Allele frequencies and haplotypes of eight Y-short tandem repeats in Bantu population living in Central Africa

Eight Y chromosome short tandem repeats (STR) loci (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385I/II) were used to assess haplotype distribution in non-selected, unrelated Bantu males living in Central Africa [N. Mathias, M. Bayes, C. Tyler-Smith, Highly informative compound haplotypes for the human Y chromosome, Hum. Mol. Genet. 3 (1994) 115-123; L. Roewer, J. Arnemann, N.K. Spurr, K.H. Grzeschik, J.T. Epplen, Simple repeat sequences on the human Y chromosome are equally polymorphic as their autosomal counterparts, Hum. Genet. 89 (1992) 389-394; P. De Knijff, M. Kayser, A. Caglia, D. Corach, N. Fretwel, C. Gehrig, G. Graziosi, F. Heidorn, S. Herrmann, B. Herzog, M. Hidding, K. Honda, M. Jobling, M. Krawczak, K. Leim, S. Meuser, E. Meyer, W. Oesterreich, A. Pandya, W. Parson, G. Penacino, A. Perez-Lezaun, A. Piccini, M. Prinz, C. Schmitt, P. M. Schneider, R. Szibor, J. Teifel-Greding, G. Weishold, L. Rower, Chromosome Y microsatellites: population genetic and evolutionary aspects, Int. J. Legal Med. 110 (1997) 134-149; M. Kayser, A. Caglia, D. Corach, N. Fretwel, C. Gehrig, G. Graziosi, F. Heidorn, S. Herrmann, B. Herzog, M. Hidding, K. Honda, M. Jobling, M. Krawczak, K. Leim, S. Meuser, E. Meyer, W. Oesterreich, A. Pandya, W. Parson, G. Penacino, A. Perez-Lezaun, A. Piccini, M. Prinz, C. Schmitt, P. M. Schneider, R. Szibor, J. Teifel-Greding, G. Weishold, P. de Knijff, L. Rower, Evaluation of Y chromosome STRs: a multicenter study, Int. J. Legal Med. 110 (1997) 125-133, 141-149]. One hundred and sixty-five full haplotypes were obtained from Bantu males. The most common haplotype (DYS19-15, DYS389I-13, DYS389II-30, DYS390-21, DYS391-10, DYS392-11, DYS393-13, DYS385I/II-15,17) was shared by 5.5% of individuals. In the Bantu population in Central Africa, the haplotype diversity and the discrimination capacity of Y-STR may be estimated at 99.14% and 0.5333, respectively.     

Dynamics of Science-based entrepreneurship

This article introduces the rationale for the special issue, summarizes the main themes covered by the papers presented and suggests areas for further research. Previous research has focused on the creation of Science-based entrepreneurial firms (SBEFs) but there is little research relating to their growth and the challenges in ensuring growth occurs. At the macro-level, there is a need to distinguish general versus specific policies and how these vary between different institutional environments. At the firm level, there is a need to consider the factors influencing the development of boards, the growth of SBEFs and their dynamics in terms of acquisitions and IPOs.     

Random timing of elections and the political business cycle

In his 1975 paper, Nordhaus formally proves that governments whose aim is to be reelected, will generate ‘political’ business cycles. Empirical results do not confirm this proposition, especially in countries used to early elections. We show that if there is a non-zero probability for elections to be called before the legal term, the political business cycle will be less pronounced, even if no early election actually takes place; moreover, if the normal electoral cycle is interrupted before the legal term, one might observe an inversion of the business cycle, or no cycle at all.     

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: Activities in 2005

This paper gives an overview of the activities of the InternationalTribunal for the Law of the Sea in 2005, regarding the fifteenthMeeting of States Parties and the organizational developments,jurisdiction and judicial activities of the Tribunal.     

Parliamentary and judicial ambivalence toward executive prerogative powers in Canada

This article argues that ambivalence surrounds the prerogative powers of the Canadian Crown and the significant authority they afford the executive in Canada. In strictly legal terms, these residual Crown powers are vulnerable to parliamentary abolition, displacement and limitation, and their exercise is subject to judicial review and remedy, leading scholars to suggest that these powers are an increasingly marginal source of executive authority. In practice, however, they have proven more resilient to legislative infringement than their formal vulnerability to statutory interference implies. In addition, the judiciary's authority to review the exercise of these powers has been tempered by the courts' reluctance to impose robust remedies. The article maintains that the predominant understanding of these powers, which stresses their vestigial status, fails to capture the actual power and acquiescence they afford the executive.     

Books received

Male Bias in the Development Process. Edited by Diane Elson. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 1991. Pp.215‐ + viii. £29.95. ISBN 07190 2555 9.

Beyond the Family: The Social Organization of Human Reproduction. By A.F. Robertson. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1991. Pp.231. £35 and £10.95. ISBN 07456 0885 X and 6 0886 8.

Gender and Population in the Adjustment of African Economies: Planning for Change. By Ingrid Palmer. Geneva: International Labour Office, 1991. Pp.xiv +187. 27.50 Swiss francs (paperback). ISBN 92 2 107739 X.

Economic Theories of Development: An Analysis of Competing Paradigms. By Diana Hunt. Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1989. Pp.363. £10.95 (paperback). ISBN 0 7450 0237 4.

Economic Development and Environmental Protection in Latin America. Edited by Joseph S. Tulchin with Andrew I. Rudman. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers (Woodrow Wilson Center Current Studies on Latin America). Pp.vii + 143. $9.95 (paperback). ISBN 1 55587 288 3.

Nicaragua: The Land of Sandino. By Thomas W. Walker. Third Edition, Revised and Updated. Boulder, CO: Oxford: Westview Press, 1991. Pp.xvi + 202. $44 and $17.95. ISBN 0 8133 1089 X.

Dependence and Autonomy. By Hilary Standing. London: Routledge, 1990. Pp.x + 198. £10.99 (paperback). ISBN 0 415 04839.

Turtle Bogue: Afro‐Caribbean Life and Culture in a Costa Rican Village. By Harry G. Lefever. London and Toronto: Associated University Presses, 1992. Pp. 249. £29.95. ISBN 0 945636 23 7.