Quantitative posture analysis of 2D, 3D, and optical microscope visualization methods for microsurgery tasks

The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative posture analysis of microsurgery tasks performed with different visualization methods. Microsurgery is traditionally performed using a binocular microscope; however surgeons are constrained by the optical eyepieces and are forced to assume joint angles that deviate away from neutral postures. This may be especially problematic for the neck and can increase surgeon discomfort and fatigue. Alternative visualization methods may improve surgeon posture by eliminating the constraints imposed by the microscope. This study examines both 2D and 3D heads-up displays as possible alternatives. Six subjects performed microsurgical tasks with each visualization methods for four hours. Quantitative posture analysis was done using Maxtraq software that tracks reflective markers on the subjects. The initial analysis of neck, upper arm, and elbow angles found significant differences between each display. A biomechanical analysis found that the differences in angles can result in loads on the neck joint that are twice as high in the microscope than the headsup displays. Although the alternative displays can result in better postures, improvements the display technology is needed to improve microsurgical task performance.     

The French in Algeria, Algerians in France: Bourdieu, colonialism, and migration

Bourdieu's early fieldwork which included field observation, statistical analysis, and the use of photography to capture, represent, and analyse Algerian society in its complexity, took place within the unusual context of the Algerian War of Independence (1954–62). A number of his photographs of Algerian life depict the physical dislocation of Algerian peasantry into shanty towns largely as the result of rapid socio-economic and cultural change introduced by French colonisation and war. Although this fieldwork was to fundamentally shape his subsequent oeuvre, substantive issues which arose out of this research including colonialism, racism, and migration, tended to disappear in his later writings. This paper will argue that Bourdieu's discussion of colonialism in his early work, together with arguments developed by his student and co-author, Abdelmalek Sayad, provide a basis for understanding contemporary processes of ethno-racial domination and migration.     

More Inclusive States,Less Poverty Among Immigrants? An Examination of Poverty,Citizenship Stratification,and State Immigrant Policies

Over the last 20 years, policymaking related to immigrant populations has increasingly been conducted at the state-level. State immigrant polices may influence immigrant poverty by determining immigrants’ level of access to social, economic, political, and health resources and by shaping the social environment. Further, these immigrant policies may shape the stratification between citizens and noncitizens, potentially contributing to distinct patterns of disparities in poverty by both citizenship and race/ethnicity. To assess the relationship between immigrant policy and socioeconomic stratification of immigrants across citizenship status and race/ethnicity in the U.S., we combined data from the 2014 American Community Survey and a measure of level of inclusion of state immigrant policies. We estimated fixed-effects logistic regressions to test the associations between poverty and the interaction of level of inclusiveness, citizenship, and race/ethnicity, controlling for state- and individual-level characteristics. Results showed that there are significant disparities in poverty by citizenship status and race/ethnicity. Asian/Pacific Islander (API) noncitizens experienced lower levels of poverty in states with higher levels of inclusion. Both Latino and API citizens experienced lower levels of poverty in states with higher versus lower levels of inclusion. Among Latinos, the gap in poverty rates between noncitizens and citizens is larger in more inclusive than less inclusive ones, suggesting that the potential positive impact of more inclusive environments does not necessarily translate to the most vulnerable Latino group. The level of inclusion was not associated with differences among Whites and Blacks. Findings suggest that states with more inclusive immigrant policies may foster environments that advance the economic well-being of API noncitizens, as well as API and Latino citizens.     

Psychological predictors of eating pathology in older adult women

Eating pathology is generally considered to affect females during adolescence and early adulthood. However, in recent years, there has been an increased recognition that disordered eating occurs in middle-aged and elderly women and that the presentation is similar to that of eating disorders in younger women. In the research presented here, results of an Internet survey of older adult women (N = 245; aged 60–90 years) indicate that the factors significantly associated with eating pathology—perfectionism, depression, and sociocultural pressures to be thin—closely parallel those reported for both younger and middle-aged women.     

The Rise of Rational Choice Theory as a Scientific/Intellectual Movement in Sociology

How did Rational Choice Theory (RCT), traditionally rejected by sociologists for its economic individualism, rise rapidly in the 1980s and the 1990s to theoretical and institutional prominence within sociology? Drawing on Frickel and Gross’ (American Sociological Association, 70(2):204–232 2005) framework for the emergence of scientific/intellectual movements (SIMs), we argue that RCT rose to prominence in sociology in conjunction with: 1) high status actors’ criticism of the previously dominant paradigm, structural functionalism; 2) favorable structural conditions that provided entrepreneurial access to key resources; 3) proliferation through micromobilization contexts; and 4) the ability of those espousing RCT for sociology to draw on dominant cultural motifs outside of academia. The rise of RCT in American sociology provides a case study for how scientific/intellectual movements can find an audience in academic contexts that are predisposed to oppose them.     

A review,analysis, and extension of peer-leader feedback agreement: Contrasting group aggregate agreement vs. self-other agreement using entity analytics and visualization

In reviewing peer-leader feedback within Multi-Source Feedback programs, the group aggregate agreement (GAA) method is contrasted with self-other agreement (SOA). Past research (Markham, Smith, et al., 2014) has demonstrated convergence problems with GAA for groups of peer raters. To evaluate dyadic convergence, we used the Benchmarks data to investigate two derailment factors (Building & Mending Relationships and Interpersonal Problems) for 4607 peers describing 1505 focal respondents. For high-agreement dyads, the r_total = ? 0.66** with 88% of the combined variance and covariance based on dyadic averages converging as whole units. Only 50% of all dyads demonstrated this type of high convergence. For low agreement dyads, the matching correlation (r_total = ? 0.56**) was almost exclusively a function of within-dyad divergence with only 4% stemming from between-dyad sources. Research implications for evaluating SOA under these agreement conditions are highlighted. Practitioner applications for using an entity-based visualization of dyads also are prototyped and discussed.     

The Influence of Community Disadvantage and Masculinity Ideology on Number of Sexual Partners: A Prospective Analysis of Young Adult,Rural Black Men

Young, rural Black men are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a consequence, in part, of multiple sexual partnerships. We conducted a prospective study that examined the influence of masculinity ideology on changes in numbers of sexual partners in this population. We focused on a set of high-risk attitudes termed reputational masculinity. Community disadvantage during young adulthood was examined as a risk factor for reputational masculinity ideology, and vocational commitment was examined as a potential protective factor. The sample included 505 African American men ages 19 to 22 from high-poverty rural communities. Men reported their numbers of sexual partners during the past three months, masculinity ideology, community disadvantage, and vocational commitment. Follow-up data were collected 18 months after baseline assessment. Negative binomial modeling was used to test study hypotheses. Results indicated that community disadvantage was associated with increases in reputational masculinity during early adulthood, which in turn were linked to increases in numbers of sexual partners. Vocational commitment interacted with reputational masculinity to forecast numbers of sexual partners, attenuating the influence of reputational masculinity. Reputational masculinity and promotion of engagement with the workplace may be important targets for interventions designed to reduce sexual risk behavior.