Development of Violence Across the Lifespan: A Preliminary Model

Violence has serious implications for both the victim and the wider community. The current adult rehabilitation programmes accept violent offenders ranged from 20 years and older. This age range could have serious rehabilitation consequences, as a twenty year olds violence and violence related goals may differ substantially to a 70 year old. For this reason an understanding of the development of violence and violence related goals can aide rehabilitation and punitive policies. A review of recent research highlights there are many methodological and empirical gaps in the development of violence whereby the current research aimed to assuage this issue. The current research used grounded theory to develop a model on the development of violence over the life-course. For this research twelve men currently incarcerated at Rimutaka Prison in a violence rehabilitation unit were interviewed. This method developed two models. The “Influences on violence development” model outlines how environment and personal choices had an impact on the development of violence. The “development of violence” model outlines the increasing severity and frequency of violence over time, and the increasing complexity of violence related goals. This model is nested within the influences on violence development model. Comparing the current models to Loeber et al's (1993) pathways model, and Sampson and Laub's life-course perspective on offending, has found support for both models. Thus this model's theoretical value lies within its ability to draw together other areas of research and provide a holistic understanding of both how and why violence develops. One implication of these models is the understanding of the varying influences of environment on violence, upon both different individuals and different ages. This implies that rehabilitation should perhaps follow a more individual based focus. There are many limitations to the research, the most salient one being lack of saturation in the model and low sample size

Studies on the amount and composition of digesta flowing through the duodenum of dairy cows. 2. Sites of net absorption of magnesium and calcium from the alimentary tract.

Two cows were fitted with re-entrant duodenal cannulas, and four with T-piece duodenal annulas. Balance trials were carried out, the cows receiving either a winter ration, or freshly-mown herbage. Direct measurements were made of the flow of digesta, and of the amounts of Mg and Ca in both duodenal and faecal samples. Also indirect measurements were made of these parameters, using polyethylene glycol and chromium sesquioxide indicators. Net Ca absorption was restricted to the intestines, and, at high Mg intake, net Mg absorption was also largely intestinal, though too large an error attached to the indirect measurement of Mg absorption rates for reliable conclusions to be drawn. There was considerable secretion of Ca proximal to the duodenum. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Concentrate feeding and ruminal fermentation. 1. Influence of the frequency of feeding concentrates on rumen acid composition, feed intake and milk production.

1. Four cows with rumen cannulae were given 12 kg concentrates daily in 2 equal portions at 0800 and 1530, in one portion of 12 kg at 0800 or in 4 portions of 3 kg each at 0800, 1100, 1400 and 1700 h. Every period lasted 2 weeks. In addition to the concentrates hay was provided at 0900 and 1630 h and was adjusted so that the daily remainder was at least 1 kg. In 1978 experiments were made with concentrates low in starch and sugars (LSS) (23%) and in 1979 with concentrates high in starch and sugars (HSS) (50%). In 1978 when total DM intake, milk production and milk fat content of each milking were estimated daily, the trend in pH and concentration of L-lactic acid in rumen fluid were estimated on the last day of the preliminary period (2 X 6 kg) and on the 1st, 7th and 14th days of the experimental periods (1 X 12 kg and 4 X 3 kg). In 1979 the same estimations were made, but D-lactic acid and volatile fatty acids were also estimated. Compared to 2 X 6 kg concentrates the changeover to daily 1 X 12 kg or 4 X 3 kg concentrates did not result in significant differences in DM intake nor in milk or milk fat production. Within types of concentrates there was hardly any difference in lowest rumen pH between frequencies of concentrate feeding. When HSS concentrates were given pH in rumen fluid tended to be lower than with the LSS concentrates. With 2 X 6 kg HSS concentrates, pH in rumen fluid was for a short time lower than 5.5. Lactic acid concentrations in the rumen fluid reached maximum within 1 h after concentrate feeding and L-lactic acid was 6.5, 5.0 and 2.0 mmol/litre, respectively, for 1 X 12, 2 X 6 and 4 X 3 kg LSS concentrates. For HSS concentrates the values were 4.5, 2.5 and 1.0 mmol/litre. When the HSS concentrates were given maximum concentration of D-lactic acid in rumen fluid were 2.5 to 3 times the L-lactic acid concentration. When lactic acid was not increased D- and L-lactic acid concentrations were similar. At 0800 h the molar ratio of volatile fatty acids (C2:C3:C4) as a percentage of total volatile fatty acids (VFA) in rumen fluid was 62:22:15 and changed gradually to 56:24:20 at 1900 h. Differences in VFA between frequencies of concentrate feeding were small. Total concentrations of VFA did not vary between treatments. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Regulation of Amino Acid Transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

SUMMARYWe review the mechanisms responsible for amino acid homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other fungi. Amino acid homeostasis is essential for cell growth and survival. Hence, the de novo synthesis reactions, metabolic conversions, and transport of amino acids are tightly regulated. Regulation varies from nitrogen pool sensing to control by individual amino acids and takes place at the gene (transcription), protein (posttranslational modification and allostery), and vesicle (trafficking and endocytosis) levels. The pools of amino acids are controlled via import, export, and compartmentalization. In yeast, the majority of the amino acid transporters belong to the APC (amino acid-polyamine-organocation) superfamily, and the proteins couple the uphill transport of amino acids to the electrochemical proton gradient. Although high-resolution structures of yeast amino acid transporters are not available, homology models have been successfully exploited to determine and engineer the catalytic and regulatory functions of the proteins. This has led to a further understanding of the underlying mechanisms of amino acid sensing and subsequent downregulation of transport. Advances in optical microscopy have revealed a new level of regulation of yeast amino acid transporters, which involves membrane domain partitioning. The significance and the interrelationships of the latest discoveries on amino acid homeostasis are put in context

Nitrate poisoning in cattle. 7. Prevention.

Results are summarized from 44 feeding trials with dry or lactating cows fed hay, pre-wilted grass silage or freshly mown grass with or without concentrates. As nitrate content of the forage increased, the moment at which the highest methaemoglobin (MHb) concentration occurred was delayed. As the MHb peak increased, more time was required to reduce MHb to normal values of 2-3%. Dry matter (DM) intake varied with type of forage. Consumption of 1.1 kg DM/100 kg bodyweight required 2 hours with hay or silage and 3.5 h with fresh grass. The relationship between nitrate intake and the formation of MHb in the blood was used to calculate the amount of forage that may be consumed per meal without causing symptoms of nitrate poisoning. Hay and pre-wilted silage with a nitrate content of up to 0.75% in the DM may be given ad lib. Indoor feeding of freshly mown grass with a nitrate content of up to 1.5% may also be given with restriction. Under grazing conditions, grass with a nitrate content of 2% in DM was safe without restriction. Nitrate poisoning may also be prevented by inhibiting nitrate reduction in the rumen by a daily dose of tungsten (wolfram). However, all potential hazards of this prophylactic treatment need to be examined before its use under practical conditions can be recommended. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Depressive symptoms and clustering of risk behaviours among adolescents and young adults attending vocational education: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms and risk behaviours often do not occur in isolation among adolescents and young adults. In order to improve intervention programmes, more research is needed to elucidate the clustering of risk behaviours, the association with depressive symptoms, and demographic variables. Therefore, this study examined the clustering of risk behaviours, the association with depressive symptoms, and demographic variables among adolescents and young adults in vocational education. Furthermore, the prevalence of depressive symptoms and risk behaviours was examined.METHODS: This study included 584 students (mean age 18.3 years) attending vocational education in the Netherlands. Depressive symptoms and risk behaviours (binge drinking, cannabis use, smoking, delinquency and incurring debts) were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Truancy was monitored via the school registration system. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was conducted to assess the factor structure of the risk behaviours (i.e. clustering). Linear regression analyses with a bootstrapping method were performed to assess the associations.RESULTS: Binge drinking was reported by 50.5% and cannabis use by 14.2% of the students (both in the past 4 weeks), whereas 37.7% reported currently being a smoker. More than 10% reported having been questioned at a police station in the past year. Furthermore, 82.2% had been truanting in the first two months of education, 21.0% reported having debts and 29.2% reported clinically-relevant depressive symptoms. The PCA indicated two clusters. The 'substance use' cluster consisted of the risk behaviours: binge drinking, cannabis use and smoking. The 'problem behaviours' cluster consisted of the risk behaviours: delinquency, truancy and incurring debts. Both clusters were associated with depressive symptoms. Various demographic variables were associated with both clusters.CONCLUSIONS: Risk behaviours formed two clusters, both of which were associated with depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of screening adolescents and young adults at lower educational levels for multiple risk behaviours and depressive symptoms and of focusing on multiple risk behaviours in interventions simultaneously

The social purpose of corporations

What are corporations for? This paper provides an analytical review of relevant research on this question, and some thoughts on the moral evaluation of corporations. It distinguishes between the concepts of social purpose and corporate purpose. Social purpose concerns the specific contribution that a corporation makes to realis-ing societal goals. Corporate purpose concerns the goals the corporation should actively pursue. Related questions of whether corporations ought to serve a social purpose, whether they ought actively to pursue their corporate purpose, and how to articulate, pursue, and measure corporate purpose are explored. Determining social purpose quickly raises difficult political questions. The arguments for a minimalist or a maximalist approach to social purpose are set out and debated. The authors conducted interviews with 24 business leaders which highlighted frustration at the vague concept of social purpose and exactly how social and corporate purpose relate to each other. There was broad agreement that corporations should serve some social purpose, but not precisely what this might be. The authors outline three reasons why societies become entitled to make claims on corporations, based on the principle of reciprocity. Corporations rely on society's legal system for adjudication and protection. They rely on access to scarce resources that might otherwise be deployed elsewhere, and they are a constant source of social and economic disruption as they undertake their business. Efficiency and market competition are often cited as forces that might steer firms to social purpose, but the paper argues that pervasive market failures suggest that social purpose cannot be left entirely to the corporation. A web of other factors might also obstruct that goal. Likewise, corporate purpose cannot be determined by the corporation alone due to a lack of 'epistemic competence' or the ability to balance and judge competing stakeholder interests, and the fact that corporations interact within political and social structures. The paper considers the societal responsiveness and shared value approaches to articulating corporate purpose, and the shortcomings of these methodologies. One of the most complex challenges is the meaningful measurement of corporate and social purpose. Most current measures of corporate purpose are accounting measures. Social purpose also uses holistic action-guiding measures for environmental, social, and governance impacts. However, none is yet satisfactory, and measurement remains 'the most important condition for giving bite to corporate purpose'