Menstrual Experiences of Totally Blind Menstruators in Kathmandu

Many communities still consider menstruation as a taboo, and thus various restrictions are imposed on menstruators during their menstruation. Despite their challenges, the totally blind menstruators, too, are not spared from the restrictions. This paper presents the findings of a study on menstrual experiences of five totally blind menstruators in Kathmandu, Nepal. Managing their menstruation independently amidst the social and cultural restrictions is far more difficult for blind menstruators because of their needs in terms of support from the family members and physical infrastructures like bathrooms and toilets. The restrictive practice of keeping them in isolation away from their families, whom they rely upon for their day-to-day activities, for up to 22 days during their menarche (first period) not only snatches away their comforts and convenience but also makes them insecure and causes emotional trauma. Ensuring safe and dignified menstruation for blind menstruators needs wider awareness on the realities of menstruation in society, understanding and supportive role of the family, particularly the non-menstruating members, and the appropriate physical infrastructures.

My Faith Gives Me Strength: Black Churches Supporting Dementia Care Partners

Inequities in dementia care require an in depth understanding of dementia care partner life experiences, care needs, sources of support and ways to improve those experiences at the community level. In partnership with Black Churches in Baltimore, MD and rural Pennsylvania, we facilitated three focus groups (n=30) with Black dementia care partners to understand: 1) unique dementia care-related needs and challenges, and 2) how the church can be a supportive care partner. Participants noted three overarching themes related to challenges and needs: 1) unique challenges in caregiving - assuming various roles to provide comprehensive care, working within policies of support services, environmental challenges (neighborhood safety), and family conflicts; 2) lack of dementia education and educational materials; and 3) unmet needs of the care recipient – lack of dementia friendly neighborhoods, lack of meaningful activities, and undiagnosed dementia. Regarding the supportive role of the church, the theme of perceived role of the church included providing emotional and social support for care partners and recipients, reducing burden through providing respite, support groups, networking/ connections to resources, and promoting health events.

Effect of International Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Internationalization of SMEs: The Contingent Effect of Export Promotion Programs

The study argues that the role of export promotion programs (EPPs) is indirectly exhibited by enhancing the influence of managerial and organizational resources on the internationalization of SMEs. This study proposes that the dimensions of international entrepreneurial orientation (innovativeness, pro-activeness and risk-taking) will show varied strengths as predictors of the internationalization of SMEs’ with the influence of EPPs. Using structural equation modeling, data collected from 266 exporting SMEs in Nigeria were analyzed and it is concluded that SMEs’ risk-taking in internationalization increases with participation in EPPs. Similarly, there was an increase in innovativeness among internationalizing SMEs with increased participation in EPPs. Finally, participation in EPPs did not show any impact in pro-activeness attribute towards internationalization of SMEs. This study demonstrates the supportive role of institutions in SMEs’ managerial capacity building in overcoming internationalization challenges by developing the culture of risk taking and innovativeness.

Effect of International Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Internationalization of SMEs: The Contingent Effect of Export Promotion Programs

The study argues that the role of export promotion programs (EPPs) is indirectly exhibited by enhancing the influence of managerial and organizational resources on the internationalization of SMEs. This study proposes that the dimensions of international entrepreneurial orientation (innovativeness, pro-activeness and risk-taking) will show varied strengths as predictors of the internationalization of SMEs’ with the influence of EPPs. Using structural equation modeling, data collected from 266 exporting SMEs in Nigeria were analyzed and it is concluded that SMEs’ risk-taking in internationalization increases with participation in EPPs. Similarly, there was an increase in innovativeness among internationalizing SMEs with increased participation in EPPs. Finally, participation in EPPs did not show any impact in pro-activeness attribute towards internationalization of SMEs. This study demonstrates the supportive role of institutions in SMEs’ managerial capacity building in overcoming internationalization challenges by developing the culture of risk taking and innovativeness.

The Use of Music Therapy Strategies to Enhance the General Milieu in a Rehabilitation Centre

<p>This research focused on how music therapy strategies could be used to improve the milieu in a rehabilitation centre in a New Zealand city. Residents in the rehabilitation centre had difficulty interacting with each other. I planned to use a Community Music Therapy approach to address residents' social needs. The research methodology was Action Research which involves the study of one's own practice. Cycles of learning led to the introduction of more 'open' groups and the use of the 'sharing concert' as a vehicle for promoting interaction between residents, staff, and family members, and staff and children at an early childhood centre. I examined the group dynamics, encouraged residents to move from small groups to bigger group or even open groups, and began to challenge them to take responsibility for individual tasks for their own and others' benefit. Through interactive music making, the residents improved understanding about conversation courtesy; their motivation for active participation increased as they developed a sense of togetherness, and appreciation for their community. They enjoyed interacting with the wider community also, and had the wish to 'branch out'. Further, the action research changed my understanding and leadership style: I learnt to gradually move from an aesthetic focus and into a supportive role as residents prepared for "their own concert".</p>

The Use of Music Therapy Strategies to Enhance the General Milieu in a Rehabilitation Centre

<p>This research focused on how music therapy strategies could be used to improve the milieu in a rehabilitation centre in a New Zealand city. Residents in the rehabilitation centre had difficulty interacting with each other. I planned to use a Community Music Therapy approach to address residents' social needs. The research methodology was Action Research which involves the study of one's own practice. Cycles of learning led to the introduction of more 'open' groups and the use of the 'sharing concert' as a vehicle for promoting interaction between residents, staff, and family members, and staff and children at an early childhood centre. I examined the group dynamics, encouraged residents to move from small groups to bigger group or even open groups, and began to challenge them to take responsibility for individual tasks for their own and others' benefit. Through interactive music making, the residents improved understanding about conversation courtesy; their motivation for active participation increased as they developed a sense of togetherness, and appreciation for their community. They enjoyed interacting with the wider community also, and had the wish to 'branch out'. Further, the action research changed my understanding and leadership style: I learnt to gradually move from an aesthetic focus and into a supportive role as residents prepared for "their own concert".</p>

Assessing the role of the pelvic canal in supporting the gut in humans

The human pelvic canal (true pelvis) functions to support the abdominopelvic organs and serves as a passageway for reproduction (females). Previous research suggests that these two functions work against each other with the expectation that the supportive role results in a narrower pelvic midplane, while fetal passage necessitates a larger opening. In this research, we examine how gut size relates to the size and shape of the true pelvis, which may have implications on how gut size can influence pelvic floor integrity. Pelves and in vivo gut volumes were measured from CT scans of 92 adults (48 female, 44 male). The true pelvis was measured at three obstetrical planes (inlet, midplane, outlet) using 11 3D landmarks. CT volumetry was used to obtain an individual’s gut size. Gut volume was compared to the pelvic planes using multiple regression to evaluate the relationship between gut size and the true pelvis. We find that, in males, larger gut sizes are associated with increased mediolateral canal dimensions at the inlet and midplane. In females, we find that larger gut sizes are associated with more medially-projecting ischial spines and an anteroposteriorly longer outlet. We hypothesize that the association of larger guts with increased canal width in males and increased outlet length in females are adaptations to create adequate space for the gut, while more medially projecting ischial spines reduce the risk of pelvic floor disorders in females, despite its possible spatial consequences for fetal passage.

Non-forgetfulness and forgetfulness 忘 (wang) in ancient Chinese philosophical texts

In this study, I examine conceptualizations of memory in classical Chinese philosophical texts with the purpose of encouraging the inclusion of ideas of non-Western cultures in memory studies. The texts selected for this study are Kongzi’s Analects, Mengzi, the Xici commentary on the Book of Changes, the Zhuangzi, and the Xunzi. Methodologically, I differentiate between the mnemic process and its goal. My point of departure is the complementary relation that marks the non-forgetfulness and forgetfulness sequence. This study proposes the paradigm of an axis and margins to represent the yin- yang reasoning implied by the complementary relation in conjunction with the narrativity of the mnemic process. Two major consequences of this model are the understanding of non-forgetfulness and forgetfulness in terms of attentive and suspended awareness, and the supportive role of forgetfulness or suspended awareness in enhancing the function of memory.

Another way to look at counterfactuals

Counterfactuals such as If the world did not exist, we would not notice it have been a challenge for philosophers and linguists since antiquity. There is no generally accepted semantic analysis. The prevalent view, developed in varying forms by Robert Stalnaker, David Lewis, and others, enriches the idea of strict implication by the idea of a “minimal revision” of the actual world. Objections mainly address problems of maximal similarity between worlds. In this paper, I will raise several problems of a different nature and draw attention to several phenomena that are relevant for counterfactuality but rarely discussed in that context. An alternative analysis that is very close to the linguistic facts is proposed. A core notion is the “situation talked about”: it makes little sense to discuss whether an assertion is true or false unless it is clear which situation is talked about. In counterfactuals, this situation is marked as not belonging to the actual world. Typically, this is done in the form of the finite verb in the main clause. The if-clause is optional and has only a supportive role: it provides information about the world to which the situation talked about belongs. Counterfactuals only speak about some nonactual world, of which we only know what results from the protasis. In order to judge them as true or false, an additional assumption is required: they are warranted according to the same criteria that warrant the corresponding indicative assertion. Overall similarity between worlds is irrelevant.