Juvenile delinquence and juvenile justice in the Netherlands An overview of recent trends

In the 1990s, the interest in juvenile delinquency has grown substantially in the Netherlands as a result of an increase of serious crime, but also of specific events. In this paper we identify trends in juvenile delinquency in the Netherlands, based on police data as well as self-report studies. The over-all level of juvenile delinquency is fairly stable, but violence against persons shows a marked increase. Traditionally, the Dutch response to juvenile delinquency was mild, but probably due to changing crime patterns a trend has become discernible into the direction of tougher action. This trend is confirmed by a new juvenile criminal law, enacted in 1995. Recent policies in dealing with juvenile crime target both prevention and punishment.A lo largo de la década de los 90 la atención prestada a la delincuencia juvenil ha crecido notoriamente en Holanda debido al incremento de delitos graves, pero también a otros acontecimientos. En este articulo se identifican tendencias de la delincuencia juvenil en Holanda a partir, tanto de datos policiales, como de estudios mediante autoinformes. Las cifras globales de delincuencia juvenil se han mantenido estables, pero la violencia contra las personas muestra un acusado incremento. Tradicionalmente, la respuesta holandesa a la delincuencia juvenil ha sido suave, pero probablemente a causa de los cambios en las pautas delictivas se puede discernir una tendencia a la adopción de actuaciones más duras. Esta tendencia resulta confirmada por la nueva ley de justicia juvenil de 1995. Las políticas recientes ante la delincuencia juvenil presentan objetivos tanto preventivos como punitivos

The early siliceous component of planetary crusts: experimental petrology of the tonalite-trondhjemite rock series

There are two approaches to understanding the processes that lead to the formation of planetary crusts. The first is to determine the geology and geochemistry of rocks in the field and try to develop a consistent petrogenetic scheme to account for their occurrence. This approach has been extensively pursued on Moon and Earth, and remotely so on Mars. Another method is to establish the phase relationships of these rocks and their possible sources under various conditions of pressure, temperature, volatile content, etc., and apply the results to a petrogenetic model that is also consistent with isotope and trace-element geochemistry. This technique has been applied to the relationship between planetary mantles and basalts, and the formation of andesites and more siliceous rocks in subduction zones. Observations of rocks from Archean terranes on Earth reveal that the most prominent types are komatiites, tholeiites, tonalites and trondhjemites (grey gneisses), potassic granites (pink gneisses), and rare syenites. Early magmatic activity was dominated by the production of basalts which were subsequently followed, and intruded by, large volumes of the tonalite-trondhjemite series magmas. Approximately 80% of nine Archean cratons are composed of rocks that are chemically of tonalite-trondhjemite affinity (1)

Doubly-robust Nonparametric Inference on the Average Treatment Effect

Doubly-robust estimators are widely used to draw inference about the average effect of a treatment. Such estimators are consistent for the effect of interest if either one of two nuisance parameters is consistently estimated. However, if flexible, data-adaptive estimators of these nuisance parameters are used, double-robustness does not readily extend to inference. We present a general theoretical study of the behavior of doubly-robust estimators of an average treatment effect when one of the nuisance parameters is inconsistently estimated. We contrast different approaches for constructing such estimators and investigate the extent to which they may be modified to also allow doubly-robust inference. We find that while targeted maximum likelihood estimation can be used to solve this problem very naturally, common alternative frameworks appear to be inappropriate for this purpose. We provide a theoretical study and a numerical evaluation of the alternatives considered. Our simulations highlight the need and usefulness of these approaches in practice, while our theoretical developments have broad implications for the construction of estimators that permit doubly-robust inference in other problems

Phase equilibria constraints on Archean crustal genesis from crystallization experiments on trondhjemite with water at 10-17 kbar

The formation of continental crust during the Archean and early Proterozoic occurred through a different mechanisms than the currently active processes of calc-alkaline volcanism in orogenic regions. In view that most crustal growth models imply that by the end of the Archean a continental mass equivalent to 75% or more of the current crust had evolved, it seems highly relevant to study early crustal genesis

Sorting switch of mitochondrial presequence translocase involves coupling of motor module to respiratory chain

The mitochondrial presequence translocase transports preproteins to either matrix or inner membrane. Two different translocase forms have been identified: the matrix transport form, which binds the heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) motor, and the inner membrane–sorting form, which lacks the motor but contains translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 21 (Tim21). The sorting form interacts with the respiratory chain in a Tim21-dependent manner. It is unknown whether the respiratory chain–bound translocase transports preproteins and how the switch between sorting form and motor form occurs. We report that the respiratory chain–bound translocase contains preproteins in transit and, surprisingly, not only sorted but also matrix-targeted preproteins. Presequence translocase-associated motor (Pam) 16 and 18, two regulatory components of the six-subunit motor, interact with the respiratory chain independently of Tim21. Thus, the respiratory chain–bound presequence translocase is not only active in preprotein sorting to the inner membrane but also in an early stage of matrix translocation. The motor does not assemble en bloc with the translocase but apparently in a step-wise manner with the Pam16/18 module before the Hsp70 core

Is this work? Revisiting the definition of work in the 21st century

Purpose – The purpose of the study was to specify the perceived outdated nature and lack of definitional clarity associated with the concept of work and further to outline that the nature of work has dramatically changed in the 21st century, while definitions of work referenced in research remain those that were dominant in the previous century. Lastly, the study aimed to propose an updated conceptualisation and definition of work to aid future research. Design/methodology/approach – A scoping literature review was adopted as the methodology guiding the study. A scoping review is particularly suited to identifying the conceptual boundaries on a given multi-disciplinary topic and is used to map the key concepts underpinning a research area as well as to clarify working definitions. Findings – Nine main themes underpinning the concept of work were extracted from the extant literature. These were assimilated with contemporary literature across multiple disciplines. Contexts of work as they relate to dimensions of work and workspace are developed and visualised. A proposed contemporary definition of work is presented. Research limitations/implications – The aim of the study was to address the problem with current and future research continuing to refer to traditional conceptualisations of work, while the nature of work has dramatically changed. The findings are preliminary and intended to stimulate further discourse towards a greater consensus of a definition. The implications of proposing an updated definition of work is that it is intended to better inform future research reflective of its multi-disciplinary and significantly changed nature. Practical implications – The implications to practice are the main impetus of this study. The authors found that research associated with work was being confounded by traditional and outdated interpretations, excluding alternative forms of work or not recognising its multi-dimensionality. It is proposed by the paper that an updated conceptualisation of the nature of work in this era, as it is reflected across disciplines and practice, would positively contribute to the understanding, management and conceptualisation of work in practice. Originality/value – A systematic literature review across disciplines of the definition of work will reveal the outdated nature and disparate interpretation of the concept of work. An inclusive, multi-disciplinary and contemporary definition of work has not been suggested. This scoping review was conducted to address this problem and gap in the literature. Further, this paper presents a multi-dimensional and spatial conceptualisation of work that is proposed to better inform future research and practice associated with work

Emergence of New Materials for Exploiting Highly Efficient Carrier Multiplication in Photovoltaics

In conventional solar cell semiconductor materials (predominantly Si) photons with energy higher than the band gap initially generate hot electrons and holes, which subsequently cool down to the band edge by phonon emission. Due to the latter process, the energy of the charge carriers in excess of the band gap is lost as heat and does not contribute to the conversion of solar to electrical power. If the excess energy is more than the band gap it can in principle be utilized through a process known as carrier multiplication (CM) in which a single absorbed photon generates two (or more) pairs of electrons and holes. Thus, through CM the photon energy above twice the band gap enhances the photocurrent of a solar cell. In this review, we discuss recent progress in CM research in terms of fundamental understanding, emergence of new materials for efficient CM, and CM based solar cell applications. Based on our current understanding, the CM threshold can get close to the minimal value of twice the band gap in materials where a photon induces an asymmetric electronic transition from a deeper valence band or to a higher conduction band. In addition, the material must have a low exciton binding energy and high charge carrier mobility, so that photoexcitation leads directly to the formation of free charges that can readily be extracted at external electrodes of a photovoltaic device. Percolative networks of coupled PbSe quantum dots, Sn/Pb based halide perovskites, and transition metal dichalcogenides such as MoTe2 fulfill these requirements to a large extent. These findings point towards promising prospects for further development of new materials for highly efficient photovoltaics