Psychosocial differences between occasional and regular adolescent users of Marijuana and Heroin

Data on marijuana and heroin use were obtained from 969 adolescents in Hong Kong, part of them being offenders. Very high drug use prevalence rates were found, which is due to the unique population studied. All but two of the heroin users were incarcerated youth. Drug use frequencies were highly associated with psychosocial variables such as sensation seeking, peer drug use, family drug use, susceptibility to peer pressure, perceived control to gain access to drugs, intention to try other substances, and perceived adverse consequences of drug use. Interactions were found indicating, for example, that regularly marijuana using girls and occasionally heroin using girls were characterized by higher levels of sensation seeking and susceptibility to peer pressure than their male counterparts. Polysubstance use was generally related to high levels of psychosocial vulnerability factors. The exclusive use of marijuana was associated with high susceptibility to peer pressure and with perceived control to gain access to drugs. The findings reflect a complex interplay of psychosocial variables with substance use in adolescents that, however, cannot be generalized beyond this particular sample in Hong Kong.Received Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Texas. Research interests include drug-taking behaviors, health psychology and women studies. To whom correspondence should be addressed.Received M. Phil in Clinical Psychology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Research interests include drug-taking behaviors and adolescent problems.Research interests include stress and anxiety.     

Antigenic properties of human and animal bloodstains studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using various antisera against specific plasma proteins

Antigenic properties of bloodstains of human and non-human primates as well as other animal bloodstains were investigated by the inhibition ELISA using commercially available anti-human albumin (Alb), alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M), fibrinogen, transferrin, and immunoglobulin G. In general, chimpanzee bloodstains showed strong cross-reactions with these antisera, and the extent of the cross-reactions of other animal bloodstains decreased largely with the phylogenic order, i.e., agile gibbon (ape), Old World monkeys (Japanese monkey and hamadryas baboon), New World monkeys (night monkey and tufted capuchin monkey), prosimians (grand galago and ring-tailed lemur) and other animals (rat, cattle, swine, goat, dog, cat, and chicken). Among these antisera, anti-human alpha 2-M showed the weakest cross-reaction with chimpanzee bloodstains, and anti-human Alb showed next.     

The determination of cocaine and its major metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in postmortem fluids and tissues by computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination of both cocaine and benzoylecgonine in postmortem fluid and tissue samples has been developed by using computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography using a nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) detector. Both methods are accurate and sensitive and allow the determination of tissue concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonine as low as 0.015 microgram/mL.     

Detection of drugs using XAD-2 resin. III:A routine screening procedure for bile

The ability of bile to concentrate drugs and metabolites coupled with its general availability make it suitable for analysis and often the fluid of choice in postmorten cases requiring drug screening. Bile (5 to 10 ml) was diluted with water, sulfuric acid was added, and the mixture was autoclaved. The precipitated bile salts were easily removed by filtration and the filtrate (pH adjusted to 8.0 to 8.5) extracted with XAD-2 resin. Drugs were eluted with a mixture of ethyl acetate/1,2-dichloroethane and analyzed with thin-layer chromatography. Varying the dilution of bile improved the recovery of morphine, codeine, methadone, amobarbital, and phenobarbital. Excessive dilution, however, caused a washing phenomenon and reduced recovery of some drugs, as shown with morphine and codeine. The procedure described is useful for the rapid screening of bile specimens for drugs.     

Importance of examination of the clothed victim. Fingerprint identification of assailant from skin fragment on knifing victim's clothing

During the examination of the outer garments of a stabbing victim, a small piece of skin from the assailant's finger was discovered on the shirt. This evidence provided the decisive link leading to the speedy arrest and conviction of the murderer. The danger of excessive utilization of the services at autopsy of mortuary attendants is stressed.     

Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay for plasma thyroglobulin following compression of the neck

A highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for determination of plasma thyroglobulin (Tg) which we devised was applied to the postmortem diagnosis of external compression of the neck. The coefficients of variation within and between assays were 2.4-6.6% and 6.8-12.0%, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between Tg levels measured by our ELISA and those measured by radioimmunoassay (r = 0.996, P less than 0.001). Plasma Tg levels in all 36 cadavers without external compression of the neck or neck injuries were lower than 200 ng/ml (73.6 +/- 51.9 ng/ml, M +/- S.D.) although these levels were a little higher than those in living bodies (16.7 +/- 11.8 ng/ml). On the other hand, plasma Tg levels in most of 42 victims of asphyxia due to external compression of the neck were higher than 200 ng/ml (2190 +/- 4300 ng/ml), and the highest one was 24,600 ng/ml. Plasma levels of the other thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone were determined in some cases, and the cervical conditions in certain cases of strangulation were analyzed. Present results suggest that Tg was released by mechanical force on the thyroid gland added at the agonal stage. The determination of plasma Tg level in a cadaver using our ELISA would seem to be useful for the postmortem diagnosis of the presence of external compression of the neck. Although thyroid diseases causing elevated Tg levels are rare in forensic cases, they should be excluded by routine histology of the thyroid at autopsy, so that the finding of a high Tg level would thus carry more weight when given in evidence.     

The new Israeli health care reform: an analysis of a national need

This paper describes the current situation of health care services in Israel. Major problems are discussed and analyzed in terms of the dualism of the main health organizations (the Ministry of Health and the General Sickness Fund), the multiplicity and discontinuity of health care delivery, quality-of-care problems, and the uneven geographical distribution of facilities. A proposal for a reform of the health care system is outlined, and its principles enumerated. This reform, suggested by the Ministry of Health, reflects a new approach of separating the direct provision of care from the executive functions of planning and control of services. The Ministry's proposal is analyzed, and its implications are discussed in relation to the American health care system.     

"三个代表"与新闻舆论

"三个代表"思想,对新闻事业的发展有着极为重要的指导意义.新闻舆论要始终贴近先进生产力的发展要求,为抓住机遇、加快发展提供思想保证和舆论支持;要始终符合先进文化的前进方向,为经济发展和社会进步提供精神动力和智力支持;要始终代表最广大人民的根本利益,与人民同甘苦、共患难、齐爱憎,使人民群众真正成为新闻事业的主人.     

The application of minisatellite variant repeat mapping by PCR (MVR-PCR) in a paternity case showing false exclusion due to STR mutation

A boy and a girl with their mother brought a paternity suit against an alleged but deceased father. We tested six conventional genetic markers, the AmpliType PM+ DQA1 and twelve STR loci the children and mother together with the alleged paternal grandparents. We also DNA typed the bloodstain found later in the alleged father's medical record. Only the result at D3S1358 in a nineplex STR system excluded the alleged father from parentage of the boy, whereas all markers were inclusive for the girl. Accordingly, we performed sequence analysis at D3S1358 to confirm the presence of a paternal exclusion or mutation. The sequence analysis indicated that the boy's allele 17 could have originated from either of the alleged father's allele 16 or 18 by a single-step mutation associated with slippage mutation in STR loci. We carried out minisatellite variant repeat mapping by PCR (MVR-PCR) at loci D1S8 (MS32) and D7S21 (MS31A) and mapped allele haplotypes of all individuals except the deceased alleged father. The MVR-PCR analysis showed that the boy has no inconsistency with the relationship between the alleged grandparents, and was very effective at increasing the paternity index (PI) value. We conclude that there is biological relationship between not only the girl but also the boy and the alleged father.     

The structure, frequency, and forensic application of the STR locus D16S543 in the Japanese population

D16S543 is a complex STR locus consisting of five types of repeat units. The frequency distribution and genetic characteristics of this locus in Japanese were investigated using blood samples from 124 unrelated Japanese and 15 families. Alleles were detected using denatured polyacrylamide gels followed by automated analysis on an ABI 373 sequencer using Genescan software 672. Twenty-one alleles were identified, ranging in size from 281 to 489 bp. An allelic ladder containing the 21 alleles was constructed and used as a typing standard. The repeat unit arrays allowed the 21 alleles to be classified into three distinct groups, including alleles 1 to 7 in group I, alleles 8 to 14 in group II, and alleles 15 to 22 in group III. The alleles in group II were characterized by the insertion of one repeat unit of CAGG, one of AAAG, and three of AAGG, while the group III alleles differed from those of groups I and II by the insertion of a total of 32 repeat units ranging in 5 types. Within each group, the alleles differed from each other only in one 5' side tetranucleotide AAGG. The power of discrimination (Pd) and the estimated heterozygosity were calculated to be 0.989 and 0.934, respectively. Typing of this locus was successfully applied in four old forensic materials. The study presented herein demonstrates that D16S543 is a highly polymorphic and applicable locus in Japanese.