In the Name of ‘Childhood Innocence’: A Discursive Exploration of the Moral Panic Associated with Childhood and Sexuality

 This article critically examines moral panic as a political strategy in maintaining the hegemony of the nuclear family, the sanctity of hetereosexual relationships and the heteronormative social order. It focuses on the moral panic associated with children and sexuality, particularly that which is manifested around non-heterosexual subjectivities. The discussion is based on media representations of the moral panic associated with the Play School saga, The Tillman Child Care Centre / Learn to Include booklets and the We’re Here resource. It explores the hegemonic discourses around childhood innocence, sexuality and the construction of the homosexual as ‘folk devil’ and shows how these discourses are mobilised by conservative politicians and moral entrepreneurs to strategically instigate a moral panic at critical points in time

What Have We Learned from the Departures of Female Superintendents?

The purpose of this qualitative study of 20 female former superintendents in Virginia was to answer (1) What factors cause women superintendents to move and/or leave the superintendency? and (2) How do the women construct the story of their moving or leaving? Thematic analysis of the interview narratives discerned four major themes in the stories of these women: (1) Expectations of job duties; (2) Exhaustion as Superwoman; (3) Conflict with stakeholders; and (4) Departure on their own terms and timelines. This study contributes to the research on women in the superintendency and suggests implications for research, policy, and practice

Scoping studies to establish the capability and utility of a real-time bioaerosol sensor to characterise emissions from environmental sources

A novel dual excitation wavelength based bioaerosol sensor with multiple fluorescence bands called Spectral Intensity Bioaerosol Sensor (SIBS) has been assessed across five contrasting outdoor environments. The mean concentrations of total and fluorescent particles across the sites were highly variable being the highest at the agricultural farm (2.6 cm−3 and 0.48 cm−3, respectively) and the composting site (2.32 cm−3 and 0.46 cm−3, respectively) and the lowest at the dairy farm (1.03 cm−3 and 0.24 cm−3, respectively) and the sewage treatment works (1.03 cm−3 and 0.25 cm−3, respectively). In contrast, the number-weighted fluorescent fraction was lowest at the agricultural site (0.18) in comparison to the other sites indicating high variability in nature and magnitude of emissions from environmental sources. The fluorescence emissions data demonstrated that the spectra at different sites were multimodal with intensity differences largely at wavelengths located in secondary emission peaks for λex 280 and λex 370. This finding suggests differences in the molecular composition of emissions at these sites which can help to identify distinct fluorescence signature of different environmental sources. Overall this study demonstrated that SIBS provides additional spectral information compared to existing instruments and capability to resolve spectrally integrated signals from relevant biological fluorophores could improve selectivity and thus enhance discrimination and classification strategies for real-time characterisation of bioaerosols from environmental sources. However, detailed lab-based measurements in conjunction with real-world studies and improved numerical methods are required to optimise and validate these highly resolved spectral signatures with respect to the diverse atmospherically relevant biological fluorophores

The discovery of potent, selective, and reversible inhibitors of the house dust mite peptidase allergen Der p 1: an innovative approach to the treatment of allergic asthma.

Blocking the bioactivity of allergens is conceptually attractive as a small-molecule therapy for allergic diseases but has not been attempted previously. Group 1 allergens of house dust mites (HDM) are meaningful targets in this quest because they are globally prevalent and clinically important triggers of allergic asthma. Group 1 HDM allergens are cysteine peptidases whose proteolytic activity triggers essential steps in the allergy cascade. Using the HDM allergen Der p 1 as an archetype for structure-based drug discovery, we have identified a series of novel, reversible inhibitors. Potency and selectivity were manipulated by optimizing drug interactions with enzyme binding pockets, while variation of terminal groups conferred the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic attributes required for inhaled delivery. Studies in animals challenged with the gamut of HDM allergens showed an attenuation of allergic responses by targeting just a single component, namely, Der p 1. Our findings suggest that these inhibitors may be used as novel therapies for allergic asthma

Island precipitation enhancement and the diurnal cycle in radiative-convective equilibrium

To understand why tropical islands are rainier than nearby ocean areas, we explore how a highly idealized island, which differs from the surrounding ocean only in heat capacity, might respond to the diurnal cycle and influence the tropical climate, especially the spatial distribution of rainfall and the thermal structure of the troposphere. We perform simulations of three-dimensional radiative-convective equilibrium with the System for Atmospheric Modeling (SAM) cloud-system-resolving model, with interactive surface temperature, where a highly idealized, low heat capacity circular island is embedded in a slab-ocean domain. The calculated precipitation rate over the island can be more than double the domain average value, with island rainfall occurring primarily in an intense, regular thunderstorm system that forms in the afternoon to early evening each day. Island size affects the magnitude of simulated island rainfall enhancement, the intensity of the convection, and the timing of the rainfall maximum relative to solar noon. A combination of dynamic and thermodynamic mechanisms leads to a monotonic enhancement of domain-averaged tropospheric temperature with increasing fraction of island surface, which may contribute to localization of ascent over the Maritime Continent and its relationship to the Walker Circulation.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant AGS 1136466)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant AGS 1136480

The Role of Community Development in Heart Health Promotion

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a large portion of the burden of illness for industrial nations, and biomedical research has implicated lifestyle choices and socioeconomic conditions as primary determinants of CVD. There has been a resultant shift from curative to preventive and population health promoting strategies to reduce this burden of illness. The present research is part of a larger research program, the Canadian Heart Health Initiative-Ontario Project (CHHIOP), a two-stage (quantitative and qualitative) longitudinal study designed to investigate and strengthen community-based heart health activities in both the formal and informal public health systems. This study builds upon CHHIOP's qualitative findings to examine how community relationships and community development approaches play out in local contexts to shape the reality of (heart) health promotion practice. Although community development is a central concept in heart health policy there has been no analysis of its understanding, support or use among community health stakeholders. In order to address these questions thirty key informant interviews were conducted with community heart health stakeholders from eight of the 42 health unit areas across Ontario. The findings reveal that three patterns of community heart health practice appeared across the communities, illustrating a continuum of collaboration. These patterns are typfied by different community atmospheres for collaboration, the divergent nature of agency inter-relations, and distinct composites in the use of community (development) approaches. Central themes across communities illustrated the importance of local community contexts, the lack of a common understanding of community development, and the emergence of a shift in health agencies' ways of doing business. Local perspectives and the dynamics of intra-community relations were allowed to emerge and highlight the need for place-sensitive implementation of health promotion strategies at the community level.ThesisMaster of Arts (MA

The Career Path of the Female Superintendent: Why She Leaves

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to determine the reasons why women leave the superintendency. This study not only illustrated the different ways a woman can leave the position of superintendent but also the reasons she would choose to leave. These reasons can be either positive or negative, but they rarely are the sole cause for why a woman leaves the position. This interview study of 20 female participants who served as superintendent in the Commonwealth of Virginia identified four main themes as to why a woman chose to leave the superintendency. These included: (a) it wasn’t the job I thought it would be; (b) the struggles with family; (c) taking care of herself; and (d) I’m not the right fit for the community. The study also identified the routes women take to leave the superintendency which include retirement, leaving for another superintendency, movement into another position within PK-12, opportunity in higher education, working as an educational consultant, or moving into a position outside of education

Introduction: the case for rethinking school violence

School violence is a complex issue that raises important questions about social and educational relationships and about the nature of schooling itself. Explanations of possible causes abound, as researchers, educationalists and communities alike look for answers to a problem that persists - and at times erupts with deadly consequences - in what are ordinarily considered to be safe and supportive places for children and young people. Numerous definitions of violence have attempted to describe, delineate and categorise terms such as 'bullying' and 'violence', yet these are subject to ongoing debate and generally reflect the philosophical and ideological underpinnings of particular disciplinary fields. Contributors to this book locate their work within a broad sociocultural research tradition, informed by fields as diverse as sociology, anthropology, education, criminology and literary, media and cultural studies