DNA‐Based Identification of Forensically Important Lucilia (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in the Continental United States*

Abstract: Correct species identification is critical when dipteran larvae are used for inference of the postmortem interval. To facilitate DNA‐based identification of forensically important flies of the genus Lucilia in the continental United States, we develop a vouchered reference collection and DNA sequence database. A total of 122 specimens were collected for nine of the 10 species of Lucilia reported to occur in the continental United States. Using the polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing, data were obtained for an 1100‐bp region of the mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome oxidase I (COI). We consider a species suitable for DNA‐based identification if it is exclusively monophyletic in >95% of bootstrap pseudoreplicate phylogenetic analyses. Seven of the nine species meet that criterion. Two species (Lucilia coeruleiviridis and Lucilia mexicana) share COI sequence and cannot be distinguished using our reference database. We conclude that DNA‐based identification is likely to be successful for the other seven species.     

Delineating and derogating constitutional rights in Trinidad and Tobago

This article examines the approach taken by courts in Trinidad and Tobago when analysing the Parliament’s power under section 13 of the Constitution to derogate from constitutionally guaranteed rights protected under section 4. The author analyses inconsistencies in the tests applied by the courts over the years in various cases and considers a different approach that could be adopted in order to protect citizens’ rights while having due deference to the Parliament’s power to legislate.     

马来西亚华人婚宴菜名结构和寓意

中国人讲究"吃",海外华人也一样。在马来西亚,大多数华人的婚宴菜肴仍然以中式菜肴为主,菜名也延续中国菜名结构。在名称的结构和元素方面,婚宴菜名仍保留着传统方式,以1—5元素并排凑合,除了烹调动词外,其他多为名词。在寓意方面,婚宴菜名也顾及族群的文化和心理,极尽富贵吉利幸福之意。大部分菜名字数介于4—13字之间,以实指、虚指或实虚元素结合,非常多样化,体现了华人对菜肴婚宴语言的高度要求。     

技术侦查措施存在的问题及完善建议

技术侦查措施在公安机关侦查破案中发挥了不可替代的作用,但是由于技术侦查措施具有可能侵犯公民隐私权、人格尊严等权利的特点,严格控制技术侦查措施的适用程序成为必然。我国长期以来一直没有法律系统的规定技术侦查措施,刑事诉讼法的再修改满足了控制犯罪和保护人权的双重需要,该修改具有很大的进步意义,但仍存在较多问题需要出台相应的配套制度并在实践中不断的完善。     

Choosing the path of austerity: how parties and policy coalitions influence welfare state retrenchment in periods of fiscal consolidation

What are the conditions under which some austerity programmes rely on substantial cuts to social spending? More specifically, do the partisan complexion and the type of government condition the extent to which austerity policies imply welfare state retrenchment? This article demonstrates that large budget consolidations tend to be associated with welfare state retrenchment. The findings support a partisan and a politico-institutionalist argument: (i) in periods of fiscal consolidation, welfare state retrenchment tends to be more pronounced under left-wing governments; (ii) since welfare state retrenchment is electorally and politically risky, it also tends to be more pronounced when pursued by a broad pro-reform coalition government. Therefore, the article shows that during budget consolidations implemented by left-wing broad coalition governments, welfare state retrenchment is greatest. Using long-run multipliers from autoregressive distributed lag models on 17 OECD countries during the 1982–2009 period, substantial support is found for these expectations.     

Tuberculous Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Alimentary Tract Hemorrhage: A Case Report with Medico-legal Implications

An autopsy case of sudden death induced by alimentary tract hemorrhage was presented,which was caused by the unexpected rupture of clinically unrecognized tuberculous abdominal aortic aneurysm(TAAA).The initial diagnosis was made of the syndrome of coronary heart disease and hypertensive disease.The detailed autopsy showed that the alimentary tract hemorrhage was caused by a sudden rupture of the mass after posture changing was ascertained as the cause of death.The diagnosis of TAAA was determined by the autopsy findings.Analysis for the medical dispute of TAAA was described,and the difficulty of the diagnosis and medico-legal implications were also discussed.     

东南亚地区海上人道搜救联合行动机制建设展望——以马航失联航班搜救为例

非传统安全领域的海上搜救合作不但能显著提高搜救绩效,更能有效增进相关国家的互信,维护地区的和平。现实的选择是利用已有的10+N框架,通过召开部门联席工作会议,设立搜救信息共享中心,开展常态化、实质性的搜救演练,提供资金和技术支持等方式,共同推进东南亚海上搜救联合行动协调机制的建设。     

Knowing your audience: How the structure of international relations and organizational choices affect amnesty international’s advocacy

While research has addressed the effects of international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) advocacy on human rights outcomes, less is known about how INGOs choose advocacy targets and tactics. We combine insights from political economy and constructivism to understand how INGOs come to choose targets and tactics through the concepts of information and leverage politics, first articulated by Keck and Sikkink (1998), and salience politics, or the need to select cases that energize organization members and donors. INGOs select potential targets for advocacy and choose their tactics based on considerations of leverage potential and political salience, both of which are a function of potential target states’ aid, trade, and security linkages with major Western powers. Using data on Amnesty International’s written advocacy efforts - background reports, press releases, and new data on Urgent Actions - we find robust evidence that Amnesty International accounts for these linkages with Western powers in choosing targets for its advocacy campaigns.