Internal,External, and Government Political Efficacy: Effects on News Use,Discussion, and Political Participation

News use and political discussion are often studied as important factors in understanding the effects of political efficacy on participation. However, measurements of external efficacy often blur distinctions between personal ability and government responsiveness. This study establishes a measure for perceptions of competence in the institutions of democratic government—government efficacy (GE). Drawing on panel survey data from the United States, confirmatory factor analysis introduces GE as a unique construct. Political efficacy dimensions are tested for their impact on news consumption, discussion, and political participation. Results add to the extant literature revolving the role of political efficacy on news use, discussion, and participation.     

Bookbinding Information on the Web: Breaking the Circle,from Pixels to Linked Open Data

The “Digital Heritage: Spotlight on Europe” column examines technological advances internal and external to cultural institutions. The digital shift changed radically how cultural heritage is made, disseminated, distributed, accessed, consumed, and monetized. One of the most important revolutions is that the user's role changed dramatically, shifting from passive observers to active participants and content producers with many new and exciting opportunities for engagement, creative use, and access. The strength of the column is its broad, international focus, and contributors are encouraged to explore issues and recent advances in digital heritage theories, methodologies, standards relevant to the European region, as well as the larger, global audience. Interested authors are invited to submit proposals and articles to the column editor at annamaria.tammaro@unipr.it. Please include “ILLR submission” in the subject line of the e-mail.     

Acoustic Characteristics of Naturally Occurring Cries of Infants with "Colic"

Although infantile colic has long been defined by a perceived excessive amount of crying, acoustic attributes of the cry sound may also contribute to perceptions that this early social behavior is excessive or problematic. From an original sample of 76 infants (38 infants referred to physicians for problematic crying, or "colic," and 38 pair-matched comparison infants), 48 infants who produced naturally occurring cry bouts both before and after an evening feeding were studied: 11 infants with Wessel's colic, 15 infants with non-Wessel's colic, and 22 comparison infants. Standard and vociferous cry segments were selected from up to 2 min of tape-recorded crying for spectrum analysis. Vociferous cry segments had a longer duration, a higher fundamental frequency, and a greater percentage of dysphonation than did standard segments. No differences between infant groups were found in cries before feeding. After feeding, infants who were problematic criers, independent of Wessel's criteria, showed a greater percentage of dysphonation in the vociferous cry segment than did comparison infants. This finding resulted from a decrease in dysphonation in the cries of comparison infants after feeding and an increase in those of infants with non-Wessel's colic. The dominant frequency also increased after feeding in the vociferous cries of infants with Wessel's colic, resulting in these infants having higher-pitched cries after feeding than infants in the other 2 groups. Results indicate that infants who are perceived to have problematic crying have objectively different acoustic features in their cry sounds that are particularly aversive, and that complaints about excessive crying cannot be accounted for simply on the basis of reporting bias in overly concerned or emotionally labile parents.     

Drug Testing,Sex Verification,and the 1967 Pan-American Games

Abstract

Despite frequent claims that invasive methods of sex verification and early procedures for doping detection were used in 1966 and 1967 at different major international sport competitions, little is known about the origins and rationales for implementing such procedures. This paper focuses on the drug testing and sex verification protocols implemented at the 1967 Pan-American Games held in Winnipeg. Specifically, it explores the conditions that led to these protocols, as well as the details of and the arguments invoked for their implementation. To do so, archival material, media coverage featured in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish newspapers and magazines across the Americas, and oral histories are analyzed and discussed. The paper demonstrates that neither the sex verification nor the drug testing protocol was mandatory for all athletes and only two very specific groups of athletes were targeted. It also demonstrates that in the case of the former, exceptions were made within the specific group targeted. The paper concludes that the rudimentary protocols applied at the 1967 Pan-American Games likely informed the IOC Medical Commission’s doping and sex-testing policies implemented at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and Grenoble Winter Olympics.     

试论陆葇《逃人行》的写作背景

逃人问题是顺治与康熙前期的一个重大社会问题,然而涉及这一社会问题的文学作品却寥寥无几,且内容简略。陆葇的诗歌《逃人行》是久遭埋没的详细描述这一社会问题的重要作品。陆葇之所以敢于触及如此敏感的题材,一是和康熙帝逐步修订逃人的政策,放宽了有关法令相关;二是和陆葇本人幼时曾遭清兵俘获的痛苦经历以及他过人的胆识相关。     

La palabra complementada (cued speech). De la percepción visual del habla a la comprensión y producción de la palabra

Los sistemas paraverbales o que acompañan al habla son necesarios a todo hablante «normal». Algunos pueblos, como los latinos (frente a los anglosajones, por ejemplo), hacemos uso generoso y eficiente de ellos. Un trabajo sistemático con ellos ha permitido poner en marcha un método eficaz para la educación del lenguaje oral en niños sordos. En este artículo se expone en detalle el sistema, sus implicaciones y eficacia y los pasos a dar para su aplicación.     

Process for the 3D virtual reconstruction of a microcultural heritage artifact obtained by synchrotron radiation CT technology using open source and free software

Computer tomography (CT) technology has greatly contributed to the feasibility and convenience of detecting and visualizing the internal material constitution and geometrical fabrication of museum artifacts. This paper presents a case study of 3D virtual reconstruction for the CT-acquisition-based study of a cultural heritage artifact. It documents the complete procedure, including the preprocessing, segmentation and visualization of the data by providing coarse interactive exploration and integrated high-quality renderings. A parallel aim achieved was to use open source tools and free software for segmentation and visualization, thus providing full transparency of the adopted methodology and 3D visualization methods, and a cost effective solution for ordinary CPU-based PC users. Furthermore, the challenges of the large data volumes involved have been addressed using preprocessing, a segmentation scheme and linked front-to-back management to keep interaction and high-quality rendering available, thus achieving corresponding demands.     

Beyond Giving: Political Advocacy and Volunteer Behaviors of Public University Alumni

College and university leaders have paid an enormous level of attention to one domain of alumni involvement: charitable giving. In light of the decline of state support for higher education and the shrinking ability of families to pay for college, such emphasis is understandable. However, this emphasis has blinded scholars and practitioners to understanding the important non-monetary support roles played by college alumni. Drawing on data from a research extensive university, this study employs a sequential mixed method design (focus groups and confirmatory factor analysis) to demonstrate that non-monetary support behaviors are best understood through the distinct, but interrelated domains of political advocacy and volunteerism. Political advocacy behaviors include contacting legislators, the governor’s office, local politicians and serving on a political action team, while volunteer behaviors include mentoring new alumni, recruiting students, and participating in special events. The study breaks ground for future research on alumni support for higher education, including strategies to recruit alumni volunteers and advocates.