Reviews

Authoring‐Systems Software for Computer‐Based Training, edited by William D. Wilheim, Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA, ISBN: 0–87778–274–1, 1994

Convict Criminology and the Struggle for Inclusion

Convict Criminology (CC) began in the early 1990s as a reaction to the then current state of academic criminology that did not adequately reflect the voices of convicted felons. Since its beginnings, CC has attempted to draw attention to a range of problems created by the criminal justice apparatus and defenders of the status quo. Dr. Joanne Belknap’s 2014 ASC presidential address and subsequent article presented an argument that stressed the importance of activism to be considered as part of criminological research. In the process, she reviewed her career and then criticized the field of Critical Criminology, in particular Convict Criminology. The article, however, ignored the numerous efforts that CC has engaged in to build an inclusive group school, movement, organization and network that includes the diverse voices of Ph.D. educated convicts and excons, and overall reflected a superficial understanding of the history and intent of Convict Criminology. This article attempts to explain the shortcomings of Belknap’s article and clarifies misunderstandings

Assessing the potential for tertiary nitrification in sub-surface flow constructed wetlands

The challenge of how to maintain or improve wastewater treatment performance without causing an excessive increase in energy or costs is increasingly focussed towards ammonia. On small sewage treatment works, solutions have historically been energy intensive: to divert waste to a larger plant, add a polishing step to the end of the process flow sheet or upgrade and replace upstream processes. Constructed wetlands (CWs) offer a low energy alternative to meet these challenges. This review explores oxygen transfer theory; nitrification performance of existing CW systems, and the key affecting factors to be considered when implementing the technology for tertiary treatment upgrades. Future perspectives include the use of artificial aeration and greater consideration of vertical sub-surface flow systems as they achieve the nitrification capacity in a smaller footprint than horizontal flow systems and, where suitable hydraulics permit, can be operated under very low energy demand

Lincoln\u27s Shakespearean Education

This dissertation demonstrates that Abraham Lincoln’s self-education in the works of William Shakespeare substantially animates his thought and statesmanship, that Lincoln’s political philosophy is indelibly etched with Shakespeare’s influence. The project begins with an introduction, justifying this thesis and explaining the methodology. The paper’s justification relies on several important Shakespeare references in Lincoln’s speeches and writings. I analyze those references, comparing them to their original context, and thereby demonstrate Lincoln’s impressive grasp of Shakespeare, and Shakespeare’s deep influence on Lincoln. Once I establish this, I begin a series of thematic chapters on the basis of these references and their import, often referring to such references in approaching Lincoln and Shakespeare more obliquely. In the thematic studies there is a special emphasis on Macbeth , Lincoln’s self-identified favorite play. Additionally, those chapters approach Lincoln’s understanding of their respective subjects by way of accounts given in political philosophy. They provide definitional touchstones for the comparisons in Lincoln and Shakespeare. This project includes, in addition to the introduction and chapter on Lincoln’s Shakespeare references, a chapter on Lincoln’s understanding of ambition and prudence as compared with that of Hobbes, Aristotle, and Shakespeare. It focuses primarily on Lincoln’s statements on the subjects compared with Shakespeare’s account of each in Macbeth . Next comes a chapter on Lincoln’s marriage and its influence on his life and career. Mary Todd Lincoln is compared favorably to Lady Macbeth, among others. That chapter draws out the important role wives have always played in the lives and careers of their husbands. Examples from both Aristotle and Tocqueville support those of Mary Todd and Lady Macbeth. The final substantive chapter discusses Lincoln and Shakespeare’s views of divine and natural right in light of John Neville Figgis, King James, and Leo Strauss’ writings on the topics. The chapter uses Richard II, Macbeth , and King Lear as the primary basis for comparison. The connection between the two are as antagonisms. Lincoln places natural right as a stand in for rightness and right simply (as it upholds republican government) and divine right as wrong simply (as it provides sophistical support for the unjust rule of one man over others without their consent). A throughline is found in the concept of “trial by combat” in both Shakespeare and the Civil War: is it the naturally righteous or those favored by God or providence who conquer? This chapter combs carefully through this question, among others. The light of Shakespeare’s genius serves to increase the brightness of Lincoln’s own flame. Joining them as this project has done improves our understanding of Shakespeare’s political thought as we learn from Lincoln’s approach to reading and using him. Other students of politics benefit from Lincoln’s example, and the reader gains greater appreciation for Shakespeare as a teacher of statesman. This compounded source of light also enhances our view of Lincoln. Studying the key texts in which Lincoln expressed interest enriches our understanding of his ideas. Lincoln’s view of human nature (including ambition and prudence), his understanding of marriage, and his conception of divine and natural right sovereignty benefit from the light of Shakespeare’s insight. The result is not merely greater knowledge of those ideas, but an increased appreciation for his legacy as a whole. The discreet topics of the chapters coalesce, disclosing new points of interest in their relationships and an emerging coherence in the legacy of Lincoln. The man emerges in greater complexity and power. His rhetoric and manner of thinking take on a distinctly Shakespearean caste, endowing his already estimable life and thought with greater dignity

Advanced Care Planning at the End of Life for People with Dementia

In the UK is estimated at around 800,000 people, with 90, 000 people with dementia in Scotland. It’s forecast that by 2025, one in three people over the age of 60 will have dementia when they die. It is not always recognised that dementia is a progressive and life-limiting illness – perhaps because you can die of other things for example cardiovascular disease. However, as a result dementia hasn’t received the same level of attention or professional support as other life-limiting illnesses e.g. cancer. In response, a lot of policies – like the Scottish palliative care strategy want to get us talking about death and dying – but we need to get dementia included in those conversations. Dementia involves complex physical and psychological needs. Symptoms, rate of progression, and longevity are all specific to the individual, and can be unpredictable. People in the more advanced stages typically lose mobility, speech, and the ability to chew and swallow safely. One of the things which can characterise the end of life for people with dementia is that things can end up happening to them which they would not have wanted. We can call this treatment undignified – not the kind of ending they would have wanted involving unnecessary interventions. This is what people are seeking to avoid

Prison Research from the Inside: The Role of Convict Autoethnography

A perspective that has often been absent in criminal justice research is that of former prisoners. This article discusses the establishment, in 1997, of “convict criminology,” a group of scholars producing research informed by their experiences of crime and the criminal justice process; that is, either those who have served time themselves or who have operated alongside prisoners as professionals in custodial settings. It is argued that such scholars face similar dilemmas to others in terms of emotionalism, but suggests that their emotions are of a different nature. While an “insider” perspective cannot lay claim to scientific “objectivity,” the article argues that the existence of emotion does not invalidate an “insider” criminologist’s views. Rather, the passion engendered by the experience of incarceration can add color, context, and contour to data collection, findings, and analysis and may therefore be regarded as an essential thread in the tapestry of criminological inquiry

Reproducibilty of partial weight bearing

Objectives: To find out whether partial weight bearing can be reproduced and retained. Design: In vivo experiment in normal subjects. Intervention: Training for partial weight bearing (25% of body weight) using bathroom scales. Main outcome measurement: Reproducibility on force platform immediately after training and after 60 min. Results: Twelve subjects were asked to reproduce 25% of their body weight through either the dominant or non-dominant limb on force platform after three practice attempts on bathroom scales with concurrent visual feedback. No feedback was provided after the measurements on force plate. The process was repeated after 1 h without any practice sessions in the interim period to find out if the weight practised could be retained. The mean 0-min reading was found to be 25.9% of body weight while the mean 60-min reading was found to be 24.4%. The p-value for the difference between the two means was found to be 0.3841. Conclusions: This study indicates that partial weight bearing instructions can be quantified and graded. Simple bathroom scales are sufficient to educate the patients and this can be practised at home after an initial period of supervision

Direct and indirect orthotic management of medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful condition and affects approximately 80% of individuals by the age of 55 [1], with knee OA occurring two times more frequently than OA of the hand or hip [2].The condition is more prevalent in the medial compartment and restricts the daily lives of individuals due to pain and a lack of functional independence. Patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis often have a varus alignment, with the mechanical axis and load bearing passing through this compartment with a greater adduction moment leading to greater pain and progression of osteoarthritis [3]. Surgery for the condition is possible although in some cases, particularly younger patients or those not yet requiring surgery, clinical management remains a challenge. Before surgery is considered, however, conservative management is advocated, though no one treatment has been shown to be most effective, and there are few quality biomechanical or clinical studies. Of the conservative approaches the principal orthotic treatments are valgus knee braces and laterally wedged foot inlays. Studies of knee valgus bracing have consistently demonstrated an associated decreased pain and improved function [4], and greater confidence [5]. A laterally wedged foot inlay has a thicker lateral border and applies a valgus moment to the heel. It is theorised that by changing the position of the ankle and subtalar joints during weight-bearing [6] the lateral wedges may apply a valgus moment across the knee as well as the rearfoot, with the assumed reduction on load in the medial knee compartment [7]. However, there has been no study to directly compare these orthotic treatments in the same study. The aim of this research is to investigate the efficacy of valgus knee braces and laterally wedged foot inlays in reducing the varus knee moment

Performance of four full-scale artificially aerated horizontal flow constructed wetlands for domestic wastewater treatment

A comparison of the performance of four full-scale aerated horizontal flow constructed wetlands was conducted to determine the efficacy of the technology on sites receiving high and variable ammonia loading rates not yet reported in the literature. Performance was assessed in terms of ammonia and solids removal, hydraulic conductivity and mixing patterns. The capability of systems to produce ammonium effluent concentrations <3 mgNH4 + -N/L was observed across all sites in systems receiving variable loadings between 0.1 and 13.0 gNH4 + -N/m2 /d. Potential resilience issues were observed in relation to response to spike loadings posited to be due to an insufficient nitrifying population within the beds. Hydraulic conductivity and flow mixing patterns observed suggested deterioration of the reactor effective volume over time. Overall, the study demonstrates the efficacy of the technology where ammonium removal is required on small sites receiving high and variable flow rates, with adequate removal of organics and solids, but no significant benefit to the long term hydraulics of the system