bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Confronting, Representing, and Believing Counterintuitive Concepts: Navigating the Natural and the Supernatural
Authors: Lane Jonathan D. , Harris Paul L.
Published: March 2014

Recent research shows that even preschoolers are skeptical; they frequently reject claims from other people when the claims conflict with their own perceptions and concepts. Yet, despite their skepticism, both children and adults come to believe in a variety of phenomena that defy their first-hand perceptions and intuitive conceptions of the world. In this review, we explore how children and adults acquire such concepts. We describe how a similar developmental process underlies mental representation of both the natural and the supernatural world, and we detail this process for two prominent supernatural counterintuitive ideas—God and the afterlife. In doing so, we highlight the fact that conceptual development does not always move in the direction of greater empirical truth, as described within naturalistic domains. We consider factors that likely help overcome skepticism and, in doing so, promote belief in counterintuitive phenomena. These factors include qualities of the learners, aspects of the context, qualities of the informants, and qualities of the information.
Functional outcomes post-radial head arthroplasty: a systematic review of literature
Authors: Kaur Manraj Nirmal , MacDermid Joy C , Grewal Ruby R , Stratford Paul W , Woodhouse Linda J
Published: March 2014

Background

The present study was conducted to determine the quality and content of research on the functional outcomes and complications post-metal radial head arthroplasty (RHAP).

Methods

A comprehensive search of medical databases for studies reporting on functional outcomes of patients undergoing metallic RHAP was conducted. The Structured Effectiveness Quality Evaluation Scale (SEQES) was used to evaluate quality of the studies.

Results

We identified 21 Sackett’s Level IV studies reporting on 391 radial heads. The mean duration of follow-up was 47.2 months and the mean (SD) age of patients was 48.4 years (6.9 years). The male to female ratio was found to be 1.05 : 1 and the dominant arm was involved in 54% of patients. When functional outcomes achieved post-RHAP were compared with normative scores, the comparison suggested that RHAP has good to excellent functional outcomes in short- to mid-term follow-up. The weighted mean (SD) Mayo Elbow Performance Score was 85.8 (4.1) (95% confidence interval 85.3 to 86.3). Incidences of implant removal (3.06%) and revision (2.22%) were found to be low.

Conclusions

There is consistent low-quality evidence of positive functional outcomes following RHAP. The heterogeneity of type of implant, patient characteristics and outcome measures used, along with an inadequate reporting of study details, restrict any definitive conclusions being made.
Post-traumatic elbow rotational stiffness
Authors: Ling Samuel KK , Lui Tun Hing , Faan Yan Sui , Lui Paulina WY , Ngai Wai Kit
Published: March 2014

Background

The elbow is an important but complex structure, with movement in both the sagittal plane in flexion and extension, as well as the rotational plane in forearm supination and pronation. Trauma is a common cause of elbow stiffness, which significantly hampers daily function. There are currently no gold-standard management guidelines for post-traumatic elbow stiffness, and most of the published literature focuses solely on the sagittal plane of motion.

Methods

This is a retrospective case series reviewing all patients who underwent a surgical release for treatment of post-traumatic elbow stiffness during a 36-month period. Motion range and the shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores were serially measured and analyzed.

Results

The results obtained showed that both the sagittal and rotational range of motion directly influenced upper limb function; however, the relationship between these two motion planes was weak, meaning that both sagittal and rotational motion in the elbow need be addressed individually. Post-traumatic elbow stiffness could be aptly managed by various surgical approaches, including arthroscopic-assisted procedures; these were all effective in increasing both the sagittal and rotational range of motion. More importantly, this gain in range translated to a statistically significant improvement in upper limb function.

Conclusions

Management of elbow stiffness needs to be tackled in both the sagittal and rotational motion planes.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Food Intake
Authors: Bodenlos Jamie S. , Schneider Kristin L. , Oleski Jessica , Gordon Katherine , Rothschild Anthony J. , Pagoto Sherry L.
Published: March 2014

Background:

Animal research suggests that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is associated with weight loss and decreased appetite. Results from human studies are mixed; some suggest that VNS affects weight whereas others do not, and it is unclear how VNS affects eating behaviors. Baseline body mass index (BMI) and VNS device settings may moderate the effects of VNS on caloric intake. This study investigates the association among BMI, VNS device settings, and caloric intake of highly palatable foods during VNS on versus VNS off sessions in 16 adult patients (62.5% female; BMI mean = 29.11 ± 6.65) using VNS therapy for either epilepsy or depression.

Method:

Participants attended 2 experimental sessions (VNS on versus off) where they were presented with 4 preferred snack foods totaling 1600 calories. At the start of the session, they either had their VNS devices turned off or left on. Caloric intake was calculated by weighing foods before and after each session. BMI category (overweight/obese and lean) was the between group factor in the analysis.

Results:

After controlling for covariates, an interaction of condition and BMI category ( P = .03) was found. There was an interaction of condition and device output current ( P = .05) and a trend toward an interaction of condition and device on time ( P = .07).

Conclusions:

Excess weight may impact how neurobiological signals from the vagus nerve affect appetite and eating. Future research is needed to further elucidate this relationship.
Invasive candidiasis in intensive care unit; consensus statement from an Iranian panel of experts, July 2013
Authors: Ahmadi Arezoo , Ardehali Seyed Hossein , Beigmohammadi Mohammad Taghi , Hajiabdolbaghi Mahboubeh , Hashemian Seyed Mohammad Reza , Kouchek Mehran , Majidpour Ali , Mokhtari Majid , Moghaddam Omid Moradi , Najafi Atabak , Nejat Reza , Niakan Mohammad , Lotfi Amir Hossein , Amirsavadkouhi Ali , Shirazian Farzad , Tabarsi Payam , Taher Mahshid Talebi , Torabi-Nami Mohammad
Published: March 2014

Invasive candidiasis (IC) is associated with high mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Timely diagnosis of this potentially fatal condition remains a challenge; on the other hand, the criteria for initiating empirical antifungal therapy in critically ill patients are not well defined in different patient population and ICU settings. Alongside the international guidelines, reaching regional and local consensus on diagnosis and management of IC in ICU setting is essential. This report summarizes our present status of IC management in ICU, considered by a group of Iranian experts in the fields of intensive care and infectious diseases. A round table of 17 experts was held to review the available data and discuss the optimal treatment strategies for IC in critical care setting. Comparative published data on the management of IC were analytically reviewed and the commonly asked questions about the management of IC in ICU were isolated. These questions were interactively discussed by the panel and audience responses were taken to consolidate point-to-point agreement with the panel arriving at consensus in many instances. The responses indicated that patients’ risk stratification, clinical discretion, fungal diagnostic techniques and the empirical therapy for IC are likely to save more patients. Treatment options were recommended to be based on the disease severity, prior azole exposure, and the presence of suspected azole-resistant Candida species. This report was reviewed, edited and discussed by all participants to include further evidence-based insights. The panel expects such endorsed recommendations to be soon formulated for implementation across the country.
Why Help Offenders? Arguments for Rehabilitation as a Penal Strategy
Authors: Raynor Peter , Robinson Gwen
Published: March 2014

This article considers the variety of theoretical justifications, or moral arguments, which have been put forward to support approaches that can be broadly described as ‘rehabilitative’. The article takes an historical approach, tracing the development of ideas supportive of rehabilitation which begins with the origins of probation in England & Wales, and the Christian mission to ‘save souls’. In the twentieth century context, we consider the emergence of a utilitarian emphasis on maximising decent and productive members of society, subsequently challenged by arguments which emphasised state-obligated or ‘rights-based’ rehabilitation. More recently, utilitarian arguments emphasising rehabilitation's contribution to public safety and ‘risk reduction’ have risen to the fore. However, we argue that justifications which emphasise offenders, victims and/or communities as beneficiaries of rehabilitation need not be in conflict; nor should probation services have to choose between the broad ranges of stakeholders they are potentially able to serve.
Surveillance and Confinement: Explaining and Understanding the Experience of Electronically Monitored Curfews
Authors: Nellis Mike
Published: March 2014

Electronic monitoring (EM) is now widely used in Western Europe, but its precise nature as a distinct form of penal sanction remains unclear. Since its advent in the USA in the 1980s, it has been most commonly characterized as a form of confinement and seen as an analogue of imprisonment. The names it had been given — “home detention”, “community custody” and “curfew”, for example — reflect this view. The surveillant aspects of EM have been vaguely acknowledged, but have relied on dubious ocular metaphors, and remain undertheorised. This paper will argue that EM should be understood primarily as a particular form and experience of surveillance, because the precise regulatory regime which it imposes on offenders (including the element of confinement) is only made possible by remote sensing technology, and has collateral effects alongside confinement. The paper concludes by tentatively placing this new, surveillant conceptualization of EM within contemporary debates on the changing nature of penalty.
Taking Probation Abroad
Authors: Canton Rob
Published: March 2014

At a time of extensive international exchange in probation policies and practices, this paper considers the opportunities and challenges of penal policy transfer. Using Ian Hacking's metaphor of an ecological niche, it is proposed that a number of inter-related vectors constitute an environment in which a transfer might thrive (or fail). A preliminary attempt is made to identify some of these influences. It is argued that the success criteria of transfer have been insufficiently discussed. Transfer can fail, but can also become corrupted. It is proposed that the enhancement of human rights is the single most important criterion for evaluating transfer.
French Post Custody Law (2000–2009): From Equitable Trial to the Religion of Control
Authors: Herzog-Evans Martine
Published: March 2014

French post custody law (sentence execution law) has been through a host of reforms over the last decade. Originally this legal field was rather empirical, with only a moderate participation of the Judiciary. In 2000 and 2004 two Bills were passed which significantly improved the procedure and granted the Juge and the Tribunal de l'application des peines (known as Jap and Tap) the status of a regular Court of law. 9/11 then had a radical effect on criminal policies. It started affecting post custody in 2005. From then on ‘tough on crime’ Bills were to be passed. They created ‘safety measures’, marginalized the Jap and the Tap, and defined several categories of ‘monsters’ or recidivists who were to be neutralised.
Dignity and Human Rights in Correctional Practice
Authors: Ward Tony
Published: March 2014

Interventions with offenders have a normative layer as well as a scientific basis and therefore it is not possible to quarantine ethical questions from discussions of best practice. My aim in this paper is to provide an expanded ethical canvass from which to approach correctional practice with offenders. The cornerstone of this broader ethical perspective will be the concept of human dignity and its protection by human rights norms and theories. I also explore the relationship between responses to crime and offender rehabilitation based on an enriched theory of punishment that is sensitive to offenders' moral equality and their attendant rights.
European Initiatives for Harmonisation and Minimum Standards in the Field of Community Sanctions and Measures
Authors: Morgenstern Christine
Published: March 2014

The article addresses the question how far European initiatives on Community Sanctions and Measures as well as the attitude towards them and their implementation by the Member States reflect “the punitive turn” or rather show a tendency to “resist punitiveness” in European penal policies. After presenting the Council of Europe's European Rules on Community Sanctions and Measures (ER CSM) of 1992 its provision regarding the co-operation and consent of the offender is considered in more detail. The change of penal climate in the Member States and its reflection by the update of the ER CSM in 2000 is described then, using the example of sanctions of indeterminate duration and Electronic Monitoring. Finally, the European Union's Framework Decision on the supervision of probation measures and alternative sanctions (adopted 2008) and possible obstacles with regard to its implementation are introduced briefly.
Pro-Social Modelling
Authors: Trotter Chris
Published: March 2014

Pro-social modelling is increasingly becoming recognised as a key skill in the supervision of offenders. This paper defines pro-social modelling discusses the research support for its use and describes the way it can be implemented in a criminal justice setting It goes on to discuss the relevance of worker empathy and the perceived legitimacy of the worker. The strengths and weaknesses of pro-social modelling are identified and some of the criticisms of the model are discussed. Finally the extent to which pro-social modelling can be taught is considered.
Only for Minor Offences: Community Service in the Netherlands
Authors: Boone Miranda
Published: March 2014

Community service for adults was introduced in the Netherlands in the first half of the 1980s as an alternative to custodial sentences. In 1989 it was accepted as a third formal sentence in the Penal Code for adults. Since that time the number of orders increased to 40.000 on a yearly basis. In general, the probation service has managed to deal successfully with this growth. It did have consequences, however for the involvement of the community and the degree of individualization and support. The initial object of decreasing imprisonment by offering an alternative has not been achieved. In terms of reducing recidivism, community service seems to be relatively successful, however.
Paying Back: 30 Years of Unpaid Work by Offenders in Scotland
Authors: McIvor Gill
Published: March 2014

This article considers the development and use of unpaid work as a penal sanction in Scotland, including its gradual introduction at differing points of the criminal justice process. It is argued that the community service order in Scotland — intended to serve as an alternative to imprisonment — has become a well-established sentencing option, though other penalties involving unpaid work have met with more conditional support. Community service has broadly resisted political pressures aimed at increasing its profile and punitiveness though there is a risk that contemporary policy developments that are aimed, ironically, at decreasing the Scottish prison population may, instead, result in its diversionary capacity being undermined.
The Importance of Mental Health Awareness Training in a European Probation Training Curriculum
Authors: Sirdifield Coral , Gardner Mark , Brooker Charlie
Published: March 2014

In 2009 the CEP held a conference centring around the concept of a pan-European probation training curriculum. This article draws on the results of an evaluation of some training conducted in the UK to argue that mental health awareness training should form part of such a common training programme. The article outlines the potential benefits of making such training mandatory for staff working in probation systems across Europe. In addition, it identifies the role of instructional design in constructing learning resources which are flexible enough to be reconfigured to be relevant in different cultural contexts without diminishing the learning process.
Enhancing Offender Re-Entry an Integrated Model for Enhancing Offender Re-Entry
Authors: Serin Ralph C. , Lloyd Caleb D. , Hanby Laura J.
Published: March 2014

Notwithstanding diminishing crime rates in many countries, high rates of incarceration continue to engage political and public scrutiny in the management of (increasing) correctional populations. It appears such interest is driven by the competing concerns of fiscal pressures and ideological shifts: essentially lack of funds and, in many jurisdictions, a lean towards more conservative doctrines regarding offender care. Perhaps not completely surprisingly, these two themes can also actually work in harmony. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the United States, where spiralling costs of corrections appear to have seduced politicians to consider less punitive models which, ironically, are more effective at reducing crime and costs. At present, various states have embraced what has often been referred to as the Canadian model, that is, a less punitive and more empirically-grounded rehabilitative approach to addressing crime. Indeed, the number of U.S. citizens involved in the criminal justice system is staggering (7.3 million adults), with approximately 700,000 individuals returning home each year to their communities from prison. Encouragingly, recent legislation and funding such as the Second Chance Act have put a spotlight on offender re-entry. The purpose of this paper is to critically examine how well the field is positioned to meet proffered expectations for re-entry regarding risk reduction and public safety and to debate whether existing conceptualizations of offender change can adequately inform offender re-entry initiatives.
Judicial Rehabilitation in France: Helping with the Desisting Process and Acknowledging Achieved Desistance
Authors: Herzog-Evans Martine
Published: March 2014

Shadd Maruna, in his masterpiece, Making Good (Maruna, 2001, 2011) advocates the creation of an institutionalized redemption ritual which would reinforce the offender's own certitude that he or she has indeed desisted successfully, and convince the community and society itself, that he/she has now become a good citizen. Such a ritual, which would preferably be judicial, exists in the French legal system, under the name of Judicial Rehabilitation. However, prior to fully acknowledging achieved desistance, the French legal systems aims at helping with the desistance process through a host of procedures that expunge all or part of criminal records. In this jurisdiction, criminal records are seen as constituting obstacles to employment and thus, as being counterproductive. Drawing on legal methodology, this article will first explain the penological grounds of criminal records, of expunging techniques and lastly, of judicial rehabilitation.
Criminal Records and Rehabilitation in Australia
Authors: Naylor Bronwyn
Published: March 2014

Resettlement of former offenders and their ongoing desistance from further offending should be a priority for any community, but in many countries criminal records are increasingly accessed in employment and other decision making The criminal record then becomes an indelible brand, undermining rehabilitation and making reoffending more likely. Common law-based countries such as the UK and Australia demonstrate this phenomenon more clearly than some mainland European countries, and political and cultural factors are clearly relevant. This paper addresses the scope in Australia for rehabilitation processes that might contribute to the desistance process.
The Good Lives Model in Practice: Offence Pathways and Case Management
Authors: Purvis Mayumi , Ward Tony , Willis Gwenda
Published: March 2014

During the past decade, the Good Lives Model of Offender Rehabilitation (GLM) has gained considerable momentum and popularity as a rehabilitation framework for forensic populations. The GLM is primarily applied by the treatment sector, however very recently, it has been used to generate a structured strengths based approach to case management. The purpose of this paper is multi-layered. First, we present the theory of the GLM, explaining its conceptual underpinnings and in addition, present the results of recent GLM empirical research that found two pathways to offending: direct and indirect. Next, we describe how the GLM conceptual underpinnings, together with the empirical research findings, translate into a structured and meaningful case management approach for community corrections. The process for effective case management of offenders using the GLM is outlined and further, two GLM case management tools are presented and their purpose and application to offender rehabilitation is briefly set out. Finally, we describe the necessary support factors that are vital to the integrity, success and sustainability of this case management approach.
Desisting in France: What Probation Officers Know and Do. A First Approach
Authors: Herzog-Evans Martine
Published: March 2014

French probation services operate without much knowledge of criminological literature. Thus they have never heard of desistance. This research aimed at verifying whether they nonetheless had an overall idea of what it takes to desist and whether they helped offenders with obstacles to desistance. Their opinions were contrasted to those of other practitioners and the views of desisters. Despite the methodological limitations of this small scale study, one can nonetheless attempt to formulate a few conclusions: French probation services have a good idea of what it takes to desist, but have neither the capacity nor the will to effectively help offenders to do so. Their perception is for the most part confirmed by desisters. However, they differ on several desistance factors such as peers and budget. Another French trait is revealed: both practitioners and desisters think that Making Good (Maruna, 2001) is irrelevant. Some cultural factors are suggested in order to try and explain this surprising discovery.
A Framework for a Restorative Society? Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland
Authors: Payne Brian , Conway Vicky
Published: March 2014

Presenting findings of an unparalleled study, mapping the extent of restorative practices in Northern Ireland, this article argues that while some examples of the use of restorative justice in Northern Ireland have been researched in detail, it is in fact being employed in a much wider range of contexts, including schools and children's care homes. This diversity in restorative justice deployment is used to frame arguments for restorative justice to be given stronger footing by government citing the great potential for Northern Ireland to become a ‘restorative society’. Key findings from the mapping research are presented as an explanation for previous growth in restorative practices to date and as a facilitator for further growth both in Northern Ireland and in other jurisdictions. These include recognition that the definition and application of restorative justice must be determined by situation and context, and that the continued expansion of restorative practices is dependent on the cross-fertilisation of ideas both from abroad, but also between organisations within a jurisdiction.
Impact of Experienced Professionalism on Professional Culture in Probation
Authors: Butter René , Hermanns Jo
Published: March 2014

The level of work engagement is an important aspect of organizational culture. In this empirical study the relation between engagement and experienced professionalism of probation officers is investigated. Starting from ideal-typical theories on professionalism, a psychometric instrument for measuring experienced professionalism was developed and administered to a sample of Dutch probation officers. Two reliable scales could be constructed that account for 64% of the variance in work engagement. Of these, professional ethos (humanistic values) is the most important predictor of work engagement in probation. Professional facilitation (support from the surroundings), however, also contributes to engagement.
Thinking in Practice: Redefining the Relationship
Authors: Farrow Kathryn , Kelly Gill , Stout Brian
Published: March 2014

This paper examines the challenge of reconnecting probation knowledge, theory and practice throughout Europe. It will describe the history and rationale of the Thinking in Practice Seminar Series which was intended to promote thinking and debate about the supervision of offenders. It will consider how a collaborative approach might produce a greater groundswell of opinion and shared vision. The paper will draw upon practice literature and will use the seminar series as a case study to explore ways which allow probation services to continue to develop best practice. The paper will argue that the seminars have had some success in connecting with wider debates and could be replicated and developed further in other European jurisdictions.
Practical Wisdom and the Ethic of Care in Probation Practice
Authors: Gregory Marilyn J
Published: March 2014

In 2003 the author interviewed 15 experience probation officers from one probation area about the nature of their work as probation officers. These participants had trained in an earlier ‘clinical mode’ of practice, when rehabilitation was to the fore and casework methods were still enshrined in practice. Now they found themselves in a ‘punitive managerialist’ mode of practice. The study found that the participants, through the use of their skills as reflective practitioners, resisted the worst excesses of punitive managerialism and continued to practice in a way that balanced the demands of justice and care. This article looks at their commitment to the worker-client relationship and suggests that it is consonant with an approach to probation practice based upon the desistance paradigm, which in turn fits within a restorative justice framework for criminal justice practice.
‘They Were Very Threatening about Do-Gooding Bastards’: Probation's Changing Relationships with the Police and Prison Services in England and Wales
Authors: Mawby Rob C , Worrall Anne
Published: March 2014

In recent decades the probation service has been encouraged to work closely with a range of public and voluntary sector agencies. This article examines probation's changing relationships with the police and prison services drawing on sixty interviews with current and former probation workers. Analysing probation-prison and probation-police relationships pre- and post-1998 and drawing on Davidson's (1976) typology of inter-organisational relationships, the article argues that, despite both structural and cultural transformations, there remain cultural continuities in each organisation that create tensions, the significance (both positive and negative) of which should not be under-estimated.
Target, Audit and Risk Assessment Cultures in the Probation Service
Authors: Phillips Jake
Published: March 2014

This article traces the rise of managerialism in the probation service in England and Wales before exploring the impact of these changes through reference to in-depth observation and interviews in probation. The article considers how national standards affect practice; how audits feature and their impact on accountability; and how the use of risk assessment tools are perceived and resisted in two probation teams in England Wales. The article then turns to changes implemented by the Coalition Government and highlights some tensions between managerialist occupational cultures in probation and what might occur in the near future.
Recalling Conditionally Released Prisoners in England and Wales
Authors: Padfield Nicola
Published: March 2014

This article explores the recent enormous increase in the number of prisoners recalled each year to prison in England and Wales: prisoners who had previously been released, either automatically or on the direction of the Parole Board. It explores law and practice, focusing in the analysis on pre-release processes, the process of recall and on the prisoner's journey towards re-release. Having considered the role of the Parole Board and of the executive more generally, the paper concludes that there should be a review of whether ‘sentence review courts’ would work better to encourage offenders to earn their way out of prison and off supervision.
Non-Compliance in France: A Human Approach and a Hair Splitting Legal System
Authors: Herzog-Evans Martine
Published: March 2014

This article reviews the French system of recall: paradoxically, for a system tightly bound by complex rules, a great deal of discretion is left to judges (particularly those responsible for sentence enforcement). Building on the initial findings from her current research, the author argues that juges d'application des peines generally have a rehabilitative approach to sanctioning non-compliance, for example, taking offenders' personal circumstances and individual ‘merit’ seriously. She fears that non-compliance may soon become a political issue.
Revoking Early Conditional Release Measures in Spain
Authors: Cid José , Tébar Beatriz
Published: March 2014

In this article we examine how early conditional release measures for offenders are revoked in Spain. For this purpose we analyse the legal framework of revocation, paying special attention to the criteria and the procedures legally established. We also take a look to the practice of revocation by discussing relevant statistics and the case law on this subject. Finally, we raise some critical points on the Spanish system of revocation suggesting some changes inspired by the principle of revocation as a last resort.
New Directions in Community Supervision: Should We Target High Risk Offenders, High Risk Times, and High Risk Locations?
Authors: Byrne James M.
Published: March 2014

This paper addresses a simple question: what have researchers in the United States and other countries learned about probation performance generally and the effectiveness of specific probation practices in particular? While the ‘science’ derived from the evaluation studies is still weak, it has been argued that probation could be organized along three risk dimensions, targeting high-risk times, high-risk offenders and high-risk locations. Research examining these risk dimensions is presented here, and the implications for an emerging desistance-based probation paradigm are considered
“They Might as Well Be Walking around the inside of a Biscuit Tin”: Barriers to Employment and Reintegration for ‘Politically Motivated’ Former Prisoners in Northern Ireland
Authors: Dwyer Clare D.
Published: March 2014

The prisoner provisions under the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement emphasised the importance of the reintegration and civic inclusion of ‘politically motivated’ former prisoners; however, numerous barriers to full reintegration remain. Notwithstanding the fact that these prisoners were released as part of a peace process, based on principles of conflict transformation and reconciliation, there were still numerous conditions placed upon them as part of their release process and they continued to hold a ‘criminal’ record upon release. As with ‘ordinary’ ex-prisoners, these ‘politically motivated’ former prisoners have subsequently faced numerous obstacles in their attempts to reintegrate back into society, particularly in the area of employment. Recognising that they needed to deal with the consequences of imprisonment, ‘politically motivated’ former prisoners formed numerous self-help organizations to assist in the reintegration process and have mobilised to lobby for protection against the discrimination and unequal treatment experienced by ex-prisoners seeking employment. This article explores the remaining barriers to employment for ‘politically motivated’ former prisoners and the consequences of these barriers. The article moves to assess how prisoner groups have subsequently used a ‘rights based’ discourse to engage local government in their struggle to overcome existing obstacles before finally concluding that any piecemeal attempt to remove barriers to full reintegration will only impede the longer term conflict transformation process in Northern Ireland.
Change and the Probation Service in England and Wales: A Gendered Lens
Authors: Annison Jill
Published: March 2014

The National Probation Service in England and Wales has been buffeted by change in recent years. This has happened at a time when rhetoric has become increasingly punitive, with probation emphasising its role in providing punishment in the community. It therefore seems surprising that there has been a decisive shift in terms of the gendered composition of its staff — there are now many more women than men working in probation. This review outlines quantitative changes and then explores qualitative research data from women probation officers. These different perspectives provide an in-depth account of this interesting and still-changing organisational setting.
The Good Lives Model: Aligning Risk Reduction with Promoting Offenders' Personal Goals
Authors: Ward Tony , Fortune Clare-Ann
Published: March 2014

In this paper we provide an overview of a relatively new, strength-based model of offender rehabilitation, the Good Lives Model (GLM), which focuses interventions on offenders' personal interests and normative commitments. From the perspective of the GLM, correctional programs should aim to increase individuals' awareness of their core values and assist them to translate this awareness into concrete intervention plans. It is argued that if this is done with one eye on offenders risk profiles it is possible to reduce risk by building the competencies needed to achieve personally more fulfilling lives. The paper finishes with a brief case study that is intended to convey the GLM's twin focus on offenders' well-being enhancement and risk reduction and management.
Reading between the Lines
Authors: Hayes David
Published: March 2014

This paper presents the findings of a sample of 2,000 articles published in English newspapers about community punishment between 2003 and 2011. The data suggest that challenges to the legitimacy of community sanctions in English media, whilst occasionally vociferous and vitriolic, are as muchlinguistic as political in nature, rooted in a tendency to dismiss non-custodial sentences as inherently inferior to incarceration, and to overstate the severity and frequency of crime. This should influence penologists' and penal reformers'attempts to improve popular support for non-custodial sanctions.
Thickness dependent properties of diamond-like carbon coatings by filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition
Authors: Wasy A. , Balakrishnan G. , Lee S. , Kim J.-K. , Kim T. G. , Song J. I.
Published: March 2014

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings of 300, 500 and 650 nm thickness were deposited on stainless steel substrates using a filtered cathodic vacuum arc hybrid with magnetron sputtering system. A 100 nm thick chromium interlayer was deposited before the deposition of the DLC coatings. The films morphology was characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy and structure was identified by Raman spectroscopy. Tribology was evaluated by ball disc wear test and wear tracks were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The interface adhesion was studied by scratch tester. The results of all characterisations were concluded and 500 nm DLC coating has suggested as optimum thickness that would be applicable for industrial applications.
Oxidation and corrosion behaviour of CoNiCrAlY bond coats
Authors: Rathod W. S. , Khanna A. S. , Karthikeyan J. , Rathod R. C.
Published: March 2014

CoNiCrAlY coating for protection against oxidation at elevated temperature was prepared on the surface of the 316L by high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and cold gas dynamic spray (CGDS) techniques. The phase composition, microstructure and oxidation resistance of the coating were investigated at 900°C in air. According to the results, the CGDS coating shows low oxide growth rate as a result of low porosity, oxide content and high hardness. CGDS coating provided excellent oxidation protective ability at 900°C in air, whereas HVOF coating showed high levels of visible defects, oxide content, spinel type oxide and high oxide growth rate. Electrochemical study shows that the HVOF process provided better corrosion resistance as compared to CGDS process.
Tissue remodelling in chronic bronchial diseases: from the epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype
Authors: Pain Mallory , Bermudez Olga , Lacoste Philippe , Royer Pierre-Joseph , Botturi Karine , Tissot Adrien , Brouard Sophie , Eickelberg Oliver , Magnan Antoine
Published: March 2014

Airway remodelling is a critical feature of chronic bronchial diseases, characterised by aberrant repair of the epithelium and accumulation of fibroblasts, which contribute to extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition resulting in fixed bronchial obstruction. Recently, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been identified as a new source of fibroblasts that could contribute to the remodelling of the airways. This phenomenon consists of the loss of the epithelial phenotype by bronchial epithelial cells and the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype. These cells are then able to migrate and secrete ECM molecules. Herein, we review the different types of EMT. We will then focus on the signalling pathways that are involved, such as transforming growth factor-β and Wnt, as well as the more recently described Sonic Hedgehog pathway. Finally, we will highlight the implication of EMT in airway remodelling in specific chronic bronchial pathologies, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiolitis obliterans following lung transplantation. Despite the limitations ofin vitromodels, future studies of EMTin vivoare warranted to shed new light on the pathomechanisms of bronchial obstruction.
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Authors: Spruit Martijn A.
Published: March 2014

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive intervention designed to improve the physical and psychological condition of people with chronic respiratory disease and promote the long-term adherence to health-enhancing behaviours. During the 2013 European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Barcelona, Spain, a Clinical Year in Review session was held focusing on the latest developments in pulmonary rehabilitation. This review summarises some of the main findings of peer-reviewed articles focusing on pulmonary rehabilitation that were published in the 12 months prior to the 2013 Annual Congress.
Therapeutic options targeting angiogenesis in nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Crinò Lucio , Metro Giulio
Published: March 2014

There is a major unmet medical need for effective and well-tolerated treatment options for patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in both first-line and relapsed/refractory settings. Experimental evidence has validated signalling pathways that regulate tumour angiogenesis, including the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathways, as valid anti-cancer drug targets. However, to date, bevacizumab (an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody) is the only antiangiogenic agent to be approved for the treatment of NSCLC. Many other agents, including antibodies, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors and vascular disrupting agents, have been assessed in phase III trials but have generally failed to demonstrate clinically meaningful benefits. This lack of success probably reflects the redundancy of proangiogenic pathways and the molecular and clinical heterogeneity of NSCLC.

In this review we summarise recently completed and ongoing randomised clinical trials of emerging antiangiogenic agents in patients with NSCLC. We highlight recent promising data with agents that simultaneously inhibit multiple proangiogenic pathways, including the PDGF and FGF pathways, as well as the VEGF pathway. Finally, we discuss the outlook for antiangiogenic agents in NSCLC, emphasising the need for clinically validated prognostic and predictive biomarkers to identify patients most likely to respond to therapy.
Updates in oncology
Authors: Sculier Jean-Paul , Meert Anne-Pascale , Berghmans Thierry
Published: March 2014

The objective of this review is to report the Clinical Year in Review proceedings in the field of thoracic oncology that were presented at the 2013 European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Various topics were reviewed, including: epidemiology, screening, histology, and treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.
How computational rock-physics tools can be used to simulate geologic processes, understand pore-scale heterogeneity, and refine theoretical models
Authors: Sain Ratnanabha , Mukerji Tapan , Mavko Gary
Published: March 2014

Rock physics allows us to link geologic processes with geophysical observables through a multiscale integration of data. This integrated analysis is typically done using empirical or theoretical rock-physics models, which are often calibrated with laboratory or field data. With the advent of computational rock physics, a new set of tools can be used to simulate geologic processes and interpret their signatures in the geophysical cross-property domain by computing macroscopic properties on a common or shared rock model. Furthermore, these computational tools allow us to probe, in ways that are nearly impossible with macroscopic physical samples, microscopic (pore-scale) distributions of structural and mechanical heterogeneities, which can have significant effect on macroscopic properties. This in turn can aid in refining conventional theoretical models by accounting for more complex, realistic, and heterogeneous features of porous media, thus taking the theoretical models beyond their limiting, simplifying assumptions and making them more practically applicable. The three key advantages of a computational rock-physics-based modeling approach are (1) use of a common rock model, (2) use of methods based on geologic processes, and (3) use of pore-scale understanding to refine simple yet widely applicable theoretical models. The effects of geologic processes such as compaction, sorting, and diagenesis on elastic and transport property trends not only can be modeled using this computational approach, but pore-scale insights further allow us to critically review simplistic assumptions of commonly used contact-based effective-medium models for these processes.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Zoledronic Acid in Men With Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases: Results of CALGB 90202 (Alliance)
Authors: Smith Matthew R. , Halabi Susan , Ryan Charles J. , Hussain Arif , Vogelzang Nicholas , Stadler Walter , Hauke Ralph J. , Monk J. Paul , Saylor Philip , Bhoopalam Nirmala , Saad Fred , Sanford Ben , Kelly W. Kevin , Morris Michael , Small Eric J.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

Zoledronic acid decreases the risk for skeletal-related events (SREs) in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer and bone metastases but its role earlier in the natural history of the disease is unknown. This phase III study evaluated the efficacy and safety of earlier treatment with zoledronic acid in men with castration-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer.

Patients and Methods

Men with castration-sensitive prostate cancer and bone metastases whose androgen-deprivation therapy was initiated within 6 months of study entry were randomly assigned in a blinded 1:1 ratio to receive zoledronic acid (4 mg intravenously every 4 weeks) or a placebo. After their disease progressed to castration-resistant status, all patients received open-label treatment with zoledronic acid. The primary end point was time to first SRE, defined as radiation to bone, clinical fracture, spinal cord compression, surgery to bone, or death as a result of prostate cancer. Target accrual was 680 patients. Primary analysis was planned after 470 SREs. The study was discontinued prematurely (645 patients; 299 SREs) after the corporate supporter withdrew study drug supply.

Results

Early zoledronic acid was not associated with increased time to first SRE. The median time to first SRE was 31.9 months in the zoledronic acid group (95% CI, 24.2 to 40.3) and 29.8 months in the placebo group (95% CI, 25.3 to 37.2; hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0 to 1.17; one-sided stratified log-rank P = .39). Overall survival was similar between the groups (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.12; P = .29). Rates of adverse events were similar between the groups.

Conclusion

In men with castration-sensitive prostate cancer and bone metastases, early treatment with zoledronic acid was not associated with lower risk for SREs.
Survival, Durable Tumor Remission, and Long-Term Safety in Patients With Advanced Melanoma Receiving Nivolumab
Authors: Topalian Suzanne L. , Sznol Mario , McDermott David F. , Kluger Harriet M. , Carvajal Richard D. , Sharfman William H. , Brahmer Julie R. , Lawrence Donald P. , Atkins Michael B. , Powderly John D. , Leming Philip D. , Lipson Evan J. , Puzanov Igor , Smith David C. , Taube Janis M. , Wigginton Jon M. , Kollia Georgia D. , Gupta Ashok , Pardoll Drew M. , Sosman Jeffrey A. , Hodi F. Stephen
Published: March 2014

Purpose

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) is an inhibitory receptor expressed by activated T cells that downmodulates effector functions and limits the generation of immune memory. PD-1 blockade can mediate tumor regression in a substantial proportion of patients with melanoma, but it is not known whether this is associated with extended survival or maintenance of response after treatment is discontinued.

Patients and Methods

Patients with advanced melanoma (N = 107) enrolled between 2008 and 2012 received intravenous nivolumab in an outpatient setting every 2 weeks for up to 96 weeks and were observed for overall survival, long-term safety, and response duration after treatment discontinuation.

Results

Median overall survival in nivolumab-treated patients (62% with two to five prior systemic therapies) was 16.8 months, and 1- and 2-year survival rates were 62% and 43%, respectively. Among 33 patients with objective tumor regressions (31%), the Kaplan-Meier estimated median response duration was 2 years. Seventeen patients discontinued therapy for reasons other than disease progression, and 12 (71%) of 17 maintained responses off-therapy for at least 16 weeks (range, 16 to 56+ weeks). Objective response and toxicity rates were similar to those reported previously; in an extended analysis of all 306 patients treated on this trial (including those with other cancer types), exposure-adjusted toxicity rates were not cumulative.

Conclusion

Overall survival following nivolumab treatment in patients with advanced treatment–refractory melanoma compares favorably with that in literature studies of similar patient populations. Responses were durable and persisted after drug discontinuation. Long-term safety was acceptable. Ongoing randomized clinical trials will further assess the impact of nivolumab therapy on overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma.