Identifying Appropriate Sanctions For Youth Sexual Behavior: The Impact Of Age, Gender, And Sexual Orientation

Although statutory rape laws were initially developed to protect youth from coercion by adults, youth are sometimes also prosecuted under these laws. This article investigates public attitudes regarding sanctions for youth engaging in sexual behaviors with peers. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine if age and gender of the offending youth, and sexual orientation of the relationship,has an impact on the public\u27s level of agreement for sanctioning youth for three types of sexual behavior: intercourse, oral sex, or touching. The study participants (N= 757) were drawn from the general population of adult Michigan residents; the sample was racially representative of the state but included an overrepresentation of women (66%). The findings show that respondent support for sanctions varied by the age difference between the youth. There was also an increase in level of sanction agreement by type of sexual behavior. Gender of the offending youth was not shown to significantly impact sanction agreement. Sexual orientation of the relationship was only significant for certain types of sexual activity. The public\u27s beliefs about youth sexual behavior is in concert with the intended goals of the juvenile justice system, in that the suggested sanctions are focused on rehabilitation for 15-year-olds. However, the public is more supportive of severe sanctions for 18- and 22-year-olds, but also suggest counseling and probation. The significance of these findings informs policy making in that they suggest a more balanced approach for sanctioning consensual sexual relationships between youths

Identifying Appropriate Sanctions For Youth Sexual Behavior: The Impact Of Age, Gender, And Sexual Orientation

Although statutory rape laws were initially developed to protect youth from coercion by adults, youth are sometimes also prosecuted under these laws. This article investigates public attitudes regarding sanctions for youth engaging in sexual behaviors with peers. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine if age and gender of the offending youth, and sexual orientation of the relationship,has an impact on the public\u27s level of agreement for sanctioning youth for three types of sexual behavior: intercourse, oral sex, or touching. The study participants (N= 757) were drawn from the general population of adult Michigan residents; the sample was racially representative of the state but included an overrepresentation of women (66%). The findings show that respondent support for sanctions varied by the age difference between the youth. There was also an increase in level of sanction agreement by type of sexual behavior. Gender of the offending youth was not shown to significantly impact sanction agreement. Sexual orientation of the relationship was only significant for certain types of sexual activity. The public\u27s beliefs about youth sexual behavior is in concert with the intended goals of the juvenile justice system, in that the suggested sanctions are focused on rehabilitation for 15-year-olds. However, the public is more supportive of severe sanctions for 18- and 22-year-olds, but also suggest counseling and probation. The significance of these findings informs policy making in that they suggest a more balanced approach for sanctioning consensual sexual relationships between youths

Molecular Modeling Study for Interaction between Bacillus subtilis Obg and Nucleotides

The bacterial Obg proteins (Spo0B-associated GTP-binding protein) belong to the subfamily of P-loop GTPase proteins that contain two equally and highly conserved domains, a C-terminal GTP binding domain and an N-terminal glycine-rich domain which is referred as the “Obg fold” and now it is considered as one of the new targets for antibacterial drug. When the Obg protein is associated with GTP, it becomes activated, because conformation of Obg fold changes due to the structural changes of GTPase switch elements in GTP binding site. In order to investigate the effects and structural changes in GTP bound to Obg and GTPase switch elements for activation, four different molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed with/without the three different nucleotides (GTP, GDP, and GDP + Pi) using the Bacillus subtilis Obg (BsObg) structure. The protein structures generated from the four different systems were compared using their representative structures. The pattern of Cα-Cα distance plot and angle between the two Obg fold domains of simulated apo form and each system (GTP, GDP, and GDP+Pi) were significantly different in the GTP-bound system from the others. The switch 2 element was significantly changed in GTP-bound system. Also root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF) analysis revealed that the flexibility of the switch 2 element region was much higher than the others. This was caused by the characteristic binding mode of the nucleotides. When GTP was bound to Obg, its γ-phosphate oxygen was found to interact with the key residue (D212) of the switch 2 element, on the contrary there was no such interaction found in other systems. Based on the results, we were able to predict the possible binding conformation of the activated form of Obg with L13, which is essential for the assembly with ribosome

CEP120 and SPICE1 cooperate with CPAP in centriole elongation

Centrosomes organize microtubule (MT) arrays and are comprised of centrioles surrounded by ordered pericentriolar proteins. Centrioles are barrel-shaped structures composed of MTs, and as basal bodies they template the formation of cilia/flagella. Defects in centriole assembly can lead to ciliopathies and genome instability. The assembly of procentrioles requires a set of conserved proteins. It is initiated at the G1-to-S transition by PLK4 and CEP152, which help recruit SASS6 and STIL to the vicinity of the mother centriole to organize the cartwheel. Subsequently, CPAP promotes centriolar MT assembly and elongation in G2. While centriole integrity is maintained by CEP135 and POC1 through MT stabilization, centriole elongation requires POC5 and is restricted by CP110 and CEP97. How strict control of centriole length is achieved remains unclear. Here, we show that CEP120 and SPICE1 are required to localize CEP135 (but not SASS6, STIL, or CPAP) to procentrioles. CEP120 associates with SPICE1 and CPAP, and depletion of any of these proteins results in short procentrioles. Furthermore, CEP120 or CPAP overexpression results in excessive centriole elongation, a process dependent on CEP120, SPICE1, and CPAP. Our findings identify a shared function for these proteins in centriole length control

A Challenge to Earthquake Engineering Professionals

Recent earthquakes have caused unacceptably high death tolls. We, the editors of theWorld Housing Encyclopedia, believe that reducing such an un- acceptably high loss of life from earthquakes is the most important challenge facing the global earthquake engineering community. This paper acknowl- edges the continuing disparity between life loss from earthquakes in devel- oping and developed countries, and the increasing vulnerability in developing countries. A sampling of current efforts to improve construction practices in- cludes the publication of earthquake tips in India, construction manuals in Colombia, and the formation of various international networks to promote collaboration and information sharing. Future possibilities include more re- wards for research into inadequately engineered construction, greater empha- sis on small-scale, local efforts, and a stronger emphasis on advocacy.We be- lieve that all of us, as earthquake professionals, have a responsibility to make the built environment safer worldwide