Serum alcohol concentrations in trauma patients determined by immunoassay versus gas chromatography

There has been an extensive discussion in the forensic toxicology community regarding the effect of trauma on the enzymatic method for ethanol analysis. There is a paucity of information in the literature that addresses this question. This study was designed to compare the Dade Behring Dimension enzymatic method with the reliable gas chromatographic method. The blood samples collected at the same time from trauma patients were analyzed by both methods. The result of the study shows no significant quantitative difference between the enzymatic and gas liquid chromatographic (GLC) methods. Also, the enzymatic method did not show any false positive ethanol in cases where the GLC method showed a negative finding.     

Open revolver cylinder at the suicide death scene

Revolvers with an open cylinder were found at three death scenes of apparently self-inflicted gunshot wounds. All three handguns were Smith & Wesson.38 or.357 revolvers. Investigation revealed that firing the gun with the thumb on the cylinder release latch could disengage the cylinder. A combination of gravity and recoil impact against the thumb would open the cylinder and even allow the casing and the unspent cartridges to fall from the gun, creating a confusing death scene.     

Organizing the Federal System for Homeland Security: Problems, Issues, and Dilemmas

Improving the capacity of U.S. governments to provide greater homeland security will require numerous changes in the way federal, state, and local governments are organized and operate. It also will require significant alterations in intergovernmental relations. Changes will be required in intergovernmental dimensions, including operational, financial, legal, and political dimensions. A dual–track approach to rearranging intergovernmental relationships in order to provide a coordinated intergovernmental response to the requirements of homeland security is to be expected.     

Measurement and the dynamics of party identification

Recent work has questioned the conclusions of the revisionist model of party identification. One central issue concerns the measurement of party identification. According to the critics, the research showing that partisanship is responsive to other political evaluations is in error because of peculiarities of measurement. I test this assertion by considering the effects that changes in measurement have on estimates of the dynamics of party identification. The results strongly support the original revisionist conclusions. The findings of responsiveness of party identification to evaluations of party issue positions are quite robust in the face of alternative measures of party identification.     

State Environmental Regulation and Economic Development: Are They Compatible?

An underlyingussumption of the partial preemption apprmh is the belief that minimum federal standmds contribute to the prospective decentralization of environmental protection programs by removing or reducing industry incentives to shop aroundfor states with a more lenient regulatory stance. This assumption was examined through a survey of chief executive oficers of pollution-generating firms. Tlze data suggest that corporate officials see regulatory climate m an important component of overhead ctxits. The author concludes that the desire to retain industries within state boundaries does inhibit the promulgation of strict environmental regulat ions by public officials.