Queer Black Feminism: The Pleasure Principle

In this critical personal narrative Harris explores some of the gaps between conceptions of feminist thought and feminist practice. Harris focuses on an analysis of race, class, and desire divisions within feminist sexual politics. She suggests a queer black feminist theory and practice that calls into question naturalized identities and communities, and therefore what feminism and feminist practices might entail.     

Loss of heterozygosity detected in a short tandem repeat (STR) locus commonly used for human DNA identification

Short tandem repeat (STR) markers are commonly used in basic genetic research and in human identification testing. Clinically, STRs can be used to study genetic alterations in tumors. A genetic deletion common to many types of cancer is referred to as the loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Numerous examples of LOH in cancer have been described and some have been mapped to areas located in close proximity to markers employed in human identity testing. Despite this fact, LOH has rarely been observed for STR loci commonly employed in forensic testing. Recently, for medico-legal purposes, we were asked to determine whether a tissue biopsy originated from a particular individual. For a reference source we assessed two specimens, one from normal tissue and one from cancerous tissue. When both reference specimens were used to generate DNA profiles, we observed LOH at one STR locus, D13S317. As demonstrated in other cancers only the cancerous biopsy demonstrated LOH. The forensic community should be cognizant of these unusual circumstances because, as identification of human DNA continues to be used more extensively, certain instances will arise in which reference material will not be readily available. In these situations, archived specimens may be employed as a reference source. Clinical specimens such as tissue biopsies should be used with caution if they have not been confirmed to contain normal tissue.     

Y-STR analysis on DNA mixture samples—Results of a collaborative project of the ENFSI DNA Working Group

The ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) DNA Working Group undertook a collaborative project on Y-STR typing of DNA mixture samples that were centrally prepared and thoroughly tested prior to the shipment. Four commercial Y-STR typing kits (Y-Filer, Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA; Argus Y Nonaplex, Biotype, Dresden, Germany; Powerplex Y, Promega, Madison, WI, USA; and DYSplex-3, SERAC, Bad Homburg, Germany) were used for the amplification of the mixture samples. The results of the study showed a striking inter-laboratory difference of kit performance as determined from the peak heights of the obtained Y-STR genotypes. Variation in quantity and quality of the shipped DNA can be excluded as reason for the observed differences because both samples and shipping conditions were found to be reproducible in an earlier study. The results suggest that in some cases a laboratory-specific optimization process is indicated to reach a comparable sensitivity for the analysis of minute amounts of DNA.     

Displaced Persons,Family Separation and the Work Contract in Postwar Australia

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the migrant family in postwar Australia. The Commonwealth government’s two-year work contract scheme had significant effects on the initial settlement experience of displaced persons (DPs)—particularly, through the family separation that the contract enforced. Family reunification was afforded in accordance with an occasionally callous and pragmatic concern for maintaining a directable pool of labour. In this regard, the scheme and the available hostels and centres, while extensive in their bureaucracy and administrative reach, were woefully unprepared for the needs and wants of DPs, specifically the need for family unity during the initial settlement process. In drawing on archival sources, this article explores bureaucratic practices, and responses to DP resistance and dismay in the face of family separation.     

Bank capital buffer releases,public guarantee programs,and dividend bans in COVID-19 Europe: an appraisal

European Journal of Law and Economics - We analyse the recent policy decisions made by the European Central Bank and the national authorities related to capital and shareholders’ remuneration...     

Canadian public service employee satisfaction and its main drivers

Using the results of the 2005 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES), this paper identifies which factors have the greatest effect on employee satisfaction in the Canadian public service. Several hypotheses are tested against the backdrop of existing literature. In general, public servant satisfaction is affected by belief in opportunities for promotion, fair classification, adherence to client service standards, life balance, recognition by immediate supervisors, team relationships with colleagues, how well information is shared and, finally, belief in the abilities of senior management. Some interesting elaborations of these basic findings emerge when other variables are controlled. The discussion considers how the public service can be seen as a more desirable career choice.     

Iranian STR variation at the fringes of biogeographical demarcation

The integrative relationship between population genetics and forensic biology allows for a thorough genetic characterization of extant human populations. This study aimed to genetically characterize 150 unrelated healthy donors from a general population in Iran both forensically and phylogenetically. The allelic frequencies of 15 STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA) were generated. This constitutes the core of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA genetic markers in the US Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) plus two additional loci (D2S1338 and D19S433) that together are consistent with several other worldwide database requirements. There were no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations. Based upon the allelic frequencies, several important forensic parameters were calculated including: gene diversity (GD) index, power of discrimination (PD), polymorphic information content (PIC) and power of exclusion (PE). G-tests indicate the allelic frequencies of the Iranians are statistically non-significant compared to two Turkish populations yet, statistically different from the remaining 18 groups obtained from the literature and examined in this study. This suggests that the Iranian dataset may be forensically equivalent to the dataset from the Turkish region of Eastern Anatolia and the general population from Turkey. Phylogenetic analysis of our population with the full set of 15 loci indicate the Iranians occupy an intermediate position relative to the major Caucasian and East Asian clades on a global level. A regional phylogenetic analysis using 13 of the 15 loci indicate the Iranians segregate in a more compact association with groups from southeastern Spain, Arabs from Morocco and Syria, and especially with the general population from Turkey and those from Eastern Anatolia. These groups are flanked by highly differentiated populations from northern India and a Berber group from Tunisia on opposing ends of the regional phylogram. This report also demonstrates the necessity to thoroughly characterize the genetic composition of populations located in geographic intersections in order to choose the appropriate dataset on which to base forensic calculations, not only at an intra-population level, but also at an inter-population level as well.