Blood alcohol concentration determined from urine samples as a practical equivalent or alternative to blood and breath alcohol tests

The value of urine tests for determining an equivalent blood alcohol concentration in driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement cases is reviewed from a historical, theoretical, and practical perspective. The limits of precision and accuracy that can be ascribed to urine alcohol results are demonstrated through an evaluation of actual case results wherein both a first void and a subsequent urine sample were analyzed and converted to an equivalent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) using a urine to blood conversion factor of 1.3:1.     

Cadmium-free quantum dots in aqueous solution: Potential for fingermark detection,synthesis and an application to the detection of fingermarks in blood on non-porous surfaces

The use of quantum dots (QDs) in the area of fingermark detection is currently receiving a lot of attention in the forensic literature. Most of the research efforts have been devoted to cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots often applied as powders to the surfaces of interests.Both the use of cadmium and the nano size of these particles raise important issues in terms of health and safety. This paper proposes to replace CdTe QDs by zinc sulphide QDs doped with copper (ZnS:Cu) to address these issues. Zinc sulphide–copper doped QDs were successfully synthesized, characterized in terms of size and optical properties and optimized to be applied for the detection of impressions left in blood, where CdTe QDs proved to be efficient. Effectiveness of detection was assessed in comparison with CdTe QDs and Acid Yellow 7 (AY7, an effective blood reagent), using two series of depletive blood fingermarks from four donors prepared on four non-porous substrates, i.e. glass, transparent polypropylene, black polyethylene and aluminium foil. The marks were cut in half and processed separately with both reagents, leading to two comparison series (ZnS:Cu vs. CdTe, and ZnS:Cu vs. AY7). ZnS:Cu proved to be better than AY7 and at least as efficient as CdTe on most substrates. Consequently, copper-doped ZnS QDs constitute a valid substitute for cadmium-based QDs to detect blood marks on non-porous substrates and offer a safer alternative for routine use.     

Guidelines on International Protection: The application of Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention and/or 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees to victims of trafficking and persons at risk of being trafficked

UNHCR issues these Guidelines pursuant to its mandate, as containedin the 1950 Statute of the Office of the United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees in conjunction with Article 35 ofthe 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and ArticleII of its 1967 Protocol. These Guidelines complement the UNHCRHandbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining RefugeeStatus under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relatingto the Status of Refugees (1979, re-edited, Geneva, January1992). They should additionally be read in conjunction withUNHCR's Guidelines on International Protection on gender-relatedpersecution within the context of Article 1A(2) of the 1951Convention and/or 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees(HCR/GIP/02/01) and on "membership of a particular social group"within the context of Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention and/orits 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (HCR/GIP/02/02),both of 7 May 2002. These Guidelines are intended to provide interpretative legalguidance for governments, legal practitioners, decision-makersand the judiciary, as well as for UNHCR staff carrying out refugeestatus determination in the field.     

Applications for FDA approval to market a dew drug: patent submission and listing requirements and application of 30-month stays on approval of abbreviated new drug applications certifying that a patent claiming a drug is invalid or will not be infringed. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its patent submission and listing requirements for new drug applications (NDAs). The final rule clarifies the types of patents that must and must not be submitted and revises the declaration that NDA applicants must provide regarding their patents to help ensure that NDA applicants submit only appropriate patents. The final rule also revises the regulations regarding the effective date of approval for certain abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) and certain other new drug applications, known as 505(b)(2) applications, submitted under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act). In certain situations, Federal law bars FDA from making the approval of certain ANDA and 505(b)(2) applications effective for 30 months if the applicant has certified that the patent claiming a drug is invalid or will not be infringed, and the patent owner or NDA holder then brings suit for patent infringement. The final rule also states that there is only one opportunity for a 30-month stay in the approval date of each ANDA and 505(b)(2) application. The final rule will make the patent submission and listing process more efficient as well as enhance the ANDA and 505(b)(2) application approval processes.