Simulating transfer and persistence of a chemical marker powder for Lycopodium clavatum spores

In this research a chemical marker powder, based on Lycopodium clavatum spores, was studied to determine its transfer and persistence on a T-shirt. Such chemical marker powders are used to provide evidence that a person has handled a covertly marked object, such as a drug package. The powder was found to transfer readily between a marked item and the person handling it. The powder was found to persist on a T-shirt for up to 13 h; however, there was only a very small amount of powder remaining at this time. The rate of loss of the L. clavatum spores was found to follow a decay curve. The largest decrease in spores from the T-shirt was seen in the first 2 h after the marked item had been handled.     

A psychometric examination of English and Spanish versions of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales

The psychometric properties of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) are examined for English-speaking (n = 211) and Spanish-speaking (n = 194) Latino women. Internal consistency of total scale scores is satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha of .70 to .84). However, subscale alphas range from .46 to .80. Confirmatory factor analyses support five factors of negotiation, minor and severe psychological aggression, and minor and severe physical assault. In unconstrained two-group models, loadings are of similar magnitude across language of administration, with the exception of the Physical Assault scales. Unconstrained and constrained model comparisons show scale structure varied by language group for physical assault. Although results of this study show some comparability for English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Latinas, simply combining results across language groups may obscure important differences in rates of endorsement and patterns of responses reflecting cultural, educational, and economic differences.     

Sterling,Bretton Woods,and Social Democracy, 1968–1970

Following the November 1967 sterling devaluation, the British Labour government of Harold Wilson struggled to defend the new exchange rate of £1?=?$2.40. Sterling's travails continued throughout 1968 and well into 1969 despite growing evidence that the external balance was moving into the black. Its problems arose from external difficulties, notably from the growth of footloose balances of foreign currencies—especially Eurodollars—within the international economy and from instability caused by the decline of the Bretton Woods system. Labour was determined to protect the new exchange rate, since a new devaluation or even a float would have led to a run on the pound, the collapse of its economic strategy, and the failure of its attempt to build a social-democratic order in Britain. It was successful in the end thanks to growing confidence in its policies and to belated international co-operation designed to salvage the Bretton Wood regime.     

Disagreement over 'relevant sector' when determining prior art under the Community design right

This case concerns assessment of the relevant product sectorto determine what constitutes prior art when examining whethera design, having previously been ‘made available to thepublic’, would not qualify for protection as a Communityregistered design for lack of novelty.     

The consequences of potentially differing distributions of the refractive indices of glass fragments from control and recovered sources

In forensic cases involving glass evidence, the variance of the recovered glass refractive index (RI) has been observed to be larger than the variance of the control glass RI. This has consequences for subsequent interpretation. To investigate this phenomenon, a study was made of the probable distributions of refractive indices of the recovered glass given a range of casework type scenarios involving breakage and backscatter. An investigation of the consequences of any distribution differences with regard to casework was also made. It was discovered that the inclusion of surface fragments from the float surface of the glass can have a profound effect on the comparison of recovered and control glass samples. The effect was largest when a breaker was striking the float surface of a window. In particular, it was found that the inclusion of a few surface fragments even post grouping is sufficient by itself to explain the observed differences in variance of RI between control and recovered groups. Surface fragments, if present, are very likely to be treated as outliers and to be deemed as non-matching. The findings of this paper challenge routine glass examination procedure and suggest that knowledge of which surface is facing the striker is valuable information in interpretation.     

Beliefs in Government

This article conveys the general findings of the multi-national, multi-volume Beliefs in Government research project, perhaps the most exhaustive analysis of mass beliefs and attitudes conducted in the west. In spite of considerable socio–economic change in recent decades, the study provides evidence of political stability, continuity and adaptability in west European countries. This suggests that political scientists should pay more attention than hitherto to pressures for inertia and continuity in western democracies.     

Highly polymorphic minisatellite DNA probes. Further evaluation for individual identification and paternity testing

Reliable and reproducible protocols have been developed for the routine DNA fingerprinting of individuals using the highly polymorphic minisatellite DNA probes 33.15 and 33.6. Comparison of DNA fingerprinting from 50 individuals has generated further data on the level of band sharing in the DNA fingerprints of unrelated individuals, as well as the number of bands scorable in individuals. These results are consistent with previous studies. The occurrence of mutant bands in offspring has been examined in over 100 families. Further support is presented for the Mendelian inheritance of minisatellite loci and for lack of significant allelism and linkage between different variable DNA fragments detected in a human DNA fingerprint.     

The National Press and Party Voting in the UK

The difficulty with resolving the classic problem of whether newspapers influence voting patterns is self-selection: readers select a paper to fit their politics, and newspapers select particular types of readers. One way round this chicken-and-egg problem is to compare the voting behaviour of individuals whose politics are reinforced by their paper, with those who are cross-pressured by their paper, and to compare both with those who do not regularly read a paper. Using the British Household Panel study to analyse voting patterns in 1992 and 1997, this study suggest that newspapers have a statistically significant effect on voting, larger for Labour than Conservative sympathizers, and larger for the 1992 than the 1997 election. The broader implications of these findings for British politics and democracy are discussed.