bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards an Understanding of ‘FEAR’ as an Intangible Cost of Crime
Authors: Sem Mens Natasha
Published: November 2011

The aim of this article is to consider whether it is feasible to conceive of fear of crime as an intangible cost of crime and, thus, to develop a measure of costs to the individual using the kind of approach used in the field of health economics. Through a reflective and critical analysis of the literature, I demonstrate that the fear of crime is seriously under-developed at the conceptual level, theoretical and operational levels. I argue, then, that great care is needed in the development of any measures of fear as an intangible cost of crime. This process requires intensive conceptual development (defining ‘fear’ and ‘crime’) and the rigorous operationalisation of measures. I explain how methodological decisions will need to be made and justified, and importantly remain open to change as the phenomenon of fear of crime continues to be the subject of theoretical and empirical inquiry. I conclude that if this thorough approach is rejected in favour of a more speedy and poorly conceived solution, the negative impact on policy, the public and those working hard to de-mystify the concept of ‘fear’ would be striking.
Valuing Reductions in The Risks of Being a Victim of Crime: The ‘Willingness to Pay’ Approach to Valuing the ‘Intangible’ Consequences of Crime
Authors: Loomes Graham
Published: November 2011

This paper begins by setting out the economic principles underpinning the willingness-to-pay approach to valuing benefits which do not have readily accessible market prices, and then considers the practicability of applying this approach to valuing reductions in those consequences of crime which are ‘intangible’. The paper will draw upon work commissioned by the Home Office (Dolan et al., 2003; 2005), as well as upon research undertaken in collaboration with a number of colleagues during the past ten years — in particular, Michael Jones-Lee, Judith Covey, Angela Robinson and Susan Chilton. However, the views expressed in this paper do not necessarily represent those held by these colleagues.
Gender Specific Emotional Responses to Anticipated Crime
Authors: Moore Simon C. , Shepherd Jonathan
Published: November 2011

In this paper multivariate analyses are used to test two hypotheses specific to the assumption that women are more fearful of crime than men. First, national crime survey responses to a global fear of crime question were analysed to assess whether responses to global questions were biased towards particular crime types. Results show that non-specific global fear of crime questions elicit responses most associated with fear of physical harm - explaining the persistent finding in previous research that women are more fearful than men. Second, a two-dimensional measure of fear of crime was derived from six crime specific fear of crime responses. Gender and control variables were regressed onto the derived measures of fear to test the hypothesis that dimensions of fear are gender specific. Results show that women are relatively more fearful of personal harm but no gender difference was found for fear of property loss. These data are consistent with a physical vulnerability explanation and, taken together, suggest that the irrationality hypothesis can be rejected.
Psychological Science, Victim Advocates, and the Problem of Recovered Memories
Authors: Takarangi Melanie K.T. , Polaschek Devon L.L. , Garry Mary Anne , Loftus Elizabeth F.
Published: November 2011

Defined in hazy terms by Freud and bereft of attention for a century afterwards, the concept of repression suddenly gained public prominence in the 1980s, at the same time that child sexual abuse (CSA) was finally achieving widespread recognition as an important societal problem. However, despite its public and therapeutic popularity, a convincing scientific case still has not been made for the existence of repression. Recent research establishes that some of the techniques used by therapists to aid in recovering sexual abuse memories can cause a third of people to ‘remember’ events that never happened to them. Lastly, we have known since the 1880s that human memory is capable of substantial and rapid forgetting: no special mechanism is necessary to explain cases in which people forget trauma, and also sometimes forget that they have previously told others about it We conclude by noting how research that disputes the existence of a special mechanism — repression — and cautions against using techniques that may lead people to confuse imagination with reality have been misinterpreted as suggesting that sexual abuse should not be taken seriously.
Families of Nations, Victimisation and Attitudes Towards Criminal Justice
Authors: Norris Paul A.
Published: November 2011

Comparing and classifying OECD member states has provided a fruitful avenue for public policy research over many years (see for instance Espying-Andersen, 1990; Castles, 1998). The enhanced coverage of ICVS-5 means that for the first time comparable data relating to victimisation are available for those countries which have formed the mainstay of comparative research in other areas of public policy. There is strong reason to believe that the historical, political and cultural issues which it is argued have influenced the development of welfare states may also help explain variations in criminal justice outcomes across industrialised democracies (Cavadino and Dignan, 2006; Norris, 2007). Following the methodology of recent work in the comparative analysis of welfare systems (Obinger and Wagschal, 2001; Powell and Barrientos, 2004) this paper will consider country level victimisation rates from ICVS-5, using clustering techniques to identify groups of nations which exhibit similar levels and patterns of victimisation. It is argued that the clusters of nations present in the ICVS data reflect those found in other areas of social policy. Brief consideration is also given to how the application of typologies from social policy may suggest new questions, and provide new insights, to the study of comparative criminology.
Panoptical Web: Internet and Victimization of Women
Authors: Shalhoub-Kevorkian Nadera , Berenblum Tamar
Published: November 2011

In this paper we attempt to examine the role of electronic space and its intersection with young women's lives. The article investigates the internet use/abuse of women as embedded in the power structure and the ways it reshapes gender relations and re-constructs women's victimization. In an attempt to expand our understanding of the victimological and criminological implications of the internet for females our case study focuses particularly on how young Palestinian women living in a conflict zone experience the internet, and questions whether and how the internet could become a tool for misuse, abuse and the production of new crimes that might victimize women in conflict zones. The research is based on empirical evidence collected from Palestinian college women and mental health workers. Our findings show that the internet is perceived as a contested site — although internet use reproduces masculinity and hierarchies of power and is used as a tool of further control, oppression, punishment or abuse, it also enables Palestinian women to engage in new forms of contestation, both on the socio-political and economic level.
The Role of Individual, Situational and Interactional Factors in Violence: The Case of Personnel Victimization in Hospital Emergency Wards
Authors: Landau Simha F. , Bendalak Yehudit
Published: November 2011

Victimization through violence against personnel in the emergency ward (EW) was studied in all 25 general hospitals in Israel, using a self-report questionnaire (N = 1,484). Informed by routine activity theory as well as stress (negative affect) theories, the study analyzed victim and offender related variables, as well as structural, situational and interactional variables. A Victimization Seriousness Score (VSS) was constructed, based on participants' reports about the most serious type of violence they had experienced from patients and/or their relatives during the preceding year. The multiple regression analysis to explain the VSS was comprised of 35 independent variables relating to the victim's professional and personal characteristics, the hospital's structural features, and the offenders' personal characteristics, as well as situational and interactional factors, jointly explaining 47.4% of the variance (R2 = 0.474). As predicted, victimization by more serious violence was related to being security or nursing staff, positions of authority, and having no access to an emergency button. Male gender and being of Israeli or European/American origin (mainly from the former Soviet Union) was also related to more severe victimization. Offenders behaving more violently were younger, of Asian/African origin, new immigrants, and initially unstable (alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless, or psychiatric disorders). More serious victimization took place during evening shifts, related to severe medical problems and was characterized by the victim's inability to verbally communicate with the offender, and by calling other staff for help. The study demonstrates the importance of situational and interactional variables, and that violence in the EW is best explained by a comprehensive theoretical model that combines a routine activity approach with stress (negative affect) models. Suggestions are put forward for further research in this area.
‘It's a Mosher Just Been Banged for No Reason’: Assessing Targeted Violence Against Goths and the Parameters of Hate Crime
Authors: Garland Jon
Published: November 2011

The murder of Sophie Lancaster in August 2007 in Lancashire, England, made national headlines, both for the brutal nature of the assault upon her and also because she had been attacked solely due to her ‘alternative’, gothic appearance. At the trial of her teenage assailants the judge surprisingly referred to the incident as a ‘hate crime’, apparently viewing the targeting of her ‘difference’ as being the key defining factor of what constitutes such a crime. This article will examine the validity of this assumption by analysing the characteristics of the assault upon Lancaster and also the nature, extent and impact of the harassment of goths and ‘alternatives’ more generally. It will assess the degree to which this type of victimisation is similar to that experienced by minority communities, such as gay, transgender, minority ethnic and disabled, who are routinely categorised, by both academics and practitioners, as being hate crime victim groups. The article will conclude that although there are inherent problems with classifying attacks upon goths as hate crimes, it may nonetheless be time to view the targeting of difference as being the most important aspect of what is, and is not, considered a hate crime.
Risk Factors for Violent Victimisation and Injury from Six Years of the British Crime Survey
Authors: Brennan Iain R. , Moore Simon C. , Shepherd Jonathan P.
Published: November 2011

Identifying factors that increase the likelihood of victimisation and injury reveals the considerable variability across groups and between incidents. It also allows the efficient allocation of prevention resources to protect those at greatest risk of harm. In this study, three statistical models were developed to identify risk factors for violent victimisation, violent injury and assault-related treatment at an Emergency Department (ED). The cross-sectional sample included all respondents in successive sweeps of the British Crime Survey between 2002/03 and 2007/08 (n = 261,238). Based on logistic regression, risk factors for violent victimisation included male gender, younger age, being divorced or separated, lower household income, living in an urban area and frequency of visiting a licensed premises. Among victims of violence, sustaining an injury was associated with weapon use and degree of alcohol intoxication. Among those injured in violence, weapon use, alcohol intoxication and being black increased risk of treatment at an ED. While sociodemographic factors can be used to predict incidence of victimisation, offence-specific factors offer greater predictive validity in predicting harm outcomes.
Fear of Crime: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Hale C.
Published: November 2011

The literature on fear of crime has grown rapidly in the last three decades. This paper examines the reasons for this growth and attempts to put some structure on the work to date. The inadequacies of measures of fear of crime are discussed and alternative approaches suggested. Alternative explanatory theories are compared and strategies for reducing fear reviewed.
Victimology and Rights Theories
Authors: Mackay R. E.
Published: November 2011

This paper addresses the issues of the place of rights in current discourse about victims. It is argued that the adoption of a rights approach can provide resources to challenge individual and systematic victimisation. It examines a number of different rights theories through analysis of the issue of conflicting rights. It proposes that if rights are to be upheld, and conflicts about their application are to be settled, they have not only to be articulated, but they have to be developed within a framework of principles of application which are not only consistent with the theory, but are feasible in the light of the conditions of local political cultures.
Reparation, Retribution and Rights
Authors: Cavadino Michael , Dignan James
Published: November 2011

This article explores the relationship between the idea that offenders should make reparation to their victims and the principle of ‘just deserts’ or strict proportionality between seriousness of offence and severity of punishment. Some have queried whether these notions are compatible with each other, suggesting that there is relatively little scope for reparative measures in a criminal justice system soundly based on the principle of just deserts.

We defend the reparative principle, arguing that reparation should play a significant rôle in a criminal justice system based on the human rights of victims as well as offenders. Such a rights-based approach also has an important place for the retributive notion of just deserts, but strict proportionality is rejected in favour of an approach whereby the offender's just deserts set upper and lower limits on the sanctions which may be imposed on the offender. Within these limits there should be scope for both victims and offenders to have a say in the nature, form and amount of reparation which is appropriate.
Whither Women's Fear? Perceptions of Sexual Violence in Public and Private Space
Authors: Pain R
Published: November 2011

This paper assesses explanations for women's fear of sexual violence. Many existing analyses share a common theoretical basis, but certain conflicts arise in the empirical evidence. These concern a number of paradoxes between fear and violence, in terms of their extent, their nature and in particular their spatial situation. A research project on women's fear of crime in Edinburgh aimed to improve understanding of these. Evidence from the questionnaire survey showed a further mismatch between women's common sense knowledge about general risks and their perceptions of personal risk. Many women know that the usual location of violence is private space, yet only fear attack in public places. Data from qualitative interviews suggest that this contradiction is preserved by the tendency to distance violence from the self, a process which is central to the management of danger and consequent lifestyle adaptation.
Charge Bargaining and Sentence Discount: The Victim's Perspective
Authors: Fenwick Helen
Published: November 2011

This paper draws attention to the interests of the victim in the criminal justice system in relation to the use of charge bargaining and the sentence discount in UK law. The paper argues that debate in this area tends to assume that these practices, particularly use of the graded sentence discount, are in harmony with the needs of crime control and with the interests of victims, but that they may infringe due process rights. Debate tends to concentrate on the due process implications of such practices, while the ready association of victims' interests with those of crime control tends to preclude consideration of a distinctive victim's perspective. This paper therefore seeks to identify the impact of charge bargaining and the sentence discount on victims in order to identify a particular victim's perspective. It goes on to evaluate measures which would afford it expression including the introduction of victim consultation and participation in charge bargains and discount decisions as proposed under the 1996 Victim's Charter. It will be argued, however, that while this possibility has value, victims' interests might be more clearly served by limiting or abandoning the use of these practices.
A Pessimistic Outlook on Victims and an ‘Upward Bias’ in Social Comparison Expectations of Victim Support Workers Regarding their Clients
Authors: Frans Willem Winkel , Renssen Monique R.
Published: November 2011

Social psychological studies have documented various biases and misperceptions held by helpers that can seriously undermine the therapeutic value of client oriented interventions. In the context of support given to victims of crime and of traffic accidents the present study focused on one bias in particular, namely the support worker' upward bias. This misperception refers to an incorrect expectation on the part of support workers — volunteers working for the Netherlands Victim Support (NVS) in this study — regarding the direction of victims' social comparison processes: they tended to expect victims to engage in upward comparisons (on a comparison-dimension the victim is saying ‘I'm worse off’ than the comparison-target), while these victims actually engaged in downward comparison processes (‘I'm better off’). Downward sensitivity constitutes the opposite of this bias, and thus refers to the correct expectation that victims tend to engage in downward comparisons. Analyses revealed a highly prevalent ‘upward bias’ and a fundamental mislocation-error among victim support workers, with regard to both types of clients. The upward bias emerged consistently across a series of possible comparison-dimensions, related to the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL 90). Moreover our findings suggested a rather specific risk profile. Some workers appeared to be more at risk of engaging in upward biases, workers exhibiting a more pessimistic motivation for participating in victim support, and in workers experiencing burnout. Downward sensitivity moreover appeared to be associated with more beneficial (perceived as strain-free) client-helper-interactions. Some applied implications for victim support organisations, inter alia in terms of the huge need for downward sensitivity training and the necessity of developing worker' selection standards, and of designing internal quality-control policies, are discussed. More generally, victim support organisations should counteract the formation of overly pessimistic outlooks on clients and their psychological problems. An overly pessimistic perspective might facilitate the opposite of what support is supposed to stand for, namely a continuation of ‘victim status’ instead of ‘de-victimization’.
Fear of Crime Among the Elderly: Foresight, Not fright
Authors: Greve Werner
Published: November 2011

The seemingly paradoxical result that despite their much lower objective risk of criminal victimization older persons show significantly higher fear of crime than younger ones has become a commonplace within criminology in the last two decades. It is argued that this so-called ‘victimization-fear-paradox’ can be resolved by theoretically and empirically differentiating cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of fear. Additionally, gerontological concepts partially explain the linkage between objective risk of victimization and fear on the one hand and age and fear on the other. In particular, arguments from a gerontopsychological perspective reveal that older people are by no means irrational but, on the contrary, behave in an adequately cautious way because they know about their higher physical vulnerability. It is due to their carefulness that older people are in fact less often victims of crime than younger ones. Results from a nationwide representative victim-survey in Germany are presented in order to support and illustrate these arguments. It is concluded that a closer look at the concept of ‘fear of crime’, as well as at the victimological data, explains a finding which seems to be unexpected from the ‘paradox's’ point of view: fear of crime is not a major problem of the elderly's daily life.
Victims and Police in Belgrade
Authors: Nikolić-Ristanović Vesna
Published: November 2011

In this paper the author presents findings of the first (pilot) victimization survey carried out during 1996 in Belgrade (Serbia) as the part of International Crime (Victim) Survey. For the purposes of this survey standard ICS questionnaires and methodology, with some necessary corrections, were used. The random sample consisted of 1094 respondents living in central Belgrade's communes.

The author focuses on data measuring respondents' willingness to report crimes, their reasons for not reporting crimes to the police and their attitudes toward the police, i.e. their level of confidence in and their reasons for dissatisfaction with the police. Survey findings are analyzed in connection with different crimes, bearing in mind macro factors, such as war and economic crises, which have contributed to the decrease in both the crime reporting rate and the level of confidence in the police. The author concludes that the survey draws attention to the sensitive relationship between citizens and police in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), suggesting an urgent need for radical reforms in the organization, control, training and education of the police concerning human rights in general and victims' rights in particular.
Victim Notification and Public Support for the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Wemmers Jo-Anne M.
Published: November 2011

Dutch criminal justice policy assumes that people's faith in the criminal justice system depends largely on its ability to sanction offenders. In this article arguments are offered which question this assumption. Victimological research shows that the treatment of victims in the criminal justice process is important to victims and more important than the ability of police to catch the offender. The impact of treatment on victims' satisfaction and support for the police and sentencing practices is examined. By notifying victims of the developments in their case, police can improve victim satisfaction and support for them as well as increase support for sentencing practices. Failure to recognise the victim, regardless of the severity of the punishment imposed upon the offender, results in a significant decrease in victim satisfaction and support for the police. The paper closes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for criminal justice policy.
Implementing and Preparing for Home Visits
Authors: McWilliam R. A.
Published: November 2011

The most common setting for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families is the home. This article discusses home- and community-based early intervention and how the routines-based interview (RBI) can set the stage for successful home visits. It also addresses what has been learned about home visiting, what important issues face the field with respect to home visiting, and what still needs to be learned. These same issues are discussed for IFSP development.
Test Result–Based Sampling
Authors: Taffé Patrick , Halfon Patricia , Ghali William A. , Burnand Bernard ,   for the International Methodology Consortium for Coded Health Information (IMECCHI)
Published: November 2011

Objective. Accuracy studies of Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) are critical but limited by the large samples required due to low occurrence of most events. We tested a sampling design based on test results (verification-biased sampling [VBS]) that minimizes the number of subjects to be verified. Methods. We considered 3 real PSIs, whose rates were calculated using 3 years of discharge data from a university hospital and a hypothetical screen of very rare events. Sample size estimates, based on the expected sensitivity and precision, were compared across 4 study designs: random and VBS, with and without constraints on the size of the population to be screened. Results. Over sensitivities ranging from 0.3 to 0.7 and PSI prevalence levels ranging from 0.02 to 0.2, the optimal VBS strategy makes it possible to reduce sample size by up to 60% in comparison with simple random sampling. For PSI prevalence levels below 1%, the minimal sample size required was still over 5000. Conclusions. Verification-biased sampling permits substantial savings in the required sample size for PSI validation studies. However, sample sizes still need to be very large for many of the rarer PSIs.
Cartography I
Authors: Caquard Sébastien
Published: November 2011

This report focuses on the growing interest in the relationship between maps, narratives and metanarratives. Following a brief historical contextualization of these relationships, this report explores their current state in the Geoweb era. Using the distinction between story maps and grid maps as an analytical framework, I review emerging issues around the extensive use of technologies and online mapping services (i.e. Google maps) to convey stories and to produce new ones. Drawing on literature in film studies, literary studies, visual arts, computer science and communication, I also emphasize the emergence of new forms of spatial expressions interested in providing different perspectives about places and about stories associated to places. In sum, I argue that mapping both vernacular knowledge and fiction is central to understanding places in depth.
The effect of the ocean water immersion and UV ageing on the dynamic mechanical properties of the PPS/glass fiber composites
Authors: Faria M. C. M. de , Appezzato F. C. , Costa M. L. , Oliveira P. C. de , Botelho E. C.
Published: November 2011

Nowadays, the poly(phenylene sulfide) thermoplastic matrix composites have being utilized by most of the aerospace companies in order to replace a great quantity of the components made of aluminum, thermoset composites, or both and it is the reason they are being strongly considered to be utilized into marine structures, however, are quite often exposed to the environmental conditions that can damage them irreversibly, minimizing their qualities and compromising their performance. Depending on the aviation industry policy and requirements to learn more about these possible damages and increase the performance and the safety, this work aims to evaluate how the salt water and the UV light radiation conditioning affect the viscoelastic properties of the PPS/glass fiber laminates. Those viscoelastic experiments were performed by a DMA instrument before and after to submit the specimens to the conditioning and the experiments results were compared. Additionally, the moisture absorption mechanism after immersion in the artificial ocean solution and the material surface analysis after UV conditioning were investigated. According to the results found in this work, it can be concluded that the PPS/glass fiber absorbed approximately 0.3% of moisture into artificial ocean water conditioning under 60°C and this thermoplastic laminate exhibits moisture absorption according to the Fick’s law, since the n constant experimental value was around 0.5.
Thermodynamics and mechanical analysis of adsorbed water in unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites by hybrid resins
Authors: Wang Jian , Li Kai-Xi
Published: November 2011

Moisture diffusion and mechanical properties in continuous carbon fiber–reinforced thermoplastics were systematically studied in this research. A fixed amount (30 wt.%) of polyphenylence sulfide in polyethersulphone solution shows the most excellent water resistance and mechanical function. Thermodynamic analysis was carried out in order to monitor the change of adsorbed heat from different mass rate of polyphenylence sulfide at four environment temperature. The results indicate the increasing value of adsorbed heat improves water-resistant ability and interface bond force between the carbon fiber and matrix. Although the adsorbed water degraded the function of composites, mechanical test, including interlaminar shear strength test, flexural test, and compressive test, also proves the 30% mass rate of PPS performed the best comprehensive mechanical properties.
Theoretical, experimental and numerical investigation on the behaviour of tubular shells under internal blast loading
Authors: Hadavi Vahid , Ashani Jamal Zamani , Benvidi Mohammad H
Published: November 2011

Explosive loading of closed cylindrical structures is one of the most complicated types of high rate loadings that can be applied on fully closed structure. Considering the complexities and unknown factors that affect the dynamic-plastic behaviour of a fully closed tubular shell under internal blast loading, the main objective of this article is to achieve a better understanding of the deformation of such a structure through different theoretical, empirical and also numerical approaches. Based on some simplifying assumptions, a new pressure–time profile for the internal explosive loading of cylindrical shells whose length is shorter than its diameter would be introduced in this manuscript. Afterwards, the fundamental equations of motion would be solved by the use of the aforementioned profile so that a practical formula for the calculation of maximum radial deformation of shell would be obtained. Comparison between the theoretical values and the results of the experimental tests conducted on several pieces of aluminium shells shows that the accuracy of the new theory is approximately 82%. Furthermore, this problem will be also modelled by the use of LS-DYNA module. Considering three separate meshing zones on the explosive charge, conveying medium and also the shell body which were connected to each other on overlapping surfaces, the numerical results for the maximum transverse displacement of the shell would be obtained from the software. Comparison between the finite element method and experimental results shows an average error of around 24%.
Topology optimization of planar truss structures with continuous element intersection and node stability constraints
Authors: Leng Guojun , Duan Baoyan
Published: November 2011

This article presents a general nonlinear formulation for the topology optimization of planar truss structures. The novelty of this article is that element intersection is described in terms of a continuous intersection factor. The Heaviside function is used to map the element cross-sectional area to intersection properties. Therefore, the intersection feature is described by a continuous and differentiable function. The topology optimization model is hence set as a ground-structure method by simultaneously including constraints on element intersection and cinematic stability of nodes. The latter is also described by a continuous function. Three test cases are presented to demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach. Unlike mixed integer programming, the number of design cycles does not change much as the number of design variables increases.
Engine performance and exhaust emissions in stoichiometric combustion engines fuelled with dimethyl ether
Authors: Cha J , Kwon S , Park S
Published: November 2011

This paper describes the effects of stoichiometric combustion on the engine performance and exhaust emissions in a single-cylinder compression ignition engine fuelled with dimethyl ether. In order to realize stoichiometric combustion in a direct-injection compression ignition engine, high exhaust gas recirculation was used to control air-to-fuel ratios based on a lambda meter. The combustion pressure, heat release rate, and indicated mean effective pressure, which are the main indicators of the engine performance, were derived from in-cylinder pressure data in a single-cylinder direct-injection compression ignition engine. The test engine had a displacement volume of 373.3 cm3, a compression ratio of 17.8, and a common-rail injection system. Exhaust emissions characteristics were obtained from emission gas analysers at the tailpipe.

The experimental results show that increasing the equivalence ratio dramatically reduced the indicated specific nitrogen oxide emissions (i.e. by over 90 per cent) owing to the high exhaust gas recirculation in the conventional diesel combustion regime. Furthermore, soot emissions were negligible owing to the chemical properties of the dimethyl ether fuel in the operation range of the injection timings. For injection timings near top dead centre, the indicated specific carbon monoxide emission levels rise excessively as the equivalence ratio increases and the maximum value is 80.9 g/kW h. However, for advanced injection timing (i.e. near 25° crank angle before top dead centre), the indicated specific carbon monoxide emission level shows minimal variation as the equivalence ratio changes. In contrast, the levels of indicated specific hydrocarbon emissions vary according to the injection timing. Increasing the equivalence ratio causes the indicated mean effective pressure to deteriorate slightly (i.e. up to 10 per cent loss) owing to the intake conditions for high exhaust gas recirculation, which results in a low oxygen concentration and a high carbon dioxide concentration.
Experimental assessment of the dynamic stiffness of a fault-tolerant fly-by-wire hydraulic actuator
Authors: Di Rito G , Galatolo R
Published: November 2011

The stiffness of an actuator depends on the closed-loop position control (architecture and parameters), on the load frequency, and, for fault-tolerant actuators, on the operative mode. The stiffness response is of basic importance for the design of actuators for primary flight controls, especially for high-performance aircrafts. Actually, during flight conditions characterized by high speed and high angle-of-attack, the dynamic interactions between aircraft structure, actuator, and aerodynamic loads can induce aeroservoelastic effects, which, if not controlled, can imply performance degradation and even instability. The study and the compensation of such concerns require the assessment of the resonant frequencies of the aeroservoelastic system, which can be performed only by characterizing the dynamic stiffness of the actuator. This article reports the experimental activities carried out for the characterization of the stiffness response of a fault-tolerant fly-by-wire actuator for the primary flight controls of a modern jet trainer, starting from the feasibility studies of the experiments up to the execution of the vibration tests. The actuator stiffness performance is evaluated in different fail-operative modes by artificially injecting hydraulic and electrical failures, and the experimental data are interpreted by means of an LTI model of the flight actuator, highlighting and discussing the effects that the failures induce on the stiffness performance.
A practical approach to investigating energy consumption of industrial compressed air systems
Authors: Eret P , Harris C , O'Donnell G , Meskell C
Published: November 2011

While there are several best practice standards available for minimizing the energy requirement for compressed air use in an industrial context, moving to best practice often requires investment and operational change. In production facilities, there is often a reluctance to commit to this type of change without a clear view of the benefit. Furthermore, there is very little detailed information available in the open literature that allows even a qualitative assessment of priorities. In order to address this shortcoming, a practical approach is proposed to provide detailed compressed air consumption information throughout an industrial site. The energy of the compressed air is evaluated at each key element of the system and the typical end-use application profile assessed. Simple models of the consumption rates are used to relate duty cycle and device count with actual total consumption. This approach is complemented with a novel method of assessing the leak rate from the entire system, based on the pressure decay time. The method, referred to as the ‘end use catalogue’ has been demonstrated at a manufacturing site with a wide range of compressed air applications. The model has been used to identify the most significant energy-intensive compressed air applications and possible strategies to reduce the energy requirement. In the particular site used as a demonstration, it was found that open blowing operations (e.g. fluidizing) are the largest consumers of compressed air which are amenable to intervention. System leakage accounts for almost 21 per cent of the compressed air generated, representing an energy input of 432 kWh per day. It is concluded that this approach can help to identify priorities for optimizing compressed air use at an industrial site without compromising the production yield.
Effect of axially non-uniform rotor tip clearance on aerodynamic performance of an unshrouded axial turbine
Authors: Gao Jie , Zheng Qun , Li Yijin , Yue Guoqiang
Published: November 2011

Tip leakage flow is responsible for a significant amount of aerodynamic losses in a turbine stage, and the mixing of leakage flow with the rotor passage secondary flow causes losses and reduces turbine stage efficiency. This article presents a numerical investigation of the effect of axially non-uniform tip clearance on the aerodynamic performance of an unshrouded axial turbine at design and off-design conditions, in an attempt to seek an optimal tip clearance chordwise distribution to control the interaction between tip leakage and passage secondary flows, and then reduce the total losses in turbines. Different types of axially uniform and non-uniform rotor tip clearances were used in this investigation, which include uniform, expanding, shrinking, and back- and front-step tip clearances. Numerical results show that, for the axially uniform tip clearances, the interaction mechanism between tip leakage and passage secondary flows is different in the relatively small and large tip clearance heights. With the tip clearance height gradually increasing, tip passage vortex at the passage exit is first enhanced, and then it becomes weak. Axially non-uniform tip clearance changes the chordwise distribution of over tip leakage mass flow. The front-step and shrink tip clearances are able to efficiently utilize the interaction of tip leakage flow with passage secondary flows, and then reduce the total losses in turbines. For different axially non-uniform tip clearances, loading distribution near the tip has a great impact on the tip leakage flow. It will result in great losses when the maximum tip clearance and loading positions are in the same position along the blade.
Effects of flow inertia modelling and valve-plate geometry on swash-plate axial-piston pump performance
Authors: Mandal N P , Saha R , Sanyal D
Published: November 2011

The present work aims at developing a methodology for designing a swash-plate axial-piston pump whose barrel kidneys are wider than the bridges separating the kidney ports on the plate. Besides reducing pressure ripples and avoiding cavitation for minimizing the fluid-borne noise, maximization of the pump discharge has also been considered in formulating an objective function to be minimized. A comprehensive mathematical model considering oil compressibility and inertia has been developed and implemented in MATLAB/Simulink for dynamic simulation of the pump flow. The model has been found acceptable by observing a good match between its predictions of mean discharge and delivery pressure and available experimental results. A detailed parametric study has been performed and the optimum angles for the valve-plate pre-compression and the barrel kidneys have been obtained.
TLR7/8/9 polymorphisms and their associations in systemic lupus erythematosus patients from Southern Brazil
Authors: dos Santos BP , Valverde JV , Rohr P , Monticielo OA , Brenol JCT , Xavier RM , Chies JAB
Published: November 2011

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease and can affect several organs and systems. It is characterized by high production of autoantibodies against nuclear compounds. TLR7/8/9 are responsible for nucleic acid recognition and they trigger proinflammatory responses through activation of NK-kappaB and Type I IFN production, making a bridge between the innate and the adaptative immune systems. We analyzed the frequency of TLR7 rs179008, TLR8 rs3764880, TLR9 rs5743836 and rs352140 in 370 patients with SLE and 415 healthy controls from southern Brazil. All analyses were conducted with regard to gender and ethnicity. Genotypic and allelic frequencies were different for TLR7 rs179008 (0.253 vs. 0.163, p = 0.020 and p = 0.003, OR for T allele: 1.74 CI 95% 1.12–2.70) and TLR9 rs5743836 (0.174 vs. 0.112, p = 0.045 and p = 0.017, OR for C allele: 1.59, CI 95% 0.99–2.57) between European-derived female groups. A higher frequency was observed for the presence of Anti-SSa/Ro for TRL9 rs5743836 C allele carriers (0.228 vs 0.126, Bonferroni corrected p = 0.06). No statistical differences were found for TLR9 haplotypic analyses. We suggest that TLR7 rs179008 and TLR9 rs5743836 can be considered SLE susceptibility factors for women of European descent in our population.
Cardiovascular event in systemic lupus erythematosus in northern Sweden: Incidence and predictors in a 7-year follow-up study
Authors: Bengtsson C , Öhman M-L , Nived O , Dahlqvist S Rantapää
Published: November 2011

Introduction. An increased rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been suggested in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The risk for myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery disease and stroke has been reported as particularly prevalent in younger females compared with the reference population. This study was performed to analyse the standard incidence ratio (SIR) of and predictors for cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients with SLE from northern Sweden, with a fairly homogenous population.

Methods. In 2000 all prevalent patients with SLE (≥4 American College of Rheumatology [ACR] criteria; n = 277) from the four northern-most counties of Sweden were assessed with clinical and laboratory analyses. Seven years follow-up data concerning MI and stroke were extracted from the national registers of hospitalization and death in Sweden. The incidence ratio among the patients was compared with that for the general population from the same catchment area using data from the same register and Statistics Sweden. To identify time to event and CVE predictors, two matched controls for each patient were used and disease related variables as CVD predictors.

Results. The SIR for a CVE was 1.27 (95% CI 0.82–1.87) and for females separately aged 40–49 years was 8.00 (95% CI 1.65–23.38). The overall SIR for MI was 2.31 (95% CI 1.34–3.7), for females overall was 1.75 (95% CI 0.84–3.22) and for females aged between 40 and 49 years was 8.7 (95% CI 1.1–31.4). The time to an event was significantly shorter among SLE patients ( p < 0.001) and was predicted by hypertension adjusted for smoking and disease. High SLEDAI and anti-cardiolipin IgG antibodies predicted an event in Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for age and previous MI. Diabetes, smoking ever and sex did not affect the prediction models.

Conclusion. The risk of a CVE, or MI, was eight- or nine-fold greater among middle-aged female SLE patients. Time to event was significantly shorter and CVE was associated with SLE-related factors including hypertension and age.
Vitamin D status in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and its association with selected clinical and laboratory parameters
Authors: Bogaczewicz J , Sysa-Jedrzejowska A , Arkuszewska C , Zabek J , Kontny E , McCauliffe DP , Wozniacka A
Published: November 2011

Objectives: To identify relationships between vitamin D serum levels and the presence of autoantibodies directed against vitamin D and levels of interleukin(IL)-17 and IL-23 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: The study included 49 patients with SLE. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D3 were measured with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to determine antibodies directed against 1,25(OH)2D3 and levels of IL-17 and IL-23 in serum of SLE patients. In evaluation of vitamin D status, the control group consisted of 49 age and gender matched healthy individuals, whereas in assessment of anti-vitamin D antibodies the control group comprised 30 sera from blood donors. Results: Serum concentration of 25(OH)D3 in SLE patients during the warm season was 18.47 ± 9.14 ng/ml, which was significantly decreased as compared with that of the control group – 31.27 ± 12.65 ng/ml ( p = 0.0005). During the cold season a trend toward lower concentration of 25(OH)D3 in SLE patients was revealed; however, it did not reach statistical significance (11.71 ± 7.21 ng/ml vs. 16.01 ± 8.46 ng/ml; p = 0.054). Results within the recommended range for vitamin D (30–80 ng/ml; 70–200 nmol/l) were observed only in three patients. The 25(OH)D3 concentration was decreased in SLE patients with renal disease or leucopenia as compared with the levels in patients who did not have either problem ( p = 0.006 and p = 0.047, respectively). The cold season was found to be a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) (odds ratio = 9.25; p = 0.005). Autoantibodies directed against 1,25(OH)2D3 were detected in three SLE patients. No significant difference in 25(OH)D3 serum concentrations was found between SLE patients with and without these autoantibodies. No link was shown between the existence of autoantibodies against 1,25(OH)2D3 and clinical or laboratory findings, including IL-17 and IL-23 levels. However, serum concentrations of IL-23 were lower in patients with vitamin D deficiency ( p = 0.037). Conclusions: SLE patients, especially those with leucopenia or renal involvement, are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency and require vitamin D supplementation. Some SLE patient sera contained 1,25(OH)2D3 antibodies, but these antibodies do not appear to affect vitamin D levels.
Soviet Labour Law during the Second World War
Authors: Kragh Martin
Published: November 2011

By studying Soviet legal practices, we learn about the enforcement of coercive legislation in the USSR. New archival data show how Soviet organs attempted to control labour in industry during the Second World War. State organs interacted in order to enforce legislation, but enforcement in practice was weak. Soviet leaders simplified administrative procedures for enforcement as long as the war threat persisted. So enforcement of coercive labour law was a priority during the war, but actual penalization was inefficient owing to various constraints.