Practical benzylation of N,N-substituted ethanolamines related to chemical warfare agents for analysis and detection by electron ionization gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

The benzylation of three low molecular weight N,N-disubstituted ethanolamines related to chemical warfare agents (CWAs) to furnish derivatives with improved gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiles is described. Due to their low molecular weight and polar nature, N,N-disubstituted ethanolamines are notoriously difficult to detect by routine GC-MS analyses during Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) proficiency tests (PTs), particularly in scenarios when they are present at low levels (~1–10 ppm) amidst more abundant interferences. Our studies revealed that the optimal derivatization conditions involved the treatment of the ethanolamine with benzyl bromide in the presence of an inorganic base (e.g., Na₂CO₃) in dichloromethane at 55°C for 2 h. This optimized set of conditions was then successfully applied to the derivatization of N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N,N-diethylethanolamine and N,N-diisopropylethanolamine present separately at 1 and 10 μg/mL concentrations in a glycerol-rich matrix sample featured in the 48th OPCW PT. The benzylated derivatives of the three ethanolamines possessed retention times long enough to clear the massive glycerol-containing matrix interferences. The protocol herein is introduced as an alternative method for derivatization of these CWA and pharmaceutically important species and should find broad applicability in laboratories where routine forensic analysis is carried out.     

Form follows function: Applying photographic content analysis to forensic firearm identification

Drawing forensic conclusions from an image or a video is known as “photographic content analysis.” It involves the analysis of an image, as well as objects, actions, and events depicted in images or video. In recent years, photographic depictions of objects suspected as illegal firearms have substantially increased, appearing on CCTV surveillance footage, captured by mobile phones and shared on social media. However, the law in Israel states that a person can be charged with illegally possessing a firearm only if it can be proven that the object is capable of shooting with lethal bullet energy. This becomes more challenging in cases where the firearm was not physically seized, and the evidence exclusively consists of images and video. In this study, photographic content analysis was applied to images and video where objects suspected as commercial or improvised firearms had been depicted. An image and event sequence reconstruction video databases of both firearms and replicas were created in order to better define firearm-specific functional morphological features. We demonstrate that it is possible to classify an object as a firearm by analyzing the functional, and not only the esthetic, morphology in images and video. It is also shown that event sequence reconstruction in video may be used to infer that an object suspected as a firearm has the capacity to shoot by confirming the occurrence of a shooting act or shooting process. Thus, photographic content analysis may be used to forensically establish that an object depicted in an image or a video is a firearm by ruling out other known scenarios, and without physically seizing it.     

Adolescent Health Risk Profiles: The Co-Occurrence of Health Risks among Females and Males

This analysis examines the complexity of adolescent health risk behaviors using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative study of students. The current sample includes 12,955 students (6,626 females and 6,329 males) in grades 9 through 12. Cluster analysis was conducted separately by gender to examine the interrelationships among eight health risk behaviors: sexual activity, general alcohol use, binge drinking, cigarette use, marijuana use, other illicit drug use, fighting, and suicide. Four distinct clusters for females and males were identified based on their profiles of risk-taking behavior. Females and males both report low- and high-risk profiles, and a risk profile with high alcohol use and sexual activity. Females have two distinct risk profiles, one that is highest on every measure of risk compared to others and one that has high levels of fighting and suicide with little participation in substance use or sexual activity. Males have a distinct risk profile with particularly high rates of marijuana use and suicidal behaviors. Few distinctions exist between profiles based on sociodemographic characteristics.     

Arthur Ripstein,Equality, Responsibility,and the Law

Law and Philosophy -     

The United States as an offshore asset protection trust jurisdiction--the world's best kept secret

This article concerns the use of US asset protection trustsby non-US settlers. After considering the basics of US assetprotection trusts, it examines key issues including fraudulenttransfers, revocability, powers of appointment and the income,gift and estate tax consequences for non-US settlers beforefinally turning its attention to the issues of jurisdictionand the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.     

Canine Population Data Generated from a Multiplex STR Kit for Use in Forensic Casework*

Abstract: Canine biological specimens are often part of the physical evidence from crime scenes. Until now, there have been no validated canine‐specific forensic reagent kits available. A multiplex genotyping system, comprising 18 short tandem repeats (STRs) and a sex‐linked zinc finger locus for gender determination, was developed for generating population genetic data assessing the weight of canine forensic DNA profiles. Allele frequencies were estimated for 236 pedigreed and 431 mixed breed dogs residing in the U.S. Average random match probability is 1 in 2 × 10³³ using the regional database and 1 in 4 × 10³⁹ using the breed dataset. Each pedigreed population was genetically distinct and could be differentiated from the mixed breed dog population but genetic variation was not significantly correlated with geographic transition. Results herein support the use of the allele frequency data with the canine STR multiplex for conveying the significance of identity testing for forensic casework, parentage testing, and breed assignments.     

Erfolgszurechnung als Frage der Strafzumessung

Eine unwesentliche Abweichung des tats?chlichen Kausalverlaufs vom vorgestellten schlie?t den Vorsatz nicht aus. Da eine Abweichung unwesentlich ist, wenn der Erfolg im Risikozusammenhang mit der Tathandlung steht, ist der Vorsatz in Bezug auf den Kausalverlauf im Ergebnis ohne Bedeutung. Ob aber der Erfolg allenfalls nicht objektiv zurechenbar ist, betrifft bei stafbaren Handlungen, die wie § 176 Abs 1 StGB auch hinsichtlich des Erfolges Vorsatz erfordern, die für die Strafbemessung bedeutsame Frage, ob nur Versuch vorliegt.     

Convention Plus as a Norm-Setting Exercise

This article reflects upon UNHCR's Convention Plus initiative,a multi-lateral process established in order to contribute tothe development of a normative framework for global burden-sharing.Although the substantive achievements of the initiative havebeen limited, the article argues that Convention Plus has helpedto develop significant new ideas relating to UNHCR's potentialrole in norm-creation within the refugee regime. Based on aregime theoretical perspective, and drawing on the wider literaturerelating to the role of norms in the refugee regime, the paperexamines the procedural and conceptual innovations of ConventionPlus, and how these might be adapted in future in light of theinitiative's shortcomings. In particular, the article sets outtwo models for UNHCR's role in facilitating norm-creation, bothdeveloped in the context of the Convention Plus experience:firstly, a ‘top-down’ institutional bargaining modeland, secondly, a ‘bottom-up’ good practice model.The former model emerges from the interests–linkages–normsapproach implicit to the so-called ‘generic’ workof the initiative; the latter, from the situational work ofthe initiative, developed through the revival of ‘comprehensiveplans of action’ and the use of pilot projects. The modelsare argued to be mutually supportive. The paper suggests thatadapting these ideal-type models in light of the ConventionPlus experience has implications for UNHCR's role in norm-creation,with regard both to developing a normative framework for globalburden-sharing and also to developing other norms in responseto other emerging challenges.