Schools of Music as Social Institutions in Service to Society

Faculties and schools of music in Canada and the United States define their missions narrowly; their curricula  continue to be devoted almost exclusively to a music culture created in Europe and exported to colonial and postcolonial settings around the world. These institutions teach an exclusionary aesthetic philosophy rooted in white supremacy, one that results in the unethical exclusion of musicians and musical cultures created by the communities and societies that universities are meant to serve. After analyzing the content of, and the ideas behind, various course syllabi, the author outlines pathways for creating aesthetically and ethically inclusive and anti-racist curricula in music history and music appreciation at music faculties and schools of music in Canada and the United States.Les facultés et écoles de musique au Canada et aux États-Unis ont une définition étroite de leur mission ; leurs programmes restent presque exclusivement consacrés à une culture musicale créée en Europe et exportée dans les parties du monde coloniales et postcoloniales. Ces institutions enseignent une philosophie esthétique  d’exclusion enracinée dans la suprématie blanche, qui résulte ellemême en l’exclusion non éthique de musiciens et de cultures musicales créées par les communautés et les sociétés que ces universités sont censées servir. Après avoir analysé le contenu de différents syllabus de cours, et les idées à l’arrière-plan de ceuxci, l’auteur dessine les chemins menant à la création d’un programme d’histoire de la musique et d’appréciation musicale qui soit inclusif et antiraciste, autant sur le plan esthétique qu’éthique, dans les facultés et écoles de musique au Canada et aux États-Unis

Social Work Students\u27 Perceptions of Educational Needs and Readiness to Work with Clients who are Gay or Lesbian

While research has increased regarding social work students\u27 preparedness for diverse clients, there are few examinations of the readiness students feel regarding clients from the gay and lesbian community. In addition, while social work ethics and curriculum guidelines encourage the inclusion of this population, some observations would indicate that minimal efforts are being made to educate social work students regarding the lesbian and gay community. Students in an entry-level social work course as well as students from a senior-level social work course were surveyed regarding their perceived attitude, knowledge, and skills relative to gay and lesbian clients. Initially, results indicated a lesser degree of perceived readiness among the senior level students. However, unpaired t-test analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups in knowledge, attitude, or behavior

CONDITIONED TO GRIEVE OR DEAD INSIDE: LINE OF DUTY DEATHS AND MENTAL RESILIENCE

In the course of a firefighting career, firefighters attend line-of-duty funerals for other firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical service (EMS) professionals, and perhaps members of the armed forces from within their community, in addition to funerals of friends and family members. The basic purpose of a funeral in society allows the family and friends to say goodbye to a loved one. The fire service does a lot more. The fire service communal response and normalization of death rituals are something that few, if any, other death-related (DR) occupations do as effectively. This thesis considers the importance of death rituals from a historical perspective. It then examines mental resilience by comparing culture, community, and social identity in the fire service with other DR occupations. Current research on death and trauma in the professional workplace is limited and there is an absence of research connecting consistent participation in death rituals through funeral attendance with mental resilience when encountering death, in particular a line-of-duty death. Policy recommendations include instituting programs that normalize funeral attendance, and additional areas of research include studying those who have had early positive experiences with death and dying and their mental resiliency today.Civilian, FDNYApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The determination of accurate dipole polarizabilities alpha and gamma for the noble gases

The static dipole polarizabilities alpha and gamma for the noble gases helium through xenon were determined using large flexible one-particle basis sets in conjunction with high-level treatments of electron correlation. The electron correlation methods include single and double excitation coupled-cluster theory (CCSD), an extension of CCSD that includes a perturbational estimate of connected triple excitations, CCSD(T), and second order perturbation theory (MP2). The computed alpha and gamma values are estimated to be accurate to within a few percent. Agreement with experimental data for the static hyperpolarizability gamma is good for neon and xenon, but for argon and krypton the differences are larger than the combined theoretical and experimental uncertainties. Based on our calculations, we suggest that the experimental value of gamma for argon is too low; adjusting this value would bring the experimental value of gamma for krypton into better agreement with our computed result. The MP2 values for the polarizabilities of neon, argon, krypton and zenon are in reasonabe agreement with the CCSD and CCSD(T) values, suggesting that this less expensive method may be useful in studies of polarizabilities for larger systems

Precarious Manhood Beliefs Are Positively Associated with Erectile Dysfunction in Cisgender Men

The notions that manhood is hard to attain, easy to lose, and needs to be proven via public action constitute precarious manhood beliefs (PMB). PMB is a new concept and it remains unclear whether and how PMB relate to erectile dysfunction (ED) in cisgender men. The ability to achieve an erection remains considered as a cornerstone of masculinity and sexual performance can be conceived as a proof of one’s masculinity. In this context, ED can be received as sexual failure and a threat to a man’s masculinity and sense of adequacy. For these reasons, the hypothesis that PMB are associated with ED warranted empirical testing. In an anonymous online survey focusing on men’s mental health conducted in German-speaking countries of Europe, 507 cisgender men (M$_{age}$ = 44.2, SD$_{age}$ = 15.2) completed measures on PMB, sexual function, self-stigma, social desirability, and conformity to traditional masculinity ideology (TMI). Multilinear regression analysis with stepwise introduction of relevant covariates evaluated potential associations between PMB and ED. Of a 507 cisgendered male sample, 63.1% reported an increased risk for ED based on previously established cutoff points. Elevated levels of PMB endorsement among the men predicted reduced sexual and erectile function in all models, even when accounting for relevant control variables such as age, education, self-stigma, social desirability, or conformity to TMI. Group comparisons revealed that the men suffering from ED showed higher levels of PMB endorsement but not self-stigma nor TMI relative to men without ED. PMB are significantly associated with ED. While determining causality will require further study, our results may support the hypothesis that higher levels of PMB endorsement may lead to increased tension to perform sexually, resulting in increased psychological pressure and a higher risk to develop ED

Effectiveness of a Home-Based Eccentric-Exercise Program on the Torque-Angle Relationship of the Shoulder External Rotators: A Pilot Study

Context: The role of the rotator cuff is to provide dynamic stability to the glenohumeral joint. Human and animal studies have identified sarcomerogenesis as an outcome of eccentric training indicated by more torque generation with the muscle in a lengthened position. Objective: The authors hypothesized that a home-based eccentric-exercise program could increase the shoulder external rotators’ eccentric strength at terminal internal rotation (IR). Design: Prospective case series. Setting: Clinical laboratory and home exercising. Participants: 10 healthy subjects (age 30 ± 10 y). Intervention: All participants performed 2 eccentric exercises targeting the posterior shoulder for 6 wk using a home-based intervention program using side-lying external rotation (ER) and horizontal abduction. Main Outcome Measures: Dynamic eccentric shoulder strength measured at 60°/s through a 100° arc divided into 4 equal 25° arcs (ER 50–25°, ER 25–0°, IR 0–25°, IR 25–50°) to measure angular impulse to represent the work performed. In addition, isometric shoulder ER was measured at 5 points throughout the arc of motion (45° IR, 30° IR, 15° IR, 0°, and 15° ER). Comparison of isometric and dynamic strength from pre- to posttesting was evaluated with a repeated-measure ANOVA using time and arc or positions as within factors. Results: The isometric force measures revealed no significant differences between the 5 positions (P = .56). Analysis of the dynamic eccentric data revealed a significant difference between arcs (P = .02). The percentage-change score of the arc of IR 25–50° was found to be significantly greater than that of the arc of IR 0–25° (P = .007). Conclusion: After eccentric training the only arc of motion that had a positive improvement in the capacity to absorb eccentric loads was the arc of motion that represented eccentric contractions at the longest muscle length

Effectiveness of a Home-Based Eccentric-Exercise Program on the Torque-Angle Relationship of the Shoulder External Rotators: A Pilot Study

Context: The role of the rotator cuff is to provide dynamic stability to the glenohumeral joint. Human and animal studies have identified sarcomerogenesis as an outcome of eccentric training indicated by more torque generation with the muscle in a lengthened position. Objective: The authors hypothesized that a home-based eccentric-exercise program could increase the shoulder external rotators’ eccentric strength at terminal internal rotation (IR). Design: Prospective case series. Setting: Clinical laboratory and home exercising. Participants: 10 healthy subjects (age 30 ± 10 y). Intervention: All participants performed 2 eccentric exercises targeting the posterior shoulder for 6 wk using a home-based intervention program using side-lying external rotation (ER) and horizontal abduction. Main Outcome Measures: Dynamic eccentric shoulder strength measured at 60°/s through a 100° arc divided into 4 equal 25° arcs (ER 50–25°, ER 25–0°, IR 0–25°, IR 25–50°) to measure angular impulse to represent the work performed. In addition, isometric shoulder ER was measured at 5 points throughout the arc of motion (45° IR, 30° IR, 15° IR, 0°, and 15° ER). Comparison of isometric and dynamic strength from pre- to posttesting was evaluated with a repeated-measure ANOVA using time and arc or positions as within factors. Results: The isometric force measures revealed no significant differences between the 5 positions (P = .56). Analysis of the dynamic eccentric data revealed a significant difference between arcs (P = .02). The percentage-change score of the arc of IR 25–50° was found to be significantly greater than that of the arc of IR 0–25° (P = .007). Conclusion: After eccentric training the only arc of motion that had a positive improvement in the capacity to absorb eccentric loads was the arc of motion that represented eccentric contractions at the longest muscle length

Consumer Perceptions of Starting Regional Pilot Pay Given Additional Qualifications

Public Law 111-216, passed in 2010, has drastically increased the required number of flight hours necessary to become a commercial airline pilot from 250 hours to 1,500 hours in the United States. Intended to increase the safety and qualifications of commercial airline pilots, one possible unintended consequence may be fewer pilots pursuing an airline career due to increased training costs, with no apparent increase in starting salary. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine consumer perceptions of how much additional pay starting first officers should make based on this new law. American participants from Amazon’s ® Mechanical Turk ® were used to complete an online survey in two separate studies that asked them to determine how much additional pay a pilot should receive, and how much additional fare or fee increases they would be willing to pay to make this happen. The results revealed that participants felt first officers should be paid approximately 36-39% more than they currently make, but they are only willing to pay approximately 16-20% more in fare/fee costs. Three regression analyses were completed using pay raise, fare increase, and average fare/fee increase as criterion variables. No predictor variables were identified for pay raise (F[10, 159] = 1.50, p = .14). Ticket class was determined to be a predictor variable for fare increases (b = .307, t[149] = 4.05, p \u3c .001), and ticket class and income were predictor variables for average fare/fee increase (b = .267, t[149] = 3.59, p \u3c .001, and Income, b = .229, t[149] = 3.07, p \u3c .001)