Juvenile Life Without Parole in Law and Practice: Chronicling the Rapid Change Underway

This Article provides a comprehensive examination of juvenile life without parole (\u27 LWOP ) both as a policy and in practice. Beginning in 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution restricts the reach of JLWOP sentences, first prohibiting it for non-homicide offenses, then proscribing its mandatory application for any offense, and, in 2016, clarifying that it may only be imposed in the rare instance in which a juvenile\u27s homicide demonstrates his or her irreparable corruption. The legislative responses to these cases have been to either abandon or restrict JLWOP\u27s application. These legislative changes undo aspects of the rapid expansion of harsh juvenile sentencing policies enacted across the country starting in the early-1990s and represent a trend away from using JLWOP sentences. By analyzing JL WOP sentencing data from state departments of corrections, this Article includes three significant findings. First, among juveniles arrested for homicide, African American youth receive JLWOP sentences twice as often as their white counterparts. Second, a small number of counties are responsible for all JLWOP sentences nationally and in large disproportion to their population. Third, JLWOP sentencing dramatically increased during the same time period that states were enacting harsh juvenile sentencing laws-laws that are now falling out of favor. The Article offers potential reasons for these observations, but further study is required to fully explain the disparities in JLWOP sentencing practices. Such study is warranted because each observation raises substantial questions about the wisdom and constitutionality of JLWOP sentences, given the U.S. Supreme Court\u27s increased interest in restricting its application

Non-conservation of the valley density and its implications for the observation of the valley Hall effect

We show that the conservation of the valley density in a multi-valley insulator is broken in an unexpected way by an electric field, such as the one that is used to drive the valley Hall effect. This observation explains how a fully gapped insulator (i.e., one without edge states that cross the Fermi level) can support a valley Hall current in the bulk and yet show no valley density accumulation at the edges. If the insulator is not fully gapped, either because there are edge states crossing the Fermi level or because carriers are introduced in the conduction or valence band, then valley density accumulation at the edges is possible, paving the way to a direct observation of the valley Hall effect. However, the magnitude of the accumulation depends crucially on the inclusion of the anomalous electric field term in the continuity equation that relates valley current and density.Comment: 5 pages + 6 pages of supplemental material, 4 figure

Non-conservation of the valley density and its implications for the observation of the valley Hall effect

We show that the conservation of the valley density in multi-valley and time-reversal-invariant insulators is broken in an unexpected way by the electric field that drives the valley Hall effect. This implies that fully-gapped insulators can support a valley Hall current in the bulk and yet show no valley density accumulation on the edges. Thus, the valley Hall effect cannot be observed in such systems. If the system is not fully gapped then valley density accumulation at the edges is possible and can result in a net generation of valley density. The accumulation has no contribution from undergap states and can be expressed as a Fermi surface average, for which we derive an explicit formula. We demonstrate the theory by calculating the valley density accumulations in an archetypical valley-Hall insulator: a gapped graphene nanoribbon. Surprisingly, we discover that a net valley density polarization is dynamically generated for some types of edge terminations

Early to mid-Holocene human-river interactions in the Lower Danube Valley: new research at Poiana (Teleorman County)

This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. In terms of archaeology, the area had not been previously systematically investigated. During the twentieth century, and especially before the late 1960s to early 1970s, there were major landscape changes as result of massive desiccation and impoundment. Most prehistoric and ancient archaeological finds were previously discovered incidentally. The earliest traces of human activity were identified on the loess terraces bordering the north of the Danube floodplain. Noteworthy is the research focused on the Upper Palaeolithic at Ciuperceni, first carried out in the late 1970s, and then, more recently, between 2006 and 2008. Other prehistoric evidence has been discovered during systematic research around Poiana village (formerly Flămânda)on former Danube terraces and the northern bank of former Lake Bercelui. Importantly, the oldest evidence could date to the Mesolithic, followed by the early and developed (late) Neolithic. Starting in 2013, a collaborative research project between Cardiff and Lincoln Universities from the UK and the Teleorman County Museum aims to better understand this chronological sequence and will investigate the palaeoenvironmental and hydrological histories of the Danube and the impact of the river on human communities over time

Early to mid-Holocene human-river interactions in the Lower Danube Valley: new research at Poiana (Teleorman County)

This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. In terms of archaeology, the area had not been previously systematically investigated. During the twentieth century, and especially before the late 1960s to early 1970s, there were major landscape changes as result of massive desiccation and impoundment. Most prehistoric and ancient archaeological finds were previously discovered incidentally. The earliest traces of human activity were identified on the loess terraces bordering the north of the Danube floodplain. Noteworthy is the research focused on the Upper Palaeolithic at Ciuperceni, first carried out in the late 1970s, and then, more recently, between 2006 and 2008. Other prehistoric evidence has been discovered during systematic research around Poiana village (formerly Flămânda)on former Danube terraces and the northern bank of former Lake Bercelui. Importantly, the oldest evidence could date to the Mesolithic, followed by the early and developed (late) Neolithic. Starting in 2013, a collaborative research project between Cardiff and Lincoln Universities from the UK and the Teleorman County Museum aims to better understand this chronological sequence and will investigate the palaeoenvironmental and hydrological histories of the Danube and the impact of the river on human communities over time

Archaeological and geomorphological contexts of prehistoric flint scatters at Poiana, Lower Danube Valley, Teleorman County: results and wider significance

This paper presents preliminary results of combined archaeological and geomorphological investigation of prehistoric flint scatters around Poiana village located in a major alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. Archaeological research has identified and mapped recently discovered flint scatters and provides consideration of the landscape contexts and analyses of the worked pieces. Important amongst the material is the high proportion of cores including single platform conical and sub-conical shaped ‘bullet’ cores. Fluvial geomorphological studies included field surveys, as well as interpretative geomorphological mapping, followed by excavation of test pits and OSL dating of sediment samples. This has enabled a mapping and zoning of local valley floor topography as well as an understanding of Holocene and Late Pleistocene geomorphological processes within the basin around Poiana that provides a landscape context to the location and distribution of flint scatters, alongside initial radiometric dating. The combined research is placed in the broader context of early-mid Holocene archaeology in the Lower Danube valley and the wider region

Forest elephant movement and habitat use in a tropical forest-grassland mosaic in Gabon

Poaching of forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) for ivory has decimated their populations in Central Africa. Studying elephant movement can provide insight into habitat and resource use to reveal where, when, and why they move and guide conservation efforts. We fitted 17 forest elephants with global positioning system (GPS) collars in 2015 and 2016 in the tropical forest-grassland mosaic of the Wonga Wongué Presidential Reserve (WW), Gabon. Using the location data, we quantified movement distances, home ranges, and habitat use to examine the environmental drivers of elephant movements and predict where elephants occur spatially and temporally. Forest elephants, on average, traveled 2,840 km annually and had home ranges of 713 km2, with males covering significantly larger home ranges than females. Forest elephants demonstrated both daily and seasonal movement patterns. Daily, they moved between forest and grassland at dawn and dusk. Seasonally, they spent proportionally more time in grassland than forest during the short-wet season when grasses recruit. Forest elephants also traveled faster during the short-wet season when fruit availability was greatest, likely reflecting long, direct movements to preferred fruiting tree species. Forest elephants tended to select areas with high tree and shrub density that afford cover and browse. When villages occurred in their home ranges elephants spent a disproportionate amount of time near them, particularly in the dry season, probably for access to agricultural crops and preferred habitat. Given the importance of the grassland habitat for elephants, maintenance of the forest-grassland matrix is a conservation priority in WW. Law enforcement, outreach, and education should focus on areas of potential human-elephant conflict near villages along the borders of the reserve. GPS-tracking should be extended into multi-use areas in the peripheries of protected areas to evaluate the effects of human disturbance on elephant movements and to maintain connectivity among elephant populations in Gabon

Cardiovascular and Noncardiovascular Prescribing and Mortality After Takotsubo:Comparison With Myocardial Infarction and General Population

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo syndrome is an increasingly common cardiac emergency with no known evidence-based treatment.OBJECTIVES: To investigate cardiovascular mortality and medication use after takotsubo syndrome.METHODS: In a case-control study, all patients with takotsubo syndrome in Scotland between 2010-2017 (n=620) were age, sex and geographically matched to individuals in the general population (1:4, n=2,480) and contemporaneous patients with acute myocardial infarction (1:1, n=620). Electronic health record data linkage of mortality outcomes and drug prescribing were analysed using Cox proportional hazard regression models.RESULTS: Of the 3,720 study participants (mean age, 66 years; 91% women), 153 (25%) patients with takotsubo syndrome died over the median of 5.5 years follow up. This exceeded mortality rates in the general population [374 (15%)]; hazard ratio [HR] 1.78 [95% confidence interval 1.48-2.15], P<0.0001), especially for cardiovascular (HR 2.47, [1.81-3.39], P<0.001) but also non-cardiovascular (HR 1.48 [1.16-1.87], P=0.002) deaths. Mortality rates were lower for patients with takotsubo syndrome than those with myocardial infarction (31%, 195/620; HR 0.76 [0.62-0.94], P=0.012), which was attributable to lower rates of cardiovascular (HR 0.61 [0.44-0.84], P=0.002) but not non-cardiovascular (HR 0.92 [0.69-1.23], P=0.59) deaths. Despite comparable medications use, cardiovascular therapies were consistently associated with better survival in patients with myocardial infarction but not in those with takotsubo syndrome. Diuretic (P=0.01), anti-inflammatory (P=0.002) and psychotropic (P<0.001) therapies were all associated with worse outcomes in patients with takotsubo syndrome.CONCLUSIONS: In patients with takotsubo syndrome, cardiovascular mortality is the leading cause of death, and this is not associated with cardiovascular therapy use

Cardiovascular and Noncardiovascular Prescribing and Mortality After Takotsubo:Comparison With Myocardial Infarction and General Population

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo syndrome is an increasingly common cardiac emergency with no known evidence-based treatment.OBJECTIVES: To investigate cardiovascular mortality and medication use after takotsubo syndrome.METHODS: In a case-control study, all patients with takotsubo syndrome in Scotland between 2010-2017 (n=620) were age, sex and geographically matched to individuals in the general population (1:4, n=2,480) and contemporaneous patients with acute myocardial infarction (1:1, n=620). Electronic health record data linkage of mortality outcomes and drug prescribing were analysed using Cox proportional hazard regression models.RESULTS: Of the 3,720 study participants (mean age, 66 years; 91% women), 153 (25%) patients with takotsubo syndrome died over the median of 5.5 years follow up. This exceeded mortality rates in the general population [374 (15%)]; hazard ratio [HR] 1.78 [95% confidence interval 1.48-2.15], P<0.0001), especially for cardiovascular (HR 2.47, [1.81-3.39], P<0.001) but also non-cardiovascular (HR 1.48 [1.16-1.87], P=0.002) deaths. Mortality rates were lower for patients with takotsubo syndrome than those with myocardial infarction (31%, 195/620; HR 0.76 [0.62-0.94], P=0.012), which was attributable to lower rates of cardiovascular (HR 0.61 [0.44-0.84], P=0.002) but not non-cardiovascular (HR 0.92 [0.69-1.23], P=0.59) deaths. Despite comparable medications use, cardiovascular therapies were consistently associated with better survival in patients with myocardial infarction but not in those with takotsubo syndrome. Diuretic (P=0.01), anti-inflammatory (P=0.002) and psychotropic (P<0.001) therapies were all associated with worse outcomes in patients with takotsubo syndrome.CONCLUSIONS: In patients with takotsubo syndrome, cardiovascular mortality is the leading cause of death, and this is not associated with cardiovascular therapy use

An exploration of student learning for sustainability through the WikiRate student engagement project

The launch of the UN Global Compact\u27s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME1) in 2007 can be seen as a widespread acknowledgement that students of business and management need a form of education that enables them to make a positive contribution to both business and society. PRME\u27s aim of realising the United Nations\u27 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through responsible management education is built on six guiding Principles, designed to encourage business schools and universities to recognise their role as change agents and champions of sustainable development. Consequently over 700 signatories to PRME have committed to adapt their institutional strategies, curricula, research agendas, and external engagement activities to develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy (PRME, Principle 12)