The ‘Great Decarceration’: Historical Trends and Future Possibilities

During the 19th Century, hundreds of thousands of people were caught up in what Foucault famously referred to as the ‘great confinement’, or ‘great incarceration’, spanning reformatories, prisons, asylums, and more. Levels of institutional incarceration increased dramatically across many parts of Europe and the wider world through the expansion of provision for those defined as socially marginal, deviant, or destitute. While this trend has been the focus of many historical studies, much less attention has been paid to the dynamics of ‘the great decarceration’ that followed for much of the early‐ to mid‐20th Century. This article opens with an overview of these early decarceration trends in the English adult and youth justice systems and suggests why these came to an end from the 1940s onwards. It then explores parallels with marked decarceration trends today, notably in youth justice, and suggests how these might be expedited, extended, and protected

Effects of seed storage and fire on germination in the nut-fruited Restionaceae species, Cannomois virgata

The effects of storage regime (laboratory and soil storage) and fire cues (heat and charate) on seed viability and germination were investigated in the nut-fruited Restionaceae species, Cannomois virgata (Rottb.) Steud. Soil-stored seeds were cycled through a series of alternating temperature and moisture regimes in a phytotron, while laboratory-stored seeds were kept at comparatively constant temperatures and low humidity. Seed deterioration in soil-stored seed was not significantly different to laboratory-stored seed. A marked improvement in germination of soil-stored seed was observed on exposure to charate from a fire

Ganglioside GT1b suppresses immunoglobulin production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycolipids and have various immunomodulatory effects. We previously reported that various gangliosides in vitro either inhibited or enhanced spontaneous immunoglobulin production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Among them, GT1b was the most inhibitory. In this study, we further examined the mechanism for the inhibitory effect of GT1b. The inhibitory effect of GT1b was apparent at 0·1 μm, increased dose dependently, and was maximal at 10 μm. In the presence of 10 μm GT1b, spontaneous production of immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM and IgA in human PBMC was reduced by 60%, 59·5% and 58%, respectively, compared with controls. GT1b did not affect the proliferation and viability of PBMC, and did not enhance their apoptosis. GT1b did not alter immunoglobulin production of B cells alone. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 each partially reversed the GT1b-induced inhibition of immunoglobulin production by PBMC, and the presence of both cytokines completely reversed the inhibition. GT1b inhibited IL-6 and IL-10 production in monocytes, without affecting that in T or B cells. When monocytes were preincubated with GT1b, washed and then cultured with B and T cells, the immunoglobulin production was also suppressed. These results suggest that GT1b may indirectly suppress immunoglobulin production of B cells in whole PBMC via reducing the production of IL-6 and IL-10 in monocytes. It is thus indicated that GT1b may act as an important inhibitor for human humoral immune responses