bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying Patterns and Pathways of Offending Behaviour
Authors: Francis Brian , Soothill Keith , Fligelstone Rachel
Published: April 2004

This study presents a new approach to developing a typology of criminal activity. The distinguishing feature of the analysis is that it concentrates on determining types of activity rather than the amounts of activity over the life course. The methodology involves investigating criminal activity in a succession of five-year periods rather than the conventional approach of summarizing a ‘lifetime’ of crime. This provides scope for assessing changes and pathways of criminal activity as offenders grow older, and gives new insight into the concepts of specialization and versatility. The Home Office Offenders Index birth cohort for 1953 provided official conviction histories up to 1993 (age 40), and latent class analysis identified a fixed number of types of criminal behaviour separately for males and females. The patterns of offending varied markedly between males and females. Male offending (with nine identified types) showed greater diversity than female offending (with three identified types). For the males, each type of offending had a distinct age profile, but this was not evident with the females. A new definition of offending specialization is given, and is shown to increase for males as offenders grow older. A case study on one of the male offending types illustrates the potential for identifying pathways of crime.
A Multilevel Analysis of Neighbourhood Contextual Effects on Serious Juvenile Offending
Authors: Oberwittler Dietrich
Published: April 2004

The extent and nature of contextual effects on juvenile offending are frequent subjects of current research, mainly in the USA. After a short literature review, this paper presents empirical results of a new study which hints at the existence of neighbourhood contextual effects on serious offending by adolescents. The study is based on three types of cross-sectional data on 61 neighbourhoods in two German cities and a rural area: a self-report survey of students aged about 13 to 16, a separate survey of residents in the survey neighbourhoods, and census and administrative data on the same neighbourhoods. Multilevel analysis is applied to identify and explain the neighbourhood-level variance of selfreported serious juvenile offending. Hypotheses from both main traditions of theoretical reasoning about contextual effects on juvenile delinquency - subcultural and disorganization theories - are supported by the empirical findings. The spatial concentration of adolescents with attitudes typical of delinquent subcultures increases the likelihood of serious offending net of relevant individual predictors, whereas the social capital of neighbourhoods (as measured by the independent survey of residents) reduces it. Methodological problems of applying multilevel analysis to delinquency research are discussed.
The Burglary as Clue to the Future
Authors: Johnson Shane D. , Bowers Kate J.
Published: April 2004

Predicting when and where crimes are likely to occur is crucial for prioritizing police resources. Prior victimization is an excellent predictor of risk. Repeat victimization, when it occurs, tends to occur swiftly after an initial incident. The predictive power of prior victimization is greater than that of other analysed variables (see Budd 1999). Self-evidently, prior victimization yields no prediction about properties as yet unvictimized. This article, using data about the crime of domestic burglary, contends that research should seek to realize the predictive potential to be gained from both pre-and post-victimization factors. One of the advantages of crime reduction through the prevention of repeats is that it offers a constant (and, it is hoped, declining) rate of events that trigger preventive action, and hence a natural pace for preventive work. In that spirit, postvictimization prevention should, as well as targeting the victimized home, also protect other properties that are similar with respect to the dimensions used by burglars in target selection. The central purpose of the research here reported is to identify the ways in which it is prudent to allocate crime reduction resources in the wake of an offence and across time and location relative to the burgled home. We analysed police-recorded crime burglary data for the county of Merseyside. Using statistical techniques developed to study the transmission of disease, we first confirmed that burglaries do cluster in space and time. The operational payoff of this result is that a residential burglary flags the elevated risk of further residential burglaries in the near future (1-2 months) and in close proximity (up to 300-400 metres) to the victimized home. Put simply, the burglary event should trigger preventive action that is not restricted to the burgled home. The data enable prospective burglary hot-spotting.
Structural Racism and the Failure of Empathetic Imagination
Authors: Silliman Matthew R.
Published: April 2004

Blum’s generally admirable discussion of racism suffers from a problem of scale; that is, his analysis is limited in its ability to confront racism as a structural, rather than essentially a personal, moral problem. I argue, however, that Blum comes by this difficulty honestly, as it grows out of his well-founded intuition that morality is at root a matter of intention, which is also to say it is deontic, hence non-consequentialist, in nature. While not disagreeing, I argue that this approach to moral theory is generally conceived too restrictively: that there is room in a deontic ethics for robust consideration of the morality of consequences, as well as an understanding of the grounding of personal intentions in a rich complex of social structures. Seeking a wider moral framework for confronting racism as a structural problem, I consider Charles W. Mills’s thesis of a racial contract inherently constituting global white supremacy, concluding that it is limited for some of the same reasons as Blum’s project. Mills’s critique of the order of the modern world, however, in light of Blum’s brief history of racism, suggests one reason both structural and personal racism have proven so durable: a systematic undermining of our capacity for empathetic imagination.
Shaping Children’s Convictions
Authors: Macleod Colin
Published: April 2004

This article examines the degree to which children are entitled to an autonomy enhancing upbringing of a sort that imposes constraints on the efforts parents can legitimately undertake to shape the religious and moral beliefs of their children. The article describes a conception of child-rearing, called Socratic nurturing, that places emphasis on raising children in ways that facilitate the development of robust powers of critical reflection. It is argued that the well-being of children is well-served by Socratic nurturing and that children have a right to Socratic nurturing. The article addresses and rebuts some objections to attributing such a right to children.
An Interview with Stephen Macedo
Authors: Sardocč Mitja
Published: April 2004

In this interview, Stephen J. Macedo, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Politics and the University Center for Human Values, and Director of the University Center for Human Values, at Princeton University, critically discusses some of the main lines of criticism addressed to contemporary liberal political theory and develops further a liberal conception of civic education presented in his book Diversity and Distrust. The main issues addressed in the interview present a detailed and well-documented critique of the hands-off stance toward diversity of the ‘politics of difference’ and articulate a pervasive defense of the project of ‘civic liberalism’ that supports a liberal agenda for civic education, necessary to sustain our liberal democratic regimes.
The Morality of School Choice
Authors: Swift Adam
Published: April 2004

Summarising the arguments of How Not to Be A Hypocrite: School Choice for the Morally Perplexed Parent (Routledge Falmer 2003), the article discusses three questions. The first is whether parents who disapprove of elite private schools to such an extent that they would vote to ban them are acting hypocritically or inconsistently with their principles if they send their children to such schools. My answer is that they need not be. The second is whether parents should have the option of sending their children to such schools; whether those schools should be allowed to exist. My answer is that they should not. The third is whether, given that such schools do exist, parents are justified in sending their children to them. My answer is that in certain circumstances they may be, but that most of those who opt for such schools are not justified in doing so. As long as the state school is ‘good enough’, parents should send their children to that school, even where it would not be as good for their children as would private alternatives.
Systemic and Individual Racism, Racialization and Antiracist Education
Authors: Blum Lawrence
Published: April 2004

I take up Silliman’s challenge to explore the ‘moral logic’ of ‘structural racism’ largely absent in my book, I’m Not a Racist, But...I criticize and build on Glenn Loury’s account of the normative assessment of racial inequality by examining three factors generating such disparitiesin educational achievement – stereotyping, performance-based generalizing, and a preschool skills gap. What is morally troubling about the resultant achievement gap is partly dependent on and partly independent of the moral assessment of the individual racial wrongs involved (or not) in these processes, a result in the spirit of Garcia’s individual focus but not his anti-consequentialism. Responding to Levinson, I suggest forms of antiracist educational practice built around the rejection of ‘race’ as a scientifically valid classification together with the retention of racial domination, and resistance to it, as historically significant forces (captured in the notion of ‘racialization’).
It Takes a Village
Authors: Moon Melissa M. , Cullen Francis T. , Wright John Paul
Published: April 2004

Starting in the 1970s, the traditional rehabilitative philosophy of the juvenile court has come under attack, and there has been a sustained effort to subject delinquent youths to more punitive penalties. Despite such “get tough” policies, a competing body of research has developed suggesting that citizens continue to support “saving” wayward children. This study surveyed a random sample of Tennessee residents to determine whether they believed that rehabilitation should be an integral part of juvenile corrections and whether they would become personally involved in this child-saving effort. The results reveal continued support for juvenile rehabilitation and for early intervention programs. In addition, a sizeable minority of respondents was willing to volunteer to help troubled youths. These results suggest that the public recognizes a collective responsibility to intervene in the lives of delinquent and at-risk youths, thereby supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton's belief that “it takes a village” to raise a child.
Reentry of Young Offenders from the Justice System
Authors: Steinberg Laurence , Chung He Len , Little Michelle
Published: April 2004

This article presents a developmental perspective on the reentry of young offenders into the community. The authors begin with a discussion of the psychosocial tasks of late adolescence. Next, they discuss contextual influences on the successful negotiation of these psychosocial tasks. Third, they examine whether and to what extent the contexts to which young offenders are exposed in the justice system are likely to facilitate normative psychosocial development. Finally, they argue that the psychosocial development of youthful offenders is disrupted, or “arrested,” by their experiences within the justice system. Interventions designed to facilitate the successful reentry of young offenders into the community must be informed by what we know about healthy psychosocial development in late adolescence.
The Web of Transformative Education
Authors: Markos Laura
Published: April 2004

A new, occasional feature in the Journal, this article introduces a number of organizations and online resources of potential interest to JTE readers, drawing on scholarly and lay organizations, the various disciplines and communities of practice participating in the transformative education dialogue, individual and institutional membership organizations, and a variety of orientations and geographical bases. Organizations wishing to be considered for feature in future issues of JTE are invited to write to journal@isote.org.

Organizations and Web sites included in this issue are: ADEA Working Group on Non-Formal Education (http://www.adeanet.org/wgnfe); ASPBAE Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (http://www.aspbae.org); The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society (http://www.contemplativemind.org); Instituto Paulo Freire (http://www.paulofreire.org); International Longevity Center (http://www.ilcusa.org); Max Planck Institute for Human Development (http://www.mpibberlin.mpg.deen/sitemap/index.htm); MIDMAC Midlife Research, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development (http://midmac.med.harvard.edu./midmac.html); Positive Aging (http://positiveaging.net); and Second Journey (http://www.secondjourney.org).
The Local Education Authority’s Role in Operating Teacher Capability Procedures
Authors: Marchington Lorrie , Earnshaw Jill , Torrington Derek , Ritchie Eve
Published: April 2004

This article uses research commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills to investigate the operation of teacher capability procedures in England. The article examines the role of local education authorities (LEAs) in supporting headteachers and governors in dealing with underperformance by giving support outside of capability procedures and subsequent progression through formal procedures.
‘Challenging’ Teachers
Authors: Yariv Eliezer
Published: April 2004

Despite the possibility of poor teacher performance causing damage to pupils and to a school’s reputation, the subject has rarely been studied. This article examines, within the Israeli context, who the poor performing (referred as ‘challenging’) teachers are. Based on interviews with 40 elementary school principals, over 7 per cent of staff members were defined as ‘challenging’; mostly these were veteran teachers who manifested either insensitive attitudes towards pupils or had low motivation. The larger proportion of these teachers taught in deprived schools with inexperienced principals.
Talking Back to New Public Management Versions of Accountability in Education
Authors: Court Marian
Published: April 2004

When co-principalships were initiated in Aotearoa/New Zealand during the 1990s, they encountered a range of issues around this country’s new public management requirements for market, managerial and split governance/management accountabilities. This article draws on a case study of one initiative to discuss how elements of these requirements were variously challenged and co-opted by three teaching co-principals and their board of trustees. They established in their small primary school inclusive practices of shared leadership and mutual responsibility that took account of ethical and moral issues overlooked in the NZNPM discourse. The article endorses warnings that ethical forms of professional collegiality and trusting relationships, which have been found to be important in the development of effective teaching and learning environments, can be constrained by managerial surveillance and market mechanisms for accountability.
CVD Diamond Coated Cemented Carbide Inserts
Authors: Huang M. , Wang S. G. , Zhang Q. , Lu F. X.
Published: April 2004

The cutting performance of CVD diamond coated cemented carbide (WC-6%Co) inserts pretreated by etching was studied and compared with those of uncoated cemented carbide inserts. Diamond coated inserts pretreated with acid etching and Murakami solution etching yielded a cutting lifetime of 136 and 180 min, respectively, for cutting an aluminium alloy of Al-12%Si with a cutting speed v of 201 m/min, a feed rate f of 24 mm/min and a cutting depth ap of 0·5 mm. Uncoated inserts yielded a lifetime of only 15 min. This demonstrates that the application of CVD diamond coating to WC - 6%Co inserts can greatly improve their cutting performance and increase their cutting lifetime.
Preparation of Diamond-Like Carbon Polymer Hybrid Films Using Filtered Pulsed Arc Discharge Method
Authors: Anttila A. , Tiainen V.-M. , Kiuru M. , Alakoski E. , Arstila K.
Published: April 2004

Novel non-stick and hard coating materials, diamondlike carbon polymer hybrids (DLC-p-h), were prepared with the filtered pulsed arc discharge (FPAD) method using a graphite polymer cathode. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were used as sample polymers for this new type of material. The properties of resulting DLC-polysiloxane (DLC-PDMS-h) and DLC-Teflon (DLC-PTFE-h) hybrids can be changed by adjusting the process parameters. DLC-PDMS-h films with striking nonstick properties were prepared. These films were hydrophobic, they could not be marked with common permanent marker pens and the adhesion of commonly used adhesive tapes was very low. The best measured water contact angles and droplet sliding angles were 112° and 3°, respectively. The peeling force in the 180° back peel test was over 100 times lower for DLCPDMS-h than for bulk PTFE. In contrast to common non-stick materials, DLC-PDMS-h films were very hard, Vickers hardness up to 70 GPa depending on the amount of polymer component. For example, a combination of 26 GPa hardness and 109° water contact angle was easily achieved. The elemental composition of these films was determined with elastic recoil detection analysis and the sp3 fraction with electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis.
Fabrication and Application of Smooth Composite Diamond Films
Authors: Sun F. H. , Zhang Z. M. , Shen H. S. , Chen M.
Published: April 2004

Composite diamond films with smooth surfaces were deposited on the interior hole surface of Co cemented carbide drawing dies, using a mixture of acetone and hydrogen as source gases by bias enhanced hot filament chemical vapour deposition (CVD). A new process was used to reduce the surface roughness of diamond films by a composite diamond film CVD procedure, including first the deposition of the rough polycrystalline diamond layer and then the smooth, fine grained nanocrystalline diamond layer. The morphology, surface roughness and diamond purity were obtained by characterising the sample with SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that smooth nanocrystalline diamond layers can be deposited on conventional microcrystalline diamond layers using a two step CVD process by regulating the deposition parameters. The Raman spectroscopy and XRD patterns of the composite film indicate the presence of nanocrystalline diamond. The surface roughness of the films was measured at R<a < 100 nm by AFM. These composite diamond films with multilayer (nanocrystalline/microcrystalline) structure have low surface roughness and high adhesive strength on WC-Co substrates. The diamond coated dies with these composite coatings display excellent performances in the practical application.
Solid Lubricating Ability of Diamond Nanoparticles
Authors: Hanada K. , Mayuzumi M. , Sano T.
Published: April 2004

Diamond nanoparticles synthesised by the detonation method show excellent solid lubricating ability, unlike bulk and micrometre sized diamond particles. Friction measurements of Si substrates with deposited diamond nanoparticles were carried out to investigate the solid lubricating ability of diamond nanoparticles in a dry friction condition. The Si substrates with deposited diamond nanoparticles showed a lower coefficient of friction (0·06 - 0·37) than that of non-deposited Si substrate (0·68). The surface density of deposited diamond nanoparticles and friction conditions significantly affected the coefficient of friction. Atomic force microscopy observations of friction surfaces indicated that the wear loss was remarkably reduced by depositing diamond nanoparticles and that diamond nanoparticles were much less abrasive than bulk and micrometre sized diamonds.
Fundamental Aspects and Applications of Low Field Electron Emission from Nanocarbons
Authors: Obraztsov A. N. , Volkov A. P. , Zakhidov A. A. , Petrushenko Y. V. , Satanovskaya O. P.
Published: April 2004

Low field electron emission from nanocarbon materials obtained by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) was studied to evaluate both the emission mechanism and material's applicability for cold cathodes. Statistical behaviour of nanocarbon cathodes shows narrow distribution of emission sites parameters and their significant contradiction to the usual Fowler - Nordheim theory. An energy band diagram of emission sites including two potential barriers was proposed on the basis of experimental comparative analysis of the field emission characteristics, structural and other properties of the CVD nanocarbon films. This two barrier model explains low field emission and other phenomena related to nanocarbon materials. Experimental verification of nanocarbon cathodes was demonstrated in prototypes of cathodoluminescent lamps.
Corrosion Properties of Surface Modified Ti-6Al-7Nb Alloy under Pulsed Plasma Nitriding and Nitrogen Ion Implantation Conditions
Authors: Thair L. , Kamachi Mudali U. , Asokamani R. , Raj Baldev
Published: April 2004

A Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy was surface modified using pulsed plasma nitriding and nitrogen ion implantation in order to study its microstructural changes and corrosion performance. Pulsed plasma nitriding was performed for 30 h at 913 K in a gas mixture of 3:1 N2:H2 under a total pressure of 3 mbar. Nitrogen ion was implanted at 100 keV using a 150 keV accelerator at a dose of 2·5 × 1017 ions cm2. Gracing incidence X-ray diffraction was employed to explore the phases formed after treatments. To characterise the nature of the modified layers produced and to correlate with the corrosion behaviour, SIMS was used. The samples were subjected to electrochemical studies, namely, open circuit potential (OCP)-time measurements and potentiodynamic cyclic polarisation in a simulated body fluid (Ringer's solution). The OCP of the pulsed plasma nitrided and N+ implanted samples were found to shift towards the noble direction (-189 mVSCE and -82 mVSCE, respectively) in comparison with the untreated sample (-338 mVSCE). The passivation current density and area of the repassivation loop were found to decrease for both treatments compared with those in the untreated condition. Nitrogen ion implantation enhanced the passivability and reduced the corrosion kinetics of the alloy with increasing tendency for repassivation. It shows very low passivation current density compared with pulsed plasma nitriding (0·086 and 0·493 μAcm2, respectively). The nature of the modified surfaces and the reason for the variation and improvement in corrosion resistance are discussed.
Microstructural and Corrosion Evaluation of Laser Surface Nitrided Ti-13Nb-13Zr Alloy
Authors: Geetha M. , Kamachi Mudali U. , Pandey N. D. , Asokamani R. , Raj Baldev
Published: April 2004

The present paper reports on the microstructure, hardness, surface roughness, phases formed and corrosion behaviour of laser nitrided Ti-13Nb-13Zr biomedical alloy. Surface melting and nitriding of the alloy were carried out using a Nd:YAG laser in pulsed mode under dilute and pure nitrogen environments. Laser nitriding of the alloy resulted in a hardness of 1600 HV and 650 HV, respectively, for pure N2 and dilute N2+ Ar environments. Cracks were not observed either on the surface or in the vertical cross-section of the samples nitrided in both environments. X-ray diffraction analysis of the sample nitrided in a pure nitrogen environment confirmed the formation of TiN, TiN0.3, alpha and beta phases along with ZrN. Quantitative analysis using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) showed the enrichment of Zr and Ti in the dendrites. Corrosion resistance of the laser nitrided samples in a simulated body environment (Ringer's solution) was evaluated using the potentiodynamic polarisation method, and was found to be significantly better for the laser nitrided conditions compared with the untreated alloy.
Electrodeposition of Composite Ceria-Polyethylenimine Films
Authors: Zhitomirsky I.
Published: April 2004

A combined electrophoretic-electrolytic deposition method was applied to the fabrication of composite organic-inorganic films. Composite films consisting of ceria and polyethylenimine (PEI) were obtained via cathodic electrodeposition on Ni, Pt, graphite and carbon felt substrates. By varying the concentration of PEI in solutions and the deposition time, the amount of deposited material and its composition could be controlled. The deposits were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and SEM. A mechanism of electrochemical intercalation of the cationic polymer into ceria deposits is discussed.
Adhesion of Electrochemically Formed Conducting Polymer Coatings on Al-2024
Authors: Shah K. , Iroh J. O.
Published: April 2004

Polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly( N-ethyl aniline), poly( O-anisidine) and their composite coatings were electrodeposited on Al-2024 alloy. The electrodeposited films were characterised using IR spectroscopy. The peel test (ASTM 3359-97), the lap joint test (ASTM D1002) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to evaluate the adhesion of these coatings and the delamination area under the coating. It was found that the adhesion of these coatings depends on the electrodeposition parameters and the structure of the polymer film. There was no significant delamination of the coating after immersion in Harrison solution for 55 days. Contact angle analysis was conducted to evaluate the hydrophobicity of the film. Salt immersion and dc polarisation studies were used to evaluate the durability and the corrosion protection offered by the coatings, respectively.
Plasma Etch Prediction Using Genetic Algorithm Based Polynomial Neural Network
Authors: Kim D.-W. , Kim B. , Shim I.-J. , Park G.-T.
Published: April 2004

A GA-PNN was constructed and applied to a model plasma etch process. The etch process was characterised by a statistical experimental design. The performance of GA-PNN was compared with other models including the three types of statistical regression models, conventional backpropagation neural network, polynomial neural network and adaptive network based fuzzy inference system models. In all comparisons, the GA-PNN demonstrated significantly improved predictions. Moreover, the network complexity of conventional PNN could be significantly reduced. This indicates that the GA-PNN is an effective means to construct a predictive model for poorly defined complex systems characterised by the limited data set.
Genotype/phenotype correlation of the G85E mutation in a large cohort of cystic fibrosis patients
Authors: Decaestecker K. , Decaestecker E. , Castellani C. , Jaspers M. , Cuppens H. , De Boeck K.
Published: April 2004

In this European study, the phenotype in 68 patients, homozygous or compound heterozygous for the G85E mutation, was investigated.

Each index case was compared with two cystic fibrosis (CF) patients from the same clinic, matched for age and sex: one with pancreatic sufficiency (PS) and one with pancreatic insufficiency (PI).

When comparing 31 G85E/F508del and F508del/F508del patients, there were no differences in median age at diagnosis, mean sweat chloride value, most recent weight for height, most recent forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted, prevalence of chronicPseudomonas aeruginosacolonisation and typical CF complications. However, PI was less frequent in the G85E/F508del group. Comparison of 55 G85E patients (with second mutation known and not classified as mild) with PS controls (n=44) showed that the G85E patients had a significantly higher sweat chloride, more often failure to thrive at diagnosis, higher prevalence of PI, worse current weight for height, higher prevalence of chronicP. aeruginosacolonisation and liver cirrhosis. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that G85E cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator failed to mature on a M470 as well as on a V470 background. Therefore, G85E is a class II mutation.

Although there is variability in its clinical presentation, G85E mutation results in a severe phenotype.
Impact of sputum bacteria on airway inflammation and health status in clinical stable COPD
Authors: Banerjee D. , Khair O.A. , Honeybourne D.
Published: April 2004

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by sputum production, bacterial colonisation, neutrophilic bronchial airway inflammation and poor health status. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of sputum potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPMs) on bronchial airway inflammation, health status and plasma fibrinogen levels in subjects with moderate-to-severe COPD during the clinical stable state.

Sputum total cell and neutrophil counts, supernatant interleukin‐8, leukotriene B4, tumour necrosis factor‐α and neutrophil elastase levels, neutrophil chemotaxis and plasma fibrinogen levels were estimated. Health status was determined using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and the 36‐item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire.

Twenty-seven (40%) subjects had PPMs and 40 (60%) non‐PPMs in their sputum. Both groups were of similar age, body mass index, smoking history and lung function. The PPMs group showed significantly higher levels of interleukin‐8, leukotriene B4, tumour necrosis factor‐α, neutrophil elastase and increased neutrophil chemotaxis. They also exhibited worse health status and raised plasma fibrinogen levels compared to the non‐PPMs group.

In conclusion, subjects with clinically stable moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who had potentially pathogenic microorganisms in their sputum demonstrated an exaggerated airway inflammatory response, poorer health status and increased plasma fibrinogen levels than those who had nonpotentially pathogenic microorganisms.
Multidetector CT-generated virtual bronchoscopy: an illustrated review of the potential clinical indications
Authors: De Wever W. , Vandecaveye V. , Lanciotti S. , Verschakelen J.A.
Published: April 2004

Multidetector computed tomography-generated virtual bronchoscopy (VB) is a recent technical development that allows visualisation of the lumen and wall of the trachea and proximal part of the bronchial tree. A dynamic image is produced that resembles what is seen with fibreoptic bronchoscopy (FB).

Although the technique has not yet reached daily clinical practice and it can never replace FB, performing VB can be useful in well-defined clinical situations.

In this paper, the value and limitations of virtual bronchoscopy will be reviewed, to illustrate the potential role of virtual bronchoscopy in the evaluation of trachea and bronchial tree pathology.
Exercise testing in pulmonary arterial hypertension and in chronic heart failure
Authors: Deboeck G. , Niset G. , Lamotte M. , Vachiéry J‐L. , Naeije R.
Published: April 2004

Exercise capacity is reduced in pulmonary arterial hypertension and in chronic left heart failure, but it is not known whether the cardiopulmonary exercise testing profile is different in the two conditions at the same severity of functional limitation.

Nineteen patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and 19 with chronic heart failure underwent a 6‐min walk test and symptom-limited maximal incremental cycle ergometry.

The patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic heart failure did not differ in New York Heart Association Functional Class (mean±sem 2.8±0.1versus2.8±0.2), 6‐min walking distance (395±30versus419±20 m), peak work-rate, oxygen consumption, ventilation and cardiac frequency. However, patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension exhibited higher dyspnoea scores (5.8±0.6versus3.8±0.5) higher ventilatory equivalents for carbon dioxide (58±3versus44±3 at the anaerobic threshold) and lower peak oxygen pulse (5.9±0.4versus8.7±0.5 mL·beat−1, or 53±4versus64±4% of the predicted value).

It is concluded that the cardiopulmonary exercise testing profile in pulmonary arterial hypertension differs from that in chronic heart failure by showing more dyspnoea at comparable work-rates, related to greater reductions in ventilatory efficiency and stroke volume.
Predictions and measurements of residual stresses from forging and heat treatment
Authors: Lacarac V , Chang C C , Bramley A N , Tierney M J , McMahon C A , Smith D J
Published: April 2004

Controlled cooling is used after forging of many engineering components to introduce required microstructures, mechanical properties and residual stresses. However, there is uncertainty about the combined effect of forging and cooling on microstructures, mechanical properties and residual stresses. This paper describes finite element (FE) simulations and experimental studies of the manufacture and cooling of forged and machined S55C steel discs. Two cooling states, still air cooled and water quenched, were examined. Experimental results and numerical simulations show that air cooling of machined discs gives rise to ferrite-pearlite microstructures and negligible residual stresses. However, quenching in water (without mechanical agitation) generated large residual stresses and a fully martensitic microstructure. Good agreement between experiments and FE simulations for the machined discs was found. In contrast, experiments using forged and cooled discs revealed similar compressive residual stresses irrespective of whether they were air cooled or water quenched. The microstructures remained the same as for the machined samples. The FE results for the forged samples predicted different magnitudes for the residual stresses but similar trends.
Nox. reduction from a heavy-duty diesel engine with direct injection of natural gas and cooled exhaust gas recirculation
Authors: McTaggart-Cowan G , Bushe W. K. , Hill P. G. , Munshi S. R.
Published: April 2004

A heavy-duty ISX diesel engine has been commissioned for single-cylinder operation fuelled with pilot diesel ignited natural gas injected directly into the cylinder. The stock ISX engine was modified by replacing the diesel fuelling system with a high-pressure natural gas system, replacing the turbocharger with an independently controlled supercharger and installing a variable-flow exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. A study of the impact of cooled EGR on engine performance and gaseous emissions was carried out. Various engine speeds, loads and injection timings were tested over a range of EGR fractions. A preliminary study of the effect of EGR ‘type’—supplemental or replacement—was also carried out. The results indicate that the NOx emissions varied linearly with the intake oxygen mass fraction (representative of the EGR fraction) until NOx emissions reached 20 per cent of their non-EGR levels. Further NOx reductions were achieved with higher EGR fractions, but the rate of reduction was significantly reduced. The NOx reductions were found to be independent of engine speed and load. An overall activation energy for NOx formation was determined by correlating the NOx reductions with a representative flame temperature. The emissions of combustion by-products, including carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned total hydrocarbons (THC) increased significantly at higher EGR fractions. The engine performance and efficiency were not significantly affected except at very high EGR fractions.
Parametric optimization of a new hybrid pneumatic-combustion engine concept
Authors: Higelin P , Vasile I , Charlet A , Chamaillard Y
Published: April 2004

Although internal combustion engines display high overall maximum global efficiencies, this potential cannot be fully exploited in automotive applications: in real conditions, the average engine load (and thus efficiency) is quite low and the kinetic energy during a braking phase is lost. One solution to this problem is to switch to a new hybrid pneumatic-combustion engine concept, which is able to store energy in the form of compressed air. This energy can be issued from a braking phase or from a combustion phase at low power. The potential energy from the air tank can then be restored to start the engine, use the stored air to drive the engine as a pneumatic motor at low load or charge the engine at full load. Optimization of the compressed air tank maximum pressure and volume as well as the operating mode switching strategy provides an improvement in terms of fuel economy as high as 31 per cent if combined with engine downsizing.
Microbiology of cerumen in patients with recurrent otitis externa and cases with open mastoidectomy cavities
Authors: Pata Yavuz Selim , Öztürk Candan , Akbaş Yücel , Ünal Murat , Görür Kemal , Özcan Cengiz
Published: April 2004

This study investigated the common flora of human cerumen in patients with recurrent otitis externa, and subjects who had been operated on and had an open mastoidectomy cavity from chronic otitis media.

Cerumen samples were collected from three groups; group A (n = 20) consisted of patients with recurrent otitis externa, group B (n = 20) consisted of patients with an open cavity and group C (n = 30) consisted of healthy subjects.

The mean of the microbial count was 3.4 × 104 in group A, 3.08 × 104 in group B and 2.48 × 104 in group C. The most commonly isolated microorganism from the three groups was Staphylococcus epidermidis. No growth was observed in five cases (25 per cent) in group A and in three cases (10 per cent) in group C. In groupB antimicrobial growth was observed in all samples. In 46 (65 per cent) of the cerumen samples,the isolates were monomicrobial and 24 (35 per cent) of the cerumen samples were polymicrobial.
The isolates were polymicrobial in 65 per cent of group A, 20 per cent in group B and 23.3 per cent in group C.

In the process of investigating the microbial flora of cerumen in all the three groups, microbial growth was observed from all the samples from patients with an open cavity, unlike the other groups, and it was determined that the group with recurrent external otitis had the most abundant microbial flora.
Spontaneous enophthalmos: silent sinus syndrome
Authors: Hobbs C. G. L. , Saunders M. W. , Potts M. J.
Published: April 2004

Spontaneous enophthalmos unrelated to trauma or surgery is rare. The term ‘silent sinus syndrome’ has been used to describe this process where, in particular,there is an absence of any sino-nasal symptoms. The enophthalmos and hypoglobus that occurs inthese subjects is caused by atelectasis of the maxillary antrum, which itself appears to be due to chronic maxillary hypoventilation. We report a case of silent sinus syndrome that arose following insertion of a nasogastric tube. Whilst acute paranasal sinusitis is a well-described sequela of nasal intubation, this association with a rare, and as yet unexplained, phenomenon may go some way to explain its aetiology.
Surgery-induced thyroiditis following laryngectomy
Authors: Blenke E. J. S. M. , Vernham G. A. , Ellis G.
Published: April 2004

A 77-year-old euthyroid man developed atrial fibrillation on the fourth post-operative day following a total laryngectomy and right radical neck dissection including a hemi-thyroidectomy for a squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx with nodal metastases. The episode of atrial fibrillation coincided with an elevated serum free thyroxine of 3.36 ng/dl (43.3 pmol/L) (reference values: 0.71–1.85 ng/dl or 9.1–23.8 pmol/L), normal total triiodothyronine of 104 ng/dl (1.6 nmol/L) (reference values: 46–137 ng/dl or 0.7–2.1 nmol/L) and a suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) of 0.05 mIU/L (reference values: 0.35–5.0 mIU/L). These values, in relation to those prior and subsequent, suggested a surgery-induced thyroiditis. The limited literature about this controversial entity is reviewed.
Editorial: The Fifth Interfaces Ranking of Universities’ Contributions to the Practice Literature
Authors: Rothkopf Michael H.
Published: April 2004

The author ranks universities according to their contributions to the practice literature.
Image Curvature Correction and Cosmic Removal for High-Throughput Dispersive Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhao Jun
Published: April 2004

A key factor determining the sensitivity of a Raman spectrometer is the usable detection area, which is the product of the usable slit width and the height. For the majority of process Raman samples, the larger the sampling area is, the more the scattered Raman signal can be gathered. On a multi-channel-detector-based dispersive spectrometer, a given spectral resolution limits the slit width. Extending the slit height using a straight slit usually causes the image to be curved on the detector due to optical effects. If left untreated, the curved slit image will degrade the peak shape and spectral resolution; therefore, the slit height must also be kept small if this negative effect is to be avoided. The mechanism of the curvature formation was analyzed for an on-axis-lens-based spectrograph, and a correction technique was developed to generate a straight slit image on the charge-coupled device (CCD). This allowed a large portion of the CCD height to be used without degrading the spectral resolution. A large fiber bundle was usable instead of a single small core fiber, generating significant increase in collected signal strength in clear or translucent samples. The straight image also enabled a new cosmic spike removal method, wherein the CCD image was divided into multiple strips, and a comparison among them allowed the identification and removal of cosmic spikes in a single CCD integration. On the contrary, many existing cosmic removal methods rely on comparison of multiple sequentially acquired spectra, potentially introducing artifacts, particularly when the spectral features are changing.
Application of Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy to Chemometrics: Self-Modeling Curve Resolution Analysis of Spectral Data Sets
Authors: Jung Young Mee , Kim Seung Bin , Noda Isao
Published: April 2004

This paper demonstrates the use of two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy in conjunction with alternating least squares (ALS) based self-modeling curve resolution (SMCR) analysis of spectral data sets. This iterative regression technique utilizes the non-negativity constraints for spectral intensity and concentration. ALS-based SMCR analysis assisted with 2D correlation was applied to Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of a polystyrene/methyl ethyl ketone/deuterated toluene (PS/MEK/ d-toluene) solution mixture during the solvent evaporation process to obtain the pure component spectra and then the time-dependent concentration profiles of these three components during the evaporation process. We focus the use of asynchronous 2D correlation peaks for the identification of pure variables needed for the initial estimates of the ALS process. Choosing the most distinct bands via the positions of asynchronous 2D peaks is a viable starting point for ALS iteration. Once the pure variables are selected, ALS regression can be used to obtain the concentration profiles and pure component spectra. The obtained pure component spectra of MEK, d-toluene, and PS matched well with known spectra. The concentration profiles for components looked reasonable.
Measurement and Modeling of Ozone and Nitrogen Oxides Produced by Laser Breakdown in Oxygen—Nitrogen Atmospheres
Authors: Gornushkin Igor B. , Stevenson Chris L. , Galbács Gábor , Smith Ben W. , Winefordner James D.
Published: April 2004

The production of ozone and nitrogen oxides was studied during multiple laser breakdown in oxygen–nitrogen mixtures at atmospheric pressure. About 2000 laser shots at 1010 W cm−2 were delivered into a sealed reaction chamber. The chamber with a long capillary was designed to measure absorption of O3, NO, and NO2 as a function of the number of laser shots. The light source for absorption measurements was the continuum radiation emitted by the plasma during the first 0.2 μs of its evolution. A kinetic model was developed that encompassed the principal chemical reactions between the major atmospheric components and the products of laser breakdown. In the model, the laser plasma was treated as a source of nitric oxide and atomic oxygen, whose rates of production were calculated using measured absorption by NO, NO2, and O3. The calculated concentration profiles for NO, NO2, and O3 were in good agreement with measured profiles over a time scale of 0–200 s. The steady-state concentration of ozone was measured in a flow cell in air. For a single breakdown in air, the estimated steady-state yield of ozone was 2 × 1012 molecules, which agreed with the model prediction. This study can be of importance for general understanding of laser plasma chemistry and for elucidating the nature of spectral interferences and matrix effects that may take place in applied spectrochemical analysis.
Mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Measurement of Ionic Dissociative Materials in the Metabolic Pathway
Authors: Nakanishi Kenichi , Hashimoto Atsushi , Pan Tao , Kanou Mikihito , Kameoka Takaharu
Published: April 2004

We determine the pH dependency of the mid-infrared spectra in aqueous solution of the organic dissociative materials in the metabolic pathway: saccharide phosphates (G6P, F6P), adenosine, and its phosphates (ATP, ADP, AMP). The series of molar absorbance spectra for these reagents were obtained in a pH range of about 2 to 11 with a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer equipped with a horizontal diamond attenuated total reflection (ATR) sampling accessory. We also provide a method of infrared spectral extraction of ionic dissociative materials by performing a linear least-square fitting utilizing the formulas of ionic dissociation equilibrium shift, and we obtain the infrared spectrum of each ionic species of the dissociative materials: G6P−, G6P2−; F6P−, F6P2−; ATP2−, ATP3−, ATP4−; ADP−, ADP2−, ADP3−; AMP, AMP−, AMP2−; and adenosine+, adenosine0. The infrared spectral structure of each ionic species of the dissociative materials in the metabolic pathway are discussed. Additionally, the possibility for a quantification system of the concentrations of the organic dissociative materials in varying pH is suggested.