The Co-occurrence of child and intimate partner maltreatment in the family: characteristics of the violent perpetrators

This study considers the characteristics associated with mothers and fathers who maltreat their child and each other in comparison to parents who only maltreat their child. One hundred and sixty-two parents who had allegations of child maltreatment made against them were considered. The sample consisted of 43 fathers (Paternal Family—PF) and 23 mothers (Maternal Family—MF) who perpetrated both partner and child maltreatment, together with 23 fathers (Paternal Child—PC) and 26 mothers (Maternal Child—MC) who perpetrated child maltreatment only. In addition, 2 fathers (Paternal Victim—PV) and 23 mothers (Maternal Victim—MV) were victims of intimate partner maltreatment and perpetrators of child maltreatment and 7 fathers (Paternal Non-abusive Carer—PNC) and 15 mothers (Maternal Non-abusive Carer—MNC) did not maltreat the child but lived with an individual who did. Within their family unit, 40.7% of parents perpetrated both intimate partner and child maltreatment. However, fathers were significantly more likely to maltreat both their partner and child than mothers and mothers were significantly more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence than fathers. PF fathers conducted the highest amount of physical and/or sexual child maltreatment while MC and MV mothers perpetrated the highest amount of child neglect. Few significant differences between mothers were found. PF fathers had significantly more factors associated with development of a criminogenic lifestyle than PC fathers. Marked sex differences were demonstrated with PF fathers demonstrating significantly more antisocial characteristics, less mental health problems and fewer feelings of isolation than MF mothers. MC mothers had significantly more childhood abuse, mental health problems, parenting risk factors and were significantly more likely to be biologically related to the child than PC fathers. This study suggests that violent families should be assessed and treated in a holistic manner, considering the effects of partner violence upon all family members, rather than exclusively intervening with the violent man

Specifications and programs for computer software validation

Three software products developed during the study are reported and include: (1) FORTRAN Automatic Code Evaluation System, (2) the Specification Language System, and (3) the Array Index Validation System

Keck spectroscopy of CLASS gravitational lenses

We present the optical spectra of four newly discovered gravitational lenses from the Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey (CLASS). These observations were carried out using the Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph on the W. M. Keck-I Telescope as part of a program to study galaxy-scale gravitational lenses. From our spectra we found the redshift of the background source in CLASS B0128+437 (z_s=3.1240+-0.0042) and the lensing galaxy redshifts in CLASS B0445+123 (z_l=0.5583+-0.0003) and CLASS B0850+054 (z_l=0.5883+-0.0006). Intriguingly, we also discovered that CLASS B0631+519 may have two lensing galaxies (z_l,1=0.0896+-0.0001, z_l,2=0.6196+-0.0004). We also found a single unidentified emission line from the lensing galaxy in CLASS B0128+437 and the lensed source in CLASS B0850+054. We find the lensing galaxies in CLASS B0445+123 and CLASS B0631+519 (l,2) to be early-type galaxies with Einstein Radii of 2.8-3.0 h^{-1} kpc. The deflector in CLASS B0850+054 is a late-type galaxy with an Einstein Radius of 1.6 h^{-1} kpc.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

VLA 8.4-GHz monitoring observations of the CLASS gravitational lens B1933+503

The complex ten-component gravitational lens system B1933+503 has been monitored with the VLA during the period February to June 1998 with a view to measuring the time delay between the four compact components and hence to determine the Hubble parameter. Here we present the results of an `A' configuration 8.4-GHz monitoring campaign which consists of 37 epochs with an average spacing of 2.8 days. The data have yielded light curves for the four flat-spectrum radio components (components 1, 3, 4 and 6). We observe only small flux density changes in the four flat-spectrum components which we do not believe are predominantly intrinsic to the source. Therefore the variations do not allow us to determine the independent time delays in this system. However, the data do allow us to accurately determine the flux density ratios between the four flat-spectrum components. These will prove important as modelling constraints and could prove crucial in future monitoring observations should these data show only a monotonic increase or decrease in the flux densities of the flat-spectrum components.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 5 pages, 2 included PostScript figure

Barriers and Facilitators of Disclosing Domestic Violence to the UK Health Service

Domestic violence victims frequently visit health care facilities yet rarely disclose, so it is important to understand what factors are barriers and facilitators of disclosure. UK-based qualitative investigations into barriers and facilitators of disclosure in health care settings have suffered from a limited focus on ethnic minority women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore victims’ perceptions and experiences of disclosing to health care services and to identify barriers and facilitators of disclosure within an ethnically diverse UK sample. Semi-structured interviews were administered among 29 British (8 ethnic minority) female victims. Content analysis demonstrated that barriers to disclosure were; emotional (e.g., fear, embarrassment/shame and self-blame), physical (e.g., partner’s physical presence, controlling behavior, and manipulation of professionals) and organizational (e.g., appropriateness of setting and time for disclosure). Additional problems for ethnic minority women were language difficulties and religious practices. Facilitators to disclosure were interpersonal relations, safety, and validation from health care professionals. Barriers and facilitators of disclosure in health care services are diverse and some are specific to minority ethnic groups. Health care professionals should receive awareness and skills training to establish a positive, validating, and safe environment for victim disclosure

Nickel-Catalyzed Intramolecular Alkene Difunctionalization by Ball-Milling

A mechanochemical nickel-catalyzed intramolecular difunctionalization reaction of alkene tethered aryl halides with alkyl halides is herein described. This method allows for synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted heterocycles, namely oxindoles, with shorter reaction times than solution-phase counterparts. Additionally, this process is solvent minimized, with DMA used in liquid-assisted grinding (LAG) quantities and circumvents the need for chemical activation of the terminal reductant (manganese) through mechanical grinding. The process can be scaled up to yield over a gram of product and modest enantioinduction is possible by utilizing a chiral PyrOx ligand. (Figure presented.)

A Determination of H_0 with the CLASS Gravitational Lens B1608+656: I. Time Delay Measurements with the VLA

We present the results of a program to monitor the four-image gravitational lens B1608+656 with the VLA. The system was observed over a seven month period from 1996 October to 1997 May. The 64 epochs of observation have an average spacing of 3.6~d. The light curves of the four images of the background source show that the flux density of the background source has varied at the ~5% level. We measure time delays in the system based on common features that are seen in all four light curves. The three independent time delays in the system are found to be Delta t_{BA} = 31 +/- 7~d, Delta t_{BC} = 36 +/- 7~d, and Delta t_{BD} = 76^{+9}_{-10}~d at 95% confidence. This is the first gravitational lens system for which three independent time delays have been measured. A companion paper presents a mass model for the lensing galaxy which correctly reproduces the observed image positions, flux density ratios, and time delay ratios. The last condition is crucial for determining H_0 with a four-image lens. We combine the time delays with the model to obtain a value for the Hubble constant of H_0 = 59^{+8}_{-7} km/s/Mpc at 95% confidence (statistical) for (Omega_M, Omega_{Lambda}) = (1,0). In addition, there is an estimated systematic uncertainty of +/- 15 km/s/Mpc from uncertainties in modeling the radial mass profiles of the lensing galaxies. The value of H_0 presented in this paper is comparable to recent measurements of H_0 from the gravitational lenses 0957+561, PG1115+080, B0218+357, and PKS1830-211.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 20 pages, 13 figure

Lensing galaxies: light or dark?

In a recent paper, Hawkins (1997) argues on the basis of statistical studies of double-image gravitational lenses and lens candidates that a large population of dark lenses exists and that these outnumber galaxies with more normal mass-to-light ratios by a factor of 3:1. If correct, this is a very important result for many areas of astronomy including galaxy formation and cosmology. In this paper we discuss our new radio-selected gravitational lens sample, JVAS/CLASS, in order to test and constrain this proposition. We have obtained ground-based and HST images of all multiple-image lens systems in our sample and in 12 cases out of 12 we find the lensing galaxies in the optical and/or near infrared. Our success in finding lensing galaxies creates problems for the dark lens hypothesis. If it is to survive, ad hoc modifications seem to be necessary: only very massive galaxies (more than about one trillion solar masses) can be dark, and the cutoff in mass must be sharp. Our finding of lens galaxies in all the JVAS/CLASS systems is complementary evidence which supports the conclusion of Kochanek et al. (1997) that many of the wide-separation optically-selected pairs are physically distinct quasars rather than gravitational lens systems.Comment: 4 pages, 2 included figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Paper version available on request. This replacement amends the text to allow more discussion of the overlap with astro-ph/971016

Controlling reactivity through liquid assisted grinding: the curious case of mechanochemical fluorination

We have identified an example of a mechanochemically milled organic reaction where liquid-assisted grinding controls the selectivity, such a phenomenon has not been reported/observed before. It was found that upon milling dibenzoylmethane with Selectfluor in the absence of any solvent, a 3 : 1 ratio of monofluorinated : difluorinated product was observed. Whereas, addition of 0.125 mL of acetonitrile (∼10% of the total volume of materials present) to the ground reaction mixture afforded 50 : 1 selectivity. Furthermore, this phenomenon is applicable to a small range of diketone substrates thus far explored. Additionally, we have demonstrated that difluorination can be achieved by simply switching from adding acetonitrile to addition of sodium carbonate. Most notable, in the latter case, is the reduced reaction time compared to a conventional solvent approach, 2 hours in the mill and 24 hours in the flask

Robust Buchwald-Hartwig amination enabled by ball-milling

An operationally simple mechanochemical method for the Pd catalysed Buchwald–Hartwig amination of arylhalides with secondary amines has been developed using a Pd PEPPSI catalyst system. The system is demonstrated on 30 substrates and applied in the context of a target synthesis. Furthermore, the performance of the reaction under aerobic conditions has been probed under traditional solution and mechanochemical conditions, the observations are discussed herein