Racial Stereotypes and Asian American Youth Paradox

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Asian Americans are simultaneously stereotyped as a perpetual foreigner and a model minority. This cross-sectional study of 308 Filipino American youth (mean age...     

Adipocere formation via hydrogenation of linoleic acid in a victim kept under dry concealment

Adipocere formation is well known as a later post-mortem change. We experienced a female victim who had been sealed up in a clothes box for approximately 4 years. We collected several subcutaneous fats as well as visceral fats from the victim to investigate adipocere formation. Fresh subcutaneous fats of one female and five male victims who suddenly died were used as the control. These samples were homogenized and the lipids were extracted with chloroform and methanol followed by injection into gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. We detected a hydroxy fatty acid in the fat of the case, but not in the controls. Using standard synthetic hydroxy fatty acid, the lipid extract component was identified as 10-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (10-OH 18:0) and this concentration was quantified. Consequently we confirmed that adipocere was formed much slowly in dry concealment. In addition, the fatty acid composition was compared with the control. Most of the linoleic acid (18:2) disappeared and a peak developed instead. Using standard synthetic fatty acid, this peak was identified as cis-12-octadecenoic acid (cis-12-18:1). This suggests that linoleic acid is hydrogenated to cis-12-octadecenoic acid in the process of adipocere formation.     

Municipal population size and the benefits of inter-municipal cooperation: panel data evidence from Japan

ABSTRACT

Intermunicipal cooperation (IMC) facilitates efficient public service delivery. This study measures how the benefits municipalities gain through IMC differ according to municipal population size and service provision type. Focusing on public health and fire protection services, this study employs panel data regression for 1,706 Japanese municipalities over a five-year period, 2012–2017. This study has several major findings. First, an increase in the IMC spending ratio reduces public spending in both the studied services. Second, the marginal effect of IMC varies depending on the size of the municipal population. More specifically, the marginal effect of IMC on public health has a narrow confidence interval with a wide ranging population scale, while the marginal effect of IMC on fire protection produces negative values for only 151 municipalities due to extensive standard error. These findings can help municipalities take advantage of IMC to improve public service delivery.     

Police interviewing styles and confessions in Japan

Psychological studies of suspects' confessions have been conducted mostly in English-speaking and European countries, and the results may not generalise to countries whose cultures and policing practices differ. In particular, the difference between Japanese and Western laws may affect the roles that police interviewers play in suspects' confessions. This study examined the interviewing techniques used by Japanese police officers and associated features of the suspects' confessions. An extensive questionnaire was completed by 276 police officers across Japan. Detailed ratings of their interview techniques were factor analysed, yielding five factors: Presentation of Evidence, Confrontation, Rapport Building, Active Listening, and Discussion of the Crime. Based on these five factors, we identified four interviewing styles: Evidence-focused, Confrontational, Relationship-focused, and Undifferentiated. When interrogators employed the Relationship-focused interviewing style, suspects were more likely to make full confessions and to provide new information. By contrast, suspects were more likely to make partial confessions and were less cooperative when the police officers employed an Evidence-focused style.     

Prevalence and demographic correlates of intimate partner violence in Asian Americans

This study provides the first national estimates of the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Asian Americans. Population estimates are based on data from 1470 Asian Americans interviewed for the National Latino and Asian American Study. Interviews were conducted in English, Chinese, Tagalog, or Vietnamese. Results suggest that rates of IPV among Asian Americans are low compared to the general U.S. population. Minor violence victimization by a current intimate partner was reported by 10.2% of women and 12.0% of Asian American men. Notably, a greater proportion of participants admitted having perpetrated IPV than having been a victim. Predictors of IPV included younger age, higher SES, alcohol- and substance-use disorders, depression, ethnicity, and being U.S.-born. Results suggest the need for additional research to examine the interactions between gender, ethnicity, and acculturation to develop group-specific models of IPV risk and resilience within diverse Asian American groups.