Life Stress as Mediator of the Childhood Maltreatment – Intimate Partner Violence Link in Low-Income, African American Women

This study examined the relations between childhood maltreatment, daily life hassles, and intimate partner violence among low-income, suicidal, abused African American women (N = 208). Findings indicated a significant association between childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence, such that women who experienced childhood maltreatment were more likely to experience intimate partner violence as adults than those who reported no childhood maltreatment history. Also, results from bootstrapping analyses revealed that daily life stressors mediated the link between childhood maltreatment and both physical and nonphysical forms of intimate partner violence. These findings highlight the importance of thoroughly assessing for a history of childhood maltreatment, current intimate partner violence, and the nature and extent of daily hassles when working with low-income African American women, as well as helping abused women with a history of childhood maltreatment to cope effectively with the daily life hassles that they encounter.     

Carrying Out Assessment of Groundwater Quality of Villages of Bhavnagar District of Gujarat,India

Groundwater is an important component of an eco-system fulfilling necessities of life. Continuous tapping of groundwater to meet rapidly growing demand has not only led to decline of water table levels but has also significantly deteriorated the quality of groundwater. This article aims at assessing the groundwater quality of Bhavanagar district; for which 87 sources across the district were monitored for both the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, respectively, during a period from April 2017 to February 2018. The physico-chemical characteristics of groundwater were compared with Indian Standards for drinking water to assess the suitability of the groundwater for drinking purpose.     

Hegemony, Discipline and Control in the Administration of Police in Colonial India

The Indian subcontinent was under British colonial rule for over two centuries until 1947. To administer the large country and its diverse population, the British designed a criminal justice administrative system which played a key role in maintaining their dominance and hegemony. In particular, the police organization, largely composed of natives, furthered the goals of colonial dominance through its functions of order maintenance, crime control, and surveillance. This paper, using Gramsci’s conception of hegemony and Foucault’s study of disciplining and control, analyzes the important role that the police played in maintaining British rule in India.

RNA/DNA co-analysis from blood stains—Results of a second collaborative EDNAP exercise

A second collaborative exercise on RNA/DNA co-analysis for body fluid identification and STR profiling was organized by the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP). Six human blood stains, two blood dilution series (5-0.001 μl blood) and, optionally, bona fide or mock casework samples of human or non-human origin were analyzed by the participating laboratories using a RNA/DNA co-extraction or solely RNA extraction method. Two novel mRNA multiplexes were used for the identification of blood: a highly sensitive duplex (HBA, HBB) and a moderately sensitive pentaplex (ALAS2, CD3G, ANK1, SPTB and PBGD). The laboratories used different chemistries and instrumentation. All of the 18 participating laboratories were able to successfully isolate and detect mRNA in dried blood stains. Thirteen laboratories simultaneously extracted RNA and DNA from individual stains and were able to utilize mRNA profiling to confirm the presence of blood and to obtain autosomal STR profiles from the blood stain donors. The positive identification of blood and good quality DNA profiles were also obtained from old and compromised casework samples. The method proved to be reproducible and sensitive using different analysis strategies. The results of this collaborative exercise involving a RNA/DNA co-extraction strategy support the potential use of an mRNA based system for the identification of blood in forensic casework that is compatible with current DNA analysis methodology.     

A Case of Accidental Fatal Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning Involving Humans and Dogs

Aluminum phosphide is one of the commonest poisons encountered in agricultural areas, and manner of death in the victims is often suicidal and rarely homicidal or accidental. This paper presents an unusual case, where two humans (owner and housemaid) and eight dogs were found dead in the morning hours inside a room of a house, used as shelter for stray dogs. There was allegation by the son of the owner that his father had been killed. Crime scene visit by forensic pathologists helped to collect vital evidence. Autopsies of both the human victims and the dogs were conducted. Toxicological analysis of viscera, vomitus, leftover food, and chemical container at the crime scene tested positive for aluminum phosphide. The cause of death in both humans and dogs was aluminum phosphide poisoning. Investigation by police and the forensic approach to the case helped in ascertaining the manner of death, which was accidental.     

SUPER-SIZED KIDS:

Morbid obesity is an unfortunate problem that is only becoming worse everyday. The alarming aspect of it is that it is affecting people at a much earlier age; thus, young children are becoming morbidly obese and are experiencing the same health problems as middle-aged adults. The first section of this note defines morbid obesity and its causes and trends. Section two describes child neglect in general and then distinguishes medical neglect. Section three discusses education and prevention, which are both crucial steps in the struggle with weight-loss and weight-gain. Section four summarizes the beneficial aspects of removing a morbidly obese child who is in a life-threatening position from his or her parents. Section five highlights case-studies from California, Iowa, Indiana, New Mexico, and Texas, where children have either died or were removed from their families because of morbid obesity. Section six briefly touches upon similar child neglect scenarios where removal is permissible and compares those situations with those of morbidly obese children. The seventh section considers some credible counterarguments to government intervention, and the final section suggests some recommendations on how to prevent the morbid obesity crisis from becoming worse than it already is. Too many people are dying from weight-related problems already, yet morbid obesity is preventable! This severe state of obesity is something that can be controlled and prevented, but only if parents take an active role in their child's diet and exercise.