bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visceral Fat Thickness Is Associated With Carotid Atherosclerosis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients
Authors: Lee Mi Jung , Shin Dong Ho , Kim Seung Jun , Oh Hyung Jung , Yoo Dong Eun , Kim Jwa‐Kyung , Park Jung Tak , Han Seung Hyeok , Kang Shin‐Wook , Choi Kyu Hun , Yoo Tae‐Hyun
Published: August 2011

Visceral fat has been known to associate with atherosclerosis, inflammation, and insulin resistance. However, the influence of visceral fat on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients has never been elucidated. We investigated whether visceral fat thickness (VFT) has a predictive role in carotid atherosclerosis determined by carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT) in PD patients. A cross‐sectional study was undertaken in 88 prevalent PD patients. BMI and waist circumference (WC) were measured as anthropometric indexes of obesity. VFT and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were determined by sonographic measurement of abdominal fat. Carotid atherosclerosis was defined as increased cIMT (>1.0 mm) or presence of plaque. Thirty‐two (36.3%) patients had carotid atherosclerosis. Patients with carotid atherosclerosis showed significantly higher VFT, BMI, and WC. In univariate logistic analysis, BMI, WC, and VFT except SFT were significant risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis. However, multivariate analysis revealed VFT was an independent factor associated with carotid atherosclerosis after adjusting for demographic, biochemical parameters, and anthropometric indexes (per 1 mm increase, odds ratio (OR) = 2.294, 95% confidence interval: 1.048–5.021, P = 0.038). When the patients were divided into three groups according to VFT, log high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), and homeostasis model assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMAIR) were both higher in the third tertile compared to other tertiles. In conclusion, VFT, not SFT, is independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis in PD patients. Therefore sonographic measurement of VFT could be useful to stratify the risk of cardiovascular disease in PD patients.
Novel insights into the regulation of antioxidant-response-elementmediated gene expression by electrophiles: induction of the transcriptional repressor BACH1 by Nrf2
Authors: Jyrkkänen Henna-Kaisa , Kuosmanen Suvi , Heinäniemi Merja , Laitinen Heidi , Kansanen Emilia , Mella-Aho Eero , Leinonen Hanna , Ylä-Herttuala Seppo , Levonen Anna-Liisa
Published: August 2011

A central mechanism in cellular defence against oxidative or electrophilic stress is mediated by transcriptional induction of genes via the ARE (antioxidant-response element), a cis-acting sequence present in the regulatory regions of genes involved in the detoxification and elimination of reactive oxidants and electrophiles. The ARE binds different bZIP (basic-region leucine zipper) transcription factors, most notably Nrf2 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2) that functions as a transcriptional activator via heterodimerization with small Maf proteins. Although ARE activation by Nrf2 is relatively well understood, the mechanisms by which ARE-mediated signalling is down-regulated are poorly known. Transcription factor BACH1 [BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack and bric-a-brac) and CNC (cap'n'collar protein) homology 1] binds to ARE-like sequences, functioning as a transcriptional repressor in a subset of ARE-regulated genes, thus antagonizing the activator function of Nrf2. In the present study, we have demonstrated that BACH1 itself is regulated by Nrf2 as it is induced by Nrf2 overexpression and by Nrf2-activating agents in an Nrf2-dependent manner. Furthermore, a functional ARE site was identified at +1411 from the transcription start site of transcript variant 2 of BACH1. We conclude that BACH1 is a bona fide Nrf2 target gene and that induction of BACH1 by Nrf2 may serve as a feedback-inhibitory mechanism for ARE-mediated gene regulation.
Ferromagnetism on the unpolished surfaces of single crystal metal oxide substrates
Authors: Yee S. M. M. , Crandles D. A. , Goncharova L. V.
Published: August 2011

It is shown that a variety of single crystal substrates (Al2O3, LaAlO3, SrTiO3, TiO2, and ZnO), purchased from commercial suppliers, contain a ferromagnetic component to the magnetization in addition to the expected linear magnetic response. This ferromagnetic contribution is only observed on the unpolished surfaces and can be eliminated by either polishing or annealing at 600 °C in air, but not by annealing at 600 °C in a vacuum of 5 × 10−6 Torr. Particle induced x-ray emission spectra demonstrate that there is excess Fe on the unpolished surfaces of these single crystal substrates. While defect related ferromagnetic signals have been reported in some of these substrates, and while our results do not exclude this origin of ferromagnetism, we clearly show that the ferromagnetic signals observed in our samples are largely due to excess iron on the unpolished surfaces, possibly in the form of a mixture of Fe, Fe3O4, and or γ-Fe2O3.
Inherent structures for soft long-range interactions in two-dimensional many-particle systems
Authors: Batten Robert D. , Stillinger Frank H. , Torquato Salvatore
Published: August 2011

We generate inherent structures, local potential-energy minima, of the “k-space overlap potential” in two-dimensional many-particle systems using a cooling and quenching simulation technique. The ground states associated with the k-space overlap potential are stealthy (i.e., completely suppress single scattering of radiation for a range of wavelengths) and hyperuniform (i.e., infinite wavelength density fluctuations vanish). However, we show via quantitative metrics that the inherent structures exhibit a range of stealthiness and hyperuniformity depending on the fraction of degrees of freedom χ that are constrained. Inherent structures in two dimensions typically contain five-particle rings, wavy grain boundaries, and vacancy-interstitial defects. The structural and thermodynamic properties of the inherent structures are relatively insensitive to the temperature from which they are sampled, signifying that the energy landscape is relatively flat along the directions sampled, with wide shallow local minima and devoid of deep wells. Using the nudged-elastic-band algorithm, we construct paths from ground-state configurations to inherent structures and identify the transition points between them. In addition, we use point patterns generated from a random sequential addition (RSA) of hard disks, which are nearly stealthy, and examine the particle rearrangements necessary to make the configurations absolutely stealthy. We introduce a configurational proximity metric to show that only small local, but collective, particle rearrangements are needed to drive initial RSA configurations to stealthy disordered ground states. These results lead to a more complete understanding of the unusual behaviors exhibited by the family of “collective-coordinate” potentials to which the k-space overlap potential belongs.
Optimization on photoelectric detection based on stacked La0.9Sr0.1MnO3−δ/LaAlO3−δ multijunctions
Authors: Xing Jie , Ying Hao Hui , Jia Guo Er , Yang Fang
Published: August 2011

Three multijunctions consisting of La0.9Sr0.1MnO3−δ and LaAlO3−δ on Si substrate have been fabricated under different oxygen pressures by laser molecular beam epitaxy. They exhibit nonlinear and rectifying current-voltage characteristics and evident photocurrent response to He-Ne laser illumination. Experimental results indicate that the periodically stacked multijunction grown under lower oxygen pressure shows a better rectification behavior and a higher photocurrent. The photovoltaic responsivities of the multijunctions are enhanced greatly at reverse bias and are much higher than that of a similarly grown single p-n junction. Based on the band structure of the multilayers, a possible mechanism of the photovoltaic process was proposed. A high photovoltage responsivity of 168.6 mV/mW has been achieved at − 6 V bias; this demonstrates the potential of the present multijunction configuration for photodetectors operating at room temperature.
Adapting Poisson-Boltzmann to the self-consistent mean field theory: Application to protein side-chain modeling
Authors: Koehl Patrice , Orland Henri , Delarue Marc
Published: August 2011

We present an extension of the self-consistent mean field theory for protein side-chain modeling in which solvation effects are included based on the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) theory. In this approach, the protein is represented with multiple copies of its side chains. Each copy is assigned a weight that is refined iteratively based on the mean field energy generated by the rest of the protein, until self-consistency is reached. At each cycle, the variational free energy of the multi-copy system is computed; this free energy includes the internal energy of the protein that accounts for vdW and electrostatics interactions and a solvation free energy term that is computed using the PB equation. The method converges in only a few cycles and takes only minutes of central processing unit time on a commodity personal computer. The predicted conformation of each residue is then set to be its copy with the highest weight after convergence. We have tested this method on a database of hundred highly refined NMR structures to circumvent the problems of crystal packing inherent to x-ray structures. The use of the PB-derived solvation free energy significantly improves prediction accuracy for surface side chains. For example, the prediction accuracies for χ1 for surface cysteine, serine, and threonine residues improve from 68%, 35%, and 43% to 80%, 53%, and 57%, respectively. A comparison with other side-chain prediction algorithms demonstrates that our approach is consistently better in predicting the conformations of exposed side chains.
Effects of nanocrystal formation on the soft magnetic properties of Fe-based bulk metallic glasses
Authors: Gao J. E. , Li H. X. , Jiao Z. B. , Wu Y. , Chen Y. H. , Yu T. , Lu Z. P.
Published: August 2011

We developed several Fe-based bulk metallic glasses with a unique combination of large glass-forming ability and excellent soft magnetic properties by minor doping of Cu in the Fe76C7.0Si3.3B5.0P8.7 alloy. Proper additions of the non-magnetic copper element which has a positive heat of mixing with Fe, coupled with adequate annealing, can stimulate formation of ∼5 nm αFe ferromagnetic nanocrystals, which results in the increment in the saturation magnetization. Over-annealing which induced coarsening of the α-Fe nanocrystals reduces the ferromagnetic exchange interaction between the nanosized α-Fe crystals and increases the effective magneto-crystalline anisotropy, thereby deteriorating the soft magnetic properties.
Characteristics and measurement of supersonic projectile shock waves by a 32-microphone ring array
Authors: Chang Ho , Wu Yan-Chyuan , Tsung Tsing-Tshih
Published: August 2011

This paper discusses about the characteristics of supersonic projectile shock wave in muzzle region during firing of high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and high explosive (HE) projectiles. HEAT projectiles are fired horizontally at a muzzle velocity of Mach 3.5 from a medium caliber tank gun equipped with a newly designed multi-perforated muzzle brake, whereas HE projectiles are fired at elevation angles at a muzzle velocity of Mach 2 from a large caliber howitzer equipped with a newly designed double-baffle muzzle brake. In the near field, pressure signatures of the N-wave generated from projectiles are measured by 32-microphone ring array wrapped by cotton sheath. Records measured by the microphone array are used to demonstrate several key characteristics of the shock wave of supersonic projectile. All measurements made in this study can be a significant reference for developing guns, tanks, or the chassis of fighting vehicles.
Atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 on Bi2Te3 for topological insulator field-effect transistors
Authors: Liu Han , Ye Peide D.
Published: August 2011

We report dual-gate modulation of topological insulator field-effect transistors (TI FETs) made on Bi2Te3 thin flakes with integration of atomic-layer-deposited (ALD) Al2O3 high-k dielectric. Atomic force microscopy study shows that ALD Al2O3 is uniformly grown on this layer-structured channel material. Electrical characterization reveals that the right selection of ALD precursors and the related surface chemistry play a critical role in device performance of Bi2Te3 based TI FETs. We realize both top-gate and bottom-gate control on these devices, and the highest modulation rate of 76.1% is achieved by using simultaneous dual gate control.
The molecular kink paradigm for rubber elasticity: Numerical simulations of explicit polyisoprene networks at low to moderate tensile strains
Authors: Hanson David E.
Published: August 2011

Based on recent molecular dynamics and ab initio simulations of small isoprene molecules, we propose a new ansatz for rubber elasticity. We envision a network chain as a series of independent molecular kinks, each comprised of a small number of backbone units, and the strain as being imposed along the contour of the chain. We treat chain extension in three distinct force regimes: (Ia) near zero strain, where we assume that the chain is extended within a well defined tube, with all of the kinks participating simultaneously as entropic elastic springs, (II) when the chain becomes sensibly straight, giving rise to a purely enthalpic stretching force (until bond rupture occurs) and, (Ib) a linear entropic regime, between regimes Ia and II, in which a force limit is imposed by tube deformation. In this intermediate regime, the molecular kinks are assumed to be gradually straightened until the chain becomes a series of straight segments between entanglements. We assume that there exists a tube deformation tension limit that is inversely proportional to the chain path tortuosity. Here we report the results of numerical simulations of explicit three-dimensional, periodic, polyisoprene networks, using these extension-only force models. At low strain, crosslink nodes are moved affinely, up to an arbitrary node force limit. Above this limit, non-affine motion of the nodes is allowed to relax unbalanced chain forces. Our simulation results are in good agreement with tensile stress vs. strain experiments.
Time-dependent density functional theory excited state nonadiabatic dynamics combined with quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach: Photodynamics of indole in water
Authors: Wohlgemuth Matthias , Bonačić-Koutecký Vlasta , Mitrić Roland
Published: August 2011

We present a combination of time-dependent density functional theory with the quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach which can be applied to study nonadiabatic dynamical processes in molecular systems interacting with the environment. Our method is illustrated on the example of ultrafast excited state dynamics of indole in water. We compare the mechanisms of nonradiative relaxation and the electronic state lifetimes for isolated indole, indole in a sphere of classical water, and indole + 3H2O embedded in a classical water sphere. In the case of isolated indole, the initial excitation to the S2 electronic state is followed by an ultrafast internal conversion to the S1 state with a time constant of 17 fs. The S1 state is long living (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$>$\end{document}>30 ps) and deactivates to the ground state along the N–H stretching coordinate. This deactivation mechanism remains unchanged for indole in a classical water sphere. However, the lifetimes of the S2 and S1 electronic states are extended. The inclusion of three explicit water molecules opens a new relaxation channel which involves the electron transfer to the solvent, leading eventually to the formation of a solvated electron. The relaxation to the ground state takes place on a time scale of 60 fs and contributes to the lowering of the fluorescence quantum yield. Our simulations demonstrate the importance of including explicit water molecules in the theoretical treatment of solvated systems.
The reproducibility of transport conditions at metal nanoparticle-semiconductor interfaces over a range of loading conditions
Authors: Kraya R. A.
Published: August 2011

Nanomaterials will serve as the foundation of future electronics, greatly improving efficiency and capabilities due to enhanced control of interfaces at the nanoscale. In this letter, the effect of various loading conditions on the transport characteristics of Au nanoparticle–SrTiO3 interfaces is investigated with an atomic force microscope in order to understand the effect and thus sensitivity of the interface to external stimuli. Two types of interfaces are identified—one robust against applied load and the other affected by small variations in load with improved performance with increased applied load.
Predictors of outcome in children with acute viral hepatitis and coagulopathy
Authors: Srivastava A. , Yachha S. K. , Poddar U.
Published: August 2011

Summary.  The presence of coagulopathy in acute viral hepatitis (AVH) in children raises issues about prognosis and need for liver transplantation. We evaluated factors predicting outcome in such patients and determined the applicability of the paediatric acute liver failure study group (PALFSG) definition of acute liver failure (ALF) of coagulopathy alone in comparison with coagulopathy and encephalopathy. Children with AVH (clinical features, raised transaminases and positive viral serology) with uncorrectable coagulopathy [prothrombin time (PT) > 15 s] with or without hepatic encephalopathy (HE) were enrolled. Comparative analysis was based on (i) outcome: survivors/nonsurvivors and (ii) ALF criteria: group A coagulopathy (PT > 15 s) and encephalopathy and group B coagulopathy (PT > 20 s). We studied 130 children (86 boys, mean age 7.5 ± 4.5 years): 86 recovered and 44 died. Single virus infection was present in 96 (74%), hepatitis A being the commonest (n‐69). On multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis, age <3.5 years, serum bilirubin ≥16.7 mg/dL, PT ≥ 40.5 s and clinical signs of cerebral oedema were independent predictors of mortality. Mortality increased from 0% with single to 100% with four risk factors. Ninety‐seven cases met the PALFSG criteria: group A‐79 and group B‐18. Group A subjects had higher mortality (55.6%vs 0%) and poorer liver functions (bilirubin 18.1 ± 8.9 vs 13.8 ± 6.9 mg/dL, PT 63.9 ± 35.1 vs 27.2 ± 5.2 s) than group B. PT deteriorated significantly with the appearance and progression of HE. One‐third of children with AVH with coagulopathy die without transplantation. Age <3.5 years, bilirubin ≥16.7 mg/dL, PT ≥ 40.5 s and signs of cerebral oedema are predictors of poor outcome. Children with encephalopathy and coagulopathy have a poorer outcome than those with coagulopathy alone.
Decadal‐scale dynamics and response to pulse disturbance in the intertidal rockweed Fucus distichus (Phaeophyceae)
Authors: Klinger Terrie , Fukuyama Allan K.
Published: August 2011

The rockweed Fucus plays an important role in structuring intertidal communities on northern temperate and sub‐arctic shores. We performed a 12‐year study of Fucus dynamics on a rocky shore in Alaska to (i) describe characteristic dynamics of the Fucus canopy, (ii) test the generality of specific observations that emerged from biological studies following the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS), and (iii) provide a basis for longer‐term change analysis in this sub‐arctic system. We annually sampled 36 permanent plots within a Fucus community in the Gulf of Alaska to describe canopy dynamics. In two consecutive years, we created small, high‐intensity disturbances to test whether synchronous cycles of growth and decline could be detected, as was reported following EVOS. We found only equivocal evidence of synchronous cycles and no long‐term signal of intense experimental disturbance. We found no evidence of recruitment inhibition by an established canopy, nor did we find evidence of density‐dependent mortality among adults. We did find that Fucus abundance tended to converge on a mode of 50–60% cover, and that annual average deviation from the 12‐year mean was 30% or less. We suggest that this system is both dynamic and resilient to natural forcings and intense experimental disturbance events.
Rational bi‐cubic G2 splines for design with basic shapes
Authors: Karčiauskas Kȩstutis , Peters Jörg
Published: August 2011

The paper develops a rational bi‐cubic G2 (curvature continuous) analogue of the non‐uniform polynomial C2 cubic B‐spline paradigm. These rational splines can exactly reproduce parts of multiple basic shapes, such as cyclides and quadrics, in one by default smoothly‐connected structure. The versatility of this new tool for processing exact geometry is illustrated by conceptual design from basic shapes.
A Hierarchical Grid Based Framework for Fast Collision Detection
Authors: Fan Wenshan , Wang Bin , Paul Jean‐Claude , Sun Jiaguang
Published: August 2011

We present a novel hierarchical grid based method for fast collision detection (CD) for deformable models on GPU architecture. A two‐level grid is employed to accommodate the non‐uniform distribution of practical scene geometry. A bottom‐to‐top method is implemented to assign the triangles into the hierarchical grid without any iteration while a deferred scheme is introduced to efficiently update the data structure. To address the issue of load balancing, which greatly influences the performance in SIMD parallelism, a propagation scheme which utilizes a parallel scan and a segmented scan is presented, distributing workloads evenly across all concurrent threads. The proposed method supports both discrete collision detection (DCD) and continuous collision detection (CCD) with self‐collision. Some typical benchmarks are tested to verify the effectiveness of our method. The results highlight our speedups over prior algorithms on different commodity GPUs.
Darwinism and Sociology
Authors: Spiller G.
Published: August 2011

This paper seeks to supply evidence in the direction of showing ( a) that it is illegitimate to deduce the nature and degree of the innate mental capacities of a people or person from the stage of culture which either occupies; ( b) that all peoples and (soundly-born) individuals appear to be equally adapted by nature to the highest level of culture existing to-day; (c) that ( a) and ( b) are explicable by man's essential and unique dependence on socio-historically developed and preserved material and other inventions and discoveries, and by the fact that all species are virtually stable and uniform so far as innate capacities and short periods are concerned; ( d) that if ( a) to ( c) be granted, sociology is provided with a virtually constant unit and with a basic explanation of social statics and dynamics; and ( e) that it is highly desirable that systematic investigations be instituted into the influence of the cultural environment in producing the various individual and collective cultural characteristics and achievements.
The Problem of Early English Sociology
Authors: Hickox M.S.
Published: August 2011

A brief survey is attempted of the recent literature relating to the ‘problem’ of early English sociology, i.e. its apparent failure to produce in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries a body of thought comparable to the ‘classical’ sociological tradition which emerged in France and Germany during the same period.

It is argued that the absence of such a tradition in England cannot be linked to the supposed failure of the English middle class to develop a corporate identity, as certain contemporary Marxist theorists have suggested. If the continental ‘classical’ tradition reflects the ideology of any social stratum, it is that of the educated middle class, linked to the central state apparatus, which developed in a number of European countries during the nineteenth century. The failure of such an intelligentsia to emerge in England in the same period is reflected in the specific development of English social thought.
Condition, Orientation, Role or False Consciousness? Models of Homosexuality and Transsexualism
Authors: King Dave
Published: August 2011

Two aspects of theories of deviant behaviour are outlined and discussed. These are concerned with whether or not the deviant behaviour indicates some inherent quality of the actor and with the tenability of that behaviour from the theorist's point of view. Combining these aspects produces four models which are discussed here in relation to homosexuality and transsexualism. The ‘condition’ and ‘orientation’ models presume an intrinsic nature, whereas the ‘role’ and ‘false consciousness' models reject this conception. The ‘orientation’ and ‘role’ models regard the deviant phenomenon as acceptable, as a tenable variation, whereas the ‘condition’ and ‘false consciousness’ models regard it as unacceptable, as morally, biologically, politically or psychologically untenable.
Alligators in the Sewer, Dragons in the Well and Freud in the Toilet
Authors: Carroll Michael P.
Published: August 2011

One of the most popular of all urban legends is the story about alligators in the sewers of New York (abbreviated AIS story). While previous investigations have been concerned with the historical origins of AIS stories, this article is concerned with developing a psychoanalytic explanation which accounts for the continuing popularity of such stories. In developing such an explanation, this article makes use of the association between ‘penis’ and ‘feces,’ an association that is very likely among the earliest associations formed in the human mind. Given the penis = feces association, and given Freud's suggestion that the young child will typically take defecation as a model for castration, it is argued that AIS stories are ultimately concerned with castration. The fact that ‘castration’ has different connotations for males and females helps to explain some of the details invariably incorporated into an AIS story. Finally, the argument developed in connection with modern AIS stories is used to provide a new perspective upon traditional English stories about dragons.
Externalized Anxieties in Summer Schools and What They Reflect about Institutional Integration
Authors: Nicodemus R.B.
Published: August 2011

Consultation with working groups in the Open University (OU) suggests limitations of such activities conducted by staff from within their own institution and the usefulness of psychodynamic theory. Results of a consultation with summer school staff over a ten month period demonstrate the isolation individuals and groups may experience in a large complex institution, the pain of some relationships and the possible effects upon work. The results raise the question of what support institutions might give in this area without being personally invasive or interfering with creative work. Finally, what training should be undertaken by staff who are academics rather than therapists to conduct such work effectively and safely?
White-Collar Workers in the Labour Process: The Case of the Federal Republic of Germany
Authors: Lane Christel
Published: August 2011

This paper examines the impact of new technology on the labour process and labour market position of clerical and administrative workers in The Federal Republic of Germany. Data are drawn from several recent major case studies of such workers by German research teams. The paper's contributions to the ‘Labour Process’ debate are twofold. Firstly, it examines the position of white-collar workers to show that, contrary to Braverman, their work situation differs crucially in several respects from that of manual workers, despite some convergence in recent decades. Secondly, it shows that variations in the organization of the labour process between capitalist societies are much wider than is commonly recognized. The paper argues that historically evolved social structural and cultural features shape the position of German white-collar workers in the labour process and distinguish it in several respects from that of comparable groups in Anglo-Saxon countries.
Local Social Networks and Domestic Organisations: A Study of Redundant Steel Workers and Their Wives
Authors: Morris Lydia
Published: August 2011

This paper applies the seminal insight of Elizabeth Bott (1957) to an analysis of the domestic organisation and local social networks of 40 redundant steel workers and their wives.

Certain methodological problems which arose in the course of the research prompted a reconsideration of particular aspects of existing work in this field, and a more detailed specification of the possible patterns of interaction resulting from the independent and joint activities of husband and wife.

The paper outlines three models of social interaction which emerged from the research data, and uses these models as a means of highlighting certain aspects of independent male and female social activity. Finally, the work discusses the implication of different social patterns for the organisation of domestic life and the management of household finance.
End of an Orthodoxy? The Critique of Sociology's View of Marx on Class
Authors: Rattansi Ali
Published: August 2011

In this paper I comment critically on the dominant form of appropriation of Marx's theory of class and the state within what one might call the ‘conventional’ sociology of class in the post-war period. I argue that the typical mode of interpretation and assimilation has been highly selective and has taken a form that has rendered the proposed theory particularly vulnerable to sociological criticism especially in the light of changes in the structure of capitalist social formations in the twentieth century, although there is no suggestion here that the selectivity has been intentional. I contrast the dominant sociological construction and critique of Marx's theory of classes and the state with an interpretation drawn from recent scholarship, arguing that it is possible to document the contention that most theorems hitherto regarded both as central to Marx's analysis and as particularly susceptible to criticism were actually revised by Marx himself in his maturity as part of a more general process of intellectual formation and theoretical development. Many of these revisions have been widely discussed in debates within the world of Marx scholarship and some have undoubtedly been noticed in sociological interpretations of Marx. However, they have not led to the major overall reinterpretation of Marx's theory of class that is now long overdue.
The Ambiguities of Conformism: Academic Students in FE
Authors: Avis James
Published: August 2011

The paper examines the way in which some students in non-advanced further education (NAFE) make sense of and understand that experience. This is placed in the context of the current significance of NAFE. No general attempt is made to comprehend the total range of student orientations, but the paper ‘closes in’ on the experience of particular students. It adopts a qualitative approach, informed by the cultural studies tradition which asserts that we should take seriously what people say without losing sight of structural relations. This approach gives insights into both cultural productions and the specific forms that students utilise in making sense of their college experience. The cultural forms point back towards the school, forward to the world outside education, and draw on cultural resources of family, race, class and gender. It is part of the paper's project to discuss these cultural processes and consequently heavy reliance is placed upon material derived from student accounts. Student accounts concern cultural responses to educational experiences of college, forms of curriculum and teacher relations. Whilst within these responses lie moments of creativity there will also be continuities and disjunctures with other cultural forms. The paper focuses on so-called conformist students and illustrates the pre-emptive nature of such a description. Detailed consideration of students accounts reveals a more complex and contradictory picture. The paper stresses the significance of subjectivity in relation to cultural forms and argues that it is through these that we can grasp the connection between processes of ‘reproduction’, ‘resistance’ and ‘accommodation’.
Prescribed Drug Use and the Management of Everyday Life: The Experiences of Black and White Working-Class Women
Authors: Gabe Jonathan , Thorogood Nicki
Published: August 2011

Social scientific studies of prescribed drug use have played an important part in heightening awareness that their use can best be understood when considered within a social context. From a sociological point of view, however, these studies often suffer from limitations which restrict their descriptive and explanatory power. This paper discusses these limitations before attempting to develop an alternative approach which focuses on the meanings attached to prescribed drug use, and relates these meanings to the ways in whch the users of these drugs manage their everyday lives as members of particular collectivities. In order to bridge the gap between structure and experience prescribed drugs are conceptualised as resources which, along with other material and socio-cultural resources, are both differentially available and variously experienced. Taking minor tranquillisers/hypnotics (e.g. Valium, Mogadon) as a test case attention is focused first on these drugs' availability to samples of black and white working-class women and the meanings which they attribute to these drugs. The different patterns of drug use which are found are then related to these women's varying access to and experience of a range of other resources (including paid work, social supports, leisure, cigarettes and religion). This provides a basis for explaining different patterns of drug use and hopefully illustrates the usefulness of ‘resource’ as a bridging concept between social structure and everyday life.
Militants and the Margins: British Political Protestantism
Authors: Bruce Steve
Published: August 2011

While only some sections of the major British denominations have become open advocates of ecumenism, all the mainstream Protestant churches have reacted to the fragmentation of Protestantism into a large number of competing organisations by accepting religious pluralism and by endorsing religious toleration. This is reflected in the absence of mainstream Protestant church support for political Protestant movements in modern Britain. This paper presents evidence for the claim that almost all modern militant Protestant leaders have been either Baptists or independent evangelicals and offers suggestions in terms of class support, the structure of the mainstream denominations, and their socialisation procedures to explain this phenomenon.
Positional Satisfaction and State Welfare
Authors: Papadakis Elim , Taylor-Gooby Peter
Published: August 2011

Fred Hirsch's book, The Social Limits of Growth (1977) has proved enormously fruitful in provoking and structuring debate about the relationship between economic development and individual satisfaction in advanced democracies. In this paper, we attempt to review the approach of the book, to explain why it is so influential and to test one aspect of the argument.
Viewpoint: A Culture of Despair: Reflections on ‘Post-Modern’ Architecture
Authors: Harris Howard , Lipman Alan
Published: August 2011

The Modern Movement in architecture is dead: on this there is consensus from Right to Left. Anti-modernism, a cultural offshoot of anti-socialism, has become decidedly modish. There are, for us, two main strands to this ‘Post-Modern’ thinking – the populist and the patrician. Each, we argue, is a formalism, an elitist practice; above all, each is an avowed refusal of the emancipatory potential of modernism. Our critique of this resignation, this cultural despair, turns on an affirmation of early modernist practice; it turns on the proposition that the social content of design practice is the issue underpinning matters of aesthetic form.
Visions of Power: Ideology and Practice in the American Garage Sale
Authors: Soiffer Stephen S. , Herrmann Gretchen M.
Published: August 2011

In this article, we examine ideological statements reflected in, and to a small extent created by, people's participation in garage sales.1 Although the article touches upon the economics of garage sales, its focus is on ideology, about how people understand what they are doing when they buy and sell, and how this relates to their more general perception of the social world and their position in it. The way people discuss their participation in garage sales tells a great deal about how they understand their worlds: patterns of work and consumption, claims (especially by women and the aged) that their daily activities have more dignity than is normally afforded them within society, a felt need for moral and practical networks.

The expression of ‘oppositional culture’ in the statements garage sale participants make to describe their lives is certainly underdeveloped. It is not free of the dominant ideology, cannot be the basis of class-conscious political practice and in present form poses little danger to any social institution (except perhaps department stores). Still it does contain, in shadowy form, seminal statements in contradiction to what is generally regarded as the dominant ideology. We will call these emerging elements ‘prefigurative cultural formations’, as in vague form they connote emergent social values. Further, we will argue that these prefigurative cultural formations are grouped into discrete ideological claims that we call ‘Visions of Power’, each of which speaks to the empowerment of subordinate groups. We will discuss four specific Visions of Power: reclaiming control of one's work, creating a sense of social justice, beating the system, and feeling oneself a part of a nurturing community. Before attempting to demonstrate the utility of these concepts in understanding forms of belief reflected in garage sales and other informal economic activities, we will briefly explore our approach to ideology, and will attempt to situate it within the contemporary debate on the nature of ideology.
Disciplinary Pluralism: Four Models of Private Justice in the Workplace
Authors: Henry Stuart
Published: August 2011

This paper develops a typology of four different models of discipline that operate in the workplace. These models are derived from a systematic analysis of the literature using a framework developed by criminologists for examining crime and criminal justice systems. The analysis focuses on each model's views of human nature, social order, rule creation, crime and deviance, disciplinary procedure and philosophy of sanctioning. The analysis highlights the important role played by organizational structure in shaping disciplinary form. The implications of the typology are discussed for current debates about the character of an all-pervasive societal discipline. It is concluded that current unitary visions of such discipline as ‘instrumental’ should be modified in the light of the pluralism implied by the typological analysis.

Instead of being a homogeneous expanse of dense growth extending thousands of miles, as it appears from the air, the jungle is actually a composite of as many as 200 different kinds of forests packed tightly together. Each forest is composed of its own species of trees and plants. These forest types are primarily based on soil types or drainage types, which actually influence the type of soil. Once you get away from that perception of all green, then you can see a diversity of habitats right there in the jungle. ( The Washington Post, March 22, 1985)
Community and Urban Movements
Authors: Mullins Patrick
Published: August 2011

Empirically and theoretically, this paper considers the link between the urban community, as a social base, and the emergence of urban movements. It examines whether different urban communities lead to different urban movements, specifically whether cohesive communities lead to powerful movements. Using an Australian case study, the first part of the paper tests this relationship empirically. The findings given raise doubts about whether cohesiveness is a necessary pre-condition for widespread mobilisation, as well as questioning the theoretical validity of ‘urban community’ and ‘community’ as sociological concepts. There is an apparent need to discard these concepts when referring to contemporary Western societies and a concomitant need to develop concepts which more appropriately identify the social organisation of urban households and residential areas. The second part of the paper discusses these theoretical issues. It presents an argument on the way household and residential organisations change as the city changes and how they differ if urbanisation differs between regions and between nations. This argument provides a more appropriate framework for examining the nature of the relationship between social bases and urban movements and it contributes a more useful explanation for the case study.
The Affluent Home Owner: Labour Market Position and the Shaping of Housing Histories
Authors: Forrest Ray , Murie Alan
Published: August 2011

This article draws on research designed to explore aspects of social stratification within owner occupation. The research reconstructed and compared the housing, employment and family histories of two groups of home owners in two contrasting localities in Bristol. This article focuses on the top end of the owner occupied market, a neglected area in the sociology of housing, and explores the connections between bargaining power in the labour market and the shaping of housing histories. It is argued that core workers in the labour market exercise choice in the housing market within a framework of job determined constraints. These constraints are accompanied by a range of subsidies and benefits which are unavailable to the majority of households. As a consequence it is suggested that this group's housing histories are shaped by qualitatively distinct processes which go beyond the single fact that their earned incomes are relatively large.
Played by Their Own Play: Fission and Fusion in British Circuses
Authors: Carmeli Yoram S.
Published: August 2011

This paper is based on fieldwork conducted in a British circus between 1975 and 1979.’ It focuses on the dynamics of the frequent disappearance and reappearance characteristic of travelling circus shows in Britain. It shows that these dynamics are to be understood in terms of circus economics, social and semiotic constraints. It argues that, understood in these terms, the appearance and disappearance of circuses should not be taken as unequivocally confirming the notion of circus decline or, on the contrary, as supporting the notions of circus continuity (see White, 1977; Bouissac, 1976: 4; George and Mulford, 1977). Rather, they are structural characteristics of circus marginality epitomizing both circus precariousness and its endurance within the general socio-historical context.
The Study of Sensitive Subjects
Authors: Brannen Julia
Published: August 2011

This note examines some research issues raised by studies of sensitive topics and the disclosure of highly personal and confidential information. The first part focuses on the research method of in-depth interviewing and covers some theoretical and methodological problems associated with the method, together with a discussion of some strategies adopted by researchers and respondents in the interview setting. The second part discusses some of the hazards of this type of research and argues for the need to protect respondents and researchers alike. These issues are discussed with reference to the author's own fieldwork experiences of three research projects.
Founding the New ‘Family Studies’
Authors: Bernardes Jon
Published: August 2011

By developing the concept of Multidimensional Developmental Pathways, the potential social policy consequences of such theorising are explored. In moving towards conceptualising the actual needs of people and the unity of their lives we can consciously (rather than unconsciously) contribute proposals for rebuilding social policy. With a view to generating further interest in alternative theoretical approaches to the analysis of ‘family life’, three theorems are then proposed. These three theorems constitute the first step in founding the New ‘Family Studies’.
Violence, Self-Discipline and Modernity: Beyond the ‘Civilizing Process’
Authors: van Krieken Robert
Published: August 2011

Norbert Elias's writings on the development of self-constraint and its relationship to state formation are examined in the light of anthropological and historical critiques of his arguments and data. It is argued that state formation should not be seen as essential to self-discipline; that Elias's view of the development of self-constraint rests on a limited reading of the historical evidence on medieval personality and behaviour; and that many other aspects of the history of European society apart from ‘lengthening chains of interdependency’, such as bureaucracy and individuality, should be examined in order to explain modern self-discipline.
Factory Women, Redundancy and the Search for Work: Toward a Reconceptualisation of Employment and Unemployment
Authors: Davies Karen , Esseveld Johanna
Published: August 2011

A number of social scientists (see for example, Allen et al., 1986; Brown, 1984; Purcell, 1985; Purcell et al., 1986; Roberts et al., 1985) have drawn attention to the way in which patterns of working have changed radically in recent years suggesting that we need to rethink and reconceptualise with regard to work, employment and unemployment.

This paper examines these issues in Sweden where recession in the early eighties and economic restructuring, similar to the experience in other Western countries, have affected individuals' relation to the labour market. It is our view that the effects of these developments (have) affect(ed) women and immigrants differently. It is furthermore our contention that welfare state policies related to the functioning of the labour market (inadvertently) play a role in the maintenance of inequality.
Marriage and the Housing Careers of Naval Wives
Authors: Chandler Joan
Published: August 2011

The analysis of female biography is problematic, straddling as it does the public world of work and the private domain of home. In recent years the development of life course analysis has encouraged a greater awareness of the variability and complexity of most women's lives. Within this context discussions of the home have centred on domestic relationships, on marriage and parenting. Less discussed have been the implications of tenure and accommodation for domestic responsibility and domestic labour. The home is an arena for family life. Housing is the basis of home-making and many of the responsibilities of housework and maintenance devolve on women as home-makers. The interrelationship between housing and the domestic relationships of women was explored in a research project concerned with the wives of Royal Navy personnel. The marriage patterns and housing careers of these women revealed a biographical pattern that was distinctive and largely uniform. This pattern was the product of an occupationally-related structure of housing options and the wider pressures towards home-ownership. This pattern shaped the domestic responsibilities of the naval wives and their relationships with husbands and children and had implications for their patterns of employment and family formation.
Research Note: Citation and Social Mobility Research: Self Defeating Behaviour?
Authors: Delamont Sara
Published: August 2011

The citation patterns of schools of researchers studying social mobility in Britain are examined, and systematic neglect by each school of the work of the others demonstrated.