Forensic Investigation of Cooperative Storage Cloud Service: Symform as a Case Study

Researchers envisioned Storage as a Service (StaaS) as an effective solution to the distributed management of digital data. Cooperative storage cloud forensic is relatively new and is an under‐explored area of research. Using Symform as a case study, we seek to determine the data remnants from the use of cooperative cloud storage services. In particular, we consider both mobile devices and personal computers running various popular operating systems, namely Windows 8.1, Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9.5, Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS, iOS 7.1.2, and Android KitKat 4.4.4. Potential artefacts recovered during the research include data relating to the installation and uninstallation of the cloud applications, log‐in to and log‐out from Symform account using the client application, file synchronization as well as their time stamp information. This research contributes to an in‐depth understanding of the types of terrestrial artifacts that are likely to remain after the use of cooperative storage cloud on client devices.     

The Differentiation of Menstrual from Venous Blood and Other Body Fluids on Various Substrates Using ATR FT‐IR Spectroscopy

Crime scene investigators and laboratory analysts use chemical tests to detect and differentiate body fluids. Testing often requires a sample of the stain, and the chemicals may cause degradation of the fluid or interfere with subsequent tests. Colorimetric chemical tests do not differentiate between different types of the same fluid, such as venous and menstrual blood, and there is no presumptive test available to simultaneously differentiate several body fluids. In this study, we recorded ATR FT ‐IR spectra of venous and menstrual blood, semen, saliva, and breastmilk. Neat and simulated casework body fluid samples were analyzed on cotton, nylon, wood, paper, and glass substrates. Differences in fluid composition, including proteins and small molecules, resulted in spectral differences. Venous and menstrual blood is differentiated by the peak at 1039 cm^?1 attributed to phosphoric acid found in menstrual blood. Peak intensity is influenced by the porosity and weave of the substrate fabric.     

STRESS,GENES, AND GENERALIZABILITY ACROSS GENDER: EFFECTS OF MAOA AND STRESS SENSITIVITY ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY*

In the current study, we extend the gene‐by‐environment interaction (cGxE) literature by examining how a widely studied polymorphism, the MAOA upstream variable number tandem repeat (MAOA‐uVNTR) interacts with distal and proximal stressors to explain variation in crime and delinquency. Prior research findings have revealed that MAOA‐uVNTR interacts with single indicators of environmental adversity to explain criminal behavior in general‐population and incarcerated samples. Nevertheless, the genetically moderated stress sensitivity hypothesis suggests that increased risk for criminal behavior associated with variation in the MAOA‐uVNTR can be best understood in the context of both distal stress during childhood and proximal stress in adulthood. Therefore, we employed Tobit regression analyses to examine a gene–distal–proximal environment (CGxExE) interaction across gender in a sample of university students (n = 267) and with data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health; n = 1,294). The results across both sets of analyses demonstrate that variation in the MAOA‐uVNTR interacts with distal and proximal stress to lead to increased risk for criminal behavior in males. Although proximal life stress is associated with an increase in crime and delinquency, this effect is more pronounced among MAOA‐L allele carriers that have experienced distal stress.     

Visualizing Digital Forensic Datasets: A Proof of Concept

Digital forensic visualization is an understudied area despite its potential to achieve significant improvements in the efficiency of an investigation, criminal or civil. In this study, a three‐stage forensic data storage and visualization life cycle is presented. The first stage is the decoding of data, which involves preparing both structured and unstructured data for storage. In the storage stage, data are stored within our proposed database schema designed for ensuring data integrity and speed of storage and retrieval. The final stage is the visualization of stored data in a manner that facilitates user interaction. These functionalities are implemented in a proof of concept to demonstrate the utility of the proposed life cycle. The proof of concept demonstrates the utility of the proposed approach for the storage and visualization of digital forensic data.     

The Dynamics of Mass Killings: Testing Time-Series Models of One-Sided Violence in the Bosnian Civil War

Many observers contend that wartime civilian victimization is an instrument of political leaders to achieve a particular goal. This article examines whether retaliation for similar acts by the other side, the developments on the battlefield, or the behavior of international actors accounts for the ups and downs of this so-called one-sided violence. Using information from the Konstanz One-Sided Violence Event Dataset and other sources, we evaluate the empirical relevance of these complementary models statistically. Time series analyses of the weekly number of killed and harmed Muslims (Bosniacs) and Serbs during the Bosnian civil war support the military and the massacre logic. We show that the Serbian side decreased one-sided violence following a territorial conquest, but that its one-sided violence was not a reciprocal response to the Bosniac targeting of civilians. Conversely, the Bosniac side resorted to violence during times of increasing Serbian atrocities and when the fighting was particularly intense. The analysis reveals that most international interventions did not reduce the carnage, but that the Serbs responded to Russian moves.     

猪链球菌血清2型环介导等温扩增快速检测方法的建立

为了建立快速、灵敏的猪链球菌血清2型(SS2)LAMP检测方法,根据GenBank登录的SS2特异的荚膜多糖(cps2 H)基因序列作为检测靶标,在其序列的保守区域设计LAMP引物,利用参考菌株S735基因组DNA为模板进行扩增,优化了LAMP的反应条件和反应体系,并进行了敏感性、特异性和重复性试验。结果,利用建立的LAMP方法对SS2进行扩增,扩增产物显色呈现阳性反应,电泳出现阶梯状条带,最低检测量为0.186fg/μL模板DNA,比常规PCR高1 000倍;且与其他常见的细菌无交叉反应。结果表明,建立的LAMP方法具有灵敏、特异、快速和重复性强等优点,适用于猪链球菌病的实验室快速检测。     

牛传染性鼻气管炎弱毒活疫苗的安全性和免疫保护效果

为评价牛传染性鼻气管炎弱毒株的安全性及其免疫保护效果,将牛传染性鼻气管炎病毒(IBRV)驯化培养,接种MDBK细胞,优化病毒增殖条件,并将其免疫牛,评价其安全性及免疫保护效果。结果显示,优化后的病毒效价可达109.0 TCID50/mL。动物试验结果显示,3月龄牛接种该弱毒株后,体温正常,无任何临床异常表现。对免疫牛进行的攻毒试验结果显示,此弱毒株对牛的免疫保护效果良好。上述结果表明,该毒株可以作为研制弱毒活疫苗的候选毒株。     

猪瘟病毒感染的小型猪体内病毒的复制情况及淋巴细胞变化

用106 TCID50CSFV石门株感染巴马小型猪,通过监测被感染猪的临床体温、观察其病理变化、检测猪瘟病毒在体内的复制情况、检查猪瘟病毒感染后对外周血淋巴细胞增殖的影响,并分析外周血CD3+、CD4+、CD8+T淋巴细胞的动态变化,以确定巴马小型猪对CSFV的敏感性。结果,攻毒后第3天被感染的巴马小型猪出现病毒血症,并在第7天就已达到1×106 copies/μL以上;腹股沟淋巴结中病毒含量最高,颌下淋巴结次之。淋巴细胞增殖试验表明,用固定剂量的刀豆素刺激,被感染的巴马小型猪外周血淋巴细胞增殖出现不同程度降低;其外周血中CD3+、CD4+、CD8+T淋巴细胞的比例降低。结果表明,巴马小型猪可以作为CSFV的感染模型。     

旋毛虫ES抗原对小鼠巨噬细胞TLR2/4mRNA表达的影响

为探讨旋毛虫ES抗原对RAW264.7细胞TLR2/4mRNA表达的影响,分别取经0、2、5、15、30、45μg/mL ES抗原作用24h的RAW264.7细胞和用15μg/mL ES抗原作用0、3、6、12、18、24h后的RAW264.7细胞,采用半定量PCR方法检测TLR2和TLR4mRNA的表达水平变化。结果显示,随着ES抗原浓度的升高,TLR2/4mRNA的表达量逐渐上升,15μg/mL ES抗原组与空白对照组相比差异显著(P<0.05)。在15μg/mL ES抗原作用24h内,随着作用时间的延长,TLR2/4mRNA的表达量逐渐上升,作用18h后的表达水平升高,且与空白对照组差异显著(P<0.05)。证实,ES抗原可刺激RAW264.7细胞表面受体TLR2/4表达升高,且存在一定的剂量和时间效应。     

Secure pathways for women in the UK: lessons from the women’s enhanced medium secure services (WEMSS) pilots

Abstract

Women’s enhanced medium secure services (WEMSS) is a model of care aimed at providing a more appropriate level of security for women and, in so doing, reducing the number of women in high secure psychiatric services. In 2007, three Department of Health commissioned WEMSS pilots became operational. This study compared the clinical outcomes of women in WEMSS with control women in six standard medium secure services and one high secure service matched on key clinical and risk characteristics, in order to examine their pathways of care. Our findings confirm that the WEMSS pilots were successful in transitioning women from high secure services who had previously been thought unsuitable for medium secure services. However, WEMSS showed no additional clinical benefit, suggesting that these women could be cared for equally well within standard medium secure services. We make recommendations about WEMSS and the future shape of women’s secure care in England.