Critical reflections on the use of participatory methodologies to build evaluation capacities in international development organisations

There has been a greater focus on strengthening evaluation capacity building (ECB) within development organisations in recent years. This can be attributed in part to the growing appreciation of the value of participatory and collaborative forms of evaluation. Evaluation is increasingly seen as an ongoing learning process and an important means of strengthening capacity and improving organisational performance (Horton et al., 2003:7). While there are many benefits of using participatory methodologies in ECB projects, our experiences and a review of the literature in this area highlight the many challenges, issues and contradictions that can affect the success of such ECB efforts. We discuss these issues, drawing on our learnings from the ongoing participatory action research (PAR) project 'Assessing Communication for Social Change’ (AC4SC). This four year project, which began in 2007, is a collaboration between communication and development academics and evaluation specialists from two Australian universities and communication for development practitioners and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) staff in the NGO Equal Access Nepal (EAN). The aim is to develop, implement, and evaluate a participatory methodology for assessing the social change impacts of community radio programs produced by EAN. It builds on previous projects that used ethnographic action research (EAR) methodology (Tacchi et al., 2007).

Critical reflections on the use of participatory methodologies to build evaluation capacities in international development organisations

"In this chapter the authors present a critique of Participatory Evaluation as worked in development projects, in this case, in Nepal. The article works between established claims that Participatory Evaluation builds capacity at programmatic and organisational levels, and the specific experiences of these claims in the authors’ current work. They highlight the need to address key difficulties such as high turn-over of staff and resulting loss of capacity to engage in Participatory Evaluation, and the difficulty of communication between academic as compared with local practical wisdoms. A key issue is the challenge of addressing the inevitable issues of power inequities that such approaches encounter. While Participatory Evaluation has been around for some time, it has only enjoyed more widespread recognition of its value in comparatively recent times, with its uptake in international development environments. To this extent, the practice is still in its early stages of development, and Jo, June and Michael’s work contributes to strengthening and more comprehensively understanding it. With regard to the meta-theme of this publication, this chapter is an example of how context not only influences the methodology to be used and the praxis of how it is to be used, but contributes to early explication of the core nature of an emerging methodology."

Critical analysis of spam prevention techniques

E-mail spam has remained a scourge and menacing nuisance for users, internet and network service operators and providers, in spite of the anti-spam techniques available; and spammers are relentlessly circumventing these anti-spam techniques embedded or installed in form of software products on both client and server sides of both fixed and mobile devices to their advantage. This continuous evasion degrades the capabilities of these anti-spam techniques as none of them provides a comprehensive reliable solution to the problem posed by spam and spammers. Major problem for instance arises when these anti-spam techniques misjudge or misclassify legitimate emails as spam (false positive); or fail to deliver or block spam on the SMTP server (false negative); and the spam passes-on to the receiver, and yet this server from where it originates does not notice or even have an auto alert service to indicate that the spam it was designed to prevent has slipped and moved on to the receiver’s SMTP server; and the receiver’s SMTP server still fail to stop the spam from reaching user’s device and with no auto alert mechanism to inform itself of this inability; thus causing a staggering cost in loss of time, effort and finance. This paper takes a comparative literature overview of some of these anti-spam techniques, especially the filtering technological endorsements designed to prevent spam, their merits and demerits to entrench their capability enhancements, as well as evaluative analytical recommendations that will be subject to further research.

Climate change and dengue: a critical and systematic review of quantitative modelling approaches

Background Many studies have found associations between climatic conditions and dengue transmission. However, there is a debate about the future impacts of climate change on dengue transmission. This paper reviewed epidemiological evidence on the relationship between climate and dengue with a focus on quantitative methods for assessing the potential impacts of climate change on global dengue transmission. Methods A literature search was conducted in October 2012, using the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Web of Science. The search focused on peer-reviewed journal articles published in English from January 1991 through October 2012. Results Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and most studies showed that the transmission of dengue is highly sensitive to climatic conditions, especially temperature, rainfall and relative humidity. Studies on the potential impacts of climate change on dengue indicate increased climatic suitability for transmission and an expansion of the geographic regions at risk during this century. A variety of quantitative modelling approaches were used in the studies. Several key methodological issues and current knowledge gaps were identified through this review. Conclusions It is important to assemble spatio-temporal patterns of dengue transmission compatible with long-term data on climate and other socio-ecological changes and this would advance projections of dengue risks associated with climate change. Keywords: Climate; Dengue; Models; Projection; Scenarios

Critical care nurses' perceptions of their educational needs

A survey of nurses working in critical care units in 89 Queensland hospitals was conducted to investigate their perceptions of critical care nurses' educational needs. Two thirds of the 62 respondents were from rural units and one third were from metropolitan units. Most respondents, irrespective of geographic location, wanted critical care education to be located in hospitals and to be accredited as a graduate diploma course. Rural and metropolitan nurses had similar educational needs and many worked for hospitals that were not offering adequate orientation or inservice critical care education. The findings that nursing staff turnover was a problem in metropolitan units and that the rural workforce was more stable have implications for the development of educational programs.

A critical look at cryptographic hash function literature

The cryptographic hash function literature has numerous hash function definitions and hash function requirements, and many of them disagree. This survey talks about the various definitions, and takes steps towards cleaning up the literature by explaining how the field has evolved and accurately depicting the research aims people have today.

Hybrid genetic algorithm for elimination of severe stress concentration in railhead ends

This paper presents a computational method for eliminating severe stress concentration at the unsupported railhead ends in rail joints through innovative shape optimization of the contact zone, which is complex due to near field nonlinear contact. With a view to minimizing the computational efforts, hybrid genetic algorithm method coupled with parametric finite element has been developed and compared with the traditional genetic algorithm (GA). The shape of railhead top surface where the wheel contacts nonlinearly was optimized using the hybridized GA method. Comparative study of the optimal result and the search efficiency between the traditional and hybrid GA methods has shown that the hybridized GA provides the optimal shape in fewer computational cycles without losing accuracy. The method will be beneficial to solving complex engineering problems involving contact nonlinearity.

Small angle X-ray scattering mapping and kinetics study of sub-critical CO2 sorption by two Australian coals

Time- and position-resolved synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering data were acquired from samples of two Australian coal seams: Bulli seam (Bulli 4, Ro=1.42%, Sydney Basin), which naturally contains CO2 and Baralaba seam (Ro=0.67%, Bowen Basin), a potential candidate for sequestering CO2. This experimental approach has provided unique, pore-size-specific insights into the kinetics of CO2 sorption in the micro- and small mesopores (diameter 5 to 175 Å) and the density of the sorbed CO2 at reservoir-like conditions of temperature and hydrostatic pressure. For both samples, at pressures above 5 bar, the density of CO2 confined in pores was found to be uniform, with no densification in near-wall regions. In the Bulli 4 sample, CO2 first flooded the slit pores between polyaromatic sheets. In the pore-size range analysed, the confined CO2 density was close to that of the free CO2. The kinetics data are too noisy for reliable quantitative analysis, but qualitatively indicate faster kinetics in mineral-matter-rich regions. In the Baralaba sample, CO2 preferentially invaded the smallest micropores and the confined CO2 density was up to five times that of the free CO2. Faster CO2 sorption kinetics was found to be correlated with higher mineral matter content but, the mineral-matter-rich regions had lower-density CO2 confined in their pores. Remarkably, the kinetics was pore-size dependent, being faster for smaller pores. These results suggest that injection into the permeable section of an interbedded coal-clastic sequence could provide a viable combination of reasonable injectivity and high sorption capacity.

Polycaprolactone scaffold and reduced rhBMP-7 dose for the regeneration of critical-sized defects in sheep tibiae

The transplantation of autologous bone graft as a treatment for large bone defects has the limitation of harvesting co-morbidity and limited availability. This drives the orthopaedic research community to develop bone graft substitutes. Routinely, supra-physiological doses of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are applied perpetuating concerns over undesired side effects and cost of BMPs. We therefore aimed to design a composite scaffold that allows maintenance of protein bioactivity and enhances growth factor retention at the implantation site. Critical-sized defects in sheep tibiae were treated with the autograft and with two dosages of rhBMP-7, 3.5 mg and 1.75 mg, embedded in a slowly degradable medical grade poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold with β-tricalcium phosphate microparticles (mPCL-TCP). Specimens were characterised by biomechanical testing, microcomputed tomography and histology. Bridging was observed within 3 months for the autograft and both rhBMP-7 treatments. No significant difference was observed between the low and high rhBMP-7 dosages or between any of the rhBMP-7 groups and autograft implantation. Scaffolds alone did not induce comparable levels of bone formation compared to the autograft and rhBMP-7 groups. In summary, the mPCL-TCP scaffold with the lower rhBMP-7 dose led to equivalent results to autograft transplantation or the high BMP dosage. Our data suggest a promising clinical future for BMP application in scaffold-based bone tissue engineering, lowering and optimising the amount of required BMP.

Critical factors affecting the implementation of sustainable housing in Australia

Improved public awareness of the environment and available technologies will continue to highlight the importance of sustainable housing in the coming years. Despite this potential, the majority of new housing development in Australia is still “project homes” with few tangible sustainability measures. Stakeholders tend to have different perceptions and priorities on sustainability. To promote the uptake of sustainable housing products, a study of the critical issues affecting the implementation of sustainable housing is necessary. This research investigates multiple factors that may influence key stakeholders’ decision-making towards sustainable housing adoption. Drawing insights from combined questionnaire and interview studies, 12 critical factors and their interrelationships are identified based on professional views in the Australian housing industry. The mutual influences, or driving force and dependency, of these factors are further investigated via Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) to distinguish those requiring prominent and immediate attention. A hierarchical model is developed to help key stakeholders prioritise actions when implementing sustainable housing.

Controlling microencapsulation and release of micronized proteins using poly(ethylene glycol) and electrospraying

The fabrication of tailored microparticles for delivery of therapeutics is a challenge relying upon a complex interplay between processing parameters and materials properties. The emerging use of electrospraying allows better tailoring of particle morphologies and sizes than current techniques, critical to reproducible release profiles. While dry encapsulation of proteins is essential for the release of active therapeutics from microparticles, it is currently uncharacterized in electrospraying. To this end, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was assessed as a micronizing and solubilizing agent for dry protein encapsulation and release from electrosprayed particles made from polycaprolactone (PCL). The physical effect of PEG in protein-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles was also studied, for comparison. The addition of 5–15 wt% PEG 6 kDa or 35 kDa resulted in reduced PCL particle sizes and broadened distributions, which could be improved by tailoring the electrospraying processing parameters, namely by reducing polymer concentration and increasing flow rate. Upon micronization, protein particle size was reduced to the micrometer domain, resulting in homogenous encapsulation in electrosprayed PCL microparticles. Microparticle size distributions were shown to be the most determinant factor for protein release by diffusion and allowed specific control of release patterns.

Numerical investigation of mechanical and thermal dynamic properties of the industrial transformer

Industrial transformer is one of the most critical assets in the power and heavy industry. Failures of transformers can cause enormous losses. The poor joints of the electrical circuit on transformers can cause overheating and results in stress concentration on the structure which is the major cause of catastrophic failure. Few researches have been focused on the mechanical properties of industrial transformers under overheating thermal conditions. In this paper, both mechanical and thermal properties of industrial transformers are jointly investigated using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Dynamic response analysis is conducted on a modified transformer FEA model, and the computational results are compared with experimental results from literature to validate this simulation model. Based on the FEA model, thermal stress is calculated under different temperature conditions. These analysis results can provide insights to the understanding of the failure of transformers due to overheating, therefore are significant to assess winding fault, especially to the manufacturing and maintenance of large transformers.

Transcriptional regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis in nectarine (Prunus persica) by a set of R2R3 MYB transcription factors

Background Flavonoids such as anthocyanins, flavonols and proanthocyanidins, play a central role in fruit colour, flavour and health attributes. In peach and nectarine (Prunus persica) these compounds vary during fruit growth and ripening. Flavonoids are produced by a well studied pathway which is transcriptionally regulated by members of the MYB and bHLH transcription factor families. We have isolated nectarine flavonoid regulating genes and examined their expression patterns, which suggests a critical role in the regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis. Results In nectarine, expression of the genes encoding enzymes of the flavonoid pathway correlated with the concentration of proanthocyanidins, which strongly increases at mid-development. In contrast, the only gene which showed a similar pattern to anthocyanin concentration was UDP-glucose-flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT), which was high at the beginning and end of fruit growth, remaining low during the other developmental stages. Expression of flavonol synthase (FLS1) correlated with flavonol levels, both temporally and in a tissue specific manner. The pattern of UFGT gene expression may be explained by the involvement of different transcription factors, which up-regulate flavonoid biosynthesis (MYB10, MYB123, and bHLH3), or repress (MYB111 and MYB16) the transcription of the biosynthetic genes. The expression of a potential proanthocyanidin-regulating transcription factor, MYBPA1, corresponded with proanthocyanidin levels. Functional assays of these transcription factors were used to test the specificity for flavonoid regulation. Conclusions MYB10 positively regulates the promoters of UFGT and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) but not leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR). In contrast, MYBPA1 trans-activates the promoters of DFR and LAR, but not UFGT. This suggests exclusive roles of anthocyanin regulation by MYB10 and proanthocyanidin regulation by MYBPA1. Further, these transcription factors appeared to be responsive to both developmental and environmental stimuli.

Antifeminist backlash and critical criminology

The backlash against feminist criminology is intertwined with broader resistance to feminism and other progressive social movements. Carol Smart noted in 1979 that changes in women's social or economic status have long been perceived as threats to the patriarchal gender order and are therefore "viewed with considerable misgiving, whilst any reinforcement of the value of women's traditional, domestic role has been perceived as a stand against further social decline and disorder" (Smart, 1979, p. 50). The contemporary backlash exists at the nexus of economic and ideological retrenchment seeking to enforce the hegemony of neoliberal conceptions of justice as formal equality. Critical criminology is linked to the backlash against feminism in two key ways. First, critical criminology is an important location for the study of antifeminism and its implications. Second, criminologists who study women or gender have frequently been attacked by antifeminist scholars and commentators.