An interlaboratory study to evaluate the utility of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-infrared spectroscopy spectral libraries in the forensic analysis of fentanyl-related substances

Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl account for over 71,000 of the approximately 107,000 overdose deaths reported in the United States in 2021. Fentanyl remains the fourth most identified drug by state and local forensic laboratories, and the second most identified drug by federal laboratories. The unambiguous identification of fentanyl-related substances (FRS) is challenging due to the absence or low abundance of a molecular ion in a typical gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and due to a low number of fragment ions that are similar among the many potential isomers of FRS. This study describes the utility of a previously reported gas chromatography-infrared (GC-IR) library for the identification of FRS within a blind, interlaboratory study (ILS) involving seven forensic laboratories. Twenty FRS reference materials, including those with isomer pairs in the library, were selected based on either their presence in the NIST library and/or some similarity of the mass spectra information produced. The ILS participants were requested to use the Florida International University (FIU) GC-MS and GC-IR libraries supplied by FIU to search for matches to their unknown spectra generated from in-house GC-MS and GC-IR analysis. The laboratories reported improvement in the positive identification of unknown FRS from ~75% using GC-MS alone to 100% correct identification using GC-IR analysis. One laboratory participant used solid phase IR analysis, which produced spectra incompatible with the vapor phase GC-IR library to generate a good comparison spectrum. However, this improved when searched against a solid phase IR library.     

Effects of obesity on talar micro- and macro-morphology

The addition of information regarding obesity status to the forensic anthropological biological profile could significantly contribute to the identification of human skeletal remains since over 40% of the U.S. adult population is currently obese. This study examines the differences in talar shape and trabecular bone structure between obese and non-obese individuals. A sample of 20 obese and 20 non-obese divided evenly by sex was selected from the Texas State University Donated Skeletal Collection. Tali were imaged using x-ray computed tomography (voxel size: 28–38.7 μm). Image stacks were processed to produce binary images as well as trabecular thickness and spacing maps. Landmark-based geometric morphometric analyses were conducted to quantify shape variation. Shape coordinates were used to locate 100 geometrically homologous volumes of interest within each talus. Bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular spacing were extracted at each volume of interest. Within each sex, a one-way ANCOVA was used to determine if significant differences exist between obese and non-obese individuals in trabecular bone after controlling for age. The size of the talus as well as subtle aspects of shape were found to distinguish the sexes. The results further indicate that bone volume fraction significantly differs between obese and non-obese males. In females, bone volume fraction is correlated with age but does not differ between obese and non-obese. The study demonstrates that bone microstructure is a promising approach to estimating body mass or body mass index category but age effects diminish the potential for the talus to be used alone.     

论商业贿赂犯罪的认定及其刑法完善——以《联合国反腐败公约》为借鉴

商业贿赂犯罪侵犯了公平竞争的商品经济秩序,对我国经济社会的发展危害十分严重,科学认定商业贿赂犯罪具有非常现实的意义。《联合国反腐败公约》为世界范围内的反腐败提供了基本的科学理念和策略及基本的法律指南和行动准则。我国刑法关于商业贿赂犯犯罪的规定存在与《联合国反腐败公约》不相一致的问题,以《联合国反腐败公约》为借鉴,将"贿赂"范围扩大到非财产性利益,增设"外国公职人员或者国际公共组织官员受贿罪、对外国外国公职人员或者国际公共组织官员行贿罪",废除商业贿赂犯罪死刑的规定等是我国刑法应予完善的重要内容。     

中国共产党延安时期基层党建的历史经验

延安时期基层党建,注重长远目标与阶段性目标相统一,既服务于党的最高纲领和基本纲领,又主动适应环境的新变化,服从抗战大局;注重基层党组织功能的共性与个性相统一,既强化团结群众、凝聚群众的核心功能,又重视社会动员功能;注重结构形态与自身功能相统一,在壮大党员数量的同时,通过提高党员的质量来增强基层党组织的力量;注重基层党组织与基层社会组织的互动统一,善于运用非权力活动方式,通过社会组织整合社会。     

经管类高职院校产学研结合的途径探析

产学研结合是高等职业教育发展的必然。进行产学研结合对培养应用型人才、提高教师素质和完善专业建设都有着重要意义。经管类高职院校可以从办学模式、教学活动、服务咨询、参与企业生产经营等方面开展产学研结合工作。     

我国资本市场信息供求机制探讨

信息是资本市场的"轴心"和"生命,"资本市场是信息最重要、信息最集中、信息最不对称、信息时效性最强、信息价值体现最充分的市场。信息在资本市场的重要性要求我们研究信息供给、需求和流通问题,建立一个完善的信息运行系统,以减缓资本市场信息不对称程度,实现资本市场的公平交易和有序运行。     

新形势下国家安全观的演变及特点

进入新世纪以来,由于安全形势更加复杂多变,国家安全观的内涵也日益丰富并呈现出新的特点:非传统安全问题凸显,但并没有取代传统安全问题;国家的外部安全依然重要,而国内安全更为重要;人的安全是国家安全的最终目的,而国家安全是人的安全的前提;没有发展就没有安全,但单纯的经济发展并不必然带来安全.新形势下的国家安全观应是全方位的系统安全观.     

20世纪80年代以来的回族女性研究述评

回族女性研究是回族研究的重要组成部分,但与其他研究相比,无论从理论上、方法上,还是从研究范围、研究内容上都显得较为薄弱。近几年来,回族女性研究取得了很大的发展,本文以历史为线索,回顾回族女性研究的曲折道路,在追溯中总结其成功的经验,反思其存在的不足,在反思中探索回族女性研究的新方法、新视野。     

总体国家安全观下的应急法治新视野——以社会安全事件为视角

应急法治是考验国家治理体系和能力现代化的试金石之一,应急法治调整对象的宽泛化要求运用类型化方法,由全民反恐入手,重点治理社会安全事件。"总体国家安全观"高屋建瓴、应运而生,蕴含着以民为本、良法善治和公私相济三大价值,成为引领我国应急法治建设的新航标。良法善治的安全观首先要求发挥政府的主导作用,着力塑造整体联动的应急治理机制,逐步完善行政应急法律体系,提高公安警察的执法水平;同时,以民为本、公私相济的安全观契合"政府与公民关系平等化"的法治追求,鼓励广泛的公众参与,提倡治安承包的再推广。