A new method for the recovery and evidential comparison of footwear impressions using 3D structured light scanning

Footwear impressions are one of the most common forms of evidence to be found at a crime scene, and can potentially offer the investigator a wealth of intelligence. Our aim is to highlight a new and improved technique for the recovery of footwear impressions, using three-dimensional structured light scanning. Results from this preliminary study demonstrate that this new approach is non-destructive, safe to use and is fast, reliable and accurate. Further, since this is a digital method, there is also the option of digital comparison between items of footwear and footwear impressions, and an increased ability to share recovered footwear impressions between forensic staff thus speeding up the investigation.     

Detection of intimate partner violence in a general medicine practice

In this study, an assessment phase is undertaken to determine intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence. An anonymous survey is followed by a chart review documenting identification of IPV. Two methods are attempted to increase assessment/documentation of IPV: a physician educational intervention and a nursing routine inquiry intervention in one quadrant of the practice. The IPV physician educational intervention includes didactic sessions, an IPV counselor, and resource information. The routine inquiry intervention involves nurses screening female patients for IPV at check-in. IPV is found to be prevalent in a general medicine clinic. An enhanced educational intervention does not increase IPV documentation. A routine inquiry intervention significantly increases documentation of lifetime IPV but does not impact current IPV identification.     

WHAT DO CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS DO? FINDINGS FROM VICTORIA

Abstract: This study explores the views of Victorian Chief Administrators (CAs) about their jobs. CAs report that the environment of administration has changed in three broad areas: greater public expectations, a breakdown of the politics-administration dichotomy and difficulties reconciling managerial accountability with limited managerial autonomy. In response, CAs describe a distinctive pattern of concerns — with the "what", "why" and "how" of agency operation. First, they attempt to shape the "what" or the ends and values their agency creates. Second, they act to enhance the "why" or their agency's legitimacy and the support it attracts from constituencies. Third, CAs are concerned with "how" to mobilise organisational resources, particularly by moulding culture towards the agency values they identify. These findings suggest that CAs have devised understandings of their responsibilities which conform more to theoretical conceptions of leadership than either administration or management. The research points to the emergence of a distinctive type of administrative leadership.     

Pharmacogenomics as an aspect of molecular autopsy for forensic pathology/toxicology: does genotyping CYP 2D6 serve as an adjunct for certifying methadone toxicity?

Pharmacogenomics, applied as an aspect of molecular autopsy, may be used as an adjunct for certifying methadone fatalities. Methadone is metabolized by cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 1A2, 3A4, and 2D6. We hypothesized that methadone toxicity may be partially due to CYP 2D6 *3, *4, and *5 variant alleles, resulting in poor drug metabolism. A retrospective analysis was performed on covariables and risk factors of 21 methadone cases from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office (1998-2000). PCR genotyping showed: one heterozygous for 2D6*3, two homozygous for 2D6*4, five heterozygous for 2D6*4, and one heterozygous for both 2D6*3 and *4. This limited number of cases showed that the prevalence of poor metabolizer was higher but not significantly different from that of a control group (n = 23) (P > 0.05, Fisher Exact Test). Thus, CYP 2D6 mutations may not yet be directly associated with methadone toxicity. However, pharmacogenomics, complementing other case findings, served as an adjunct in interpreting methadone toxicity of poor and intermediate metabolizers.     

B. Reviews: bibliographies and works of reference

INDEX DES HITAT: INDEX ANALYTIQUE DES OUVRAGES D'IBN DUQMAQ ET DE MAQRIZI SUR LE CAIRE. Volumes I‐III. By AHMAD ‘ABD AL‐MAJID HARIDI. (Textes arabes et études islamiques, XX.) Cairo, Institut François d'Archéologie Orientale, 1983–84. 3 vols. 463; 221; 389 pp.

WESTERN SAHARA: A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY. Compiled by LYNN F. SIPE. (Garland Reference Library of Social Science, 178). New York, Garland Publishing, 1984. 418pp. One map (based on United Nations map No.2547/Rev 2).

BAHRAIN. Compiled by P.T.H. UNWIN. (World Bibliographical Series. 49). Oxford & Santa Barbara, Clio Press, 1984. xxxii, 265pp. Map. £33.00.

CATALOGUE COLLECTIF DES OUVRAGES EN LANGUE ARABE ACQUIS PAR LES BIBLIOTHEQUES FRANÇAISES, 1952–1983. Préparé par GEORGES HADDAD et MOHAMMED SAID... München, K.G. Saur, 1984. 4 vols. 2667pp. DM 800.—

ARAB AND ISLAMIC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY 1984/85. Edited by UNION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. (Guides to International Organizations, no.2.) München, K.G. Saur, 1984. 484pp. DM 248,‐.

INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF ISLAMIC CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS. Prepared by ACAR TANLAK and AHMED LAJIMI. Istanbul, Organisation of Islamic Conference, Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture, 1405/1984. (Distributed in the U.K. by Kegan Paul International.) 337pp.

SUFI SYMBOLISM. By JAVAD NURBAKHSH. (Nurbakhsh Encyclopedia of Sufi terminology, vol.I.) London, Khaniqahi‐Nimatullahi Publications, 1984. 228pp. £15.00

IRAN: POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT UNDER THE PAHLAVIS. AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. By DARIUSH GITISETAN. Metuchen, Scarecrow Press, 1985. xi, 201pp. £15.00.

GUIDE TO REFERENCE BOOKS FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES. By C.L. GEDDES. (Bibliographic Series, No.9.) Denver, American Institute of Islamic Studies, 1985. xiii, 429pp. US $45.00.

MU'JAM AL‐MU'ALLIFIN AL‐SURIYYIN FI AL‐QARN AL‐'ISHRIN. By ‘ABD AL‐ QADIR ‘AYYASH. Damascus, Dar al‐Fikr, 1985. 544pp.

WILLIAM BEDWELL THE ARABIST, 1563–1632. By ALASTAIR HAMILTON. (Publications of the Sir Thomas Browne Institute, Leiden, New series, no.5.) Leiden, E.J. Brill & Leiden University Press, 1985. 163pp. 13 plates. HFI. 46.—

BUCHWESEN IN BOSNIEN UND DER HERZEGOWINA (1800–1878). By JOZO D?AMBO. (Arbeiten und Bibliographien zum Buch‐ und Bibliothekswesen; 2.) Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang, 1985, 231pp. 2 maps and charts. SFr. 45/US$ 19.55.

MU'JAM AL‐MUSTALAHAT AL‐MASRIFIYYA WA‐MUSTALAHAT AL‐BURSA WA‐L‐TA'MIN WA‐L‐TIJARA AL‐DUWALIYYA. LEXIQUE DES TERMES BANCAIRES: ARABE‐FRANÇAIS‐ANGLAIS. GLOSSARY OF BANKING TERMS: ARABIC‐FRENCH‐ENGLISH. By FARIDI BAZ (Freddie Baz), MAKRAM SADIR (Makram Sader) and JURJ ABI SALIH (Georges Abi Saleh). Beirut, Middle East Media. 1985. (Distributed by MEED Books, London.) 309pp.

CATALOGUE No.555: ORIENTAL MANUSCRIPTS: Offered for sale by E.J.BRILL. Leiden, E.J. Brill, 1986. 161pp. HFI. 15.‐

SHORT GUIDE TO MODERN STAR NAMES AND THEIR DERIVATIONS. By PAUL KUNITZSCH and TIM SMART. Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz, 1986. 64pp. DM 39.80.

OSMANLI ?MPARATORLUGU'NDAN GÜNÜMÜZE BELGELERLE MÜZ?K (NOTA) YAYINCILIGI (1876–1986). MUSIC PUBLICATIONS FROM OTTOMAN EMPIRE UP TODAY [sic] (1876–1986). By BÜLENT ALANER. (Belgelerle Türk Müzik Tarihi Dizisi, I.) Ankara, Anadol Yaymcilik, 1986. 99pp. 70 ills. (mostly photo‐reproductions from published sheet music).

THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM AND UNITED STATES POLICY: A GUIDE TO ISSUES AND REFERENCES. By BRUCE KUNIHOLM and MICHAEL RUBNER. (Guides to contemporary issues, 5). Claremont (USA), Regina Books, 1986. 157pp. £16.50 (hardback); £10.45 (paperback).

ENGLISH‐ARABIC DICTIONARY OF COMPUTER TERMS. By FIRAS H. ALI London, Edward Arnold, 1986. 109pp.

ARABIC COMPUTER DICTIONARY: ENGLISH‐ARABIC, ARABIC‐ENGLISH. Compiled by MULTI‐LINGUAL INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS LTD. General Editor ERNEST KAY. London, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1986. 177 + 127 pp. £30.00

AFGHANISTAN: AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE. A GUIDE TO U.S. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS AND GOVERNMENT‐SPONSORED PUBLICATIONS. By JULIAN W. WITHERELL. (Near Eastern Series, no. 3.) Washington, Library of Congress, 1986. xiii, 158pp. U.S. $5.00.

A GUIDE TO ‘DOCUMENTS FROM THE NEST OF SPIES.’ By GIORGIO VERCELLIN. (Occasional paper, 26.) New York, Afghanistan Forum, 1986. 29pp.     

Westminster Women: the Politics of Presence

The entry of the 1997 cohort of Labour women into public life offers a test case of whether, and under what conditions, women politicians have the capacity to 'make a substantive difference'. We outlines the theory of the politics of presence and discuss how to operationalise this in a testable model. We, use the British Representation Study survey of 1,000 national politicians (including parliamentary candidates and elected Members of Parliament) conducted in the 2001 general election. The analysis centres on the impact of gender on five scales measuring attitudes and values on issues that commonly divide British party politics.
Once we control for party, there are no significant differences among women and men politicians across the value scales concerning the free market economy, Europe, and moral traditionalism. Yet on the values most directly related to women's interests – namely the affirmative action and the gender equality scales – women and men politicians differ significantly within each party, even after controlling for other common social background variables that explain attitudes, such as their age, education, and income. The conclusion considers why these findings matter for the composition of parliament, the public policy agenda and for women's roles as political leaders.