bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethics First: Reflections on the Role of Research Ethics at the Initial Stages of an Investigation into Taxi Drivers' Experiences of Crime
Authors: Denscombe Martyn , Dingwall Gavin , Hillier Tim
Published: November 2011

The beginnings of a research project are not necessarily clear cut. This generates some interesting ethical issues for researchers during the period between the initial idea for research and its subsequent development in to a formal research proposal that can be submitted for approval to an ethics committee. This paper illustrates the point through a reflexive account of preliminary work towards a research project on taxi drivers and their experiences of being victims of crime. It explores the way that ethical considerations come into play during the early stages of a research project and argues that codes of research ethics need to give more explicit attention to researchers' duties of care during the initial ‘gestation’ stage of research.
From Absence to Presence, From Silence to Voice: Victims in International and Transitional Justice Since the Nuremberg Trials
Authors: Karstedt Susanne
Published: November 2011

As much as victims have been absent in traditional and national criminal justice for a long time, they were invisible in transitional and international criminal justice after World War II. The Nuremberg Trials were dominated by the perpetrators, and documents were mainly used instead of victim testimony. Contemporaries shared the perspective that transitional justice, both international and national procedures should channel revenge by the victims and their families into the more peaceful venues of courts and legal procedures. Since then, victims have gained an ever more important role in transitional, post-conflict and international criminal justice. Non-judicial tribunals, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, and international criminal courts and tribunals are relying on the testimony of victims and thus provide a prominent role for victims who often take centre stage in such procedures and trials. International criminal law and the human rights regime have provided victims with several routes to make themselves heard and fight against impunity.

This paper tracks the road from absence to presence, and from invisibility to the visibility of victims during the second half of the last and the beginning of the present century. It shows in which ways their presence has shaped and changed transitional and international justice, and in particular how their absence or presence is linked to amnesties.
Conceptualizing Victims' ‘Restoration’ in Restorative Justice
Authors: Bolivar Daniela
Published: November 2011

It has been argued that every scientific decision is co-determined by underlying worldviews. Which worldviews have guided research on restorative justice (RJ) with respect to the topic of ‘victims’ restoration'? In the RJ literature, ‘restoration’ appears from different perspectives, but it is not clear what the implications that these different perspectives might have for RJ practice and research are. This paper aims to a) describe how in RJ literature ‘restoration’ has been defined and measured, trying to uncover the underlying approaches adopted in both theory and research, and b) analyze their implications and limitations for the development of RJ theory and practice. The analysis shows that approaches differ in terms of how harm is defined and how the role of the victim is conceived, as well as with respect to the aspects that are considered to be most helpful for RJ practice. There also seems to be a gap between what has been theoretically defined and what has been empirically measured. Finally, it is concluded that the predominance of psychological models, the tendency to describe more than to explain, and the lack of a more comprehensive theoretical framework on victims' restoration are common characteristics of existing approaches.
Victimization, Victims' Needs, and Empowerment in Victim Offender Mediation
Authors: Choi Jung Jin , Green Diane L. , Kapp Stephen A.
Published: November 2011

This exploratory qualitative study examined victims' experiences in a Victim Offender Mediation (VOM). The focus was on the needs of the victims and to what extent the needs were met through VOM. In addition to prolonged observations, we conducted 34 interviews with VOM participants from four completed VOM cases that were processed in one mid-sized Midwestern city in the United States. Victims identified three critical needs: 1) sharing victimization; 2) acquiring further information; and 3) receiving a sincere apology. Victims indicated that the first two activities deepened their understandings about the incidents and consequently led them to be empowered. However, the lack of receiving a perceived sincere apology was in contrast. We discuss this gap through the lens of empowerment theories and make recommendations to promote empowering restorative justice for victims.
Compensating Victims of Crime in Ethiopia: A Reflective Analysis of Legislative Paradigm and Spirit
Authors: Vibhute K.I.
Published: November 2011

Ethiopia, one of the populous and poorest states in Africa, does not have a comprehensive statutory or administrative scheme for compensating victims of crime. Nevertheless, the idea of pecuniary compensation to victims of crime finds place in its Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code. The paper delves deep into the three approaches to compensating crime victims reflected in these statutes and highlights inbuilt weaknesses. Given the socio-economic conditions prevailing in Ethiopia and the state compensatory schemes emerging in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa, it assesses the feasibility of a state compensatory scheme in Ethiopia. It not only pleads for the removal of the inbuilt structural and operational bottlenecks of the existing fragmented statutory compensatory scheme but also offers certain viable proposals for the setting up of a state compensatory scheme in Ethiopia.
Victimization of Women: A Theoretical Perspective on Dowry Deaths in India
Authors: Natarajan Mangai
Published: November 2011

Deaths of young brides through suicide or homicide following disputes over the dowry (gifts given by the bride’s family to that of the groom during and after the marriage) are increasingly a feature of Indian society. Explanations of this social problem have been too heavily concentrated on the socio-cultural and psychological factors implicated and need to be supplemented by victimological and criminological concepts, drawn especially from routine activity and rational choice perspectives. A model incorporating these concepts within a traditional socio-cultural and psychological framework is presented. This more complete model of the phenomenon needs to be empirically verified, but in time may assist in developing a wider range of preventive strategies.
Victims in the Dutch Criminal Justice System: The effects of Treatment on Victims’ Attitudes and Compliance
Authors: Wemmers Jo-Anne
Published: November 2011

The present study attempts to address the question of how victim notification influences the relationship between victims and the criminal justice system. It examines empirically the effects of victim notification on their satisfaction with the performance of the public prosecution, their feelings of obligation to obey the law and law-abiding behavior. It does so by reporting the results of a survey that was conducted as part of the evaluation of new measures to improve the position of victims within the criminal justice system, which are currently being introduced in the Netherlands. Procedures that allow the passive participation of victims in the criminal justice procedure are judged to be more fair than procedures which exclude victims. Moreover, how victims are treated by the prosecution has a significant impact on their subsequent attitudes towards authorities and their law abiding behaviour. Following a review of the literature concerning the impact of victim participation in the criminal justice system and a description of recent developments in the treatment of victims in the Dutch criminal procedure, the method and results of the present study are described. The paper closes with a discussion of the findings and their implications for victim policy.
Perceptions of Offender Motivation in Unwanted Aggressive Sexual Advances
Authors: Sigler Robert T. , Curry Beverly S.
Published: November 2011

A study designed to examine aspects of perceptions of college students regarding date rape collected data from a randomly selected sample of students from a campus in the southern United States. The levels of rape and date rape, while still substantial, were less than had been anticipated. In addition, the subjects' perceptions of the motivation of the offenders was more positive than anticipated, with the most common label being ‘stupid’ and ‘mentally ill.’ The most frequently expressed explanation for offensive male behavior was the belief that the women would eventually consent.
Law Enforcement Officers' Attitudes about the Appropriate Responses to Woman Battering
Authors: Belknap Joanne
Published: November 2011

The debate over the appropriate police response to cases of battered women has intensified over the last two decades, with the majority of the research focusing on the deterrent aspect of pro-arrest policies. By contrast, this study is an examination of 324 law enforcement officers' reported attitudes and preferences regarding arrest and mediation and attitudes about battering victims and offenders. Overall, the findings include far more support for mediation than arrest, and a general tendency of officers to view women claiming to have been battered as non-credible and unworthy of police time. The variable that most strikingly differentiates officers is departmental affiliation, followed by race and sex. These findings affirm the plight of battered women when appealing to the police for assistance, as well as the importance of the departmental orientation and subculture in terms of predicting police response.
The Environmental Causes of Intellectual Injury — A victim Perspective
Authors: Williams Christopher
Published: November 2011

Human endeavour has now created environments that pose a threat to the human intellect. Lead, iodine deficiency, and nuclear pollution are recognised problems, but there are many others. Current debate is largely in the domain of medicine. The purpose of this paper is to provide the basis for a victimological perspective. Causation is the key concept, and therefore the main theme of this discussion. There are four relevant models of causation — scientific, social, environmental, and legal — within which this paper outlines the main literature, current thinking, associated difficulties, and possible developments within a victim perspective. The paper proceeds from a definition of ‘environmental victims’, and specific questions are raised concerning the status of the unborn victim, burdens of proof, and laws which diminish victims' rights. Finally, key principles, to ensure the security of our individual and collective ‘intellectual capital’ through national and international law, are proposed.
Tolerating Battering: Invisible Methods of Social Control
Authors: Shalhoub-Kevorkian Nadera
Published: November 2011

This article examines how invisible methods of social control contribute to the tolerance of battering amongst women. The study is based on the responses of 173 Palestinian women selected randomly from the East Jerusalem area, and who were interviewed to assess their perception and response to wife battering. Quantitative and qualitative data collected on the respondents suggest that while women do not accept violence practised on them, they tolerate it. Contextual analysis of the data showed that women tolerate violence because no other viable alternative is available to them. An in-depth analysis of the hidden variables contributing to this tolerance is given from a feminist perspective. Suggestions are given regarding the questions researchers should ask when dealing with wife battering.
Victim Harm, Impact Statements and Victim Satisfaction with Justice: An Australian Experience
Authors: Erez Edna , Roeger Leigh , Morgan Frank
Published: November 2011

In the debate surrounding victim input into sentencing, a major argument in favor of using victim impact statements (VIS) centered on the presumed effect of VIS on victim satisfaction with justice. Drawing upon procedural justice theory, this article examines the validity of the arguments concerning increased satisfaction with justice through a survey of felony crime victims in South Australia. The study sheds light on the factors that affect victim satisfaction with sentencing, and questions the presumed increased effect of VIS on satisfaction with justice. Further, it suggests a negative impact via unfulfilled expectations. The implications of the findings for VIS as an element of procedural justice are drawn and discussed.
The Influence of Positive and Negative Victim Credibility on the Assessment of Rape Victims; An Experimental Study of Expectancy—Confirmation Bias
Authors: Koppelaar Leendert , Lange Alfred , Van De Velde Jan-Willem
Published: November 2011

The influence of prior credibility information about a rape victim on the subsequent questioning and assessment of the victim by the police was studied in two related experiments. It was hypothesized that the number and type of questions asked would be influenced by the type of prior information the subjects had received. Furthermore, evaluation of the victims’ report was expected to be biased toward the manipulated level of victim credibility. In Experiment 1 law students were either given negative, positive or no victim credibility information before participating in a simulated victim interview. Analysis of the number and type of questions asked during the interview, and the attributed victim or assailant responsibility measured after the interview confirmed the hypothesis for the number and type of questions. The expected bias with regard to the final evaluation of the victim and the assailant was only partially confirmed. Irrespective of the prior information on victim credibility, attributions of responsibility were related to stereotypical beliefs about rape and estimated percentage of false crime reports. In Experiment 2 these results were partially replicated using a sample of vice squad detectives. These police officers appeared to be more sympathetic towards rape victims than were the law students. The discussion focused on the complexity of expectancy confirmation research and the rather positive results found in this study.
The Victim's Experience and Fear of Crime
Authors: Kury Helmut , Ferdinand Theodore
Published: November 2011

With the rapid development of sophisticated victim surveys, the fear of crime has emerged as a fundamental concept in theoretical and practical discourse. Since publication of the Report of the President's Commission The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society (1967), the fear of offenders has become a major public concern in the United States alongside the mounting problem of crime itself. The flourishing of national crime surveys in the United States and in Europe has in turn led to large data sets examining carefully not only the knowledge and experience of the victims regarding criminality but also the fear of offenders and its causes ( cf. Herbert and Darwood, 1992; p. 145). We shall offer first, a review of research on these issues in Europe and the United States, and then we shall report our research that has probed these issues in a focused manner.
Crime Victims' Well-Being and Fear in a Prospective and Longitudinal Study
Authors: Denkers Adriaan J.M. , Winkel Frans Willem
Published: November 2011

A study is presented on the influence of criminal victimization on well-being and fear within a nationwide sample of the Dutch population. The study focused on differences between victims and non-victims, and on the causality between crime and psychological upheaval. The design of the study was prospective, it included victims of several crime-types, and a matched sample of non-victims. The reactions of victims were measured before, and within two weeks, one month and two months after the crime. Results indicated that victims of crime systematically report lower levels of well-being, and, to some extent, higher levels of fear. Next, some indications were found supporting the notion that victims of violent crimes suffer more psychological distress than victims of property crimes. And finally, the data imply that, after the incident victims were ‘unhappier’ than non-victims, but, at least partly, already were so before the crime took place.
Examining the ‘White Racist/black Victim’ Stereotype
Authors: Dr. Goodey Jo
Published: November 2011

The paper discusses the complex reality of the ‘white racist/black victim’ stereotype using findings from the author's research on the impact of race and racism on boys' fear of crime. The research was undertaken in the north of England among boys and young men of white, Asian and Afro-Caribbean origin. A different range of inter-racial hostilities to those expected were unearthed during the course of the research, requiring a reappraisal of the ‘white racist/black victim’ stereotype. Evidence supported the emergence of a ‘new’ Asian male assertiveness which was frequently translated into aggression towards other racial groups. A central question discussed in the paper is whether inter-racial aggression by young Asian males can be framed in the context of ‘racism’. The contentiousness of this question is framed with regard to debates surrounding Islamophobia, power and powerlessness, and masculinity. In conclusion, any suggestion of Asian ‘racism’ is contextualised against the more powerful and extensive nature of white racism.
Fear of Crime and Individual Crime Protective Actions in Israel
Authors: Mesch Gustavo S. , Fishman Gideon
Published: November 2011

The inability of the police and the criminal justice system to contain crime at low levels has led people to use personal protective measures to reduce victimization risks. Recent studies on fear of crime indicate that fear for others' safety is more prevalent than fear for oneself. Using a representative sample drawn from the third largest city in Israel, this study investigates the hypothesis that fear for others more than fear for one's own safety may elicit the use of precautionary measures. The findings support the hypothesis only for personal protective behaviour. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Criminal Victimization on a Caribbean Island
Authors: Painter Kate A.
Published: November 2011

This paper reports results from the first national crime victimization survey carried out on a Caribbean island. Astratified random sample of 491 persons were interviewed, with a 90% response rate. Results were compared with those obtained in the International Crime Victims Survey for 10 countries. The prevalence and incidence of theft of vehicles, theft from vehicles, vehicle vandalism, robbery and personal theft were relatively low on the island. The prevalence and incidence of bicycle theft, burglary, attempted burglary, outside theft, assault/threats and sexual incidents were relatively high on the island. The probability of reporting a crime to the police was relatively low on the island, but confidence in the police was relatively high. Despite the relatively high level of crime on the island, fear of crime was relatively low.
Dissociation-focused Victim Support and Coping with Traumatic Memory: an Empirical Search for Evidence Sustaining the Effectiveness of Downward Comparison Based Interventions
Authors: Winkel Frans Willem , Blaauw Eric , Wisman Francien
Published: November 2011

Some victims are highly susceptible to develop traumatic memories. A basic model of traumatic memory and its theoretical implications for coping assistance offered by victim support is outlined. The main focus of victim support from this perspective is to initiate and facilitate a process of dissociation, of disengaging episodic and negative affective memory. Downward comparison based intervention — a subtype of techniques of cognitive restructuring and psychological distancing — is suggested here as a potential facilitative vehicle. Various basic hypotheses underlying this potential were tested empirically, utilising data from the VUA-longitudinal study on criminal victimization. Analyses suggested that downward comparisons were associated with more successful adjustment, that they are vital in controlling fear responses, and that these processes are linked with relatively lower levels of reported trauma symptoms, such as anxiety, agoraphobia, depression, and somatic complaints. Downward comparison based interventions thus in principle appear to constitute effective, quality enhancing components of victim support. The actual impact of such interventions should be examined in more detail in future studies.
Fear of Crime and Locale: The Impact of Community Related Factors upon Fear of Crime
Authors: O'Mahony David , Quinn Katie
Published: November 2011

Traditional accounts of fear of crime and victimisation have largely concentrated on factors associated with the individual such as their age, sex or ethnicity and more recently in Northern Ireland their religion. This conventional approach, adopted by many national victimisation surveys such as the British Crime Surveys and the Northern Ireland Crime Survey, has lead to assertions that, for example, women and older people are more anxious about victimisation and Protestants in Northern Ireland are more worried about terrorist attack than their Catholic counterparts. Drawing on the results of the first community based crime survey conducted in Northern Ireland, this paper explores the extent to which the community in which an individual lives, as opposed to their individual characteristics, directly impacts on their fear of crime. It is argued that, by overlooking the significance of community based factors, some criminologists may actually be obscuring our understanding of the dynamics of this fear.
The Victims of Crime and Restorative Justice: The Canadian Experience
Authors: Taylor Griffiths Curt
Published: November 2011

Among the industrialized countries of the world, Canada has assumed a leading role in the development of restorative and community based justice initiatives. These initiatives include those premised on traditional Aboriginal practices which are often developed in remote and isolated communities, as well as programs for non-Aboriginals designed and delivered in urban centres across the country. This paper considers the restorative justice experience in Canada with particular reference to the role of crime victims in the restorative justice process. To illustrate the issues surrounding victim involvement in restorative/community justice, several programs are presented. Finally, a number of critical issues surrounding restorative justice and the victims of crime are identified and discussed. The paper concludes by noting that, while restorative/community justice has the potential to address more adequately the needs and interests of crime victims, there are a number of issues that must be considered to ensure that crime victims are not revictimized.
Crime Victims, Restorative Justice and the Juvenile Court: Exploring Victim Needs and Involvement in the Response to Youth Crime
Authors: Bazemore Gordon
Published: November 2011

Historically, juvenile courts have presented significant obstacles to crime victim participation and have given little emphasis to victim satisfaction as an intervention goal. In a recent series of focus groups held in four U.S. states, crime victims provided in-depth qualitative accounts of barriers to input involvement resulting from court culture and protocols. This paper presents these findings and considers implications for restorative justice reforms in the juvenile justice context.
Restorative Justice in Indigenous Communities: Critical Issues in Confronting Violence Against Women
Authors: Zellerer Evelyn
Published: November 2011

This paper discusses community-based responses to violence against indigenous women. It is argued that restorative justice holds great promise but there are significant challenges to ensuring that violence is effectively confronted and women protected. The following six critical issues are examined: (1) breaking the silence and education, (2) the needs of victims, (3) power relationships, (4) elders, (5) cultural values, and (6) resources. Data are provided from a study of violence against Inuit women in the Canadian eastern Arctic. Although the focus is on indigenous communities, the issues raised are pertinent to many other communities and cultures.
Victims Under Restorative Justice Systems: The Afikpo (Ehugbo) Nigeria Model
Authors: Elechi Ogbonnaya O.
Published: November 2011

Unlike victims in the modem Nigerian criminal justice system, victims of crime under the Afikpo indigenous systems of conflict resolution are the focus of justice processes. Victims, offenders, and their families, as well as the general community, are involved in defining harm and repair. All parties acknowledge the emotional and material loss of the victim. Offenders and their families are held responsible for the victim's injury. Offenders are persuaded to pay restitution to victims. They also apologize to the victim, his/her family and the community. In sum, the goal of justice is therefore the reparation of harm done to victims and communities by offenders. Appropriate support is accorded victims and their families by the community.
Supporting Young Children With Multiple Disabilities
Authors: Horn Eva , Kang Jean
Published: November 2011

Young children with multiple disabilities have unique needs and challenges. Many of these young children struggle to communicate their wants and needs, to freely move their body to access and engage their world, and to learn abstract concepts and ideas. Professionals and families working together must identify the individual supports each child needs to ensure that the young child with multiple disabilities is an active participant in all aspects of his or her life and makes meaningful progress toward valued life outcomes.
An Equity Framework for Health Technology Assessments
Authors: Culyer Anthony J. , Bombard Yvonne
Published: November 2011

Despite the inclusion of equity in the design of many health care systems, pragmatic tools for considering equity systematically, alongside the efficiency categories of cost-effectiveness in health technology assessment (HTA), remain underdeveloped. This article develops a framework to help decision makers supplement the standard efficiency criteria of HTA and avoid building inequities, explicit or implicit, into their methods. The framework is intended as a first step toward creating a checklist for alerting decision makers to a wide range of equity considerations for HTA. This framework is intended be used as part of the process through which advisory bodies receive their terms of reference; scope the agenda prior to the selection of a candidate intervention and its comparators for HTA; prepare background briefing for decision makers; and help to structure the discussion and composition of professional and lay advisory groups during the assessment process. The framework is offered as only a beginning of an ongoing process of deliberation and consultation, through which the matters covered can be expected to become more comprehensive and the record of past decisions and their contexts in any jurisdiction adopting the tool can serve to guide subsequent evidence gathering and decisions. In these ways, it may be hoped that equity will be more systematically and fully considered and implemented in both the procedures and decisions of HTA.
Geographies of identity I
Authors: Berg Lawrence D.
Published: November 2011

As geographers interested in issues of identity, we need to be concerned with the subject effects of our own positioning in the world. I argue here that we need to be especially cognizant of the impact that neoliberalization has had on our own subjectivities as critical geographers, and how the consequent subject-positions produced in a neoliberalizing geography efface our roles in the reproduction of white supremacy in geography.
Retention of Movement Pattern Changes After a Lower Extremity Injury Prevention Program Is Affected by Program Duration
Authors: Padua Darin A. , DiStefano Lindsay J. , Marshall Stephen W. , Beutler Anthony I. , de la Motte Sarah J. , DiStefano Michael J.
Published: November 2011

Background: Changes in movement patterns have been repeatedly observed immediately after completing a lower extremity injury prevention program. However, it is not known if movement pattern changes are maintained after discontinuing the training program.

Hypothesis: The ability to maintain movement pattern changes after training has ceased may be influenced by the program’s duration. The authors hypothesized that among individuals who completed either a 3-month or 9-month training program and who demonstrated immediate movement pattern changes, only those who completed the 9-month training program would maintain movement pattern changes after a 3-month period of no longer performing the exercises.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: A total of 140 youth soccer athletes from 15 separate teams volunteered to participate. Athletes’ movement patterns were assessed using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) at pretest, posttest, and 3 months after ceasing the program (retention test). Eighty-four of the original 140 participants demonstrated improvements in their LESS scores between pretest and posttest (change in LESS score >0) and were included in the final analyses for this study (n = 84; 20 boys and 64 girls; mean age, 14 ± 2 years; age range, 11-17 years). Teams performed 3-month (short-duration group) and 9-month (extended-duration group) injury prevention programs. The exercises performed were identical for both groups. Teams performed the programs as part of their normal warm-up routine.

Results: Although both groups improved their total LESS scores from pretest to posttest, only the extended-duration training group retained their improvements 3 months after ceasing the injury prevention program (F2,137 = 3.38; P = .04).

Conclusion: Results suggest that training duration may be an important factor to consider when designing injury prevention programs that facilitate long-term changes in movement control.
Characterization of coconut fiber-filled polyvinyl chloride/acrylonitrile styrene acrylate blends
Authors: Rimdusit Sarawut , Damrongsakkul Siriporn , Wongmanit Patima , Saramas Duangporn , Tiptipakorn Sunan
Published: November 2011

Coconut fiber-filled composites based on PVC/ASA blend were developed. The results reveal that the impact strengths of the PVC/ASA/coconut fiber composites are significantly higher than those of PVC wood composites or polyolefin wood composites when comparison was made at the same fiber content. Dynamic mechanical analysis thermograms exhibit two distinct glass transition temperatures ([Formula: see text]) of the blend matrix, indicating partial miscibility of the blends. The storage modulus at room temperature and [Formula: see text] of the composites systematically increase with the fiber content. The tensile strength value of the blend as high as 45 MPa was obtained and found to only slightly decrease with the fiber content. The PVC/ASA blend shows a potential use as a matrix of high-impact wood composite products with good thermal dimension stability due to the outstanding impact strength and thermal properties of the blend.
Factors Influencing Parcelization in Amenity-Rich Rural Areas
Authors: Haines Anna L. , McFarlane Dan
Published: November 2011

The process of rural parcelization provides an ongoing challenge for planners targeting both habitat and farmland preservation. An understanding of which landscape features influence parcelization can help planners create more nuanced land division and zoning ordinances. We used GIS to reconstruct a historical parcel database for three towns in Wisconsin and then developed a logistic regression model to determine the extent to which parcel characteristics influence parcel subdivision. Influential predictors included proximity to roads, water, and agricultural areas as well as parcel size.
Zearalenone contamination in barley, corn, silage and wheat bran
Authors: Rashedi Mojtaba , Sohrabi Hamid Reza , Ashjaazadeh Mohammad Ali , Azizi Hamed , Rahimi Ebrahim
Published: November 2011

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a nonsteroidal estrogen mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum and other Fusarium species, which are plant pathogenic fungi that infect many plants and their products, including corn, barley, fruits and vegetables. This study presents the results of a survey for ZEN contamination on barley, corn, silage and wheat bran. A total of 54 samples were collected from Shahrekord in spring and summer 2010, including 20 barley, 8 corn, 12 silage and 14 wheat bran and analyzed using direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. From 54 samples analyzed, ZEN was found in 8 samples (14.8%), with a mean level of 142 ng/g. Corn had the highest incidence of ZEN (25.0%), followed by barley (20.0%) and silage (16.7%). No ZEN was detected in any wheat bran samples. The results of this study show that ZEN-exposed corn, barley, silage and wheat bran would not be a health concern in animals.
Investigation of the uncertainty of the in-plane mechanical properties of composite laminates
Authors: Longfei Tian , Zhenzhou Lu , Wenrui Hao
Published: November 2011

The uncertainty of the in-plane mechanical properties of the laminate used in an aircraft wing structure is investigated. Global sensitivity analysis is used to identify the source of the uncertainties of the response performance. Due to the limitations of the existing global sensitivity analysis method for nonlinear models with correlated input variables, a new one using nonlinear regression is proposed. Furthermore, a contribution matrix is defined for engineering convenience. Two nonlinear numerical examples are employed in this article to demonstrate the ability of the proposed global sensitivity analysis method. After applying the proposed global sensitivity analysis method to the laminate model, the contribution matrices are obtained; from these matrices, researchers can identify the dominant variance contributions that contribute the most to the response variance. Factor analysis is then employed to analyze the global sensitivity analysis results and determine the most efficient methods to decrease the variances of the in-plane elastic constants. Monte Carlo simulation is used to demonstrate the efficiency of the methods in decreasing the variances.
Missile acceleration controller design using proportional–integral and non-linear dynamic control design method
Authors: Kim S-H , Tahk M-J
Published: November 2011

In this article, a method to make the normal acceleration of medium angle of attack missile to track some desired trajectories is presented. The dynamics which describe a missile acceleration are known to be non-minimum phase, which makes it difficult to use a straightforward feedback linearization technique. This article aims at showing that this problem may be overcome by employing cascaded regulations in the non-linear area. First, inner loop controller by dynamical sliding mode control (SMC) method based on asymptotic output tracking is designed for angle of attack control which has a minimum phase characteristics. Also then, the problem that is addressed here is the completion of the global loop by designing an additional outer loop proportional–integral (PI) controller and angle of attack estimator. The performance and stability of proposed method are illustrated via computer simulations.
Effective utilization of operating condition in production of sintered ore
Authors: Kang H , Choi S , Yang W , Cho B
Published: November 2011

Combustion of solid fuel supplies heat in an iron ore sintering bed and the quality and productivity of the processes are highly dependent on the variation of operational parameters. To set the optimized operation modes through the application of various ideas, a numerical model can be employed prior to the conceptual designing of the actual plant. In this study, the effects of oxygen enrichment, increment of bed height, waste gas recirculation, as well as supplementary gaseous fuel combustion are investigated by employing a previously developed unsteady one-dimensional model of an iron ore sintering bed. Through the simulation, temperature distribution can be observed and used as the key data for the evaluation of the combustion efficiency. Flame front speed and sintering time, which represent propagation speed of the combustion zone, are also employed for quantification of the simulation. Through the parametric studies with numerical analysis, preliminary information about the detailed situation in the bed can be obtained.
Automated multi-objective and multidisciplinary design optimization of a transonic turbine stage
Authors: Song L , Luo C , Li J , Feng Z
Published: November 2011

An automated multi-objective and multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) of a transonic turbine stage to maximize the isentropic efficiency and minimize the maximum stress of the rotor with constraints on mass flowrate and dynamic frequencies is presented in this article. The self-adaptive multi-objective differential evolution (SMODE) algorithm is studied and developed to seek Pareto solutions of the optimization, and a new constraint-handling method based on multi-objective optimization concept is applied for constraint handling. The optimization performance of the presented SMODE is demonstrated using the typical mathematical tests. By applying SMODE as an optimizer and integrating three-dimensional (3D) blade modelling method based on non-uniform B-spline, load-fitting transfer algorithm in parameter space, 3D Navier–Stokes solution technique, and finite element analysis method as well, seven Pareto solutions are obtained. Two Pareto solutions are analysed in detail. One is the highest isentropic efficiency individual, while the other is a compromise between efficiency and mechanical stress in the blade. The aerodynamic performance and strength characteristics of the optimized turbine stage are significantly improved. The analysis results indicate that the presented multi-objective and MDO method has a potential in the optimization of blade performance and can be applied as a promising method for the optimization design of axial turbomachinery blades
Performance evaluation of a transonic axial compressor with circumferential casing grooves
Authors: Kim J-H , Choi K-J , Kim K-Y
Published: November 2011

This article presents an investigation on the performance characteristics of a transonic axial compressor with the application of the circumferential casing grooves. Three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with the shear stress turbulence model are discretized by finite volume approximations and solved on hexahedral grids for the flow analysis. The numerical results for the pressure ratio and the adiabatic efficiency show good agreement with the experimental data. The numerical stall inception point is identified from the last converged point by the convergence criterion, and the stall margin (SM) is numerically predicted. The performances of an axial compressor with rectangular shape of the circumferential casing grooves are analysed in comparison with the case of smooth casing. Additionally, the SMs and the peak adiabatic efficiencies with various shapes of the circumferential casing grooves are compared and evaluated in order to explore the influence of groove shape. The application of the circumferential casing grooves leads to significant improvement in the operating stability of compressors with slight reduction in the peak efficiency.
Automatic design of control systems for robot manipulators using the bees algorithm
Authors: Fahmy A A , Kalyoncu M , Castellani M
Published: November 2011

This paper proves the capability of the bees algorithm to solve complex parameter optimization problems for robot manipulator control. Two applications are presented. The first case considers the modelling of the inverse kinematics of an articulated robot arm using neural networks. The weights of the connections between the nodes need to be set so as to minimize the difference between the neural network model and the desired behaviour. In the proposed example, the bees algorithm is used to train three multilayer perceptrons to learn the inverse kinematics of the joints of a three-link manipulator. The second case considers the design of a hierarchical proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller for a flexible single-link robot manipulator. The six gains of the PID controller need to be optimized so as to minimize positional inaccuracies and vibrations. Experimental tests demonstrated the validity of the proposed approach. In the first case, the bees algorithm proved very effective at optimizing the neural network models. Compared with the results obtained employing the standard back-propagation rule and an evolutionary algorithm, the bees algorithm obtained superior results in terms of training accuracy and robustness. In the second case, the proposed method demonstrated remarkable efficiency and consistency in the tuning of the PID controller parameters. In 50 independent optimization trials, the PID controllers designed using the bees algorithm consistently outperformed a robot controller designed using a standard manual technique.
Prevalence and clinical usefulness of antiphospholipid and anticofactor antibodies in different Spanish preeclampsia subsets
Authors: Ferrer-Oliveras R , Llurba E , Cabero-Roura L , Alijotas-Reig J
Published: November 2011

Objective: To study the prevalence and clinical usefulness of antiphospholipid antibodies in different preeclampsia subsets. Design: Observational cross-sectional study. Setting: Tertiary teaching hospital. Patients: Ninety-nine women with preeclampsia versus 83 healthy pregnant women as controls. Interventions: We analysed anticardiolipin IgG/IgM, anti-ß2glycoprotein IgG/IgM, antiphosphatidylserine IgG/IgM, antiAnnexin-A5 IgG/IgM, and lupus anticoagulant. Main outcome measure: Comparison of antiphospholipid antibody positivity between groups. Results: Antiphospholipid antibody prevalence was 14.14% in the study group vs. 7.23% in controls. Excluding antiAnnexin-A5-positive women, overall antiphospholipid prevalence was 13.19% vs. 3.61% ( p = 0.034). Only IgM-anticardiolipin positivity showed significant differences between preeclampsia group and controls (8.1% vs. 1.20%, p = 0.041). Comparing a severe preeclampsia subset vs. controls, we obtained these significant results: for two or more positive antiphospholipid tests: 9.09% vs. 1.20 ( p = 0.037); IgM-anticardiolipin 10.91% vs. 1.20% ( p = 0.016); IgG/IgM-anti-ß2glycoprotein-I 10.91% vs. 1.90% ( p = 0.016), IgM-anti-ß2glycoprotein-I 9.09% vs.1.20 ( p = 0.037). When comparing early-onset preeclampsia vs. controls we found IgM-anticardiolipin 11.11% vs. 1.20% ( p = 0.029). Conclusions: Prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in preeclampsia patients is twice that in healthy pregnant women. Multipositive aPL test, IgM-anticardiolipin and IgM-anti-ß2glycoprotein-I isotypes showed an association with severe and early-onset preeclampsia. Larger studies are needed to establish the usefulness of antiphospholipid tests as risk markers for severe and early onset preeclampsia.
Cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala spinifera in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Lin Y-P , Li W , Yang Y-P , Huang W-M , Fan Y-M
Published: November 2011

Exophiala spinifera can induce both phaeohyphomycosis and chromomycosis. To date there have been 18 human infections caused by E. spinifera in the English literature. A case of E. spinifera-induced phaeohyphomycosis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is described. Direct microscopic examination of the pus showed branched, septate and chained hyphae and spores. A dark green velvety colony grew on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Slide culture showed branched, septate hyphae and spine-like annellated conidiophores. Histopathological biopsy revealed yellowish brown hyphae and spores. The isolate was identified as E. spinifera by DNA sequence analysis. The strain was unable to liquefy gelatin, grew at 25°C to 39°C, and was sensitive to itraconazole, amphotericin B, and terbinafine. To our knowledge, this is the first case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by E. spinifera in SLE patients.
Characteristics of Students Who Take an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards
Authors: Shaftel Julia , Rutt Benjamin T.
Published: November 2011

Alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) are designed to measure the academic achievement of students with disabilities who are not expected to reach grade-level standards but who do not qualify for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). This article describes the 2010 participants of one state’s AA-MAS. AA-MAS test-takers included a higher proportion of males than were recorded for the general test, and they were more likely than other students with disabilities to be of minority ethnicity, to be English language learners, and to experience poverty. AA-MAS participants were representative of groups who are more likely than average to drop out of school due to these risk factors. Understanding the characteristics of these students will be crucial as the Common Core State Standards are widely adopted and new assessments are created to measure these standards without special testing considerations for this population.
Modeling and optimization of bistable composite laminates for piezoelectric actuation
Authors: Betts David N. , Kim H. Alicia , Bowen Christopher R.
Published: November 2011

Adaptive structures that allow large deformations under the application of a low and noncontinuous energy input are gaining increasing interest in the aerospace industry. One potential mechanism of realizing shape control is piezoelectric actuation of asymmetric composite laminates. This article presents an optimization study for the design of bistable laminates for a reversible snap-through enabled by two orthogonal piezoelectric layers. The formulation optimizes the load-carrying capability of the structure subject to deflection and actuation limits through a variation in ply orientations and laminate geometry. We find the problem to be multimodal with the multiple optima to be dependent on the loading and snap-through directions and the complex constraint boundary interactions. A reduction in the total actuation voltage is achieved through the simultaneous use of the positive and negative working ranges of the two piezoelectric layers.