Maternal imagination: Reconceiving first impressions

The concept of maternal imagination, whereby the disordered thoughts and impressions of pregnant women are used to explain the prevalence of monstrous births, was at its height during the early modern period, albeit it with many prior and subsequent manifestations. Against a more familiar, and enduring, medieval and Renaissance context of supernatural agency at work, the device of MI was seen as a 'naturalistic' model more in keeping with the advent of Enlightenment scientism. Nonetheless, the debate around it was ferocious and indicative more of a masculine anxiety about female desire and generative power than of a concern for impartial explanation. In problematizing a simply descriptive approach to archival material, my purpose is to explore what is at stake in the competing discourses that seem alternately, and even simultaneously, to empower and degrade the place of the mother. What is the unspoken of an historical debate that prefigures our contemporary interest in feminine excess?

Using projective techniques to tap into consumers' feelings, perceptions and attitudes ... getting an honest opinion

An investigation into customer loyalty to food retailers posed a methodological problem namely how to delve beneath the surface and access consumers' unspoken feelings, perceptions, attitudes and values. This paper explains how four different projective techniques were used to access the thoughts and feelings of 160 interviewees in order to obtain a thorough understanding of the interviewees' satisfaction with their 'main' food retailer and to characterize the relationship between the customer and retailer. A brief description of the use, analysis and examples of cartoon friends, word association, personification and mini case studies was provided in order to describe their role in the data collection process.

Conceptual and Perceptual Priming and Dissociation in Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Cognitive models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) assert that memory processes play a significant role in PTSD (see e.g., Ehlers & Clark, 2000). Intrusive reexperiencing in PTSD has been linked to perceptual processing of trauma-related material with a corresponding hypothesized lack of conceptual processing. In an experimental study that included clinical participants with and without PTSD (N = 50), perceptual priming and conceptual priming for trauma-related, general threat, and neutral words were investigated in a population with chronic trauma-induced complaints as a result of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The study used a new version of the word-stem completion task (Michael, Ehlers, & Halligan, 2005) and a word-cue association task. It also assessed the role of dissociation in threat processing. Further evidence of enhanced perceptual priming in PTSD for trauma stimuli was found, along with evidence of lack of conceptual priming for such stimuli. Furthermore, this pattern of priming for trauma-related words was associated with PTSD severity, and state dissociation and PTSD group made significant contributions to predicting perceptual priming for trauma words. The findings shed light on the importance of state dissociation in trauma-related information processing and posttraumatic symptoms.

Business representation and the UK regions: mapping institutional change

Political devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the developing regional agenda in England are prompting changes in the organization of business interest representation within the devolved and decentralized territories. In this paper we seek to describe the realignment of business interest representation at the 'regional' scale, first through a detailed review of changes underway across specific business associations and representative fora, and secondly through an initial attempt to compare and 'map' the patterns of institutional change recorded in the various territories. In broad terms the overall scale, operation and degree of formalization of the new political arrangements for business representation tend broadly to reflect the established institutional and political contexts of the respective nations and regions and the level of devolution ceded to the territories. However, there are important variations in a complex process of uneven development. In the concluding section we present some initial thoughts on the nature of the changes observed in the institutional framework for business representation. A key argument is that to date such changes suggest a reconfiguration of business political activity rather than a step-change in the institutional foundation for sub-national business interest representation in the UK. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioural and cognitive behavioural training interventions for assisting foster carers in the management of difficult behaviour.

Background The provision of training for foster carers is now seen as an important factor contributing to the successful outcome of foster care placements. Since the late 1960s, foster carer training programs have proliferated, and few of the many published and unpublished training curricula have been systematically evaluated. The advent of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and the research evidence demonstrating its effectiveness as a psychotherapeutic treatment of choice for a range of emotional and behavioural problems, has prompted the development of CBT-based training programmes. CBT approaches to foster care training derive from a ’skill-based’ training format that also seeks to identify and correct problematic thinking patterns that are associated with dysfunctional behaviour by changing and/or challenging maladaptive thoughts and beliefs. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural training interventions in improving a) looked-after children’s behavioural/relationship problems, b) foster carers’ psychological well-being and functioning, c) foster family functioning, d) foster agency outcomes. Search methods We searched databases including: CENTRAL (Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2006), MEDLINE (January 1966 to September 2006), EMBASE (January 1980 to September 2006), CINAHL (January 1982 to September 2006), PsycINFO (January 1872 to September 2006), ASSIA (January 1987 to September 2006), LILACS (up to September 2006), ERIC (January 1965 to September 2006), Sociological Abstracts (January 1963 to September 2006), and the National Research Register 2006 (Issue 3).We contacted experts in the field concerning current research. Selection criteria Random or quasi randomised studies comparing behavioural or cognitive-behavioural-base Data collection and analysis Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We contacted study authors for additional information. Main results Six trials involving 463 foster carers were included. Behavioural and cognitive-behavioural training interventions evaluated to date appear to have very little effect on outcomes relating to looked-after children, assessed in relation to psychological functioning, extent of behavioural problems and interpersonal functioning. Results relating to foster carer(s) outcomes also show no evidence of effectiveness in measures of behavioural management skills, attitudes and psychological functioning. Analysis pertaining to fostering agency outcomes did not show any significant results. However, caution is needed in interpreting these findings as their confidence intervals are wide. Authors’ conclusions There is currently little evidence about the efficacy of behavioural or cognitive-behavioural training intervention for foster carers. The need for further research in this area is highlighted.

An Inconvenient Truth: Barriers to Truth Recovery in the Aftermath of Institutional Child Abuse in Ireland

Contemporary settled democracies, including the United States, England and Wales and Ireland, have witnessed a string of high profile cases of institutional child abuse in both church and state settings. Set against the broader literature on transitional justice, this analysis argues that there are significant barriers to truth recovery within the particular context of historical institutional abuse by the clergy in the Republic of Ireland. In the main, I argue that the frameworks of the inquiries and commissions into historical institutional child abuse are not conducive to truth recovery or the search for justice in dealing with the legacy of an abusive past. It is the church-state relationship which makes the Irish situation noteworthy and unique. The Catholic Church and child care institutions are especially self-protective, secretive and closed by nature and strongly discourage the drawing of attention to any deficiencies in organisational procedures. The nature of the public inquiry process also means that there is often a rather linear focus on accountability and apportioning blame. Collectively, such difficulties inhibit fuller systemic investigation of the veracity of what actually happened and, in turn, meaningful modification of child care policies. The article concludes by offering some thoughts on implications for transitional justice discourses more broadly as well as the residual issues for Ireland and other settled democracies in terms of moving on from the legacy of institutional child abuse.

Detection of soil compaction using seismic surface waves

Seismic geophysical methods have rarely been used in precision agriculture, predominantly due to the perception that they are slow and results require a complex evaluation. This paper explores the possibility of using a recently developed surface wave seismic geophysical approach, the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) method, for assessment of agricultural compaction. This approach has the advantage of being non-intrusive, rapid and is able to produce 2D ground models with a relatively high density of spatial sampling points. The method, which was tested on a research site in Oakpark, Ireland, detected a significant difference in shear wave velocity between a heavily compacted headland and an uncompacted location. The results from this approach compared favourably with those obtained
from measurements of bulk density and penetrometer resistance and demonstrate that the MASW approach can distinguish between the extreme states of heavily compacted and uncompacted soil.

Update on Research Activities in the MaRINET Project

The MaRINET FP7 project aims to build a synergy in the European marine renewable energy development infrastructure network, involving a total of 28 partners across the union. Its scope extends from small to large scale testing, in both tank and field. The main activities of the project are to standardize test procedures, to provide centralized free access for European technology developers, and to innovate for improving test infrastructures and techniques.
Two years to the end of the project, this paper presents an update of the work being carried in this last part. It focuses on research objectives identified to be current challenges for industrial development. They are distributed in 6 topics. On the one hand are issues directly related to one of the 3 types of energy scoped in the project: wave, tidal, and offshore wind. On the other hand, collaborative effort is drawn on aspects that are common to those technologies: electrical components, environmental monitoring, and dedicated moorings.
Theory and validation of new test techniques are presented, for example in the case of non-intrusive wave measurements. This is done in coordination with extensive experimental analysis of the phenomena implying tests, such as nonlinearities in moorings.

Adaptive calibration of a three-microphone system for acoustic waveguide characterization under time-varying conditions

The pressure and velocity field in a one-dimensional acoustic waveguide can be sensed in a non-intrusive manner using spatially distributed microphones. Experimental characterization with sensor arrangements of this type has many applications in measurement and control. This paper presents a method for measuring the acoustic variables in a duct under fluctuating propagation conditions with specific focus on in-system calibration and tracking of the system parameters of a three-microphone measurement configuration. The tractability of the non-linear optimization problem that results from taking a parametric approach is investigated alongside the influence of extraneous measurement noise on the parameter estimates. The validity and accuracy of the method are experimentally assessed in terms of the ability of the calibrated system to separate the propagating waves under controlled conditions. The tracking performance is tested through measurements with a time-varying mean flow, including an experiment conducted under propagation conditions similar to those in a wind instrument during playing.

The student experience in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs): phenomenological analysis

Background and purpose
The dominant psychometric discourse of OSCEs may lead to unexpected problems, such as a checklist-based student performance1 which under emphasises the clinical relationship with student and standardised patient (SP). Such encounters can be dehumanising for SPs2 and have implications for what students learn about relational skills through the assessment process. In this study we explore medical students’ experiences of undertaking OSCEs using a phenomenological frame.
Methodology
Interpretative phenomenological analysis is a form of qualitative methodology which has strong resonance with existentialism and focuses on the lived experience without significant reference to external political or discursive
forces.
Six 4th year undergraduate medical students from Queen’s University Belfast were recruited in December 2013. Maximum variation sampling was used. Students were interviewed by a researcher in the week prior to the
OSCE and then again in the week following the OSCE in Jan 2014. Interviews were minimally structured in order to be open to respondents, rather than adhering to a fixed topic guide, but focussed on participants’ experiences, thoughts and feelings about taking part in OSCEs. Interviews were audio-recorded and
transcribed. Students were also asked to complete a short diary entry in the days prior to the OSCEs and another immediately following. Diary entries were written, emailed or audio-recorded at student’s preference.
Results
Transcripts are currently being analysed by interpretative phenomenological analysis. Preliminary analysis has demonstrated the significance of students’ relationships within the OSCE triad (student, SP and examiner); the effect of the immediate examination environment; realism versus roleplay; students’ perceptions of the purpose of assessment; and coping mechanisms.
Full results will be available by the time of the conference.
Conclusion and Discussion
Understanding the student experience in OSCEs is a crucial step in understanding the complex construction of relationships within the OSCE triad. The focus in OSCEs is typically on standardisation and reliability, but in exploring social interactions we may refocus attention on their inherent potential for learning and effects on both students and patients.
References
1. Hodges B. Medical education and the maintenance of incompetence. Med Teach 2006;28(8):690-6
2. Johnston JL, Lundy G, McCullough M, Gormley GJ. The view from over there: reframing the OSCE through the experience of standardised patient
raters. Med Educ 2013;47(9):899-909

Prediction of limit cycle oscillations under uncertainty using a Harmonic Balance method

The Harmonic Balance method is an attractive solution for computing periodic responses and can be an alternative to time domain methods, at a reduced computational cost. The current paper investigates using a Harmonic Balance method for simulating limit cycle oscillations under uncertainty. The Harmonic Balance method is used in conjunction with a non-intrusive polynomial-chaos approach to propagate variability and is validated against Monte Carlo analysis. Results show the potential of the approach for a range of nonlinear dynamical systems, including a full wing configuration exhibiting supercritical and subcritical bifurcations, at a fraction of the cost of performing time domain simulations.

Mind mapping: A tool to facilitate learning; why not give it a try?

Schools of nursing continuously strive to facilitate learning through student engagement and teaching strategies that encourage active learning. This paper reports on the successful use of mind mapping, an underutilised and underdeveloped strategy, to enhance teaching and learning in undergraduate nurse education (Spencer et al., 2013). Mind mapping or concept mapping has been defined in the literature as a visual representation of one’s thoughts and ideas (Abel and Freeze, 2006). It is characterised by colour, images and text in a graphical, nonlinear style. Mind maps promote the linking of concepts and capitalise on the brain’s natural aptitude for visual recognition to enhance learning and memory recall (Buzan, 2006). Traditional teaching strategies depend on linear processes, which in comparison lack engagement, associations and creativity (Spencer et al., 2013). Mind mapping was introduced to nursing students undertaking modules in ‘Dimensions of Care’ and ‘Care Delivery’ on year two of the nursing degree programme in Queen’s University Belfast. The aim of introducing mind mapping was to help students make the critical link between the pathophysiology of conditions studied and the provision of informed, safe and effective patient care, which had challenged previous student cohorts. Initially maps were instructor-made as described by Boley (2008), as a template for note taking during class and as a study aid. However, students rapidly embraced the strategy and started creating their own mind maps. Meaningful learning occurs when students engage with concepts and organise them independently in a way significant to them (Buzan, 2006). Students reported high levels of satisfaction to this teaching approach. This paper will present examples of the mind maps produced and explore how mind mapping can be further utilised within the undergraduate nursing curriculum.

Restorative Justice and Sex Offending

This essay examines the origins and uses of restorative justice with sexual offending and the contemporary challenges and controversies surrounding this. It charts the range of ad hoc initiatives which have sought to apply a restorative form of intervention with violent or sexual offending from first time and ‘acquaintance’ rape as well as young sexual abusers to high risk sexual offenders in the form of circles of support and accountability. Such schemes are often presented as a counter to the failings of retributive forms of justice and are premised on Braithwaite’s (1989) notion of ‘reintegrative shaming’ that seek to reintegrate offenders into the community. Critics of restorative justice traditionally put forward a number of core objectives when restorative justice is applied to serious forms of offending such as sexual offending. The essay also sets out and seeks to counter these principal challenges and how they may be overcome. For the most part, however, restorative justice has failed to reach its potential as a fully fledged sentencing rationale in being applied as a mainstream response to a wide range of offending including that at the higher end of the spectrum. The essay also seeks to examine barriers to restorative justice within contemporary penal policy and to highlight some of the most controversial applications of the restorative paradigm including those related to clergy sexual abuse. It concludes by offering some thoughts on the future of restorative justice as a mainstream responses to serious forms of offending.

Green prospects in Greece

The radical left-wing Syriza and the Green party Ecologists Greens/Oikologoi Prasinoi (EG) have been seen as representatives of the left-libertarian/new politics party families in Greece. These type of parties are marked by a commitment to new politics issues such as gender and racial equality, peace and ecology. In countries where two party formations of this kind are in competition to attract a very similar clientele and one of them is electorally significant, it is unlikely for the other to achieve autonomous electoral success. This is a well-known fact that has penetrated discussions on the strategic orientation of both parties since their first electoral participation in 2004 (only European parliament elections for EG).

Algunas consideraciones acerca de la espada de Guadalajara: ¿Un excepcional depósito desarticulado del Bronce Medio de la Meseta?

An exceptional gold-hilted sword, presumably from the province of Guadalajara, which today is kept in Madrid at the National Museum of Archaeology, has usually been treated as an isolated find. However, early references to this piece, when it was kept in the Rodriguez Bauza collection, would seem to indicate that it may have formed part of a hoard together with two other swords, one of which apparently can be associated with fragments of a second hilt-cover of gold sheet, acquired originally with the complete sword. Furthermore, during re-restoration of the first sword, traces left on its surface from at least two different hilts, demonstrated that the current gold-covered design has to be considered a secondary modification. While some Mycenean influence in the design of these weapons and their ornaments cannot be ruled out, for technical reasons a production on the Meseta at least of the gold sheets seems more likely than in the Southeast, where the ElArgarculture is usually more readily associated with the diffusion of Aegean elements.