Politics and deviance: The political status of working class delinquency

The thesis looks at the question of whether working class adolescent delinquency can be conceived of as a form of political action. Beginning with the 1960s, when major changes in terms of models and perspectives occurred within the sociology of deviance, the first section traces the development of various attempts to formulate a relationship between deviance and politics. Particular attention is then given to the so-called new criminology, where a rigorous application of Marxian method and theory to the area of crime has been attempted, and to the work in deviance and youth sub-cultures produced by the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies. One of the central arguments is that an analysis of the political status of working class delinquency must consider the forms of consciousness involved, consequently part of the thesis is devoted to a discussion of working class consciousness and its relationship to ideology. The final part of the thesis represents an attempt to construct a theoretical framework within which the politics of working class adolescent delinquency may be analysed, and includes detailed consideration of specific studies of delinquency

Kinetics of Cellulose Dissolution in N-Methyl Morpholine-N-Oxide and Evaporative Processes of Similar Solutions

The lyocell process is an environmentally friendly process for producing regenerated cellulose fibers, but is not entirely understood. The lyocell process uses the hygroscopic solvent N-methyl morpholine N-oxide (NMMO) to dissolve cellulose; the resulting solution is often termed a lyocell solution [1-4]. It is the objective of this study to better understand the process by which cellulose dissolves and the nature of lyocell solutions. By observing the disappearance of cellulose fibers into the solvent, rate data may be obtained from which kinetic parameters may be developed. Additionally an independent method for determining the concentration of cellulose in lyocell solutions was desired so as to better to gauge the effect of concentration on the behavior of the solution. Water affects the behavior of NMMO, making it an important factor in the lyocell process. The water content in lyocell samples may be determined by a number of methods including NMR spectroscopy and Fischer’s method. Unfortunately, these methods each require additional chemicals that add to the cost of the analysis. Therefore a novel method was sought for determining the water content of lyocell samples without the use of additional chemicals. Samples of NMMO, some containing dissolved cellulose, were subjected to thermogravimetric analysis on a Pyris 1 TGA to observe the evaporative process and note any effects of cellulose on that process in an effort to develop a rudimentary approach to determining water content on lyocell samples. Additionally, the dissolution of cellulose into NMMO was observed under a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer and a light microscope. Digital photographs with corresponding time measurements were taken of the dissolving cellulose that resulted in dissolution data for single fibers. This was done at several temperatures to extract rate constants for the dissolution process. The results of this project confirmed that cellulose depresses the melting point of NMMO monohydrate and led to a novel method for determining water content in lyocell samples. Detailed mid-infrared spectra were collected for cellulose, NMMO monohydrate, and lyocell samples which were used to develop a predictive model for determining cellulose content in lyocell solutions. Finally, the temperature and surface area dependence for the process of cellulose dissolution in NMMO monohydrate were demonstrated and a rate constant and Arrhenius parameters for the process were obtained. An examination of the phase behavior of NMMO at the onset of cellulose solubility would aid in understanding the dissolution process as would a DSC analysis of NMMO crystallization versus water content. A more detailed multivariate analysis of mid-infrared spectra from lyocell solutions may be performed in the future to improve the predictive model

Puppetry in early childhood education.

The use of puppetry to motivate and teach children in early education settings has a long tradition, yet there is very little research evidence linking puppetry training for teachers to the use of puppets in early elementary school classrooms. In this study, 120 early childhood educators completed a survey about the use of puppetry in schools and their perceived value as an educational tool. Teachers were also asked to indicate the type of training they had had in puppetry skills (college course, workshop, both college and workshop, neither), and their perceived abilities as puppeteers. The survey data were tabulated to determine overall frequency response rates. Chi Square analyses were used to examine relationships between the type of training and the following factors: the overall use of puppetry in the classroom; teachers\u27 perceived ability as a puppeteer; the number of professional programs presented in the classrooms; and teachers\u27 attitudes towards the effectiveness of puppetry in the classroom. Although results indicated that training by itself was not related to the use of puppets in classroom settings nor to teachers\u27 reports on the overall effectiveness of puppetry as a teaching tool, training in puppetry was significantly related to the teachers\u27 perceptions of their own abilities as puppeteers. And, the average frequency of use of puppets in the classroom increased with each increase in skill level. Data are also presented concerning the attitudes of the teachers toward the use of puppets in their classrooms, the various curriculum areas in which puppets have been used successfully, limitations on puppetry use and student classification (emotionally disturbed, developmentally delayed, physically challenged, typical ). The implications of these findings as they relate to teacher inservice training are discussed. A training module to teach puppetry skills to early childhood educators is outlined as are topics for possible future research

Learning from Other Communities

This paper reflects a synopsis of the work in person/family-centered planning representative of its implementation across a variety of disability service systems, including prisons, schools, community-based service agencies and institutional settings. The authors who have contributed to this paper have direct experience in the field working with individuals who have disability labels of severe and persistent mental illness, mental retardation and developmental disabilities, and learning disabilities. It is their hope that this paper will serve to guide the emerging best practice in the design and delivery of person-centered service delivery systems

Historicgraves.com: the online graves and graveyards finder

Presentation of the Historic Graves project at the II International Seminar in Irish Studies, Universidad de Granada

Therapeutic pharmaceutical utilization by military optometrists

The Air Force, Army, and Navy have instituted regulations that authorize optometrists to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents (TPAs). A survey of clinical optometrists on active duty was conducted to evaluate the impact of these regulations on military optometry. The results indicate that the majority of optometrists support the regulations and are utilizing TPAs to treat a wide variety of ocular disorders. However, the survey also found a number of optometrists in each service who were dissatisfied with certain aspects of the regulations. Some Air Force and Navy optometrists expressed concern that their regulations did not allow access to TPAs which they felt qualified to use. Some Army respondents felt that their regulation was unduly influenced by local policy and was not an equitable means of granting therapeutic privileges. These concerns suggest that a reevaluation of the therapeutic regulations might be required in the future

Accumulation of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon (14C) in Irish Sea and West of Scotland intertidal shells and sediments

The nuclear energy industry produces radioactive waste at various stages of the fuel cycle. In the United Kingdom, spent fuel is reprocessed at the Sellafield facility in Cumbria on the north west coast of England. Waste generated at the site comprises a wide range of radionuclides including radiocarbon (14C) which is disposed of in various forms including highly soluble inorganic carbon within the low level liquid radioactive effluent, via pipelines into the Irish Sea. This 14C is rapidly incorporated into the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) reservoir and marine calcifying organisms, e.g. molluscs, readily utilise DIC for shell formation. This study investigated a number of sites located in Irish Sea and West of Scotland intertidal zones. Results indicate 14C enrichment above ambient background levels in shell material at least as far as Port Appin, 265 km north of Sellafield. Of the commonly found species (blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) and common periwinkle (Littorina littorea)), mussels were found to be the most highly enriched in 14C due to the surface environment they inhabit and their feeding behaviour. Whole mussel shell activities appear to have been decreasing in response to reduced discharge activities since the early 2000s but in contrast, there is evidence of continuing enrichment of the carbonate sediment component due to in-situ shell erosion, as well as indications of particle transport of fine 14C-enriched material close to Sellafield

Left-behind neighbourhoods in old industrial regions

This article focuses on the neighbourhoods and people that have been left behind in the economic transformation of two now-diversified old industrial regions: Geelong (Victoria) in Australia and Oshawa (Ontario) in Canada. Political discontent has found expression in different ways in the two locations. This, we contend, reflects policy frameworks that dampen the extent to which socio-spatial inequality and entrenched disadvantage generate discontent within regions. In assessing the factors producing this outcome, this article clarifies both the who, what and where of ‘left behindness’ and related regional policy responses

The vow delivered? Experts respond to the publication of theSmith Commission’s recommendations

The Smith Commission, the body tasked with recommending reforms to the governance of Scotland recently released its final report. Democratic Audit asked Scottish constitutional and political experts John Curtice, Katie Boyle and Stephen Tierney, and Sionaidh Douglas-Scott to respond. (Part 1 can be found here