Evaluation of genetic markers for the analysis of THC levels of Cannabis sativa samples using principal component analysis – A preliminary study

Cannabis sativa is a worldwide commercial plant used for medicinal purposes, food and fiber production, and also as a recreational drug. Therefore, the identification and differentiation between legal and illegal C. sativa is of great importance for forensic investigations. In this study, principal component analysis (PCA), an exploratory data analysis technique, was tested to correlate the specific genotype with the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the samples. C. sativa samples were obtained from legal growers in Piedmont, Italy, and from illegal drug seizures in the Turin region. DNA was extracted, quantified, amplified with a 13-loci multiplex STR and finally analyzed with an automated sequencer. The results showed a trend in the analyzed samples as they differed by their THC content and allele profiles. PCA yielded two clusters of samples that differed by specific allele profiles and THC concentrations. Further validation studies are needed, but this study could provide a new approach to forensic investigation and be a valuable aid to law enforcement in significant marijuana seizures or in tracing illicit drug trafficking routes.     

基于GC-MS的血液气味识别模型

目的阐明人体血液与动物血液气味的差异性,并建立对两者进行分辨的仪器分析方法。方法采用气相色谱-质谱技术联合固相微萃取前处理方法测定了血液气味的化学组成;以血液气味色谱数据为基础,利用逐步判别分析法,以Matlab为计算工具,编写了血液气味识别模型的代码。结果分析鉴定了9种在人体血液与动物血液之间有显著差异性的化学成分,基于这些化合物建立了血液气味识别模型。结论人体血液与动物血液气味有显著差别;建立的血液气味识别模型能够正确区分人体血液与动物血液。     

中国地方政府公共服务标准化探索与思考

在服务型政府建设过程中,标准化作为一种科学的工作方法逐步被地方政府采用。由于没有国家统一标准,各地政府基于本地实际情况开展公共服务标准化实践呈现出多种模式。公共服务标准化价值不言而喻,但由于标准化作为促进公共服务均等化的一种路径选择,其根本属性在于统一性,在有限政府的前提下,中国基本的公共服务标准化有必要建构指标体系,为实现基本公共服务均等化提供现实的指引。     

恶意欠薪罪若干问题探究

把《刑法修正案(八)》第41条新增设的罪名定位为恶意欠薪罪,不仅更为形象、生动与简洁,更加符合本罪的犯罪构成,而且还能够全面反映本罪的本质属性。恶意欠薪罪的现有立法规定尚有不明确之处或根本性缺陷,应予以解释或改进。其中,应把本罪的主观方面解释为"恶意",把本罪的客观方面限定为"情节犯",以合理划定本罪的犯罪圈。同时,还应舍弃客观的处罚条件,而采用一种二元化犯罪模式,以有效遏制恶意欠薪行为。     

国产Goldeneye~(TM) 20A试剂盒性能指标验证

目的测试国产GoldeneyeTM20A试剂盒技术性能指标,评估其法医学应用能力。方法从方法学验证、准确性、峰值均衡性、灵敏度、批次间试剂及稳定性测试、耐受性、不同检材的适应性与一致性、种属特异性、混合样本等9个方面对GoldeneyeTM20A试剂盒进行测试。结果阳性DNA样本分型正确,内标和等位基因分型标准物符合要求;等位基因间的均衡性≥83%,同一荧光标记基因座间的均衡性≥55%,不同标记物间的均衡性≥52%;0.125ng DNA阳性样本可检出全部STR基因座分型,不同批次间和反复冻融后试剂盒测试可以获得正确分型,对降解检材和混有抑制剂的样本等具有一定的耐受性,能对案件中多种检材进行分型且分型结果一致,具有一定的种属特异性和混合DNA样本检测能力。结论国产GoldeneyeTM 20A试剂盒可用于法庭科学实际检案与建库。     

The role of student evaluations in a PBL centred law curriculum: towards a more holistic assessment of teaching quality

ABSTRACT

Students’ evaluations are used to measure teaching effectiveness of staff. As such they are used to assess and appraise staff. The article – taking a doctrinal rather than an educational science approach – shows that there are considerable problems with the hypothesis that students’ evaluations measure teaching effectiveness. This is even more so in systems where an overarching teaching philosophy like problem-based learning (PBL) is applied. The article identifies a working hypothesis that students do not use the teaching philosophy as primary motivator to evaluate staff, leading to a perverted incentive. Changes made to the system of evaluation in the law faculty of Maastricht University are described.     

“法”古文拾零

战国六国文字,即“古文”。楚简中的“佱”、“灋”、“廌”三个字,就是古文“法”字。运用郭店简、上博简、包山简以及金文中的材料,对照传世文献,分别对三个古文“法”字进行考释,从而提出了一个值得大家思考的课题：探求“法”字的来龙去脉,关乎“法”的渊源及其演变历程,关乎我国早期“法”概念形成脉络的把握。     

日本的体育仲裁机构与竞技团体的关系

体育纷争的解决途径一般是由裁判来判定,而近年来随着国际体育仲裁机构的设立和完善,国际体育纷争更多地谋求以仲裁方式来解决。本文通过研究日本体育仲裁机构(JSAA)设立的意义及其与各竞技团体相互之间的关系,为我国设立体育仲裁机构提供借鉴。     

Forensic applications of infrared imaging for the detection and recording of latent evidence

We report on a simple method to record infrared (IR) reflected images in a forensic science context. Light sources using ultraviolet light have been used previously in the detection of latent prints, but the use of infrared light has been subjected to less investigation. IR light sources were used to search for latent evidence and the images were captured by either video or using a digital camera with a CCD array sensitive to IR wavelength. Bloodstains invisible to the eye, inks, tire prints, gunshot residue, and charred document on dark background are selected as typical matters that may be identified during a forensic investigation. All the evidence types could be detected and identified using a range of photographic techniques. In this study, a one in eight times dilution of blood could be detected on 10 different samples of black cloth. When using 81 black writing inks, the observation rates were 95%, 88% and 42% for permanent markers, fountain pens and ball-point pens, respectively, on the three kinds of dark cloth. The black particles of gunshot residue scattering around the entrance hole under IR light were still observed at a distance of 60 cm from three different shooting ranges. A requirement of IR reflectivity is that there is a contrast between the latent evidence and the background. In the absence of this contrast no latent image will be detected, which is similar to all light sources. The use of a video camera allows the recording of images either at a scene or in the laboratory. This report highlights and demonstrates the robustness of IR to detect and record the presence of latent evidence.     

The relationship between alcohol elimination rate and increasing blood alcohol concentration--calculated from two consecutive blood specimens

In the period 1991-2005, a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) analysis was carried out at the Institute of forensic medicine in Novi Sad including 2023 two consecutive blood specimens using the Headspace Gas Chromatography method. Cases with no alcohol concentration values, as well as cases where blood samples were taken within 1 h after the criminal act, were not taken into consideration. Following this rule, 1198 cases were considered in this study and all samples were grouped in 29 ranges of BAC1 of delta(BAC) = 0.1 g/kg, starting from 0.1-0.19 g/kg to 2.9-2.99 g/kg of absolute alcohol. Gathered results and elimination curve differ from the zero-order model of elimination proposed by Widmark and point to an elimination process similar to a well-known Michaelis-Menten elimination kinetics model and its variants. Results reported in this study show dependence of alcohol elimination rate (beta-slope) and BAC value. The analysis of beta60-slope versus BAC shows that a correlation between beta60 (y) and BAC (x) has a logarithmic trend line. The value of alcohol elimination rate shows a slight increment with increase of BAC alcohol, with the mean value of beta60 = 0.221 +/- 0.075 g/kg. Differences in values of beta60 among consecutive intervals of delta(BAC) = 0.1 g/kg are not significant (p>0.05). When obtained samples were grouped into ranges of 0.5 g/kg each in these intervals beta60 had the following values by range: 0.1-0.49 g/kg = 0.139 g/kg +/- 0.035; 0.5-0.99 g/kg = 0.184 g/kg +/- 0.043; 1-1.49 g/kg = 0.213 g/kg +/- 0.052; 1.5-1.99 g/kg = 0.239 g/kg +/- 0.058; 2-2.49 g/kg = 0.265 g/kg +/- 0.073; 2.5-2.99 g/kg = 0.306 g/kg +/- 0.096. Differences in values of beta slope among consecutive intervals of delta(BAC) = 0.5 g/kg are significant (p<0.01). The elimination curve in the BAC interval 0.5-2.5 g/kg has a linear trend, while beta-slope (y)/BAC (x) correlation is given as beta60 = 0.15 g/kg + (0.05 g/kg x BAC). Retrograde calculation of the blood alcohol concentration in tempore criminis (BAC(tc)) based on the determined alcohol concentration in the blood specimen (BAC(t)) shows a statistically significant difference between BAC(tc) calculated using a standard zero-order model versus corrected methodology. The higher the BAC(t) and the longer the calculation time, the greater and statistically more significant (p<0.01) is the difference between the calculated values of BAC(tc).