The Alachua-St. Marys Road

The foot trails and rough cart roads of early nineteenth-century Florida reflected the needs for communication and trade which were changed significantly as the territory was organized and development began under American administration. Nevertheless, there was a tendency for continued local use of these old routes long after the original functions had been lost. Not only was it easier to improve or modify an existing trace than to cut an entirely new one through the Florida forests, but the early routes were relatively felicitous, following the drainage divides, skirting the extensive swampland tracts, and avoiding more difficult river crossings. Numerous stretches of the historical routes remain in use today, nearly two centuries later, ranging from faintly marked forest paths and jeep trails to city streets and super highways. Such route segments constitute landscape features which may be described as “relict,” for they represent elements of the past now serving different purposes. Further, when the various segments are viewed collectively, they often reveal much, if not all, of the former routes of which they are detached portions. Thus, many of the old trails and historic roads have been “imprinted” on the Florida landscape, although this phenomenon may not be immediately obvious

Between the Bear and the Dragon: Multivectorism in Kazakhstan as a Model Strategy for Secondary Powers

Kazakhstan has followed a foreign policy of multivector diplomacy since its independence from the former Soviet Union. While multivectorism was a strategy of necessity in its early years, it has evolved to empower Kazakhstan to effectively protect its independence and negotiate its relationship with the great powers on its borders and further afield. After the 2014 Russian seizure of Crimea it is noteworthy that Kazakhstan has maintained positive relations with Russia while asserting its sovereignty and independent foreign policy. In this article we investigate how Kazakhstan has negotiated the rise of China, taking advantage of the economic opportunities it presents. We trace the foreign policy of Kazakhstan from independence forward, examining its relationships with its Great Power neighbours and its role in international organizations and negotiations. We posit that multivectorism is similar to the strategy of omni-enmeshment and complex balancing seen in south-east Asia. Both are effective methods for secondary powers to protect their sovereignty and to coexist with Great Powers without becoming their client states. Kazakhstan\u27s approach to foreign policy is an exemplar for secondary states. This article contributes to the literature on the strategic decision-making of secondary powers and to the theoretical analysis of the foreign policy of Kazakhstan during a critical moment of transition from the long-time rule of Nursultan Nazarbayev to the presidency of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Do Economic Linkages through FDI Lead to Institutional Change? Assessing Outcomes in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan

Foreign direct investment (FDI) can deliver benefits beyond the provision of capital, such as efficiency gains. We argue that the theorised positive effects of economic linkage are reduced when linkages are based on natural resources. Domestic elite coalitions supporting reform are also weaker in countries with extensive natural resources. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have high-value natural resources and significant FDI, making them most likely cases for reform. Kyrgyzstan is a contrasting case as it has few natural resources. We find that the institutional reforms we would anticipate because of linkages have not occurred and those that exist are often cosmetic

A Human Factors Analysis of Work in Food Pantries: A Case Study of Two Local Pantries

A Human Factors Analysis of Work in Food Pantries: A Case Study of Two Local Pantries Nicholas A. Higgins, B.S., Danielle S. Vanderhill, Keshia D. Pierre, Jeremy DaCruz, Nicholas W. Fraulini & Andrew B. Talone University of Central Florida ABSTRACT The goal of the present study was to investigate the work environment and main work processes in two small food pantries from a human factors perspective. Current research on enhancing food pantries in general is very limited, especially with a focus on human factors improvements. This study specifically aimed to understand and evaluate food pantry design (i.e., the environment and workflow), potential physical demands on worker performance (e.g., heavy lifting), and cognitive components of human-machine interaction for main tasks (e.g., perceptual-motor skills, disuse or misuse of the equipment, mental workload, decision-making, and error-recovery strategies). Findings were then used to identify improvements for current procedures and optimize the work environment and worker performance (i.e., increased comfort and efficiency) for both pantries through the application of human factors principles. The study was conducted over the course of six months. Across both locations, 37 workers were observed in total (16 volunteers and 1 supervisor, 18 student volunteers and 2 supervisors; respectively). Two investigators for each location observed daily tasks and procedures within the pantry and conducted interviews with the pantry supervisors using techniques of ethnography (c.f., Wimmer & Dominick, 2006) and task analysis (c.f., Mayhew, 1999). Interviews addressed which tasks were the most or least common, the easiest or most difficult to perform, any issues workers had in general or specifically with the equipment, and clarification of observation notes. Then a more in-depth analysis was conducted on what were determined to be the main tasks for each pantry (i.e., obtaining pantry items, organizing pantry items, distributing pantry items to clients). Suggestions for enhancing the human-machine interaction (e.g., enhancing the interface used for inputting volunteer and food information) and work environment (e.g., reducing clutter) are provided. It should be noted that sustainable improvement may be difficult to implement in small food pantries given the often transitional nature of the workers. Additional investigations should be implemented to further support small non-profit organizations such as these where there is a great need. Contact Information Nicholas A. Higgins 3609 Stonefield Drive Orlando, FL, 32826 Phone: 850-524-1875 Email: [email protected] University Affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL Danielle S. Vanderhill Department of Psychology 4000 Central Florida Blvd Orlando, FL, 32816 Phone: 407-371-7077 Email: [email protected] University Affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL Keshia D. Pierre Department of Psychology 4000 Central Florida Blvd Orlando, FL, 32816 Phone: 407-361-8035 Email: [email protected] University Affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL Jeremy DaCruz Department of Psychology 4000 Central Florida Blvd Orlando, FL, 32816 Phone: 434-213-0345 Email: [email protected] University Affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL Nicholas W. Fraulini Department of Psychology 4000 Central Florida Blvd Orlando, FL, 32816 Phone: 617-968-0496 Email: [email protected] University Affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL Andrew B. Talone Department of Psychology 4000 Central Florida Blvd Orlando, FL, 32816 Phone: 407-362-8492 Email: [email protected] University Affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, F

Effect of UVA Fluence Rate on Indicators of Oxidative Stress in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

During the course of a day human skin is exposed to solar UV radiation that fluctuates in fluence rate within the UVA (290-315 nm) and UVB (315-400 nm) spectrum. Variables affecting the fluence rate reaching skin cells include differences in UVA and UVB penetrating ability, presence or absence of sunscreens, atmospheric conditions, and season and geographical location where the exposure occurs. Our study determined the effect of UVA fluence rate in solar-simulated (SSR) and tanning-bed radiation (TBR) on four indicators of oxidative stress---protein oxidation, glutathione, heme oxygenase-1, and reactive oxygen species--in human dermal fibroblasts after receiving equivalent UVA and UVB doses. Our results show that the higher UVA fluence rate in TBR increases the level of all four indicators of oxidative stress. In sequential exposures when cells are exposed first to SSR, the lower UVA fluence rate in SSR induces a protective response that protects against oxidative stress following a second exposure to a higher UVA fluence rate. Our studies underscore the important role of UVA fluence rate in determining how human skin cells respond to a given dose of radiation containing both UVA and UVB radiation

Effects of external loads on postural sway during quiet stance in adults aged 20–80 years

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of holding external loads on postural sway during upright stance across age decades. Sixty-five healthy adults (females, n = 35), aged 18–80 years were assessed in four conditions; (1) standing without holding a load, holding a load corresponding to 5% body mass in the (2) left hand, (3) right hand and (4) both hands. The centre of pressure (COP) path length and anteroposterior and mediolateral COP displacement were used to indirectly assess postural sway. External loading elicited reductions in COP measures of postural sway in older age groups only (P 0.05). Holding external loads during standing is relevant to many activities of daily living (i.e. holding groceries). The reduction in postural sway may suggest this type of loading has a stabilising effect during quiet standing among older adults

Russia and the diffusion of political norms: the perfect rival?

Russian norm diffusion has been studied mainly as the mirror image of the EU’s, but deserves to be studied in its own right and complexity. Three core categories of political norms are explored: sovereign choice, regime and conservative ideas. It is argued that Russia does not promote a coherent political model, by lack of one, but rather diffuses a disparate set of conservative ideas and non-democratic practices. Russia’s normative positioning is equivocal. It champions established international norms like sovereignty, placing itself within the dominant normative community, but contesting the application by the West. When it comes to certain liberal political norms (often reduced to a strawman version), it questions their validity and rejects them, placing itself outside the dominant normative community, but claiming to defend ‘genuine’ European values. This makes Russia an ambiguous norm contester, rather than the perfect normative rival of the EU. The complexity of its norm contestation follows from exogenous motives: it is predominantly an anti-hegemonic reaction against what it perceives as the Western imposition of norms, harming vital Russian interests

Enabling autocracy? Peacebuilding and post-conflict authoritarianism in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Does peacebuilding shape the regime type of countries where international missions are deployed? Most peacebuilding missions take place in authoritarian contexts, and seek to overcome the legacies of conflict by overseeing transitions to democratic rule; however, most regimes that experience peacebuilding still retain some form of authoritarian rule. In this paper, we examine the extent to which international peacebuilding missions contribute to the consolidation of post-conflict authoritarian regimes even when their stated aims involve the promotion of democracy. We argue that international peacebuilders can act as enablers of authoritarianism in host countries. We distinguish this category of behavior from explicit ‘autocracy promotion,’ which implies intentional support to autocracy. Instead, enabling is often an unintended consequence, and we identify two mechanisms through which enabling occurs: by building the capacity of incumbent authoritarian leaders and by signaling a permissive environment for authoritarian behavior for national actors. We illustrate our argument with the case of the UN peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo