate medical students are different from the postgraduates. The postgraduates commonly have the reflector learning style while the undergraduates are predominantly activists and theorists.

Connecting Police Violence With Reproductive Health.

PubMed

Premkumar, Ashish; Nseyo, Onouwem; Jackson, Andrea V

2017-01-01

Since the police-involved deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, activists have argued for connecting police violence with reproductive justice. We argue that systematic violence, including police violence, should be evaluated in relation to reproductive health outcomes of individual patients and communities. Beyond emphasizing the relationship between violence and health outcomes, both qualitative and epidemiologic data can be used by activists and caregivers to effectively care for individuals from socially marginalized communities.

The Neuro-Mechanical Processes That Underlie Goal-Directed Medio-Lateral APA during Gait Initiation.

PubMed

Honeine, Jean-Louis; Schieppati, Marco; Crisafulli, Oscar; Do, Manh-Cuong

2016-01-01

Gait initiation (GI) involves passing from bipedal to unipedal stance. It requires a rapid movement of the center of foot pressure (CoP) towards the future swing foot and of the center of mass (CoM) in the direction of the stance foot prior to the incoming step. This anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) allows disengaging the swing leg from the ground and establishing favorable conditions for stepping. This study aimed to describe the neuro-mechanical process that underlies the goal-directed medio-lateral (ML) APA. We hypothesized that controlled knee flexion of the stance leg contributes to the initial ML displacement of the CoP and to the calibration of the first step. Fourteen subjects initiated gait starting from three different initial stance widths of 15 cm (Small), 30 cm (Medium), and 45 cm (Large). Optoelectronic, force platform and electromyogram (EMG) measurements were performed. During APA, soleus activity diminished bilaterally, while tibialis anterior (TA) activity increased, more so in the stance leg than in the swing leg, and to a larger extent with increasing initial stance width. Knee flexion of the stance leg was observed during APA and correlated with the ML CoP displacement towards the swing leg. ML CoP and CoM displacements during APA increased with increasing stance width. The activity of stance-leg TA was correlated with the degree of knee flexion. Swing-leg tensor fasciae latae (TFL) was also active during APA. Across subjects, when stance-leg tibialis activity was low, TFL activity was large and vice versa. The modulation of the ML CoP position during APA allowed the gravity-driven torque to place the CoM just lateral to the stance foot during step execution. Accordingly, the gravity-driven torque, the ML CoM velocity during step execution, and the step width at foot contact (FC) were lower in the Small and greater in the Large condition. Consequently, the position of the stepping foot at FC remained close to the sagittal plane in all three conditions. Conclusively, coordinated activation of hip abductors and ankle dorsiflexors during APA displaces the CoP towards the swing leg, and sets the contact position for the swing foot.

The Neuro-Mechanical Processes That Underlie Goal-Directed Medio-Lateral APA during Gait Initiation

PubMed Central

Honeine, Jean-Louis; Schieppati, Marco; Crisafulli, Oscar; Do, Manh-Cuong

2016-01-01

Gait initiation (GI) involves passing from bipedal to unipedal stance. It requires a rapid movement of the center of foot pressure (CoP) towards the future swing foot and of the center of mass (CoM) in the direction of the stance foot prior to the incoming step. This anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) allows disengaging the swing leg from the ground and establishing favorable conditions for stepping. This study aimed to describe the neuro-mechanical process that underlies the goal-directed medio-lateral (ML) APA. We hypothesized that controlled knee flexion of the stance leg contributes to the initial ML displacement of the CoP and to the calibration of the first step. Fourteen subjects initiated gait starting from three different initial stance widths of 15 cm (Small), 30 cm (Medium), and 45 cm (Large). Optoelectronic, force platform and electromyogram (EMG) measurements were performed. During APA, soleus activity diminished bilaterally, while tibialis anterior (TA) activity increased, more so in the stance leg than in the swing leg, and to a larger extent with increasing initial stance width. Knee flexion of the stance leg was observed during APA and correlated with the ML CoP displacement towards the swing leg. ML CoP and CoM displacements during APA increased with increasing stance width. The activity of stance-leg TA was correlated with the degree of knee flexion. Swing-leg tensor fasciae latae (TFL) was also active during APA. Across subjects, when stance-leg tibialis activity was low, TFL activity was large and vice versa. The modulation of the ML CoP position during APA allowed the gravity-driven torque to place the CoM just lateral to the stance foot during step execution. Accordingly, the gravity-driven torque, the ML CoM velocity during step execution, and the step width at foot contact (FC) were lower in the Small and greater in the Large condition. Consequently, the position of the stepping foot at FC remained close to the sagittal plane in all three conditions. Conclusively, coordinated activation of hip abductors and ankle dorsiflexors during APA displaces the CoP towards the swing leg, and sets the contact position for the swing foot. PMID:27642280

Factoid forensics: have "more than 40" Australian families abandoned their homes because of wind farm noise?

PubMed

Chapman, Simon

2014-01-01

Anti-wind farm activists repeatedly claim that families said to be adversely affected by noise from wind turbines "abandon" their homes. In Australia, a claim of "more than 40 families" has been made by a prominent anti-wind farm activist. Six sources (parliamentary submissions, media reports, an anti-wind farm website, wind industry sources, correspondence with known anti-wind farm activists and with three politicians opposed to wind farms) were used to find evidence of home "abandonments." Claims about 12 Australian households permanently (n = 10) or periodically (n = 2) leaving their homes were found. However, no house appears to have been permanently "abandoned" without sale, as the expression implies. These 12 cases need contextualizing against considerations that several of those involved were either dedicated activists against wind farms from times sometimes pre-dating their construction, were engaged in protracted negotiations for home purchase with wind companies, had pre-existing health problems, grievances with the wind company over employment or had left the area for unrelated reasons of employment elsewhere. The statement that "more than 40" houses have been "abandoned" because of wind turbines in Australia is a factoid promoted by wind farm opponents for dramatic, rhetorical impact. Other considerations are often involved in abandonment unrelated to the claims made about wind farm noise.

Making Big Tobacco Give In: You Lose, They Win

PubMed Central

Wander, Nathaniel; Malone, Ruth E

2006-01-01

Objectives. To better understand how the tobacco industry responds to tobacco control activists, we explored Philip Morris’s response to demands that consumers in developing countries be informed about smoking risks, and analyzed the implications of negotiating with a tobacco company. Methods. We reviewed internal tobacco industry documents and related materials, constructed a case history of how Philip Morris responded to a shareholder campaign to require health warnings on cigarettes sold worldwide, and analyzed interactions between (1) socially responsible investment activists, (2) Philip Morris management, (3) institutional investors, and (4) industry competitors. Results. After resisting for 11 years, Philip Morris unilaterally reversed direction, and proposed its own labeling initiative. While activists celebrated, Philip Morris’s president detailed privately how the company would yield little and benefit disproportionately. Activists portrayed the tobacco industry as preying on the poor and uneducated and used delegitimization to drive a wedge between the industry and its financial and political allies. When Philip Morris “gave in” to their demands, it exchanged negative publicity for positive public relations and political credibility. Conclusions. Tobacco companies can appear to accommodate public health demands while securing strategic advantages. Negotiating with the tobacco industry can enhance its legitimacy and facilitate its ability to market deadly cigarettes without corresponding benefits to public health. PMID:17018823

Stance controlled knee flexion improves stimulation driven walking after spinal cord injury

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) restores walking function after paralysis from spinal cord injury via electrical activation of muscles in a coordinated fashion. Combining FNS with a controllable orthosis to create a hybrid neuroprosthesis (HNP) has the potential to extend walking distance and time by mechanically locking the knee joint during stance to allow knee extensor muscle to rest with stimulation turned off. Recent efforts have focused on creating advanced HNPs which couple joint motion (e.g., hip and knee or knee and ankle) to improve joint coordination during swing phase while maintaining a stiff-leg during stance phase. Methods The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of incorporating stance controlled knee flexion during loading response and pre-swing phases on restored gait. Knee control in the HNP was achieved by a specially designed variable impedance knee mechanism (VIKM). One subject with a T7 level spinal cord injury was enrolled and served as his own control in examining two techniques to restore level over-ground walking: FNS-only (which retained a stiff knee during stance) and VIKM-HNP (which allowed controlled knee motion during stance). The stimulation pattern driving the walking motion remained the same for both techniques; the only difference was that knee extensor stimulation was constant during stance with FNS-only and modulated together with the VIKM to control knee motion during stance with VIKM-HNP. Results Stance phase knee angle was more natural during VIKM-HNP gait while knee hyperextension persisted during stiff-legged FNS-only walking. During loading response phase, vertical ground reaction force was less impulsive and instantaneous gait speed was increased with VIKM-HNP, suggesting that knee flexion assisted in weight transfer to the leading limb. Enhanced knee flexion during pre-swing phase also aided flexion during swing, especially when response to stimulation was compromised. Conclusions These results show the potential advantages of incorporating stance controlled knee flexion into a hybrid neuroprosthesis for walking. The addition of such control to FNS driven walking could also enable non-level walking tasks such as uneven terrain, slope navigation and stair descent where controlled knee flexion during weight bearing is critical. PMID:23826711

Risk Taking in Late Adolescence: Relations between Sociomoral Reasoning, Risk Stance, and Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Leigh A.; Amsel, Eric; Schillo, Joshua

2011-01-01

This study explored relations among late adolescents' sociomoral reasoning about risk taking, risk stance, and behavior. One-hundred and thirty-two participants (18-20-year-olds) were surveyed about their own risk stance (Avoidant, Opportunistic, Curious, Risk Seeking) and behavior in three realms (Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Reckless Driving), and…

The southpaw advantage? Lateral preference in mixed martial arts.

PubMed

Baker, Joseph; Schorer, Jörg

2013-01-01

Performers with a left-orientation have a greater likelihood of obtaining elite levels of performance in many interactive sports. This study examined whether combat stance orientation was related to skill and success in Mixed Martial Arts fighters. Data were extracted for 1468 mixed martial artists from a reliable and valid online data source. Measures included fighting stance, win percentage and an ordinal measure of skill based on number of fights. The overall analysis revealed that the fraction of fighters using a southpaw stance was greater than the fraction of left-handers in the general population, but the relationship between stance and hand-preference is not well-understood. Furthermore, t-tests found no statistically significant relationship between laterality and winning percentage, although there was a significant difference between stances for number of fights. Southpaw fighters had a greater number of fights than those using an orthodox stance. These results contribute to an expanding database on the influence of laterality on sport performance and a relatively limited database on variables associated with success in mixed martial arts.

From Mississippi to Miami: Florida International University Recruits Legendary Civil Rights Activist Bob Moses and His Nationally Recognized Math Literacy Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Ronald

2004-01-01

Few historic episodes in American history have imparted a more potent plea for social justice and inclusion than the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. In the past two decades, legendary activist Bob Moses has channeled the best of the civil rights tradition into a campaign of school reform and curriculum development with the nationally…

Activist emotions: gay radicalism and melancholic attachments.

PubMed

Reynolds, Robert

2010-01-01

It has been argued recently that Australian historians have overlooked histories of emotion. In this article, through the life-history analysis of two long-standing Sydney gay activists, I trace the emotional currents of radical gay activism and suggest these histories point to a wider story of Left melancholy in the closing decades of the twentieth century. I argue that their melancholia is not a trauma-like despair but surprisingly is tinged with a sustaining hope.

The patient movement as an emancipation movement

PubMed Central

Williamson, Charlotte

2008-01-01

Abstract Objective  To suggest that the patient movement is an emancipation movement. Background  The patient movement is young and fragmented; and it can seem confusing because it lacks an explicit ideology with intellectual and theoretical underpinnings. Methods  Drawing mainly on the experiences and the published writings of patient activists, the author identified eight aspects of the patient movement that could be compared with aspects of recognized emancipation movements: the radicalization of activists; the creation of new knowledge; the identification of guiding principles; the sense of direction; the unmasking of new issues; schisms within the movement and allies outside it; and the gradual social acceptance of some of the ideas (here standards of health care) that activists work to promote. Results  Similarities between certain aspects of the patient movement and of the recognized emancipation movements were close. Conclusion  The patient movement can be regarded as an emancipation movement, albeit an immature one. PMID:18494955

Intimate partner violence in the Caribbean: State, activist and media responses.

PubMed

DeShong, Halimah A F; Haynes, Tonya

2016-01-01

Violence in the Caribbean is a major public health and criminal justice problem. In some Caribbean countries, women's share of morbidity and mortality due to violence outstrips men's, which demonstrates a reversal in how gender and violence have been typically and globally understood. This morbidity and mortality among women is frequently a consequence of intimate partner violence (IPV). Using qualitative analysis and feminist discourse and narrative analysis on data from Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados, the authors of this paper contribute to the growing research on IPV. The central organising questions are how do state, activist and media responses reproduce and/or challenge asymmetrical relations of power and gender, and what does this mean for women's agency in the context of violent relationships. State, activist and media responses reveal how assumptions about gender and IPV contribute to a contradictory context in which women navigate their desired outcomes.

Do women CEOs face greater threat of shareholder activism compared to male CEOs? A role congruity perspective.

PubMed

Gupta, Vishal K; Han, Seonghee; Mortal, Sandra C; Silveri, Sabatino Dino; Turban, Daniel B

2018-02-01

We examine the glass cliff proposition that female CEOs receive more scrutiny than male CEOs, by investigating whether CEO gender is related to threats from activist investors in public firms. Activist investors are extraorganizational stakeholders who, when dissatisfied with some aspect of the way the firm is being managed, seek to change the strategy or operations of the firm. Although some have argued that women will be viewed more favorably than men in top leadership positions (so-called "female leadership" advantage logic), we build on role congruity theory to hypothesize that female CEOs are significantly more likely than male CEOs to come under threat from activist investors. Results support our predictions, suggesting that female CEOs may face additional challenges not faced by male CEOs. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Socio-environmental cooperation and conflict? A discursive understanding and its application to the case of Israel and Palestine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ide, T.; Fröhlich, C.

2015-10-01

The existing literature faces difficulties when accounting for the simultaneity of socio-environmental conflict and cooperation. We suggest that this puzzle can be solved by more recent constructivist works, which argue that conflictive or cooperative behavior is driven by discursively constructed interests, identities and situation assessments. Based on a literature review and field interviews, we analyze and compare the dominant water discourses in Israel and Palestine with the discourse dominant among the activists of a water cooperation project between communities from Israel and the West Bank. Our main result is that discourses are indeed crucial for understanding water-related conflict and cooperation. This finding highlights the relevance of constructivist approaches in the study of socio-environmental conflict and cooperation as well as of practices of bottom-up discursive conflict transformation.

Internalized Homonegativity, Confucianism, and Self-Esteem at the Emergence of an LGBTQ Identity in Modern Vietnam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tam; Angelique, Holly

2017-01-01

We examine the relationships between internalized homonegativity, Confucianism, and self-esteem among LGBTQ adults who grew up during the Open Door Policy, or Đổi Mới, in Vietnam. Participants were identified via activist networks and social media groups. They completed online survey focused on internalized homo/transphobia, self-esteem, and Confucian values. The study revealed that more exposure to Confucian values in early life is related to higher levels of internalized homonegativity. Male-born participants also had a higher level of internalized homonegativity than female-born participants. In general, lower levels of self-esteem were also related to higher levels of internalized homonegativity. We discuss the implications of these findings in light of conflicting values between Confucianism and the economic and social transformation that has occurred under Đổi Mới.

Intersession reliability of self-selected and narrow stance balance testing in older adults.

PubMed

Riemann, Bryan L; Piersol, Kelsey

2017-10-01

Despite the common practice of using force platforms to assess balance of older adults, few investigations have examined the reliability of postural screening tests in this population. We sought to determine the test-retest reliability of self-selected and narrow stance balance testing with eyes open and eyes closed in healthy older adults. Thirty older adults (>65 years) completed 45 s trials of eyes open and eyes closed stability tests using self-selected and narrow stances on two separate days (1.9 ± .7 days). Average medial-lateral center of pressure velocity was computed. The ICC results ranged from .74 to .86, and no significant systematic changes (P < .05) occurred between the testing sessions for any of the tests. The standard error of measurement ranged from 15.9 to 23.6%. Reliability estimates were similar between the two stances and visual conditions assessed. Slightly higher coefficients were identified for the self-selected stances compared to the narrow stances under both visual conditions; however, there were negligible differences between the sessions. The within subject session-to-session variability provides a basis for further research to consider differences between fallers and non-fallers. Reliability for eyes open and closed balance testing using self-selected and narrow stances in older adults was established which should provide a foundation for the development of fall risk screening tests.

Corporate interests, philanthropies, and the peace movement.

PubMed

Wright, T; Rodriguez, F; Waitzkin, H

1986-01-01

Corporate and philanthropic involvement in the peace movement is growing. In considering medical peace groups as examples, we have studied the ways that corporate and philanthropic funding have shaped the course of activism. Our methods have included: review of the Foundations Grant Index from 1974-1983; analysis of corporations' and foundations' criteria for grants in the categories of peace, arms control, and disarmament; interviews with leaders of activist organizations and with foundation officials; and our own experiences in the peace movement. Corporate interests in preventing nuclear war stem from a concern for global stability in which world markets may expand, and from a hope to frame issues posed by the peace movement in a way that will not challenge basic structures of power and finance. Several general features make peace groups respectable and attractive to philanthropies; an uncritical stance toward corporate participation in the arms race; a viewpoint that the main danger of nuclear war stems from a profound, bilateral conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union; and a single-issue focus that does not deal with the many related problems reflecting the injustices of capitalism. The two major medical groups working for peace, Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), have accomplished many goals; however, their adherence to subtle criteria of respectability and their dependence on philanthropic funding have limited the scope of their activism. The struggle for peace can not succeed without fundamental changes in the corporate system that initiates, maintains, and promotes the arms race.

Sensemaking, stakeholder discord, and long-term risk communication at a US Superfund site.

PubMed

Hoover, Anna Goodman

2017-03-01

Risk communication can help reduce exposures to environmental contaminants, mitigate negative health outcomes, and inform community-based decisions about hazardous waste sites. While communication best practices have long guided such efforts, little research has examined unintended consequences arising from such guidelines. As rhetoric informs stakeholder sensemaking, the language used in and reinforced by these guidelines can challenge relationships and exacerbate stakeholder tensions. This study evaluates risk communication at a U.S. Superfund site to identify unintended consequences arising from current risk communication practices. This qualitative case study crystallizes data spanning 6 years from three sources: 1) local newspaper coverage of site-related topics; 2) focus-group transcripts from a multi-year project designed to support future visioning of site use; and 3) published blog entries authored by a local environmental activist. Constant comparative analysis provides the study's analytic foundation, with qualitative data analysis software QSR NVivo 8 supporting a three-step process: 1) provisional coding to identify broad topic categories within datasets, 2) coding occurrences of sensemaking constructs and emergent intra-dataset patterns, and 3) grouping related codes across datasets to examine the relationships among them. Existing risk communication practices at this Superfund site contribute to a dichotomous conceptualization of multiple and diverse stakeholders as members of one of only two categories: the government or the public. This conceptualization minimizes perceptions of capacity, encourages public commitment to stances aligned with a preferred group, and contributes to negative expectations that can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Findings indicate a need to re-examine and adapt risk communication guidelines to encourage more pluralistic understanding of the stakeholder landscape.

Linguistic Markers of Stance in Early and Advanced Academic Writing: A Corpus-Based Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aull, Laura L.; Lancaster, Zak

2014-01-01

This article uses corpus methods to examine linguistic expressions of stance in over 4,000 argumentative essays written by incoming first-year university students in comparison with the writing of upper-level undergraduate students and published academics. The findings reveal linguistic stance markers shared across the first-year essays despite…

EFL Doctoral Students' Conceptions of Authorial Stance in Academic Knowledge Claims and the Tie to Epistemic Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Peichin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2014-01-01

Taking an effective authorial stance in research argumentation has been designated as both vitally important and challenging. The study investigated English as a foreign language (EFL) doctoral students' conceptions of authorial stance, the role of domains in affecting their conceptions, and the ties of the conceptions to the participants'…

EFL Doctoral Students' Conceptions of Authorial Stance in Academic Research Writing: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Peichin

2016-01-01

English as foreign language (EFL) writers are often found to have weaker control of their academic writing, among which presenting an effective authorial stance has been reported as particularly challenging (Hyland, 1998a; Schleppegrell, 2004). In particular, student writers tended to deploy a stronger stance and be less effective with tentative…

Brought-Along Identities and the Dynamics of Ideology: Accomplishing Bivalent Stances in a Multilingual Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Ashley M.

2008-01-01

This paper examines how the interconnected aspects of the stance triangle (Du Bois 2007) allow speakers to tap into multiple ideological layers as they take a stance and reveal intra-ethnic group tensions. Using a detailed interaction analysis of a Chinese American family's multilingual interaction, the paper explores how such ideological dynamics…

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Stance in Disaster News Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Lian; Stevenson, Marie

2013-01-01

This study examines stance in cross-cultural media discourse by comparing disaster news reports on the Sichuan earthquake of May 2008 in a Chinese, an Australian Chinese, and an Australian newspaper. The stance taken in the news reports is examined using the Attitude sub-system of Martin and White's (2005) Appraisal framework. The analysis…

Moderate peripheral neuropathy impairs weight transfer and unipedal balance in the elderly.

PubMed

Richardson, J K; Ashton-Miller, J A; Lee, S G; Jacobs, K

1996-11-01

To quantitatively assess the performance of elderly with and without moderate, electrodiagnostically confirmed peripheral neuropathy (PN) on tasks of weight shifting and maintenance of unipedal balance. A case control study with PN subjects selected from a computerized data bank of all patients who had undergone electrodiagnostic studies at a university-based referral center. Control subjects of similar age and same gender were selected from the same source. Clinical examination included neurological and gross motor components. Quantitative evaluation included testing while the subjects stood with a force plate under each foot. Center of reaction (CR) excursions and ground reaction forces were quantified in: (1) six trials as subjects transferred their weight from bipedal stance to unipedal stance, on command, and attempted to maintain it for at least 3 seconds; and (2) in two additional trials in which subjects held unipedal stance for as long as possible. No subjects in either group had difficulty with level gait, a 180-degree turn, or required examiner assistance during an eyes-closed Romberg test. Biomechanical testing revealed that although the PN group used the same time to transfer their weight onto one foot as the C group, they achieved a significantly (1) lower rate of success in reliably maintaining 3 seconds of unipedal stance (.12 vs .58, p = .021), and (2) shorter mean maximum unipedal stance time (3.8 vs 32.3sec, p < .001). Furthermore, the PN group experienced greater difficulty in maintaining unipedal stance, as evidenced by significantly greater fluctuations in their ground reaction forces. The demonstrated impairment in reliability of unipedal stance in elderly with PN likely contributes to their known high rate of falls. Furthermore, unipedal stance testing serves to sharpen the physical examination by verifying the functional significance of impaired distal sensation-a common finding in the elderly.

Feedforward ankle strategy of balance during quiet stance in adults

PubMed Central

Gatev, Plamen; Thomas, Sherry; Kepple, Thomas; Hallett, Mark

1999-01-01

We studied quiet stance investigating strategies for maintaining balance. Normal subjects stood with natural stance and with feet together, with eyes open or closed. Kinematic, kinetic and EMG data were evaluated and cross-correlated.Cross-correlation analysis revealed a high, positive, zero-phased correlation between anteroposterior motions of the centre of gravity (COG) and centre of pressure (COP), head and COG, and between linear motions of the shoulder and knee in both sagittal and frontal planes. There was a moderate, negative, zero-phased correlation between the anteroposterior motion of COP and ankle angular motion.Narrow stance width increased ankle angular motion, hip angular motion, mediolateral sway of the COG, and the correlation between linear motions of the shoulder and knee in the frontal plane. Correlations between COG and COP and linear motions of the shoulder and knee in the sagittal plane were decreased. The correlation between the hip angular sway in the sagittal and frontal planes was dependent on interaction between support and vision.Low, significant positive correlations with time lags of the maximum of cross-correlation of 250-300 ms were found between the EMG activity of the lateral gastrocnemius muscle and anteroposterior motions of the COG and COP during normal stance. Narrow stance width decreased both correlations whereas absence of vision increased the correlation with COP.Ankle mechanisms dominate during normal stance especially in the sagittal plane. Narrow stance width decreased the role of the ankle and increased the role of hip mechanisms in the sagittal plane, while in the frontal plane both increased.The modulation pattern of the lateral gastrocnemius muscle suggests a central program of control of the ankle joint stiffness working to predict the loading pattern. PMID:9882761

Is there a relationship between complaints of impaired balance and postural control disorder in community-dwelling elderly women? A cross-sectional study with the use of posturography

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Erika H.; Santos, Paulo F.; Reis, Júlia G.; Rodrigues, Natalia C.; Moraes, Renato; Abreu, Daniela C. C.

2015-01-01

Background: Risk of falls increases as age advances. Complaints of impaired balance are very common in the elderly age group. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the subjective perception of impaired balance was associated with deficits in postural control (objective analysis) in elderly community-dwelling women. Method: Static posturography was used in two groups: elderly women with (WC group) and without (NC group) complaints of impaired balance. The area, mean sway amplitude and mean speed of the center of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions were analyzed in three stances: single-leg stance, double-leg stance and tandem stance, with eyes open or closed on two different surfaces: stable (firm) and unstable (foam). A digital chronometer was activated to measure the time limit (Tlimit) in the single-leg stance. Kruskal-Wallis tests followed by Mann-Whitney tests, Friedman analyses followed by post hoc Wilcoxon tests and Bonferroni corrections, and Spearman statistical tests were used in the data analysis. Differences of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The results of posturography variables revealed no differences between groups. The timed single-leg stance test revealed a shorter Tlimit in the left single-leg stance (p=0.01) in WC group compared to NC group. A negative correlation between posturography variables and Tlimit was detected. Conclusions: Posturography did not show any differences between the groups; however, the timed single-leg stance allowed the authors to observe differences in postural control performance between elderly women with and those without complaints of impaired balance. PMID:26083602

Is there a relationship between complaints of impaired balance and postural control disorder in community-dwelling elderly women? A cross-sectional study with the use of posturography.

PubMed

Tanaka, Erika H; Santos, Paulo F; Reis, Júlia G; Rodrigues, Natalia C; Moraes, Renato; Abreu, Daniela C C

2015-01-01

Risk of falls increases as age advances. Complaints of impaired balance are very common in the elderly age group. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the subjective perception of impaired balance was associated with deficits in postural control (objective analysis) in elderly community-dwelling women. Static posturography was used in two groups: elderly women with (WC group) and without (NC group) complaints of impaired balance. The area, mean sway amplitude and mean speed of the center of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions were analyzed in three stances: single-leg stance, double-leg stance and tandem stance, with eyes open or closed on two different surfaces: stable (firm) and unstable (foam). A digital chronometer was activated to measure the time limit (Tlimit) in the single-leg stance. Kruskal-Wallis tests followed by Mann-Whitney tests, Friedman analyses followed by post hoc Wilcoxon tests and Bonferroni corrections, and Spearman statistical tests were used in the data analysis. Differences of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. The results of posturography variables revealed no differences between groups. The timed single-leg stance test revealed a shorter Tlimit in the left single-leg stance (p=0.01) in WC group compared to NC group. A negative correlation between posturography variables and Tlimit was detected. Posturography did not show any differences between the groups; however, the timed single-leg stance allowed the authors to observe differences in postural control performance between elderly women with and those without complaints of impaired balance.

Barriers to communication and cooperation in addressing community impacts of radioactive releases from research facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrach, Robert J.; Peterson, S. Ring

1999-05-05

Two instances of research facilities responding to public scrutiny will be discussed. The first concerns emissions from a "tritium labeling facility" operated at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL); the second deals with releases of plutonium from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). There are many parallels between these two cases, both of which are still ongoing. In both, the national laboratory is the acknowledged source of low-level (by regulatory standards) radioactive contamination in the community. A major purpose of both investigations is to determine the degree of the contamination and the threat it poses to public health and the environment. Themore » examining panel or committee is similarly constituted in the two cases, including representatives from all four categories of stakeholders: decision makers; scientists and other professionals doing the analysis/assessment; environmental activist or public interest groups; and "ordinary" citizens (nearly everyone else not in one or more of the first three camps). Both involved community participation from the beginning. The levels of outrage over the events triggering the assessment are comparable; though "discovered" or "appreciated" only a few years ago, the release of radiation in both cases occurred or began occurring more than a decade ago. The meetings have been conducted in a similar manner, with comparable frequency, often utilizing the services of professional facilitators. In both cases, the sharply contrasting perceptions of risk commonly seen between scientists and activists were present from the beginning, though the contrast was sharper and more problematical in the Berkeley case. Yet, the Livermore case seems to be progressing towards a satisfactory resolution, while the Berkeley case remains mired in ill-will, with few tangible results after two years of effort. We perceive a wide gap in negotiation skills (at the very least), and a considerable difference in willingness to compromise, between the environmental activist groups participating in the two cases. A degree of contentiousness existed from the start among the participants in the Berkeley case particularly between the environmental activists and the scientists/regulators that was not approached in the Livermore case, and which was and still is severe enough to stifle meaningful progress. The Berkeley activists are considerably more aggressive, we believe, in arguing their points of view, making demands about what should be done, and verbally assailing the scientists and government regulators. We offer the following comments on the barriers to communication and cooperation that distinguish the Berkeley and Livermore cases. In no particular order, they are (a) the presence of a higher degree of polarization between the Berkeley activists and the "establishment," as represented by government scientists and regulators, (b) the absence, in the Berkeley case, of an activist leader with skills and effectiveness comparable to a well-known leader in Livermore, (c) frequent displays by several of the Berkeley activists of incivility, distrust, and disrespect for the regulators and scientists, (d) extraordinary difficulties in reaching consensus in the Tritium Issues Work Group meetings, perhaps because goals diverged among the factions, (e) a considerable degree of resentment by the Berkeley activists over the imbalance in conditions of participation, pitting well-paid, tax-supported professionals against "citizen volunteers," (f) the brick wall that divides the perspectives of "no safe dose" and "levels below regulatory concern" when trying to reach conclusions about radiation dangers to the community, and (g) unwillingness to consider both sides of the risk-reward coin: benefits to the community and society at large of the tritium labeling activity, vs. the health risk from small quantities of tritium released to the environment.« less

Organisational adaptation in an activist network: social networks, leadership, and change in al-Muhajiroun.

PubMed

Kenney, Michael; Horgan, John; Horne, Cale; Vining, Peter; Carley, Kathleen M; Bigrigg, Michael W; Bloom, Mia; Braddock, Kurt

2013-09-01

Social networks are said to facilitate learning and adaptation by providing the connections through which network nodes (or agents) share information and experience. Yet, our understanding of how this process unfolds in real-world networks remains underdeveloped. This paper explores this gap through a case study of al-Muhajiroun, an activist network that continues to call for the establishment of an Islamic state in Britain despite being formally outlawed by British authorities. Drawing on organisation theory and social network analysis, we formulate three hypotheses regarding the learning capacity and social network properties of al-Muhajiroun (AM) and its successor groups. We then test these hypotheses using mixed methods. Our methods combine quantitative analysis of three agent-based networks in AM measured for structural properties that facilitate learning, including connectedness, betweenness centrality and eigenvector centrality, with qualitative analysis of interviews with AM activists focusing organisational adaptation and learning. The results of these analyses confirm that al-Muhajiroun activists respond to government pressure by changing their operations, including creating new platforms under different names and adjusting leadership roles among movement veterans to accommodate their spiritual leader's unwelcome exodus to Lebanon. Simple as they are effective, these adaptations have allowed al-Muhajiroun and its successor groups to continue their activism in an increasingly hostile environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

How a network of conservationists and population control activists created the contemporary US anti-immigration movement.

PubMed

Normandin, Sebastian; Valles, Sean A

2015-06-01

Continuing historical narratives of the early twentieth century nexus of conservationism, eugenics, and nativism (exemplified by Madison Grant), this paper traces the history of the contemporary US anti-immigration movement's roots in environmentalism and global population control activism, through an exploration of the thoughts and activities of the activist, John Tanton, who has been called "the most influential unknown man in America." We explore the "neo-Malthusian" ideas that sparked a seminal moment for population control advocacy in the late 1960s and early 1970s, leading to the creation of Zero Population Growth (ZPG). After rising to the presidency of ZPG, Tanton, and ZPG spun off the Federation for American Immigration Reform. After leaving ZPG's leadership, Tanton created additional anti-immigration advocacy groups and built up connections with existing organizations such as the Pioneer Fund. We trace Tanton's increasingly radical conservative network of anti-immigration advocates, conservationists, and population control activists to the present day. Tanton's archived papers illustrate, among other things, his interactions with collaborators such as ecologist Garrett Hardin (author of the famous "Tragedy of the Commons") and his documented interest in reviving eugenics. We contend that this history of Tanton's network provides key insights into understanding how there came to be an overlap between the ideologies and activist communities of immigration restrictionism, population control, conservationism and eugenics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Educating the design stance: issues of coherence and transgression.

PubMed

Freeman, Norman H; Allen, Melissa L

2013-04-01

Bullot & Reber (B&R) put forth a design stance to fuse psychological and art historical accounts of visual thinking into a single theory. We argue that this aspect of their proposal needs further fine-tuning. Issues of transgression and coherence are necessary to provide stability to the design stance. We advocate looking to Art Education for such fundamentals of picture understanding.

"Seeing the Everyday through New Lenses": Pedagogies and Practices of Literacy Teacher Educators with a Critical Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dharamshi, Pooja

2018-01-01

This article explores the practices and pedagogies of six literacy teacher educators with a critical stance. In this qualitative research study, three semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant over a three-year period. They were able to negotiate a critical stance into their teacher education courses in several ways: using an…

Differences in activation properties of the hamstring muscles during overground sprinting.

PubMed

Higashihara, Ayako; Nagano, Yasuharu; Ono, Takashi; Fukubayashi, Toru

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify activation of the biceps femoris (BF) and medial hamstring (MH) during overground sprinting. Lower-extremity kinematics and electromyography (EMG) of the BF and MH were recorded in 13 male sprinters performing overground sprinting at maximum effort. Mean EMG activity was calculated in the early stance, late stance, mid-swing, and late-swing phases. Activation of the BF was significantly greater during the early stance phase than the late stance phase (p<0.01). Activation of the BF muscle was significantly lower during the first half of the mid-swing phase than the other phases (p<0.05). The MH had significantly greater EMG activation relative to its recorded maximum values compared to that for the BF during the late stance (p<0.05) and mid-swing (p<0.01) phases. These results indicate that the BF shows high activation before and after foot contact, while the MH shows high activation during the late stance and mid-swing phases. We concluded that the activation properties of the BF and MH muscles differ within the sprinting gait cycle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Recognition of walking stance phase and swing phase based on moving window].

PubMed

Geng, Xiaobo; Yang, Peng; Wang, Xinran; Geng, Yanli; Han, Yu

2014-04-01

Wearing transfemoral prosthesis is the only way to complete daily physical activity for amputees. Motion pattern recognition is important for the control of prosthesis, especially in the recognizing swing phase and stance phase. In this paper, it is reported that surface electromyography (sEMG) signal is used in swing and stance phase recognition. sEMG signal of related muscles was sampled by Infiniti of a Canadian company. The sEMG signal was then filtered by weighted filtering window and analyzed by height permitted window. The starting time of stance phase and swing phase is determined through analyzing special muscles. The sEMG signal of rectus femoris was used in stance phase recognition and sEMG signal of tibialis anterior is used in swing phase recognition. In a certain tolerating range, the double windows theory, including weighted filtering window and height permitted window, can reach a high accuracy rate. Through experiments, the real walking consciousness of the people was reflected by sEMG signal of related muscles. Using related muscles to recognize swing and stance phase is reachable. The theory used in this paper is useful for analyzing sEMG signal and actual prosthesis control.

Changes in in vivo knee contact forces through gait modification.

PubMed

Kinney, Allison L; Besier, Thor F; Silder, Amy; Delp, Scott L; D'Lima, Darryl D; Fregly, Benjamin J

2013-03-01

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) commonly occurs in the medial compartment of the knee and has been linked to overloading of the medial articular cartilage. Gait modification represents a non-invasive treatment strategy for reducing medial compartment knee force. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of gait modifications that were expected to alter medial contact force. A single subject implanted with a force-measuring knee replacement walked using nine modified gait patterns, four of which involved different hiking pole configurations. Medial and lateral contact force at 25, 50, and 75% of stance phase, and the average value over all of stance phase (0-100%), were determined for each gait pattern. Changes in medial and lateral contact force values relative to the subject's normal gait pattern were determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test. Apart from early stance (25% of stance), medial contact force was most effectively reduced by walking with long hiking poles and wide pole placement, which significantly reduced medial and lateral contact force during stance phase by up to 34% (at 75% of stance) and 26% (at 50% of stance), respectively. Although this study is based on data from a single subject, the results provide important insight into changes in medial and lateral contact forces through gait modification. The results of this study suggest that an optimal configuration of bilateral hiking poles may significantly reduce both medial and lateral compartment knee forces in individuals with medial knee osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society.

The hindlimb in walking horses: 2. Net joint moments and joint powers.

PubMed

Clayton, H M; Hodson, E; Lanovaz, J L; Colborne, G R

2001-01-01

The objective of the study was to describe net joint moments and joint powers in the equine hindlimb during walking. The subjects were 5 sound horses. Kinematic and force data were collected synchronously and combined with morphometric information to determine net joint moments at each hindlimb joint throughout stance and swing. The results showed that the net joint moment was on the caudal/plantar side of all hindlimb joints at the start of stance when the limb was being actively retracted. It moved to the cranial/dorsal side around 24% stride at the hip and stifle and in terminal stance at the more distal joints. It remained on the cranial/dorsal side of all joints during the first half of swing to provide active limb protraction, then moved to the caudal/plantar aspect to reverse the direction of limb motion prior to ground contact. The hip joint was the main source of energy generation throughout the stride. It was assisted by the tarsal joint in both stance and swing phases and by the fetlock joint during the stance phase. The coffin joint acted as an energy damper during stance, whereas the stifle joint absorbed almost equal amounts of energy in the stance and swing phases. The coffin and fetlock joints absorbed energy as the limb was protracted and retracted during the swing phase, suggesting that their movements were driven by inertial forces. Future studies will apply these findings to detect changes in the energy profiles due to specific soft tissue injuries.

Reawakening Resistance to Draft Registration: Some Implications for the 1980’s.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

March 2Z, 12 1980. They were led by anti-war activist David Harris, David Dellinger of Chicago Seven fame, black activist Stokely Carmichael, and Bella ...34). One middle-aged woman, who had a son she was concerned about, said that she thought this battle over the draft "had already been fought and won" and...contrary to past regis- tration procedures, classification and medical examinations 63 La -wa. do not take place at registration and that registrants

Profile of a leader. Alena Jean MacMaster: administrator, educator, professional activist and community advocate.

PubMed

Gautreau, G; Winans, P

1999-01-01

This paper profiles Alena Jean MacMaster, an extraordinary nurse leader, activist, visionary and humanitarian from New Brunswick. Her determination and drive were instrumental in fostering the development and progression of health care, nursing education and nursing services at the local, provincial, federal and international levels. "First, loyalty to the institution in which you serve. The patient is the most important person in the entire institution," was Miss MacMaster's guiding principle throughout her career.

Reflections on ""Men Must Be Educated and Women Must Do It": The National Federation (Later Union) of Women Teachers and Contemporary Feminism 1910-30," Hilda Kean and Alison Oram, "Gender and Education," 2(2), 1990

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kean, Hilda

2007-01-01

In this article, the author shares her views on the collected works on women suffrage from 1920-1930, which were collated by the activists at National Federation of Women Teachers (NFWT). She relates how she had been impressed by the NFWT activists' organizational capacity to coordinate 70 identically worded motions in support of women's suffrage,…

Developmental logics: Brain science, child welfare, and the ethics of engagement in Japan.

PubMed

Goldfarb, Kathryn E

2015-10-01

This article explores the unintended consequences of the ways scholars and activists take up the science of child development to critique the Japanese child welfare system. Since World War II, Japan has depended on a system of child welfare institutions (baby homes and children's homes) to care for state wards. Opponents of institutional care advocate instead for family foster care and adoption, and cite international research on the developmental harms of institutionalizing newborns and young children during the "critical period" of the first few years. The "critical period" is understood as the time during which the caregiving a child receives shapes neurological development and later capacity to build interpersonal relationships. These discourses appear to press compellingly for system reform, the proof resting on seemingly objective knowledge about child development. However, scientific evidence of harm is often mobilized in tandem with arguments that the welfare system is rooted in Japanese culture, suggesting durability and resistance to change. Further, reform efforts that use universalizing child science as "proof" of the need for change are prone to slip into deterministic language that pathologizes the experiences of people who grew up in the system. This article explores the reasons why deterministic models of child development, rather than more open-ended models like neuroplasticity, dominate activist rhetorics. It proposes a concept, "ethics of engagement," to advocate for attention to multiple scales and domains through which interpersonal ties are experienced and embodied over time. Finally, it suggests the possibility of child welfare reform movements that take seriously the need for caring and transformative relationships throughout life, beyond the first "critical years," that do not require deterministic logics of permanent delay or damage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How do people live in the Anthropocene?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robin, Libby

2016-04-01

While geologists have focused their efforts on which changes in the strata might constitute a functional shift out of the present epoch, environmental humanities scholars, museums and creative artists have taken up the Anthropocene as a concept raising new moral and practical dilemmas. A central concern is with how people adapt and live creatively in a world that is functioning beyond the physical planetary boundaries defined by the Holocene. This paper will provide an overview of the lively scholarly and popular debates on the question of what it means, ethically, to be human in an Age of Humans. Major questions include the question of who are 'we' in the Anthropocene, and how the conditions of the putative new epoch will affect 'more-than-human-others'. Creative and justice activist responses to the Anthropocene typically distinguish among humans, focusing not on the causes, but rather on concerns of the people on the receiving end of global change (for example, the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) group of 39+8). Some are concerned about the collateral effects of technological 'fixes' for energy transformations and climate, and others about economic shifts and market-based incentives. As a historian of ideas, I explore the multiple paths by which people have come to the Anthropocene concept, and the uses to which it has already been put, even before a final decision is made on its formal status. The Anthropocene already arouses anxiety about 'the future'. One big idea that is shared across activists and scholars (and not just those in the humanities) is the question of enabling hopeful responses. A diversity of creative projects for living in the Anthropocene, which can contribute to coping with the stress of accelerating global change, is essential to this.

Cortical Structure of Hallucal Metatarsals and Locomotor Adaptations in Hominoids

PubMed Central

Jashashvili, Tea; Dowdeswell, Mark R.; Lebrun, Renaud; Carlson, Kristian J.

2015-01-01

Diaphyseal morphology of long bones, in part, reflects in vivo loads experienced during the lifetime of an individual. The first metatarsal, as a cornerstone structure of the foot, presumably expresses diaphyseal morphology that reflects loading history of the foot during stance phase of gait. Human feet differ substantially from those of other apes in terms of loading histories when comparing the path of the center of pressure during stance phase, which reflects different weight transfer mechanisms. Here we use a novel approach for quantifying continuous thickness and cross-sectional geometric properties of long bones in order to test explicit hypotheses about loading histories and diaphyseal structure of adult chimpanzee, gorilla, and human first metatarsals. For each hallucal metatarsal, 17 cross sections were extracted at regularly-spaced intervals (2.5% length) between 25% and 65% length. Cortical thickness in cross sections was measured in one degree radially-arranged increments, while second moments of area were measured about neutral axes also in one degree radially-arranged increments. Standardized thicknesses and second moments of area were visualized using false color maps, while penalized discriminant analyses were used to evaluate quantitative species differences. Humans systematically exhibit the thinnest diaphyseal cortices, yet the greatest diaphyseal rigidities, particularly in dorsoplantar regions. Shifts in orientation of maximum second moments of area along the diaphysis also distinguish human hallucal metatarsals from those of chimpanzees and gorillas. Diaphyseal structure reflects different loading regimes, often in predictable ways, with human versus non-human differences probably resulting both from the use of arboreal substrates by non-human apes and by differing spatial relationships between hallux position and orientation of the substrate reaction resultant during stance. The novel morphological approach employed in this study offers the potential for transformative insights into form-function relationships in additional long bones, including those of extinct organisms (e.g., fossils). PMID:25635768

Asymmetric balance control between legs for quiet but not for perturbed stance.

PubMed

Vieira, Osvaldo; Coelho, Daniel Boari; Teixeira, Luis Augusto

2014-10-01

Interlateral performance asymmetry in upright balance control was evaluated in this investigation by comparing unipedal stance on the right versus the left leg. Participants were healthy young adults, hand-foot congruent preference for the right body side. Balance performance was evaluated in unperturbed quiet stance and in the recovery of balance stability following a mechanical perturbation induced by unexpected load release. Evaluation was made under availability of full sensory information, and under deprivation of vision combined with distortion of sensory inputs from the feet soles. Results from perturbed posture revealed that muscular response latency and postural sway were symmetric between the legs. Unipedal stance was more stable when the body was supported on the right as compared with the left leg. No interaction was found between leg and sensory condition. Our findings are interpreted as resulting from specialization of the sensorimotor system controlling the right leg for continuous low-magnitude postural adjustments, while corrections to large-scale stance sway are symmetrically controlled between body sides.

Sociopolitical development of private school children mobilising for disadvantaged others

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoeg, Darren; Lemelin, Nathalie; Bencze, John Lawrence

2015-12-01

A contemporary focus on democratic decision-making has occurred in school science through curricular developments such as socioscientific issues (SSIs) and Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE), creates opportunities for inclusion of activist education. However, it appears these components are often taught, if at all, as simply add-on content. Private schools represent a domain of education that has received relatively little attention in research literature regarding sociopolitical activism for addressing SSIs. In this study, we aimed to document the extent to which private school students were able to implement socioscientific activism and to map their socio-political development in the context of a project on child labour. Data collected from student projects and interviews indicate, in many cases, dramatic development of socially critical views and activist orientations that took place over time, and in various steps. A discussion of the factors enabling students' activist development, such as the school culture, the curriculum, and their teacher, are discussed.

Characterizing Postural Sway during Quiet Stance Based on the Intermittent Control Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Taishin; Nakamura, Toru; Fukada, Kei; Sakoda, Saburo

2007-07-01

This article illustrates a signal processing methodology for the time series of postural sway and accompanied electromyographs from the lower limb muscles during quiet stance. It was shown that the proposed methodology was capable of identifying the underlying postural control mechanisms. A preliminary application of the methodology provided evidence that supports the intermittent control hypothesis alternative to the conventional stiffness control hypothesis during human quiet upright stance.

Single Stance Stability and Proprioceptive Control in Older Adults Living at Home: Gender and Age Differences

PubMed Central

Riva, Dario; Mamo, Carlo; Fanì, Mara; Saccavino, Patrizia; Rocca, Flavio; Momenté, Manuel; Fratta, Marianna

2013-01-01

In developed countries, falls in older people represent a rising problem. As effective prevention should start before the risk becomes evident, an early predictor is needed. Single stance instability would appear as a major risk factor. Aims of the study were to describe single stance stability, its sensory components, and their correlation with age and gender. A random sample of 597 older adults (319 men, 278 women) living at home, aged 65–84, was studied. Stability tests were performed with an electronic postural station. The single stance test showed the impairment of single stance stability in older individuals (75–84 yrs). The significant decline of stability in the older subjects may be explained by the impairment of proprioceptive control together with the decrease in compensatory visual stabilization and emergency responses. Younger subjects (65–74 yrs) exhibited better, but still inadequate, proprioceptive control with compensatory visual stabilization. Gender differences appeared in older subjects: women were significantly less stable than men. The measurement of the sensory components of single stance stability could aid in the early detection of a decay in antigravity movements many years before the risk of falling becomes evident. Adequate proprioceptive control could mitigate the effects of all other risks of falling. PMID:23984068

Electromyographic analysis of trunk and hip muscles during resisted lateral band walking.

PubMed

Youdas, James W; Foley, Brooke M; Kruger, BreAnna L; Mangus, Jessica M; Tortorelli, Alis M; Madson, Timothy J; Hollman, John H

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to simultaneously quantify bilateral activation/recruitment levels (% maximum voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]) for trunk and hip musculature on both moving and stance lower limbs during resisted lateral band walking. Differential electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded in neutral, internal, and external hip rotation in 21 healthy participants. EMG signals were collected with DE-3.1 double-differential surface electrodes at a sampling frequency of 1,000 Hz during three consecutive lateral steps. Gluteus medius average EMG activation was greater (p = 0.001) for the stance limb (52 SD 18% MVIC) than moving limb (35 SD 16% MVIC). Gluteus maximus EMG activation was greater (p = 0.002) for the stance limb (19 SD 13% MVIC) than moving limb (13 SD 9% MVIC). Erector spinae activation was greater (p = 0.007) in hip internal rotation (30 SD 13% MVIC) than neutral rotation (26 SD 10% MVIC) and the moving limb (31 SD 15% MVIC) was greater (p = 0.039) than the stance limb (23 SD 11% MVIC). Gluteus medius and maximus muscle activation were greater on the stance limb than moving limb during resisted lateral band walking. Therefore, clinicians may wish to consider using the involved limb as the stance limb during resisted lateral band walking exercise.

Inter-joint coordination strategies during unilateral stance following first-time, acute lateral ankle sprain: A brief report.

PubMed

Doherty, Cailbhe; Bleakley, Chris; Hertel, Jay; Caulfield, Brian; Ryan, John; Sweeney, Kevin; Delahunt, Eamonn

2015-07-01

This investigation combined measures of inter-joint coordination and stabilometry to evaluate eyes-open (condition 1) and eyes-closed (condition 2) static unilateral stance performance in a group of participants with an acute, first-time lateral ankle sprain injury in comparison to a control group. Sixty-six participants with an acute first-time lateral ankle sprain and 19 non-injured controls completed three 20-second unilateral stance task trials in conditions 1 and 2. An adjusted coefficient of multiple determination statistic was used to compare stance limb 3-D kinematic data for similarity in the aim of establishing patterns of inter-joint coordination for these groups. Between-group analyses revealed significant differences in stance limb inter-joint coordination strategies for conditions 1 and 2. Injured participants displayed increases in ankle-hip linked coordination compared to controls in condition 1 (sagittal/frontal plane: 0.12 [0.09] vs 0.06 [0.04]; η(2)=.16) and condition 2 (sagittal/frontal plane: 0.18 [0.13] vs 0.08 [0.06]; η(2)=0.37). Participants with acute first-time lateral ankle sprain exhibit a hip-dominant coordination strategy for static unilateral stance compared to non-injured controls. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Troubling the proletarianization of Mexican immigrant students in an era of neoliberal immigration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudry, Aziz

2010-06-01

In response to Richardson Bruna's "Mexican immigrant transnational social capital and class transformation: examining the role of peer mediation in insurgent science", this paper draws on the author's research on organizing, mobilization and knowledge production among adult im/migrant workers in Canada. While appreciative of the content and concerns of Richardson Bruna's argument, the paper argues for a clearer position on tensions between agency and structure, and class and capitalist social relations in which to contextualize the schooling of immigrant children in today's US classrooms. In addition, it explores some implications of Mignolo's (2000) work on the geohistory of knowledge, notably his concept of `border thinking' for teachers, teacher education, and curricula. Finally, the article suggests the potential of methodological frameworks and approaches of institutional ethnography (Smith 1987), political activist ethnography (Frampton et al. 2006) and global ethnography (Burawoy 2000) to inform research into this field.

Celebrating Jhumki Basu's contributions to science education as a scholar and an activist: voices from the field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milne, Catherine; Rubel, Laurie; Rodriguez, Alberto J.; Emdin, Christopher; Maulucci, Maria Rivera; Locke, Donyagay; Tan, Edna; Clairmont, Neil; Upadhyay, Bhaskar

2009-06-01

This metalogue addresses the ways Sreyashi Jhumki Basu mediated our practices in science education and life. We focus on Basu's uses of critical science agency, democratic science classrooms, and critical feminist ethnography to transform the possibilities for all participants in her research and educational practices. We also examine her use of cases and pedagogical strategies to support youth set practice goals based on conceptions of self and preferred learning trajectories. These strategies allow youth to develop power through the use of disciplinary knowledge and modes of inquiry to support their understanding of themselves as powerful, able to change their position in the world, and make the world more socially just. This (Key Contributors) article acknowledges a life cut short through disease, reflects our personal loss of a friend and colleague, and expresses determination to ensure that her contributions to science education are sustained and continued.

Transformative Theatre: A Promising Educational Tool for Improving Health Encounters With LGBT Older Adults.

PubMed

Hughes, Anne K; Luz, Clare; Hall, Dennis; Gardner, Penny; Hennessey, Chris Walker; Lammers, Lynn

2016-01-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) older adults are often unaware or fearful of aging services that contribute to greater vulnerability, isolation, and risk when services are needed. In addition, they may perceive or experience bias in health care encounters. Providers may not recognize their own biases or their impact on such encounters. In response, a group of LGBT community activists, aging professionals, researchers, and a theatre ensemble developed an interactive theatre experience, described herein, that portrays challenges faced by LGBT older adults needing services. Goals included raising awareness among LGBT older adults and providers about issues such as the limited legal rights of partners, limited family support, and fear of being mistreated as a result of homophobia. Evaluations and feedback reflected the potential of interactive theatre to engage people in sensitive discussions that can lead to increased awareness, reduced bias, practice change, and ultimately improved care for LGBT older adults.

Comparison of Human and Humanoid Robot Control of Upright Stance

PubMed Central

Peterka, Robert J.

2009-01-01

There is considerable recent interest in developing humanoid robots. An important substrate for many motor actions in both humans and biped robots is the ability to maintain a statically or dynamically stable posture. Given the success of the human design, one would expect there are lessons to be learned in formulating a postural control mechanism for robots. In this study we limit ourselves to considering the problem of maintaining upright stance. Human stance control is compared to a suggested method for robot stance control called zero moment point (ZMP) compensation. Results from experimental and modeling studies suggest there are two important subsystems that account for the low- and mid-frequency (DC to ~1 Hz) dynamic characteristics of human stance control. These subsystems are 1) a “sensory integration” mechanism whereby orientation information from multiple sensory systems encoding body kinematics (i.e. position, velocity) is flexibly combined to provide an overall estimate of body orientation while allowing adjustments (sensory re-weighting) that compensate for changing environmental conditions, and 2) an “effort control” mechanism that uses kinetic-related (i.e., force-related) sensory information to reduce the mean deviation of body orientation from upright. Functionally, ZMP compensation is directly analogous to how humans appear to use kinetic feedback to modify the main sensory integration feedback loop controlling body orientation. However, a flexible sensory integration mechanism is missing from robot control leaving the robot vulnerable to instability in conditions were humans are able to maintain stance. We suggest the addition of a simple form of sensory integration to improve robot stance control. We also investigate how the biological constraint of feedback time delay influences the human stance control design. The human system may serve as a guide for improved robot control, but should not be directly copied because the constraints on robot and human control are different. PMID:19665564

Comparison of human and humanoid robot control of upright stance.

PubMed

Peterka, Robert J

2009-01-01

There is considerable recent interest in developing humanoid robots. An important substrate for many motor actions in both humans and biped robots is the ability to maintain a statically or dynamically stable posture. Given the success of the human design, one would expect there are lessons to be learned in formulating a postural control mechanism for robots. In this study we limit ourselves to considering the problem of maintaining upright stance. Human stance control is compared to a suggested method for robot stance control called zero moment point (ZMP) compensation. Results from experimental and modeling studies suggest there are two important subsystems that account for the low- and mid-frequency (DC to approximately 1Hz) dynamic characteristics of human stance control. These subsystems are (1) a "sensory integration" mechanism whereby orientation information from multiple sensory systems encoding body kinematics (i.e. position, velocity) is flexibly combined to provide an overall estimate of body orientation while allowing adjustments (sensory re-weighting) that compensate for changing environmental conditions and (2) an "effort control" mechanism that uses kinetic-related (i.e., force-related) sensory information to reduce the mean deviation of body orientation from upright. Functionally, ZMP compensation is directly analogous to how humans appear to use kinetic feedback to modify the main sensory integration feedback loop controlling body orientation. However, a flexible sensory integration mechanism is missing from robot control leaving the robot vulnerable to instability in conditions where humans are able to maintain stance. We suggest the addition of a simple form of sensory integration to improve robot stance control. We also investigate how the biological constraint of feedback time delay influences the human stance control design. The human system may serve as a guide for improved robot control, but should not be directly copied because the constraints on robot and human control are different.

Reproductive Rights or Reproductive Justice? Lessons from Argentina.

PubMed

Morgan, Lynn

2015-06-11

Argentine sexual and reproductive rights activists insist on using the language and framework of "human rights," even when many reproductive rights activists in the US and elsewhere now prefer the framework of "reproductive justice." Reflecting on conversations with Argentine feminist anthropologists, social scientists, and reproductive rights activists, this paper analyzes why the Argentine movement to legalize abortion relies on the contested concept of human rights. Its conclusion that "women's rights are human rights" is a powerful claim in post-dictatorship politics where abortion is not yet legal and the full scope of women's rights has yet to be included in the government's human rights agenda. Argentine feminist human rights activists have long been attentive to the ways that social class, gender, migration, and racism intersect with reproduction. Because their government respects and responds to a human rights framework, however, they have not felt it necessary--as U.S. feminists have--to invent a new notion of reproductive justice in order to be heard. Given the increasing popularity of reproductive justice in health and human rights, the Argentine case shows that rights-based claims can still be politically useful when a State values the concept of human rights. Copyright 2015 Morgan. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Social media activism and Egyptians' use of social media to combat sexual violence: an HiAP case study.

PubMed

Peuchaud, Sheila

2014-06-01

This paper represents a case study of how social media activists have harnessed the power of Facebook, Twitter and mobile phone networks to address sexual harassment in Egypt. HarassMap plots reports of sexual harassment on a Google Map and informs victims of support services. Tahrir Bodyguard and Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment (OpAntiSH) protect female protestors who have been vulnerable to sexual aggression at the hands of unruly mobs and by agents of the state. Activists have access to an Android app called 'I'm Getting Arrested' or 'Byt2ebed 3alia' in Egyptian Arabic. The app sends the time and GPS coordinates of an arrest to family, fellow activists, legal counsel and social media outlets. The hope is the initiatives described in this paper could inspire public health ministries and activist NGOs to incorporate crowdsourcing social media applications in the spirit of health in all policies (HiAP). To that end, this paper will begin by defining social media activism from the perspective of the communications discipline. This paper will then demonstrate the significance of sexual harassment as a public health issue, and describe several social media efforts to document incidents and protect victims. The paper will conclude with discussion regarding how these innovations could be integrated into the HiAP approach. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Learning styles of medical students at Taibah University: Trends and implications

PubMed Central

Guraya, Shaista Salman; Guraya, Salman Yousuf; Habib, Fawzia A.; Khoshhal, Khalid I.

2014-01-01

Background: Understanding the learning styles of medical students can drive the institutions to adapt instructional materials to enhance students’ learning of knowledge and skills. This study explored the learning styles of undergraduate medical students, comparing gender variations in terms of their significant preferences. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was performed in 2012-2013, incorporating 1st-5th year undergraduate medical students of Taibah University. The instrument used was a Learning Style Questionnaire, with four learning styles (activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist) and 40 items. Results: Of 450 students, 384 responded (response rate; 85%). No single learning style predominated; 96 (25%) reflectors, 78 (20%) theorists, 68 (17%) pragmatists, and 37 (9%) activists. Combined reflector and theorist was the predominant dual learning style in 27 (7%) students. Among genders, theorist style had a significant result (P = 0.071) indicating that theorists varied among genders due to their different opinions. Learning style preferences of theorists and pragmatists also showed a significant result (P = 0.000 each), depicting that both genders had unique preferences. Males had fewer variations of preferences, when compared with females who showed a significant difference of opinions (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The students in the study preferred diverse learning styles, which were unevenly distributed, reflectors being the most common and activists as the least common. The results reflect the need to promote self-directed learning and modifications of instructional strategies, with expectant tilt in the students’ learning styles towards activists and pragmatists. PMID:25709657

Discrepancy of alignment in different weight bearing conditions before and after high tibial osteotomy.

PubMed

Wang, Joon Ho; Shin, Jung Min; Kim, Hyun Ho; Kang, Seung-Hoon; Lee, Byung Hoon

2017-01-01

To evaluate the differences in the amount of varus malalignment and valgus (over) correction in relation to three different weight bearing conditions from whole leg AP radiographs (single-limb (SL) stance, double-limb (DL) stance, supine position (S)) before and after high tibial osteotomy (HTO), and to evaluate which alignment parameters affect the changes for patients in three different weight bearing conditions. A total of 40 consecutive patients (43 knees) with varus osteoarthritis underwent navigation assisted open wedge HTO. Mechanical axis angle (MA) was measured before and after surgery from hip-to-ankle radiographs taken with patients in three different weight bearing conditions. To find significant factors that affect the alignment differences, several variables including patient demographics, soft tissue laxity, pelvic obliquity, and ground mechanical axis deviation of tibia (calculated by the angle between two lines, tibial anatomical axis and weight-bearing line) were evaluated. Pre-operatively, mean MA measured on SL stance radiographs was significantly more varus than on DL stance (10.1° ± 2.4° and 8.0° ± 2.6°, respectively, p < 0.001), which was significantly more varus than on supine position (6.6° ± 2.6°, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, in patients with post-operatively valgus corrected knee, MA did not show the same pattern of change as with pre-operative varus knee. Mean MA measured on DL stance radiographs was more valgus than in supine position (-3.0 o  ± 2.4 o and -2.6 o  ± 3.1 o , p = 0.455), while mean MA on SL stance radiographs (-2.0 o  ± 2.1 o ) was significantly less valgus than on DL stance (p = 0.002). The ground mechanical axis deviation of tibia showed a significant correlation with MA difference between SL and DL stance radiographs before (β = -0.341, p = 0.045) and after surgery (β = -0.536, p = 0.001). In pre-operative varus knee, the mean MA on SL stance was changed to more varus than on DL stance, which changed to less valgus in post-operative valgus knee. The understanding in discrepancy of alignment in different weight bearing conditions before and after HTO should be considered for the appropriate realignment of the limb. Level II Prospective comparative study.

Effect of vision and stance width on human body motion when standing: implications for afferent control of lateral sway.

PubMed

Day, B L; Steiger, M J; Thompson, P D; Marsden, C D

1993-09-01

1. Measurements of human upright body movements in three dimensions have been made on thirty-five male subjects attempting to stand still with various stance widths and with eyes closed or open. Body motion was inferred from movements of eight markers fixed to specific sites on the body from the shoulders to the ankles. Motion of these markers was recorded together with motion of the point of application of the resultant of the ground reaction forces (centre of pressure). 2. The speed of the body (average from eight sites) was increased by closing the eyes or narrowing the stance width and there was an interaction between these two factors such that vision reduced body speed more effectively when the feet were closer together. Similar relationships were found for components of velocity both in the frontal and sagittal planes although stance width exerted a much greater influence on the lateral velocity component. 3. Fluctuations in position of the body were also increased by eye closure or narrowing of stance width. Again, the effect of stance width was more potent for lateral than for anteroposterior movements. In contrast to the velocity measurements, there was no interaction between vision and stance width. 4. There was a progressive increase in the amplitude of position and velocity fluctuations from markers placed higher on the body. The fluctuations in the position of the centre of pressure were similar in magnitude to those of the markers placed near the hip. The fluctuations in velocity of centre of pressure, however, were greater than of any site on the body. 5. Analysis of the amplitude of angular motion between adjacent straight line segments joining the markers suggests that the inverted pendulum model of body sway is incomplete. Motion about the ankle joint was dominant only for lateral movement in the frontal plane with narrow stance widths (< 8 cm). For all other conditions most angular motion occurred between the trunk and leg. 6. The large reduction in lateral body motion with increasing stance width was mainly due to a disproportionate reduction in the angular motion about the ankles and feet. A mathematical model of the skeletal structure has been constructed which offers some explanation for this specific reduction in joint motion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Tipping the Balance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Claire

2003-01-01

As an activist for the project community at NASA's Ames Research Center, I see my role as finding out what resource project managers need to help them run successful projects. I need to go out and advocate for those resources, if necessary, and I need to be supportive, not just for the projects, but also for the project managers and their teams. It's not something I can do sitting at my desk waiting for the phone to ring. To me, that's what an activist does. It's public service. In this case my public is the project-practitioner community.

Motion capability analysis of a quadruped robot as a parallel manipulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jingjun; Lu, Dengfeng; Zhang, Zhongxiang; Pei, Xu

2014-12-01

This paper presents the forward and inverse displacement analysis of a quadruped robot MANA as a parallel manipulator in quadruple stance phase, which is used to obtain the workspace and control the motion of the body. The robot MANA designed on the basis of the structure of quadruped mammal is able to not only walk and turn in the uneven terrain, but also accomplish various manipulating tasks as a parallel manipulator in quadruple stance phase. The latter will be the focus of this paper, however. For this purpose, the leg kinematics is primarily analyzed, which lays the foundation on the gait planning in terms of locomotion and body kinematics analysis as a parallel manipulator. When all four feet of the robot contact on the ground, by assuming there is no slipping at the feet, each contacting point is treated as a passive spherical joint and the kinematic model of parallel manipulator is established. The method for choosing six non-redundant actuated joints for the parallel manipulator from all twelve optional joints is elaborated. The inverse and forward displacement analysis of the parallel manipulator is carried out using the method of coordinate transformation. Finally, based on the inverse and forward kinematic model, two issues on obtaining the reachable workspace of parallel manipulator and planning the motion of the body are implemented and verified by ADAMS simulation.

Finite element analysis of the femur during stance phase of gait based on musculoskeletal model simulation.

PubMed

Seo, Jeong-Woo; Kang, Dong-Won; Kim, Ju-Young; Yang, Seung-Tae; Kim, Dae-Hyeok; Choi, Jin-Seung; Tack, Gye-Rae

2014-01-01

In this study, the accuracy of the inputs required for finite element analysis, which is mainly used for the biomechanical analysis of bones, was improved. To ensure a muscle force and joint contact force similar to the actual values, a musculoskeletal model that was based on the actual gait experiment was used. Gait data were obtained from a healthy male adult aged 29 who had no history of musculoskeletal disease and walked normally (171 cm height and 72 kg weight), and were used as inputs for the musculoskeletal model simulation to determine the muscle force and joint contact force. Among the phases of gait, which is the most common activity in daily life, the stance phase is the most affected by the load. The results data were extracted from five events in the stance phase: heel contact (ST1), loading response (ST2), early mid-stance (ST2), late mid-stance (ST4), and terminal stance (ST5). The results were used as the inputs for the finite element model that was formed using 1.5mm intervals computed tomography (CT) images and the maximum Von-Mises stress and the maximum Von-Mises strain of the right femur were examined. The maximum stress and strain were lowest at the ST4. The maximum values for the femur occurred in the medial part and then in the lateral part after the mid-stance. In this study, the results of the musculoskeletal model simulation using the inverse-dynamic analysis were utilized to improve the accuracy of the inputs, which affected the finite element analysis results, and the possibility of the bone-specific analysis according to the lapse of time was examined.

Relationship between activation of ankle muscles and quasi-joint stiffness in early and middle stances during gait in patients with hemiparesis.

PubMed

Sekiguchi, Yusuke; Muraki, Takayuki; Tanaka, Naofumi; Izumi, Shin-Ichi

2015-09-01

It is unclear whether muscle contraction is necessary to increase quasi-joint stiffness (QJS) of the ankle joint during gait in patients with hemiparesis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between QJS and muscle activation at the ankle joint in the stance phase during gait in patients with hemiparesis. Spatiotemporal and kinetic gait parameters and activation of the medial head of the gastrocnemius (MG), soleus (SOL), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were measured using a 3-dimensional motion analysis system and surface electromyography, in 21 patients with hemiparesis due to stroke and 10 healthy individuals. In the early stance, the QJS on the paretic side (PS) of patients was greater than that on the non-PS (p<0.05) and not significantly correlated with activation of the three muscles. In the middle stance, the QJS on the PS was lower than that on the non-PS (p<0.05) and that on the right side of controls (p<0.001), which was positively correlated with activation of the MG (r=0.51, p<0.05) and SOL (r=0.49, p<0.05). In the patients with hemiparesis, plantarflexor activation may not contribute to QJS in the early stance. On the other hand, QJS in the middle stance may be attributed to activation of the MG and SOL. Our findings suggest that activation of the MG and SOL in the middle stance on the PS may require to be enhanced to increase QJS during gait in patients with hemiparesis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical analysis of gait waveform data: exploring differences between shod and barefoot running in habitually shod runners.

PubMed

Tam, Nicholas; Prins, Danielle; Divekar, Nikhil V; Lamberts, Robert P

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to utilise one-dimensional statistical parametric mapping to compare differences between biomechanical and electromyographical waveforms in runners when running in barefoot or shod conditions. Fifty habitually shod runners were assessed during overground running at their current 10-km race running speed. Electromyography, kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected during these running trials. Joint kinetics were calculated using inverse dynamics. One-dimensional statistical parametric mapping one sample t-test was conducted to assess differences over an entire gait cycle on the variables of interest when barefoot or shod (p<0.05). Only sagittal plane differences were found between barefoot and shod conditions at the knee during late stance (18-23% of the gait cycle) and swing phase (74-90%); at the ankle early stance (0-6%), mid-stance (28-38%) and swing phase (81-100%). Differences in sagittal plane moments were also found at the ankle during early stance (2, 4-5%) and knee during early stance (5-11%). Condition differences were also found in vertical ground reaction force during early stance between (3-10%). An acute bout of barefoot running in habitual shod runners invokes temporal differences throughout the gait cycle. Specifically, a co-ordinative responses between the knee and ankle joint in the sagittal plane with a delay in the impact transient peak; onset of the knee extension and ankle plantarflexion moment in the shod compared to barefoot condition was found. This appears to affect the delay in knee extension and ankle plantarflexion during late stance. This study provides a glimpse into the co-ordination of the lower limb when running in differing footwear. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiosteriometric analysis of movement in the sacroiliac joint during a single-leg stance in patients with long-lasting pelvic girdle pain.

PubMed

Kibsgård, Thomas J; Røise, Olav; Sturesson, Bengt; Röhrl, Stephan M; Stuge, Britt

2014-04-01

Chamberlain's projections (anterior-posterior X-ray of the pubic symphysis) have been used to diagnose sacroiliac joint mobility during the single-leg stance test. This study examined the movement in the sacroiliac joint during the single-leg stance test with precise radiostereometric analysis. Under general anesthesia, tantalum markers were inserted into the dorsal sacrum and the ilium of 11 patients with long-lasting and severe pelvic girdle pain. After two to three weeks, a radiostereometric analysis was conducted while the subjects performed a single-leg stance. Small movements were detected in the sacroiliac joint during the single-leg stance. In both the standing- and hanging-leg sacroiliac join, a total of 0.5 degree rotation was observed; however, no translations were detected. There were no differences in total movement between the standing- and hanging-leg sacroiliac joint. The movement in the sacroiliac joint during the single-leg stance is small and almost undetectable by the precise radiostereometric analysis. A complex movement pattern was seen during the test, with a combination of movements in the two joints. The interpretation of the results of this study is that, the Chamberlain examination likely is inadequate in the examination of sacroiliac joint movement in patients with pelvic girdle pain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Specificity of foot configuration during bipedal stance in ballet dancers.

PubMed

Casabona, Antonino; Leonardi, Giuseppa; Aimola, Ettore; La Grua, Giovanni; Polizzi, Cristina Maria; Cioni, Matteo; Valle, Maria Stella

2016-05-01

Learning highly specialized upright postures may be of benefit for more common as well as for novel stances. In this study, we asked whether this generalization occurs with foot configurations previously trained or depends on a generic increase in balance difficulty. We also explored the possibility that the benefit may concern not only the level of postural performance but also the structural organization of the upright standing. Ten elite professional ballet dancers were compared to ten untrained subjects, measuring the motion of the center of pressure (COP) across a set of five stances with different foot configurations. The balance stability was measured computing the area, the sway path, and the root mean square of the COP motion, whereas the structure of the postural control was assessed by compute approximate entropy, fractal dimension and the mean power frequency. The foot position included common and challenging stances, with the level of difficulty changed across the configurations. Among these conditions, only one foot configuration was familiar to the dancers. Statistically significant differences between the two groups, for all the parameters, were observed only for the stance with the foot position familiar to the dancers. Stability and structural parameters exhibited comparable differences. We concluded that the benefit from classical ballet is limited to a specific foot configuration, regardless of the level of stance difficulty or the component of postural control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stance control knee mechanism for lower-limb support in hybrid neuroprosthesis

PubMed Central

To, Curtis S.; Kobetic, Rudi; Bulea, Thomas C.; Audu, Musa L.; Schnellenberger, John R.; Pinault, Gilles; Triolo, Ronald J.

2014-01-01

A hydraulic stance control knee mechanism (SCKM) was developed to fully support the knee against flexion during stance and allow uninhibited motion during swing for individuals with paraplegia using functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) for gait assistance. The SCKM was optimized for maximum locking torque for body-weight support and minimum resistance when allowing for free knee motion. Ipsilateral and contralateral position and force feedback were used to control the SCKM. Through bench and nondisabled testing, the SCKM was shown to be capable of supporting up to 70 N-m, require no more than 13% of the torque achievable with FNS to facilitate free motion, and responsively and repeatedly unlock under an applied flexion knee torque of up to 49 N-m. Preliminary tests of the SCKM with an individual with paraplegia demonstrated that it could support the body and maintain knee extension during stance without the stimulation of the knee extensor muscles. This was achieved without adversely affecting gait, and knee stability was comparable to gait assisted by knee extensor stimulation during stance. PMID:21938668

Influence of virtual reality on postural stability during movements of quiet stance.

PubMed

Horlings, Corinne G C; Carpenter, Mark G; Küng, Ursula M; Honegger, Flurin; Wiederhold, Brenda; Allum, John H J

2009-02-27

Balance problems during virtual reality (VR) have been mentioned in the literature but seldom investigated despite the increased use of VR systems as a training or rehabilitation tool. We examined the influence of VR on body sway under different stance conditions. Seventeen young subjects performed four tasks (standing with feet close together or tandem stance on firm and foam surfaces for 60s) under three visual conditions: eyes open without VR, eyes closed, or while viewing a virtual reality scene which moved with body movements. Angular velocity transducers mounted on the shoulder provided measures of body sway in the roll and pitch plane. VR caused increased pitch and roll angles and angular velocities compared to EO. The effects of VR were, for the most part, indistinguishable from eyes closed conditions. Use of a foam surface increased sway compared to a firm surface under eyes closed and VR conditions. During the movements of quiet stance, VR causes an increase in postural sway in amplitude similar to that caused by closing the eyes. This increased sway was present irrespective of stance surface, but was greatest on foam.

The path to corporate responsibility.

PubMed

Zadek, Simon

2004-12-01

Nike's tagline,"Just do it," is an inspirational call to action for the millions who wear the company's athletic gear. But in terms of corporate responsibility, Nike didn't always follow its own advice. In the 1990s, protesters railed against sweatshop conditions at some of its overseas suppliers and made Nike the global poster child for corporate ethical fecklessness. The intense pressure that activists exerted on the athletic apparel giant forced it to take a long, hard look at corporate responsibility--sooner than it might have otherwise. In this article, Simon Zadek, CEO of the UK-based institute AccountAbility, describes the bumpy route Nike has traveled to get to a better ethical place, one that cultivates and champions responsible business practices. Organizations learn in unique ways, Zadek contends, but they inevitably pass through five stages of corporate responsibility, from defensive ("It's not our fault") to compliance ("We'll do only what we have to") to managerial ("It's the business") to strategic ("It gives us a competitive edge") and, finally, to civil ("We need to make sure everybody does it"). He details Nike's arduous trek through these stages-from the company's initial defensive stance, when accusations about working conditions arose, all the way to its engagement today in the international debate about business's role in society and in public policy. As he outlines this evolution, Zadek offers valuable insights to executives grappling with the challenge of managing responsible business practices. Beyond just getting their own houses in order, the author argues, companies need to stay abreast of the public's evolving ideas about corporate roles and responsibilities. Organizations that do both will engage in what he calls"civil learning".

Sensemaking, Stakeholder Discord, and Long-Term Risk Communication at a U.S. Superfund Site

PubMed Central

Hoover, Anna Goodman

2018-01-01

Introduction Risk communication can help reduce exposures to environmental contaminants, mitigate negative health outcomes, and inform community-based decisions about hazardous waste sites. While communication best practices have long guided such efforts, little research has examined unintended consequences arising from such guidelines. As rhetoric informs stakeholder sensemaking, the language used in and reinforced by these guidelines can challenge relationships and exacerbate stakeholder tensions. Objectives This study evaluates risk communication at a U.S. Superfund site to identify unintended consequences arising from current risk communication practices. Methods This qualitative case study crystallizes data spanning 6 years from three sources: 1) local newspaper coverage of site-related topics; 2) focus-group transcripts from a multi-year project designed to support future visioning of site use; and 3) published blog entries authored by a local environmental activist. Constant comparative analysis provides the study’s analytic foundation, with qualitative data analysis software QSR NVivo 8 supporting a three-step process: 1) provisional coding to identify broad topic categories within datasets, 2) coding occurrences of sensemaking constructs and emergent intra-dataset patterns, and 3) grouping related codes across datasets to examine the relationships among them. Results Existing risk communication practices at this Superfund site contribute to a dichotomous conceptualization of multiple and diverse stakeholders as members of one of only two categories: the government or the public. This conceptualization minimizes perceptions of capacity, encourages public commitment to stances aligned with a preferred group, and contributes to negative expectations that can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Conclusion Findings indicate a need to re-examine and adapt risk communication guidelines to encourage more pluralistic understanding of the stakeholder landscape. PMID:28282297

Professional Hubris and its Consequences: Why Organizations of Health-Care Professions Should Not Adopt Ethically Controversial Positions.

PubMed

Vogelstein, Eric

2016-05-01

In this article, I argue that professional healthcare organizations such as the AMA and ANA ought not to take controversial stances on professional ethics. I address the best putative arguments in favor of taking such stances, and argue that none are convincing. I then argue that the sort of stance-taking at issue has pernicious consequences: it stands to curb critical thought in social, political, and legal debates, increase moral distress among clinicians, and alienate clinicians from their professional societies. Thus, because there are no good arguments in favor of stance-taking and at least some risks in doing so, professional organizations should refrain from adopting the sort of ethically controversial positions at issue. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Problems maintaining collaborative approaches with excluded populations in a randomised control trial: lessons learned implementing Housing First in France.

PubMed

Rhenter, Pauline; Tinland, Aurélie; Grard, Julien; Laval, Christian; Mantovani, Jean; Moreau, Delphine; Vidaud, Benjamin; Greacen, Tim; Auquier, Pascal; Girard, Vincent

2018-04-19

In 2006, a local collective combating homelessness set up an 'experimental squat' in an abandoned building in Marseille, France's second largest city. They envisioned the squat as an alternative to conventional health and social services for individuals experiencing long-term homelessness and severe psychiatric disorders. Building on what they learned from the squat, some then joined a larger coalition that succeeded in convincing national government decision-makers to develop a scientific, intervention-based programme based on the Housing First model. This article analyses the political process through which social movement activism gave way to support for a state-funded programme for homeless people with mental disorders. A qualitative study of this political process was conducted between 2006 and 2014, using a hybrid theoretical perspective that combines attention to both top-down and bottom-up actions with a modified Advocacy Coalition Framework. In addition to document analysis of published and grey literature linked to the policy process, researchers drew on participant observation and observant participation of the political process. Data analysis consisted primarily of a thematic analysis of field-notes and semi-structured interviews with 65 relevant actors. A coalition of local activists, state officials and national service providers transformed knowledge about a local innovation (an experimental therapeutic squat) into the rationale for a national, scientifically based project consisting of a randomised controlled trial of four state-supported Housing First sites, costing several million euros. The coalition's strategy was two-pronged, namely to defend a social cause (the right to housing) and to promote a scientifically validated means of realising positive outcomes (housing tenure) and cost-effectiveness (reduced hospitalisation costs). Activists' self-agency, especially that of making themselves audible to public authorities, was enhanced by the coalition's ability to seize 'windows of opportunities' to their advantage. However, in contrast to the United States and Canadian Housing First contexts, which are driven by implementation science and related approaches, it was grassroots activists who promoted a scientific-technical approach among government officials unfamiliar with evidence-based practices in France. The windows of opportunity nevertheless failed to attract participation of those most in need of housing, raising the question of whether and how marginalised and/or subordinate groups can be integrated into collaborative research when a social movement-driven innovation turns into a scientific approach. The current clinical trial number is NCT01570712 . Registered July 17, 2011. First patient enrolled August 18, 2011.

Psychological effects of torture: a comparison of tortured with nontortured political activists in Turkey.

PubMed

Başoğlu, M; Paker, M; Paker, O; Ozmen, E; Marks, I; Incesu, C; Sahin, D; Sarimurat, N

1994-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term effects of torture in a group of former political prisoners. The study was carried out in Istanbul, Turkey, where 55 Turkish political activists who had been tortured were compared with a closely matched group of 55 activists who had not been tortured. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, the Semistructured Interview for Survivors of Torture, and other self-rated and assessor-rated measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were used. The tortured and the nontortured activists were similar in age, sex, marital and socioeconomic status, political ideology, political involvement, stressful life events other than torture, and other features. The torture survivors reported an average of 291 exposures to a mean of 23 forms of torture. The mean length of their imprisonment was 47 months. The survivors of torture had significantly more symptoms of PTSD and anxiety/depression than the nontortured comparison subjects, although their PTSD symptoms were only moderately severe and their general mood was normal. Despite the severity of their torture experiences, the survivors had only a moderate level of psychopathology. The results suggest that torture has long-term psychological effects independent of those related to uprooting, refugee status, and other traumatic life events in a politically repressive environment. Prior knowledge of and preparedness for torture, strong commitment to a cause, immunization against traumatic stress as a result of repeated exposure, and strong social supports appear to have protective value against PTSD in survivors of torture.

Comparison of Ball-And-Racket Impact Force in Two-Handed Backhand Stroke Stances for Different-Skill-Level Tennis Players.

PubMed

Lo, Kuo-Cheng; Hsieh, Yung-Chun

2016-06-01

This study compared the kinetic roles of the upper extremities in racket impact force generation between the open stance (OS) and square stance (SS) for tennis players with different skill levels in two-handed backhand strokes. Twelve male tennis players were divided into an advanced group (AG) (L3-L2 skill level) and intermediate group (IG) (L7-L6 skill level), and their data were used in a three-dimensional kinetic analysis. Their motions were captured using 21 reflective markers attached to anatomic landmarks for two-handed backhand stroke motion data collection. During the acceleration phase, significant differences were not observed between both stances, but they were observed between the groups with different skill levels for the force of the upper extremities (p = 0.027). The joint forces were significantly lower in the AG than in the IG. Players performing the SS had significantly larger pronation and supination of the wrist joint moment than those in the OS (p = 0.032) during the acceleration phase, irrespective of the playing level. Higher internal rotation moment after impact was observed at each joint, particularly among young intermediate tennis players, regardless of their stance. The AG demonstrated a higher joint force and moment at every joint compared with the IG at impact. Moreover, the AG demonstrated superior stroke efficiency and effectively reduced joint moment after impact and sports injury. Key pointsAdvanced players, regardless of open stance or square stance, have larger joint force and moment at each joint before ball impact resulting in better stroke efficiency and reduced chance of injury.Intermediate players, regardless of stance, have higher internal rotation moment at each joint instead of larger joint force as compared to advanced players before ball impact. The higher internal rotation moment will induce higher joint impact force which makes the player injury-prone.Young intermediate tennis players may want to avoid excessive follow-through movement after ball impact to prevent injury in their early career.

Interpreting the Need for Initial Support to Perform Tandem Stance Tests of Balance

PubMed Central

Brach, Jennifer S.; Perera, Subashan; Wert, David M.; VanSwearingen, Jessie M.; Studenski, Stephanie A.

2012-01-01

Background Geriatric rehabilitation reimbursement increasingly requires documented deficits on standardized measures. Tandem stance performance can characterize balance, but protocols are not standardized. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of: (1) initial support to stabilize in position and (2) maximum hold time on tandem stance tests of balance in older adults. Design A cross-sectional secondary analysis of observational cohort data was conducted. Methods One hundred seventeen community-dwelling older adults (71% female, 12% black) were assigned to 1 of 3 groups based on the need for initial support to perform tandem stance: (1) unable even with support, (2) able only with support, and (3) able without support. The able without support group was further stratified on hold time in seconds: (1) <10 (low), (2) 10 to 29, (medium), and (3) 30 (high). Groups were compared on primary outcomes (gait speed, Timed “Up & Go” Test performance, and balance confidence) using analysis of variance. Results Twelve participants were unable to perform tandem stance, 14 performed tandem stance only with support, and 91 performed tandem stance without support. Compared with the able without support group, the able with support group had statistically or clinically worse performance and balance confidence. No significant differences were found between the able with support group and the unable even with support group on these same measures. Extending the hold time to 30 seconds in a protocol without initial support eliminated ceiling effects for 16% of the study sample. Limitations Small comparison groups, use of a secondary analysis, and lack of generalizability of results were limitations of the study. Conclusions Requiring initial support to stabilize in tandem stance appears to reflect meaningful deficits in balance-related mobility measures, so failing to consider support may inflate balance estimates and confound hold time comparisons. Additionally, 10-second maximum hold times limit discrimination of balance in adults with a higher level of function. For community-dwelling older adults, we recommend timing for at least 30 seconds and documenting initial support for consideration when interpreting performance. PMID:22745198

Scientific discrimination and the activist scientist: L.C. Dunn and the professionalization of genetics and human genetics in the United States.

PubMed

Gormley, Melinda

2009-01-01

During the 1920s and 1930s geneticist L.C. Dunn of Columbia University cautioned Americans against endorsing eugenic policies and called attention to eugenicists' less than rigorous practices. Then, from the mid-1940s to early 1950s he attacked scientific racism and Nazi Rassenhygiene by co-authoring Heredity, Race and Society with Theodosius Dobzhansky and collaborating with members of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) on their international campaign against racism. Even though shaking the foundations of scientific discrimination was Dunn's primary concern during the interwar and post-World War II years, his campaigns had ancillary consequences for the discipline. He contributed to the professionalization of genetics during the 1920s and 1930s and sought respectability for human genetics in the 1940s and 1950s. My article aims to elucidate the activist scientist's role in undermining scientific discrimination by exploring aspects of Dunn's scientific work and political activism from the 1920s to 1950s. Definitions are provided for scientific discrimination and activist scientist.

Czech lesbian activism: gay and lesbian parental rights as a challenge to patriarchal marriage.

PubMed

Fojtová, Simona

2011-01-01

In their advocacy for the legal recognition of same-sex relationships during the 1990s, prominent Czech gay rights activists focused only on issues of sexuality and did not question the essentialist understanding of gender, especially in parenting. Consequently, even though the Czech Republic legalized registered partnerships for gays and lesbians in 2006, legal barriers now exist regarding parental rights for same-sex couples, who are prohibited from adopting children and accessing reproductive technology once they register with the state. This article examines a rising, new wave of Czech lesbian activism that has focused on gaining legal parental rights for registered same-sex couples. While lesbian activists were disempowered in terms of their public visibility as well as political involvement during the 1990s, the recent growing prominence of lesbian groups has been enabled by their stronger political focus and organizational coherence. Analyzing the lesbian activists' strategies, I show not only how lesbian activism can advance the public debate about traditional gender roles, but also how lesbian activism can strengthen the critique of the ideology of marriage.

Effect of expertise in shooting and Taekwondo on bipedal and unipedal postural control isolated or concurrent with a reaction-time task.

PubMed

Negahban, Hossein; Aryan, Najmolhoda; Mazaheri, Masood; Norasteh, Ali Asghar; Sanjari, Mohammad Ali

2013-06-01

It was hypothesized that training in 'static balance' or 'dynamic balance' sports has differential effects on postural control and its attention demands during quiet standing. In order to test this hypothesis, two groups of female athletes practicing shooting, as a 'static balance' sport, and Taekwondo, as a 'dynamic balance' sport, and a control group of non-physically active females voluntarily participated in this study. Postural control was assessed during bipedal and unipedal stance with and without performing a Go/No-go reaction time task. Visual and/or support surface conditions were manipulated in bipedal and unipedal stances in order to modify postural difficulty. Mixed model analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of dual tasking on postural and cognitive performance. Similar pattern of results were found in bipedal and unipedal stances, with Taekwondo practitioners displaying larger sway, shooters displaying lower sway and non-athletes displaying sway characteristics intermediate to Taekwondo and shooting athletes. Larger effect was found in bipedal stance. Single to dual-task comparison of postural control showed no significant effect of mental task on sway velocity in shooters, indicating less cognitive effort invested in balance control during bipedal stance. We suggest that expertise in shooting has a more pronounced effect on decreased sway in static balance conditions. Furthermore, shooters invest less attention in postures that are more specific to their training, i.e. bipedal stance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fatigue-induced balance impairment in young soccer players.

PubMed

Pau, Massimiliano; Ibba, Gianfranco; Attene, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Although balance is generally recognized to be an important feature in ensuring good performance in soccer, its link with functional performance remains mostly unexplored, especially in young athletes. To investigate changes in balance induced by fatigue for unipedal and bipedal static stances in young soccer players. Crossover study. Biomechanics laboratory and outdoor soccer field. Twenty-one male soccer players (age = 14.5 ± 0.2 years, height = 164.5 ± 5.6 cm, mass = 56.8 ± 6.8 kg). Static balance was assessed with postural-sway analysis in unipedal and bipedal upright stance before and after a fatigue protocol consisting of a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test (2 × 15-m shuttle sprint interspersed with 20 seconds of passive recovery, repeated 6 times). On the basis of the center-of-pressure (COP) time series acquired during the experimental tests, we measured sway area, COP path length, and COP maximum displacement and velocity in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions. Fatigue increased all sway values in bipedal stance and all values except COP velocity in the mediolateral direction in unipedal stance. Fatigue index (calculated on the basis of RSA performance) was positively correlated with fatigue/rest sway ratio for COP path length and COP velocity in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions for nondominant single-legged stance. Fatigued players exhibited reduced performance of the postural-control system. Participants with better performance in the RSA test appeared less affected by balance impairment, especially in single-legged stance.

(In/Out)side AIDS activism: searching for a critically engaged politics.

PubMed

Clark, J Elizabeth

2004-01-01

Experience has always been a hallmark of activist work; my work in AIDS activism began with my family's role as caretakers for two children whose parents died of HIV-related complications. Previously, my scholarly work critiqued political and medical establishments and their policies surrounding HIV/AIDS. At the NEH institute, I interacted with the medical world, shadowing nurses and doctors. Through this experience, I discovered the importance of interactivity as a crucial element of the critically engaged AIDS activist experience, creating a more thorough understanding of the medical establishment and a more humanized portrait of hospitals and their staff.

Reframing the narrative of the battered women's movement.

PubMed

Arnold, Gretchen; Ake, Jami

2013-05-01

Many claim that the battered women's movement has been co-opted and depoliticized. We argue that this narrative of decline should be reframed as one of continual growth that has incorporated evolving feminist frameworks. We show how the movement's first generation of activists has learned from its mistakes and continues to challenge systems that fail survivors of abuse. In addition, a second generation of activists, many of whom are minority women, has created new organizations and new ways to practice intersectionality. We conclude that each strand within the movement brings complementary strengths that can prepare it to meet future challenges.

Mental body transformation deficits in patients with chronic balance disorders.

PubMed

Allum, J H J; Langewitz, W; Sleptsova, M; Welge-Luessen, A; Honegger, F; Schatz, T H; Biner, C L; Maguire, C; Schmid, D A

2017-01-01

Movements may be generated consistent with imagining one's own body transformed or "disembodied" to a new position. Based on this concept we hypothesized that patients with objective balance deficits (obj-BD) would have altered neural transformation processes executing own body transformation (OBT) with functional consequences on balance control. Also we examined whether feeling unstable due to dizziness only (DO), without an obj-BD, also lead to an impaired OBT. 32 patients with chronic dizziness were tested: 16 patients with obj-BD as determined by balance control during a sequence of stance and gait tasks, 16 patients with dizziness only (DO). Patients and 9 healthy controls (HCs) were asked to replicate roll trunk movements of an instructor in a life size video: first, with spontaneously copied (SPO) or "embodied" egocentric movements (lean when the instructor leans); second, with "disembodied" or "transformed" movements (OBT) with exact replication - lean left when the instructor leans left. Onset latency of trunk roll, rise time to peak roll angle (interval), roll velocity, and amplitude were measured. SPO movements were always mirror-imaged. OBT task latencies were significantly longer and intervals shorter than for SPO tasks (p < 0.03) for all groups. Obj-BD but not DO patients had more errors for the OBT task and, compared to HCs, had longer onset latencies (p < 0.05) and smaller velocities (p < 0.003) and amplitudes (p < 0.001) in both the SPO and OBT tasks. Measures of DO patients were not significantly different from those of HCs. Mental transformation (OBT) and SPO copying abilities are impaired in subjects with obj-BD and dizziness, but not with dizziness only. We conclude that processing the neuropsychological representation of the human body (body schema) slows when balance control is deficient.

Angular-velocity control approach for stance-control orthoses.

PubMed

Lemaire, Edward D; Goudreau, Louis; Yakimovich, Terris; Kofman, Jonathan

2009-10-01

Currently, stance-control knee orthoses require external control mechanisms to control knee flexion during stance and allow free knee motion during the swing phase of gait. A new angular-velocity control approach that uses a rotary-hydraulic device to resist knee flexion when the knee angular velocity passes a preset threshold is presented. This angular-velocity approach for orthotic stance control is based on the premise that knee-flexion angular velocity during a knee-collapse event, such as a stumble or fall, is greater than that during walking. The new hydraulic knee-flexion control device does not require an external control mechanism to switch from free motion to stance control mode. Functional test results demonstrated that the hydraulic angular-velocity activated knee joint provided free knee motion during walking, engaged upon knee collapse, and supported body weight while the end-user recovered to a safe body position. The joint was tested to 51.6 Nm in single loading tests and passed 200,000 repeated loading cycles with a peak load of 88 Nm per cycle. The hydraulic, angular velocity activation approach has potential to improve safety and security for people with lower extremity weakness or when recovering from joint trauma.

Long-Term Adaptations to Unexpected Surface Perturbations: Postural Control During Stance and Gait in Train Conductors.

PubMed

Baumgart, Christian; Hoppe, Matthias Wilhelm; Freiwald, Jürgen

2016-01-01

The authors aimed to evaluate the differences in postural control during stance and gait between train conductors and controls. Twenty-one train conductors and 21 office workers performed 6 unilateral and bilateral balance tests on stable and unstable surfaces as well as a gait analysis. In the balance tests, the mean velocity of the center of pressure and unstable surface was measured. In the bilateral balance tests the selected stance width was measured. During gait the length, width, frequency, and velocity of the steps were calculated from the ground reaction forces. Train conductors showed a significantly greater step width during gait (15.4 ± 4.7 vs. 13.0 ± 3.4 cm; p = .035) and stance width during the bilateral stance on the unstable surface (21.0 ± 5.1 vs. 17.8 ± 3.7 cm; p = .026) than the office workers, while no differences were revealed in balance variables. The revealed differences between train conductors and office workers may represent task-specific feedforward control strategies, which increase the base of support and may be helpful to resist unexpected perturbations in trains.

Leg and trunk muscle coordination and postural sway during increasingly difficult standing balance tasks in young and older adults.

PubMed

Donath, Lars; Kurz, Eduard; Roth, Ralf; Zahner, Lukas; Faude, Oliver

2016-09-01

Ageing impairs body balance and increases older adults' fall risk. Balance training can improve intrinsic fall risk factors. However, age comparisons of muscle activity responses during balance tasks are lacking. This study investigated relative muscle activity, muscle coordination and postural sway during various recommended static balance training tasks. Muscle activity (%MVC), amplitude ratios (AR) and co-activity (CAI) were determined during standing tasks for 30s (1: double limb stance on a foam surface, eyes open; 2: double limb stance on firm ground, eyes closed; 3: double limb stance, feet in step position on a foam surface, eyes open; 4: double limb stance, feet in step position on firm ground, eyes closed; 5: single limb stance on firm ground, eyes open) in 20 healthy young adults (24±2 y) and 20 older adults (73±6 y). Surface electromyography (SEMG) was applied (SENIAM guidelines) to ankle (tibialis anterior, soleus, medial gastrocnemius, peroneus longus) and thigh (vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, semitendinosus) muscles (non-dominant leg). Electrodes over trunk (multifidus and internal oblique) muscles were applied bilaterally. Two- to six-fold higher levels of relative muscle activity were found in older adults for ankle (0.0002

Haptic stabilization of posture: changes in arm proprioception and cutaneous feedback for different arm orientations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rabin, E.; Bortolami, S. B.; DiZio, P.; Lackner, J. R.

1999-01-01

Postural sway during quiet stance is attenuated by actively maintained contact of the index finger with a stationary surface, even if the level of applied force (<1 N) cannot provide mechanical stabilization. In this situation, changes in force level at the fingertip lead changes in center of foot pressure by approximately 250 ms. These and related findings indicate that stimulation of the fingertip combined with proprioceptive information about the hand and arm can serve as an active sensor of body position relative to the point of contact. A geometric analysis of the relationship between hand and torso displacement during body sway led to the prediction that arm and hand proprioceptive and finger somatosensory information about body sway would be maximized with finger contact in the plane of body sway. Therefore, the most postural stabilization should be possible with such contact. To test this analysis, subjects touched a laterally versus anteriorly placed surface while in each of two stances: the heel-to-toe tandem Romberg stance that reduces medial-lateral stability and the heel-to-heel, toes-outward, knees-bent, "duck stance" that reduces fore-aft stability. Postural sway was always least with finger contact in the unstable plane: for the tandem stance, lateral fingertip contact was significantly more effective than frontal contact, and, for the duck stance, frontal contact was more effective than lateral fingertip contact. Force changes at the fingertip led changes in center of pressure of the feet by approximately 250 ms for both fingertip contact locations for both test stances. These results support the geometric analysis, which showed that 1) arm joint angles change by the largest amount when fingertip contact is maintained in the plane of greatest sway, and 2) the somatosensory cues at the fingertip provide both direction and amplitude information about sway when the finger is contacting a surface in the unstable plane.

Haptic stabilization of posture: changes in arm proprioception and cutaneous feedback for different arm orientations.

PubMed

Rabin, E; Bortolami, S B; DiZio, P; Lackner, J R

1999-12-01

Postural sway during quiet stance is attenuated by actively maintained contact of the index finger with a stationary surface, even if the level of applied force (<1 N) cannot provide mechanical stabilization. In this situation, changes in force level at the fingertip lead changes in center of foot pressure by approximately 250 ms. These and related findings indicate that stimulation of the fingertip combined with proprioceptive information about the hand and arm can serve as an active sensor of body position relative to the point of contact. A geometric analysis of the relationship between hand and torso displacement during body sway led to the prediction that arm and hand proprioceptive and finger somatosensory information about body sway would be maximized with finger contact in the plane of body sway. Therefore, the most postural stabilization should be possible with such contact. To test this analysis, subjects touched a laterally versus anteriorly placed surface while in each of two stances: the heel-to-toe tandem Romberg stance that reduces medial-lateral stability and the heel-to-heel, toes-outward, knees-bent, "duck stance" that reduces fore-aft stability. Postural sway was always least with finger contact in the unstable plane: for the tandem stance, lateral fingertip contact was significantly more effective than frontal contact, and, for the duck stance, frontal contact was more effective than lateral fingertip contact. Force changes at the fingertip led changes in center of pressure of the feet by approximately 250 ms for both fingertip contact locations for both test stances. These results support the geometric analysis, which showed that 1) arm joint angles change by the largest amount when fingertip contact is maintained in the plane of greatest sway, and 2) the somatosensory cues at the fingertip provide both direction and amplitude information about sway when the finger is contacting a surface in the unstable plane.

Inter-joint coordination strategies during unilateral stance 6-months following first-time lateral ankle sprain.

PubMed

Doherty, Cailbhe; Bleakley, Chris; Hertel, Jay; Caulfield, Brian; Ryan, John; Sweeney, Kevin; Delahunt, Eamonn

2015-02-01

Longitudinal analyses of participants with a history of lateral ankle sprain are lacking. This investigation combined measures of inter-joint coordination and stabilometry to evaluate eyes-open (condition 1) and eyes-closed (condition 2) static unilateral stance performance in a group of participants, 6-months after they sustained an acute, first-time lateral ankle sprain in comparison to a control group. Sixty-nine participants with a 6-month history of first-time lateral ankle sprain and 20 non-injured controls completed three 20-second unilateral stance task trials in conditions 1 and 2. An adjusted coefficient of multiple determination statistic was used to compare stance limb 3-dimensional kinematic data for similarity in the aim of establishing patterns of lower-limb inter-joint coordination. The fractal dimension of the stance limb centre of pressure path was also calculated. Between-group analyses revealed significant differences in stance limb inter-joint coordination strategies for conditions 1 and 2, and in the fractal dimension of the centre-of-pressure path for condition 2 only. Injured participants displayed increases in ankle-hip linked coordination compared to controls in condition 1 (sagittal/frontal plane: 0.15 [0.14] vs 0.06 [0.04]; η(2)=.19; sagittal/transverse plane: 0.14 [0.11] vs 0.09 [0.05]; η(2)=0.14) and condition 2 (sagittal/frontal plane: 0.15 [0.12] vs 0.08 [0.06]; η(2)=0.23), with an associated decrease in the fractal dimension of the centre-of-pressure path (injured limb: 1.23 [0.13] vs 1.36 [0.13]; η(2)=0.20). Participants with a 6-month history of first-time lateral ankle sprain exhibit a hip-dominant coordination strategy for static unilateral stance compared to non-injured controls. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving balance skills in patients who had stroke through virtual reality treadmill training.

PubMed

Yang, Saiwei; Hwang, Wei-Hsung; Tsai, Yi-Ching; Liu, Fu-Kang; Hsieh, Lin-Fen; Chern, Jen-Suh

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of virtual reality (VR) treadmill training on the balance skills of patients who have had a stroke. A total of 14 patients with strokes were recruited and randomly assigned to receive VR treadmill or traditional treadmill training. The outcome measures that were included for the study were center of pressure (COP) sway excursion, COP maximum sway in anterior-posterior direction, COP maximum sway in medial-lateral direction, COP sway area, bilateral limb-loading symmetric index, the sway excursion values for the paretic foot (sway excursion/P), paretic limb stance time (stance time/P), number of steps of the paretic limb (number of steps/P), and contact area of the paretic foot (contact A/P) during quiet stance, sit-to-stand transfer, and level walking. There were no significant improvements in COP-related measures and symmetric index during the quiet stance, either in the VR treadmill or traditional treadmill training group (P > 0.05). However, the difference between groups after training in COP maximum sway in medial-lateral direction during the quiet stance was significant (P = 0.038). Traditional treadmill training failed to improve sit-to-stand performance, whereas VR treadmill training improved symmetric index (P = 0.028) and sway excursion (P = 0.046) significantly during sit-to-stand transfer. The changes of symmetric index between groups were markedly different (P = 0.045). Finally, both groups improved significantly in stance time/P, but only VR treadmill training increased contact A/P (P = 0.034) after training during level walking. The difference between groups during level walking was not significant. Neither traditional treadmill nor VR treadmill training had any effect on balance skill during quiet stance, but VR treadmill training improved balance skill in the medial-lateral direction better than traditional training did. VR treadmill training also improved balance skill during sit-to-stand transfers and the involvement of paretic limb in level walking more than the traditional one did.

Fatigue-Induced Balance Impairment in Young Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Pau, Massimiliano; Ibba, Gianfranco; Attene, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Context: Although balance is generally recognized to be an important feature in ensuring good performance in soccer, its link with functional performance remains mostly unexplored, especially in young athletes. Objective: To investigate changes in balance induced by fatigue for unipedal and bipedal static stances in young soccer players. Design: Crossover study. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory and outdoor soccer field. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-one male soccer players (age = 14.5 ± 0.2 years, height = 164.5 ± 5.6 cm, mass = 56.8 ± 6.8 kg). Intervention(s): Static balance was assessed with postural-sway analysis in unipedal and bipedal upright stance before and after a fatigue protocol consisting of a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test (2 × 15-m shuttle sprint interspersed with 20 seconds of passive recovery, repeated 6 times). Main Outcome Measure(s): On the basis of the center-of-pressure (COP) time series acquired during the experimental tests, we measured sway area, COP path length, and COP maximum displacement and velocity in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions. Results: Fatigue increased all sway values in bipedal stance and all values except COP velocity in the mediolateral direction in unipedal stance. Fatigue index (calculated on the basis of RSA performance) was positively correlated with fatigue/rest sway ratio for COP path length and COP velocity in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions for nondominant single-legged stance. Conclusions: Fatigued players exhibited reduced performance of the postural-control system. Participants with better performance in the RSA test appeared less affected by balance impairment, especially in single-legged stance. PMID:24568227

A physiological exploration on operational stance and occupational musculoskeletal problem manifestations amongst construction labourers of West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Arijit; Sahu, Subhashis

2018-03-29

A huge number of labourers engaged in construction industry in India both in organized and unorganized sectors. The construction labourers most often work for an extended period of time and they are compelled to uphold altered static and dynamic operational stance in awkward positions during the complete period of work which raises the demand on the musculoskeletal system and may lead to work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). This study is intended to explore the operational stance and occupation related musculoskeletal manifestations amongst the construction labourers. One sixty four male labourers from different construction sites of West Bengal was randomly taken for this study. A modified Nordic questionnaire on MSD and the 12 item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) were administered on the construction labourers. Rapid Entire Body Assessment [REBA] and Ovako Work Analysis System [OWAS] methods were applied to analyze the operational stance. Finally, discomfort levels of the specific operational stance were calculated by the use of risk level and BPD scale. From the study it was revealed that most of the construction labourers habitually in awkward operational stance and were affected by altering musculoskeletal manifestations like pain in low back, neck, and wrist. It has been also found that there is a significant (p< 0.05) association between the intensity of pain feeling, age, year of working experience and risk level of the individual working postures of the labourers. Appropriate work-rest schedule, amendments of some working techniques and use of some ergonomically designed equipment may lessen the WRMSDs and improve the health eminence of construction labourers in unorganized sectors.

Phase synchronisation of the three leg joints in quiet human stance.

PubMed

Günther, Michael; Putsche, Peter; Leistritz, Lutz; Grimmer, Sten

2011-03-01

Quiet human stance is a dynamic multi-segment phenomenon. In literature, coupled ankle and hip actions are in the focus and examinations are usually restricted to frequency contributions below 4 Hz. Very few studies point to the knee playing an active role, and just one study gives evidence of higher frequency contributions. In order to investigate the dynamic coupling of all three leg joints in more depth, we revisited an experimental data set on quiet human stance. Since phase synchronisation is a strong indicator of non-linear coupling behind, we used the phase synchronisation index (PSI) to quantify the degree of leg joint coupling as a function of frequency. One main result is that we did not find any synchronisation between ankle and hip across the whole frequency range examined up to 8 Hz. In contrast, there is significant synchronisation between ankle and knee at a couple of frequencies between 1.25 Hz and 8 Hz when looking at the kinematics. Their joint torques rather synchronise below 2 Hz. There is also synchronisation between knee and hip kinematics above 6 Hz, however, only significant at one frequency bin in our data set. From this, we would infer that the multiple mechanical degrees of freedom contributing to quiet human stance should be chosen according to, thus map, physiology. Thereby, the knee is indispensable and bi-articular muscles play a central role in organising quiet human stance. Examining the non-stationarity of phase synchronisations will probably advance the understanding of self-organisation of quiet human stance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Body stability and muscle and motor cortex activity during walking with wide stance

PubMed Central

Farrell, Brad J.; Bulgakova, Margarita A.; Beloozerova, Irina N.; Sirota, Mikhail G.

2014-01-01

Biomechanical and neural mechanisms of balance control during walking are still poorly understood. In this study, we examined the body dynamic stability, activity of limb muscles, and activity of motor cortex neurons [primarily pyramidal tract neurons (PTNs)] in the cat during unconstrained walking and walking with a wide base of support (wide-stance walking). By recording three-dimensional full-body kinematics we found for the first time that during unconstrained walking the cat is dynamically unstable in the forward direction during stride phases when only two diagonal limbs support the body. In contrast to standing, an increased lateral between-paw distance during walking dramatically decreased the cat's body dynamic stability in double-support phases and prompted the cat to spend more time in three-legged support phases. Muscles contributing to abduction-adduction actions had higher activity during stance, while flexor muscles had higher activity during swing of wide-stance walking. The overwhelming majority of neurons in layer V of the motor cortex, 82% and 83% in the forelimb and hindlimb representation areas, respectively, were active differently during wide-stance walking compared with unconstrained condition, most often by having a different depth of stride-related frequency modulation along with a different mean discharge rate and/or preferred activity phase. Upon transition from unconstrained to wide-stance walking, proximal limb-related neuronal groups subtly but statistically significantly shifted their activity toward the swing phase, the stride phase where most of body instability occurs during this task. The data suggest that the motor cortex participates in maintenance of body dynamic stability during locomotion. PMID:24790167

The Improvisational in Teaching Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commeyras, Michelle

2002-01-01

Contends that an improvisational stance in teaching avoids disagreements and blockages that can stymie reading instruction. Outlines eight graduate students' experiences teaching improvisationally. Explains that the tutors sought a collaborative teaching stance that was in tune with the individual children's interests and personality. Defines…

Do ankle orthoses improve ankle proprioceptive thresholds or unipedal balance in older persons with peripheral neuropathy?

PubMed

Son, Jaebum; Ashton-Miller, James A; Richardson, James K

2010-05-01

To determine whether ankle orthoses that provide medial and lateral support, and have been found to decrease gait variability in older persons with peripheral neuropathy, decrease (improve) frontal plane ankle proprioceptive thresholds or increase unipedal stance time in that same population. Observational study in which unipedal stance time was determined with a stopwatch, and frontal plane ankle (inversion and eversion) proprioceptive thresholds were quantified during bipedal stance using a foot cradle system and a series of 100 rotational stimuli, in 11 older neuropathic subjects (8 men; age 72 +/- 7.1 yr) with and without ankle orthoses. The subjects demonstrated no change in combined frontal plane (inversion + eversion) proprioceptive thresholds or unipedal stance time with vs. without the orthoses (1.06 +/- 0.56 vs. 1.13 +/- 0.39 degrees, respectively; P = 0.955 and 6.1 +/- 6.5 vs. 6.2 +/- 5.4 secs, respectively; P = 0.922). Ankle orthoses that provide medial-lateral support do not seem to change ankle inversion/eversion proprioceptive thresholds or unipedal stance time in older persons with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Previously identified improvements in gait variability using orthoses in this population are therefore likely related to an orthotically induced stiffening of the ankle rather than a change in ankle afferent function.

Origins of Children's Externalizing Behavior Problems in Low-Income Families: Toddlers’ Willing Stance toward their Mothers as the Missing Link

PubMed Central

Kochanska, Grazyna; Kim, Sanghag; Boldt, Lea J.

2013-01-01

Although children's active role in socialization has been long acknowledged, relevant research has typically focused on children's difficult temperament or negative behaviors that elicit coercive and adversarial processes, largely overlooking their capacity to act as positive, willing, even enthusiastic, active socialization agents. We studied the willing, receptive stance toward their mothers in 186 24-44-month-old children in a low-income sample. Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a latent construct of willing stance, manifested as children's responsiveness to mothers in naturalistic interactions, responsive imitation in teaching contexts, and committed compliance with maternal prohibitions, all observed in the laboratory. Structural Equation Modeling analyses confirmed that ecological adversity undermined maternal responsiveness and responsiveness, in turn, was linked to children's willing stance. A compromised willing stance predicted externalizing behavior problems, assessed 10 months later, and fully mediated the links between maternal responsiveness and those outcomes. Ecological adversity had a direct, unmediated effect on internalizing behavior problems. Considering children's active role as willing, receptive agents capable of embracing parental influence can lead to a more complete understanding of detrimental mechanisms that link ecological adversity with antisocial developmental pathways. It can also inform research on the normative socialization process, consistent with the objectives of developmental psychopathology. PMID:24229537

The Stance Leads the Dance: The Emergence of Role in a Joint Supra-Postural Task

PubMed Central

Davis, Tehran J.; Pinto, Gabriela B.; Kiefer, Adam W.

2017-01-01

Successfully meeting a shared goal usually requires co-actors to adopt complementary roles. However, in many cases, who adopts what role is not explicitly predetermined, but instead emerges as a consequence of the differences in the individual abilities and constraints imposed upon each actor. Perhaps the most basic of roles are leader and follower. Here, we investigated the emergence of “leader-follower” dynamics in inter-personal coordination using a joint supra-postural task paradigm (Ramenzoni et al., 2011; Athreya et al., 2014). Pairs of actors were tasked with holding two objects in alignment (each actor manually controlled one of the objects) as they faced different demands for stance (stable vs. difficult) and control (which actor controlled the larger or smaller object). Our results indicate that when actors were in identical stances, neither led the inter-personal (between actors) coordination by any systematic fashion. Alternatively, when asymmetries in postural demands were introduced, the actor with the more difficult stance led the coordination (as determined using cross-recurrence quantification analysis). Moreover, changes in individual stance difficulty resulted in similar changes in the structure of both intra-personal (individual) and inter-personal (dyadic) coordination, suggesting a scale invariance of the task dynamics. Implications for the study of interpersonal coordination are discussed. PMID:28536547

Comparison of Antagonist Muscle Activity During Walking Between Total Knee Replacement and Control Subjects Using Unnormalized Electromyography.

PubMed

Lundberg, Hannah J; Rojas, Idubijes L; Foucher, Kharma C; Wimmer, Markus A

2016-06-01

Although satisfactory outcomes have been reported after total knee replacement (TKR), full recovery of muscle strength and physical function is rare. We developed a relative activation index (RAI) to compare leg muscle activity from unnormalized surface electromyography (sEMG) between TKR and control subjects. Nineteen TKR and 19 control subjects underwent gait analysis and sEMG. RAIs were calculated by dividing the average sEMG for 2 consecutive subphases of stance defined by the direction of the external sagittal plane moment (flexion or extension). RAIs and external moments indicate TKR subjects have less initial stance antagonist rectus femoris activity (P = .004), greater middle stance antagonist biceps femoris activity (P < .001), and less late stance agonist biceps femoris activity (P < .001) than control subjects. Individuals with TKR demonstrate increased flexor muscle activation during weight bearing, potentially contributing to altered gait patterns found during the stance phase of gait. The RAI helps detail whether decreased external moments correspond to less agonist or more antagonist muscle activity to determine true muscle activity differences between subject groups. Identifying the mechanisms underlying altered muscle function both before and after TKR is critical for developing rehabilitation strategies to address functional deficits and disability found in this patient population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A robotic exoskeleton to treat crouch gait from cerebral palsy: Initial kinematic and neuromuscular evaluation.

PubMed

Lerner, Zachary F; Damiano, Diane L; Bulea, Thomas C

2016-08-01

A robotic exoskeleton was designed for individuals with crouch gait caused by cerebral palsy with the intent to supplement existing muscle function during walking. The aim of this study was to evaluate how powered knee extension assistance provided during stance and swing phases of the gait cycle affect knee kinematics, and knee flexor and extensor muscle activity. Muscle activity and kinematic data were collected from four individuals with crouch gait from cerebral palsy during their normal walking condition and while walking with the exoskeleton under stance, swing, and stance & swing assistance. The exoskeleton was effective in reducing crouch by an average of 13.8° in three of the four participants when assistance was provided during the stance phase; assistance during the swing phase alone was ineffective. Peak knee extensor activity was maintained for all of the conditions during the stance and swing phases. Integrated (i.e. area under the curve) knee extensor activity decreased in two of the subjects indicating a more well-modulated activation pattern. Modest increases in peak and integrated antagonist knee flexor activity were exhibited in all participants; the subject without kinematic improvement had the greatest increase. While the exoskeleton was well tolerated, additional training with a focus on reducing knee flexor activity may lead to further improvements in crouch gait reduction.

Feminist activist women are masculinized in terms of digit-ratio and social dominance: a possible explanation for the feminist paradox.

PubMed

Madison, Guy; Aasa, Ulrika; Wallert, John; Woodley, Michael A

2014-01-01

The feminist movement purports to improve conditions for women, and yet only a minority of women in modern societies self-identify as feminists. This is known as the feminist paradox. It has been suggested that feminists exhibit both physiological and psychological characteristics associated with heightened masculinization, which may predispose women for heightened competitiveness, sex-atypical behaviors, and belief in the interchangeability of sex roles. If feminist activists, i.e., those that manufacture the public image of feminism, are indeed masculinized relative to women in general, this might explain why the views and preferences of these two groups are at variance with each other. We measured the 2D:4D digit ratios (collected from both hands) and a personality trait known as dominance (measured with the Directiveness scale) in a sample of women attending a feminist conference. The sample exhibited significantly more masculine 2D:4D and higher dominance ratings than comparison samples representative of women in general, and these variables were furthermore positively correlated for both hands. The feminist paradox might thus to some extent be explained by biological differences between women in general and the activist women who formulate the feminist agenda.

Thinking Out of the Box: A Green and Social Climate Fund

PubMed Central

Ooms, Gorik; van de Pas, Remco; Decoster, Kristof; Hammonds, Rachel

2017-01-01

Solomon Benatar’s paper "Politics, Power, Poverty and Global Health: Systems and Frames" examines the inequitable state of global health challenging readers to extend the discourse on global health beyond conventional boundaries by addressing the interconnectedness of planetary life. Our response explores existing models of international cooperation, assessing how modifying them may achieve the twin goals of ensuring healthy people and planet. First, we address why the inequality reducing post World War II European welfare model, if implemented state-by-state, is unfit for reducing global inequality and respecting environmental boundaries. Second, we argue that to advance beyond the ‘Westphalian,’ human centric thinking integral to global inequality and climate change requires challenging the logic of global economic integration and exploring the politically infeasible. In conclusion, we propose social policy focused changes to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and a Green and Social Climate Fund, financed by new global greenhouse gas charges, both of which could advance human and planetary health. Recent global political developments may offer a small window of opportunity for out of the box proposals that could be advanced by concerted and united advocacy by global health activists, environmental activists, human rights activists, and trade unions. PMID:28949466

Gender differences in personal values of national and local Italian politicians, activists and voters.

PubMed

Francescato, Donata; Mebane, Minou E; Vecchione, Michele

2017-10-01

Theorists of politics of presence postulate that women elected to political office would still hold values similar to ordinary women and therefore represent them better than male politicians. Gender differences in personal values, which underline and give coherence to core political values, have been found among voters: males score higher on self-enhancement values (power and achievement) and females higher on self-transcendence values (universalism and benevolence). Our study aims to explore if gender differences in personal values are still present among activists, local and national politicians. We administer a shortened version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire to 233 Italian national politicians (46% females), 425 local politicians (56% females), 626 political activists (44% females), and 3249 ordinary citizens (49% females). Our results confirm only partially politics of presence theory: females at all levels of political involvement score higher in self-transcendent values that emphasise concern for the welfare of others, but no significant gender differences emerge for self-enhancement, which favour the pursuit of self-interest. Our findings support ethical struggles for more balanced gender representation: a higher proportion of women in politics could strengthen the political representation of self-transcendence values. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change: Reactions to Rogers' 1957 article.

PubMed

Samstag, Lisa Wallner

2007-09-01

Carl Rogers' article (see record 2007-14639-002) on the necessary and sufficient conditions for personality change has had a significant impact on the field of psychotherapy and psychotherapy research. He emphasized the client as arbiter of his or her own subjective experience and tested his hypothesized therapist-offered conditions of change using recorded sessions. This aided in demystifying the therapeutic process and led to a radical shift in the listening stance of the therapist. I briefly outline my views regarding the influence of the ideas presented in this work, describe the intellectual and cultural context of the times, and discuss a number of ways in which the therapist-offered conditions for psychological transformation are neither necessary nor sufficient. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Fear and loathing in Mississippi: the attack on cAMP sister spirit.

PubMed

Greene, Kate

2003-01-01

SUMMARY In 1993, the small rural community of Ovett, Miss., and a group of self-described radical lesbian feminists clashed over the establishment by the women of a feminist educational retreat known as Camp Sister Spirit. This dispute took the form of physical and psychological harassment of the women, wide-open public debate in the community, in the press, and on television, federal mediation efforts, and two lawsuits. This article analyzes this dispute using Mary Daly's seven patterns of the sado-ritual syndrome (Daly, 1978). The analysis examines the ideological and moral standpoints of the participants, the issues of "blaming the victim" and scapegoating, the development of the conflict from a dispute between neighbors to the involvement of international media, national activists and the Clinton Administration, the transformation of the conflict from a political to legal dispute, the representations of the groups within the community and the media, the effect of public opinion on the dispute, and the politics of the media in the dispute.

Contribution of the six major gait determinants on the vertical center of mass trajectory and the vertical ground reaction force.

PubMed

Hayot, C; Sakka, S; Lacouture, P

2013-04-01

Saunders et al. (1953) stated that the introduction of six gait determinants (pelvic rotation, pelvic obliquity, stance knee flexion, foot and ankle mechanisms, and tibiofemoral angle) to a compass gait model (two rigid legs hinged at the hips) provides an accurate simulation of the actual trajectory of the whole body center of mass (CoM). Their respective actions could also explain the shape of the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) pattern. Saunders' approach is considered as a kinematic description of some features of gait and is subject to debate. The purpose of this study is to realize a rigorous mechanical evaluation of the gait determinants theory using an appropriated mathematical model in which specific experimental data of gait trials are introduced. We first simulate a compass-like CoM trajectory using the proposed 3D mathematical model. Then, factorizing the model to introduce successively the kinematic data related to each gait determinant, we assess their respective contribution to both the CoM trajectory and the pattern of vertical GRF at different gait speeds. The results show that the stance knee flexion significatively decreases the estimated position of the CoM during midstance. Stance knee extension and pelvic obliquity contribute to the appearance of the pattern of vertical GRF during stance. The stance ankle dorsiflexion significatively contributes to CoM vertical excursion and the ankle plantarflexion contributes to the vertical GRF during terminal stance. The largest contribution towards the minimization of the CoM vertical amplitude during the complete gait step appears when considering the foot mechanisms and the pelvic obliquity in the proposed model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Statistical analysis of quiet stance sway in 2-D

PubMed Central

DiZio, Paul; Lackner, James R.

2014-01-01

Subjects exposed to a rotating environment that perturbs their postural sway show adaptive changes in their voluntary spatially directed postural motion to restore accurate movement paths but do not exhibit any obvious learning during passive stance. We have found, however, that a variable known to characterize the degree of stochasticity in quiet stance can also reveal subtle learning phenomena in passive stance. We extended Chow and Collins (Phys Rev E 52(1):909–912, 1995) one-dimensional pinned-polymer model (PPM) to two dimensions (2-D) and then evaluated the model’s ability to make analytical predictions for 2-D quiet stance. To test the model, we tracked center of mass and centers of foot pressures, and compared and contrasted stance sway for the anterior–posterior versus medio-lateral directions before, during, and after exposure to rotation at 10 rpm. Sway of the body during rotation generated Coriolis forces that acted perpendicular to the direction of sway. We found significant adaptive changes for three characteristic features of the mean square displacement (MSD) function: the exponent of the power law defined at short time scales, the proportionality constant of the power law, and the saturation plateau value defined at longer time scales. The exponent of the power law of MSD at a short time scale lies within the bounds predicted by the 2-D PPM. The change in MSD during exposure to rotation also had a power-law exponent in the range predicted by the theoretical model. We discuss the Coriolis force paradigm for studying postural and movement control and the applicability of the PPM model in 2-D for studying postural adaptation. PMID:24477760

Segment coupling and coordination variability analyses of the roundhouse kick in taekwondo relative to the initial stance position.

PubMed

Estevan, Isaac; Freedman Silvernail, Julia; Jandacka, Daniel; Falco, Coral

2016-09-01

The initial stance position (ISP) has been observed as a factor affecting the execution technique during taekwondo kicks. In the present study, authors aimed to analyse a roundhouse kick to the chest by measuring movement coordination and the variability of coordination and comparing this across the different ISP (0°, 45° and 90°). Eight experienced taekwondo athletes performed consecutive kicking trials in random order from every of the three relative positions. The execution was divided into three phases (stance, first swing and second swing phase). A motion capture system was used to measure athletes' angular displacement of pelvis and thigh. A modified vector coding technique was used to quantify the coordination of the segments which contributed to the overall movement. The variability of this coordination (CV) for each ISP was also calculated. Comparative analysis showed that during the stance phase in the transverse plane, athletes coordinated movement of the trunk and thigh with a higher frequency of in-phase and lower frequency of exclusive thigh rotation in the 0° stance than the 90° stance position (P < 0.05). CV was also influenced by the different ISP. During the first swing and the majority of the second swing phase, predominant in-phase coordination of the pelvis and thigh was observed. Including exercises that require in-phase movement could not only help athletes to acquire coordination stability but also efficiency. The existence of a constraint such as ISP implies an increase of the variability when the athletes have to kick from ISP they are not used to adopt (i.e., 0° and 90° ISP) as an evidence of adaptability in the athletes' execution technique.

Peak medial (but not lateral) hamstring activity is significantly lower during stance phase of running. An EMG investigation using a reduced gravity treadmill.

PubMed

Hansen, Clint; Einarson, Einar; Thomson, Athol; Whiteley, Rodney

2017-09-01

The hamstrings are seen to work during late swing phase (presumably to decelerate the extending shank) then during stance phase (presumably stabilizing the knee and contributing to horizontal force production during propulsion) of running. A better understanding of this hamstring activation during running may contribute to injury prevention and performance enhancement (targeting the specific role via specific contraction mode). Twenty active adult males underwent surface EMG recordings of their medial and lateral hamstrings while running on a reduced gravity treadmill. Participants underwent 36 different conditions for combinations of 50%-100% altering bodyweight (10% increments) & 6-16km/h (2km/h increments, i.e.: 36 conditions) for a minimum of 6 strides of each leg (maximum 32). EMG was normalized to the peak value seen for each individual during any stride in any trial to describe relative activation levels during gait. Increasing running speed effected greater increases in EMG for all muscles than did altering bodyweight. Peak EMG for the lateral hamstrings during running trials was similar for both swing and stance phase whereas the medial hamstrings showed an approximate 20% reduction during stance compared to swing phase. It is suggested that the lateral hamstrings work equally hard during swing and stance phase however the medial hamstrings are loaded slightly less every stance phase. Likely this helps explain the higher incidence of lateral hamstring injury. Hamstring injury prevention and rehabilitation programs incorporating running should consider running speed as more potent stimulus for increasing hamstring muscle activation than impact loading. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postural control strategies during single limb stance following acute lateral ankle sprain.

PubMed

Doherty, Cailbhe; Bleakley, Chris; Hertel, Jay; Caulfield, Brian; Ryan, John; Delahunt, Eamonn

2014-06-01

Single-limb stance is maintained via the integration of visual, vestibular and somatosensory afferents. Musculoskeletal injury challenges the somatosensory system to reweight distorted sensory afferents. This investigation supplements kinetic analysis of eyes-open and eyes-closed single-limb stance tasks with a kinematic profile of lower limb postural orientation in an acute lateral ankle sprain group to assess the adaptive capacity of the sensorimotor system to injury. Sixty-six participants with first-time acute lateral ankle sprain completed a 20-second eyes-open single-limb stance task on their injured and non-injured limbs (task 1). Twenty-three of these participants successfully completed the same 20-second single-limb stance task with their eyes closed (task 2). A non-injured control group of 19 participants completed task 1, with 16 completing task 2. 3-dimensional kinematics of the hip, knee and ankle joints, as well as associated fractal dimension of the center-of-pressure path were determined for each limb during these tasks. Between trial analyses revealed significant differences in stance limb kinematics and fractal dimension of the center-of-pressure path for task 2 only. The control group bilaterally assumed a position of greater hip flexion compared to injured participants on their side-matched "involved"(7.41 [6.1°] vs 1.44 [4.8]°; η(2)=.34) and "uninvolved" (9.59 [8.5°] vs 2.16 [5.6°]; η(2)=.31) limbs, with a greater fractal dimension of the center-of-pressure path (involved limb=1.39 [0.16°] vs 1.25 [0.14°]; uninvolved limb=1.37 [0.21°] vs 1.23 [0.14°]). Bilateral impairment in postural control strategies present following a first time acute lateral ankle sprain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lower Limb Interjoint Postural Coordination One Year after First-Time Lateral Ankle Sprain.

PubMed

Doherty, Cailbhe; Bleakley, Chris; Hertel, Jay; Caulfield, Brian; Ryan, John; Sweeney, Kevin; Patterson, Matthew R; Delahunt, Eamonn

2015-11-01

Longitudinal analyses of participants with a history of lateral ankle sprain are lacking. This investigation combined measures of lower limb interjoint coordination and stabilometry to evaluate static unipedal stance with the eyes open (condition 1) and closed (condition 2) in a group of participants with chronic ankle instability (CAI) compared to lateral ankle sprain "copers" (both recruited 12 months after sustaining an acute first-time lateral ankle sprain) and a group of noninjured controls. Twenty-eight participants with CAI, 42 lateral ankle sprain "copers," and 20 noninjured controls completed three 20-s single-limb stance trials in conditions 1 and 2. An adjusted coefficient of multiple determination statistic was used to compare stance limb three-dimensional kinematic data for similarity to establish patterns of interjoint coordination. The fractal dimension of the stance limb center of pressure path was also calculated. Between-group analyses revealed that participants with CAI displayed notable increases in ankle-hip linked coordination compared with both lateral ankle sprain "copers" (-0.52 (1.05) vs 0.28 (0.9), P = 0.007) and controls (-0.52 (1.05) vs 0.63 (0.64), P = 0.006) in condition 1 and compared with controls only (0.62 (1.92) vs 0.1 (1.0) P = 0.002) in condition 2. Participants with CAI also exhibited a decrease in the fractal dimension of the center-of-pressure path during condition 2 compared with both controls and lateral ankle sprain "copers." Participants with CAI present with a hip-dominant strategy of eyes-open and eyes-closed static unipedal stance. This coincided with reduced complexity of the stance limb center of pressure path in the eyes-closed condition.

Space Activism as an Epiphanic Belief System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendell, Wendell

2006-01-01

Years of interaction with young people in the space industry and in space activists groups led to my observation that many such individuals can cite a quite specific life event that triggered a life-long interest in or commitment to creating a space future. I am particularly intrigued by parallels between such experiences and the phenomenon of epiphanic experiences among committed Christians. I see analogies between the puzzlement among space activists and among Christian groups as to the reasons for so many people being "unbelievers." At a small international meeting on lunar exploration in 2003, I heard two separate lunch speakers cite such personal experiences. At the beginning of a break in that meeting, I grabbed the microphone from the chairman and asked each person to write down on a pad by his chair whether or not he (or she) had experienced a specific event that led to their involvement in space. If the answer was positive, I asked for a brief narrative, for their age at the time, and for their current age. I received 53 submissions, 20% of which simply stated that their involvement in space exploration was happenstance. (Apollo astronaut John Young was among these.) The other 80% of the submissions had specific stories. The ages at the time of the epiphany ranged from 4 to 47; and their current ages ranged from 22 to 78. I will present a high-level characterization of these inputs. Interest in space exploration as a form of belief system is consistent with choosing NASA goals for the purpose of inspiration and with phenomena such as the "Overview Effect". More research might explore what form the transcendent experience takes and whether it might be associated with feelings of universal connection such as the noosphere or "The Force". From a pragmatic point of view, outreach strategies for exploration should focus on giving individuals access to personal, potentially transformational experiences as opposed to astronaut talks at civic clubs.

Positive force feedback in human walking

PubMed Central

Grey, Michael J; Nielsen, Jens Bo; Mazzaro, Nazarena; Sinkjær, Thomas

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine if load receptors contribute to the afferent-mediated enhancement of ankle extensor muscle activity during the late stance phase of the step cycle. Plantar flexion perturbations were presented in late stance while able-bodied human subjects walked on a treadmill that was declined by 4%, inclined by 4% or held level. The plantar flexion perturbation produced a transient, but marked, presumably spinally mediated decrease in soleus EMG that varied directly with the treadmill inclination. Similarly, the magnitude of the control step soleus EMG and Achilles' tendon force also varied directly with the treadmill inclination. In contrast, the ankle angular displacement and velocity were inversely related to the treadmill inclination. These results suggest that Golgi tendon organ feedback, via the group Ib pathway, is reduced when the muscle–tendon complex is unloaded by a rapid plantar flexion perturbation in late stance phase. The changes in the unload response with treadmill inclination suggest that the late stance phase soleus activity may be enhanced by force feedback. PMID:17331984

People with chronic low back pain have poorer balance than controls in challenging tasks.

PubMed

da Silva, Rubens A; Vieira, Edgar R; Fernandes, Karen B P; Andraus, Rodrigo A; Oliveira, Marcio R; Sturion, Leandro A; Calderon, Mariane G

2018-06-01

To compare the balance of individuals with and without chronic low back pain during five tasks. The participants were 20 volunteers, 10 with and 10 without nonspecific chronic low back pain, mean age 34 years, 50% females. The participants completed the following balance tasks on a force platform in random order: (1) two-legged stance with eyes open, (2) two-legged stance with eyes closed, (3) semi-tandem with eyes open, (4) semi-tandem with eyes closed and (5) one-legged stance with eyes open. The participants completed three 60-s trials of tasks 1-4, and three 30-s trials of task 5 with 30-s rests between trials. The center of pressure area, velocity and frequency in the antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions were computed during each task, and compared between groups and tasks. Participants with chronic low back pain presented significantly larger center of pressure area and higher velocity than the healthy controls (p < 0.001). There were significant differences among tasks for all center of pressure variables (p < 0.001). Semi-tandem (tasks 3 and 4) and one-leg stance (task 5) were more sensitive to identify balance impairments in the chronic low back pain group than two-legged stance tasks 1 and 2 (effect size >1.37 vs. effect size <0.64). There were no significant interactions between groups and tasks. Individuals with chronic low back pain presented poorer postural control using center of pressure measurements than the healthy controls, mainly during more challenging balance tasks such as semi-tandem and one-legged stance conditions. Implications for Rehabilitation People with chronic low back had poorer balance than those without it. Balance tasks need to be sensitive to capture impairments. Balance assessments during semi-tandem and one-legged stance were the most sensitive tasks to determine postural control deficit in people with chronic low back. Balance assessment should be included during rehabilitation programs for individuals with chronic low back pain for better clinical decision making related to balance re-training as necessary.

Exploring Individual Differences in Preschoolers' Causal Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarez, Aubry; Booth, Amy E.

2016-01-01

Preschoolers, as a group, are highly attuned to causality, and this attunement is known to facilitate memory, learning, and problem solving. However, recent work reveals substantial individual variability in the strength of children's "causal stance," as demonstrated by their curiosity about and preference for new causal information. In…

Five Stances That Have Got to Go

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeigler, Earle F.

1973-01-01

The five stances in physical education that have to go are as follows: a) the shotgun approach'' to professional preparation; b) the athletics uber alles approach''; c) the women are all right in their place approach''; d) the body of knowledge approach'' and the password is treadmill' approach.''

Do Ankle Orthoses Improve Ankle Proprioceptive Thresholds or Unipedal Balance in Older Persons with Peripheral Neuropathy?

PubMed Central

Son, Jaebum; Ashton-Miller, James A.; Richardson, James K.

2010-01-01

Objective To determine whether ankle orthoses that provide medial and lateral support, and have been found to decrease gait variability in older persons with peripheral neuropathy, decrease (improve) frontal plane ankle proprioceptive thresholds or increase unipedal stance time in that same population. Design Observational study in which unipedal stance time was determined with a stopwatch, and frontal plane ankle (inversion and eversion) proprioceptive thresholds were quantified during bipedal stance with and without the ankle orthoses, in 11 older diabetic subjects with peripheral neuropathy (8 men; age 72 ± 7.1 years) using a foot cradle system which presented a series of 100 rotational stimuli. Results The subjects demonstrated no change in combined frontal plane (inversion + eversion) proprioceptive thresholds or unipedal stance time with versus without the orthoses (1.06 ± 0.56 versus 1.13 ± 0.39 degrees, respectively; p = 0.955 and 6.1 ± 6.5 versus 6.2 ± 5.4 seconds, respectively; p = 0.922). Conclusion Ankle orthoses which provide medial-lateral support do not appear to change ankle inversion/eversion proprioceptive thresholds or unipedal stance time in older persons with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Previously identified improvements in gait variability using orthoses in this population are therefore likely related to an orthotically-induced stiffening of the ankle rather than a change in ankle afferent function. PMID:20407302

Runners do not push off the ground but fall forwards via a gravitational torque.

PubMed

Romanov, Nicholas; Fletcher, Graham

2007-09-01

The relationship between the affect and timing of the four forces involved in running (gravity, ground reaction force, muscle force, and potential strain energy) is presented. These forces only increase horizontal acceleration of the centre of mass during stance but not flight. The current hierarchical models of running are critiqued because they do not show gravity, a constant force, in affect during stance. A new gravitational model of running is developed, which shows gravity as the motive force. Gravity is shown to cause a torque as the runner's centre of mass moves forward of the support foot. Ground reaction force is not a motive force but operates according to Newton's third law; therefore, the ground can only propel a runner forward in combination with muscle activity. However, leg and hip extensor muscles have consistently proven to be silent during leg extension (mid-terminal stance). Instead, high muscle-tendon forces at terminal stance suggest elastic recoil regains most of the centre of mass's height. Therefore, the only external motive force from mid-terminal stance is gravity via a gravitational torque, which causes a horizontal displacement. The aim of this paper is to establish a definitive biomechanical technique (Pose method) that is easily taught to runners (Romanov, 2002): falling forwards via a gravitational torque while pulling the support foot rapidly from the ground using the hamstring muscles.

Isolated and combined effects of asymmetric stance and pushing movement on the anticipatory and compensatory postural control.

PubMed

Lee, Yun-Ju; Aruin, Alexander S

2014-04-01

To investigate effects of symmetric and asymmetric stance and pushing movement on anticipatory and compensatory postural adjustments (APAs and CPAs). Ten healthy volunteers stood symmetrically (feet parallel) or asymmetrically (one foot forward and the other backward) and pushed a handle with both hands or right or left hand. Bilateral EMG activity of the trunk and leg muscles and center of pressure (COP) displacements in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions were recorded and analyzed during the APAs and CPAs. Isolated asymmetry of stance was associated with larger muscle activity of the backward leg while isolated asymmetry of pushing movement induced larger trunk muscle activity on the contralateral side. A combined asymmetry of stance and pushing movement resulted in the increase or decrease of the thigh muscle activity and ML COP displacement depending on whether both asymmetries were induced on the same side of the body or on opposite sides. Both isolated and combined asymmetries affect APAs and CPAs in pushing. Using combined asymmetry of stance and arm movement might be beneficial in performing pushing activity. The outcome of the study provides a basis for studying postural control in individuals with unilateral impairment while performing daily tasks involving pushing. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can orthoses and navicular drop affect foot motion patterns during running?

PubMed

Eslami, Mansour; Ferber, Reed

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of semi-rigid foot orthoses on forefoot-rearfoot joint coupling patterns in individuals with different navicular drop measures during heel-toe running. Ten trials were collected from twenty-three male subjects who ran slowly shod at 170 steps per minute (2.23m/s) with a semi-rigid orthoses and without. Forefoot-rearfoot coupling motions were assessed using a vector coding technique during four intervals across the first 50% of stance. Subjects were divided into two groups based on navicular drop measures. A three way ANOVA was performed to examine the interaction and main effects of stance interval, orthoses condition and navicular drop (p<0.05). There were no interaction effects among stance interval, orthoses condition, or navicular drop (p=0.14) whereas an interaction effect of orthoses condition and stance interval was observed (p=0.01; effect size=0.74). Forefoot-rearfoot coupling motion in the no-orthoses condition increased from heel-strike to foot-flat phase at a rate faster than the orthoses condition (p=0.02). Foot orthoses significantly decrease the forefoot-rearfoot joint coupling angle by reducing forefoot frontal plane motion relative to the rearfoot. Navicular drop measures did not influence joint coupling relationships between the forefoot and rearfoot during the first 50% of stance regardless of orthotic condition. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

Postural stabilization after single-leg vertical jump in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

Nunes, Guilherme S; de Noronha, Marcos

2016-11-01

To investigate the impact different ways to define reference balance can have when analysing time to stabilization (TTS). Secondarily, to investigate the difference in TTS between people with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and healthy controls. Cross-sectional study. Laboratory. Fifty recreational athletes (25 CAI, 25 controls). TTS of the center of pressure (CoP) after maximal single-leg vertical jump using as reference method the single-leg stance, pre-jump period, and post-jump period; and the CoP variability during the reference methods. The post-jump reference period had lower values for TTS in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction when compared to single-leg stance (P = 0.001) and to pre-jump (P = 0.002). For TTS in the medio-lateral (ML) direction, the post-jump reference period showed lower TTS when compared to single-leg stance (P = 0.01). We found no difference between CAI and control group for TTS for any direction. The CAI group showed more CoP variability than control group in the single-leg stance reference period for both directions. Different reference periods will produce different results for TTS. There is no difference in TTS after a maximum vertical jump between groups. People with CAI have more CoP variability in both directions during single-leg stance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of a knee ankle foot orthosis incorporating an active knee mechanism on gait of a person with poliomyelitis.

PubMed

Arazpour, Mokhtar; Chitsazan, Ahmad; Bani, Monireh Ahmadi; Rouhi, Gholamreza; Ghomshe, Farhad Tabatabai; Hutchins, Stephen W

2013-10-01

The aim of this case study was to identify the effect of a powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis on the kinematics and temporospatial parameters of walking by a person with poliomyelitis when compared to a knee ankle foot orthosis. A knee ankle foot orthosis was initially manufactured by incorporating drop lock knee joints and custom molded ankle foot orthoses and fitted to a person with poliomyelitis. The orthosis was then adapted by adding electrically activated powered knee joints to provide knee extension torque during stance and also flexion torque in swing phase. Lower limb kinematic and kinetic data plus data for temporospatial parameters were acquired from three test walks using each orthosis. Walking speed, step length, and vertical and horizontal displacement of the pelvis decreased when walking with the powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis compared to the knee ankle foot orthosis. When using the powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis, the knee flexion achieved during swing and also the overall pattern of walking more closely matched that of normal human walking. The reduced walking speed may have caused the smaller compensatory motions detected when the powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis was used. The new powered SCKAFO facilitated controlled knee flexion and extension during ambulation for a volunteer poliomyelitis person.

Trauma in war and political persecution: expanding the concept.

PubMed

Hernández, Pilar

2002-01-01

A contextual understanding of the concept of trauma is proposed through a study of its meaning in a Latin American context facing war and political repression. This article explores the contributions of narrative and liberation psychology to understanding politically based trauma. It critiques the relationship between the concept of trauma and the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder. It analyzes how Colombian human rights activists make sense of the political persecution and trauma in their work. The author argues that the kind of experiences that these activists have endured go beyond the category of stress and can best be understood as traumatic within the context of the current medium-intensity war in Colombia.

The Significance of Stance: An Invitation to Aesthetic Response.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molinelli, Paul M.

This essay explores the concept of reader stance as defined by L. Rosenblatt (1978, 1994) as a useful framework from which to view the relative imbalance between the efferent and aesthetic reading of literature, particularly among schoolage adolescents. It then examines how 4 theoretical models and perspectives offer considerable explanatory…

Change of Attitude? A Diachronic Study of Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyland, Ken; Jiang, Feng

2016-01-01

Successful research writers construct texts by taking a novel point of view toward the issues they discuss while anticipating readers' imagined reactions to those views. This intersubjective positioning is encompassed by the term stance and, in various guises, has been a topic of interest to researchers of written communication and applied…

The Internationalisation of Higher Education: Some Ethical Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoey, Michael

2016-01-01

All the papers included in this volume implicitly adopt an ethical stance towards the aspect of internationalisation that they investigate or discuss, but necessarily these stances only occasionally become explicit. In this paper, therefore, I look at the impact of internationalisation on universities and at their impact in turn on the…

Codeswitching and Stance: Issues in Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaffe, Alexandra

2007-01-01

This article explores the long-standing problem of ascribing meaning to individual acts of codeswitching. Drawing on ethnographic data from bilingual classrooms in Corsica, I situate the analysis of codeswitching within the more general question of the interpretation of speaker stance, which is defined as speakers' positioning with regard to both…

Authorial Stance in Thai Students' Doctoral Dissertation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Getkham, Kunyarut

2016-01-01

This study investigates how linguistic devices are used to convey authorial stance in 36 Introduction sections and 36 Discussion sections of doctoral dissertations written in English by Thai students graduated in language education from different universities in the United States during the period 2008 to 2013. It also compares the use of…

Feminist activist women are masculinized in terms of digit-ratio and social dominance: a possible explanation for the feminist paradox

PubMed Central

Madison, Guy; Aasa, Ulrika; Wallert, John; Woodley, Michael A.

2014-01-01

The feminist movement purports to improve conditions for women, and yet only a minority of women in modern societies self-identify as feminists. This is known as the feminist paradox. It has been suggested that feminists exhibit both physiological and psychological characteristics associated with heightened masculinization, which may predispose women for heightened competitiveness, sex-atypical behaviors, and belief in the interchangeability of sex roles. If feminist activists, i.e., those that manufacture the public image of feminism, are indeed masculinized relative to women in general, this might explain why the views and preferences of these two groups are at variance with each other. We measured the 2D:4D digit ratios (collected from both hands) and a personality trait known as dominance (measured with the Directiveness scale) in a sample of women attending a feminist conference. The sample exhibited significantly more masculine 2D:4D and higher dominance ratings than comparison samples representative of women in general, and these variables were furthermore positively correlated for both hands. The feminist paradox might thus to some extent be explained by biological differences between women in general and the activist women who formulate the feminist agenda. PMID:25250010

Clearing the air and breathing freely: the health politics of air pollution and asthma.

PubMed

Brown, Phil; Mayer, Brian; Zavestoski, Stephen; Luebke, Theo; Mandelbaum, Joshua; McCormick, Sabrina

2004-01-01

This study examines the growing debate around environmental causes of asthma in the context of federal regulatory disputes, scientific controversy, and environmental justice activism. A multifaceted form of social discovery of the effect of air pollution on asthma has resulted from multipartner and multiorganizational approaches and from intersectoral policy that deals with social inequality and environmental justice. Scientists, activists, health voluntary organizations, and some government agencies and officials have identified various elements of the asthma and air pollution connection. To tackle these issues, they have worked through a variety of collaborations and across different sectors of environmental regulation, public health, health services, housing, transportation, and community development. The authors examine the role of activist groups in discovering the increased rates of asthma and framing it as a social and environmental issue; give an overview of the current knowledge base on air pollution and asthma, and the controversies within science; and situate that science in the regulatory debate, discussing the many challenges to the air quality researchers. They then examine the implications of the scientific and regulatory controversies over linking air pollution to increases in asthma. The article concludes with a discussion of how alliances between activists and scientists lead to new research strategies and innovations.

An Activist Approach to Sport Meets Youth From Socially Vulnerable Backgrounds: Possible Learning Aspirations.

PubMed

Luguetti, Carla; Oliver, Kimberly L; Dantas, Luiz Eduardo Pinto Basto Tourinho; Kirk, David

2017-03-01

This study was a 2-phase activist research project aimed at co-creating a prototype pedagogical model for working with youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds in a sport context. This article addresses the learning aspirations (learning outcomes) that emerged when we created spaces for youth to develop strategies to manage the risks they face in their community. This study took place in a socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhood in a Brazilian city where we worked with a group of 17 boys aged 13 to 15 years old, 4 coaches, a pedagogic coordinator, and a social worker. During a 6-month period, we collected multiple sources of data including field journal entries/observations (38) and audio records of youth work sessions (18), coaches' work sessions (16), combined coaches and youth work sessions (3), and meetings between the lead and the 2nd author for debriefing and planning sessions (36). By using an activist approach, 4 learning aspirations emerged: becoming responsible/committed, learning from mistakes, valuing each other's knowledge, and communicating with others. Findings suggest there is a need for more sports programs that start from young people's concrete needs and life situations and look to create places for youth to see alternative possibilities and take action.

"Phenomenology" and qualitative research methods.

PubMed

Nakayama, Y

1994-01-01

Phenomenology is generally based on phenomenological tradition from Husserl to Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty. As philosophical stances provide the assumptions in research methods, different philosophical stances produce different methods. However, the term "phenomenology" is used in various ways without the definition being given, such as phenomenological approach, phenomenological method, phenomenological research, etc. The term "phenomenology" is sometimes used as a paradigm and it is sometimes even viewed as synonymous with qualitative methods. As a result, the term "phenomenology" leads to conceptual confusions in qualitative research methods. The purpose of this paper is to examine the term "phenomenology" and explore philosophical assumptions, and discuss the relationship between philosophical stance and phenomenology as a qualitative research method in nursing.

Constructing Language Normativity through the Animation of Stance in Spanish Language Medical Consultations

PubMed Central

Vickers, Caroline H.; Deckert, Sharon K.; Goble, Ryan

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the construction of language normativity as medical providers interact with patients and animate stance within Spanish language medical consultations. The context of the study is a clinic in which providers use Spanish to communicate with monolingual Spanish-speaking patients. This clinic is in the United States, an English-speaking macro-societal context. Findings indicate that providers who are second language users of Spanish animate stance and interact with patients in ways that English is constructed as normative and Spanish as marked. Implications include the need to consider how the construction of language normativity within medical consultations affects health outcomes. PMID:24156518

Constraining the physical state by symmetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatibene, L.; Ferraris, M.; Magnano, G.

2017-03-01

After reviewing the hole argument and its relations with initial value problem and general covariance, we shall discuss how much freedom one has to define the physical state in a generally covariant field theory (with or without internal gauge symmetries). Our analysis relies on Cauchy problems, thus it is restricted to globally hyperbolic spacetimes. We shall show that in generally covariant theories on a compact space (as well as for internal gauge symmetries on any spacetime) one has no freedom and one is forced to declare as physically equivalent two configurations which differ by a global spacetime diffeomorphism (or by an internal gauge transformation) as it is usually prescribed. On the contrary, when space is not compact, the result does not hold true and one may have different options to define physically equivalent configurations, still preserving determinism. For this scenario to be effective, the group G of formal transformations needs to be a subgroup of dynamical symmetries (otherwise field equations, which are written in terms of configurations would not induce equations for the physical state classes) and it must contain the group D generated by Cauchy transformations (otherwise the equations induced on physical state classes would not be well posed, either). We argue that it is exactly because of this double inclusion that the hole argument in its initial problem formulation is more powerful than in its boundary formulation. In the boundary formulation of the hole argument one still has that the group G of formal transformations is a subgroup of dynamical symmetries, but there is no evidence for it to contain a particular non-trivial subgroup.In this paper we shall show that this scenario is exactly implemented in generally covariant theories. In the last section we shall show it to be implemented in gauge theories as well.Norton also argued (see [1]) that the definition of physical state is something to be discussed in physics and it is not something which can be settled by a purely mathematical argument. This position is certainly plausible and agreeable. However, we shall here argue that some constraints to the definition of physical state can be in fact put on a mathematical stance (the ones which go back to Einstein-Hilbert about well-posedness of Cauchy problems).A physical state is hence defined as an equivalence class of configurations, for which dynamics is well-posed, i.e. its evolution is deterministically singled out by initial conditions. It also defines what the physical observables are, i.e., by definition, the quantities which depend on the equivalence classes, but not on the specific representative configurations. Equivalently, physical observables are defined as quantities which are invariant with respect to formal transformations.A detailed analysis of these issues shows an unexpected structure of cases which is not clarified in general, yet. What is clear is that assuming, as usually done, that the physical state of a generally covariant theory is to be identified with equivalence classes of configurations modulo spacetime diffeomorphisms is a fair assumption, still a choice which is sometimes forced by mathematics (in particular by determinism in the form of Cauchy theorem on globally hyperbolic spacetimes with a compact space) but sometimes it is one of many possible choices which, in those cases, we agree should be addressed from a physical stance.We shall argue that sometimes one can find subclasses of diffeomorphisms (i.e. the group generated by Cauchy-compatible transformations, below denoted by D →) which play a distinctive role in the discussion and which, to the best of our knowledge, has not properly been taken into account in standard frameworks.Let us start, for the sake of simplicity, by restricting to generally covariant theories. Gauge theories will be briefly discussed in the conclusions since most of what we shall do easily applies to those cases, as well; see [20] for general framework and notation.In a generally covariant theory one has a huge group of symmetries S containing the (lift to the configuration bundle of the) spacetime diffeomorphisms. The group of spacetime diffeomorphisms will be denoted by Diff(M) . In particular, the subgroup of spacetime diffeomorphisms which can be connected by a flow with the identity idM will be denoted by Diffe(M) . Any element Φ ∈Diffe(M) can be obtained by evaluating a 1-parameter subgroup Φs at s = 1, i.e. Φ =Φ1. The 1-parameter subgroup Φs is also called a flow of diffeomorphisms.The standard attitude is to assume that in a generally covariant theory any two configurations of fields differing by any spacetime diffeomorphism represent the same physical state. In other words, if σ is a section of the configuration bundle and Φ∗ σ =σ‧ is its image through a diffeomorphism (in Diffe(M) or in Diff(M) depending on the case) then both σ and σ‧ represent the same physical state of the system.Let us call formal transformations the group G of transformations which fix the physical state, or, equivalently, define the physical states of the orbits of the group G. As a matter of fact defining the group of formal transformations is equivalent to defining the physical state. Either one defines the physical state as the orbits of the action of formal transformations or defines formal transformations as the transformations acting on configurations by mapping one representative of the physical state into another representative of the same physical state, i.e. fixing the physical states.In order for this to make sense one needs a formal transformation Φ to be a symmetry of the system (as it is in generally covariant theories) since if σ is a solution, of course also σ‧ must be a solution as well. In other words any formal transformation (acting on configurations but leaving the physical state unchanged) must be a symmetry and the symmetry group is an upper bound to the group of formal transformations, i.e. one must have G ⊂ S.We shall show that there is a lower bound (which will be denoted by D → and which is generated by Cauchy transformations) for the group G of formal transformations as well, i.e. one must have D → ⊂ G ⊂ S.We shall argue that when D → ⊊ S =Diffe(M) one has a certain freedom in setting G between its lower and upper bounds. In these cases one has different options to set the group D → ⊂ G ⊂ S and each different assumption about what G is, in fact defines a different theory with the same dynamics but different interpretation of what is the physical state and what can be in principle observed; see [21]. We shall also discuss topological conditions on M for which this freedom is nullified and one is forced to set G =Diffe(M) as usually done in the literature. On the other hand, we can discuss the motion of particles in spacetime on a physical stance and show that it is reasonable to assume that the physical state is described by worldline trajectories and parameterisations are irrelevant. The two viewpoints come (quite independently) to the same conclusion, which is a good thing. We shall also show a counter example, showing a globally hyperbolic spacetime M = R × R with a non-compact space Σ ≡ R in which the situation is different from the compact space case. As a consequence, the usual assumption of identifying configurations which differ by a diffeomorphism is a legitimate though in general unmotivated choice. When describing a system one should be aware of which assumptions come from mathematical constraints and which assumptions are done on a physical stance.When setting up a general covariant theory one should first study whether the group D → is a strict subgroup of Diffe(M) . If it is, one should characterise possible subgroups D → ⊂ G ⊂ S. Then one should declare which one of such groups G is elected as the group of formal transformations. Different choices lead to different theories with an equivalent dynamics but different observables.

From nation to family: two careers in the recasting of eugenics.

PubMed

Slavishak, Edward

2009-01-01

By examining the professional lives of two popularizers of eugenic thought from the 1910s to the 1940s, this study illustrates the broader change from "mainline" to "reform" eugenics in the United States. Roswell Hill Johnson's university teaching, laboratory research, and later marriage counseling work contrasted greatly with George Seibel's forays into eugenic theater moral reform, and mass physical fitness movements. Yet both men shifted from a strict position of mandating other people's behavior in the name of national health and racial integrity to a more therapeutic stance that cast individual decisions in the context of managed family life. This study shows that for some, the transformation of eugenics in the 1930s meant adapting the traditional focus on superiority, inferiority, and reproduction by design to the language of a commercial marketplace.

Critical dialogical approach: A methodological direction for occupation-based social transformative work.

PubMed

Farias, Lisette; Laliberte Rudman, Debbie; Pollard, Nick; Schiller, Sandra; Serrata Malfitano, Ana Paula; Thomas, Kerry; van Bruggen, Hanneke

2018-05-03

Calls for embracing the potential and responsibility of occupational therapy to address socio-political conditions that perpetuate occupational injustices have materialized in the literature. However, to reach beyond traditional frameworks informing practices, this social agenda requires the incorporation of diverse epistemological and methodological approaches to support action commensurate with social transformative goals. Our intent is to present a methodological approach that can help extend the ways of thinking or frameworks used in occupational therapy and science to support the ongoing development of practices with and for individuals and collectives affected by marginalizing conditions. We describe the epistemological and theoretical underpinnings of a methodological approach drawing on Freire and Bakhtin's work. Integrating our shared experience taking part in an example study, we discuss the unique advantages of co-generating data using two methods aligned with this approach; dialogical interviews and critical reflexivity. Key considerations when employing this approach are presented, based on its proposed epistemological and theoretical stance and our shared experiences engaging in it. A critical dialogical approach offers one way forward in expanding occupational therapy and science scholarship by promoting collaborative knowledge generation and examination of taken-for-granted understandings that shape individuals assumptions and actions.

Teachers' Inquiry Stance: Collaboration through Data Analysis in a Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haack, Darin Marcus

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how teachers experience a stance toward inquiry through participation in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). In order to meet this objective, the following questions framed this research: (1) How do individual teachers make meaning of the epistemological and dialogic aspects of…

Elementary Students' Roles and Epistemic Stances during Document-Based History Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nokes, Jeffery D.

2014-01-01

This article reports on a study that repositioned elementary students in new roles as active, critical participants in historical inquiry--roles that required a more mature epistemic stance. It reports 5th-grade students' responses to instructional methods intended to help them understand the nature of historical knowledge, appreciate the work of…

Stylizing Voices, Stances, and Identities Related to Medium of Education in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandhu, Priti

2015-01-01

This study analyzes the narrative-based interview data of three Indian women to examine the manner in which they utilize stylization to construct identity-rich, ideological stances related to discriminatory discourses of Hindi and English medium education in the linguistically rich, albeit complex, present-day context of India. Stylization is…

Attitude, Certainty and Allusions to Common Knowledge in Scientific Research Articles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koutsantoni, Dimitra

2004-01-01

Acceptance of claims made in scientific research articles depends on the "stance" authors take and their resources for "appraisal" (Martin and White, http://www.grammatics.com/appraisal). "Stance" has been defined as "the ways authors project themselves into their texts to communicate their relationship to subject matter and the readers",…

Using the Aesthetic Stance to Achieve Historical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassett Dahl, Heather Jane

2017-01-01

This research study focuses on how an aesthetic reading stance with dystopian literature can aid teens in the development of historical thinking skills. My research is based on ideas from Louise Rosenblatt's transactional theory and Sam Wineburg's concept and definition for historical thinking along with the UCLA Standards for Historical Thinking.…

The Role of Metadiscourse in Persuasion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longo, Bernadette

1994-01-01

Examines the amount and types of metadiscourse used by novice and expert writers in mechanical engineering design proposals. Finds that the expert took the stance of a member of a community of experts who added credibility by citing other work in his field, whereas students took the stance of agents talking directly to the reader. (SR)

Robotics and Discovery Learning: Pedagogical Beliefs, Teacher Practice, and Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Florence R.; Moriarty, Mary A.

2009-01-01

Much educational software is designed from a specific pedagogical stance. How teachers conceive of the pedagogical stance underlying the design will affect how they utilize the technology; these conceptions may vary from teacher to teacher and from teacher to designer. There may be a conflict between the designer's pedagogical beliefs inscribed in…

Mentoring and Community: Inquiry as Stance and Science as Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melville, Wayne; Bartley, Anthony

2010-01-01

In this article, we investigate how mentoring relationships founded on inquiry as stance can work to emphasize the conditions that promote the development of teachers of science as inquiry. Drawing on data collected through semi-structured interviews, we have developed two narrative case studies based on the two mentoring relationships that exist…

Stance Taking and Passive Voice in Turkish Academic Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emeksiz, Zeynep Erk

2015-01-01

This study aims at describing the functions of passive voice and how authors reflect their stance through those functions in Turkish academic discourse. Depending on the findings of a corpus based research, this study makes a counterpoint to functionalist views on the ground that passivization does not necessarily result in promoting agents in…

Preserving Social Justice Identities: Learning from One Pre-Service Literacy Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ticknor, Anne Swenson

2014-01-01

Identities that include social justice stances are important for pre-service teachers to adopt in teacher education so they may meet the needs of "all" future students. However, maintaining a social justice identity can be difficult when pre-service teachers are confronted with an evaluator without a social justice stance. This article…

What Else? The Basics and Beyond for Effective Consultations with Youth with Special Healthcare Needs

PubMed Central

Elliott, April S.; Jericho, Monique C.

2017-01-01

Youth with special healthcare needs (YSHCN) require medical support for disease management and equally require that providers be responsive to their ever-changing and sometimes unique psychosocial and developmental needs. This paper reviews the fundamentals of adolescent consultation reminding the reader that YSHCN are, after all, still youth with the same basic needs as their healthy peers. Beyond the basics, consultations with this population are characterized by complexities which are best managed by providers who can nimbly adjust their clinical stance. In non-urgent clinical scenarios, clinicians can adopt a coaching stance which we introduce and expand upon in this paper. Characterized by the five elements of non-judgment, curiosity, empathy, openness, and flexibility, the coaching stance can be adopted without specific training. We demonstrate its application using TGROW (Topic, Goal, Reality, Options and Wrap Up), a coaching framework that holds promise for use in clinical settings. Consultants may consider incorporating the coaching stance and TGROW into their practice repertoire, as both may be particularly helpful when consulting with adolescents with chronic illness.

[The stance of abortion in the Brazilian printed media ahead of the 2010 presidential elections: the exclusion of public health from the debate].

PubMed

Fontes, Maria Lucineide Andrade

2012-07-01

this article presents the results of research to monitor the Brazilian printed media in order to identify the stance of the abortion issue during the period from July 6 to October 29, 2010, which was the period of the official presidential campaign in Brazil. based on the monitoring of 28 printed media vehicles (newspapers and magazines) with nationwide circulation, the research selected 464 texts, of which 434 were considered valid for the study. The media studied included stories, reports, notes, opinion columns, interviews and letters from readers. although abortion was widely mentioned in Brazilian news coverage of the presidential campaign in 2010, with an average of four texts published per day, the stance adopted for the issue was not from the standpoint of public health. Among the 434 texts analyzed, only one report explicitly addressed epidemiological data linking abortion to women's health. In the other texts, the positioning of abortion was guided by the electoral stance that associated it with the dispute for the votes of the religious communities and conservative voters.

Postural control in subclinical neck pain: a comparative study on the effect of pain and measurement procedures.

PubMed

Amaral, Gabriela; Martins, Helena; Silva, Anabela G

2018-04-25

This study investigated whether young university students with neck pain (NP) have postural control deficits when compared to sex and age-matched asymptomatic subjects. Centre of pressure (COP) sway area, velocity, anterior-posterior and mediolateral distances were measured in participants with (n=27) and without (n=27) neck pain for different combinations of static standing (narrow stance, tandem stance and single leg stance) and measurement time (90, 60, 30 and 15 s) with eyes closed using a force plate. Additionally, static and dynamic clinical tests of postural control were used. No significant between group differences were found for the COP measurements (p>0.05). However, individuals with subclinical NP were more likely to fail the 90 s tandem test (p<0.05) in the force plate and univariate comparisons revealed significant between group differences in the tandem and single leg stance clinical test measurements. Taken together, the inconsistent results might suggest an emerging postural control deficit in university students with low disability and low intensity chronic idiopathic NP.

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Pilates and Latin Dance on Static and Dynamic Balance in Older Adults.

PubMed

Sofianidis, George; Dimitriou, Anna-Maria; Hatzitaki, Vassilia

2017-07-01

The present study was designed to compare the effectiveness of exercise programs with Pilates and Latin dance on older adults' static and dynamic balance. Thirty-two older adults were divided into three groups: Pilates group, Dance group, and Control group. Static and dynamic balance was assessed with following tasks: (a) tandem stance, (b) one-leg stance, and (c) periodic sway with and without metronome guidance. Analysis revealed a significant reduction of the trunk sway amplitude during the tandem stance with eyes closed, reduction in the center of pressure (CoP) displacement during one-leg stance, and increase in the amplitude of trunk oscillation during the sway task for both intervention groups, and reduction in the standard deviation of the CoP displacement during the metronome paced task only for the dance group. The differences in specific balance indices between the two programs suggest some specific adaptations that may provide useful knowledge for the selection of exercises that are better tailored to the needs of the old adult.

Lessons learned: program messaging in gender-transformative work with men and boys in South Africa

PubMed Central

Viitanen, Amanda P.; Colvin, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Background Adherence to traditional notions of masculinity has been identified as an important driver in the perpetuation of numerous health and social problems, including gender-based violence and HIV. With the largest generalized HIV epidemic in the world and high rates of violence against women, the need for gender-transformative work in South Africa is broadly accepted in activist circles and at the national and community level. Because of the integral role men play in both of these epidemics, initiatives and strategies that engage men in promoting gender equality have emerged over the last decade and the evidence base supporting the effectiveness of masculinities-based interventions is growing. However, little research exists on men's receptivity to the messages delivered in these programs. Objective This article examines the current practices among a set of gender-transformation initiatives in South Africa to see what lessons can be derived from them. We look at how South African men participating in these programs responded to three thematic messages frequently found in gender-transformative work: 1) the ‘costs of masculinity’ men pay for adherence to harmful gender constructs; 2) multiple forms of masculinity; and 3) the human rights framework and contested rights. Design This article synthesizes qualitative findings from in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and ethnographic research with men participating in several gender- and health-intervention programs in South Africa. The data were collected between 2007 and 2011 and synthesized using some of the basic principles of meta-ethnography. Results and conclusions Overall, men were receptive to the three thematic messages reviewed; they were able to see them in the context of their own lives and the messages facilitated rich dialog among participants. However, some men were more ambivalent toward shifting gender notions and some even adamantly resisted engaging in discussions over gender equality. More research is needed to gauge the long-term impact of participation in interventions that target gender and health. PMID:26350433

Lessons learned: program messaging in gender-transformative work with men and boys in South Africa.

PubMed

Viitanen, Amanda P; Colvin, Christopher J

2015-01-01

Adherence to traditional notions of masculinity has been identified as an important driver in the perpetuation of numerous health and social problems, including gender-based violence and HIV. With the largest generalized HIV epidemic in the world and high rates of violence against women, the need for gender-transformative work in South Africa is broadly accepted in activist circles and at the national and community level. Because of the integral role men play in both of these epidemics, initiatives and strategies that engage men in promoting gender equality have emerged over the last decade and the evidence base supporting the effectiveness of masculinities-based interventions is growing. However, little research exists on men's receptivity to the messages delivered in these programs. This article examines the current practices among a set of gender-transformation initiatives in South Africa to see what lessons can be derived from them. We look at how South African men participating in these programs responded to three thematic messages frequently found in gender-transformative work: 1) the 'costs of masculinity' men pay for adherence to harmful gender constructs; 2) multiple forms of masculinity; and 3) the human rights framework and contested rights. This article synthesizes qualitative findings from in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and ethnographic research with men participating in several gender- and health-intervention programs in South Africa. The data were collected between 2007 and 2011 and synthesized using some of the basic principles of meta-ethnography. Overall, men were receptive to the three thematic messages reviewed; they were able to see them in the context of their own lives and the messages facilitated rich dialog among participants. However, some men were more ambivalent toward shifting gender notions and some even adamantly resisted engaging in discussions over gender equality. More research is needed to gauge the long-term impact of participation in interventions that target gender and health.

Hip proprioceptive feedback influences the control of mediolateral stability during human walking

PubMed Central

Roden-Reynolds, Devin C.; Walker, Megan H.; Wasserman, Camille R.

2015-01-01

Active control of the mediolateral location of the feet is an important component of a stable bipedal walking pattern, although the roles of sensory feedback in this process are unclear. In the present experiments, we tested whether hip abductor proprioception influenced the control of mediolateral gait motion. Participants performed a series of quiet standing and treadmill walking trials. In some trials, 80-Hz vibration was applied intermittently over the right gluteus medius (GM) to evoke artificial proprioceptive feedback. During walking, the GM was vibrated during either right leg stance (to elicit a perception that the pelvis was closer mediolaterally to the stance foot) or swing (to elicit a perception that the swing leg was more adducted). Vibration during quiet standing evoked leftward sway in most participants (13 of 16), as expected from its predicted perceptual effects. Across the 13 participants sensitive to vibration, stance phase vibration caused the contralateral leg to be placed significantly closer to the midline (by ∼2 mm) at the end of the ongoing step. In contrast, swing phase vibration caused the vibrated leg to be placed significantly farther mediolaterally from the midline (by ∼2 mm), whereas the pelvis was held closer to the stance foot (by ∼1 mm). The estimated mediolateral margin of stability was thus decreased by stance phase vibration but increased by swing phase vibration. Although the observed effects of vibration were small, they were consistent with humans monitoring hip proprioceptive feedback while walking to maintain stable mediolateral gait motion. PMID:26289467

Influence of physicians' life stances on attitudes to end-of-life decisions and actual end-of-life decision-making in six countries.

PubMed

Cohen, J; van Delden, J; Mortier, F; Löfmark, R; Norup, M; Cartwright, C; Faisst, K; Canova, C; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B; Bilsen, J

2008-04-01

To examine how physicians' life stances affect their attitudes to end-of-life decisions and their actual end-of-life decision-making. Practising physicians from various specialties involved in the care of dying patients in Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Australia received structured questionnaires on end-of-life care, which included questions about their life stance. Response rates ranged from 53% in Australia to 68% in Denmark. General attitudes, intended behaviour with respect to two hypothetical patients, and actual behaviour were compared between all large life-stance groups in each country. Only small differences in life stance were found in all countries in general attitudes and intended and actual behaviour with regard to various end-of-life decisions. However, with regard to the administration of drugs explicitly intended to hasten the patient's death (PAD), physicians with specific religious affiliations had significantly less accepting attitudes, and less willingness to perform it, than non-religious physicians. They had also actually performed PAD less often. However, in most countries, both Catholics (up to 15.7% in The Netherlands) and Protestants (up to 20.4% in The Netherlands) reported ever having made such a decision. The results suggest that religious teachings influence to some extent end-of-life decision-making, but are certainly not blankly accepted by physicians, especially when dealing with real patients and circumstances. Physicians seem to embrace religious belief in a non-imperative way, allowing adaptation to particular situations.

Reliability analysis of a sensitive and independent stabilometry parameter set

PubMed Central

Nagymáté, Gergely; Orlovits, Zsanett

2018-01-01

Recent studies have suggested reduced independent and sensitive parameter sets for stabilometry measurements based on correlation and variance analyses. However, the reliability of these recommended parameter sets has not been studied in the literature or not in every stance type used in stabilometry assessments, for example, single leg stances. The goal of this study is to evaluate the test-retest reliability of different time-based and frequency-based parameters that are calculated from the center of pressure (CoP) during bipedal and single leg stance for 30- and 60-second measurement intervals. Thirty healthy subjects performed repeated standing trials in a bipedal stance with eyes open and eyes closed conditions and in a single leg stance with eyes open for 60 seconds. A force distribution measuring plate was used to record the CoP. The reliability of the CoP parameters was characterized by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), coefficient of variation (CV) and CV compliance rate (CVCR). Based on the ICC, SEM and MDC results, many parameters yielded fair to good reliability values, while the CoP path length yielded the highest reliability (smallest ICC > 0.67 (0.54–0.79), largest SEM% = 19.2%). Usually, frequency type parameters and extreme value parameters yielded poor reliability values. There were differences in the reliability of the maximum CoP velocity (better with 30 seconds) and mean power frequency (better with 60 seconds) parameters between the different sampling intervals. PMID:29664938

Reliability analysis of a sensitive and independent stabilometry parameter set.

PubMed

Nagymáté, Gergely; Orlovits, Zsanett; Kiss, Rita M

2018-01-01

Recent studies have suggested reduced independent and sensitive parameter sets for stabilometry measurements based on correlation and variance analyses. However, the reliability of these recommended parameter sets has not been studied in the literature or not in every stance type used in stabilometry assessments, for example, single leg stances. The goal of this study is to evaluate the test-retest reliability of different time-based and frequency-based parameters that are calculated from the center of pressure (CoP) during bipedal and single leg stance for 30- and 60-second measurement intervals. Thirty healthy subjects performed repeated standing trials in a bipedal stance with eyes open and eyes closed conditions and in a single leg stance with eyes open for 60 seconds. A force distribution measuring plate was used to record the CoP. The reliability of the CoP parameters was characterized by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), coefficient of variation (CV) and CV compliance rate (CVCR). Based on the ICC, SEM and MDC results, many parameters yielded fair to good reliability values, while the CoP path length yielded the highest reliability (smallest ICC > 0.67 (0.54-0.79), largest SEM% = 19.2%). Usually, frequency type parameters and extreme value parameters yielded poor reliability values. There were differences in the reliability of the maximum CoP velocity (better with 30 seconds) and mean power frequency (better with 60 seconds) parameters between the different sampling intervals.

Influence of Ligament Properties on Knee Mechanics in Walking

PubMed Central

Smith, Colin R.; Lenhart, Rachel L.; Kaiser, Jarred; Vignos, Mike; Thelen, Darryl G.

2016-01-01

Computational knee models provide a powerful platform to investigate the effects of injury and surgery on functional knee behavior. The objective of this study was to use a multibody knee model to investigate the influence of ligament properties on tibiofemoral kinematics and cartilage contact pressures in the stance phase of walking. The knee model included 14 ligament bundles and articular cartilage contact acting across the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints. The knee was incorporated into a lower extremity musculoskeletal model and used to simulate knee mechanics during the stance phase of normal walking. A Monte Carlo approach was employed to assess the influence ligament stiffness and reference strains on knee mechanics. The ACL, MCL and posterior capsule properties exhibited significant influence on anterior tibial translation at heel strike, with the ACL acting as the primary restraint to anterior translation in mid-stance. The MCL and LCL exhibited the greatest influence on tibial rotation from heel strike through mid-stance. Simulated tibial plateau contact location was dependent on the ACL, MCL and LCL properties, while pressure magnitudes were most dependent on the ACL. A decrease in ACL stiffness or reference strain significantly increased average contact pressure in mid-stance, with the pressure migrating posteriorly on the medial tibial plateau. These ligament-dependent shifts in tibiofemoral cartilage contact during walking are potentially relevant to consider when investigating the causes of early onset osteoarthritis following knee ligament injury and surgical treatment. PMID:26408997

Trunk sway measures of postural stability during clinical balance tests in patients with chronic whiplash injury symptoms.

PubMed

Sjöström, Henrik; Allum, John H J; Carpenter, Mark G; Adkin, Allan L; Honegger, Flurin; Ettlin, Thierry

2003-08-01

Trunk sway occurring during clinical stance and gait tasks was compared between a group of subjects with a chronic whiplash injury, resulting from an automobile collision, and a normal collective. To examine if population specific trunk sway patterns for stance and gait could be identified for chronic whiplash injury patients. Our previous work has established that it is possible to identify specific patterns of stance and gait deficits for vestibular loss (both acute and compensated) patients and those with Parkinson's disease. Our question was whether it was possible to use the same stance and gait tasks to identify patterns of trunk sway differences with respect to those of healthy subjects and individuals with a chronic whiplash injury. Twenty-five subjects with history of whiplash injury and 170 healthy age-matched control subjects participated in the study. Trunk sway angular displacements in chronic whiplash patients were assessed for a number of stance and gait tasks similar to those of the Tinetti and Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (CTSIB) protocols. We used a lightweight, easy-to-attach, body-worn apparatus to measure trunk angular displacements and velocities in the roll (lateral) and the pitch (forward-backward) planes. Data analysis revealed several significant differences between the two groups. A pattern could be identified, showing greater trunk sway for stance tasks and for complex gait tasks that required task-specific gaze control such as walking up and down stairs. Trunk sway was less, however, for simple gait tasks that demanded large head movements but no task-specific gaze control, such as walking while rotating the head. Subjects who have a chronic whiplash injury show a characteristic pattern of trunk sway that is different from that of other patient groups with balance disorders. Balance was most unstable during gait involving task-specific head movements which possibly enhance a pathologic vestibulo-cervical interaction.

Postural control of typical developing boys during the transition from double-leg stance to single-leg stance.

PubMed

Deschamps, Kevin; Staes, Filip; Peerlinck, Kathelijne; Van Geet, Kristel; Hermans, Cedric; Lobet, Sebastien

2017-02-01

Literature is lacking information about postural control performance of typically developing children during a transition task from double-leg stance to single-leg stance. The purpose of the present study was therefore to evaluate the clinical feasibility of a transition task in typical developing age groups as well as to study the correlation between associated balance measures and age.Thirty-three typically developing boys aged 6-20 years performed a standard transition task from DLS to SLS with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). Balance features derived from the center of pressure displacement captured by a single force platform were correlated with age on the one hand and considered for differences in the perspective of limb dominance on the other hand.All TDB (typically developing boys) were able to perform the transition task with EO. With respect to EC condition, all TDB from the age group 6-7 years and the youngest of the age group 8-12 years (N = 4) were unable to perform the task. No significant differences were observed between the balance measures of the dominant and non-dominant limbs.With respect to EO condition, correlation analyses indicated that time to new stability point (TNSP) as well as the sway measure after this TNSP were correlated with age (p < 0.0001). For the EC condition, only the anthropometrically scaled sway measure was found to be correlated (p = 0.03). The results provide additional insight into balance development in childhood and may serve as a useful basis for assessing balance impairments in higher functioning children with musculoskeletal problems. What is Known: • Reference data regarding postural balance of typically developing children during walking, running, sit-to-stand, and bipodal and unipodal stance has been well documented in the literature. • These reference data provided not only insight into the maturation process of the postural control system, but also served in diagnosing and managing functional repercussions of neurological and orthopedic pathologies. What is New: • Objective data regarding postural balance of typical developing children during a transition task from double-leg stance to single-leg stance. • Insight into the role of maturation on the postural control system.

A preliminary case study of the effect of shoe-wearing on the biomechanics of a horse’s foot

PubMed Central

Rankin, Jeffery W.; Gatesy, Stephen M.

2016-01-01

Horse racing is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has raised welfare concerns due to injured and euthanized animals. Whilst the cause of musculoskeletal injuries that lead to horse morbidity and mortality is multifactorial, pre-existing pathologies, increased speeds and substrate of the racecourse are likely contributors to foot disease. Horse hooves have the ability to naturally deform during locomotion and dissipate locomotor stresses, yet farriery approaches are utilised to increase performance and protect hooves from wear. Previous studies have assessed the effect of different shoe designs on locomotor performance; however, no biomechanical study has hitherto measured the effect of horseshoes on the stresses of the foot skeleton in vivo. This preliminary study introduces a novel methodology combining three-dimensional data from biplanar radiography with inverse dynamics methods and finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate the effect of a stainless steel shoe on the function of a Thoroughbred horse’s forefoot during walking. Our preliminary results suggest that the stainless steel shoe shifts craniocaudal, mediolateral and vertical GRFs at mid-stance. We document a similar pattern of flexion-extension in the PIP (pastern) and DIP (coffin) joints between the unshod and shod conditions, with slight variation in rotation angles throughout the stance phase. For both conditions, the PIP and DIP joints begin in a flexed posture and extend over the entire stance phase. At mid-stance, small differences in joint angle are observed in the PIP joint, with the shod condition being more extended than the unshod horse, whereas the DIP joint is extended more in the unshod than the shod condition. We also document that the DIP joint extends more than the PIP after mid-stance and until the end of the stance in both conditions. Our FEA analysis, conducted solely on the bones, shows increased von Mises and Maximum principal stresses on the forefoot phalanges in the shod condition at mid-stance, consistent with the tentative conclusion that a steel shoe might increase mechanical loading. However, because of our limited sample size none of these apparent differences have been tested for statistical significance. Our preliminary study illustrates how the shoe may influence the dynamics and mechanics of a Thoroughbred horse’s forefoot during slow walking, but more research is needed to quantify the effect of the shoe on the equine forefoot during the whole stance phase, at faster speeds/gaits and with more individuals as well as with a similar focus on the hind feet. We anticipate that our preliminary analysis using advanced methodological approaches will pave the way for new directions in research on the form/function relationship of the equine foot, with the ultimate goal to minimise foot injuries and improve animal health and welfare. PMID:27478694

Gay activism behind the magnolia curtain: the Memphis Gay Coalition, 1979-1991.

PubMed

Buring, D

1996-01-01

In 1979, a full decade after the burgeoning and rapid expansion of the gay liberation movement, a handful of gay men organized the Memphis Gay Coalition and Tennessee's largest city entered the activist mainstream. The Memphis Gay Coalition remained active for over a decade sponsoring political, educational, and social events. After twelve years the Coalition disbanded amid accusations of racism, sexism, and elitism, having achieved some of its original purposes in providing services to the Memphis gay community. Documentary sources and community interviews reveal that personality conflicts, organizational problems, and the forces of Southern culture played a role in the disintegration of the Memphis Gay Coalition, which left the city and its neighboring region without a broad gay activist alliance.

Decentring poverty, reworking government: social movements and states in the government of poverty.

PubMed

Bebbington, A J; Mitlin, D; Mogaladi, J; Scurrah, M; Bielich, C

2010-01-01

The significance of social movements for pro-poor political and social change is widely acknowledged. Poverty reduction has assumed increasing significance within development debates, discourses and programmes - how do social movement leaders and activists respond? This paper explores this question through the mapping of social movement organisations in Peru and South Africa. We conclude that for movement activists 'poverty' is rarely a central concern. Instead, they represent their actions as challenging injustice, inequality and/or development models with which they disagree, and reject the simplifying and sectoral orientation of poverty reduction interventions. In today's engagement with the poverty-reducing state, their challenge is to secure resources and influence without becoming themselves subject to, or even the subjects of, the practices of government.

Pedagogical Stances of High School ESL Teachers: "Huelgas" in High School ESL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

del Carmen Salazar, Maria

2010-01-01

This article presents a qualitative case study of the pedagogical stances of high school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and the subsequent responses of resistance or conformity by their English Language Learners (ELLs). The participants include three high school ESL teachers and 60 high school ESL students of Mexican origin. Findings…

Divergent Effects of Cognitive Load on Quiet Stance and Task-Linked Postural Coordination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitra, Suvobrata; Knight, Alec; Munn, Alexandra

2013-01-01

Performing a cognitive task while maintaining upright stance can lead to increased or reduced body sway depending on tasks and experimental conditions. Because greater sway is commonly taken to indicate loosened postural control, and vice versa, the precise impact of cognitive load on postural stability has remained unclear. In much of the large…

Taking an Evaluative Stance to Decision-Making about Professional Development Options in Early Childhood Education and Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownlee, Joanne Lunn; Sumsion, Jennifer; Irvine, Susan; Berthelsen, Donna; Farrell, Ann; Walsh, Kerryann; Ryan, Sharon; Mulhearn, Gerry

2015-01-01

This article builds on our ongoing work in conceptualising an "evaluative stance" framework to assist in understanding how leaders in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC) make decisions about the selection of professional development options for themselves and their staff. It introduces the notion that evaluative…

The Internationalisation of Higher Education in Two Different Contexts: Catalan and Estonian Sociolinguistic Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soler-Carbonell, Josep; Gallego-Balsà, Lídia

2016-01-01

The topic of the internationalisation of academia has recently attracted attention from sociolinguists and language-policy scholars. In this paper, we compare two different universities from two contrasting contexts in Europe in order to find out more about their projected stance [Jaffe, A. (2009). Stance in a Corsican School: Institutional and…

Louise Rosenblatt Seeks QtAznBoi@aol.com for LTR: Using Chat Rooms in Interdisciplinary Middle School Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albright, James; Purohit, Kiran; Walsh, Christopher

2002-01-01

Discusses online student-teacher interactions and notes how these encounters forced educators to think about the use of computer-mediated technologies. Reflects on both overly optimistic stances toward technology and stances that position the students as aliens and cyborgs. Examines the dynamic relationship that emerges as technologies, students,…

Communicating Epistemic Stance: How Speech and Gesture Patterns Reflect Epistemicity and Evidentiality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseano, Paolo; González, Montserrat; Borràs-Comes, Joan; Prieto, Pilar

2016-01-01

This study investigates how epistemic stance is encoded and perceived in face-to-face communication when language is regarded as comprised by speech and gesture. Two studies were conducted with this goal in mind. The first study consisted of a production task in which participants performed opinion reports. Results showed that speakers communicate…

Deaf Studies: A Critique of the Predominant U.S. Theoretical Direction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Shirley Shultz; Fernandes, Jane K.

2010-01-01

The focus and concerns establishing Deaf Studies in the 1970s have rigidified into a reactive stance toward changing historical conditions and the variety of deaf lives today. This critique analyzes the theoretical foundation of this stance: a tendency to downplay established research in the field of Deaf Studies and linguistics, the employment of…

Changing and Changed Stance toward Norm Selection in Philippine Universities: Its Pedagogical Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernardo, Alejandro S.

2014-01-01

This paper reports the results of a survey which involved College English teachers from three leading universities in the Philippines. The results point to one conclusion--College English teachers now have a changing and changed stance toward norm selection in Philippine Universities. The results give the impression that a good number of College…

Stance and Engagement in Pure Mathematics Research Articles: Linking Discourse Features to Disciplinary Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Lisa; Kuteeva, Maria

2012-01-01

Recent ESP research into academic writing has shown how writers convey their stance and interact with readers across different disciplines. However, little research has been carried out into the disciplinary writing practices of the pure mathematics academic community from an ESP genre analysis perspective. This study begins to address this gap by…

The artistic design stance and the interpretation of Paleolithic art.

PubMed

De Smedt, Johan; De Cruz, Helen

2013-04-01

The artistic design stance is an important part of art appreciation, but it remains unclear how it can be applied to artworks for which art historical context is no longer available, such as Ice Age art. We propose that some of the designer's intentions can be gathered noninferentially through direct experience with prehistoric artworks.

The Construction of Stance in Reporting Clauses: A Cross-Disciplinary Study of Theses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charles, Maggie

2006-01-01

Using a corpus-based approach, this paper investigates the construction of stance in finite reporting clauses with "that"-clause complementation. The data are drawn from two corpora of theses in contrasting disciplines: a social science--politics--and a natural science--materials science. A network for the analysis of reporting clauses is…

Symposium Introduction: Stepping into Their Power--The Development of a Teacher Leadership Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smulyan, Lisa

2016-01-01

This introduction to the symposium on Teacher Leadership describes how a group of teachers have developed a definition of teacher leadership as a stance. The article explores how prior definitions of teacher leadership tend to focus on individual skills or roles. Neoliberal educational policies that emphasize market-based policy, privatization,…

Countering Coloniality in Educational Research: From Ownership to Answerability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patel, Lisa

2014-01-01

In this theoretical article, I argue for a relational stance on learning as a way of reckoning with educational research as part of the settler colonial structure of the United States. Because of my geopolitical location to the United States as a settler colony, I begin by contrasting the stances of anticolonial and decolonial. I then analyze the…

Towards a Critical Health Equity Research Stance: Why Epistemology and Methodology Matter More than Qualitative Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowleg, Lisa

2017-01-01

Qualitative methods are not intrinsically progressive. Methods are simply tools to conduct research. Epistemology, the justification of knowledge, shapes methodology and methods, and thus is a vital starting point for a critical health equity research stance, regardless of whether the methods are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. In line with…

Benten v. Kessler: the RU 486 import case.

PubMed

Pine, R N

1992-01-01

On July 1, 1992, the case of Benten v. Kessler was filed in the US District Court in New York. The case arose out of an attempt by abortion rights activist Lawrence Lader to call public attention to the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ban on importation of the abortifacient drug mifepristone known as RU-486. The ban expresses the anti abortion stance of the Reagan and Bush administrations and creates a hostile climate for the development of new drugs related to reproductive health and reproductive choice. Plaintiffs in the Benten case sought public accountability by the FDA for its adoption of a ban of a safe and effective drug for unwanted pregnancy. Although the case did not succeed in retrieving the confiscated RU-486 pills for Leona Benten, in its opinion issued on July 14, 1992, the New York district court judge concluded that the import ban did not appear to be based on concern with the safety or effectiveness of RU-486, describing the FDA's process of adopting the import ban as a sink of illegality. On July 17, 1992, 7 Justices of the Supreme Court, with justices Blackmun and Stevens dissenting, joined in a per curiam opinion denying the application and foreclosing further personal relief for Leona Benten. This was the best result possible short of an all out victory for Leona Benten. The Court ruled against plaintiffs in their argument that notice and comment were required, but left entirely open plaintiffs' claims that the import ban is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act and that the ban is unconstitutional in that it unduly burdens the right to terminate pregnancy. This backdrop creates a healthy skepticism about the prospects for the introduction of RU-486 into the US in the near future as well as about the fairness of government processes in areas of concern to women. Public health considerations, not politics, should determine access to health care.

Multiple balance tests improve the assessment of postural stability in subjects with Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Jacobs, J V; Horak, F B; Tran, V K; Nutt, J G

2006-01-01

Objectives Clinicians often base the implementation of therapies on the presence of postural instability in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). These decisions are frequently based on the pull test from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). We sought to determine whether combining the pull test, the one‐leg stance test, the functional reach test, and UPDRS items 27–29 (arise from chair, posture, and gait) predicts balance confidence and falling better than any test alone. Methods The study included 67 subjects with PD. Subjects performed the one‐leg stance test, the functional reach test, and the UPDRS motor exam. Subjects also responded to the Activities‐specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale and reported how many times they fell during the previous year. Regression models determined the combination of tests that optimally predicted mean ABC scores or categorised fall frequency. Results When all tests were included in a stepwise linear regression, only gait (UPDRS item 29), the pull test (UPDRS item 30), and the one‐leg stance test, in combination, represented significant predictor variables for mean ABC scores (r2 = 0.51). A multinomial logistic regression model including the one‐leg stance test and gait represented the model with the fewest significant predictor variables that correctly identified the most subjects as fallers or non‐fallers (85% of subjects were correctly identified). Conclusions Multiple balance tests (including the one‐leg stance test, and the gait and pull test items of the UPDRS) that assess different types of postural stress provide an optimal assessment of postural stability in subjects with PD. PMID:16484639

A neuromechanical strategy for mediolateral foot placement in walking humans.

PubMed

Rankin, Bradford L; Buffo, Stephanie K; Dean, Jesse C

2014-07-15

Stability is an important concern during human walking and can limit mobility in clinical populations. Mediolateral stability can be efficiently controlled through appropriate foot placement, although the underlying neuromechanical strategy is unclear. We hypothesized that humans control mediolateral foot placement through swing leg muscle activity, basing this control on the mechanical state of the contralateral stance leg. Participants walked under Unperturbed and Perturbed conditions, in which foot placement was intermittently perturbed by moving the right leg medially or laterally during the swing phase (by ∼50-100 mm). We quantified mediolateral foot placement, electromyographic activity of frontal-plane hip muscles, and stance leg mechanical state. During Unperturbed walking, greater swing-phase gluteus medius (GM) activity was associated with more lateral foot placement. Increases in GM activity were most strongly predicted by increased mediolateral displacement between the center of mass (CoM) and the contralateral stance foot. The Perturbed walking results indicated a causal relationship between stance leg mechanics and swing-phase GM activity. Perturbations that reduced the mediolateral CoM displacement from the stance foot caused reductions in swing-phase GM activity and more medial foot placement. Conversely, increases in mediolateral CoM displacement caused increased swing-phase GM activity and more lateral foot placement. Under both Unperturbed and Perturbed conditions, humans controlled their mediolateral foot placement by modulating swing-phase muscle activity in response to the mechanical state of the contralateral leg. This strategy may be disrupted in clinical populations with a reduced ability to modulate muscle activity or sense their body's mechanical state.

Alterations in knee contact forces and centers in stance phase of gait: A detailed lower extremity musculoskeletal model.

PubMed

Marouane, H; Shirazi-Adl, A; Adouni, M

2016-01-25

Evaluation of contact forces-centers of the tibiofemoral joint in gait has crucial biomechanical and pathological consequences. It involves however difficulties and limitations in in vitro cadaver and in vivo imaging studies. The goal is to estimate total contact forces (CF) and location of contact centers (CC) on the medial and lateral plateaus using results computed by a validated finite element model simulating the stance phase of gait for normal as well as osteoarthritis, varus-valgus and posterior tibial slope altered subjects. Using foregoing contact results, six methods commonly used in the literature are also applied to estimate and compare locations of CC at 6 periods of stance phase (0%, 5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). TF joint contact forces are greater on the lateral plateau very early in stance and on the medial plateau thereafter during 25-100% stance periods. Large excursions in the location of CC (>17mm), especially on the medial plateau in the mediolateral direction, are computed. Various reported models estimate quite different CCs with much greater variations (~15mm) in the mediolateral direction on both plateaus. Compared to our accurately computed CCs taken as the gold standard, the centroid of contact area algorithm yielded least differences (except in the mediolateral direction on the medial plateau at ~5mm) whereas the contact point and weighted center of proximity algorithms resulted overall in greatest differences. Large movements in the location of CC should be considered when attempting to estimate TF compartmental contact forces in gait. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Correlation-based Framework for Evaluating Postural Control Stochastic Dynamics

PubMed Central

Hernandez, Manuel E.; Snider, Joseph; Stevenson, Cory; Cauwenberghs, Gert; Poizner, Howard

2016-01-01

The inability to maintain balance during varying postural control conditions can lead to falls, a significant cause of mortality and serious injury among older adults. However, our understanding of the underlying dynamical and stochastic processes in human postural control have not been fully explored. To further our understanding of the underlying dynamical processes, we examine a novel conceptual framework for studying human postural control using the center of pressure (COP) velocity autocorrelation function (COP-VAF) and compare its results to Stabilogram Diffusion Analysis (SDA). Eleven healthy young participants were studied under quiet unipedal or bipedal standing conditions with eyes either opened or closed. COP trajectories were analyzed using both the traditional posturographic measure SDA and the proposed COP-VAF. It is shown that the COP-VAF leads to repeatable, physiologically meaningful measures that distinguish postural control differences in unipedal versus bipedal stance trials with and without vision in healthy individuals. More specifically, both a unipedal stance and lack of visual feedback increased initial values of the COP-VAF, magnitude of the first minimum, and diffusion coefficient, particularly in contrast to bipedal stance trials with open eyes. Use of a stochastic postural control model, based on an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process that accounts for natural weight-shifts, suggests an increase in spring constant and decreased damping coefficient when fitted to experimental data. This work suggests that we can further extend our understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind postural control in quiet stance under varying stance conditions using the COP-VAF and provides a tool for quantifying future neurorehabilitative interventions. PMID:26011886

Stance and strategy: post-structural perspective and post-colonial engagement to develop nursing knowledge.

PubMed

Sochan, Anne M

2011-07-01

How should nursing knowledge advance? This exploration contextualizes its evolution past and present. In addressing how it evolved in the past, a probable historical evolution of its development draws on the perspectives of Frank & Gills's World System Theory, Kuhn's treatise on Scientific Revolutions, and Foucault's notions of Discontinuities in scientific knowledge development. By describing plausible scenarios of how nursing knowledge evolved, I create a case for why nursing knowledge developers should adopt a post-structural stance in prioritizing their research agenda(s). Further, by adopting a post-structural stance, I create a case on how nurses can advance their disciplinary knowledge using an engaging post-colonial strategy. Given an interrupted history caused by influence(s) constraining nursing's knowledge development by power structures external, and internal, to nursing, knowledge development can evolve in the future by drawing on post-structural interpretation, and post-colonial strategy. The post-structural writings of Deleuze & Guattari's understanding of 'Nomadology' as a subtle means to resist being constrained by existing knowledge development structures, might be a useful stance to understanding the urgency of why nursing knowledge should advance addressing the structural influences on its development. Furthermore, Bhabha's post-colonial elucidation of 'Hybridity' as an equally discreet means to change the culture of those constraining structures is an appropriate strategy to enact how nursing knowledge developers can engage with existing power structures, and simultaneously influence that engagement. Taken together, 'post-structural stance' and 'post-colonial strategy' can refocus nursing scholarship to learn from its past, in order to develop relevant disciplinary knowledge in its future. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Government Stance and Internal Diversity of Protest: A Comparative Study of Protest against the War in Iraq in Eight Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walgrave, Stefaan; Verhulst, Joris

2009-01-01

This study tackles the question to what extent the composition of protest events is determined by the stance of governments. Established contextual theories do not formulate propositions on how context affects individual protesters. The article engages in empirically testing whether the macro-context affects the internal diversity of the crowds…

Turkish Language Teachers' Stance Taking Movements in the Discourse on Globalization and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coskun, Ibrahim

2013-01-01

This study investigates how Turkish teachers take and give stances in the discourse on globalization and language by using linguistic resources. According to the findings obtained through the discourse analysis of the corpus that consisted of 36 h of recording of the discussion among 4 teachers with 5 to 10 years of teaching experience, the…

Reading Sacred Texts in the Classroom: The Alignment between Students and Their Teacher's Interpretive Stances When Reading the Hebrew Bible

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassenfeld, Ziva R.

2016-01-01

This study investigated the voices of students interpreting Hebrew Bible texts in one fourth-grade classroom. Through think-alouds on the Biblical text with each student, exit interviews, teacher interviews, and classroom observations, this study found that those students whose interpretive stances were more aligned with the teacher's were given…

Epistemic Stance in Spoken L2 English: The Effect of Task and Speaker Style

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gablasova, Dana; Brezina, Vaclav; Mcenery, Tony; Boyd, Elaine

2017-01-01

The article discusses epistemic stance in spoken L2 production. Using a subset of the Trinity Lancaster Corpus of spoken L2 production, we analysed the speech of 132 advanced L2 speakers from different L1 and cultural backgrounds taking part in four speaking tasks: one largely monologic presentation task and three interactive tasks. The study…

The Professional Stance of Ethics and Religious Culture Teachers in Québec

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estivalèzes, Mireille

2017-01-01

In September 2008, a new Ethics and Religious Culture programme was implemented in Québec's elementary and secondary schools. One of the main pedagogical challenges of this new course has been the requirement that teachers adopt a professional stance of impartiality. Teachers must refrain from sharing their points of view, so as not to influence…

Intentions and actions in molecular self-assembly: perspectives on students' language use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höst, Gunnar E.; Anward, Jan

2017-04-01

Learning to talk science is an important aspect of learning to do science. Given that scientists' language frequently includes intentions and purposes in explanations of unobservable objects and events, teachers must interpret whether learners' use of such language reflects a scientific understanding or inaccurate anthropomorphism and teleology. In the present study, a framework consisting of three 'stances' (Dennett, 1987) - intentional, design and physical - is presented as a powerful tool for analysing students' language use. The aim was to investigate how the framework can be differentiated and used analytically for interpreting students' talk about a molecular process. Semi-structured group discussions and individual interviews about the molecular self-assembly process were conducted with engineering biology/chemistry (n = 15) and biology/chemistry teacher students (n = 6). Qualitative content analysis of transcripts showed that all three stances were employed by students. The analysis also identified subcategories for each stance, and revealed that intentional language with respect to molecular movement and assumptions about design requirements may be potentially problematic areas. Students' exclusion of physical stance explanations may indicate literal anthropomorphic interpretations. Implications for practice include providing teachers with a tool for scaffolding their use of metaphorical language and for supporting students' metacognitive development as scientific language users.

Using evidence to strengthen accountability for health financing in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Lebbie, Sowo A; Le Voir, Rosanna; Tom-Kargbo, Joanna; Yilla, Mohamed Drissa; Kamara, Abu Bakarr; Nam, Sara L

2016-12-01

In 2012, the government of Sierra Leone cut the national budget allocation to the health sector. Civil society organizations planned a nationwide health budget advocacy campaign, coinciding with the 2012 general elections, to hold future leaders to account on financing for women's and children's health. As part of the campaign, Evidence for Action produced district health budget tracking scorecards. The scorecards presented Ministry of Finance data on the allocation and disbursement of health funds in each district. The data were communicated using simple, non-technical language so that citizens could understand the key messages and take action. A total of 5600 scorecards were shared at district electoral forums attended by political candidates, community members, and health activists. Since the election, the proportion of the total government budget allocated to health increased from 7.4% in 2012 to 11.2% in 2014. However, transforming politicians' commitments and pledges into implementation has been challenging, confirming that accountability is a long-term process. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

"All this that has happened to me shouldn't happen to nobody else": Loretta Ross and the Women of Color Reproductive Freedom Movement of the 1980s.

PubMed

Nelson, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Loretta Ross exemplifies women of color feminist participation in and transformation of the women's health movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Ross helped build a women's health movement that by the late 1980s made the demands of women of color central. This movement was attractive to many women of color who had rejected the collapse of a broader women's health movement into the abortion rights movement as too narrowly focused. Many women of color activists, including Ross, argued that the emphasis on abortion rights and choice failed to address the linked socioeconomic and community health issues confronted by many women of color and poor women. Ross's work spurred coalition building among white women and women of color that focused on expanding reproductive justice and women's health beyond legal abortion. By the 1990s these efforts had produced a vibrant and engaged feminist reproductive justice movement that promoted the socioeconomics of good health for all women.

Science, Politics, and Ideology in the Campaign Against Environmental Tobacco Smoke

PubMed Central

Bayer, Ronald; Colgrove, James

2002-01-01

The issue of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and the harms it causes to nonsmoking bystanders has occupied a central place in the rhetoric and strategy of antismoking forces in the United States over the past 3 decades. Beginning in the 1970s, anti-tobacco activists drew on suggestive and incomplete evidence to push for far-reaching prohibitions on smoking in a variety of public settings. Public health professionals and other antismoking activists, although concerned about the potential illness and death that ETS might cause in nonsmokers, also used restrictions on public smoking as a way to erode the social acceptability of cigarettes and thereby reduce smoking prevalence. This strategy was necessitated by the context of American political culture, especially the hostility toward public health interventions that are overtly paternalistic. PMID:12036788

Styling the revolution: masculinities, youth, and street politics in Jakarta, Indonesia.

PubMed

Lee, Doreen

2011-01-01

This article explores the changes to urban political culture in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 1998 to the present. By tracing the contributions of youth activists, and middle-class university students in particular, to the production of the street as a political and public space, the author demonstrates to what extent the democratized post-Suharto era naturalizes the place of youth in nationalist politics. Central to this inquiry of youth identity formation is the elision of class and gender as analytical categories. Student movements in 1998 and after have relied on a specific masculine style that draws on both the authenticity of nationalist historical narratives and the street as the domain of the People, and in the process masks potentially contentious class and gender differences among progressive activists.

Scholars at Risk: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadizadeh, Hadi

2006-04-01

It has been five years since some 60 political activists; many scholars and university professors among them, with alleged links to the so-called ``nationalist-religious'' group and the Freedom Movement of Iran (FMI) were arrested in March and April 2001 on a series of charges including plotting to topple the Islamic establishment in Iran. Almost all of those detained were later released on bail and stood trials before different branches of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, and court of appeals. All sessions and hearings were held behind closed doors! Final verdicts have been gradually delivered, but the judiciary refuses to enforce the sentences, drop the charges, or return the bails. The whole case has been turned into a Sword of Damocles held over the heads of all political activists who happen to be critical of the system.

A Thematic Analysis of Theoretical Models for Translational Science in Nursing: Mapping the Field

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Sandra A.; Fisher, Cheryl A.; Hastings, Clare E.; Silverman, Leanne B.; Wallen, Gwenyth R.

2010-01-01

Background The quantity and diversity of conceptual models in translational science may complicate rather than advance the use of theory. Purpose This paper offers a comparative thematic analysis of the models available to inform knowledge development, transfer, and utilization. Method Literature searches identified 47 models for knowledge translation. Four thematic areas emerged: (1) evidence-based practice and knowledge transformation processes; (2) strategic change to promote adoption of new knowledge; (3) knowledge exchange and synthesis for application and inquiry; (4) designing and interpreting dissemination research. Discussion This analysis distinguishes the contributions made by leaders and researchers at each phase in the process of discovery, development, and service delivery. It also informs the selection of models to guide activities in knowledge translation. Conclusions A flexible theoretical stance is essential to simultaneously develop new knowledge and accelerate the translation of that knowledge into practice behaviors and programs of care that support optimal patient outcomes. PMID:21074646

Dominant side in single-leg stance stability during floor oscillations at various frequencies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background We investigated lateral dominance in the postural stability of single-leg stance with anteroposterior floor oscillations at various frequencies. Methods Thirty adults maintained a single-leg stance on a force platform for 20 seconds per trial. Trials were performed with no oscillation (static condition) and with anteroposterior floor oscillations (2.5-cm amplitude) at six frequencies: 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5 Hz (dynamic condition). A set of three trials was performed on each leg in each oscillation frequency in random order. The mean speed of the center of pressure in the anteroposterior direction (CoPap) was calculated as an index of postural stability, and frequency analysis of CoPap sway was performed. Footedness for carrying out mobilizing activities was assessed with a questionnaire. Results CoPap speed exponentially increased as oscillation frequency increased in both legs. The frequency analysis of CoPap showed a peak <0.3 Hz at no oscillation. The frequency components at 0.25-Hz oscillation included common components with no oscillation and those at 1.5-Hz oscillation showed the maximum amplitude among all conditions. Postural stability showed no significant difference between left- and right-leg stance at no oscillation and oscillations ≤1.25 Hz, but at 1.5-Hz oscillation was significantly higher in the right-leg stance than in the left-leg stance. For the lateral dominance of postural stability at individual levels, the lateral difference in postural stability at no oscillation was positively correlated with that at 0.25-Hz oscillation (r = 0.51) and negatively correlated with that at 1.5-Hz oscillation (r = -0.53). For 70% of subjects, the dominant side of postural stability was different at no oscillation and 1.5-Hz oscillation. In the subjects with left- or right-side dominance at no oscillation, 94% or 38% changed their dominant side at 1.5-Hz oscillation, with a significant difference between these percentages. In the 1.5-Hz oscillation, 73% of subjects had concordance between the dominant side of postural stability and that of mobilizing footedness. Conclusion In static conditions, there was no lateral dominance of stability during single-leg stance. At 1.5-Hz oscillation, the highest frequency, right-side dominance of postural stability was recognized. Functional role in supporting leg may be divided between left and right legs according to the change of balance condition from static to dynamic. PMID:25127541

From Tununak to Beaufort: Taking a Critical Inquiry Stance as a First Year Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fecho, Bob; Price, Kim; Read, Chris

2004-01-01

In this article, the authors show how two first year teachers a continent apart--Kim in the village of Tununak on the Bering Sea in Alaska and Chris in Beaufort, South Carolina, on the Atlantic Ocean--were able to take inquiry stances on their classrooms. In particular, through analysis of e-mails written in Chris' and Kim's first years of…

Issues in Discipline-Based Art Education: Strengthening the Stance, Extending the Horizons. Seminar Proceedings (Cincinnati, Ohio, May 21-24, 1987).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Getty Center for Education in the Arts, Los Angeles, CA.

The rationale for this seminar was to strengthen the discipline-based art education (DBAE) stance and extend its horizons. The format of the proceedings featured a speaker followed by a respondent and group discussions on each of the four issues addressed by the seminar. Dennie Wolf explained how current research in child development and cognitive…

Virtual Balancing for Studying and Training Postural Control.

PubMed

Buettner, Daniela; Dalin, Daniela; Wiesmeier, Isabella K; Maurer, Christoph

2017-01-01

Postural control during free stance has been frequently interpreted in terms of balancing an inverted pendulum. This even holds, if subjects do not balance their own, but an external body weight. We introduce here a virtual balancing apparatus, which produces torque in the ankle joint as a function of ankle angle resembling the gravity and inertial effects of free standing. As a first aim of this study, we systematically modified gravity, damping, and inertia to examine its effect on postural control beyond the physical constraints given in the real world. As a second aim, we compared virtual balancing to free stance to test its suitability for balance training in patients who are not able to balance their full body weight due to certain medical conditions. In a feasibility study, we analyzed postural control during free stance and virtual balancing in 15 healthy subjects. Postural control was characterized by spontaneous sway measures and measures of perturbed stance. During free stance, perturbations were induced by pseudorandom anterior-posterior tilts of the body support surface. In the virtual balancing task, we systematically varied the anterior-posterior position of the foot plate where the balancing forces are zero following a similar pseudorandom stimulus profile. We found that subjects' behavior during virtual balancing resembles free stance on a tilting platform. This specifically holds for the profile of body excursions as a function of stimulus frequencies. Moreover, non-linearity between stimulus and response amplitude is similar in free and virtual balancing. The overall larger stimulus induced body excursions together with an altered phase behavior between stimulus and response could be in part explained by the limited use of vestibular and visual feedback in our experimental setting. Varying gravity or damping significantly affected postural behavior. Inertia as an isolated factor had a mild effect on the response functions. We conclude that virtual balancing may be well suited to simulate conditions which could otherwise only be realized in space experiments or during parabolic flights. Further studies are needed to examine patients' potential benefit of virtual balance training.

Physical Performance Measures Associated With Locomotive Syndrome in Middle-Aged and Older Japanese Women.

PubMed

Nakamura, Misa; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Oka, Hiroyuki; Okada, Morihiro; Takakura, Rie; Hisari, Ayako; Yoshida, Munehito; Utsunomiya, Hirotoshi

2015-01-01

The Japanese Orthopaedic Association proposed a concept called locomotive syndrome (LS) to identify middle-aged and older adults at high risk of requiring health care services because of problems with locomotion. It is important to identify factors associated with the development of LS. Physical performance measures such as walking speed and standing balance are highly predictive of subsequent disability and mortality in older adults. However, there is little evidence about the relationship between physical performance measures and LS. To determine the physical performance measures associated with LS, the threshold values for discriminating individuals with and without LS, and the odds ratio of LS according to performance greater than or less than these thresholds in middle-aged and older Japanese women. Participants were 126 Japanese women (mean age = 61.8 years). Locomotive syndrome was defined as a score of 16 or more on the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale. Physical performance was evaluated using grip strength, unipedal stance time with eyes open, seated toe-touch, and normal and fast 6-m walk time (6 MWT). Variables were compared between LS and non-LS groups. Fourteen participants (11.1%) were classed as having LS. Unipedal stance time, normal 6 MWT, and fast 6 MWT were significantly different between the 2 groups. The LS group had a shorter unipedal stance time and a longer normal and fast 6 MWT than the non-LS group. For these 3 variables, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was greater than 0.7, and the threshold for discriminating the non-LS and LS groups was 15 s for unipedal stance time, 4.8 s for normal 6 MWT and 3.6 s for fast 6 MWT. These variables were entered into a multiple logistic regression analysis, which indicated that unipedal stance time less than 15 s was significantly related to LS (odds ratio = 8.46; P < .01). Unipedal stance time was the physical performance measure that was most strongly associated with LS. This measure may be useful for early detection of LS.

The cat vertebral column: stance configuration and range of motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macpherson, J. M.; Ye, Y.; Peterson, B. W. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

This study examined the configuration of the vertebral column of the cat during independent stance and in various flexed positions. The range of motion in the sagittal plane is similar across most thoracic and lumbar joints, with the exception of a lesser range at the transition region from thoracic-type to lumbar-type vertebrae. The upper thoracic column exhibits most of its range in dorsiflexion and the lower thoracic and lumbar in ventroflexion. Lateral flexion is limited to less than 5 degrees at all segments. The range in torsion is almost 180 degrees and occurs primarily in the midthoracic region, T4-T11. Contrary to the depiction in most atlases, the standing cat exhibits several curvatures, including a mild dorsiflexion in the lower lumbar segments, a marked ventroflexion in the lower thoracic and upper lumbar segments, and a profound dorsiflexion in the upper thoracic (above T9) and cervical segments. The curvatures are not significantly changed by altering stance distance but are affected by head posture. During stance, the top of the scapula lies well above the spines of the thoracic vertebrae, and the glenohumeral joint is just below the bodies of vertebrae T3-T5. Using a simple static model of the vertebral column in the sagittal plane, it was estimated that the bending moment due to gravity is bimodal with a dorsiflexion moment in the lower thoracic and lumbar region and a ventroflexion moment in the upper thoracic and cervical region. Given the bending moments and the position of the scapula during stance, it is proposed that two groups of scapular muscles provide the major antigravity support for the head and anterior trunk. Levator scapulae and serratus ventralis form the lateral group, inserting on the lateral processes of cervical vertebrae and on the ribs. The major and minor rhomboids form the medial group, inserting on the spinous tips of vertebrae from C4 to T4. It is also proposed that the hypaxial muscles, psoas major, minor, and quadratus lumborum could support the lumbar trunk during stance.

Virtual Balancing for Studying and Training Postural Control

PubMed Central

Buettner, Daniela; Dalin, Daniela; Wiesmeier, Isabella K.; Maurer, Christoph

2017-01-01

Postural control during free stance has been frequently interpreted in terms of balancing an inverted pendulum. This even holds, if subjects do not balance their own, but an external body weight. We introduce here a virtual balancing apparatus, which produces torque in the ankle joint as a function of ankle angle resembling the gravity and inertial effects of free standing. As a first aim of this study, we systematically modified gravity, damping, and inertia to examine its effect on postural control beyond the physical constraints given in the real world. As a second aim, we compared virtual balancing to free stance to test its suitability for balance training in patients who are not able to balance their full body weight due to certain medical conditions. In a feasibility study, we analyzed postural control during free stance and virtual balancing in 15 healthy subjects. Postural control was characterized by spontaneous sway measures and measures of perturbed stance. During free stance, perturbations were induced by pseudorandom anterior-posterior tilts of the body support surface. In the virtual balancing task, we systematically varied the anterior-posterior position of the foot plate where the balancing forces are zero following a similar pseudorandom stimulus profile. We found that subjects' behavior during virtual balancing resembles free stance on a tilting platform. This specifically holds for the profile of body excursions as a function of stimulus frequencies. Moreover, non-linearity between stimulus and response amplitude is similar in free and virtual balancing. The overall larger stimulus induced body excursions together with an altered phase behavior between stimulus and response could be in part explained by the limited use of vestibular and visual feedback in our experimental setting. Varying gravity or damping significantly affected postural behavior. Inertia as an isolated factor had a mild effect on the response functions. We conclude that virtual balancing may be well suited to simulate conditions which could otherwise only be realized in space experiments or during parabolic flights. Further studies are needed to examine patients' potential benefit of virtual balance training. PMID:29018320

3-Hz postural tremor in multiple system atrophy cerebellar type (MSA-C)-a static posturography study.

PubMed

Li, Xiaodi; Wang, Yuzhou; Wang, Zhanhang; Xu, Yan; Zheng, Wenhua

2018-01-01

The objective of the study is to evaluate postural dysfunction of multiple system atrophy-parkinsonian type (MSA-P) and cerebellar type (MSA-C) by static posturography exam. A total of 29 MSA-P patients, 40 MSA-C patients, and 23 healthy controls (HC) were recruited and engaged in a sensory organization test (SOT). The amplitude of the postural sway was measured and transformed into energy value by Fourier analyzer. SOT scores, frequency of falls and typical 3-Hz postural tremors during the four stance tasks, and energy value in three different frequency bands were recorded and compared. Compared with HC, SOT scores were significantly lower in MSA groups (P < 0.01). Compared with MSA-P, the vestibular scores were further reduced in MSA-C patients (P < 0.05). Falls were more frequent in MSA groups, especially in SOT4 task (foam surface with eyes closed) or in MSA-C group (P < 0.05). Typical 3-Hz postural tremor was observed in 97.5% MSA-C patients, in 24.1% MSA-P patients but in none of the HC (P < 0.05). Compared with HC, much more energy was consumed in every task, every direction, and nearly every frequency band in MSA groups. Energy value of MSA-C group was significantly higher than that of MSA-P, especially in higher frequency band (2 ~ 20 Hz) or in more difficult stance tasks (SOT 3 ~ 4, foam surface with eyes open or closed) (P < 0.05). Both MSA-P and MSA-C were characterized by severe static postural dysfunction. However, typical 3-Hz postural tremor was predominant in MSA-C and was very useful in the differential diagnosis between MSA-P and MSA-C.

A Randomized Comparison of the Biomechanical Effect of Two Commercially Available Rocker Bottom Shoes to a Conventional Athletic Shoe During Walking in Healthy Individuals.

PubMed

Talaty, Mukul; Patel, Sona; Esquenazi, Alberto

2016-01-01

Rocker bottom shoes have recently gained considerable popularity, likely in part because of the many purported benefits, including reducing joint loading and toning muscles. Scientific inquiry about these benefits has not kept pace with the increased usage of this shoe type. A fundamental premise of rocker bottom shoes is that they transform hard, flat, level surfaces into more uneven ones. Published studies have described a variety of such shoes-all having a somewhat rounded bottom and a cut heel region or a cut forefoot region, or both (double rocker). Despite the fundamentally similar shoe geometries, the reported effects of rocker bottom shoes on gait biomechanics have varied considerably. Ten healthy subjects agreed to participate in the present study and were given appropriately sized Masai Barefoot Technology (St. Louis, MO), Skechers(™) (Manhattan Beach, CA), and New Balance (Boston, MA) conventional walking shoes. After a 12-day accommodation period, the subjects walked wearing each shoe while 3-dimensional motion and force data were collected in the gait laboratory. The key findings included (1) increased trunk flexion, decreased ankle plantarflexion range, and reduced plantarflexion moment in the early stance; (2) increased ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexor moment in the midstance; (3) decreased peak ankle plantarflexion in the late stance; and (4) decreased ankle plantarflexion and decreased hip flexor and knee extensor moments in the pre-swing and into swing phase. The walking speed was unconstrained and was maintained across all shoe types. A biomechanical explanation is suggested for the observed changes. Suggestions for cautions are provided for using rocker bottom shoes in patients with neuromuscular insufficiency. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accepting "total and complete responsibility": new age neo-feminist violence against women.

PubMed

Sethna, C

1992-02-01

Barry Konikov, a hypnotherapist, of Potentials Unlimited Inc., a Michigan-based company which produces approximately 160 Subliminal Persuasion/Self Hypnosis tapes, promises his listeners miracles. The tapes on premenstrual syndrome, abortion, and sexual abuse were analyzed. The self-hypnosis message by Konikov is dangerous for women, because his antifeminism, misogyny, and patriarchism are couched insidiously within New Age neofeminism. Under therapeutic guidance the woman listener can direct her own transformation to complete mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and her new and improved self is so empowered as to accept total and complete responsibility to overcome the hurt about menstruation, abortion, or sexual abuse. Growth therapies such as Gestalt, guided fantasies, and bioenergetics undermine women with false promises of power. If women are so powerful, then it is their fault if they got raped, or battered, or if they have not received love, money, and inner peace. While seemingly empowering women to develop a strong sense of personal agency, Konikov ignores the patriarchal structures which intersect his women listeners' experience of menstrual discomfort, abortion, and sexual abuse. Konikov's New Age, neofeminist stance contains 4 stages of healing: responsibility, absolution, forgiveness, and resolution. Accepting responsibility for the wound next leads to absolution, and particularly absolution for men. As an example of absolution, Konikov's woman client-ex-plantation slave accepted her past-life relationship to her husband, absolved him of guild, and decided upon a divorce. The issue of absolution widens into forgiveness in the healing process, whereby Konikov wants women to hypnotize themselves therapy should be to help a woman see how her own power as an individual is inextricably bound to the collective power of women as a group. There is no doubt that the New Age neofeminist stance taken by Konikov on the tapes leaves women profoundly disempowered.

The Italian activist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catanzaro, Michele

2012-02-01

Italian theoretical physicist Giorgio Parisi has been an outspoken critic of Silvio Berlusconi's lack of support for science. He talks about how physics may fare under the new administration led by the economist Mario Monti.

“We make choices we think are going to save us”: Debate and stance identification for online breast cancer CAM discussions

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shaodian; Qiu, Lin; Chen, Frank; Zhang, Weinan; Yu, Yong; Elhadad, Noémie

2017-01-01

Patients discuss complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in online health communities. Sometimes, patients’ conflicting opinions toward CAM-related issues trigger debates in the community. The objectives of this paper are to identify such debates, identify controversial CAM therapies in a popular online breast cancer community, as well as patients’ stances towards them. To scale our analysis, we trained a set of classifiers. We first constructed a supervised classifier based on a long short-term memory neural network (LSTM) stacked over a convolutional neural network (CNN) to detect automatically CAM-related debates from a popular breast cancer forum. Members’ stances in these debates were also identified by a CNN-based classifier. Finally, posts automatically flagged as debates by the classifier were analyzed to explore which specific CAM therapies trigger debates more often than others. Our methods are able to detect CAM debates with F score of 77%, and identify stances with F score of 70%. The debate classifier identified about 1/6 of all CAM-related posts as debate. About 60% of CAM-related debate posts represent the supportive stance toward CAM usage. Qualitative analysis shows that some specific therapies, such as Gerson therapy and usage of laetrile, trigger debates frequently among members of the breast cancer community. This study demonstrates that neural networks can effectively locate debates on usage and effectiveness of controversial CAM therapies, and can help make sense of patients’ opinions on such issues under dispute. As to CAM for breast cancer, perceptions of their effectiveness vary among patients. Many of the specific therapies trigger debates frequently and are worth more exploration in future work. PMID:28967000

"We make choices we think are going to save us": Debate and stance identification for online breast cancer CAM discussions.

PubMed

Zhang, Shaodian; Qiu, Lin; Chen, Frank; Zhang, Weinan; Yu, Yong; Elhadad, Noémie

2017-04-01

Patients discuss complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in online health communities. Sometimes, patients' conflicting opinions toward CAM-related issues trigger debates in the community. The objectives of this paper are to identify such debates, identify controversial CAM therapies in a popular online breast cancer community, as well as patients' stances towards them. To scale our analysis, we trained a set of classifiers. We first constructed a supervised classifier based on a long short-term memory neural network (LSTM) stacked over a convolutional neural network (CNN) to detect automatically CAM-related debates from a popular breast cancer forum. Members' stances in these debates were also identified by a CNN-based classifier. Finally, posts automatically flagged as debates by the classifier were analyzed to explore which specific CAM therapies trigger debates more often than others. Our methods are able to detect CAM debates with F score of 77%, and identify stances with F score of 70%. The debate classifier identified about 1/6 of all CAM-related posts as debate. About 60% of CAM-related debate posts represent the supportive stance toward CAM usage. Qualitative analysis shows that some specific therapies, such as Gerson therapy and usage of laetrile, trigger debates frequently among members of the breast cancer community. This study demonstrates that neural networks can effectively locate debates on usage and effectiveness of controversial CAM therapies, and can help make sense of patients' opinions on such issues under dispute. As to CAM for breast cancer, perceptions of their effectiveness vary among patients. Many of the specific therapies trigger debates frequently and are worth more exploration in future work.

Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training

PubMed Central

Taube, Wolfgang; Lorch, Michael; Zeiter, Sibylle; Keller, Martin

2014-01-01

For consciously performed motor tasks executed in a defined and constant way, both motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) have been shown to promote motor learning. It is not known whether these forms of non-physical training also improve motor actions when these actions have to be variably applied in an unstable and unpredictable environment. The present study therefore investigated the influence of MI balance training (MI_BT) and a balance training combining AO and MI (AO+MI_BT) on postural control of undisturbed and disturbed upright stance on unstable ground. As spinal reflex excitability after classical (i.e., physical) balance training (BT) is generally decreased, we tested whether non-physical BT also has an impact on spinal reflex circuits. Thirty-six participants were randomly allocated into an MI_BT group, in which participants imagined postural exercises, an AO+MI_BT group, in which participants observed videos of other people performing balance exercises and imagined being the person in the video, and a non-active control group (CON). Before and after 4 weeks of non-physical training, balance performance was assessed on a free-moving platform during stance without perturbation and during perturbed stance. Soleus H-reflexes were recorded during stable and unstable stance. The post-measurement revealed significantly decreased postural sway during undisturbed and disturbed stance after both MI_BT and AO+MI_BT. Spinal reflex excitability remained unchanged. This is the first study showing that non-physical training (MI_BT and AO+MI_BT) not only promotes motor learning of “rigid” postural tasks but also improves performance of highly variable and unpredictable balance actions. These findings may be relevant to improve postural control and thus reduce the risk of falls in temporarily immobilized patients. PMID:25538598

The effects of dance training program on the postural stability of middle aged women.

PubMed

Kostić, Radmila; Uzunović, Slavoljub; Purenović-Ivanović, Tijana; Miletić, Đurđica; Katsora, Georgija; Pantelić, Saša; Milanović, Zoran

2015-11-01

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of Greek folk dancing on postural stability in middle age women. Sixty-three women aged from 47-53 participated in this study. All participants were randomly divided into the experimental group - 33 participants (mean ± SD; body height=160.13 ± 12.07 cm, body mass=63.81 ± 10.56 kg), and the control group - 30 participants (mean ± SD; body height=160.63 ± 6.22 cm, body mass=64.79 ± 8.19 kg). The following tests were used to evaluate the motor balance and posture stability of participants; the double-leg stance along the length of a balance beam (eyes open), the double-leg stance along the width of a balance beam (eyes open), the single-leg stance (eyes open) and the double-leg stance on one's toes (eyes closed). The Functional Reach Test for balance and the Star Excursion Balance Test were used to evaluate dynamic balance. The multivariate analysis of covariance of static and dynamic balance between participants of the experimental and control group at the final measuring, with neutralized differences at the initial measuring (Wilks' λ=0.45), revealed a significant difference (p<0.05). The intergroup difference at the final measuring was also found to be significant (p<0.05) for the following variables; the double-leg stance on one's toes, the Functional Reach Test, balance of the right anterolateral, balance of the right posterolateral and balance of the left posteromedial. An organized dance activity programme does lead to the improvement of static and dynamic balance in middle aged women. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

In vivo fascicle behavior of the flexor hallucis longus muscle at different walking speeds.

PubMed

Péter, A; Hegyi, A; Finni, T; Cronin, N J

2017-12-01

Ankle plantar flexor muscles support and propel the body in the stance phase of locomotion. Besides the triceps surae, flexor hallucis longus muscle (FHL) may also contribute to this role, but very few in vivo studies have examined FHL function during walking. Here, we investigated FHL fascicle behavior at different walking speeds. Ten healthy males walked overground at three different speeds while FHL fascicle length changes were recorded with ultrasound and muscle activity was recorded with surface electromyography (EMG). Fascicle length at heel strike at toe off and at peak EMG activity did not change with speed. Range of FHL fascicle length change (3.5-4.5 and 1.9-2.9 mm on average in stance and push-off phase, respectively), as well as minimum (53.5-54.9 and 53.8-55.7 mm) and maximum (58-58.4 and 56.8-57.7 mm) fascicle length did not change with speed in the stance or push-off phase. Mean fascicle velocity did not change in the stance phase, but increased significantly in the push-off phase between slow and fast walking speeds (P=.021). EMG activity increased significantly in both phases from slow to preferred and preferred to fast speed (P<.02 in all cases). FHL muscle fascicles worked near-isometrically during the whole stance phase (at least during slow walking) and operated at approximately the same length at different walking speeds. FHL and medial gastrocnemius (MG) have similar fiber length to muscle belly length ratios and, according to our results, also exhibit similar fascicle behavior at different walking speeds. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Plantar-flexion of the ankle joint complex in terminal stance is initiated by subtalar plantar-flexion: A bi-planar fluoroscopy study.

PubMed

Koo, Seungbum; Lee, Kyoung Min; Cha, Young Joo

2015-10-01

Gross motion of the ankle joint complex (AJC) is a summation of the ankle and subtalar joints. Although AJC kinematics have been widely used to evaluate the function of the AJC, the coordinated movements of the ankle and subtalar joints are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to accurately quantify the individual kinematics of the ankle and subtalar joints in the intact foot during ground walking by using a bi-planar fluoroscopic system. Bi-planar fluoroscopic images of the foot and ankle during walking and standing were acquired from 10 healthy subjects. The three-dimensional movements of the tibia, talus, and calcaneus were calculated with a three-dimensional/two-dimensional registration method. The skeletal kinematics were quantified from 9% to 86% of the full stance phase because of the limited camera speed of the X-ray system. At the beginning of terminal stance, plantar-flexion of the AJC was initiated in the subtalar joint on average at 75% ranging from 62% to 76% of the stance phase, and plantar-flexion of the ankle joint did not start until 86% of the stance phase. The earlier change to plantar-flexion in the AJC than the ankle joint due to the early plantar-flexion in the subtalar joint was observed in 8 of the 10 subjects. This phenomenon could be explained by the absence of direct muscle insertion on the talus. Preceding subtalar plantar-flexion could contribute to efficient and stable ankle plantar-flexion by locking the midtarsal joint, but this explanation needs further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of hoof boots and toe-extension shoes on the forelimb kinetics of horses during walking.

PubMed

Amitrano, Fernando N; Gutierrez-Nibeyro, Santiago D; Schaeffer, David J

2016-05-01

OBJECTIVE To determine and compare the effect of hoof boots (HBs) and shoes with a toe extension on stance duration, ground reaction force, and sole length in contact with the ground in nonlame horses during walking. ANIMALS 6 nonlame Standardbreds. PROCEDURES Force plate gait analyses of the forelimbs were performed while the horses were walking barefoot before manipulation of feet (baseline), while the horses were walking fitted with HBs, while the horses were walking shod with toe-extension shoes, and while the horses were walking barefoot after shoe removal. Horses underwent radiography of both forelimb feet to determine the sole length in contact with the ground when barefoot, wearing HBs, and shod with toe-extension shoes. Stance duration, ground reaction force, and sole length were compared among the various walking sessions. RESULTS Compared with baseline findings, stance duration increased significantly when horses were fitted with HBs (7%) or toe-extension shoes (5%). Peak forelimb ground reaction force was similar among walking sessions; however, time of braking force peak was significantly greater during the stance phase only when horses wore HBs. Also, the sole length in contact with the ground was significantly longer in horses fitted with HBs (14.3 cm) or shod with the toe-extension shoes (17.6 cm), compared with that for one of the barefoot hooves (12.7 cm). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In nonlame horses, use of HBs prolonged the stance time and time of braking force peak, which is indicative of a slower deceleration phase during limb impact with the ground. Also, the use of HBs prolonged the deceleration phase of the stride and increased the sole length in contact with the ground.

Joint power and kinematics coordination in load carriage running: Implications for performance and injury.

PubMed

Liew, Bernard X W; Morris, Susan; Netto, Kevin

2016-06-01

Investigating the impact of incremental load magnitude on running joint power and kinematics is important for understanding the energy cost burden and potential injury-causative mechanisms associated with load carriage. It was hypothesized that incremental load magnitude would result in phase-specific, joint power and kinematic changes within the stance phase of running, and that these relationships would vary at different running velocities. Thirty-one participants performed running while carrying three load magnitudes (0%, 10%, 20% body weight), at three velocities (3, 4, 5m/s). Lower limb trajectories and ground reaction forces were captured, and global optimization was used to derive the variables. The relationships between load magnitude and joint power and angle vectors, at each running velocity, were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping Canonical Correlation Analysis. Incremental load magnitude was positively correlated to joint power in the second half of stance. Increasing load magnitude was also positively correlated with alterations in three dimensional ankle angles during mid-stance (4.0 and 5.0m/s), knee angles at mid-stance (at 5.0m/s), and hip angles during toe-off (at all velocities). Post hoc analyses indicated that at faster running velocities (4.0 and 5.0m/s), increasing load magnitude appeared to alter power contribution in a distal-to-proximal (ankle→hip) joint sequence from mid-stance to toe-off. In addition, kinematic changes due to increasing load influenced both sagittal and non-sagittal plane lower limb joint angles. This study provides a list of plausible factors that may influence running energy cost and injury risk during load carriage running. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical outcomes and frontal plane two-dimensional biomechanics during the 30-second single leg stance test in patients before and after hip abductor tendon reconstructive surgery.

PubMed

Huxtable, Rose E; Ackland, Timothy R; Janes, Gregory C; Ebert, Jay R

2017-07-01

Hip abductor tendon tears are a common cause of Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome. Conservative treatments are often ineffective and surgical reconstruction may be recommended. This study investigated the improvement in clinical outcomes and frontal plane two-dimensional biomechanics during a 30-second single leg stance test, in patients undergoing reconstruction. We hypothesized that clinical scores and pertinent biomechanical variables would significantly improve post-surgery, and these outcomes would be significantly correlated. Twenty-one patients with symptomatic tendon tears underwent reconstruction. Patients were evaluated pre-surgery, and at 6 and 12months post-surgery, using patient-reported outcome measures, assessment of hip abductor strength and six-minute walk capacity. Frontal plane, two-dimensional, biomechanical variables including pelvis-on-femur angle, pelvic drop, trunk lean and lateral pelvic shift, were evaluated throughout a 30-second single leg stance test. ANOVA evaluated outcomes over time, while Pearson's correlations investigated associations between clinical scores, pain, functional and biomechanical outcome variables. While clinical and functional measures significantly improved (P<0.05) over time, no significant group differences (P>0.05) were observed in biomechanical variables from pre- to post-surgery. While five patients displayed a positive Trendelenburg sign pre-surgery, only one was positive post-surgery. Clinical outcomes and biomechanical variables during the single leg stance test were not correlated. Despite improvements in clinical and functional measures over time, biomechanical changes during a weight bearing single leg stance test were not significantly different following tendon repair. Follow up beyond 12months may be required, whereby symptomatic relief may precede functional and biomechanical improvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postural control as a function of time-of-day: influence of a prior strenuous running exercise or demanding sustained-attention task

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The current experiment investigated the impact of two potential confounding variables on the postural balance in young participants: the induced-experimental activity prior to the static postural measurements and the well-documented time-of-day effects. We mainly hypothesized that an exhaustive exercise and a high attention-demanding task should result in alterations of postural control. Methods Ten participants performed three experimental sessions (differentiated by the activity – none, cognitive or physical – prior of the assessment of postural stability), separated by one day at least. Each session included postural balance assessments around 8 a.m., 12.00 p.m. and 5 p.m. ± 30 min. The physical and cognitive activities were performed only before the 12 o’clock assessment. The postural tests consisted of four conditions of quiet stance: stance on a firm surface with eyes open; stance on a firm surface with eyes closed; stance on a foam surface with eyes open and stance on a foam surface with eyes closed. Postural performance was assessed by various center of pressure (COP) parameters. Results Overall, the COP findings indicated activity-related postural impairment, with an increase in body sway in the most difficult conditions (with foam surface), especially when postural measurements are recorded just after the running exercise (physical session) or the psychomotor vigilance test (cognitive session). Conclusions Even if no specific influence of time-of-day on static postural control is demonstrated, our results clearly suggest that the activities prior to balance tests could be a potential confounding variable to be taken into account and controlled when assessing clinical postural balance. PMID:23452958

Dynamically Stable Legged Locomotion.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-27

sweeps the leg during stance, and the third places the foot during flight and controls body attitude during stance. Each of the three methods elucidates...secondary strategy has been to examine systems with springy legs, so that the role of resonant oscillatory leg behavior might be better understood. ’ The ...body attitude : I lopping _leit: ’ The control system rcgulate:; hopping height by manlil)Lulating hopping energy. The leg is springy, so hopping is a

Analysis of the Applicability of an Ankle-Foot Orthosis during Gait in Poststroke Patients

PubMed Central

Costa, Rafael Vital; Grecco, Luanda André Collange; Neto, Hugo Pasini; Franco de Moura, Renata Calhes; Correa, João Carlos Ferrari; Corrêa, Fernanda Ishida; Oliveira, Claudia Santos

2013-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to develop and assess the applicability of an experimental ankle-foot orthosis during gait in patients with hemiparesis. [Subjects and Methods] This was a noncontrolled cross-sectional study. Ten adult patients with hemiparesis but who were capable of independent gait were included in the study. Gait assessment was performed using two platforms (EMG System do Brasil), an electromyograph (EMG System do Brasil), and a video camera. The experimental orthosis consisted of a single piece that fit over the foot and 1/3 of the distal tibia and had a steel spring. [Results] There was greater activation of the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis muscles in the stance and mid-stance phases with the use of the experimental ankle-foot orthosis in comparison with the use of a polypropylene ankle-foot orthosis and no orthosis. Regarding spatial and temporal gait parameters, the individuals achieved an increase in stride length with the use of the experimental ankle-foot orthosis in comparison with the use of a polypropylene ankle-foot orthosis. [Conclusion] The results of the present study demonstrate that individuals with hemiparesis achieved an improvement in the stance and mid-stance phases of gait with the use of the experimental ankle-foot orthosis. PMID:24259903

Novel knee joint mechanism of transfemoral prosthesis for stair ascent.

PubMed

Inoue, Koh; Wada, Takahiro; Harada, Ryuchi; Tachiwana, Shinichi

2013-06-01

The stability of a transfemoral prosthesis when walking on flat ground has been established by recent advances in knee joint mechanisms and their control methods. It is, however, difficult for users of a transfemoral prosthesis to ascend stairs. This difficulty is mainly due to insufficient generation of extension moment around the knee joint of the prosthesis to lift the body to the next step on the staircase and prevent any unexpected flexion of the knee joint in the stance phase. Only a prosthesis with an actuator has facilitated stair ascent using a step-over-step gait (1 foot is placed per step). However, its use has issues associated with the durability, cost, maintenance, and usage environment. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop a novel knee joint mechanism for a prosthesis that generates an extension moment around the knee joint in the stance phase during stair ascent, without the use of any actuators. The proposed mechanism is based on the knowledge that the ground reaction force increases during the stance phase when the knee flexion occurs. Stair ascent experiments with the prosthesis showed that the proposed prosthesis can realize stair ascent without any undesirable knee flexion. In addition, the prosthesis is able to generate a positive knee joint moment power in the stance phase even without any power source.

Behavioural laterality as a predictor of health in captive Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber): an exploratory analysis.

PubMed

Anderson, Matthew J; Ialeggio, Donna M

2014-01-01

The present study sought to explore the possibility that lateral behaviour in captive Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) housed at the Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia, PA) could be used to predict a variety of physiological measures of health obtained via complete blood counts (CBC) and plasma biochemistry analyses that were performed as part of the flock's annual physical examination. Consistent with previous research, evidence of rightward lateral neck-resting preferences were obtained, no evidence was found for the existence of leg stance preferences, and neck-resting and leg stance preferences were shown to be unrelated. Both lateral neck-resting preferences and lateral support leg preference were shown to be related to a variety of measures from the CBC and plasma biochemistry analyses. While several general trends emerged in regards to the CBC variables, the relationships between the lateral behaviours and those variables generated via plasma biochemistry analyses proved to be fewer and somewhat less consistent. Birds with rightward neck-resting preferences and birds with leftward support leg preferences generally appeared to be healthier and less stressed according to the CBC measures; however, the validity of lateral leg stance preference as a predictor of health and wellbeing is questionable given the lack of statistically significant leg stance preferences.

Understanding response patterns in dyadic conflict: An interactive approach combining self-construal and opponent's dominance-submissiveness.

PubMed

Au, Al K C; Lam, Shui-Fong

2017-04-01

Previous works on the effect of self-construal in interpersonal behaviours tend to adopt a main effect approach. The present research proposes an interactive approach in understanding two response patterns in dyadic conflict by combining self-construal and the stance of the opponent. Independent self-construal was hypothesised to be associated with a self-centred pattern of conflict response, which is characterised by taking contending responses regardless of whether the stance of the opponent is dominant or submissive. Relational self-construal was hypothesised to be associated with a tuning-in pattern of conflict response, which is characterised by showing contending responses when the opponent is submissive but yielding responses when the opponent is dominant. With trait self-construal measured and opponent's stance manipulated, Study 1 provided initial support for the hypotheses. Study 2 showed a three-way interaction effect between trait self-construal, manipulated self-construal and the opponent's stance on actual conflict responses during discussion of a scenario. The effect of self-construal manipulation was only observed among people who were low in trait independent self-construal and average in trait relational self-construal. The results pinpoint the importance of considering personal and opponent factors simultaneously in understanding the dynamics of dyadic conflict processes. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Postural Stability in Young Adults with Down Syndrome in Challenging Conditions

PubMed Central

Bieć, Ewa; Zima, Joanna; Wójtowicz, Dorota; Wojciechowska-Maszkowska, Bożena; Kręcisz, Krzysztof; Kuczyński, Michał

2014-01-01

To evaluate postural control and performance in subjects with Down syndrome (SwDS), we measured postural sway (COP) in quiet stance in four 20-second tests: with eyes open or closed and on hard or foam surface. Ten SwDS and eleven healthy subjects participated, aged 29.8 (4.8) and 28.4 (3.9), respectively. The time-series recorded with the sampling rate of 100 Hz were used to evaluate postural performance (COP amplitude and mean velocity) and strategies (COP frequency, fractal dimension and entropy). There were no intergroup differences in the amplitude except the stance on foam pad with eyes open when SwDS had larger sway. The COP velocity and frequency were larger in SwDS than controls in all trials on foam pad. During stances on the foam pad SwDS increased fractal dimension showing higher complexity of their equilibrium system, while controls decreased sample entropy exhibiting more conscious control of posture in comparison to the stances on hard support surface. This indicated that each group used entirely different adjustments of postural strategies to the somatosensory challenge. It is proposed that the inferior postural control of SwDS results mainly from insufficient experience in dealing with unpredictable postural stimuli and deficit in motor learning. PMID:24728178

Activity of thoracic and lumbar epaxial extensors during postural responses in the cat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macpherson, J. M.; Fung, J.; Peterson, B. W. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

This study examined the role of trunk extensor muscles in the thoracic and lumbar regions during postural adjustments in the freely standing cat. The epaxial extensor muscles participate in the rapid postural responses evoked by horizontal translation of the support surface. The muscles segregate into two regional groups separated by a short transition zone, according to the spatial pattern of the electromyographic (EMG) responses. The upper thoracic muscles (T5-9) respond best to posteriorly directed translations, whereas the lumbar muscles (T13 to L7) respond best to anterior translations. The transition group muscles (T10-12) respond to almost all translations. Muscles group according to vertebral level rather than muscle species. The upper thoracic muscles change little in their response with changes in stance distance (fore-hindpaw separation) and may act to stabilize the intervertebral angles of the thoracic curvature. Activity in the lumbar muscles increases along with upward rotation of the pelvis (iliac crest) as stance distance decreases. Lumbar muscles appear to stabilize the pelvis with respect to the lumbar vertebrae (L7-sacral joint). The transition zone muscles display a change in spatial tuning with stance distance, responding to many directions of translation at short distances and focusing to respond best to contralateral translations at the long stance distance.

Anteroposterior Stability of the Knee during the Stance Phase of Gait after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency

PubMed Central

Chen, CH; Li, JS; Hosseini, A; Gadikota, HR; Gill, TJ; Li, G

2011-01-01

Quadriceps avoidance and higher flexion strategy have been assumed as effects of ACL deficiency on knee joint function during gait. However, the effect of ACL deficiency on anteroposterior stability of the knee during gait is not well defined. In this study, ten patients with unilateral acute ACL ruptures and the contralateral side intact performed gait on a treadmill. Flexion angles and anteroposterior translation of the ACL injured and the intact controlateral knees were measured at every 10% of the stance phase of the gait (from heel strike to toe-off) using a combined MRI and dual fluoroscopic image system (DFIS). The data indicated that during the stance phase of the gait, the ACL-deficient knees showed higher flexion angles compared to the intact contralateral side, consistent with the assumption of a higher flexion gait strategy. However, the data also revealed that the ACL-deficient knees had higher anterior tibial translation compared to the intact contralateral side during the stance phase of the gait. The higher flexion gait strategy was not shown to correlate to a reduction of the anterior tibial translation in ACL deficient knees. These data may provide indications for conservative treatment or surgical reconstruction of the ACL injured knees in restoration of the knee kinematics during daily walking activities. PMID:22169387

Bridging the divide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesh, Sarah

2017-09-01

The recent International Conference on Women in Physics shows that there is still a long way to go to reach gender equality. Sarah Tesh reports from Birmingham, UK - where education activist Malala Yousafzai made a surprise appearance

Activist trust: the diffusion of green expertise in a Brazilian landscape.

PubMed

Delgado, Ana

2010-09-01

MST (Movimento Sem Terra/Landless People's Movement) is the largest rural movement of Latin America. Since the late 1990s, it has taken part in the diffusion of expertise about biodiversity conservation. Using an ethnographic approach, this paper investigates sources and roles of trust within this process. How does trust work when experts and laypeople belong to the same movement? The paper uses and critically discusses the works of Brian Wynne and the Actor Network Theory. It describes the particular ways in which the building of trust takes place within the intimate networks of MST. As ecological expertise becomes a central element within MST's project of liberation, the sources of trust are both affective and effective. Interests, social recognition and identity are intertwined. In the conclusion, I propose the concept of activist trust.

Physical education "in all sorts of corners": student activists transgressing formal physical education curricular boundaries.

PubMed

Enright, Eimear; O'Sullivan, Mary

2012-06-01

The data for this paper were generated during a 3-year; participatory action research project, with 41 female coresearchers and activists ages 15-19 years old, within and beyond the walls of a secondary school. The two questions we sought to answer were (a) what happens when we engage with students to challenge formal physical education curricular boundaries and connect with students' physical culture; and (b) what are the benefits and the challenges associated with engaging in this sort of practical activism? The findings suggest that a boundary-crossing approach to physical education can facilitate students in finding their own meanings in physical education and physical activity. Supporting boundary-crossing practices is, however; a time- and thought-intensive pedagogical design, which will be challenging for many physical education teachers.

Internalizing Knowledge and Changing Attitudes to Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The process of paradigmatic attitudinal change has been analyzed by the use of multimethods and multileveled internalization theories. Forty-six informants (a network of activists and a group of Gambian women) have described their change of attitude to female genital cutting. This study shows that internalizing a packet of information as adults, that contradicts an old schema of knowledge internalized as children, can be experienced as epistemologically very painful. Activists in Norway who have changed their attitude to FGC have got information from different educational institutions, from seminars and conferences, from work as interpreters in hospitals, and from discussions among families and friends. Information can be received, listened to and subsequently discarded. In order to design FGC-abandonment campaigns, the importance of the internalization process in order for the individual to make an attitudinal change must be understood. PMID:23843795

Queering abortion rights: notes from Argentina.

PubMed

Sutton, Barbara; Borland, Elizabeth

2018-03-06

In recent years, there have been calls in activist spaces to 'queer' abortion rights advocacy and to incorporate non-normative notions of gender identity and sexuality into abortion struggles and services. Argentina provides an interesting site in which to examine these developments, since there is a longstanding movement for abortion rights in a context of illegal abortion and a recent ground-breaking Gender Identity Law that recognises key trans rights. In this paper, we analyse public documents from the abortion rights movement's main coalition - the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion - alongside interviews with 19 Campaign activists to examine shifts and tensions in contemporary abortion rights activism. We trace the incorporation of trans-inclusive language into the newly proposed abortion rights bill and conclude by pointing to contextual factors that may limit or enhance the further queering of abortion rights.

Jung's "Psychology with the Psyche" and the Behavioral Sciences.

PubMed

Jones, Raya A

2013-09-01

The behavioral sciences and Jung's analytical psychology are set apart by virtue of their respective histories, epistemologies, and definitions of subject matter. This brief paper identifies Jung's scientific stance, notes perceptions of Jung and obstacles for bringing his system of thought into the fold of the behavioral sciences. The impact of the "science versus art" debate on Jung's stance is considered with attention to its unfolding in the fin de siècle era.

Effects of dual task difficulty in motor and cognitive performance: Differences between adults and adolescents.

PubMed

Bustillo-Casero, Pilar; Villarrasa-Sapiña, Israel; García-Massó, Xavier

2017-10-01

In the present study our aim was to compare dual-task performance in thirteen adolescents and fifteen young adults while concurrently performing a cognitive and a motor task. The postural control variables were obtained under three different conditions: i) bipedal stance, ii) tandem stance and iii) unipedal stance. The cognitive task consisted of a backward digit span test in which the participants were asked to memorize a sequence of numbers and then repeat the number in reverse order at three different difficulty levels (i.e. with 3, 4 and 5 digits). The difficulty of the cognitive task was seen to have different effects on adolescents and young adults. Adolescents seem to prioritize postural control during high difficulty postural conditions while a cross-domain competition model appeared in easy postural conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anticipatory postural adjustments and focal performance during bilateral forward-reach task under different stance conditions.

PubMed

Yiou, Eric; Mezaour, Malha; Le Bozec, Serge

2009-04-01

This study investigated how young healthy subjects control their equilibrium in situations of instability specifically elicited by a reduced capacity of force production in the postural muscle system. Ten subjects displaced a bar forward with both hands at maximal velocity toward a target while standing on the dominant leg (UNID), on the nondominant leg (UNIND), or on both legs. In each stance condition, anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) were elicited. Along the anteroposterior axis, APAs were two-times longer in UNID and UNIND than in bipedal stance, while the anticipatory inertia forces remained equivalent. The focal performance was maintained without any additive postural perturbation. A small effect of leg dominance could be detected on APAs along the mediolateral axis (i.e., anticipatory inertia forces were higher in UNIND than in UNID). These results stress the adaptability of the central nervous system to the instability specifically elicited by reduced postural muscle system efficiency.

LCP method for a planar passive dynamic walker based on an event-driven scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Xu-Dong; Wang, Qi

2018-06-01

The main purpose of this paper is to present a linear complementarity problem (LCP) method for a planar passive dynamic walker with round feet based on an event-driven scheme. The passive dynamic walker is treated as a planar multi-rigid-body system. The dynamic equations of the passive dynamic walker are obtained by using Lagrange's equations of the second kind. The normal forces and frictional forces acting on the feet of the passive walker are described based on a modified Hertz contact model and Coulomb's law of dry friction. The state transition problem of stick-slip between feet and floor is formulated as an LCP, which is solved with an event-driven scheme. Finally, to validate the methodology, four gaits of the walker are simulated: the stance leg neither slips nor bounces; the stance leg slips without bouncing; the stance leg bounces without slipping; the walker stands after walking several steps.

LCP method for a planar passive dynamic walker based on an event-driven scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Xu-Dong; Wang, Qi

2018-02-01

The main purpose of this paper is to present a linear complementarity problem (LCP) method for a planar passive dynamic walker with round feet based on an event-driven scheme. The passive dynamic walker is treated as a planar multi-rigid-body system. The dynamic equations of the passive dynamic walker are obtained by using Lagrange's equations of the second kind. The normal forces and frictional forces acting on the feet of the passive walker are described based on a modified Hertz contact model and Coulomb's law of dry friction. The state transition problem of stick-slip between feet and floor is formulated as an LCP, which is solved with an event-driven scheme. Finally, to validate the methodology, four gaits of the walker are simulated: the stance leg neither slips nor bounces; the stance leg slips without bouncing; the stance leg bounces without slipping; the walker stands after walking several steps.

The political reference point: How geography shapes political identity.

PubMed

Feinberg, Matthew; Tullett, Alexa M; Mensch, Zachary; Hart, William; Gottlieb, Sara

2017-01-01

It is commonly assumed that how individuals identify on the political spectrum-whether liberal, conservative, or moderate-has a universal meaning when it comes to policy stances and voting behavior. But, does political identity mean the same thing from place to place? Using data collected from across the U.S. we find that even when people share the same political identity, those in "bluer" locations are more likely to support left-leaning policies and vote for Democratic candidates than those in "redder" locations. Because the meaning of political identity is inconsistent across locations, individuals who share the same political identity sometimes espouse opposing policy stances. Meanwhile, those with opposing identities sometimes endorse identical policy stances. Such findings suggest that researchers, campaigners, and pollsters must use caution when extrapolating policy preferences and voting behavior from political identity, and that animosity toward the other end of the political spectrum is sometimes misplaced.

Computing the variations in the self-similar properties of the various gait intervals in Parkinson disease patients.

PubMed

Manjeri Keloth, Sana; Arjunan, Sridhar P; Kumar, Dinesh

2017-07-01

This study has investigated the stride, swing, stance and double support intervals of gait for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with different levels of severity. Self-similar properties of the gait signal were analyzed to investigate the changes in the gait pattern of the healthy and PD patients. To understand the self-similar property, detrended fluctuation analysis was performed. The analysis shows that the PD patients have less defined gait when compared to healthy. The study also shows that among the stance and swing phase of stride interval, the self-similarity is less for swing interval when compared to the stance interval of gait and decreases with the severity of gait. Also, PD patients show decreased self-similar patterns in double support interval of gait. This suggest that there are less rhythmic gait intervals and a sense of urgency to remain in support phase of gait by the PD patients.

Halo vest effect on balance.

PubMed

Richardson, J K; Ross, A D; Riley, B; Rhodes, R L

2000-03-01

To determine the effect of a halo vest, a cervical orthosis, on clinically relevant balance parameters. Subjects performed unipedal stance (with eyes open and closed, on both firm and soft surfaces) and functional reach, with and without the application of a halo vest. A convenience sample of 12 healthy young subjects, with an equal number of men and women. Seconds for unipedal stance (maximum 45); inches for functional reach. Both unipedal stance times and functional reach (mean +/- standard deviation) were significantly decreased with the halo vest as compared to without it (29.1+/-5.8 vs. 32.8+/-6.4 seconds, p = .002; 12.9+/-1.4 vs. 15.1+/-2.1 inches, p<.01). A halo vest causes an acute impairment in balance in the healthy young. It is likely that the impairment would be greater in older or injured patients, thus increasing their risk for a fall, which could have devastating consequences.

The political reference point: How geography shapes political identity

PubMed Central

Feinberg, Matthew; Tullett, Alexa M.; Mensch, Zachary; Hart, William; Gottlieb, Sara

2017-01-01

It is commonly assumed that how individuals identify on the political spectrum–whether liberal, conservative, or moderate–has a universal meaning when it comes to policy stances and voting behavior. But, does political identity mean the same thing from place to place? Using data collected from across the U.S. we find that even when people share the same political identity, those in “bluer” locations are more likely to support left-leaning policies and vote for Democratic candidates than those in “redder” locations. Because the meaning of political identity is inconsistent across locations, individuals who share the same political identity sometimes espouse opposing policy stances. Meanwhile, those with opposing identities sometimes endorse identical policy stances. Such findings suggest that researchers, campaigners, and pollsters must use caution when extrapolating policy preferences and voting behavior from political identity, and that animosity toward the other end of the political spectrum is sometimes misplaced. PMID:28207906

The Anatomy of Revolutionists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Alice R.; And Others

1971-01-01

This study is an attempt to develop a picture of student activists who can be considered prerevolutionaries and whose attitudes revolve to a great extent around their idealism. Speculations about the radicalization process are also discussed. (Author/MB)

Peggy Charren: Pioneer TV Activist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Rosemary Lee; Charren, Peggy

1980-01-01

In this interview, Peggy Charren, the founder and president of Action for Children's Television (ACT), talks about the organization's concerns, goals, and activities, as well as its effect on television programing and commericals intended for children. (Editor/SJL)

Using the knowledge and skills of retired RCN representatives.

PubMed

Janes, Jenny

2014-11-04

I read with interest the article by Zeba Arif (Reflections October 8) and the letter from June Clark (October 15) about retired RCN activists. I have repeatedly raised this issue within the RCN, to little effect.

How Did/Do We Get There from Here?--Being School District Leaders in Conservative Times.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thelen, Judie; Richardson, Patricia M.

1997-01-01

Traces the two authors' personal histories as administrators and school activists and offers advice to others interested in navigating the waters of educational reform during these conservative times. (SR)

Reachability and Real-Time Actuation Strategies for the Active SLIP Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

spring leg, the Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP) is a prevalent model for analyzing running and hopping. In this work we consider an actuated...forced symmetry of the stance phase for the Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum , In Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and...Networks. Automatica, 49(1):206-213, 2013 (v) G. Piovan and K. Byl. Enforced symmetry of the stance phase for the spring-loaded inverted pendulum . In

UT Austin Villa 2011: 3D Simulation Team Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

inverted pendulum model omnidirectional walk engine based on one that was originally designed for the real Nao robot [7]. The omnidirectional walk is...using a double linear inverted pendulum , where the center of mass is swinging over the stance foot. In addition, as in Graf et al.’s work [7], we use...between the inverted pendulums formed by the respective stance feet. Notation Description maxStep∗i Maximum step sizes allowed for x, y, and θ y

The Shifting Aesthetics of Expertise in the Sharing Economy of Scientific Medicine.

PubMed

Ostherr, Kirsten

2018-03-01

Argument The deficit model of science communication assumes that the creation and dissemination of knowledge is limited to researchers with formal credentials. Recent challenges to this model have emerged among "e-patients" who develop extensive online activist communities, demand access to their own health data, conduct crowd-sourced experiments, and "hack" health problems that traditional medical experts have failed to solve. This article explores the aesthetics of medical media that enact the transition from a deficit model to a patient-driven model of visual representation and health communication. I present a framework for understanding the role of film and video in patient movements by analyzing the historical transition from researchers filming patients as nameless, voiceless human research subjects to patients recording their own health narratives through activist cinematography. By comparing several approaches to patient-centered video, I argue that imperfect production aesthetics play a critically important role in establishing the credibility of health communications.

A Grounded Theory of Sexual Minority Women and Transgender Individuals' Social Justice Activism.

PubMed

Hagen, Whitney B; Hoover, Stephanie M; Morrow, Susan L

2018-01-01

Psychosocial benefits of activism include increased empowerment, social connectedness, and resilience. Yet sexual minority women (SMW) and transgender individuals with multiple oppressed statuses and identities are especially prone to oppression-based experiences, even within minority activist communities. This study sought to develop an empirical model to explain the diverse meanings of social justice activism situated in SMW and transgender individuals' social identities, values, and experiences of oppression and privilege. Using a grounded theory design, 20 SMW and transgender individuals participated in initial, follow-up, and feedback interviews. The most frequent demographic identities were queer or bisexual, White, middle-class women with advanced degrees. The results indicated that social justice activism was intensely relational, replete with multiple benefits, yet rife with experiences of oppression from within and outside of activist communities. The empirically derived model shows the complexity of SMW and transgender individuals' experiences, meanings, and benefits of social justice activism.

Myths and realities of female-perpetrated terrorism.

PubMed

Jacques, Karen; Taylor, Paul J

2013-02-01

The authors examined the backgrounds and social experiences of female terrorists to test conflicting accounts of the etiology of this offending group. Data on 222 female terrorists and 269 male terrorists were examined across 8 variables: age at first involvement, educational achievement, employment status, immigration status, marital status, religious conversion, criminal activity, and activist connections. The majority of female terrorists were found to be single, young (<35 years old), native, employed, educated to at least secondary level, and rarely involved in criminality. Compared with their male counterparts, female terrorists were equivalent in age, immigration profile, and role played in terrorism, but they were more likely to have a higher education attainment, less likely to be employed, and less likely to have prior activist connections. The results clarify the myths and realities of female-perpetrated terrorism and suggest that the risk factors associated with female involvement are distinct from those associated with male involvement.

Antiscience and ethical concerns associated with advocacy of Lyme disease

PubMed Central

Auwaerter, Paul G; Bakken, Johan S; Dattwyler, Raymond J; Dumler, J Stephen; Halperin, John J; McSweegan, Edward; Nadelman, Robert B; O’Connell, Susan; Shapiro, Eugene D; Sood, Sunil K; Steere, Allen C; Weinstein, Arthur; Wormser, Gary P

2015-01-01

Advocacy for Lyme disease has become an increasingly important part of an antiscience movement that denies both the viral cause of AIDS and the benefits of vaccines and that supports unproven (sometimes dangerous) alternative medical treatments. Some activists portray Lyme disease, a geographically limited tick-borne infection, as a disease that is insidious, ubiquitous, difficult to diagnose, and almost incurable; they also propose that the disease causes mainly non-specific symptoms that can be treated only with long-term antibiotics and other unorthodox and unvalidated treatments. Similar to other antiscience groups, these advocates have created a pseudoscientific and alternative selection of practitioners, research, and publications and have coordinated public protests, accused opponents of both corruption and conspiracy, and spurred legislative efforts to subvert evidence-based medicine and peer-reviewed science. The relations and actions of some activists, medical practitioners, and commercial bodies involved in Lyme disease advocacy pose a threat to public health. PMID:21867956

25 years later, US abortion war still drags on.

PubMed

Rovner, J

1998-01-31

In the 25 years since the US Supreme Court's landmark Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion, activists on both sides of the issue have drawn further apart as they have vied for the support of the majority of US voters who express ambivalence towards the law. These voters believe that abortion may be murder but that it must be legal. The Roe vs. Wade anniversary has sparked new legislative priorities on both sides. Abortion-rights activists will seek legislation that attempts to decrease the need for abortion by increasing funding for family planning services in the US and abroad, supporting funding for contraceptive research, and requiring health insurers to pay for contraceptives. Abortion opponents will continue to press for "partial birth" abortion bans and will support efforts to make it a federal crime for an adult to transport a minor across state lines to evade state parental notification or consent laws.

Profiles of four women. Health and human rights activists.

PubMed

Reiner, L; Sollom, R

1997-01-01

This article briefly profiles four women physicians working for health and human rights around the world. Dr. Ruchama Marton, an Israeli psychiatrist and activist for peace in the Middle East, is a founder of Physicians for Human Rights/Israel. Dr. Jane Green Schaller is a US pediatrician whose 1985 trip to South Africa initiated her human rights involvement, which includes the founding of Physicians for Human Rights. Dr. Judith van Heerden, a primary care physician in South Africa, has worked for reform of prison health care, to establish hospice care, and, most recently, for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) education for medical students. Dr. Ma Thida, the only physician not interviewed for this article, is currently held in a Burmese prison because of her work on behalf of the National League for Democracy. The profiles suggest the breadth of human rights work worldwide and are a testament to what physicians can do.

The self as capital in the narrative economy: how biographical testimonies move activism in the Global South.

PubMed

Burchardt, Marian

2016-05-01

This article analyses and theorises the practice of biographical storytelling of HIV-positive AIDS activists in South Africa. Combining research in illness narratives, studies of emotions in social activism and analysis of global health institutions in Africa, I explore how biographical self-narrations are deployed to facilitate access to resources and knowledge and thus acquire material and symbolic value. I illustrate my argument through the analysis of the case of an AIDS activist who became a professional biographical storyteller. Based on the analysis which I claim to represent wider dynamics in human-rights-based health activism in the Global South, I propose the concept of narrative economies by which I mean the set of exchange relationships within which biographical self-narrations circulate and produce social value for individuals and organisations. © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Committed activists and the reshaping of status-quo social consensus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mistry, Dina; Zhang, Qian; Perra, Nicola; Baronchelli, Andrea

2015-10-01

The role of committed minorities in shaping public opinion has been recently addressed with the help of multiagent models. However, previous studies focused on homogeneous populations where zealots stand out only for their stubbornness. Here we consider the more general case in which individuals are characterized by different propensities to communicate. In particular, we correlate commitment with a higher tendency to push an opinion, acknowledging the fact that individuals with unwavering dedication to a cause are also more active in their attempts to promote their message. We show that these activists are not only more efficient in spreading their message but that their efforts require an order of magnitude fewer individuals than a randomly selected committed minority to bring the population over to a new consensus. Finally, we address the role of communities, showing that partisan divisions in the society can make it harder for committed individuals to flip the status-quo social consensus.

New York State's COSH Movement: A Brief History.

PubMed

Lax, Michael

2018-01-01

Unions, health and safety activists, and professionals came together to create Coalitions for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH groups) in a number of cities across the United States beginning in the 1970s. The COSHes have played an important and unique role in advocating worker health and safety since that time, through activities including technical assistance, training and education, and campaigns on workplace and public policies. In New York State, activist coalitions created eight COSH groups distributed around the state. This paper presents a history of New York's COSHes based on interviews with key participants. The interviews shed light on the origins of the COSH movement in New York, the development and activities of the COSHes, and the organizational trajectory of individual New York COSHes in response to both extra and intraorganizational challenges. Participants' accounts of these issues may be useful for those seeking to sustain the COSH movement.

Gait Kinematics in Individuals with Acute and Chronic Patellofemoral Pain.

PubMed

Fox, Aaron; Ferber, Reed; Saunders, Natalie; Osis, Sean; Bonacci, Jason

2018-03-01

This study aimed to identify the discriminating kinematic gait characteristics between individuals with acute and chronic patellofemoral pain (PFP) and healthy controls. Ninety-eight runners with PFP (39 male, 59 female) and 98 healthy control runners (38 male, 60 female) ran on a treadmill at a self-selected speed while three-dimensional lower limb kinematic data were collected. Runners with PFP were split into acute (n = 25) and chronic (n = 73) subgroups on the basis of whether they had been experiencing pain for less or greater than 3 months, respectively. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were used to determine the combination of kinematic gait characteristics that optimally separated individuals with acute PFP and chronic PFP and healthy controls. Compared with controls, both the acute and chronic PFP subgroups exhibited greater knee flexion across stance and greater ankle dorsiflexion during early stance. The acute PFP subgroup demonstrated greater transverse plane hip motion across stance compared with healthy controls. In contrast, the chronic PFP subgroup demonstrated greater frontal plane hip motion, greater knee abduction, and reduced ankle eversion/greater ankle inversion across stance when compared with healthy controls. This study identified characteristics that discriminated between individuals with acute and chronic PFP when compared with healthy controls. Certain discriminating characteristics were shared between both the acute and chronic subgroups when compared with healthy controls, whereas others were specific to the duration of PFP.

A comparison of slow, uphill and fast, level walking on lower extremity biomechanics and tibiofemoral joint loading in obese and nonobese adults.

PubMed

Haight, Derek J; Lerner, Zachary F; Board, Wayne J; Browning, Raymond C

2014-02-01

We determined if slow, uphill walking (0.75 m/s, 6°) reduced tibiofemoral (TF) loading compared to faster, level walking (1.50 m/s) in obese and nonobese adults. We collected kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data as 9 moderately obese and 10 nonobese participants walked on a dual-belt instrumented treadmill. We used OpenSim to scale a musculoskeletal model and calculate joint kinematics, kinetics, muscle forces, and TF forces. Compressive TF forces were greater in the obese adults during both speed/grade combinations. During level walking, obese participants walked with a straighter leg than nonobese participants, resulting in early stance vasti muscle forces that were similar in the obese and nonobese participants. Early stance peak compressive TF forces were reduced by 23% in obese (2,352 to 1,811 N) and 35% in nonobese (1,994 to 1,303 N) individuals during slow, uphill walking compared to brisk level walking. Late stance peak TF forces were similar across speeds/grades, but were greater in obese (∼2,900 N) compared to nonobese (∼1,700 N) individuals. Smaller early stance TF loads and loading rates suggest that slow, uphill walking may be appropriate exercise for obese individuals at risk for musculoskeletal pathology or pain. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Secure Base from which to Cooperate: Security, Child and Parent Willing Stance, and Adaptive and Maladaptive Outcomes in two Longitudinal Studies.

PubMed

Goffin, Kathryn C; Boldt, Lea J; Kochanska, Grazyna

2017-10-17

Early secure attachment plays a key role in socialization by inaugurating a long-term mutual positive, collaborative interpersonal orientation within the parent-child dyad. We report findings from Family Study (community mothers, fathers, and children, from age 2 to 12, N = 102, 51 girls) and Play Study (exclusively low-income mothers and children, from age 3.5 to 7, N = 186, 90 girls). We examined links among observed secure attachment at toddler age, child and parent receptive, willing stance to each other, observed in parent-child contexts at early school age, and developmental outcomes. The developmental outcomes included parent-rated child antisocial behavior problems and observed positive mutuality with regard to conflict issues at age 12 in Family Study, and mother-rated child antisocial behavior problems and observed child regard for rules and moral self at age 7 in Play Study. In mother-child relationships, the child's willing stance mediated indirect effects of child security on positive mutuality in Family Study and on all outcomes in Play Study. In father-child relationships, both the child's and the parent's willing stance mediated indirect effects of child security on both outcomes. Early security initiates an adaptive developmental cascade by enlisting the child and the parent as active, willingly receptive and cooperative agents in the socialization process. Implications for children's parenting interventions are noted.

The effects of mirror therapy on the gait of subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ji, Sang Gu; Kim, Myoung Kwon

2015-04-01

To investigate the effect of mirror therapy on the gait of patients with subacute stroke. Randomized controlled experimental study. Outpatient rehabilitation hospital. Thirty-four patients with stroke were randomly assigned to two groups: a mirror therapy group (experimental) and a control group. The stroke patients in the experimental group underwent comprehensive rehabilitation therapy and mirror therapy for the lower limbs. The stroke patients in the control group underwent sham therapy and comprehensive rehabilitation therapy. Participants in both groups received therapy five days per week for four weeks. Temporospatial gait characteristics, such as single stance, stance phase, step length, stride, swing phase, velocity, and cadence, were assessed before and after the four weeks therapy period. A significant difference was observed in post-training gains for the single stance (10.32 SD 4.14 vs. 6.54 SD 3.23), step length (8.47 SD 4.12 vs. 4.83 SD 2.14), and stride length (17.03 SD 6.57 vs 10.54 SD 4.34) between the experimental group and the control group (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between two groups on stance phase, swing phase, velocity, cadence, and step width (P > 0.05). We conclude that mirror therapy may be beneficial in improving the effects of stroke on gait ability. © The Author(s) 2014.

Anteroposterior stability of the knee during the stance phase of gait after anterior cruciate ligament deficiency.

PubMed

Chen, Chih-Hui; Li, Jing-Sheng; Hosseini, Ali; Gadikota, Hemanth R; Gill, Thomas J; Li, Guoan

2012-03-01

Quadriceps avoidance and higher flexion strategies have been assumed as effects of ACL deficiency on knee joint function during gait. However, the effect of ACL deficiency on anteroposterior stability of the knee during gait is not well defined. In this study, 10 patients with unilateral acute ACL ruptures and the contralateral side intact performed gait on a treadmill. Flexion angles and anteroposterior translation of the ACL injured and the intact controlateral knees were measured at every 10% of the stance phase of the gait (from heel strike to toe-off) using a combined MRI and dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). The data indicated that during the stance phase of the gait, the ACL-deficient knees showed higher flexion angles compared to the intact contralateral side, consistent with the assumption of a higher flexion gait strategy. However, the data also revealed that the ACL-deficient knees had higher anterior tibial translation compared to the intact contralateral side during the stance phase of the gait. The higher flexion gait strategy was not shown to correlate to a reduction of the anterior tibial translation in ACL deficient knees. These data may provide indications for conservative treatment or surgical reconstruction of the ACL injured knees in restoration of the knee kinematics during daily walking activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thinking Out of the Box: A Green and Social Climate Fund Comment on "Politics, Power, Poverty and Global Health: Systems and Frames".

PubMed

Ooms, Gorik; Pas, Remco van de; Decoster, Kristof; Hammonds, Rachel

2016-12-28

Solomon Benatar's paper "Politics, Power, Poverty and Global Health: Systems and Frames" examines the inequitable state of global health challenging readers to extend the discourse on global health beyond conventional boundaries by addressing the interconnectedness of planetary life. Our response explores existing models of international cooperation, assessing how modifying them may achieve the twin goals of ensuring healthy people and planet. First, we address why the inequality reducing post World War II European welfare model, if implemented state-by-state, is unfit for reducing global inequality and respecting environmental boundaries. Second, we argue that to advance beyond the 'Westphalian,' human centric thinking integral to global inequality and climate change requires challenging the logic of global economic integration and exploring the politically infeasible. In conclusion, we propose social policy focused changes to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and a Green and Social Climate Fund, financed by new global greenhouse gas charges, both of which could advance human and planetary health. Recent global political developments may offer a small window of opportunity for out of the box proposals that could be advanced by concerted and united advocacy by global health activists, environmental activists, human rights activists, and trade unions. © 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Whole-body vibration versus proprioceptive training on postural control in post-menopausal osteopenic women.

PubMed

Stolzenberg, Nils; Belavý, Daniel L; Rawer, Rainer; Felsenberg, Dieter

2013-07-01

To prevent falls in the elderly, especially those with low bone density, is it necessary to maintain muscle coordination and balance. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of classical balance training (BAL) and whole-body vibration training (VIB) on postural control in post-menopausal women with low bone density. Sixty-eight subjects began the study and 57 completed the nine-month intervention program. All subjects performed resistive exercise and were randomized to either the BAL- (N=31) or VIB-group (N=26). The BAL-group performed progressive balance and coordination training and the VIB-group underwent, in total, four minutes of vibration (depending on exercise; 24-26Hz and 4-8mm range) on the Galileo Fitness. Every month, the performance of a single leg stance task on a standard unstable surface (Posturomed) was tested. At baseline and end of the study only, single leg stance, Romberg-stance, semi-tandem-stance and tandem-stance were tested on a ground reaction force platform (Leonardo). The velocity of movement on the Posturomed improved by 28.3 (36.1%) (p<0.001) in the VIB-group and 18.5 (31.5%) (p<0.001) in the BAL-group by the end of the nine-month intervention period, but no differences were seen between the two groups (p=0.45). Balance tests performed on the Leonardo device did not show any significantly different responses between the two groups after nine months (p≥0.09). Strength training combined with either proprioceptive training or whole-body vibration was associated with improvements in some, but not all, measures of postural control in post-menopausal women with low bone density. The current study could not provide evidence for a significantly different impact of whole-body vibration or balance training on postural control. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscle-tendon unit, fascicle, and tendon interaction during walking in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Barber, Lee; Carty, Chris; Modenese, Luca; Walsh, John; Boyd, Roslyn; Lichtwark, Glen

2017-08-01

This study investigates the in vivo function of the medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscle-tendon units (MTU), fascicles, and tendons during walking in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and an equinus gait pattern. Fourteen children with CP (9 males, 5 females; mean age 10y 6mo, standard deviation [SD] 2y 11mo; GMFCS level I=8, II=6), and 10 typically developing (6 males, 4 females; mean age 10y, SD 2y 1mo) undertook full body 3D gait analysis and simultaneous B-mode ultrasound images of the medial gastrocnemius and soleus fascicles during level walking. Fascicle lengths were analysed using a semi-automated tracking algorithm and MTUs using OpenSim. Statistical parametric mapping (two-sample t-test) was used to compare differences between groups (p<0.05). In the CP group medial gastrocnemius fascicles lengthened during mid-stance gait and remained longer into late-stance compared to the typically developing group (p<0.001). CP medial gastrocnemius fascicles shortened less during stance (1.16mm [SD 1.47mm]) compared to the typically developing group (4.48mm [SD 1.94mm], p<0.001). In the CP group the medial gastrocnemius and soleus MTU and tendon were longer during early- and mid-stance (p<0.001). Ankle power during push-off (p=0.015) and positive work (p<0.002) and net work (p<0.001) were significantly lower in the CP group. Eccentric action of the CP medial gastrocnemius muscle fascicles during mid-stance walking is consistent with reduced volume and neuromuscular control of impaired muscle. Reduced ankle push-off power and positive work in the children with CP may be attributed to reduced active medial gastrocnemius fascicle shortening. These findings suggest a reliance on passive force generation for forward propulsion during equinus gait. © 2017 Mac Keith Press.

Asian American Student Engagement in Student Leadership and Activism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manzano, Lester J.; Poon, OiYan A.; Na, Vanessa S.

2017-01-01

Conceptual models for understanding the ways in which Asian American students engage in leadership and activism are interrogated. The chapter provides a discussion of implications for student affairs professionals working with Asian American student leaders and activists.

3 CFR 8350 - Proclamation 8350 of March 2, 2009. Irish-American Heritage Month, 2009

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Independence and Presidents of the United States. Still others enjoyed great success and influence in the arts and literature. From social activists to business leaders, athletes to clergy, and first responders to...

Improving pedestrian access to transit : an advocacy handbook

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-19

This report was written as a teaching tool for ordinary citizens, and for transportation and urban planners working with citizen groups, who advocate for public transit and walkable neighborhoods. It illustrates key steps that activists can take to e...

Community health workers in rural India: analysing the opportunities and challenges Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) face in realising their multiple roles.

PubMed

Saprii, Lipekho; Richards, Esther; Kokho, Puni; Theobald, Sally

2015-12-09

Globally, there is increasing interest in community health worker's (CHW) performance; however, there are gaps in the evidence with respect to CHWs' role in community participation and empowerment. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), whose roles include social activism, are the key cadre in India's CHW programme which is designed to improve maternal and child health. In a diverse country like India, there is a need to understand how the ASHA programme operates in different underserved Indian contexts, such as rural Manipur. We undertook qualitative research to explore stakeholders' perceptions and experiences of the ASHA scheme in strengthening maternal health and uncover the opportunities and challenges ASHAs face in realising their multiple roles in rural Manipur, India. Data was collected through in-depth interviews (n = 18) and focus group discussions (n = 3 FGDs, 18 participants). Participants included ASHAs, key stakeholders and community members. They were purposively sampled based on remoteness of villages and primary health centres to capture diverse and relevant constituencies, as we believed experiences of ASHAs can be shaped by remoteness. Data were analysed using the thematic framework approach. Findings suggested that ASHAs are mostly understood as link workers. ASHA's ability to address the immediate needs of rural and marginalised communities meant that they were valued as service providers. The programme is perceived to be beneficial as it improves awareness and behaviour change towards maternal care. However, there are a number of challenges; the selection of ASHAs is influenced by power structures and poor community sensitisation of the ASHA programme presents a major risk to success and sustainability. The primary health centres which ASHAs link to are ill-equipped. Thus, ASHAs experience adverse consequences in their ability to inspire trust and credibility in the community. Small and irregular monetary incentives demotivate ASHAs. Finally, ASHAs had limited knowledge about their role as an 'activist' and how to realise this. ASHAs are valued for their contribution towards maternal health education and for their ability to provide basic biomedical care, but their role as social activists is much less visible as envisioned in the ASHA operational guideline. Access by ASHAs to fair monetary incentives commensurate with effort coupled with the poor functionality of the health system are critical elements limiting the role of ASHAs both within the health system and within communities in rural Manipur.

[When the natives are our neighbors].

PubMed

Ginsburg, F

1992-01-01

The US debate over the ethics of abortion is the context for this discussion of problems in reporting the results of research when the topic is a controversial social movement on which the researcher and members of the academic community hold strong personal views. The author worked with local right-to-life and prochoice activists in Fargo, North Dakota, in the early 1980s. This article describes the political climate in those years after the election of Reagan to the presidency, as well as the composition of the prolife movement and its emergence with the New Right in the 1970s. The local scope of much right-to-life activity in that era made it an appropriate topic for ethnographic research using participant-observation techniques. The collective portrait of local prolife activists in Fargo was more complex than their stereotype of reactionary housewives left behind by social change would suggest. Right-to-lifers are often considered hostile to feminism, but a large part of their rhetoric actually covered the same ground. Much of the right-to-life program can be interpreted as the expression of a desire to reform the most dehumanizing aspects of contemporary capitalist culture. From this point of view, prolifers are more similar to their prochoice opponents than to their presumed New Right allies, who prefer a more libertarian social philosophy. Activists on both sides of the debate share a common sociohistorical context providing common references, particularly regarding procreation and sexuality. The debate has a dialectical quality in that a large part consists of reactions to the positions of the other side. Militants on both sides agree on such points as the need for equal pay for equal work and the need to make the economic system more responsive to the needs and responsibilities of women. The credibility of the author's findings was questioned by colleagues, which prompted reflection on the presentation of results of research on a controversial group belonging to the same society. The initial strategy of attempting to serve as a mediator between opposing camps by discovering common concerns was replaced by an attempt to allow the militants to present their own positions through extensive quotations. 21 interviews with prolife and 14 with prochoice activists constituted formulations of what the subjects considered models of the place of reproduction, motherhood, and work in the lives of American women.

Technology, deskilling, and nurses: the impact of the technologically changing environment.

PubMed

Rinard, R G

1996-06-01

This study examines the impact of three waves of technological change that swept nursing from 1950 to 1990. It suggests that the response to these changes was rooted in a positivistic stance toward skills as knowledge and a reiteration of culturally held views of natural feminine skills. It further argues that such a stance was inadequate to forestall deskilling and that a sociohistorical understanding of the cultural construction of both skill and gender provides a broader understanding of the impact of technological change.

Jung’s “Psychology with the Psyche” and the Behavioral Sciences

PubMed Central

Jones, Raya A.

2013-01-01

The behavioral sciences and Jung’s analytical psychology are set apart by virtue of their respective histories, epistemologies, and definitions of subject matter. This brief paper identifies Jung’s scientific stance, notes perceptions of Jung and obstacles for bringing his system of thought into the fold of the behavioral sciences. The impact of the “science versus art” debate on Jung’s stance is considered with attention to its unfolding in the fin de siècle era. PMID:25379245

Analysis of Change in Population Stance on Infrastructure Using a Cultural Geography Model for Stability Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

modeling platforms in an attempt to model cultural geography, but were limited by the original purpose of the software’s design. For example, PYTHAGORAS ...2008) concludes that a major fault of an attempt to model cultural geography 2 through PYTHAGORAS is an absence of a link between the agent’s...beliefs of the relevant issues and his position or stance on those same issues. Seitz (2008) determines that PYTHAGORAS is well-suited for military

Working through resistance in engaging boys and men towards gender equality and progressive masculinities

PubMed Central

Ratele, Kopano

2015-01-01

Over the last two decades, a focus on challenging and transforming dominant forms of masculinity and engaging boys and men towards gender equality and healthy masculinities has permeated South African social and health sciences and the humanities. This focus on men and boys has also been evident in intervention and activist work. However, the turn to boys, men and masculinities has not gone without resistance, contestation and contradictions. A range of localised and global realities has frustrated much of the enthusiasm for rapid, sweeping and concrete changes regarding gender justice and the making of progressive masculinities. Among the discursive and material forces that oppose work that engages boys and men are those to do with income-related issues, race and racism, cultural traditions and gender itself. Because of this, it is contended that engagement with boys and men needs to consider not only gender but also economic inequality, poverty and unemployment, divisions created by race, and struggles around tradition. This paper discusses these forces that undermine and counteract work with boys and men and how we might work through resistance in engaging with men and boys. PMID:26073936

Working through resistance in engaging boys and men towards gender equality and progressive masculinities.

PubMed

Ratele, Kopano

2015-01-01

Over the last two decades, a focus on challenging and transforming dominant forms of masculinity and engaging boys and men towards gender equality and healthy masculinities has permeated South African social and health sciences and the humanities. This focus on men and boys has also been evident in intervention and activist work. However, the turn to boys, men and masculinities has not gone without resistance, contestation and contradictions. A range of localised and global realities has frustrated much of the enthusiasm for rapid, sweeping and concrete changes regarding gender justice and the making of progressive masculinities. Among the discursive and material forces that oppose work that engages boys and men are those to do with income-related issues, race and racism, cultural traditions and gender itself. Because of this, it is contended that engagement with boys and men needs to consider not only gender but also economic inequality, poverty and unemployment, divisions created by race, and struggles around tradition. This paper discusses these forces that undermine and counteract work with boys and men and how we might work through resistance in engaging with men and boys.

Postural orientation and equilibrium processes associated with increased postural sway in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

PubMed

Wang, Zheng; Hallac, Rami R; Conroy, Kaitlin C; White, Stormi P; Kane, Alex A; Collinsworth, Amy L; Sweeney, John A; Mosconi, Matthew W

2016-01-01

Increased postural sway has been repeatedly documented in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Characterizing the control processes underlying this deficit, including postural orientation and equilibrium, may provide key insights into neurophysiological mechanisms associated with ASD. Postural orientation refers to children's ability to actively align their trunk and head with respect to their base of support, while postural equilibrium is an active process whereby children coordinate ankle dorsi-/plantar-flexion and hip abduction/adduction movements to stabilize their upper body. Dynamic engagement of each of these control processes is important for maintaining postural stability, though neither postural orientation nor equilibrium has been studied in ASD. Twenty-two children with ASD and 21 age and performance IQ-matched typically developing (TD) controls completed three standing tests. During static stance, participants were instructed to stand as still as possible. During dynamic stances, participants swayed at a comfortable speed and magnitude in either anterior-posterior (AP) or mediolateral (ML) directions. The center of pressure (COP) standard deviation and trajectory length were examined to determine if children with ASD showed increased postural sway. Postural orientation was assessed using a novel virtual time-to-contact (VTC) approach that characterized spatiotemporal dimensions of children's postural sway (i.e., body alignment) relative to their postural limitation boundary, defined as the maximum extent to which each child could sway in each direction. Postural equilibrium was quantified by evaluating the amount of shared or mutual information of COP time series measured along the AP and ML directions. Consistent with prior studies, children with ASD showed increased postural sway during both static and dynamic stances relative to TD children. In regard to postural orientation processes, children with ASD demonstrated reduced spatial perception of their postural limitation boundary towards target directions and reduced time to correct this error during dynamic postural sways but not during static stance. Regarding postural equilibrium, they showed a compromised ability to decouple ankle dorsi-/plantar-flexion and hip abduction/adduction processes during dynamic stances. These results suggest that deficits in both postural orientation and equilibrium processes contribute to reduced postural stability in ASD. Specifically, increased postural sway in ASD appears to reflect patients' impaired perception of their body movement relative to their own postural limitation boundary as well as a reduced ability to decouple distinct ankle and hip movements to align their body during standing. Our findings that deficits in postural orientation and equilibrium are more pronounced during dynamic compared to static stances suggests that the increased demands of everyday activities in which children must dynamically shift their COP involve more severe postural control deficits in ASD relative to static stance conditions that often are studied. Systematic assessment of dynamic postural control processes in ASD may provide important insights into new treatment targets and neurodevelopmental mechanisms.

A model to calculate the progression of the centre of pressure under the foot during gait analysis.

PubMed

Louey, Melissa Gar Yee; Mudge, Anita; Wojciechowski, Elizabeth; Sangeux, Morgan

2017-09-01

Pedobarography and the centre of pressure (COP) progression is useful to understand foot function. Pedobarography is often unavailable in gait laboratories or completed asynchronously to kinematic and kinetic data collection. This paper presents a model that allows calculation of COP progression synchronously using force plate data. The model is an adjunct to Plug-In-Gait and was applied to 49 typically developing children to create reference COP data. COP progressions were noted to spend 8% of stance behind the ankle joint centre, traverse lateral of the longitudinal axis of the foot through the midfoot for 76% of stance and finishing past the second metatarsal head on the medial side for 16% of stance. It is hoped the model will bridge the information gap for gait laboratories lacking pedobarography during foot assessments and will open up the possibility of retrospective research into COP progression based indices on kinematic data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Wii balance board exercises on balance after posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PubMed

Puh, Urška; Majcen, Nia; Hlebš, Sonja; Rugelj, Darja

2014-05-01

To establish the effects of training on Wii balance board (WBB) after posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction on balance. Included patient injured her posterior cruciate ligament 22 months prior to the study. Training on WBB was performed 4 weeks, 6 times per week, 30-45 min per day. Center of pressure (CoP) sway during parallel and one-leg stance, and body weight distribution in parallel stance were measured. Additionally, measurements of joint range of motion and limb circumferences were taken before and after training. After training, the body weight was almost equally distributed on both legs. Decrease in CoP sway was most significant for one-leg stance with each leg on compliant surface with eyes open and closed. The knee joint range of motion increased and limb circumferences decreased. According to the results of this single case report, we might recommend the use of WBB for balance training after PCL reconstruction. Case series with no comparison group, Level IV.

Stance-phase force on the opposite limb dictates swing-phase afferent presynaptic inhibition during locomotion

PubMed Central

Hayes, Heather Brant; Chang, Young-Hui

2012-01-01

Presynaptic inhibition is a powerful mechanism for selectively and dynamically gating sensory inputs entering the spinal cord. We investigated how hindlimb mechanics influence presynaptic inhibition during locomotion using pioneering approaches in an in vitro spinal cord–hindlimb preparation. We recorded lumbar dorsal root potentials to measure primary afferent depolarization-mediated presynaptic inhibition and compared their dependence on hindlimb endpoint forces, motor output, and joint kinematics. We found that stance-phase force on the opposite limb, particularly at toe contact, strongly influenced the magnitude and timing of afferent presynaptic inhibition in the swinging limb. Presynaptic inhibition increased in proportion to opposite limb force, as well as locomotor frequency. This form of presynaptic inhibition binds the sensorimotor states of the two limbs, adjusting sensory inflow to the swing limb based on forces generated by the stance limb. Functionally, it may serve to adjust swing-phase sensory transmission based on locomotor task, speed, and step-to-step environmental perturbations. PMID:22442562

Contrasting Public Opinion Dynamics and Emotional Response during Crisis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Volkova, Svitlana; Chetviorkin, Ilia; Arendt, Dustin L.

We propose an approach for contrasting spatiotemporal dynamics of public opinions expressed toward targeted entities, also known as stance detection task, in Russia and Ukraine during crisis. Our analysis relies on a novel corpus constructed from posts on the VKontakte social network, centered on local public opinion of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis, along with newly annotated resources for predicting expressions of fine-grained emotions including joy, sadness, disgust, anger, surprise and fear. Akin to prior work on sentiment analysis we align traditional public opinion polls with aggregated automatic predictions of sentiments for contrastive geo-locations. We report interesting observations on emotional responsemore » and stance variations across geo-locations. Some of our findings contradict stereotypical misconceptions imposed by media, for example, we found posts from Ukraine that do not support Euromaidan but support Putin, and posts from Russia that are against Putin but in favor USA. Furthermore, we are the first to demonstrate contrastive stance variations over time across geo-locations using storyline visualization technique.« less

Towards a Critical Health Equity Research Stance: Why Epistemology and Methodology Matter More Than Qualitative Methods.

PubMed

Bowleg, Lisa

2017-10-01

Qualitative methods are not intrinsically progressive. Methods are simply tools to conduct research. Epistemology, the justification of knowledge, shapes methodology and methods, and thus is a vital starting point for a critical health equity research stance, regardless of whether the methods are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. In line with this premise, I address four themes in this commentary. First, I criticize the ubiquitous and uncritical use of the term health disparities in U.S. public health. Next, I advocate for the increased use of qualitative methodologies-namely, photovoice and critical ethnography-that, pursuant to critical approaches, prioritize dismantling social-structural inequities as a prerequisite to health equity. Thereafter, I discuss epistemological stance and its influence on all aspects of the research process. Finally, I highlight my critical discourse analysis HIV prevention research based on individual interviews and focus groups with Black men, as an example of a critical health equity research approach.

The social effects of poor classroom acoustics on students and The District of Columbia Public Schools demonstration of support through mandating the ANSI Classroom Acoustics standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Donna

2002-11-01

The effects that poor acoustics have on students extend beyond the classroom. This paper is to discuss the immediate and long-term results that inadequate acoustical design in the educational setting has on academic and social development and how the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) are contributing to the classroom acoustic movement. DCPS is taking a pro-active stance in educational acoustics by mandating the ANSI Draft S12.60-200X classroom acoustic standard in the transformation of ten schools a year for the next ten to fifteen years. Synthesizing the ANSI S12 standard with the DCPS Design Guidelines describes explanation of how to design for appropriate acoustics in all core-learning spaces. Examples of the existing conditions of the facilities and acoustical remediation for new and historical preservation projects will be demonstrated. In addition, experience will be shared on the International Building Code Council hearings for classroom acoustics.

Pictorial communication in virtual and real environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Stephen R. (Editor)

1991-01-01

Papers about the communication between human users and machines in real and synthetic environments are presented. Individual topics addressed include: pictorial communication, distortions in memory for visual displays, cartography and map displays, efficiency of graphical perception, volumetric visualization of 3D data, spatial displays to increase pilot situational awareness, teleoperation of land vehicles, computer graphics system for visualizing spacecraft in orbit, visual display aid for orbital maneuvering, multiaxis control in telemanipulation and vehicle guidance, visual enhancements in pick-and-place tasks, target axis effects under transformed visual-motor mappings, adapting to variable prismatic displacement. Also discussed are: spatial vision within egocentric and exocentric frames of reference, sensory conflict in motion sickness, interactions of form and orientation, perception of geometrical structure from congruence, prediction of three-dimensionality across continuous surfaces, effects of viewpoint in the virtual space of pictures, visual slant underestimation, spatial constraints of stereopsis in video displays, stereoscopic stance perception, paradoxical monocular stereopsis and perspective vergence. (No individual items are abstracted in this volume)

Challenges to Legitimacy: Dilemmas and Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarmolinsky, Adam

1976-01-01

Three options are discussed for institutional responses to pressures from clients (students), competitors, taxpayers, citizen activists, and faculty: (1) to concentrate on the preservation of traditional values; (2) to maximize growth in new markets; or (3) to seek a new educational synthesis. (JT)

Unequal Exposure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Ronald

2005-01-01

For nearly three decades, the environmental justice movement has attracted thousands of activists, scholars and ordinary citizens to mobilize on behalf of communities that have been overburdened with hazardous waste sites, petrochemical plants, incinerators, lead contamination, polluted air and contaminated drinking water. In many cases, activists…

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-13

Nabeel Rajab, was summoned before the military court prosecuting alleged agitators. (On February 19, 2012, Matar was acquitted of all charges; Nabeel ...not dropped charges against persons practicing peaceful expression. Prominent activist Nabeel Rajab is serving a three month sentence for critical

Constructions of Volunteerism in Third Sector Organisations: Some Comparisons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenny, Sue

2003-01-01

Volunteerism in third-sector charitable/volunteer organizations takes different forms and involves different practices depending on contexts. Four operating frameworks--charity, activist, welfare state, and market--facilitate, co-opt, or impede volunteer practices in different settings. (Contains 18 references.) (JOW)

Reclaiming Indigenous Representations and Knowledges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iseke-Barnes, Judy; Danard, Deborah

2007-01-01

This article explores contemporary Indigenous artists', activists', and scholars' use of the Internet to reclaim Indigenous knowledge, culture, art, history, and worldview; critique the political realities of dominant discourse; and address the genocidal history and ongoing repression of Indigenous peoples. Indigenous Internet examples include…

Muscle contributions to knee extension in the early stance phase in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Ogaya, Shinya; Kubota, Ryo; Chujo, Yuta; Hirooka, Eiko; Kwang-Ho, Kim; Hase, Kimitaka

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to analyze individual muscle contributions to knee angular acceleration using a musculoskeletal simulation analysis and evaluate knee extension mechanics in the early stance phase in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The subjects comprised 15 patients with medial knee OA and 14 healthy elderly individuals. All participants underwent gait performance test using 8 infrared cameras and two force plates to measure the kinetic and kinematic data. The simulation was driven by 92 Hill-type muscle-tendon units of the lower extremities and a trunk with 23° of freedom. We analyzed each muscle contribution to knee angular acceleration in the 5%-15% and 15%-25% periods of the stance phase (% SP) using an induced acceleration analysis. We compared accelerations by individual muscles between the two groups using an analysis of covariance for controlling gait speed. Patients with knee OA had a significantly lesser knee extension acceleration by the vasti muscles and higher knee acceleration by hip adductors than those in controls in 5-15% SP. In addition, knee OA resulted in significantly lesser knee extension acceleration by the vasti muscles in 15-25% SP. These results indicate that patients with knee OA have decreased dependency on the vasti muscles to control knee movements during early stance phase. Hip adductor muscles, which mainly control mediolateral motion, partly compensate for the weak knee extension by the vasti muscles in patients with knee OA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress distribution of the foot during mid-stance to push-off in barefoot gait: a 3-D finite element analysis.

PubMed

Chen, W P; Tang, F T; Ju, C W

2001-08-01

To quantify stress distribution of the foot during mid-stance to push-off in barefoot gait using 3-D finite element analysis. To simulate the foot structure and facilitate later consideration of footwear. Finite element model was generated and loading condition simulating barefoot gait during mid-stance to push-off was used to quantify the stress distributions. A computational model can provide overall stress distributions of the foot subject to various loading conditions. A preliminary 3-D finite element foot model was generated based on the computed tomography data of a male subject and the bone and soft tissue structures were modeled. Analysis was performed for loading condition simulating barefoot gait during mid-stance to push-off. The peak plantar pressure ranged from 374 to 1003 kPa and the peak von Mises stress in the bone ranged from 2.12 to 6.91 MPa at different instants. The plantar pressure patterns were similar to measurement result from previous literature. The present study provides a preliminary computational model that is capable of estimating the overall plantar pressure and bone stress distributions. It can also provide quantitative analysis for normal and pathological foot motion. This model can identify areas of increased pressure and correlate the pressure with foot pathology. Potential applications can be found in the study of foot deformities, footwear, surgical interventions. It may assist pre-treatment planning, design of pedorthotic appliances, and predict the treatment effect of foot orthosis.

Stance and influence of Twitter users regarding the Brexit referendum.

PubMed

Grčar, Miha; Cherepnalkoski, Darko; Mozetič, Igor; Kralj Novak, Petra

2017-01-01

Social media are an important source of information about the political issues, reflecting, as well as influencing, public mood. We present an analysis of Twitter data, collected over 6 weeks before the Brexit referendum, held in the UK in June 2016. We address two questions: what is the relation between the Twitter mood and the referendum outcome, and who were the most influential Twitter users in the pro- and contra-Brexit camps? First, we construct a stance classification model by machine learning methods, and are then able to predict the stance of about one million UK-based Twitter users. The demography of Twitter users is, however, very different from the demography of the voters. By applying a simple age-adjusted mapping to the overall Twitter stance, the results show the prevalence of the pro-Brexit voters, something unexpected by most of the opinion polls. Second, we apply the Hirsch index to estimate the influence, and rank the Twitter users from both camps. We find that the most productive Twitter users are not the most influential, that the pro-Brexit camp was four times more influential, and had considerably larger impact on the campaign than the opponents. Third, we find that the top pro-Brexit communities are considerably more polarized than the contra-Brexit camp. These results show that social media provide a rich resource of data to be exploited, but accumulated knowledge and lessons learned from the opinion polls have to be adapted to the new data sources.

Pathological gait in children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and proposal for gait modification to decrease the hip joint loading.

PubMed

Svehlík, Martin; Kraus, Tanja; Steinwender, Gerhard; Zwick, Ernst B; Linhart, Wolfgang E

2012-06-01

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCP) severely limits the range of hip motion and hinders a normal gait. Loading of the hip joint is a major consideration in LCP treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate gait patterns in LCP and identify gait modifications to decrease the load on the affected hip. Forty children with unilateral LCP were divided into three groups based on the time base integral of the hip abductor moments during single stance on the affected side acquired during instrumented 3D gait analysis. X-rays of the affected hip were classified according to Herring and Catterall. Children in the "unloading" group spontaneously adopted a Duchenne-like gait with pelvis elevation, hip abduction and external rotation during single support phase. The "normal-loading" group showed pelvis elevation with a neutral hip position in the frontal plane. In the "overloading" group the pelvis dropped to the swinging limb at the beginning of stance accompanied by prolonged hip adduction. The time base integral of the hip abductor moments during single stance correlated positively with the X-ray classifications of Herring and Catterall, hip abduction angle and age. Older children preferred to walk in hip adduction during single stance, had more impaired hips and tended to overload them. The hip overloading pattern should be avoided in children with LCP. Gait training to unload the hip might become an integral component of conservative treatment in children with LCP.

Ankle dynamic in stroke patients: agonist vs. antagonist muscle relations.

PubMed

Silva, Augusta; Sousa, Andreia S P; Tavares, João Manuel R S; Tinoco, Ana; Santos, Rubim; Sousa, Filipa

2012-01-01

Atypical ankle patterns of muscle activity during gait are commonly reported in patients with stroke. These findings can be due to changes between tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL) coactivation mechanisms. To compare the electromyographic activity (EMGa) of SOL and TA muscles and antagonist coactivation (C) level in the contralateral (CONTRA) and ipsilateral (IPSI) limbs to the side of the stroke lesion during the stance phase of the gait cycle. Twelve subjects with a stroke episode participated in this study. The electromyographic signal of TA and SOL and ground reaction forces were acquired while subjects walked at their self-selected speed. Values of ground reaction forces were used to divide the stance phase of gait into initial contact, midstance, and terminal stance. In each sub-phase, the magnitude of TA and SOL was calculated as well as the level of the antagonist C. Although no statistical differences were found, mean values of SOL EMGa were lower in the IPSI limb in all stance phases in relation to the CONTRA limb, and the opposite was observed in the TA EMGa. Moreover, higher mean levels of antagonist C were only found during the initial contact sub-phase in the CONTRA limb and in the other sub-phases in the IPSI limb. Besides, statistical differences were observed only during midstance. In stroke subjects, the antagonist C level during midstance of gait may reflect the dysfunction of the neuronal system over the IPSI limb.

(Positive) Power to the Child: The Role of Children's Willing Stance toward Parents in Developmental Cascades from Toddler Age to Early Preadolescence

PubMed Central

Kochanska, Grazyna; Kim, Sanghag; Boldt, Lea J.

2015-01-01

In contrast to once dominant views of children as passive in the parent-led process of socialization, they are now seen as active agents who can considerably influence that process. But those newer perspectives typically focus on the child's antagonistic influence, due either to a difficult temperament or aversive, resistant, negative behaviors that elicit adversarial responses from the parent and lead to future coercive cascades in the relationship. Children's capacity to act as receptive, willing, even enthusiastic, active socialization agents is largely overlooked. Informed by attachment theory and other relational perspectives, we depict children as able to adopt an active willing stance and to exert robust positive influence in the mutually cooperative socialization enterprise. A longitudinal study of 100 community families (mothers, fathers, and children) demonstrates that willing stance (a) is a latent construct, observable in diverse parent-child contexts parallel at 38, 52, and 67 months, and longitudinally stable, (b) originates within an early secure parent-child relationship at 25 months, and (c) promotes a positive future cascade toward adaptive outcomes at age 10. The outcomes include the parent's observed and child-reported positive, responsive behavior, as well as child-reported internal obligation to obey the parent and parent-reported low level of child behavior problems. The construct of willing stance has implications for basic research in typical socialization and in developmental psychopathology, and for prevention and intervention. PMID:26439058

Influence of fear of falling on anticipatory postural control of medio-lateral stability during rapid leg flexion.

PubMed

Yiou, E; Deroche, T; Do, M C; Woodman, T

2011-04-01

During leg flexion from erect posture, postural stability is organized in advance during "anticipatory postural adjustments" (APA). During these APA, inertial forces are generated that propel the centre of gravity (CoG) laterally towards stance leg side. This study examined how fear of falling (FoF) may influence this anticipatory postural control of medio-lateral (ML) stability. Ten young healthy participants performed a series of leg flexions at maximal velocity from low and high surface heights (6 and 66 cm above ground, respectively). In this latter condition with increased FoF, stance foot was placed at the lateral edge of the support surface to induce maximal postural threat. Results showed that the amplitude of ML inertial forces generated during APA decreased with FoF; this decrease was compensated by an increase in APA duration so that the CoG position at time of swing foot-off was located further towards stance leg side. With these changes in ML APA, the CoG was propelled in the same final (unipodal) position above stance foot as in condition with low FoF. These results contrast with those obtained in the literature during quiet standing which showed that FoF did not have any influence on the ML component of postural control. It is proposed that ML APA are modified with increased FoF, in such a way that the risk of a sideway fall induced by the large CoG motion is attenuated.

Self-reported walking ability predicts functional mobility performance in frail older adults.

PubMed

Alexander, N B; Guire, K E; Thelen, D G; Ashton-Miller, J A; Schultz, A B; Grunawalt, J C; Giordani, B

2000-11-01

To determine how self-reported physical function relates to performance in each of three mobility domains: walking, stance maintenance, and rising from chairs. Cross-sectional analysis of older adults. University-based laboratory and community-based congregate housing facilities. Two hundred twenty-one older adults (mean age, 79.9 years; range, 60-102 years) without clinical evidence of dementia (mean Folstein Mini-Mental State score, 28; range, 24-30). We compared the responses of these older adults on a questionnaire battery used by the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE) project, to performance on mobility tasks of graded difficulty. Responses to the EPESE battery included: (1) whether assistance was required to perform seven Katz activities of daily living (ADL) items, specifically with walking and transferring; (2) three Rosow-Breslau items, including the ability to walk up stairs and walk a half mile; and (3) five Nagi items, including difficulty stooping, reaching, and lifting objects. The performance measures included the ability to perform, and time taken to perform, tasks in three summary score domains: (1) walking ("Walking," seven tasks, including walking with an assistive device, turning, stair climbing, tandem walking); (2) stance maintenance ("Stance," six tasks, including unipedal, bipedal, tandem, and maximum lean); and (3) chair rise ("Chair Rise," six tasks, including rising from a variety of seat heights with and without the use of hands for assistance). A total score combines scores in each Walking, Stance, and Chair Rise domain. We also analyzed how cognitive/ behavioral factors such as depression and self-efficacy related to the residuals from the self-report and performance-based ANOVA models. Rosow-Breslau items have the strongest relationship with the three performance domains, Walking, Stance, and Chair Rise (eta-squared ranging from 0.21 to 0.44). These three performance domains are as strongly related to one Katz ADL item, walking (eta-squared ranging from 0.15 to 0.33) as all of the Katz ADL items combined (eta-squared ranging from 0.21 to 0.35). Tests of problem solving and psychomotor speed, the Trails A and Trails B tests, are significantly correlated with the residuals from the self-report and performance-based ANOVA models. Compared with the rest of the EPESE self-report items, self-report items related to walking (such as Katz walking and Rosow-Breslau items) are better predictors of functional mobility performance on tasks involving walking, stance maintenance, and rising from chairs. Compared with other self-report items, self-reported walking ability may be the best predictor of overall functional mobility.

Mind the Gap!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Roberta

2010-01-01

The author of this article comments on the book, "Body Consciousness," by Richard Shusterman. She states that this book speaks to her as a musician-teacher, music scholar crossing multiple disciplines (education, musicology, ethnomusicology, women's studies, gender studies), lesbian-feminist, social activist, Buddhist. While she is not a…

S/M/Othering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Marissa

2014-01-01

Recent scholarship in art education has introduced complex discourses of mothering, m/othering curriculum, (m)others), m(other)work, family structures that confront myths of the nuclear family, non-Western motherhoods, and disability. Feminist artists and activists have long confronted cultural constructions of motherhood and the pregnant,…

The Last Fish.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollack, Susan

1995-01-01

Describes the collapse of Newfoundland's once immense northern-cod fishery in 1992 from the perspective of a family fisherman who has become an environmental activist. Discusses failures in environmental management including the overfishing of shared resources encouraged by the Canadian government and hastened by international fishing fleets and…

Inclusive Education and the Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, Julie

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the troubled, problematic and contested field of inclusive education, characterised by antagonisms between so-called inclusionists and special educationists; frustration, particularly among disability activists caused by the abstraction of the social model of disability and the expansion of the special educational needs…

Warm Hearts/Cold Type: Desktop Publishing Arrives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, Felix

1991-01-01

Describes desktop publishing (DTP) that may be suitable for community, activist, and nonprofit groups and discusses how it is changing written communication. Topics discussed include costs; laser printers; time savings; hardware and software selection; and guidelines to consider when establishing DTP capability. (LRW)

Expressing the sense of Congress that China release democratic activist Liu Xiaobo from imprisonment.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Minnick, Walter [D-ID-1

2009-06-12

Senate - 10/01/2009 Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Agreed to in HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Confronting Violence, Improving Women's Lives Special Display Opens at NLM | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... history of nurses and nursing in relation to domestic violence and related research. Activists and reformers in the United States have long recognized the harm of domestic violence and sought to improve the lives of women ...

Review Essay: Pondering Pedagogical Paradoxes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Leland G.

2015-01-01

Herein, Leland Spencer provides a review of four book selections while reflecting on paradoxes regularly faced by feminist teachers (and scholars, activists, and thinkers). The books include: (1) Bradley, Harriet. "Gender." Cambridge: Polity, 2012. Print; (2) Murphy, Michael J., and Elizabeth N. Ribarsky, eds. "Activities for…

GSFC_20170119_2017-4993_011

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-19

Josh White Jr. was keynote speaker for Exploring Leadership Colloquium “A Musical and Storytelling Walk Through Our Civil Rights History” at Goddard on January 19, 2017. He is a musician, vocalist, guitarist, Tony Award-winning actor, Grammy-nominated recording arist, teacher, and social activist.

Voices on Choice: The Education Reform Debate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingsley, K. L., Ed.

This collection presents a sampling of opinions of both proponents and opponents in the school choice debate from a variety of professional perspectives, including academics, bureaucrats, politicians, union leaders, economists, lawyers, parents, and activists. The following essays are included: (1) "School Choice Promotes Educational…

Interview with Steve Parks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hitchcock, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Jennifer Hitchcock interviews community activist and director of Syracuse University's Composition and Cultural Rhetoric doctoral program, Steve Parks. They discuss Parks's working-class background, career path, influences, and activism. Parks also considers the direction of the field of composition and rhetoric and expresses optimism for the…

Public Health Activist Skills Pyramid: A Model for Implementing Health in All Policies.

PubMed

Damari, Behzad; Ehsani Chimeh, Elham

2017-01-01

Affecting public health for society requires various competencies. In fact, the prerequisite for the implementation of health in all policies should be effectiveness of public health activists (PHAs) in these competencies. This study aims to determine the competencies of the activists in public health. The present qualitative study reviewed the literature and adopted qualitative methods like content analysis, stakeholder interviews, and conducted focus group discussions with related experts. In each stage, the required competencies were extracted through drawing the main action processes of a PHA. Thereafter, the authors reached an ultimately best-suited working model by classifying and approving extracted competencies. The competencies comprise a pyramid set of three main categories of basic, specialized/professional, and individual updating competencies. Personal management, communication, teamwork, project management, ability to apply principles and concepts of public health, anatomy, physiology, and pathology in the organizations of the society should be included in the basic category. Specialized skills should include ability to plan, public participation, intersectoral collaboration, social marketing, working with the media/media friendly attitude, advocacy, research management and knowledge translation, evaluation of health programs, network establishment and management, deployment and institutionalization, operational research, empowerment and consultation, and protocol and service pack design. Last but not least, individual updating is defined as being informed of the latest scientific articles and reports about health and its situation in different countries as well as determinants that affect health. Implementation of this pyramid requires design and establishment of specific centers for transferring effective public health competencies. This pyramid has also functional use for the revision of educational curriculums in all health study fields. Moreover, it is helpful in designing virtual health education courses and the update of employees in entire parts of society pertaining to the health sector.