International differences in telephone rate structures and the organization of business subscribers

This study examines the ratio of long-distance to local telephone prices across a sample of developed countries. Using regression analysis, support is provided for the hypothesis that long-distance prices will be lower relative to local prices to the extent that large business subscribers are a larger share of the population of subscribers; however, the lobbying impact of business subscribers interacts with the anticipated deadweight costs of cross-subsidization. Prior competitive entry into the telecommunications sector is also associated with lower relative long-distance prices.     

Improved MtDNA sequence analysis of forensic remains using a "mini-primer set" amplification strategy

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis of highly degraded skeletal remains is often used for forensic identification due largely to the high genome copy number per cell. Literature from the "ancient DNA" field has shown that highly degraded samples contain populations of intact DNA molecules that are severely restricted in size (1-4). Hand et al. have demonstrated the targeting and preferential amplification of authentic human DNA sequences with small amplicon products of 150 bp or less (1,2). Given this understanding of ancient DNA preservation and amplification, we report an improved approach to forensic mtDNA analysis of hypervariable regions 1 and 2 (HV1/HV2) in highly degraded specimens. This "mini-primer set" (MPS) amplification strategy consists of four overlapping products that span each of the HV regions and range from 126 to 170 bp, with an average size of 141 bp. For this study, 11 extracts representing a range of sample quality were prepared from nonprobative forensic specimens. We demonstrate a significant increase in MPS amplification success when compared to testing methods using approximately 250 bp amplicons. Further, 16 of 17 independent amplifications previously "unreported" due to mixed sequences provided potentially reportable sequence data from a single, authentic template with MPS testing.     

The Use of Mitochondrial DNA Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms to Assist in the Resolution of Three Challenging Forensic Cases

Abstract:  Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in an 11-plex assay were typed in three missing person cases involving highly degraded human remains. Unlike the traditional forensic approach to analyzing mtDNA which focuses on sequencing portions of the noncoding Control Region, this assay targets discriminatory SNPs that reside principally in the coding region. In two of the cases, the SNP typing successfully excluded one of two reference families that could not be excluded on the basis of mtDNA hypervariable region sequencing alone, and resulted in the final resolution of both decades-old cases. In a third case, SNP typing confirmed the sorting and reassociation of multiple commingled skeletal elements. The application of a specific mtDNA SNP assay in these cases demonstrates its utility in distinguishing samples when the most common Caucasian hypervariable region type is encountered in forensic casework.     

Social Immobility,Ethno-politics,and Sectarian Violence: Obstacles to Post-conflict Reconstruction in Northern Ireland

Through analysis of interviews with community leaders and newspaper reports and police data on sectarian violence, this study identifies dynamics and conditions which underscore fluctuations in ethno-political tensions and violence in Northern Ireland. Findings suggest that political provocations which promote such tensions are facilitated by the economic marginalization of communities historically susceptible to violence, ongoing community influence of paramilitary factions and disjuncture between the political priorities of upper- and lower-classes within each ethno-political community. More generally, the research highlights how a lack of investment in social and economic modes of reconstruction undermines the development of new political forms of cross-community cooperation and contributes to the reconstitution of intergroup division.     

Enforcement Process Tracing: Forbearance and Dilution in Urban Colombia and Turkey

Cities are complex regulatory environments. Attempts to regulate urban behavior create opportunities for politicians to manipulate enforcement to win votes and reward supporters. While some politicians choose not to enforce regulations, or forbearance, others undercut their intent, or dilution. Empirical research on enforcement has lagged behind due to the identification challenges in distinguishing weak state capacity from political manipulations. We develop a structured approach to process tracing that follows enforcement decisions sequentially across bureaucracies and specifies statistical distributions as counterfactuals to identify the causes of limited enforcement. We illustrate these strategies through original data on enforcement against squatters in urban Colombia and the provision of building permits in urban Turkey. Enforcement process tracing helps to document a form of distributive politics that is common to cities in the developing world.     

‘Going away on foot’ once again: the revival of temporary labour migration from Russia's Dagestan

This article addresses temporary labour migration – known in Russian as otkhodnichestvo (going away on foot) – from the Russian republic of Dagestan. The discussion is situated within reviews of current work on migration in the former Soviet Union, push-pull factors determining migration behaviour in the North Caucasus, and the historical importance of otkhodnichestvo in imperial Russia and the USSR. The paper then turns to the results of a census conducted in summer 2006, which found that most migrants come from Dagestan's mountainous southwest, frequently obtain work at locations characterized by economic growth and high pay, and rely on ethnic or communal networks as a basis for choosing employment sector and destination when searching for work.     

Institutional processes and regulatory risk: A case study of the Thai energy sector

Infrastructure provision the world over has undergone a series of profound changes in the manner of its financing and governance over the last 30 years or so. While the role of the state has diminished as a direct provider, builder and operator of infrastructure, its role as regulator and overseer has undergone substantial growth, increasing the regulatory burden on the state. While this transition has occurred relatively smoothly in developed country contexts, in developing countries the diffusion of the regulatory state has produced manifestly different forms of governance, stressing the regulatory capacity of existing and newly formed regulatory bodies. This paper explores the impact and manifestations of regulatory diffusion in the context of the Thai energy sector and the governance mechanisms responsible for electricity generation, transmission and distribution.     

Examination of Illicit Drug Use Frequency Using Multiple Drug Assessment Methods in Mothers Referred to Treatment by Child Protective Services

It has long been established that illicit drug use contributes to child maltreatment. However, investigators have yet to comprehensively examine illicit drug use in mothers referred to treatment by Child Protective Services (CPS). In this study, 77 mothers who were referred to treatment by CPS for co-existing drug abuse and child neglect were administered the Timeline Follow-Back measure to assess their substance use frequency during the four months preceding treatment. Reports of the mothers’ substance use were obtained for the same time period from the mothers’ significant others and CPS caseworkers, and mothers were administered urinalysis testing. The purpose of this study was to examine the concordance of these multiple reports, and identify unique predictors of different drug use reporting patterns. The practice of using urinalysis results as a prompt during the mothers’ Timeline Follow-Back administration may have contributed to greater frequency of drug use reporting in mothers. Mothers reported progressively more drug use for more distant time periods, as compared with caseworkers. Findings also suggested mothers’ reports of drug use were influenced by CPS investigatory case status (i.e., open or closed), ethnicity, and defensive responding. Implications of these findings for clinical practice and future research are discussed.