bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attitudes Regarding the Compassionate Release of Terminally Ill Offenders
Authors: Boothby Jennifer L. , Overduin Lorraine Y.
Published: November 2007

Compassionate release, or medical parole, allows the early release of terminally ill offenders so that they may spend time with loved ones. Such programs have received little attention from psychological researchers. This study examines attitudes of undergraduate students toward compassionate release and factors that affect these attitudes. A total of 163 participants completed questionnaires regarding attitudes toward compassionate release, attitudes toward prisoners, and fear of AIDS. Results indicate that undergraduate students have negative attitudes toward compassionate release of offenders and toward prisoners, in general, with negative attitudes toward prisoners significantly associated with negative attitudes toward compassionate release. Fear of AIDS, however, was not associated with negative attitudes toward compassionate release, as was expected. Results suggest that negative attitudes toward compassionate release and prisoners may be an obstacle to the implementation of medical parole policies. Research examining attitudes in a broader community sample is needed.
Prediction of Violence History in Substance-Abusing Inmates
Authors: O'Grady Kevin E. , Kinlock Timothy W. , Hanlon Thomas E.
Published: November 2007

This study examines the relationship of various developmental factors, drug abuse history, and current adjustment with history of violent criminal activity in 183 drug-abusing inmates. The purpose is to determine factors that discriminate among offenders who (a) have no history of violent criminal behavior, (b) have a history of violent criminal behavior but have never attempted or committed murder, and (c) have attempted or committed murder. Inmates who have attempted or committed murder committed their first crime, on average, as preadolescents, whereas inmates who have not committed violent crimes committed their first crime, on average, in their midteens. A history of torturing animals as a child is predictive of membership in the murder or attempted murder group. Inmates who attempted or committed murder were raised in families considerably more deviant than families of the other two groups. Finally, commission of violent crimes is associated with a higher current level of anxiety.
An Evaluation of the DRC in the Context of Douglas County, Nebraska
Authors: Kim Dae-Young , Spohn Cassia , Foxall Mark
Published: November 2007

As an alternative to incarceration, the day reporting center (DRC) has become an increasingly popular sentencing option in many jurisdictions. The DRC as a mechanism of social control has played an important role in the context of Douglas County, Nebraska. In this regard, the goal of this study is to (a) understand the roles of the DRC in this jurisdiction and (b) identify the types of effective treatment for clients' reintegration and demographic and case variables that are related to clients' termination and recidivism. A number of significant variables were found, such as education, relapse prevention, employment, and age. The findings from this research will contribute to the development of effective treatment for the DRC's clients. Finally, this study suggests the following two-level strategy for the DRC: a short-term strategy designed to prevent clients' termination and a long-term strategy designed to prevent clients' recidivism.
Prisoners' Rights and the Rehnquist Court Era
Authors: Smith Christopher E.
Published: November 2007

Supreme Court decisions affecting prisoners' rights assumed special importance during the Rehnquist Court era (1986 to 2005) because rapidly expanding prison populations placed more individuals' daily lives under the influence of corrections law. Substantive legal analysis reveals that the Rehnquist Court produced important decisions establishing new analytical tests that helped to guide lower court decisions and counteracted previous expansions of prisoners' rights. In particular, the Rehnquist Court's tests emphasized deference to corrections officials, significant proof thresholds for Eighth Amendment claims, and strict standing requirements for access-to-courts claims.
Luhmann and Emergentism
Authors: Elder-Vass Dave
Published: November 2007

Social systems theory has been dominated in recent years by the work of Niklas Luhmann, but there is another strand of systems thinking, which is receiving increasing attention in sociology: emergentism. For emergentism, the core problems of systems thinking are concerned with causation and reductionism; for Luhmann, they are questions of meaning and self-reference. Arguing from an emergentist perspective, the article finds that emergentism addresses its own core problem successfully, while Luhmann's approach is incapable of resolving questions of causation and reductionism. On the other hand, neither paradigm yet has a convincing response to the challenges of meaning and self-reference.
Vortexes of Involvement
Authors: Summers-Effler Erika
Published: November 2007

How does social organization persist? How does social organization transform? This article proposes that social scientists can begin to answer these questions by considering social organization as the intermittent construction and decay of patterned action, and social actors as centers of organization with the capacity to exert force within some social scene. From this perspective, contexts that shape the dynamics of both actors and scenes could be imagined as turbulent flows that push and pull action into temporary patterns. By viewing social organization as temporary vortexes of involvement within turbulent flows of action, social scientists can focus their attention on the processes at play in the creation, stabilization, and collapse of social organization. Such a perspective corrects some of the limitations in network and field approaches for investigating the fluidity of social organization.
Complexity Theory, Systems Theory, and Multiple Intersecting Social Inequalities
Authors: Walby Sylvia
Published: November 2007

This article contributes to the revision of the concept of system in social theory using complexity theory. The old concept of social system is widely discredited; a new concept of social system can more adequately constitute an explanatory framework. Complexity theory offers the toolkit needed for this paradigm shift in social theory. The route taken is not via Luhmann, but rather the insights of complexity theorists in the sciences are applied to the tradition of social theory inspired by Marx, Weber, and Simmel. The article contributes to the theorization of intersectionality in social theory as well as to the philosophy of social science. It addresses the challenge of theorizing the intersection of multiple complex social inequalities, exploring the various alternative approaches, before rethinking the concept of social system. It investigates and applies, for the first time, the implications of complexity theory for the analysis of multiple intersecting social inequalities.
A Critical Social Systems View of the Internet
Authors: Hofkirchner Wolfgang
Published: November 2007

The article discusses principles that form part of evolutionary systems thinking in social sciences and humanities. It is argued that introducing the concept of self-organization relates agency and structures in a way that makes it possible to take up certain features of Critical Theory by which it can meet the demands for a critical social science. These principles are applied to the question of whether there is convergence or divergence in and by means of the Internet. It will be clarified that the Internet is basically a social system and that it is a subsystem of the larger and overarching system of the whole society. It will be shown how the Internet can be perceived as a possible trigger for societal developments bringing about fundamental change in the nature of society. Thus the article cuts across philosophical, system theoretical, social theoretical, sociology of technology, and information society theory considerations.
The Sociology of Sociology
Authors: King Anthony
Published: November 2007

In this recent history of British sociology, Andrew Halsey suggests an intriguing connection between political economic régimes in the twentieth century and the development of sociology as an academic discipline, dividing British sociology into four periods, 1900-1950, 1950-1967, 1968-1975, and 1975-2000. In this way, by connecting disciplinary developments with contemporaneous régimes of economic regulation, Halsey begins to outline a sociology of sociology. However, although much of Halsey's book is informative, especially his description of the period from 1950-1967 when he personally entered the discipline, Halsey ultimately fails to develop his sociology of the discipline sufficiently, especially after 1967. Although it does not claim to be comprehensive, this essay attempts to develop Halsey's sociology of the discipline.
Arguments about Arguments
Authors: Freeman James B.
Published: November 2007

We survey the contents of Finocchiaro's papers collected in Arguments about Arguments, pointing out, where appropriate, their expected interest for readers of Philosophy of the Social Sciences. The papers include essays about argument theory and reasoning, the nature of fallacies and fallaciousness, critiques of noteworthy contributions to argumentation theory, and historical essays on scientific thinking.
Rethinking Systems Theory
Authors: Pickel Andreas
Published: November 2007

Does systems theory need rethinking? Most social scientists would probably say no. It had its run, was debated critically, and found wanting. If at all, it should be treated historically. Why then might systems theory need rethinking, as the title of this symposium claims? The reason is that, unlike in the natural and biosocial sciences, any conception of system in the social sciences has remained suspect in the wake of problematic Parsonian and cybernetic systems theories. The premise of this special issue is that abandoning conceptions of systems has imposed a high price on the social sciences: a lack of ontologies and methodologies that are both philosophically profound and scientifically defensible. It has left social scientists who choose to ignore ontology in their theoretical and empirical work defenseless against enterprising settlers from a variety of humanities and social science disciplines who attack mainstream work with—often simplistic and naïve, but nevertheless fundamental—philosophical arguments, whether anti-scientific postmodernists or pseudo-scientific rational choice theorists. The goal of this special issue is to showcase new and original work that contributes to a rethinking of systems theory by taking the conception of systems seriously. This introduction offers a programmatic statement of a systemic ontology and methodology as well as a brief general outline and examples of what a systems-based approach in the social sciences entails.
From Politics to Comedy
Authors: Wells Pam , Bull Peter
Published: November 2007

This study aims to identify key similarities and differences between the affiliative behaviors of audiences to political speakers and stand-up comedians. Four televised stand-up comedy routines were analyzed in terms of three dimensions: invitationality (whether the audience response is invited), rhetoricality (the use of rhetorical devices associated with audience applause), and synchrony (audience responses judged to commence either just before or immediately after the intended completion point of the speaker's utterance). Three different forms of asynchrony (“mismatches”) were also identified, where the audience response was isolated, delayed, or interruptive. Stand-up comedians were found to invite similar proportions of affiliative audience responses to politicians, with comparable degrees of synchrony. However, they were less similar with regard to the rhetorical devices employed and the types of mismatch that occurred. Future investigations will focus on those aspects that are more specific to the genre of stand-up comedy.
Constructing Remorse
Authors: Wood Linda A. , MacMartin Clare
Published: November 2007

Remorse is an important consideration in sentencing, but the process of designating remorse has received little direct research attention. Using discursive psychology, the authors examine sentencing decisions in 74 cases of child sexual assault to identify the practices involved in judges' constructions of remorse. As expected, guilty pleas are used as evidence of remorse and vice versa. However, the judges do a good deal of additional work to support their assessments, particularly in cases that are exceptions to the pattern. Judges use text citation, appearance—reality contrasts, references to stake and interest, and other fact-construction devices, but there is variability in the devices that are selected and flexibility in how they are used. The authors discuss the problem of distinguishing appearance and reality and the possibility of omitting remorse as a mitigating factor but conclude that the discursive reformulation of the notion of remorse provides a viable alternative.
Basking in Reflected Glory and Blasting
Authors: Bernache-Assollant Iouri , Lacassagne Marie-Françoise , Braddock Jomills H.
Published: November 2007

This study examines, in soccer fanzines, two identity-management strategies—basking in reflected glory (BIRGing) and blasting—of two groups of highly identified soccer fans with allegiance to the same team. Results show strong support for the BIRG phenomenon among both ultra fan groups but little evidence of the blasting phenomenon among either group. The implications of these findings are discussed in regard to social identity management among sports fans.
The Medium Makes a Difference
Authors: Fox Annie B. , Bukatko Danuta , Hallahan Mark , Crawford Mary
Published: November 2007

This study examines gender differences in instant messaging (IM). Participants recorded their IM conversations for 3 weeks and then submitted a sample of six conversations, three with male and three with female partners. The conversations were analyzed for a number of variables often found to show gender differences. In many ways, messages were similar regardless of the gender of the sender or the recipient. However, women sent messages that were more expressive than those sent by men.
Explaining Language Priming Effects
Authors: Chen Sylvia Xiaohua , Bond Michael Harris
Published: November 2007

The present study examined participants' responses to scales measuring cultural identifications and self-esteem among both Hong Kong Chinese and Mainland Chinese bilinguals. When the authors activated their ethnolinguistic identity and manipulated the language of assessment, Chinese-English bilinguals were found to identify more with Chinese culture but less with Western culture, and to report lower self-esteem when responding in English than in Chinese. These results were interpreted as arising from activation of the participants' ethnolinguistic identity and their becoming aware of their own ethnic vitality and cultural norms, leading to ethnic affirmation (contrast effect) rather than cultural accommodation (assimilation effect).
Positive Prejudice Toward Disabled Persons Using Synthesized Speech
Authors: Stern Steven E. , Dumont Muriel , Mullennix John W. , Winters M. Lynn
Published: November 2007

In general, speech-disabled users of synthetic speech are viewed favorably compared to nondisabled users. The authors examined whether situational variables can affect this favorable view. Participants watched an actor deliver a persuasive appeal under conditions where speech (human vs. synthetic), disability status (unspecified vs. disabled), and situation (unspecified vs. telephone campaign) were varied. Perceptions of argument, message, voice, and speaker were assessed. Overall, synthetic speech was disliked but tolerated more when used by a disabled person. The authors also found that positive prejudice toward disabled speakers persisted when they were engaged in a negatively perceived activity. However, if the disabled speaker used synthetic speech for the negative activity, he or she was viewed negatively compared to a disabled speaker using human speech. Overall, the use of synthetic speech by the disabled does not necessarily damage people's perceptions of them. However, people may express some prejudice when a negative context creates enough ambiguity.
Consumer Attitude toward Marketing and Subjective Quality of Life in the Context of a Developing Country
Authors: Peterson Mark , Ekici Ahmet
Published: November 2007

The purpose of this research is to better understand Consumer Attitude toward Marketing (CATM) and how it relates to quality of life (QOL) in a developing country. Such sentiments toward marketing practice are core indicators of the marketing system's performance in delivering well-being to consumers during the first stage of the consumption process—acquisition. In this stage, the activities of businesses are set in high relief for consumers. As Douglas and Craig (2006) have noted how marketing is sadly neglected in developing countries, the Consumer Attitude toward Marketing (CATM) measures suggest how QOL-marketing might correlate with QOL in developing countries. Measures used in Gaski and Etzel's (1986) Index of Consumer Sentiments toward Marketing (ICSM) are enhanced and refined in this study of Turkish consumers. Using a confirmatory-factor-analysis approach, these measures are then used to derive a second-order factor representing CATM and to assess its nomological relationship with subjective quality of life (QOL).
International Human Rights and Consumer Quality of Life: An Ethical Perspective
Authors: Hill Ronald Paul , Felice William F. , Ainscough Thomas
Published: November 2007

This article represents an attempt to expand understanding of and dedication to global social justice through presentation and extension of the Rawlsian philosophical tenets regarding the definition and provision of basic commodities. The first section provides a literature review of Rawl's outlook on distributive justice, modifying his conceptual frame to avoid pitfalls regarding the duties of nations. Following a discussion of these obligations, the current status of the global community is described using data collected by the United Nations Development Program. The last section is designed to show how additional progress can be made, with an emphasis on solutions that must be implemented across nations. It is the authors' hope that macromarketing researchers will take a leadership role defining, disseminating, and evaluating the moral obligations that significantly impact the quality of people's consumer lives.
Developing a Quality of Life Measure to Assess the Impact of Community Services: The Case of Australian Community Banks
Authors: Walker Rhett H. , Byrne Graeme , Johnson Lester W.
Published: November 2007

This article reports on findings of a study designed to develop and test measures suitable to assessing the perceived comparative contribution of Australian community banks and other more conventional banks to communities served, and the perceived impact of these banks on the well-being and quality of life of individuals who reside in those communities. Findings reveal that perceptions of the contribution of community banks to the sense of community and individual well being are significantly more favorable than those of more conventional banks.
Household Life-Cycle Effects on Consumer Wealth and Well-Being for the Recently Retired
Authors: Bearden William O. , Wilder Ronald P.
Published: November 2007

The present research tests a series of predicted relationships regarding the e fects of household life-cycle variables, as well as other important consumer characteristics, on both wealth and perceived well-being among retired households. Toward that objective, separate samples of retired married households (n = 1,938) and retired single-person households (n = 855) from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) of the University of Michigan were analyzed in an investigation of the e fects of household marital and parenthood characteristics on both accumulated wealth and perceived well-being. After controlling for education, race, gender, and health e fects, the results demonstrate significant life-cycle e fects of marital status and number of children on consumer wealth. In addition, wealth at retirement age is found to be a significant predictor of overall well-being. The implications of these findings, as well as a series of suggestions for future research regarding the study of important changes in life-cycle circumstances, are discussed.
The Subjective Well-Being of Nations: A Role for Marketing?
Authors: Yue Pan  , Zinkhan George M. , Shibin Sheng
Published: November 2007

In this study, the authors test a conceptual model that explains the subjective well-being (SWB) of nations. The authors include traditional predictors (e.g., human rights) and marketing variables (e.g., advertising expenditure, retailing indexes) in their model. They are especially interested to see to what extent marketing activities are associated with citizens' welfare or happiness. Using data from fifty-five countries, the authors find that one marketing variable (advertising expenditure per capita) strongly correlates with SWB, while another (number of retail outlet per capita) does not show a strong relationship with SWB. However, the strong relation fades away when other e fects are partialed out. The authors' model accounts for a large amount of variance in SWB. However, the e fect of marketing variables in a multivariate setting is not particularly strong.
Research on Consumer Well-Being (CWB): Overview of the Field and Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Sirgy M. Joseph , Lee Dong-Jin , Rahtz Don
Published: November 2007

In this article, the authors introduce the concept of consumer well-being (CWB), address the distinction between consumer satisfaction and CWB, identify several conceptualizations of CWB, and briefly describe the five articles making up this special issue on CWB.
Symptom Assessment of Patients with Advanced Cancer and AIDS and Their Family Caregivers: The Results of a Quality-of-Life Pilot Study
Authors: Sherman Deborah Witt , Ye Xiang Y. , Beyer McSherry Christina , Parkas Valerie , Calabrese Miriam , Gatto Maria
Published: November 2007

This longitudinal pilot study examined diFFerences in demographic characteristics oF 101 patients with advanced illness (cancer, AIDS) and 81 Family caregivers, evaluated the reliability oF the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale For these patients and their Family caregivers; obtained preliminary data regarding similarities or diFFerences in the symptom experience oF these patients and their Family caregivers and changes in symptoms over time; and identiFied demographic variables that may be potential covariates related to the symptom experience. All demographic variables were signiFicantly diFFerent For patients with advanced cancer and AIDS, and their symptom experience is similar only with regard to psychologic symptoms; however, based on the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, cancer and AIDS patients and their Family caregivers have similar symptom experiences, indicating the need For palliative care For both patients and Family. Further research is needed to establish the reliability oF the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale For use with Family caregivers.
Choreographing the End of Life in a Neonate
Authors: Milstein Jay M. , Raingruber Bonnie
Published: November 2007

As caregivers, we often have the privilege of accompanying patients and their families at the end of life. When the patients are newborn infants, the parents are totally unprepared cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually. Their experience represents uncharted territory. The concept of uncharted territory probably applies to everyone facing the death of a loved one for the first time for both the patients and their families. Providing some guidance to patient/family dyads, while simultaneously respecting their autonomy, may be helpful to facilitate healing and meaning construction during the process of bereavement. In applying an integrative universal paradigm of care when curative measures elude us, healing measures become of paramount importance. An exemplar involving a neonate is presented in this commentary; however, healing measures are relevant to patients of all ages as well as to their loved ones.
The Dying, Those Who Care for Them, and How They Cope With Loneliness
Authors: Rokach Ami , Matalon Raan , SaFarov Artem , Bercovitch Michaela
Published: November 2007

This study compares the manner in which the dying, their caregivers, and the general population cope with loneliness. The patients were recruited in an oncological hospice in Israel and, despite being on their deathbed, agreed to participate. Thirty-seven cancer-stricken patients, 78 caregivers, and 128 participants From the general population volunteered to take part. The participants anonymously answered a 34-item questionnaire and were asked to endorse those items that described their strategies oF successFully coping with loneliness. Results suggested the dying patient, his or her caregiver, and the general population cope with loneliness diFFerently. Dying patients scored signiFicantly lower than the general population on the social support network and increased activity sub-scales, with a reversed trend For religion and Faith. This may be the First study to examine the manner in which the dying and their caregivers cope with loneliness. Thus, more research is needed to replicate the study using larger samples.
Noninvasive Positive-Pressure Ventilation in Patients With Malignancy
Authors: Marik Paul E.
Published: November 2007

Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is now accepted as the treatment of choice for subgroups of patients with acute respiratory failure. Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation has traditionally not been considered in the management strategy of patients with malignancy; however, this mode of ventilatory support may be appropriate in some specific situations. Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation is the preferred initial mode of ventilatory support in patients with hematologic malignancies or after bone marrow transplantation who develop acute respiratory failure. In these patients, NIPPV should be initiated early; severe respiratory distress and altered mental status require conventional mechanical ventilation. Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation should be considered in select patients with cancer who develop respiratory failure and have a do-not-intubate code status. In rare instances, NIPPV may have a role in treating patients with advanced cancer who have intractable dyspnea; however, NIPPV should not be used for the sole purpose of prolonging life in patients with terminal respiratory failure.
Statistical analysis of phosphorus segregation on intergranular fracture facets in pressure vessel steels
Authors: Wu S. J. , Ding R. G. , Knott J. F.
Published: November 2007

A533B and C–Mn steels, widely used as nuclear pressure vessel steels, have been aged at 520°C after tempering at 650°C for various periods of time to produce different levels of embrittlement resulting from the segregation of P to grain boundaries. Metallographic observation and tensile test results showed that the embrittlement heat treatment did not have significant influence on the microstructures or tensile properties of the steels. P segregation at grain boundaries and on intergranular facets was investigated using field emission gun transmission electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. After such treatment, enhanced segregation was found to be a linear function of the square root of embrittling time. Statistical analysis of the AES measurements indicated that there is a minimum segregation level for intergranular fracture to occur.
Characterisation of microstructural evolution during thermomechanical processing of 15Cr–15Ni–2·2Mo–Ti modified austenitic stainless steel (alloy D9) using ultrasonic measurements
Authors: Mandal S. , Kumar A. , Sivaprasad P. V. , Jayakumar T. , Raj B.
Published: November 2007

Ultrasonic attenuation measurements have been used for imaging the variations in the grain size in 15Cr–15Ni–2·2Mo–Ti modified (D9) austenitic stainless steel specimens thermo mechanically processed at 1273 K for different strain amplitudes in the range of 0·1 to 0·5. Ultrasonic attenuation measurements could identify various deformation zones such as macroscopic intense shear zones, moderate deformation zones and dead metal zones in the specimen strained to 0·5 exhibiting dynamic recrystallisation. The initiation of the recrystallisation and skew in the loading during the thermo mechanical processing could also be identified using ultrasonic attenuation measurements.
A model based creep equation for 9Cr–1Mo–0·2V (P91 type) steel
Authors: Ule B. , Nagode A.
Published: November 2007

The isothermal constant stress creep tests data for a 9Cr–1Mo–0·2V (P91 type) steel were submitted for a phenomenological analysis in order to obtain the relevant creep equation for such steel. Namely, the minimum creep strain rate of P91 type steel cannot be described by the simple Arrhenius type power law constitutive model. The incorporation of the threshold stress concept in the analysis of creep data leads to a modified power law, which satisfactorily describes the creep behaviour of the examined P91 steel. However, the threshold stress is not a good material parameter, as it often varies with temperature and/or applied stress. This adds uncertainty to the extrapolation of the creep rates into ranges where experimental data are not available. Besides the fact that the physical foundation for a threshold stress is questionable from a scientific point of view, this is a serious practical limitation of the modified power law creep equation. The second creep equation proposed in the present paper is the improved stress dependent energy barrier model. The improvement of the standard model is based on two assumptions: first, on the hypothesis that the application of a stress also affects the energy barrier to be overcome when a local region transitions from the initial to the final state, and second, by applying a simple power function of stress instead of a hyperbolic sin function in the model based equation. The obtained value of stress exponent, n=5·5, is too high for entirely climb controlled creep. The apparent activation energy of approximately 510 to 545 kJ mol−1, which is considerably higher than the activation energy for lattice diffusion, is the stress dependent activation energy of the slowest, dominant rate controlling process of the supposed multiple creep mechanisms.
Influence of fissures on tensile and fracture toughness of steels with ferrite/pearlite microstructures
Authors: Mintz B. , Morrison W. B.
Published: November 2007

The tensile and impact properties of two control rolled steels made to the X65 specification have been examined. One steel exhibited a large number of deep fissures on the fracture surface of impact specimens while the other with a similar composition and room temperature strength showed little fissuring. Tensile specimens (both notched and unnotched) were tested over the temperature range room to −196°C. Samples were taken from both the longitudinal and transverse directions (relative to the rolling direction) as well as from the through-the-thickness direction. Fissures did not influence the tensile behaviour of unnotched tensile specimens taken in the transverse and longitudinal directions. However, tensile specimens taken from the throughthe-thickness direction started to show brittle behaviour in the heavily fissured steel at about −170 and −120°C for the unnotched and notched samples respectively, which contrasted with below −196°C and about −160°C for the ‘weakly fissured’ steel. Impact behaviour was also influenced by the presence of fissures. By subdividing the Charpy specimen into smaller segments, the impact transition temperatures were lower in the fissured steel compared with the lightly fissured steel. Longitudinal Charpy specimens generally, had impact transition temperatures ∼20°C lower than the transverse Charpy specimens and were also slightly more fissured. The weakly fissured steel had less grain elongation and a weaker (200) texture than the heavily fissured steel. In the through-the-thickness direction the impact transition temperature was increased by 50–60°C and the ductile shelf energy reduced by 50% for the fissured steel compared with the weakly fissured steel. Normalising the control rolled steels removed all the fissures, produced an equiaxed grain structure, weaker (200) textures and resulted in much lower strengths. A model is proposed to account for the appearance of fissures within a defined temperature range.
MicroRaman spectroscopy of protective coatings deposited onto C/C–SiC composites
Authors: Perova T. S. , Moore R. A. , Berreth K. , Maile K. , Lyutovich A.
Published: November 2007

MicroRaman spectroscopy has been used in the present work to investigate the structure and composition of pyrolytic carbon (PyC) and SiC protective coatings formed under various chemical vapour deposition conditions. Analysis of spectra obtained during Raman line mapping experiments on samples with graded SixCy layer in the region of about 700–1000 cm−1 allows information to be extracted on different SiC polytypes. It was found that the graded SiC layered sample contained a mixture of 3C–SiC and 6H–SiC polytypes at the film/substrate interface, but for the major part of this layer the 3C–SiC ( β-SiC) phase predominates. For pure PyC films, it was found that the formation of PyC layer begins at 1200°C and the layer formed at this temperature is more uniform with slightly larger crystallite size (∼3 nm) compared to that in the layer formed at 1300°C.
Effect of grain size on austenite stability and room temperature low cycle fatigue behaviour of solution annealed AISI 316LN austenitic stainless steel
Authors: Basu K. , Das M. , Bhattacharjee D. , Chakraborti P. C.
Published: November 2007

The present paper investigates completely reversed room temperature low cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviour of solution annealed austenitic stainless steel AISI 316L with two different grain sizes of 90 and 139 μm developed by solution annealing treatment at 1050 and 1150°C respectively and at six strain amplitudes ranging between ± 0·375 and ± 1·00%. Complete cyclic hardening has been observed for both the grain sizes. While fine grained steel shows an improvement in cyclic life compared with that of coarse grained steel for strain amplitudes ± 0·375 and ± 0·50%, and perfectly follows the Coffin–Manson (C–M) behaviour within the experimental domain, higher cyclic life with bilinear C–M behaviour is observed in the case of coarse grained steel at ± 0·625% strain amplitude and above. Optical microscopy of fatigue fracture surfaces reveals the formation of martensite on cyclic straining predominantly at higher strain amplitudes.
Influence of Al and P additions on hot ductility of steels
Authors: Su H. , Gunawadarna W. D. , Tuling A. , Mintz B.
Published: November 2007

The hot ductility curves of a series of P containing, TRIP type steels (0·08–0·1%P) with Al levels from 0·03 to 0·87% have been determined. The tensile specimens were cast in situ, cooled at 60°C min−1 to the test temperature in the range of 1200–700°C and strained at 3 × 10−3 s−1 to failure. The reduction of area (R of A) was taken as the measure of ductility. Whereas the high P addition was found to have little influence on the hot ductility behaviour, the high Al additions resulted in a widening of the trough to higher temperatures. Thin films of deformation induced ferrite were observed throughout the wide temperature range from the Ae3 to the Ar3. Ductility did not fully recover at the high temperature end of the trough until the temperature was high enough for there to be little precipitation of AlN particles and to when ferrite films can no longer form making it easy for the austenite grains to dynamically recrystallise. Which of these possibilities is responsible for this extension of the trough at the high temperature end is not clear, although there is some evidence suggesting it may be the ferrite film forming at temperatures above the Ae3, due to segregation of Al to the γ grain boundaries. Steels with 0·2–0·4%Al also gave R of A values <40% in the temperature range of 900–750°C indicating that they may be susceptible to transverse cracking during continuous casting. Nevertheless, the steel with the highest Al content (0·87%) gave R of A values comfortably in excess of 40%. This is due to the AlN precipitates being so coarse as to not have any significant influence on ductility. The troughs for these steels are also extended at the low temperature end, ductility only recovering when the temperature falls below the Ar3 temperature. This extension of the trough at the low temperature end is probably a consequence of the high Mn level (1·5%) and high Al levels, preventing growth of the deformation induced ferrite films. The Al containing steels generally had very low N levels (0·002%) and higher N levels would be expected to extend the troughs to even higher temperatures, because the increased volume fraction of AlN may lead to deeper troughs.
A critical shear displacement criterion for ductile–brittle transition under mixed mode I and II loading
Authors: Bhattacharjee D. , Knott J. F.
Published: November 2007

Micromechanisms producing ductile and brittle damage operate in parallel at a crack tip. The dominant mode of failure depends upon which of the two (ductile or brittle) damage parameters first reaches its critical value. This has been shown by a study of ductile–brittle transition behaviour in HY100 steel under mixed mode I and II loading. The transition from ductile to brittle behaviour in HY100 steel was found to be affected by mixed mode I and II ratio (ratio of imposed tensile and shear loading) in a manner such that with increasing shear the transition temperature decreased. In the present paper, a criterion is proposed based on the shear strain ahead of a notch tip, to predict the fracture behaviour at any given temperature and mixed mode ratio.
Ductile fracture behaviour of primary heat transport piping material
Authors: Tarafder S. , Sivaprasad S. , Ray K. K.
Published: November 2007

The fracture characteristics of pressure vessel materials must be understood well to implement leak-before-break concepts in the design of pressure vessels. For the construction of primary heat transport piping of Indian pressurised heavy water reactors, SA333 Grade 6 steel is employed, and it is therefore important to understand the fracture behaviour of this steel. The present paper presents the ductile fracture characteristics of SA333 steel at elevated temperatures encompassing the service temperature of the steel, the fracture behaviour under simulated seismic loading and the effect of variation of crack tip constraint on the fracture toughness of the material. Fractographic observations have been carried out to understand the origin of the high level of toughness of the material.
Hot cracking in tungsten inert gas welding of magnesium alloy AZ91D
Authors: Zhou W. , Long T. Z. , Mark C. K.
Published: November 2007

Plates of 3–5 mm in thickness were extracted from an AZ91D ingot and then butt joints of the plates were produced using tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding method. The TIG arc was also used to deposit welding beads on some of the thin plates. No cracking was found in the butt joints. However, hot cracking was always observed to propagate from the heat affected zone (HAZ) under the welding bead into the weld metal right after a welding bead was deposited on the thin plate. Metallographic and fractographic evidence was obtained to show that the hot cracking is ‘liquation cracking’ in the partially melted HAZ under the high thermal stresses. In the butt joints, the weld metal has the finest grains, highest strength and best ductility, and the HAZ was found to be the ‘weakest link’.
Microstructural and textural evolution during large strain hot rolling (LSR) of Mg–Al (AZ31) alloy
Authors: Srinivasan A. , Ghosh Chowdhury S. , Srivastava V. C. , Swaminathan J. , Poddar P. , De P. K.
Published: November 2007

Grain refinement has been achieved through large strain rolling (LSR) in Mg AZ31 alloy. The evolution of microstructure and texture has been found to be dependent on the amount of reduction. After the critical amount of reduction, grain refinement proceeds through continuous dynamic recrystallisation (CDRX).
Damping properties of open cell microcellular pure Al foams
Authors: Yang Y. J. , Han F. S. , Wen C. E. , Shu Y. F.
Published: November 2007

Damping behaviours of the open cell microcellular pure Al foams fabricated by sintering and dissolution process with the relative density of 0·31–0·42 and the pore size of 112–325 μm were investigated. The damping characterisation was conducted on a multifunction internal friction apparatus. The internal friction (IF) was measured at frequencies of 1·0, 3·0 and 6·0 Hz over the temperature range of 298–725 K. The measured IF shows that the open cell pure Al foam has a damping capacity that is enhanced in comparison with pure Al. At a lower temperature (∼400 K), the IF of the open cell pure Al foams increases with decreasing relative density, with decreasing pore size and with increasing frequency. The IF peak was found at the temperature range of 433–593 K in the IF curves. It is clear that the IF peak is relaxational type and the activation energy associated with the IF peak is about 1·60 ± 0·02 eV. Defect effects can be used to interpret the damping mechanisms.
Coupled model for particle dissolution and coarsening in microalloyed steels
Authors: Wang H. R. , Wang W.
Published: November 2007

The present paper presents an integrated model for predicting particle dissolution and coarsening upon heat treatment of micro alloyed steels. This model considers the effect of critical particle size on the particle coarsening kinetics. It has been shown that the solute supply rejected from the dissolved particles smaller than the critical particle size is insufficient for the particle coarsening. It is, therefore, suggested that the particles assimilate solute atoms from the supersaturated matrix directly through lattice diffusion. The particle sizes predicted by the proposed model are in agreement with the experimental results in the literature.
Influence of austenitising and austempering temperatures on microstructure and properties of dual phase ADI
Authors: Basso A. D. , Martínez R. A. , Sikora J. A.
Published: November 2007

The present work describes studies about the influence of processing variables on the microstructure and properties of dual phase austempered ductile iron (ADI). The upper and lower critical temperatures of conventional ductile iron melt were determined. Heat treatments involving austenitising within the intercritical interval, followed by austempering, allowed microstructures to be obtained composed of different combinations of free ferrite and ausferrite. Mechanical and fracture toughness tests performed on samples with mixed structures showed interesting combinations of strength and toughness, in comparison with fully ferritic and fully ausferritic matrices, particularly when austempering was carried out at 350°C. The results of the critical crack size, expressed by the relationship ( KIC/σYS)2, which indicates the relative toughness of the material, showed the best values for ferritic matrices with ∼20% ausferrite. This effect is attributed to the location of the ausferrite in the last to freeze regions (the weakest areas in the matrix) where it acted as a reinforcing phase.
Role of grain refining in hot cracking and macrosegregation in direct chill cast AA 7075 billets
Authors: Nadella R. , Eskin D. , Katgerman L.
Published: November 2007

Direct chill (DC) casting experimental results are presented for an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy with and without grain refining by attempting the inoculant addition either in the furnace or in the launder at two different casting speeds. Despite considerable structural refinement macro segregation remains unchanged with grain refining at a lower casting speed. Hot cracking, on the other hand, is totally prevented at this casting speed. Depending on the grain refining practice, either hot tears do not appear at all or prior cracks existing in the non-grain refined billet are completely healed. At a higher casting speed, the severity of segregation increases. The hot cracking tendency, however, has shown a distinct difference with grain refining method, with furnace-refined alloy resulting in a crack-free billet. But the billet grain refined in the launder exhibited hot cracking. Overall, these experimental results confirm the beneficiary effect of grain refining on hot cracking.
Development of nano-ZrO2 reinforced magnesium nanocomposites with significantly improved ductility
Authors: Hassan S. F. , Tan M. J. , Gupta M.
Published: November 2007

Nano-ZrO2 particulates containing magnesium nanocomposites were synthesised using blend press sinter hot extrusion technique. Microstructural characterisation showed reasonably uniform distribution of reinforcement, significant grain refinement of magnesium matrix, and the presence of minimal porosity. Mechanical testing revealed that the presence of nano-ZrO2 reinforcement leads to improvement in microhardness and 0·2% yield strength, and significant increase in ductility and work of fracture of magnesium matrix. Fracture surface of Mg matrix exhibited mixed mode (brittle ductile) fracture in the cases of Mg–ZrO2 nanocomposites.
Mechanical properties of directly air cooled copper added microalloyed steels
Authors: Ghosh S.K. , Haldar A. , Chattopadhyay P. P.
Published: November 2007

An attempt has been made to develop dual phase like microstructures in directly air cooled 1·5 wt-%Cu added Ti–B microalloyed steels. The chosen compositions have allowed to avoid pearlite formation during air cooling and yielded continuous work hardening behaviour with attractive combination of strength and ductility. Aging treatment has effectively improved the ductility without deterioration of strength. Differential Jaoult–Crussard analysis of the tensile results has explained contributions of the constituent phases in work hardening behaviour of the investigated steels.
Modelling influence of particulate shape on damping capacity of Al/SiC(p) composite
Authors: Wang J. C. , Yang G. C.
Published: November 2007

A cell model, together with finite element method (FEM), was employed to analyse the damping capacity of Al/SiC(p) at room temperature. In the model, four different kinds of SiC particulate shape, i.e. circle, rectangle, hexagon and triangle, under different particulate/matrix interface conditions have been respectively considered. Numerical results show that the influence of SiC particle morphology on the damping capacity of the composite is quite different under different matrix/particulate interface conditions: when the interface is ideal, the variation of the damping capacity of Al/SiC(p) at room temperature with the shape of particulates of SiC from high to low is triangle, hexagon, circle and rectangle, in turn, under the condition of the same strain amplitude; when the interface is weak, the order is hexagon, triangle, circle and rectangle. The difference of the damping capacity with different particle shapes was ascribed to the plastic deformation of the cell. Numerical results also show good agreements with the experimental results.
Synthesis and Structure of a Carbon Compound Bearing a Sterically Rigid 1,8-Dioxythioxanthylium (or Thioxanthene) Skeleton
Authors: Yamaguchi Torahiko , Yamamoto Yohsuke
Published: November 2007

In order to obtain a pentacoordinate hypervalent carbon compound with two strong apical bonds, a new compound bearing the novel skeleton 4 was synthesized by the two-electron oxidation of 9 followed by deprotonation. The X-ray diffraction data and the NMR spectra showed that the structure of 4 is not pentacoordinate, but tetracoordinate.