Roman Catholic theological attitudes to Judaism since 1945

The period since 1945 has witnessed profound and far-reaching changes in Christian theological attitudes to Judaism. The terrible suffering of the Jewish people In the Holocaust prompted Christian theologians to re-examine their attitudes, their beliefs and their teaching with regard to Judaism. The thesis centres on the responses of the Roman Catholic Church to the theological problems which this Issue provoked s, although attention Is also given to the work of Jewish and Protestant scholars as the process of dialogue developed. The thesis begins with an examination of how the Second Vatican Council defined itself with regard to Judaism. The events preceding the promulgation of the fourth section of the 'Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions' (Nostra Aetate) Issued In 1965 are examined and the text Is analysed. The implications as well as the limitations of the Declaration are considered, and reactions to it, by both Christian and Jewish scholars, are discussed. The second section outlines the pioneering work in this field by Karl Rahner and Hans Kling. It compares and contrasts their theological writings on this issue and pays particular attention to the ways in which they strove to develop Ideas which had been Implicit in the Declaration of Vatican II. The final and longest section of the thesis is concerned with four of the major areas in this field which both Christian and Jewish scholars have debated and researched: the charge of decide against the Jewish people; the problems surrounding the position of the Pharisees In the New Testament; the religious problems posed by the Holocaust experience for both Christians and Jews; and (briefly) the theological and political problems posed by the position of the State of Israel. All these issues have been related to contemporary biblical scholarship as well as changing relationships between Judaism and Christianity

The process of product development in small and medium sized manufacturing firms :evidence from the North East of England

PhD ThesisManufacturing SMEs are suggested to be of continuing importance to economic growth and are a target for regional development policies which have focused on innovation and learning as a primary route to increased corporate (and consequently regional) competitiveness. Despite this policy focus on SMEs there is a limited understanding of how they undertake product development in practice. Firm-level policies are frequently informed by `best practice' models based on large-firm activities, and which may not therefore, be appropriate to SME contexts. The thesis seeks to understand what the process of product development in manufacturing SMEs is, and specifically, how it is managed, how inputs to the process are sourced, and which constraints might limit SMEs in their product development activity. The thesis is the product of an ESRC CASE studentship with the Regional Technology Centre (RTC North) Ltd as the industrial partner. An initial aim of the research was (in line with the Case sponsor's concerns) to identify `good practice' in product development management. As data collection progressed this initial way of understanding firm-level product development practices (as a process which could be reduced to a series of `good practice' management steps) was found to be inadequate. The structure of the thesis reflects this change in understandings. The findings presented in the thesis are based on five case studies and twenty five interviews (utilising qualitative research methods) undertaken at manufacturing SMEs between November 1999 and February 2002. Whilst particular ways of managing the product development process, which approximated to `good practice' recommendations suggested in the literature, did appear to enable some companies to manage their product development processes in more efficient and effective ways, overall, the degree to which firms were able to implement these recommendations was very much contingent on their individual circumstances and characteristics, relating to, for example, the firm's industrial or market sector, the background and specialisms of the company owner or managing director, particular project-specific characteristics relating to the degree of novelty in the project for the developing firm, and the number of technical staff employed in the firm, loosely in relation to the company's overall number of employees. The research suggests significant variety in the SME population, both overall and specifically in relation to approaches to product development. This therefore poses a difficulty for policymakers in designing or implementing a `standard' policy solution. The research draws on the resource or competence-based perspective in order to better understand the unique position of firms in relation to the product development processes, but additionally understands product development as a political and potentially contested arena within the firm. Differences were apparent between how interviewees suggested the process should be managed (in terms of both `best practice' prescriptions but also in terms of `official' company procedures) and how this was done in practice. Managing product development itself appeared to be a learning process, and this suggests that it can become a key company capability. Non-technical problems arising on development projects which related to political or conflict-based issues were largely ignored by managers, and this approach is reflected in current innovation policy support which at a firm level primarily seeks to address technical problems.ESRC

“What? That’s for Old People, that.” Home Adaptations, Ageing and Stigmatisation: A Qualitative Inquiry

Older people, even those living with long-term conditions or poor mobility, can be supported to live well at home, through adapting their home to meet changing need. Installing home adaptations, from grab rails to walk in shower rooms, is cost effective, may prevent falls, reduce social isolation and improve self confidence. Despite austerity cuts to public spending, the UK government increased home adaptations’ funding. However, not much is known about older people’s experiences and understanding of acquiring and living with home adaptations and uptake of home adaptations could be improved. Using wearable camera and face to face interview data, this qualitative study explored a diverse group of older people’s retrospective experiences (n = 30). Focus group discussions were also carried out with a wide range of professionals involved in the provision of home adaptations (n = 39). Findings suggest people may delay having adaptations, because of perceived stigmatising associations with decline and vulnerability. As delaying the installation of home adaptations until crisis point is known to reduce their effectiveness, such associations need to be challenged

Associations entre les difficultés langagières à l'enfance et le développement relationnel à l'adolescence

Les difficultés relationnelles avec les pairs à l'enfance et à l'adolescence peuvent avoir un impact important sur la santé physique, mentale et le développement psychosocial. Les enfants et les adolescents qui vivent avec des difficultés langagières ou un trouble développemental du langage sont identifiés comme étant plus à risque de vivre des difficultés dans les relations avec les pairs. En fait, des déficits actuels ou passés dans certains aspects du langage (p. ex. réceptif, expressif ou pragmatique) sont associés à un développement relationnel moins optimal. Cette étude longitudinale s'intéresse donc aux associations potentielles entre, d'une part, une trajectoire de développement marquée par des difficultés langagières à l'enfance et, d'autre part, la qualité des relations d'amitié dyadique et de groupe et le sentiment de solitude à l'adolescence. L'échantillon était composé de 1130 jumeaux, dont 982 ont servi à l'analyse des trajectoires de langage, et 852 ont répondu aux différents questionnaires sur leur expérience sociale à l'âge 15 ans. Les résultats de tests-t démontrent que les adolescents qui ont vécu des difficultés langagières entre 6 et 12 ans ont des relations d'amitié de moins bonne qualité, appartiennent moins à des groupes d'amis et ressentent plus de solitude que les adolescents au développement langagier typique. Les résultats d'analyses acheminatoires indiquent qu'après le contrôle de plusieurs variables pouvant influencer le développement du langage et les relations sociales (retrait social, revenu familial, sexe et intelligence non verbale), l'appartenance à une trajectoire faible de langage prédit de manière unique la qualité des relations d'amitié et le sentiment de solitude. Toutefois, l'appartenance à cette trajectoire ne prédit pas de manière unique l'appartenance à un groupe d'amis à 15 ans. Les résultats supportent l'importance du dépistage des difficultés langagières chez les enfants afin de pouvoir intervenir en amont et tenter d'éviter certaines difficultés relationnelles négatives à l'adolescence

The Ecosystem of Racial Inequalities in Discipline in Early Childhood Education

Preschool children are suspended and expelled at a rate greater than school-aged youth, and exclusionary discipline practices are further inequitable across racial and ethnic groups. Denied the documented benefits of early childhood education, Black students are disproportionately excluded from US educational institutions beginning in early childhood, effectively preserving and reproducing racial inequities. Black students, especially boys, are the most likely to lose access to schooling due to exclusionary discipline. The disparities are dehumanizing and detrimental to students’ opportunities to learn, as early educational experiences greatly influence development and future outcomes. Although there is a plethora of evidence concerning the significant role of space, place, and relationships in early childhood education, less is understood about how these act independently and interact to create racial and ethnic disparities in discipline within preschools. In this conceptual paper, we argue that decolonizing early childhood education requires a novel approach in how we think about racial inequalities in discipline that centers the conversation on context and incorporates the interrelated frameworks of geography of opportunity, ecological systems theory, and the youth control complex. Children’s interactions with adults in school are situated in a particular space and place and within a complex nexus between the school, home, and neighborhood contexts. It is imperative to decolonize geographically stratified classroom management, manifested through exclusionary school discipline of young children, for the possibility of more equitable educational opportunity

Effect of Polyphenol-Rich Dark Chocolate on Salivary Cortisol and Mood in Adults

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether ingestion of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate improved salivary cortisol levels and subjective mood states in adults recruited from a health and social care setting. Twenty-six participants ingested 25 g/day of a high polyphenol dark chocolate (containing 500 mg of total flavonoids), or a similar amount of a control dark chocolate, containing negligible flavonoids, for 4-weeks. Twenty-four hour salivary glucocorticoid levels (cortisol and cortisone) were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and subjective mood was assessed using a validated positive affect and negative affect schedule. Total daily cortisol, morning cortisol, and the cortisol/cortisone ratio, were significantly reduced (p<0.001), after ingestion of the high polyphenol dark chocolate only. There were no significant differences between groups for overall scores for positive affect and negative affect, however, there was an indication of improved positive affect as one attribute for strength (p=0.02), and within groups, negative affect was reduced (p=0.02), after high polyphenol dark chocolate only. No changes were observed after the control dark chocolate, or any other parameter measured. In conclusion, the findings from this small-scale study indicate lowering of salivary cortisol levels following polyphenol-rich dark chocolate, in adults recruited from a health and social care setting, with some small changes in mood states. Such changes may be attributable to their ability to inhibit 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type-1 activity, and warrant further investigation

A Systematic Review of Dental Disease in Patients Undergoing Cancer Therapy

Introduction: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the literature and update our current understanding of the impact of present cancer therapies on the dental apparatus (teeth and periodontium) since the 1989 NIH Development Consensus Conference on the Oral Compli­cations of Cancer Therapies. Review Method: A systematic literature search was con­ducted with assistance from a research librarian in the databases MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE for articles published between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 2008. Each study was independently assessed by two reviewers. Taking into account predetermined quality measures, a weighted prevalence was calculated for the prevalence of dental caries, severe gingival disease, and dental infection. Data on DMFT/dmft, DMFS/dmfs, plaque, and gingival indexes were also gathered. The level of evidence, recommendation, and guideline (if possible) were given for published preventive and management strategies. Results: Sixty-four published papers between 1990 and 2008 were reviewed. The weighted overall prevalence of dental caries was 28.1%. The overall DMFT for patients who were post-antineoplastic therapy was 9.19 (SD, 7.98; n=457). The overall plaque index for patients who were post­antineoplastic therapy was 1.38 (SD, 0.25; n=189). The GI for patients who were post-chemotherapy was 1.02 (SD, 0.15; n=162). The weighted prevalence of dental infections/ abscess during chemotherapy was reported in three studies and was 5.8%. Conclusions: Patients who were post-radiotherapy had the highest DMFT. The use of fluoride products and chlorhex­idine rinses are beneficial in patients who are post-radiotherapy. There continues to be lack of clinical studies on the extent and severity of dental disease that are associated with infectious complications during cancer therapy

Associations between intake of dietary flavonoids and 10-year incidence of age-related hearing loss

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Dietary flavonoids are vasoactive phytochemicals with promising anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to assess the associations between baseline intakes of six commonly consumed flavonoid subclasses and 10-year incidence of age-related hearing loss. At baseline, 1691 participants aged 50+ years had information on dietary intakes and hearing status. Hearing loss was defined as the pure-tone average of frequencies 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz \u3e 25 dB hearing level (HL). Dietary data were collected through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The flavonoid content of foods was estimated using US databases. During the 10-year follow-up, 260 (31.6%) new cases of hearing loss (incident) were observed. After multivariable adjustment, participants in the fourth versus first quartile (reference group) of intake of dietary isoflavone had 36% lower risk of incident hearing loss after 10 years: odds ratios (OR) 0.64 (95% confidence intervals, CI, 0.42–0.99); p-value for trend = 0.03. Nonsignificant associations were observed between the other five flavonoid subclasses and 10-year incidence of hearing loss. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that the intake of dietary flavonoids protect against long-term risk of hearing loss. The association with isoflavone intake needs to be confirmed by other population-based studies