bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Case of High School Hazing
Authors: DeWitt Douglas M. , DeWitt Lori J.
Published: August 2012

While collegiate fraternity and sorority hazing are well documented problems that receive prominent attention, hazing at the high school level is also a serious issue. Across the nation, media headlines offer a continual reminder that high school hazing is not a phenomenon of the past. As high school principals seek ways to discourage and eliminate incidents of high school hazing, it may be useful to examine a model that was implemented after a nationally covered, major hazing incident that occurred at a large Upper Midwestern high school. The case study analyzes the incident at the time and a follow-up study of the school several years later. A restorative justice program was designed and successfully implemented to address both the hazing incident and a school and community culture of acceptance and encouragement. A follow-up study conducted 7 years after the original incident suggested that the behaviors and the culture had changed.
In vitro clearance of dexmedetomidine in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Wagner D , Pasko D , Phillips K , Waldvogel J , Annich G
Published: August 2012

Dexmedetomidine (DMET) is a useful agent for sedation, both alone and in combination with other agents, in critically ill patients, including those on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy. The drug is a clonidine-like derivative with an 8-fold greater specificity for the alpha 2-receptor while maintaining respiratory and cardiovascular stability. An in vitro ECMO circuit was used to study the effects of both “new” and “old” membrane oxygenators on the clearance of dexmedetomidine over the course of 24 hours. Once primed, the circuit was dosed with 840 μg of dexmedetomidine for a final concentration of 0.9 μg/ml. Serial samples, both pre- and post-oxygenator, were taken at 5, 60, 360, and 1440 minutes. Concentrations of the drug were expressed as a percentage of the original concentration remaining at each time point, both for new and old circuits. The new circuits were run at a standard flow for 24 hours, after which time the circuit was considered old and re-dosed with dexmedetomidine and the trial repeated. Results show that dexmedetomidine losses occur early in the circuits and then continue to decline. Initial losses in the first hour were 11+-65% and 59-73% pre- and post-oxygenator in the new circuit and 36-50% and 42-72% in the old circuit. The clearance of the drug through the membrane oxygenator exhibits no statistical difference between pre and post or new and old circuits. Dexmedetomidine can be expected to exhibit concentration changes during ECMO therapy. This effect appears to be more related to adsorption to the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing rather than the membrane oxygenator. Dosage adjustments during dexmedetomidine administration during ECMO therapy may be warranted in order to maintain adequate serum concentrations and, hence, the desired degree of sedation.*(Lack of equilibrium)
Capturing the economic benefits of a transformative shift to low carbon automobility
Authors: Jarvis David , Berkeley Nigel , Donnelly Tom
Published: August 2012

The policy framework to encourage the manufacture and adoption of low carbon vehicles presents new opportunities for traditional automotive manufacturing regions. This article examines such opportunities in the West Midlands region of the UK, where the automotive ‘cluster’ remains significant and where failure to adapt to changing markets could have adverse economic and social consequences. Our analysis argues that the region needs to capitalise on existing strengths at the upper end of the technology spectrum and establish itself as a leader in the area of low carbon vehicle technologies. In doing so, it is recognised that a coordinated and holistic approach is required, involving multiple layers of government, in order to support industry in the development and application of new technologies, and critically, to overcome barriers to consumer acceptance and adoption. The article finds that, whilst the West Midlands experience to date demonstrates the effectiveness of a joined-up and holistic approach to policy delivery, much more attention needs to be paid to a demand push if potential economic benefits are to be maximised. As a cautionary point, the article also questions the sustainability of the partnership approach to policy delivery given the abolition of regional government in the UK.
Seeking professional fulfillment: US symphony orchestra members in schools
Authors: Abeles Harold , Hafeli Mary
Published: August 2012

Symphony orchestra musicians have characterized their careers as stressful, boring, and lacking in artistic integrity. In addition, they typically do not score high on job satisfaction inventories. This study describes how symphony orchestra members seek professional fulfillment through participating in school-based programs. Forty-seven musicians from two US orchestras who were participating in their orchestra’s education program were interviewed and observed in schools working with children. The interview transcriptions and classroom observation field notes and summaries were analyzed and coded for emergent themes. The results indicated that the musicians valued four major outcomes of their work in classrooms: the opportunity to express their creativity that the development of their presentations provided, the relationships forged with schools and children, the impact they could have on individual students’ lives, and the opportunity to serve the community. Orchestra musicians’ perspectives of their career paths appear to be enhanced by providing opportunities for them to work closely with students, particularly in under-resourced schools in their communities.
Long-range inhibitory mechanisms in the visual system are impaired in migraine sufferers
Authors: Wagner Doreen , Manahilov Velitchko , Gordon Gael E , Storch Peter
Published: August 2012

Background: After viewing dynamic noise surrounding a homogeneous grey patch (artificial scotoma), observers perceive a prolonged twinkling-noise after-image within the unstimulated area. It has been suggested that noise-stimulated neurons induce a long-range inhibition in neurons within the artificial scotoma, which generates a rebound signal perceived as twinkling noise following noise termination. We used this paradigm to test whether migraineurs have enhanced excitability or weakened inhibition.

Methods: Twinkling-noise duration was measured in 13 headache-free volunteers, 13 migraineurs with aura and 13 migraineurs without aura.

Results: The durations of the after-image were significantly shorter for both migraine groups compared to controls.

Discussion: Enhanced excitation of noise-activated neurons in migraineurs would produce stronger rebound activity and longer after-image durations, while weakened inhibitory mechanisms would diminish the rebound activity and shorten the after-image durations compared to control subjects. The results suggest that cortical inhibitory mechanisms might be impaired in migraineurs with and without aura.
Predicting a Volunteer’s Future Intentions in Professional Associations
Authors: Gazley Beth
Published: August 2012

High annual turnover among volunteers heightens policy and practitioner concern about effective retention strategies. Volunteer commitment is a complex interaction between the antecedents to volunteering, including a volunteer’s personal characteristics and motivations, and situational factors of the volunteer experience such as organizational practices that encourage sustained volunteerism. Using the Penner (2002) volunteer process model to illustrate this interactive approach, I estimate future volunteering intentions among a distinct group: Members of occupational associations. Data come from a large international pool of professional and occupational society members, and analyzed using GZLM and multinomial logistic regression. The findings suggest that the strongest influences on sustained commitment come from situational factors related to the volunteer experience rather than prior social conditioning. The findings support theory building on volunteer motivations generally and are also useful in building an understanding of voluntary membership behavior in professional associations, where research is still in the early stages.
Pressure analysis in a compressor cylinder based on detached eddy simulation and dynamic mesh
Authors: Yue Xiang-Ji , Ba De-Chun , Ba Yao-Shuai , Wang Fei
Published: August 2012

Pressure pulsation has a critical importance in the design of refrigerant compressor since it acts as a noise and vibration source. For capturing the pressure pulsation and the transient flow structure, the numerical simulation based on detached eddy simulation and dynamic mesh approach was performed. Numerical results agree well with experimental data in the frequency band of 1000–2900 Hz. The results show that the vortex flows arise when the pressure disturbances propagate in the refrigerant gases and impact against the wall leading to the dramatic increase of the sound pressure level (the frequency band is about over 1800 Hz) in the cylinder and the noise radiated from compressor shell. Furthermore, we employed the numerical model to analyze the noise reduction mechanism of the muffler hole in the cylinder wall.
Experimental study of particle emission characteristics of a heavy-duty diesel engine and effects of after-treatment systems: Selective catalytic reduction, diesel particulate filter, and diesel particulate and NOx reduction
Authors: Ko Ahyun , Kim Juwon , Choi Kwanhee , Myung Cha-Lee , Kwon Sangil , Kim Kiho , Cho Young Jin , Park Simsoo
Published: August 2012

This investigation focused on the particle emission characteristics of a heavy-duty diesel engine and the effects of after-treatment systems such as diesel particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction. The test engine was operated on the worldwide harmonized transient cycle mode, which is a new transient cycle for Euro 6, and the conventional European transient cycle mode. Four combinations of after-treatment systems, engine-out, selective catalytic reduction, diesel particulate filter, and diesel particulate and nitrogen oxide reduction, were evaluated for the transient cycles, respectively. The whole test procedure, as part of the Korea particulate measurement programme and the inter laboratory correlation exercise for domestic heavy-duty diesel engines, complied with the recommended method of particulate measurement programme. The particles that were extracted through the golden particle measurement system the constant volume sampler tunnel consisted of solid particles like carbonaceous fraction, metal ash, etc. The particles emitted from the tail-pipe, as analyzed by the differential mobility spectrometer, included volatile or soluble particles like sulphate fraction, nitrate fraction, and organic fraction. The test results showed that the particle number and size distribution depended on the catalytic activity or filtration efficiency of the after-treatment system. Compared to the accumulation mode, the nucleation mode was easily caught or oxidized by the after-treatment system. Additionally, the nucleation mode was sharply increased by excessive ammonia injection because nitrogen dioxide-assisted diesel particulate filter regeneration resulted in reduced conversion efficiency of the selective catalytic reduction.
Design of a robust controller for shift control of an automatic transmission
Authors: Sanada Kazushi , Gao Bingzhao , Kado Naoki , Takamatsu Hideki , Toriya Kazufumi
Published: August 2012

A robust controller is proposed for the clutch-to-clutch shift of a stepped-ratio automatic transmission. The control strategy consists of three parts: a feedback controller is derived using µ synthesis, which guarantees the system robustness; a feedforward controller is designed to improve the tracking performance; a disturbance compensator is used to reduce the effect of the disturbance on the system output. Finally the designed controller is tested on a powertrain simulation model, which contains a complete drivetrain and clutch actuators. It is demonstrated that the controller is robust against uncertainties in the parameters and variations in the driving conditions. Moreover, discrete implementations with a sampling time of 10 ms show the potential of the proposed controller for use in real vehicles.
Experimental study on the performance of and emissions from a low-speed light-duty diesel engine fueled with n-butanol–diesel and isobutanol–diesel blends
Authors: Gu Xiaolei , Li Guo , Jiang Xue , Huang Zuohua , Lee Chia-fon
Published: August 2012

The effects of isobutanol- and n-butanol-enriched diesel fuel on the diesel engine performance and emissions are investigated. Neat diesel, 15% isobutanol–85% diesel, 30% isobutanol–70% diesel, 15% n-butanol–85% diesel, and 30% n-butanol–70% diesel blends are investigated in this study. The tests were carried out at light and medium loads and a fixed low engine speed, and by using various combinations of the exhaust gas recirculation rate and the injection timing to investigate the effect of the molecular structure difference on soot formation. The results show that n-butanol–diesel blends give a longer ignition delay than isobutanol–diesel blends do. Hence isobutanol has a higher peak cylinder pressure and a higher premixed heat release rate than n-butanol does. Adding butanol (isobutanol and/or n-butanol) to diesel fuel is able to decrease the soot emissions substantially, while the change in the nitrogen oxide emissions varies slightly. Soot emissions from n-butanol–diesel blends are lower than those from isobutanol–diesel blends. Introducing exhaust gas recirculation and retarding the injection timing are effective approaches to decrease the nitrogen oxide emissions. However, a high exhaust gas recirculation rate leads to a loss in the fuel efficiency. The combination of a low exhaust gas recirculation rate, later injection and butanol blends can achieve low-temperature combustion and simultaneously decrease the nitrogen oxide and soot emissions.
Performance and sensitivity analysis of a combined cycle gas turbine power plant by various inlet air-cooling systems
Authors: Rahim Murad A
Published: August 2012

This article is aimed at carrying out a performance analysis of a combined cycle gas turbine power plant with various inlet air-cooling systems. A comparison is performed using different cooling systems, including evaporative cooling, fogging, mechanical (electric) chiller cooling, and absorption cooling. A performance analysis is completed for each system. The performance characteristics are determined for a set of actual operational parameters including ambient conditions (temperature and relative humidity), turbine inlet temperature, pressure ratio, etc. To evaluate the net power output and efficiency for each system, a combined cycle unit system consisting of inlet air cooling system, gas turbine, dual pressure heat recovery steam generators, and steam turbine has been analyzed. The results show that power and efficiency improvements depend on ambient air temperature. In addition, by decreasing the ambient temperature and increasing the humidity of the air, the output power can be increased. The carbon dioxide emissions for each cooling system are also discussed. The results and the sensitivity analysis show that the absorption cooling system is most effective.
Participatory Governance and the Spatial Representation of Neighborhood Issues
Authors: Jun Kyu-Nahm , Musso Juliet
Published: August 2012

In democratic theory, community-representing organizations play a critical role in mediating between citizens and elites. While proponents argue that neighborhood governance can improve efficacy and responsiveness of urban governance, critics warn that socioeconomic bias privileges the parochial interests of higher-income residents. There is limited knowledge, however, concerning the specific types of activities community-representing organizations undertake. This study illuminates the community mediation process through an analysis of the agenda orientation of community-representing organizations. An analysis of actual meeting agendas from Los Angeles neighborhood councils demonstrates that these community-representing organizations engage with varied issues including community improvement and other types of service needs or preferences in addition to land use. The findings suggest a more complex relationship between income and agenda orientation than is generally acknowledged. In particular, lower-income communities focus heavily on internal maintenance and capacity development activities that may displace engagement with more substantive issues. In contrast to the conventional wisdom that these organizations are likely to channel middle-class NIMBYism, the analysis reveals a U-shaped relationship between income and land-use emphasis, evidence that engagement in land use is also emphasized in lower-income communities that historically have been the target of locally undesirable land uses.
Unraveling Different Barriers to Internet Use
Authors: Mossberger Karen , Tolbert Caroline J. , Bowen Daniel , Jimenez Benedict
Published: August 2012

While current federal programs for broadband have invested heavily in rural infrastructure, significant disparities in Internet use remain in urban areas, where broadband networks are available. The success of the national broadband plan and federal policy require understanding barriers to Internet adoption, including persistent inequalities in urban areas. Analysis of a random sample telephone survey in the city of Chicago merged with census tract–level data finds that neighborhood-level factors such as segregation and concentrated poverty influence the reasons why residents do not have home Internet access, as well as individual-level factors. Interactions demonstrate differential effects of age across racial and ethnic groups, and the amplification of disparities in access in segregated neighborhoods, especially for Latinos in gateway immigrant neighborhoods. Place effects need to be taken into account in further research and theory on technology inequality, and in public policy as well.
Anterior Mediastinal Mass Biopsy and Resection
Authors: Rath Lindsey , Gullahorn Gregory , Connolly Nicholas , Pratt Theodore , Boswell Gilbert , Cornelissen Chris
Published: August 2012

The perioperative management of the patient with an anterior mediastinal mass (AMM) is viewed as one of the more challenging anesthetic endeavors. Diligent preoperative planning is essential and often involves imaging studies using multiple modalities, pulmonary function assessment, and minimally invasive biopsy for tissue diagnosis prior to arriving in the operating room. Anesthetic induction, often without major risks in most patients, can be catastrophic in AMM patients, with possible complications that include complete airway obstruction and cardiovascular collapse. The authors present the case of a biopsy via anterior mediastinotomy under monitored anesthesia care (MAC)/sedation in a 39-year-old man, who presented with a large AMM causing significant right heart compression without tracheobronchial involvement. This procedure was followed by definitive mass resection approximately 6 weeks later. This review will explore the following: (1) the use of MAC/sedation for AMM biopsy, (2) methods of safely securing the airway in patients undergoing definitive mass resection via median sternotomy, (3) current opinions regarding the need for preoperative pulmonary function testing in these patients, (4) current opinions regarding the need for and timing of cardiopulmonary bypass in these cases, (5) the use of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography during resection, and (6) the characteristics of mediastinal germ-cell tumors with sarcomatous conversion. Though multiple anesthetic methods have been proposed for the management of patients undergoing tissue biopsy and resection of an AMM, this case report presents 2 successful anesthetic options for 2 distinct surgical procedures. In every instance, the anesthetic management options must be tailored to the unique physiological needs of the patient presenting for surgery.
Tribological properties of in situ Fe3Al-20 wt% Al2O3 composites
Authors: Bai Yaping , Xing Jiandong , Liu Zhen , Wu Haoliang , Ma Shengqiang , Huang Qian , Gao Yimin
Published: August 2012

The tribological properties of Fe3Al-20 wt% Al2O3 composites, prepared by means of mechanical alloying and plasma-activated sintering, were investigated under air atmosphere against GCr15 bearing steels from room temperature to 500 °C. It was found that the friction coefficient of the composites (at 200 °C/350 °C) decreased with increasing temperature and the value was lower than that of Fe3Al alloys at the same temperature, and the friction coefficient increased again at 500 °C. Moreover, the wear rates of all the pins and discs were low at the medium/high temperatures. The dominant wear mechanism of the composites is microplowing and a little oxidation wear at room temperature. However, at elevated temperatures, oxidation wear and a little microplowing are found to be the main wear mechanism. There is also spalling induced by microfracture at 500 °C. The in situ Fe3Al-20 wt% Al2O3 composites have excellent wear resistance at a wide temperature range.
Multiparametric MRI correlates of sensorimotor function in the spinal cord in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Oh Jiwon , Zackowski Kathleen , Chen Min , Newsome Scott , Saidha Shiv , Smith Seth A , Diener-West Marie , Prince Jerry , Jones Craig K , Van Zijl Peter CM , Calabresi Peter A , Reich Daniel S
Published: August 2012

Background:

Spinal cord (SC) pathology is a major contributor to clinical disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), specifically SC-MRI lesion load measures that include lesion count and volume, demonstrate only a modest relationship with the clinical status of MS patients. Although SC cross-sectional area (CSA) correlates better with clinical dysfunction than MRI lesion count, SC atrophy likely signifies irreversible tissue loss. Using quantitative MRI indices sensitive to early and late microstructural changes in the spinal cord, we searched for the presence of better correlations between MRI measures and clinical status in MS.

Objectives:

We investigated whether diffusion-tensor imaging indices and the magnetization-transfer ratio (MTR) were better associated with the clinical status of MS patients than conventional SC-MRI measures.

Methods:

A total of 129 MS patients underwent 3-tesla cervical SC-MRI and quantitative sensorimotor function testing, using the Vibratron-II and dynamometer. Regions-of-interest circumscribed the SC on axial slices between C3-C4. We calculated SC-CSA, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), perpendicular diffusivity (λ⊥), parallel diffusivity (λ||) and MTR. We used multivariable linear regression to determine if there were any associations between MRI indices and clinical measures of dysfunction.

Results:

All MRI indices were significantly different in subjects with MS versus healthy controls, and between the progressive versus relapsing MS subtypes, with the exception of λ||. In multivariable regression models that were adjusted for age, sex, brain parenchymal fraction, and SC-CSA, the MRI indices independently explained variability in hip flexion strength ( p-values: MD, λ⊥, λ|| < 0.001; FA = 0.07), vibration sensation threshold ( p-values: FA = 0.04; MTR = 0.05; λ⊥ = 0.06), and Expanded Disability Status Scale scores ( p-values: FA = 0.003; MD = 0.03; λ⊥ = 0.005; MTR = 0.02).

Conclusions:

In a large, heterogeneous MS sample, quantitative SC-MRI indices demonstrated independent associations with system-specific and global clinical dysfunction. Our findings suggest that the indices studied may provide important information about microstructural SC changes and the substrates of limb disability in MS. The identified structure-function relationships underpin the potential utility of these measures in assessments of therapeutic efficacy.
An algorithm for selecting optimal controls to determine the estimators of the coefficients of a mathematical model for the dynamics of a self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system
Authors: Koruba Zbigniew , Krzysztofik Izabela
Published: August 2012

Today’s self-propelled anti-aircraft missile systems are designed to intercept low-flying, manoeuvring targets not only under any weather conditions but also during movement of the carrier vehicle over rough terrain. As target search and tracking need to be reliable, i.e. not affected by unfavorable conditions, a self-propelled surface-to-air missile system requires suitable stabilization and control systems. This implies that it is necessary to develop an adequate mathematical model of the missile system dynamics. In this article, we propose a procedure for experimental design to determine the coefficients of such a model. Particular attention is paid to the algorithm for selecting optimal controls and a time-dependent measurement spectrum to minimize the assumed criterion of quality.
Translating learners, researchers, and qualitative approaches through investigations of students’ experiences in school
Authors: Cook-Sather Alison
Published: August 2012

This article uses the conceptual framework offered by ‘translation’ to argue for transforming students into authorities and agents in research on educational practice. Drawing on various definitions of translation and highlighting the influence of recent feminist perspectives on translation studies, the article presents two cases that illustrate how learners can be translated into co-researchers of educational experiences, translating researchers into partners with students in making meaning through the research process, and translating qualitative research’s approaches and modes of presenting findings into new versions of those processes and products.
Young people as partners in research: experiences from an interactive research circle with adolescent girls
Authors: Åkerström Jeanette , Brunnberg Elinor
Published: August 2012

This article presents an interactive research methodology for young people’s participation in research. A model of the research circle, based on the Scandinavian study-circle tradition with democratic ideals, was created and is described. The empirical example is from Sweden. Academic researchers invited young people to be research partners in a research circle. The asymmetrical relationship between the researchers and the young research partners made asymmetric responsibility and respect into central parts of the methodology. The interactive process in the research circle concerns research fundamentals: developing methodological knowledge, designing a study, how to formulate the research questions from the viewpoint of young people, how to analyze from a generational insider perspective, and how to handle institutionalized and asymmetric power relations in social knowledge formation.
The power dance in the research interview: manifesting power and powerlessness
Authors: Vähäsantanen Katja , Saarinen Jaana
Published: August 2012

We examine the power that is manifested between interviewers and interviewees in research interviews. Our empirical examples are drawn from interviews conducted with: (a) a vocational teacher; and (b) a senior researcher. We analysed the manifestations of power both in the course of the interviews and across interviews. We found that power is exercised and distributed diversely and situationally between the interview participants (interviewer and interviewee) during the interviews. It appeared that in a given interview, the interplay between individual backgrounds and the interview setting was connected to the activities through which power was manifested, and that these activities played a role in shaping the subsequent course and content of the interview. Our findings contribute to discussion concerning the shifting significance of difference and sameness between interview participants with regard to power relations, what is conveyed in interviews, and the manner in which it is conveyed.
Reconceptualizing and decentering think-aloud methodology in qualitative research
Authors: Koro-Ljungberg Mirka , Douglas Elliot P , Therriault David , Malcolm Zaria , McNeill Nathan
Published: August 2012

Most applications of think-aloud protocols have been conducted from theoretical perspectives that prioritize knowledge that is predictable and controlled by the researchers. In this article, we present an augmented form of the think-aloud method in which we aim to gain situated and participant-generated knowledge. The context for our study is examination of the problem-solving processes used by engineering students. We illustrate how our adaptation of traditional think–aloud protocols provides insights into participants’ thoughts and beliefs and how such think-alouds can increase social scientists’ understandings of complex phenomena such as learning or problem solving. In contrast to a typical focus on researcher-defined processes or an analysis of the products generated by students, our approach to think-aloud utilizes think-aloud procedures in combination with follow-up interviews to expand participants’ perspectives and investigate their experiences more deeply.
Englishness as class: A re-examination
Authors: Aughey Arthur
Published: August 2012

This paper considers the significance of class to English national identity. It takes one systematic exposition of the argument that Englishness has been traditionally and intimately bound up with class: George Schopflin’s essay Englishness: citizenship, ethnicity and class, published in 2000. Schopflin thought that Englishness was distinctive in European terms by its class rather than its ethnic character and that this provided people with a very secure and very stable identity, though he did observe a more ethnicised form of identity emerging at the beginning of the new millennium. This is a strong definition of Englishness as class and the paper reassesses its claims in terms of recent research on identity. It argues for a more nuanced understanding of the role of class but suggests that the modus vivendi of English class relations still distinguishes its identity within Europe and the United Kingdom.
White like them: Whiteness and anachronistic space in representations of the English white working class
Authors: Lawler Steph
Published: August 2012

Themes of whiteness have informed many recent discussions of English national identity, yet the whiteness in question is attached to some groups but not others. In particular, whiteness is emblematically attached to members of the white working class, so that the whiteness of the middle classes becomes obscured. This paper is concerned with representations of white working-class people in the context of recent media and other discussions of English national identity. Hence, it is concerned not with the actions or sentiments of working-class people themselves, but with their positioning (by middle-class commentators) within an economy of cultural meaning around definitions of nation, multiculturalism and identity. Using press discussion of the BBC’s ‘White Season’ as a framing device, I argue that whiteness has come to be a signifier of white working-class existence. In this context, ‘white’ has shifted its meaning from something normal, normative and unmarked – Dyer’s ‘ordinary whiteness/whiteness as ordinary’ – to a marked – and markedly problematic – category that is applied only to some white people, who become bearers of ‘extreme whiteness’. This marking is linked with a positioning in the past, so that white working-class people can be marked as inhabiting ‘anachronistic space’.
The English village, whiteness, coloniality and social class
Authors: Tyler Katharine
Published: August 2012

This article explores the entwining of discourses of race, class and coloniality within a specific set of racialised discourses articulated by white middle-class and middle-aged residents of a suburban English village. I draw upon Frankenberg’s (1993) analysis of whiteness and the contemporary reproduction of colonial notions of cultural difference to examine whites’ othering of wealthy British Asian (BrAsian) residents and the everyday construction of non-Western others. My contention is that central to the reproduction of the idea of the village as a white and English space is amnesia of the colonial past and its implications for the postcolonial present. I examine how this process of amnesia mediates an aspect of my co-conversationalists’ representations of wealthy BrAsian residents as immigrants, that is, cultural others whose origins are thought to belong outside the village community, the nation and ultimately the West.
A moral economy of whiteness: Behaviours, belonging and Britishness
Authors: Garner Steve
Published: August 2012

This article outlines the complex stories through which national belonging is made, and some ways in which class mediates the racialisation process. It is based on fieldwork on the ways in which white UK people in provincial cities construct identities based on positioning vis-à-vis other groups, communities and the nation. I argue that this relational identity work revolves around fixing a moral-ethical location against which the behaviour and culture of Others is measured, and that this has a temporal and spatial specificity. First, attitudinal trends by social class emerge in our work as being to do with emphasis and life experience rather than constituting absolute distinctions in attitudes. Second, in an era supposedly marked by the hegemony of ‘new’ or ‘cultural’ racism, bloodlines and phenotypes are still frequently utilised in race-making discursive work. Third, in provincial urban England, there is a marked ambivalence towards Britishness (as compromised by Others) and an openness to Englishness as a more authentic source of identification.
Resentment, class and social sentiments about the nation: The ethnic majority in England
Authors: Fenton Steve
Published: August 2012

The concepts of ‘class trajectory’ and ‘secondary properties of classes’, drawn from Bourdieu, are deployed in an attempt to explain orientations to nation. Interview material forms the basis of two characterisations of these orientations: the resentful nationalist and the liberal cosmopolitan. These two orientations are seen as being associated with declining and rising class situations.
‘We are not terrorists’: Turkish Muslim organizations and the construction of a moral identity
Authors: Yildiz Ali Aslan , Verkuyten Maykel
Published: August 2012

Muslims living in western Europe have to manage their religious identity in societies that tend to define Islam as a religion of violence and terrorism. The current study examines the ways in which two major Turkish Muslim organizations (Milli Görüş and Fethullah Gülen) in the Netherlands and Germany publicly define a morally acceptable identity by arguing ‘what we are not’. Empirically, the focus is on the debate about Muslim terrorism in the newspapers and magazines of these organizations. The organizations try to define a morally acceptable position by redrawing identity boundaries and redefining and essentializing the content of Muslim identity. By redrawing boundaries, terrorists are placed outside of Islam and a distinction with terrorism is made. In addition, the essential nature of Islam is presented to be compatible with the host society. It is maintained that Muslim organizations reveal the real face of Islam by encouraging and developing initiatives for integration and civic participation of Muslims in the host societies.
Nightlife tourism: A mixed methods study of young tourists at an international nightlife resort
Authors: Tutenges Sébastien
Published: August 2012

Drawing on data generated through quantitative and qualitative methods, this article explores the prevalence and experiences of substance use, casual sex, commercial sex, and health problems among young Danish tourists at an international nightlife resort in Bulgaria. The article argues that the risks the tourists take should not be interpreted as a symptom of nihilism, pathology, or escapist inclinations. Rather, the tourists intentionally engage in certain forms of risk in order to move far beyond the mundane and into states of drunken adventure and memorable excess.
High-density lipoprotein impedes glycation of low-density lipoprotein
Authors: Younis Nahla N , Soran Handrean , Charlton-Menys Valentine , Sharma Reena , Hama Salam , Pemberton Philip , Elseweidy Mohamed M , Durrington Paul N
Published: August 2012

Glycation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increases its atherogenicity, but whether high-density lipoprotein (HDL) can protect LDL against glycation is not known. LDL and HDL were isolated from 32 volunteers with serum HDL cholesterol concentrations ranging from 0.76 to 2.01 (mean = 1.36) mmol/L. Glycation of LDL was induced by incubation with 0–80 mmol/L glucose for 7 days at 37°C under nitrogen in the presence of and absence of human HDL. Glycation of LDL apolipoprotein B (apoB) doubled at glucose 50 and 80 mmol/L (both p < 0.001), and this increase was ameliorated by HDL. In the absence of glucose, 0.11 (0.01) [mean (standard error, SE)] mg apoB/mg LDL protein was glycated increasing to 0.22 (0.02) mg/mg at glucose 80 mmol/L in the absence of HDL, but remaining at 0.13 (0.01) mg/mg when autologous HDL was present. Heterologous HDL from a further study of 12 healthy participants was similarly effective in impeding LDL apoB glycation. HDL impeded not only glycation but also the lipid peroxidation, free amino group consumption and increased electrophoretic mobility of LDL which accompanied glycation. HDL from participants with higher serum paraoxonase1 (PON1) was more effective in impeding glycation and the related processes. In conclusion, HDL can impede the glucose-induced glycoxidation of LDL. PON1 may be important for this function of HDL.
Taking Care of a Loved One Who Has Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Wegierek Anna Maria Jadwiga
Published: August 2012

Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that currently affects millions of Americans. This means millions of Americans are providing hands-on care for their loved ones who are struggling with this illness. Caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease is an extremely difficult and emotionally draining task. Ways in which caring for a loved one may affect the caregiver are discussed below, along with strategies for helping the caretaker avoid becoming emotionally and physically overwhelmed.
Surveillance technologies and the crises of confidence in regulatory agencies
Authors: Kearon Tony
Published: August 2012

Technology plays an increasing role in policing and other aspects of the criminal justice process. This article will briefly outline the notion of a criminal justice ‘techno-fix’ as a potential attempt by criminal justice agencies to use technology as a source of legitimacy. It will then go on to explore a range of alternate scenarios focusing on the possibility that increasing use of technologies in general, and surveillance technologies in particular (both in terms of formal surveillance by criminal justice agencies and informal surveillance of these agencies by sections of the general public) may actually contribute to challenges to the legitimacy of criminal justice agencies, in part because of deeply embedded but unrealistic cultural assumptions about the capabilities of technology.
The process of offender reintegration: Perceptions of what helps prisoners reenter society
Authors: Davis Celeste , Bahr Stephen J , Ward Carol
Published: August 2012

Qualitative data from16 offenders were analyzed to understand the process of reintegration from their perspective. The offenders identified six factors that they felt influenced their ability to reintegrate and desist from crime: (1) substance abuse; (2) employment; (3) family support; (4) types of friends; (5) personal motivation to change; and (6) age. A large majority indicated that drug abuse was a major contributor to their criminal activities. Most said supports from family, friends, and treatment services were important for successful reintegration. Those who were successful tended to have both a personal desire to change and a support system that helped them reintegrate and desist from drug use and crime. Support had more impact among those who desired to change and those who received support were more likely to perceive that change is possible.
Partnership policing: Is it relevant in Kano, Nigeria?
Authors: Hills Alice
Published: August 2012

This article explores the ways in which African approaches to policing challenge western preferences for transparent and equitable forms of partnership-based policing. It uses the experience of the Nigeria Police Force in metropolitan Kano to question the value of police–public partnerships as the best way to tackle crime and communal conflict in cities where multiple religious and secular norms and processes affect the meaning and delivery of security and justice. Based on recent fieldwork, the article argues that while the need to negotiate with Kano’s semi-state and informal policing providers has not reconfigured the Nigerian police’s authority practices, the city’s relative stability owes much to the political and technical skills with which senior officers manage Kano’s competitive environment. Policing in Kano emphasizes the need for clarity of purpose, actionable intelligence and robust operations, rather than partnership.
More sinned against than sinning? Perceptions about European migrants and crime
Authors: Baker Sally-Ann , Madoc-Jones Iolo , Parry Odette , Warren Emily , Perry Kirsty , Roscoe Karen D , Mottershead Richard
Published: August 2012

The article draws on perceptions of those working in professional capacities with European migrants in one area of the UK, to explore understandings about the relationship between European migrants and crime at the local level. The qualitative study informing the article involved semi-structured interviews with representatives from the criminal justice system (CJS) and community representatives. A key finding of the study was that both CJS and community representative respondent accounts were largely congruent. European migrants were more likely, in respondent accounts, to be victims, rather than perpetrators, of crime. Much of the predominantly ‘low-level’ crime associated with European migrant offending was reported to be largely a function of cultural difference and based on misunderstanding of UK law and CJS processes. The article concludes with some implications for the enculturalization and education of new migrants and the fostering of better understanding between European migrants and CJS agents and processes.
Micronutrient modulation of NF-κB in oral keratinocytes exposed to periodontal bacteria
Authors: Milward Michael R , Chapple Iain LC , Carter Kevin , Matthews John B , Cooper Paul R
Published: August 2012

Chronic periodontal diseases are characterised by a dysregulated and exaggerated inflammatory/immune response to plaque bacteria. We have demonstrated previously that oral keratinocytes up-regulate key molecular markers of inflammation, including NF-κB and cytokine signalling, when exposed to the periodontal bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum in vitro. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether α-lipoic acid was able to abrogate bacterially-induced pro-inflammatory changes in the H400 oral epithelial cell line. Initial studies indicated that α-lipoic acid supplementation (1–4 mM) significantly reduced cell attachment; lower concentrations (<0.5 mM) enabled >85% cell adhesion at 24 h. While a pro-inflammatory response, demonstrable by NF-κB translocation, gene expression and protein production was evident in H400 cells following exposure to P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum, pre-incubation of cells with 0.5 mM α-lipoic acid modulated this response. α-Lipoic acid pre-treatment significantly decreased levels of bacterially-induced NF-κB activation and IL-8 protein production, and differentially modulated transcript levels for IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α and GM-CSF, TLR2, 4, 9, S100A8, S100A9, lysyl oxidase, NF-κB1, HMOX, and SOD2. Overall, the data indicate that α-lipoic acid exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on oral epithelial cells exposed to periodontal bacteria and thus may provide a novel adjunctive treatment for periodontal diseases.
Improvement of Ti–3Al–2V alloys by Mo reinforced alloying layer
Authors: Li W , Shan S F , Fang Q H
Published: August 2012

An amorphous layer was fabricated by laser alloying of the Ti–Al–TiB2–SiC–Y2O3 mixed powders on Ti–3Al–2V alloy in an open system. Results showed that a great number of the amorphous glassy phases were produced, which decreased the wear resistance of the alloying layer. It was found that the Mo addition decreased the glassy phase content and also refined the microstructure of the alloy layer, leading to the improvement of the wear resistance. This research provides essential theoretical and experimental basis to promote the application of laser alloying technology in the field of surface modification.
EPO-mediated expansion of late-stage erythroid progenitors in the bone marrow initiates recovery from sublethal radiation stress
Authors: Peslak Scott A. , Wenger Jesse , Bemis Jeffrey C. , Kingsley Paul D. , Koniski Anne D. , McGrath Kathleen E. , Palis James
Published: August 2012

Erythropoiesis is a robust process of cellular expansion and maturation occurring in murine bone marrow and spleen. We previously determined that sublethal irradiation, unlike bleeding or hemolysis, depletes almost all marrow and splenic erythroblasts but leaves peripheral erythrocytes intact. To better understand the erythroid stress response, we analyzed progenitor, precursor, and peripheral blood compartments of mice post–4 Gy total body irradiation. Erythroid recovery initiates with rapid expansion of late-stage erythroid progenitors–day 3 burst-forming units and colony-forming units, associated with markedly increased plasma erythropoietin (EPO). Although initial expansion of late-stage erythroid progenitors is dependent on EPO, this cellular compartment becomes sharply down-regulated despite elevated EPO levels. Loss of EPO-responsive progenitors is associated temporally with a wave of maturing erythroid precursors in marrow and with emergence of circulating erythroid progenitors and subsequent reestablishment of splenic erythropoiesis. These circulating progenitors selectively engraft and mature in irradiated spleen after short-term transplantation, supporting the concept that bone marrow erythroid progenitors migrate to spleen. We conclude that sublethal radiation is a unique model of endogenous stress erythropoiesis, with specific injury to the extravascular erythron, expansion and maturation of EPO-responsive late-stage progenitors exclusively in marrow, and subsequent reseeding of extramedullary sites.