Human securitization of water? A case study of the Indus Waters Basin

In the large and growing literature on hydropolitics, insecurity generated through water-related conflicts is most often conceptualized under a model of economic resource scarcity. Conflict is generally reduced to the question of who has water, who needs water and thus what cost, in economic, political or military terms, is appropriate to acquiring access to water. This article argues that while such analyses effectively chart the central resource-strategic relations involved in the geopolitics of water, they nonetheless disregard the deeper biological and cultural (that is social, ethnic, religious) significance of water in any water conflict. Such analyses, it claims, are too strongly linked to the traditional (as opposed to human) security discourse and therefore run the risk of misdiagnosing the complexity of the water resource challenge. To respond to this challenge the article will develop a human security ‘metrics’ for analysing water-based conflicts in human security terms. It will then compare an analysis of the Indus Waters Treaty based upon the human security approach with an analysis based on a ‘traditional’ security assessment of the treaty in order to assess the viability of the two approaches. Finally, the article will link the comparative assessments back to the water wars literature, drawing conclusions about its strengths and weaknesses and the possibility of a synthesis of traditional and human security in the analysis of water conflict.     

The Reliability of Pattern Classification in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis—PART 2: Bloodstain Patterns on Fabric Surfaces,

This study was designed to produce the first baseline measure of the reliability of bloodstain pattern classifications on fabric surfaces. Experienced bloodstain pattern analysts classified bloodstain patterns on pairs of trousers that represented three fabric substrates. Patterns also varied in type (impact, cast‐off, expiration, satellite stains from dripped blood, and transfer) and extent. In addition, case summaries that accompanied each pattern contained contextual cues that either supported the correct answer (i.e., positive bias), were misleading toward an incorrect answer (i.e., negative bias), or contained no directional information (i.e., neutral). Overall, 23% percent of the resulting classifications were erroneous. The majority (51%) of errors resulted from analysts misclassifying satellite stains from dripped blood. Relative to the neutral information, the positive‐bias information increased correct classifications and decreased erroneous classifications, and the negative‐bias information decreased correct classifications and increased erroneous classifications. The implications of these findings for BPA are discussed.     

TWGDAM validation of a nine-locus and a four-locus fluorescent STR multiplex system

The Gene Print PowerPlex 1.1/Amelogenin and FFFL Fluorescent STR Systems have been validated following the recommendations presented by the Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (TWGDAM). The PowerPlex 1.1/Amelogenin System supports simultaneous amplification of eight short tandem repeat loci and the Amelogenin gender identification marker. The loci D16S539, D7S820, D13S317, and D5S818 are labeled with fluorescein (FL) while the loci CSF1PO, TP0X, TH01, vWA and Amelogenin are labeled with carboxy-tetramethylrhodamine (TMR). The FFFL Multiplex System is composed of the loci F13A01, FESFPS, F13B, and LPL, each labeled with fluorescein. We have observed no overlap of alleles across loci labeled with an individual fluorescent dye. Samples of each system were amplified and labeled in a single reaction, separated by electrophoresis through a denaturing polyacrylamide gel, and amplified alleles detected using a Hitachi FMBIO Fluorescent Scanner. Alterations from the standard amplification protocols in cycle number and annealing temperature generally produced excellent results. In experiments testing sensitivity as little as 0.2 ng of DNA template could be detected. As expected, different body fluids from the same individuals generated identical DNA profile results. Template DNA derived from blood-strains deposited on a variety of matrix supports displayed robust amplification except for material derived from deposits on wood and Japanese orchid leaves. Mixtures of DNA templates could be interpreted with the minor component present in as little as ten percent of the total sample. Monoplex and multiplex amplifications produced identical amplified allele patterns, indicating that STR multiplex systems save template and increase efficiency in the amplification procedure without loss of quality. Analyses of genotype frequencies in African-American, Caucasian-American and Hispanic-American populations using all twelve loci were used to determine matching probabilities smaller than 1 in 1.14 x 10(8) and 1 in 2658 for the PowerPlex 1.1 and the FFFL Multiplex Systems, respectively. The matching probability achieved with the two systems combined is smaller than 1 in 3.03 x 10(11). The independence of alleles within loci was generally demonstrated by applying the exact test to demonstrate Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. All of the studies performed indicate that the PowerPlex 1.1/Amelogenin and FFFL Multiplex Systems are powerful, robust, and reliable investigative tools that can be used in the analysis of forensic samples.     

Rethinking critical criminology

This paper takes the form of a report on the panel discussion held at the conclusion of the 1992 meetings of the European Group for the Study of Deviance and Social Control in Padua in September 1992. In the light of a perceived crisis of relevance for earlier, 1970s notions of critique in criminology, and in the context of a conference dedicated to the theme of human rights in a uniting Europe, eight panellists from Italy, England, and Canada via Ireland debated their different versions of the project of critical criminology in the last years of the twentieth century. Each of these presentations is summarised here, and an attempt is made to recognise the emergence of a debate between a human rights criminology, eversensitive to the possibilities of repression and control in Fortress Europe, and an alternative perspective, predicated perhaps on some notion of Social Defence and a realist programme of crime prevention and control across free market Europe.     

1991 best hospitals. A guide to the best

The 45 hospitals identified as the giants in their specialties are profiled below. Beyond size and daily room rates, you'll find special features from kosher menus to schooling for young patients. The ratio of nurses to beds is one measure of how much TLC you can expect. (Because the ratio reflects full-time employment, the number of nurses per bed on any 8-hour shift will be about one third of that indicated.) Phone numbers are provided so you can follow up with your own questions.     

Stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry and physical comparison for the forensic examination of grip-seal plastic bags

Plastic bags are frequently used to package drugs, explosives and other contraband. There exists, therefore, a requirement in forensic casework to compare bags found at different locations. This is currently achieved almost exclusively by the use of physical comparisons such as birefringence patterns. This paper discusses some of the advantages and shortcomings of this approach, and presents stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) as a supplementary tool for effecting comparisons of this nature. Carbon and hydrogen isotopic data are presented for sixteen grip-seal plastic bags from a wide range of sources, in order to demonstrate the range of values which is likely to be encountered. Both isotopic and physical comparison (specifically birefringence) techniques are then applied to the analysis of rolls of bags from different manufacturing lots from a leading manufacturer. Both approaches are able to associate bags from a common production batch. IRMS can be applied to small fragments which are not amenable to physical comparisons, and is able to discriminate bags which could be confused using birefringence patterns alone. Similarly, in certain cases birefringence patterns discriminate bags with similar isotopic compositions. The two approaches are therefore complementary. When more than one isotopically distinct region exists within a bag (e.g. the grip-seal is distinct from the body) the ability to discriminate and associate bags is greatly increased.     

Youth gang membership and serious violent victimization: the importance of lifestyles and routine activities

Youth gangs have received substantial scholarly and public attention during the past two decades. Although most of the extant research on youth gang members has focused on their offending behaviors, recent studies have examined the victimization of youth gang members relative to their nongang peers. Gang members generally have been found to be at increased risk of victimization, although the reasons for this relationship have not fully been explored. The current study uses data from a multisite study of youth to explore whether the gang membership-victimization link is mediated by lifestyles and routine activities. In other words, is gang members' involvement in delinquent lifestyles and routine activities a viable explanation for their increased risk of serious violent victimization? Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research and policy are discussed.