The Contours and Limits of Environmental Remediation Under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Netherlands International Law Review - The entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in January 2021 has sparked analysis of the so-called ‘positive...     

Human Flourishing, Human Dignity, and Human Rights

Rather than treating them as discrete and incommensurable ideas, we sketch some connections between human flourishing and human dignity, and link them to human rights. We contend that the metaphor of flourishing provides an illuminating aspirational framework for thinking about human development and obligations, and that the idea of human dignity is a critical element within that discussion. We conclude with some suggestions as to how these conceptions of human dignity and human flourishing might underpin and inform appeals to human rights.     

From Bilski back to Benson: preemption, inventing around, and the case of genetic diagnostics

The long-anticipated decision in Bilski v. Kappos was supposed to end uncertainty regarding the patentability of process claims (or, at the least, business method claims). Instead, the opinion featured a series of anomalies: The Court emphasized strict construction of the Patent Act, but acknowledged three judge-made exceptions to patentability. It disapproved State Street, the Federal Circuit case that had upheld business method patents, but could muster only four votes for the proposition that business methods are in fact unpatentable. But even though the Court upheld business method patents, it invalidated all of Bilski's hedging claims. And while the Justices agreed on one thing - a patent that "preempts" something (a mathematical formula, an approach, a commonly used idea, a wide swath of technological developments, the public's access) is bad - they failed to operationalize the concept. That problem had plagued the law prior to State Street; in the interest of preventing the same set of problems from recurring, this Article uses recent empirical studies on gene patents to tease out indicia ("clues") to supplement the machine-or-transformation test for determining when a claim is preemptive and therefore invalid. Chief among these clues is the inability to invent around claims that cover broad prospects.     

Fear of crime while camping: examining perceptions of risk,safety precautions,and victimization effects

Past research suggests that fear of crime is influenced by several factors including perceptions of risk and previous victimization. Fear of crime may also vary by location and context. The current study examines the influences on fear of crime among campers including perceptions of risk and past experiences with victimization while camping. Survey data collected from individuals camping in state and national parks were analyzed. Fear of crime was significantly related to perceptions of risk and taking safety precautions, however experiencing a previous victimization while camping was only marginally related to fear. Participants expressed higher levels of fear and perceptions of risk in their own neighborhoods compared to when camping. These results are discussed in terms of policy implications and suggestions for further research.     

Full disclosure: experimental analysis of female online dating on parole

Journal of Experimental Criminology - Research has considered the effect of convictions on employment and housing outcomes, but there are limited studies exploring how criminal justice contact...     

Adolescent mothers' knowledge of child development and expectations for their own infants

Adolescent mothers of 8- to 14-month-old infants gave fewer correct responses on the Developmental Milestones Survey (DMS) and were less accurate in predicting whether or not their infants would pass Bayley items than adult mothers of same-aged infants. Adolescent mothers were more likely to underestimate their infant's performance if the mothers received lower scores on the DMS, especially if they were likely to guess too young an age when they missed DMS items. Adult mothers, on the other hand, were more likely to underestimate their infant's performance if the mothers were likely to guess too old an age when they missed DMS items. Some adolescent mothers thus expect too little too late from their own infant and too much too soon from the average infant. These mothers may fail to encourage their infant's development and may perceive their infant as less competent than other infants because of these expectations.This article is based on a master's thesis completed by the second author. An earlier version of these findings was presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 1993.Received Ph.D., from Michigan State University. Research interests include adults' perceptions of infants and infant emotional regulation.Received M.A. from West Virginia University. Research interests include adolescent parenting and infant social development.     

A rapid method to detect dried saliva stains swabbed from human skin using fluorescence spectroscopy

Saliva on skin is important in forensic trace evidence. If areas where saliva is present can be outlined, this may lead to DNA analysis and identification. This study describes a rapid and non-destructive method to detect dried saliva on the surface of the skin by fluorescence spectroscopy. Eighty-two volunteers deposited samples of their own saliva on the skin of their ventral forearm. A control sample of water was deposited at three different sites on the contralateral arm. Saliva and water control were then allowed to air-dry. Swab samples were taken from dried saliva and control sites and were dissolved in 0.1M KCl solution. Emission spectra were obtained from the solution and were characterized by a principal maximum at 345-355nm with excitation at 282nm. The fluorescence emission intensity was greater than background readings obtained from the control swab site in 80 of 82 volunteers (approximately 97.6%). The fluorescence profile of saliva samples were similar to those obtained from aqueous samples of pure amylase and tryptophan, an endogenous fluorophore in alpha-amylase. The presence of an emission peak at 345-355nm with excitation at 282nm could provide a strong presumptive indication of saliva deposition.