Development of non-destructive methodology using ATR-FTIR with PCA to differentiate between historical Pacific barkcloth

Barkcloths, non-woven textiles originating from the Pacific Islands, form part of many museum collections and date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The ability to determine different plant species which have been used for producing barkcloth is required by art historians to help understand the origin and use of the cloths and by conservators for whom the species type may have an impact on textile durability, deterioration and hence conservation. However, to date the development of a non-destructive, robust analytical technique has been elusive. This article describes the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (ATR-FTIR) and principal component analysis (PCA) todifferentiation between historic barkcloths. Three distinct groups of historic cloths were identified using PCA of the FTIR region between 1200 and 1600 cm−1 where molecular vibrations associated with tannins and lignins are dominant. Analysis of contemporary cloths only identified Pipturus albidus cloth as different and highlighted the difficulties around producing a representative textile sample to mimic the historic cloths. While the methodology does not itself identify species, the use of historically well-provenanced samples allows cloths showing similarities to group together and is a significant aid to identification

Supporting Parent Engagement in Linguistically Diverse Families to Promote Young Children’s Life Success

This paper examines research that can inform policies aimed at building the capacity of early care and education programs to promote parent engagement in linguistically diverse families. The key questions addressed include:1 )What factors affect linguistically diverse families’ access to early care and education programs?; 2)What do we know about linguistically diverse families and how parents in these families support their young children’s learning and development?; 3) What features of early care and education programs appear to contribute to high levels of parent engagement in linguistically diverse families?; and 4) What policies can help increase the capacity of early care and education programs to support parent engagement in linguistically diverse families

Accounting for actions and omissions:a discourse analysis of student nurse accounts of responding to instances of poor care

Aims: To explore how nursing students account for decisions to report or not report poor care witnessed on placement and to examine the implications of findings for educators. Background: Concern has been raised about the extent to which cases of poor care go unreported. Failure to report cases may have serious consequences for patient safety. Design: Semi structured interviews were conducted with 13 under graduate students at a UK university during 2013. They were asked to consider their response to episodes of poor practice witnessed on placement. Methods: Data were transcribed verbatim and categorized according to whether or not students reported concerns. Cases were analysed in accordance with Potter and Wetherall’s version of discourse analysis to identify the discursive strategies used to account for decisions to report or not report poor practice. Results: Participants took care to present themselves in a positive light regardless of whether or not they had reported an episode of concern. Those who had reported tended to attribute their actions to internal factors such as moral strength and a commitment to a professional code. Those who had not or would not report concerns provided accounts which referred to external influences that prevented them from doing so or made reporting pointless. Conclusion: This study provides information about how students account for their actions and omissions in relation to the reporting of poor care. Findings suggest ways educators might increase reporting of concerns

Value for money in the English NHS: Summary of the evidence

The extent to which the English National Health Service secures value for money for taxpayers has become a central issue of political and public debate. Questions include: how much expenditure growth has been made available to the NHS? on what has that money been spent? what improvements in the volume and quality of health care have been secured? and what are the implications for productivity? There has been a flurry of research activity designed to address these and similar questions. This report seeks to bring together this research in a concise format and draws some tentative conclusions about recent productivity changes in the NHS. It finds that there is considerable evidence of growth in both the volume and quality of NHS activity. However, this has not in general kept pace with the growth in expenditure. On most measures, therefore, NHS productivity is either static or declining. However, the report highlights a large number of unresolved methodological issues that make it hard to draw any definitive conclusions. We conclude that the measurement of NHS productivity change makes an important contribution to national debate. However, there remains considerable scope for improving both the data and the methods underlying current estimates.

Complexities of Pastoral Change and Transition in the Megachurches of the Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Presbyterian Church (USA)

The emergence of the megachurch in the United States represents a unique phenomenon which was shaped by a variety of cultural, political, economic, and religious forces. Megachurches have grown exponentially in recent years and now exercise unprecedented influence on the religious landscape in this country. Accompanying this phenomenon is a new and unique group of leaders who have guided these congregations through periods of rapid growth and substantial organizational change. It is anticipated that many megachurches will encounter significant challenges in the future as the current senior pastors retire. Since existing research on megachurches has focused primarily on the congregations, little is known about the personal and professional characteristics of these pastors, and how, if at all, these pastors and congregations have prepared for changes in pastoral leadership. Protecting the sacred relationship between pastor and congregation is critical because the disruption of the sacred trust impacts the faith and spiritual practices of the pastor(s), staff, and congregation, as well as local and global ministries. These issues were explored in twenty-two megachurches in three denominational systems—the Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Presbyterian Church (USA). The results include a detailed description of the personal and professional characteristics of the senior pastors, and provide new insight into the importance of relationships in their lives and ministries. The unique characteristics of these megachurches, as well as their relationships in the local community and around the world, contribute to the complexities of pastoral change and transition. Historically, most of these megachurches have responded to, rather than prepared for, the inevitable departure of the senior pastor, which resulted in the disruption of the sacred relationship between the pastor and congregation. Many adhere to congregational or denominational policies which discourage, even preclude, any succession planning. Several pastors and congregations in the Baptist General Conference and Presbyterian Church (USA) are employing alternative approaches which promote continuity of leadership rather than disruption. The biblical, theological, historical, and theoretical resources engaged in this study support the anticipation of changes in pastoral leadership, rather than the reactionary approach currently utilized by many congregations

Complexities of Pastoral Change and Transition in the Megachurches of the Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Presbyterian Church (USA)

The emergence of the megachurch in the United States represents a unique phenomenon which was shaped by a variety of cultural, political, economic, and religious forces. Megachurches have grown exponentially in recent years and now exercise unprecedented influence on the religious landscape in this country. Accompanying this phenomenon is a new and unique group of leaders who have guided these congregations through periods of rapid growth and substantial organizational change. It is anticipated that many megachurches will encounter significant challenges in the future as the current senior pastors retire. Since existing research on megachurches has focused primarily on the congregations, little is known about the personal and professional characteristics of these pastors, and how, if at all, these pastors and congregations have prepared for changes in pastoral leadership. Protecting the sacred relationship between pastor and congregation is critical because the disruption of the sacred trust impacts the faith and spiritual practices of the pastor(s), staff, and congregation, as well as local and global ministries. These issues were explored in twenty-two megachurches in three denominational systems—the Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Presbyterian Church (USA). The results include a detailed description of the personal and professional characteristics of the senior pastors, and provide new insight into the importance of relationships in their lives and ministries. The unique characteristics of these megachurches, as well as their relationships in the local community and around the world, contribute to the complexities of pastoral change and transition. Historically, most of these megachurches have responded to, rather than prepared for, the inevitable departure of the senior pastor, which resulted in the disruption of the sacred relationship between the pastor and congregation. Many adhere to congregational or denominational policies which discourage, even preclude, any succession planning. Several pastors and congregations in the Baptist General Conference and Presbyterian Church (USA) are employing alternative approaches which promote continuity of leadership rather than disruption. The biblical, theological, historical, and theoretical resources engaged in this study support the anticipation of changes in pastoral leadership, rather than the reactionary approach currently utilized by many congregations