The Effect of Extralegal Factors in Decision-Making About Juvenile Offenders in Chile: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This study seeks to identify the underlying factors related to the sentencing process for juvenile justice cases in Chile. To this end, a factorial survey method or quasi-experimental vignette method was used. This method allows us to understand with greater clarity the complex cognitive process involved in judicial decision-making. The results confirm that legal factors carry the critical weight for judicial decisions, though extralegal factors also play a role. Among these, factors associated with the offender (such as drug use and school attendance) and characteristics of the judges themselves (such as judicial attitudes and their previous experience) all influenced the decision-making process. These findings allow us to provide evidence about decision-making in the Latin American contexts and add to existing evidence in order to understand the moderating effect of certain class and gender stereotypes.

The Origins of Money in the Iron Age Mediterranean World

Color versions of select print images available on the Resources tab (or here: www.cambridge.org/heymans). This book shows how money emerged and spread in the eastern Mediterranean, centuries before the invention of coinage. While the invention of coinage in Ancient Lydia around 630 BCE is widely regarded as one of the defining innovations of the ancient world, money itself was never invented. It gained critical weight in the Iron Age (ca. 1200 – 600 BCE) as a social and economic tool, most dominantly in the form of precious metal bullion. This book is the first study to comprehensively engage with the early history of money in the Iron Age Mediterranean, tracing its development in the Levant and the Aegean. Building on a detailed study of precious metal hoards, Elon D. Heymans deploys a wide range of sources, both textual and material, to rethink money's role and origins in the history of the eastern Mediterranean.

Synthesis of coral-like silver chloride-polypyrrole nanocomposites derived from silver nanoparticles and the study of their structural, thermal, optical, and electrical properties

In this research, we developed a facile method for the synthesis of silver chloride: polypyrrole (AgCl: PPy) nanocomposites with enhanced structural, thermal, optical, and conducting properties. Polypyrrole monomer was in-situ doped with varying weight percentages of assynthesized Ag nanoparticles by following simple chemical oxidation polymerization technique to form AgCl: PPy nanocomposites. The AgCl nanostructures with tree-like coral morphology are distributed uniformly into the PPy matrix without any segregation. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results reveal the successful incorporation of AgCl in the organic structure of PPy. X-ray diffraction analysis shows the formation of AgCl nanostructures in the PPy matrix during the chemical polymerization process that increases the crystallinity of amorphous PPy. The TGA analysis demonstrates the improved thermal stability of PPy nanocomposites due to the development of physiochemical interactions between the AgCl and PPy moities, this is also inferred from Fourier transform infrared results. It is noted that the electrical conductivity of AgCl: PPy nanocomposites is significantly controlled by the weight percentage of dispersed Ag nanoparticles in the polymerization assembly. The highest conductivity (1335 S cm-1) of PPy nanocomposite is attributed to the decrease in particle size, shortening of the PPy chain length, and lower bandgap energy presented at the critical weight percentage of Ag nanoparticles.

IP3-mediated Ca2+ signals regulate larval to pupal transition under nutrient stress through the H3K36 methyltransferase Set2

ABSTRACT Persistent loss of dietary protein usually signals a shutdown of key metabolic pathways. In Drosophila larvae that have reached a ‘critical weight’ and can pupariate to form viable adults, such a metabolic shutdown would needlessly lead to death. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-mediated calcium (IP3/Ca2+) release in some interneurons (vGlutVGN6341) allows Drosophila larvae to pupariate on a protein-deficient diet by partially circumventing this shutdown through upregulation of neuropeptide signaling and the expression of ecdysone synthesis genes. Here, we show that IP3/Ca2+ signals in vGlutVGN6341 neurons drive expression of Set2, a gene encoding Drosophila Histone 3 Lysine 36 methyltransferase. Furthermore, Set2 expression is required for larvae to pupariate in the absence of dietary protein. IP3/Ca2+ signal-driven Set2 expression upregulates key Ca2+-signaling genes through a novel positive-feedback loop. Transcriptomic studies, coupled with analysis of existing ChIP-seq datasets, identified genes from larval and pupal stages that normally exhibit robust H3K36 trimethyl marks on their gene bodies and concomitantly undergo stronger downregulation by knockdown of either the intracellular Ca2+ release channel IP3R or Set2. IP3/Ca2+ signals thus regulate gene expression through Set2-mediated H3K36 marks on select neuronal genes for the larval to pupal transition.

Wear of AlCrN and CrAlSiN Coatings Applied to Nonstandard Involute Gears

Wear of nonstandard involute gears with two types of coatings, AlCrN and CrAlSiN, was studied. The coatings were applied by cathodic arc deposition. The gears were tested using a Niemann tester at a graduated load up to the 12th load stage and were compared to noncoated gears. Both Biogear S150 gear oil and PP90 universal hydraulic oil were applied during these tests. The thickness of deposited coatings and wear of gear teeth were studied by SEM and their chemical compositions were determined by EDS analysis. Maximal contact pressure of 1350 MPa was calculated in the region of the tooth flank at the 12th load stage. Maximal frictional stress was also calculated on the tooth flank. The resistance against wear of gears was evaluated based on the critical weight loss and mainly based on the critical surface roughness of gears. The critical roughness was exceeded at the 10th load stage for noncoated gears. For the gears with AlCrN and CrAlSiN coatings, the critical roughness was exceeded at the 11th load stage. Wear of AlCrN and CrAlSiN coatings was nonuniform along the height of tooth. Wear on the tooth flank was characterized by fragmentation of thin coatings and subsequent detaching of fragments from the steel substrate. The steel substrate was worn by microcutting, which caused the highest roughness on the tooth surface. On the tooth pitch, surface protrusions of coatings were smoothed, and coatings cracked and locally detached subsequently. On the tooth face, surface protrusions were also smoothed but coatings remained compact without crack initiations. Both experimental oils, Biogear S150 and PP90, proved to be suitable during Niemann tests as their temperatures did not exceed the limit value of 80 °C.

TOTEM AND TABOO IN THE PENITENTIARY SUBCULTURE

The article is devoted to the analysis of the prisons totems and taboos phenomenon. It is shown that the modern penitentiary subculture, as a negative socioregulatory system is characterized by the presence of a complex system of taboos and totems. Researchers of the penitentiary subculture have repeatedly noted the similarities between the primitive and prison communities. This phenomenon is largely due to the fact that under conditions of imprisonment, a person’s outlook narrows, intelligence decreases, and their value orientation changes. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that, despite the presence of a complex system of prison taboos and totems among convicts, as the main manifestations of the penitentiary subculture, a very small number of scientific works are devoted to the genesis and understanding of this phenomenon. The aim of the article is to analyze the phenomenon of prison taboos and totems in the penitentiary subculture. The work shows that for the formation and preservation of a developed system of totems and taboos in the prison environment, a certain critical weight of such indicators as the size of the prison population and the severity of conditions of detention of prisoners is required. An important role in this is also played by such phenomena inherent in being in the penitentiary space, such as chronic stress, a sense of fear and uncertainty. The article reveals the general principles of the formation of prison totems and taboos. At the same time, it is shown that the leading mechanisms for the formation of prison taboos are the techniques of sympathetic and imitation magic. The author’s proposed classification of prison totems and taboos are presented. It is noted that the convict’s adherence to a certain image-totem contributes to his self-identification, determination of his place in the prison social hierarchy, and the formation of a criminal model of behavior. Practical examples of prison taboos and totems are given. It is shown that prison taboos are largely associated with the existence in the social hierarchy of the prison population of castes of «untouchables». The attention of readers is focused on the harshness towards those who violated prison taboos, which can manifest itself in physical punishment, transfer to the lower prison castes, in some cases — the death sentence. The practical significance of the work is the understanding the phenomenon of prison taboos and totems, that can affect the development of measures aimed at combating the manifestations of the penitentiary subculture in places of detention.

Nutritional Support in Head and Neck Radiotherapy Patients Considering HPV Status

Malnutrition is a common problem in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), including oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). It is caused by insufficient food intake due to dysphagia, odynophagia, and a lack of appetite caused by the tumor. It is also secondary to the oncological treatment of the basic disease, such as radiotherapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT), as a consequence of mucositis with the dry mouth, loss of taste, and dysphagia. The severe dysphagia leads to a definitive total impossibility of eating through the mouth in 20–30% of patients. These patients usually require enteral nutritional support. Feeding tubes are a commonly used nutritional intervention during radiotherapy, most frequently percutaneous gastrostomy tube. Recently, a novel HPV-related type of OPC has been described. Patients with HPV-associated OPC are different from the HPV− ones. Typical HPV− OPC is associated with smoking and alcohol abuse. Patients with HPV+ OPC are younger and healthy (without comorbidities) at diagnosis compared to HPV− ones. Patients with OPC are at high nutritional risk, and therefore, they require nutritional support in order to improve the treatment results and quality of life. Some authors noted the high incidence of critical weight loss (CWL) in patients with HPV-related OPC. Other authors have observed the increased acute toxicities during oncological treatment in HPV+ OPC patients compared to HPV− ones. The aim of this paper is to review and discuss the indications for nutritional support and the kinds of nutrition, including immunonutrition (IN), in HNC, particularly OPC patients, undergoing RT/CRT, considering HPV status.

IP3/Ca2+ signals regulate larval to pupal transition under nutrient stress through the H3K36 methyltransferase dSET2

Persistent loss of dietary protein usually signals a shutdown of key metabolic pathways. In Drosophila larvae, that have crossed “critical weight” and can pupariate to form viable adults, such a metabolic shut-down would needlessly lead to death. IP3/Ca2+ signals in certain interneurons (vGlutVGN6341) allow Drosophila larvae to pupariate on a protein-deficient diet by partially circumventing this shutdown through upregulation of neuropeptide signaling and the expression of ecdysone synthesis genes. Here we show that IP3/Ca2+ signals in vGlutVGN6341 neurons drive expression of dSET2, a Drosophila Histone 3 Lysine 36 methyltransferase. Further, dSET2 expression is required for larvae to pupariate in the absence of dietary protein. IP3/Ca2+ signal-driven dSET2 expression upregulates key Ca2+ signaling genes through a novel positive feedback loop. Transcriptomic studies coupled with analysis of existing ChIP-seq datasets identified genes from larval and pupal stages, that normally exhibit robust H3K36 trimethyl marks on their gene bodies and concomitantly undergo stronger downregulation by knockdown of either an intracellular Ca2+ release channel the IP3R or dSET2. IP3/Ca2+ signals thus regulate gene expression through dSET2 mediated H3K36 marks on select neuronal genes for the larval to pupal transition.

Revisiting the critical weight hypothesis for regulation of pubertal timing in boys

ABSTRACT Background Recent findings indicate that there is a body weight–sensing homeostatic regulation of body weight in postpubertal rodents and humans. It is possible that body weight sensing also might be involved in the regulation of pubertal timing. Although an early small study suggested that there is a critical body weight for pubertal timing in girls, most studies have focused on BMI and reported an inverse association between BMI and pubertal timing. Objectives In the present longitudinal well-powered cohort study, we revisited the critical weight hypothesis and tested if prepubertal body weight is a more robust inverse predictor of pubertal timing than prepubertal BMI in boys. Method We included men born during 1945–1961 (old cohort; n = 31,971) and men born during 1981–1996 (recent cohort; n = 1465) in the large BMI Epidemiology Study (BEST) Gothenburg (combined BEST cohort n = 33,436). Men with information on prepubertal body weight and BMI at 8 y of age and age at peak height velocity (PHV; an objective measure of pubertal timing) were included. Results Body weight explained more of the variance in age at PHV than BMI in both the old cohort and the recent cohort (combined cohort, body weight 6.3%, BMI 3.6%). Both body weight (β: −0.24 SD/SD increase in weight; 95% CI: −0.25, −0.23) and BMI (β: −0.18 SD/SD increase in BMI, 95% CI: −0.19, −0.17) were inversely associated with age at PHV but the association for body weight was significantly more pronounced than the association for BMI (P < 0.001). Conclusions In conclusion, prepubertal body weight is a more robust inverse predictor of pubertal timing than prepubertal BMI in boys. We propose that body weight sensing constitutes a feedback mechanism to regulate pubertal timing.