Tensile deformation behaviour of Zr-based glassy alloys

This paper presents a study of the deformation behaviour of a glassy phase in two Zr-based alloys, Zr₆₅Ni₁₀Cu₅Al_7.5Pd_12.5 and Zr₆₅Al_7.5Ni₁₀Pd_17.5, performed in situ in a transmission electron microscope. In contrast to the case of shear localisation and formation of 10–20 nm thick shear bands in deformed bulk glassy samples studied earlier, it is found that in thin (electron-transparent) samples the glassy phase in front of a crack deforms more homogeneously and no nanocrystallisation takes place. The reasons for such behaviour are discussed. According to the observed results, one can conclude that the studied metallic glasses can be intrinsically ductile in submicrometre-sized volumes.     

How African-American ministers communicate HIV/AIDS-related health information to their congregants: a survey of selected black churches in Houston,TX

Throughout history, black churches have played a significant role in the spiritual, social, and political life of African-American communities. Yet attitudes about morality surrounding HIV/AIDS have hampered unconditional involvement of black churches in dealing with the disease. Although the black church's attitudes toward the disease have evolved in the last 25 years, research suggests that a lingering negative disposition still exists. This study examines the current status of church-based HIV/AIDS education and support services provided by the black churches in the Houston area. The data were drawn from 319 church members and 12 ministers, using two separate questioners. Members and ministers were surveyed on a variety of issues related to HIV/AIDS education and support services, and their attitudes and behavior towards the disease. The results seem to confirm the much needed involvement of the black church in providing education and support in dealing with the disease.     

Elephant or Elebird?: dialogic formation of truth and subjectivity in Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hatches the Egg & Horton Hears a Who!

The voice of the other seems to become more than just a marginal voice in Dr. Seuss’s Horton stories. Throughout these two narratives the character of this big elephant constantly reinforces the marginal voice of the other through a dialogic relationship. Horton the elephant cannot and will not stand a ruling voice. He persistently searches for the other. He is big and he does big things for small things. His acts of compassion and solicitude can best be explained through Mikhail Bakhtin’s views on dialogism and language. The aim of this essay is to analyse the mentioned stories in the light of Bakhtin’s theories on discourse and subjectivity. All through both of these books in children’s literature, readers can detect the dialogic formation of truth and subjectivity as Horton experiences the clash of marginal with dominant. Margin crosses the borders of the centre and therein lies the rub.     

Not so unfortunate: carnivalisation,metafiction & the elements of grotesque realism in The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

As the harbinger in Lemony Snicket’s children’s novel series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Bad Beginning unfolds subversively from the outset. This woeful tale is a far cry from what we traditionally expect to be a story written for children. Klaus, Violet and Sunny, the orphaned protagonists of the story, are literally the ‘magnets for misfortune’. As they experience the tragic events, the Baudelaires’ talents and abilities are constantly put to the test. A series of unfortunate events, this essay argues, leads to a fortunate and spiritual insight in the Baudelaires that underlines a sense of connectedness in the children who go through traumatic calamities, a spiritual sense that deals with both the bright and dark sides of the events. To substantiate this argument, Mikhail Bakhtin’s carnivalisation and degradation are utilised to shed a different and, of course, a spiritual shade of light on the seeming unfortunate events. Hierarchies are reversed and grotesque imageries reinforce degradation. This degradation, however, sparks off a new genesis in the life of the Baudelaires. Turning to the metafictional side of the novel and its conflicting relations with didacticism, this essay verifies the claim that Lemony Snicket provokes children into a critical reading of their own choice. Ultimately, the essay examines the mentioned Bakhtinian elements to gain a richer understanding of the melancholic narrative of the Baudelaires in the context of an upside down genre. This is when a tragic tale is read like a fairy tale.     

Further Life Experiences Informing the Death and Adjustment Hypotheses

The meaning of life is never straight to us humans. At different turns of life, we perceive different meanings that are offered to us by our own lives. Near one’s death, professional disaster, enmity, family suffering, and fears for life all have their own dimensions. Nevertheless, when summing up, they seem to revolve around the same central themes again and again. In this article, we tried to offer the insights that we found from some very significant and traumatic events of our own lives through the spectacles of our theory—“Death and Adjustment Hypotheses.” Our life is always important; so is our peace and safety. But when we lose our values, we lose everything. It is often that we try to live through our offspring; however, it is our morality and humane values that can ultimately save them from the traumas of life and see them meaningfully through life and death as transcendental beings.     

Introducing Emotioncy as a Potential Source of Test Bias: A Mixed Rasch Modeling Study

This article attempts to present emotioncy as a potential source of test bias to inform the analysis of test item performance. Emotioncy is defined as a hierarchy, ranging from exvolvement (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic) to involvement (inner and arch), to emphasize the emotions evoked by the senses. This study hypothesizes that when individuals have high levels of emotioncy for specific words, their test performance may systematically change, resulting in test bias. To this end, 355 individuals were asked to take a 40-item vocabulary test along with the emotioncy scale. Mixed Rasch model was employed to flag differential item functioning items. Results illustrated that the test takers with high emotioncy toward specific words outperformed the ones in the low-emotioncy group, characterizing emotioncy as a potential source of test bias.     

Time for action versus action in time: time estimation differs between motor preparation and execution

Theories relating to time perception and motor performance predict very different temporal distortions depending on the synchronisation or succession of temporal processing and motor behaviour. However, our knowledge about the temporal difference between motor preparation and execution is still scarce. In order to expand on prior studies, two different time reproduction tasks were utilised to measure motor preparation and motor execution. We found that motor preparation of a planned action allows participants to complete the time reproduction task more accurately and, in short duration trials, less variably than for motor execution. Furthermore, under-reproduction was found in motor preparation compared to motor execution, which may be caused by increased temporal information processing. According to the attentional gate theory, more attention allocated to time processing and reduced motor distraction leads to less temporal distortion in the motor preparation. The findings are also important for designing to study consciousness, temporal and visual processing.     

Relationship Between Religious Belief and Happiness: A Systematic Literature Review

Happiness is a feeling that is desired by every human being. To achieve happiness, human try various routes like, to gain financial superiority, fame, entertainment, assets and so on. But on the contrary, religiosity is claimed to be a technique to attain purpose in life, mental health, physical well-being and internal peace, which ultimately leads to happiness in life. This study analyses the studies conducted in last two decades toward understanding the relationship between religiousness and happiness. These studies have been organised in terms of the religions, geographic locations, scales and significance. The study shows that the claim has proven to be true by a vast majority of the surveys irrespective of religion, gender, nationality or race. Although Muslims seems to be the happiest, it requires further verification.     

Can Religious Beliefs be a Protective Factor for Suicidal Behavior? A Decision Tree Analysis in a Mid-Sized City in Iran, 2013

This study aimed to assess using tree-based models the impact of different dimensions of religion and other risk factors on suicide attempts in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Three hundred patients who attempted suicide and 300 age- and sex-matched patient attendants with other types of disease who referred to Kerman Afzalipour Hospital were recruited for this study following a convenience sampling. Religiosity was assessed by the Duke University Religion Index. A tree-based model was constructed using the Gini Index as the homogeneity criterion. A complementary discrimination analysis was also applied. Variables contributing to the construction of the tree were stressful life events, mental disorder, family support, and religious belief. Strong religious belief was a protective factor for those with a low number of stressful life events and those with a high mental disorder score; 72 % of those who formed these two groups had not attempted suicide. Moreover, 63 % of those with a high number of stressful life events, strong family support, strong problem-solving skills, and a low mental disorder score were less likely to attempt suicide. The significance of four other variables, GHQ, problem-coping skills, friend support, and neuroticism, was revealed in the discrimination analysis. Religious beliefs seem to be an independent factor that can predict risk for suicidal behavior. Based on the decision tree, religious beliefs among people with a high number of stressful life events might not be a dissuading factor. Such subjects need more family support and problem-solving skills.