Active and accountable social inquiry : implications and examples

Inaugural lecture publishedThis article is based on my inaugural lecture that I delivered at the University of South Africa on 6 November 2013. The topic of the inaugural lecture was “active and accountable social inquiry” In the inaugural address I focused on what it might mean to practice what I call active as well as accountable social research. I explained the various research contexts in which I, with colleagues, have used the term “active” to characterize research where responsibility is taken for the possible impacts that research endeavours have in the social world of which research is a part. I also indicated that active research implies that one engages research participants in processes of research/inquiry. This engagement implies that the research is not led solely by the initiating researchers, but is a product of a variety of inputs and decisions about the meaning of the research and its potential action implications. The approach to active research that is detailed in this article is pertinent to this journal on Participatory Educational Research, which is aimed at publicizing various efforts on the parts of researchers to develop a more participatory style of inquiry. Active research is one way of developing such a style.ABET and Youth Developmen

Reflections Upon our Way of Invoking an Indigenous Paradigm to Co-Explore Community Mobilization against Irresponsible Practices of Foreign-Owned Companies in Nwoya District, Uganda

This article offers our reflections upon how we invoked an Indigenous paradigm in undertaking/facilitating qualitative research in a setting in Northern Uganda (2020/2021). The research was aimed at co-exploring with participants how they mobilized as a community against social and environmental injustices attendant with the entry of certain foreign enterprises into their community. We set up four focus group sessions in three villages to generate discussion in regard to how they had built up a community protest (with some success) against the operations of two enterprises who had been operational in the community. In our article we do not concentrate so much on the content of the focus group sessions (or the ensuing dissemination/discussion workshop), but rather, on how we enacted our understanding of an Indigenous paradigm in this research initiative. In this way we share possibilities for activating an Indigenous paradigm in the doing of research. We do this in order to help strengthen and further credentialize this paradigm in academic paradigmatic discourses and help secure its respected place on the paradigmatic “dance floor” (to use a metaphor offered by Chilisa, 2020)

Statistical polymer method: Modeling of macromolecules and aggregates with branching and crosslinking, formed in random processes

The statistical polymer method is based on the consideration of averaged structures of all possible macromolecules of the same weight. One has derived equations allowing evaluation of all additive parameters of macromolecules and their systems. The statistical polymer method allows modeling of branched crosslinked macromolecules and their systems in equilibrium or non-equilibrium. The fractal consideration of statistical polymer allows modeling of all kinds of random fractal and other objects studied by fractal theory. The statistical polymer method is applicable not only to polymers but also to composites, gels,associates in polar liquids and other aggregates

Active research towards the addressal of HIV/AIDS in the informal economy in Zambia : recognition of complicity in unfolding situations

In this article we offer an account of research undertaken for the International Labour Organization (on behalf of the National Aids Council in Zambia) in relation to HIV/AIDS and the informal economy in Zambia. We concentrate on how we tried to operate in terms of a conscious recognition of (and acceptance of responsibility for) our complicity as inquirers (together with others) in the development of the unfolding situations being explored. We indicate why we define as ‘active research’ the approach adopted, and how we see this as related to the broader category of ‘action research’. We suggest that this kind of approach may be helpful for others wishing to engage in development programmes broadly understood and intended to support people’s efforts to develop viable ways of knowing-and-living.ABET and Youth Developmen

Comparison of established and emerging biodosimetry assays

Rapid biodosimetry tools are required to assist with triage in the case of a large-scale radiation incident. Here, we aimed to determine the dose-assessment accuracy of the well-established dicentric chromosome assay (DCA) and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN) in comparison to the emerging γ-H2AX foci and gene expression assays for triage mode biodosimetry and radiation injury assessment. Coded blood samples exposed to 10 X-ray doses (240 kVp, 1 Gy/min) of up to 6.4 Gy were sent to participants for dose estimation. Report times were documented for each laboratory and assay. The mean absolute difference (MAD) of estimated doses relative to the true doses was calculated. We also merged doses into binary dose categories of clinical relevance and examined accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the assays. Dose estimates were reported by the first laboratories within 0.3-0.4 days of receipt of samples for the γ-H2AX and gene expression assays compared to 2.4 and 4 days for the DCA and CBMN assays, respectively. Irrespective of the assay we found a 2.5-4-fold variation of interlaboratory accuracy per assay and lowest MAD values for the DCA assay (0.16 Gy) followed by CBMN (0.34 Gy), gene expression (0.34 Gy) and γ-H2AX (0.45 Gy) foci assay. Binary categories of dose estimates could be discriminated with equal efficiency for all assays, but at doses ≥1.5 Gy a 10% decrease in efficiency was observed for the foci assay, which was still comparable to the CBMN assay. In conclusion, the DCA has been confirmed as the gold standard biodosimetry method, but in situations where speed and throughput are more important than ultimate accuracy, the emerging rapid molecular assays have the potential to become useful triage tools

Racial Disparities in Emergency Department Mortality and Departure Status among Trauma Patients in Massachusetts

Background: Understanding racial inequities in emergency medical care for traumatic injuries is important to policy considerations. Methods: We analyzed data on the first emergency department (ED) visit for trauma treatment among patients in the Massachusetts (MA) Statewide Trauma Registry. This Registry collects information on all trauma patients who die in the ED, or are dead on arrival, or who are transferred between hospitals in MA. This analysis included ED visits among MA residents aged 15 years and older from 2008 through 2010. Those who died on arrival were excluded. Patients were grouped as non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, Asian, and other or unknown races. We compared injury severity, departure status and ED mortality among the 5 groups while adjusting for severity, sex and age. Results: The 27,453 patients averaged 57.3 years of age, and included 44.9% women, 83.4% whites, 5.4% blacks, 6.8% Hispanics, 1.3% Asians, and 3.1% other or unknown races. In total, 534 (1.95%) died in ED. There was no clinically significant difference in injury severity among race groups. Compared to whites, blacks and other race group had higher mortality (OR=1.62, p=0.006 and OR=2.30, p Conclusions: Substantial racial disparities in ED mortality and departure status were observed among MA trauma patients. Determinants of the disparities are under investigation in an ongoing study funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities