Introduction to Gen Z and Social Issues

The 180° Symposium for 2019 focused on Gen Z and Social Issues. In North America, this age cohort consists of those born between 1995-2010. They share a number of the same social concerns as previous generations, but they also have certain issues that stand out more to them. Those who minister to Gen Z, whether they are in full-time ministry or serve as volunteers or who parent these young people, need to be aware of these issues and integrate this into their ministry to increase effectiveness in these unique times to this unique generation

Animal Origins in Perceforest

The animal lies at the heart of Perceforest’s representation of origins. This article explores, with reference to Agamben’s work on the circular logic which connects human and animal, a series of interrelated episodes tracing the intimate relations between the civilised and the savage in this cyclic romance. The animal is a means of figuring that which is savage and primitive, from which courtly culture wishes to distance itself. Yet the division between the animal and the human is constantly renegotiated in Perceforest: while humans can appear bestial, individual animals can be portrayed as displaying qualities more associated with the rational human.Au cœur de la représentation des origines dans le roman cyclique de Perceforest, l’animal figure ce qui est sauvage, primitif, tout ce qui menace et tout ce qui sous-tend la civilisation courtoise. Dans cet essai, nous examinons, par une lecture des théories d’Agamben, une série d’épisodes interdépendants, qui tracent les liens intimes entre l’animal et l’humain. La division entre ces deux catégories s’avère fluide, susceptible de redéfinition au cours du roman. Tandis que certains personnages humains agissent d’une façon brutale, certains animaux démontrent des qualités qu’on associe plutôt à la raison humaine

“Dont me revient ceste parole ?”

Although Narcissus is a hugely influential figure in medieval depictions of unrequited love, less attention has been given to the figure of Echo as an emblem for poetic voice. A reading of the twelfth-century Narcisus et Dané and its reiteration within the thirteenth-century Cristal et Clarie traces the resonances of Echo in these two texts. In Narcisus et Dané, Echo can be seen and heard in the rhetoric of reflection and reciprocity voiced by the protagonists. This rhetoric is cited and parodied in Cristal et Clarie, indicating the central role of echoic citation in the composition of medieval romance narratives.Malgré la grande influence de la figure de Narcisse dans les représentations médiévales de l’amour fatal, on fait bien moins attention à la figure d’Écho en tant qu’emblème de la voix poétique. En considérant Narcisus et Dané, roman bref du XIIe siècle, et la réinscription de ce texte dans le roman Cristal et Clarie (XIIIe siècle), nous tentons d’écouter les résonances d’Écho. Dans Narcisus et Dané, l’on peut voir et entendre la nymphe ovidienne dans une rhétorique de la réflexion et de la réciprocité qu’énoncent les protagonistes. Cette rhétorique est reprise d’une manière parodique dans Cristal et Clarie, preuve du rôle principal de la citation dans la composition des récits courtois du Moyen Âge

“Dont me revient ceste parole ?”

Although Narcissus is a hugely influential figure in medieval depictions of unrequited love, less attention has been given to the figure of Echo as an emblem for poetic voice. A reading of the twelfth-century Narcisus et Dané and its reiteration within the thirteenth-century Cristal et Clarie traces the resonances of Echo in these two texts. In Narcisus et Dané, Echo can be seen and heard in the rhetoric of reflection and reciprocity voiced by the protagonists. This rhetoric is cited and parodied in Cristal et Clarie, indicating the central role of echoic citation in the composition of medieval romance narratives.Malgré la grande influence de la figure de Narcisse dans les représentations médiévales de l’amour fatal, on fait bien moins attention à la figure d’Écho en tant qu’emblème de la voix poétique. En considérant Narcisus et Dané, roman bref du XIIe siècle, et la réinscription de ce texte dans le roman Cristal et Clarie (XIIIe siècle), nous tentons d’écouter les résonances d’Écho. Dans Narcisus et Dané, l’on peut voir et entendre la nymphe ovidienne dans une rhétorique de la réflexion et de la réciprocité qu’énoncent les protagonistes. Cette rhétorique est reprise d’une manière parodique dans Cristal et Clarie, preuve du rôle principal de la citation dans la composition des récits courtois du Moyen Âge

Multiple classification of the force and acceleration signals extracted during multiple machine processes: part 1 intelligent classification from an anomaly perspective

This paper is the first in a two-part work, where the investigation into the characteristics of multiple machine processes is made in order to accurately control them via the frequently used machine centre platform. The two machining processes under investigation are grinding and hole making: for grinding anomalies, grinding burn and chatter and for hole making, drilling, increased tool wear and onset of drill tool malfunction, which is also significant to severe scoring and material dragging. Most researchers usually report on one machining process as opposed to multiple which is less consistent with automated flexible systems where more than one machining process must be catered for. For efficient monitoring of automated multiple manufacturing processes, any unwanted anomalies should be identified and dealt with in a prompt and seamless manner. This first part provides two experimental set-ups (same set-up with tool interchange) to obtain signal signatures for both grinding and drilling phenomena (using the same material). Here, an approach based on neural networks and CARTs is used to reliably detect anomalies for both processes using a single acquisition path, opening the door for control implementation

An African-American Resources and Needs Assessment of the West Bloomington Area, Phase 1

Over the course of the Fall 2009 semester, students in the Community Project Design and Management class worked with members of West Bloomington to recognize the growing needs within the community. Along with the African-American Focus Workgroup (AAFW) and the West Bloomington Revitalization Partnership (WBRP), the students completed Phase 1 of an African-American resources and needs assessment resulting in this report. This document reflects needs, wants, and hopes of the West Bloomington community and the AAFW. Comprehensively, this document is meant to serve as a bridge between community members and AAFW members. As Bloomington as a whole continues to grow and expand, some members within the community feel the difficulty of being left out of development. Therefore, the project‟s purpose was to help ascertain the assets and deficiencies within the West Bloomington neighborhood with the participation of community members, and to help the AAFW integrate their goals with those of the WBRP. This report can aid future efforts and provide useful information in the development of the West Bloomington area. The report includes a brief review of the literature considering race, education, income, age, public space, housing, civil society, and community-based participatory research. The report also includes sections outlining the research methods used, the research findings along the same themes used in the literature review, a discussion of limitations and barriers to research, and conclusions and recommendations. Appendices include Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol for ethical treatment and protection of research participants, definition of the study area for drawing out Census data, and a Survey Design and Administration Protocol Handbook to aid in administering surveys drafted for AAFW member organizations to use with their staff and volunteers, patrons, and the general public. Student researchers analyzed public data and local reports to understand the background and demographics of the West Bloomington community. Reports consulted include these topics: housing conditions and issues; food justice; Census data on race, income, and age; community and economic development; and education statistics for District 87 and West Bloomington schools. Through various focus groups, four common themes appeared: the need for greater communication between and among local organizations and community members; the need for additional activities, especially for young people; a lack of accessibility to various services offered by (or in) the City of Bloomington and surrounding areas; and distressed amenities. Communication can be strengthened between the WBRP and the AAFW, between West Bloomington community members and the City of Bloomington, and among all of these groups and members. Focus group findings also show that the West Bloomington community and organizations serving it do not offer activities to people of all age ranges. In addition, all focus groups shared comments about transportation issues within West Bloomington. Regarding distressed amenities, focus group participants brought up issues concerning poor housing conditions, inadequate amenities at local parks, and old infrastructure in need of repair or replacement. Findings from key informant interviews also acknowledged several areas for enhancement within the West Bloomington community. Within the community, apathy and a lack of respect among residents were identified as negative attributes coupled with a perceived lack of police presence in the area. Residents linked these attributes to a fear of crime, and specifically, drug dealing, prostitution, and gang activity and recruitment. Resource collaboration and greater awareness of available resources also are viewed as necessary enhancements within the community and those serving it. West Bloomington residents serving as key informant interviewees identified issues of homelessness, overcrowded housing facilities, and a lack of affordable housing. Some interviewees expressed a desire for better notification of neighborhood events. Several interviewees mentioned a desire for better communication between the City of Bloomington and West Bloomington community and a better working relationship with the police department. Additionally, multiple interviewees discussed the importance of education, including the need for more job training and literacy programs. This report includes conclusions and recommendations based on findings from key informant interviews, focus groups, local and public data review, and past and future surveys. These recommendations are broken down into three categories focusing on the City of Bloomington, the West Bloomington neighborhood, and youth. City-related recommendations include the following: The Bloomington Police Department can increase its visible presence in the West Bloomington neighborhood by providing foot patrol. The City of Bloomington should develop a plan for addressing infrastructure needs in the West Bloomington area. The Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System can evaluate the current mass transit bus routes for West Bloomington. Improved civic awareness and education can increase residents‟ skills and abilities to address grievances and development issues within their community. Neighborhood recommendations advise the following: Primarily, communication among all stakeholders needs to be improved. Stakeholders can increase awareness of available services, programs, and resources that can benefit community members. A community fair can be held within the West Bloomington neighborhood. A feasibility study should be performed for a multi-purpose community center to be located in the West Bloomington neighborhood. The youth recommendations suggest the following: Encourage The Bloomington Boys and Girls Club to determine if additional services could be added to benefit the teen youth of West Bloomington. Increase the availability of summer programs to benefit both working parents and children. Explore effective strategies for identifying and dealing with barriers to development, especially those that apply to youth and crime. Stakeholders can collaborate on a campaign to bring awareness and encourage action around the need for more volunteer mentors, especially male mentors who are needed for West Bloomington male youth. In conclusion, this report sheds some light on the needs, wants, assets, and resources of the West Bloomington community. It is our hope that this report will serve as an impetus for enhanced relationships among the AAFW, the WBRP, West Bloomington residents, and the City of Bloomington, as well as provide information and materials to aid in future development

Process evaluation results of a cluster randomised controlled childhood obesity prevention trial: The WAVES study

© 2017 The Author(s). Background: Increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and its related consequences emphasises the importance of developing and evaluating interventions aimed at prevention. The importance of process evaluation in health intervention research is increasingly recognised, assessing implementation and participant response, and how these may relate to intervention success or failure. A comprehensive process evaluation was designed and undertaken for the West Midlands ActiVe lifestyle and healthy Eating in School children (WAVES) study that tested the effectiveness of an obesity prevention programme for children aged 6-7 years, delivered in 24 UK schools. The four intervention components were: additional daily school-time physical activity (PA); cooking workshops for children and parents; Villa Vitality (VV), a 6-week healthy lifestyle promotion programme run by a local football club; and signposting to local PA opportunities. Methods: Data relating to six dimensions (Fidelity, Reach, Recruitment, Quality, Participant Responsiveness, Context) were collected via questionnaires, logbooks, direct observations, focus groups and interviews. Multiple data collection methods allowed for data triangulation and validation of methods, comparing research observations with teacher records. The 6-stage WAVES study model ((i) Data collection, (ii) Collation, (iii) Tabulation, (iv) Score allocation and discussion, (v) Consultation, (vi) Final score allocation) was developed to guide the collection, assimilation and analysis of process evaluation data. Two researchers independently allocated school scores on a 5-point Likert scale for each process evaluation dimension. Researchers then discussed school score allocations and reached a consensus. Schools were ranked by total score, and grouped to reflect low, medium or high intervention implementation. Results: The intervention was predominantly well-implemented and well-received by teachers, parents and children. The PA component was identified as the most challenging, VV the least. Median implementation score across schools was 56/75 (IQR, 51.0 - 60.8). Agreement between teacher logbooks and researcher observations was generally high, the main discrepancies occurred in session duration reporting where in some cases teachers' estimations tended to be higher than researchers'. Conclusions: The WAVES study model provides a rigorous and replicable approach to undertaking and analysing a multi-component process evaluation. Challenges to implementing school-based obesity prevention interventions have been identified which can be used to inform future trials. Trial registration: ISRCTN97000586. 19 May 2010

A Perspective of Coagulation Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis and in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis

A key role of both coagulation and vascular thrombosis has been reported since the first descriptions of multiple sclerosis (MS). Subsequently, the observation of a close concordance between perivascular fibrin(ogen) deposition and the occurrence of clinical signs in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS, led to numerous investigations focused on the role of thrombin and fibrin(ogen). Indeed, the activation of microglia, resident innate immune cells, occurs early after fibrinogen leakage in the pre-demyelinating lesion stage of EAE and MS. Thrombin has both neuroprotective and pro-apoptotic effects according to its concentration. After exposure to high concentrations of thrombin, astrocytes become reactive and lose their neuroprotective and supportive functions, microglia proliferate, and produce reactive oxygen species, IL-1β, and TNFα. Heparin inhibits the thrombin generation and suppresses EAE. Platelets play an important role too. Indeed, in the acute phase of the disease, they begin the inflammatory response in the central nervous system by producing of IL-1alpha and triggering and amplifying the immune response. Their depletion, on the contrary, ameliorates the course of EAE. Finally, it has been proven that the use of several anticoagulant agents can successfully improve EAE. Altogether, these studies highlight the role of the coagulation pathway in the pathophysiology of MS and suggest possible therapeutic targets that may complement existing treatments