Terrorism and Profiling

A key problem for counterterrorism is how large numbers of individuals can be screened most efficiently to discover terrorists. This question arises at security checkpoints of all kinds, from roadblocks to airline security counters. Some argue that certain categories of individuals, for instance, young Muslim men in the airline context, should be screened more heavily than others. Others deride this as racial profiling, and argue that any such scheme would be easily evaded. I examine a model of searching for terrorists among a population divided into categories that vary in their potential reliability or ease of recruitment as agents of terrorist attacks. The equilibria in the model feature profiling, in that different categories are searched with different intensities. Practical difficulties in implementing a rational profiling scheme are discussed.     

Forensic STRs as potential disease markers: A study of VWA and von Willebrand's Disease

In recent years it has been established that non-coding variants may be in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with coding variants up to several thousand base pairs away forming haplotype blocks. These non-coding markers may be haplotype specific and, therefore, informative regarding the surrounding coding sequence. In this study, we chose to study the VWA short tandem repeat (STR) as it is targeted in all major commercial kits utilized in routine forensic DNA profiling and is located in the von Willebrand Factor (vWF) gene; a gene associated with von Willebrand's Disease (vWD). We examined the VWA STR together with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located throughout the vWF gene to identify haplotype structures and the extent of LD between markers in the region. Several areas exhibiting LD were identified by population data analysis in the 178 kilobase (178kb) vWF gene, which was supported by family studies. However, there appeared to be no evidence of LD blocks surrounding the VWA STR and evidence for recombination within 3 kb of VWA, hence, it is unlikely that VWA STR alleles could be used to predict haplotypes within the vWF gene that are associated with different forms of vWD.     

两组引物对无毛囊毛根的PCR-STR分型

目的了解无毛囊毛根的短扩增子引物和通用引物PCR-STR分型在法医实践中应用的可行性。方法应用5对Bulter设计的短扩增子引物D8S1179、D21S11、THO1、D16S539和VWA与其对应的STR通用引物,利用非变性PAGE,对无毛囊毛根进行PCR-STR分型的对比研究。结果短扩增子引物与通用引物对无毛囊毛根分型的正确率:D8S1179为11.4%和17.1%、D21S11为3.7%和5.9%、vWA为22.2%和33.3%、THO1为9.3%和5.6%、D16S539为0和9.2%。毛根的短扩增子引物和通用引物部分STR分型出现了干扰结果的Ladder-like背景条带。结论在对无毛囊毛根检材进行通用引物和短扩增子引物PCR-STR分型时,五个STR位点分型检测的成功率有限,还需注意Ladder-like条带的干扰。     

实验室毒性物质管理

毒性化学物质是指人为制造或在产品制造过程中衍生的化学有毒物质。学术机构的实验室对化学药品的使用具有少量多样的特点,由于实验的需要常会与这类物质接触,虽然接触的频率不及工业界高,但仍有相当高的危险性,因而应对实验室毒性物质严加管理,防止危害发生。     

In Vitro Effects of Household Products on Calliphoridae Larvae Development: Implication for Forensic Entomology

Several parameters can delay the first arrival of flies on a corpse and the subsequent development of the larvae. This study focuses on the development of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) (Meigen, 1826) on household chemical‐contaminated substrates. bleach, perfume, hydrochloric acid, caustic soda, insecticide, mosquito repellent, and gasoline in quantities consistent with an amount that could possibly be spilled on a corpse were mixed with beef liver to simulate contaminated fleshes. Larvae were bred at 25°C on these media until emergence. Four developmental parameters were followed: survival rates, development times, sex ratios, and adult sizes. Hydrochloric acid, insecticide, and gasoline killed all larvae. In low quantities, caustic soda and mosquito repellent increased the development time and decreased the adult size. However, high quantities of these chemicals killed all larvae. Lastly, bleach and perfume did not affect the survival rate and barely impacted the development time or adult size. These results demonstrate common household products spilled on a corpse can strongly affect the development of Calliphoridae larvae. The effects of such products should be considered in forensic entomology cases.     

The Variability of Ecstasy Tablets Composition in Brazil

The content of ecstasy tablets has been changing over the years, and nowadays 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is not always present in the tablets. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition in the seized tablets labeled as ecstasy. We analyzed samples from 150 different seizures made by Sao Paulo's State Police by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. MDMA was present in 44.7% of the analyzed samples, and another twenty different active substances were identified in these tablets, such as caffeine, 2C‐B, piperazines, amphetamines, phencyclidine, and others. Methamphetamine was present in 22% of these samples. The results demonstrate a huge shift in the pattern of trafficking of synthetic drugs, where MDMA has been replaced in tablets mostly by illicit psychoactive substances, in a clear attempt to bypass the law. The great variability in the tablets composition may lead to an increased risk of drug poisoning.     

The technology study of drinking water safeguard replies to the pollution of radioactive, biological and chemical substances

Facing the rigorous safe situation of radioactive, biological and chemical weapon day by day, the safeguard of drinking water, which is the important resource that the survival and development of mankind depend on, will not only face the pollution of traditional pollutant, but also probably suffer the arriving pollution of the non-traditional pollutant in the future. Therefore, in order to improve the ability of drinking water safeguard to reply to the risk of arriving non-traditional pollution caused by suffering the terror or war, it is necessary to develop the removal technique of radioactive substances, biological and chemistry war agent. The category and harm of radioactive, biological and chemical substances which the drinking water may suffer are introduced firstly in the paper. Then the removal techniques of radioactive substances, biological and chemistry war agent are brought. On the basis of analyzing the removal techniques, the combination drinking water decontamination craft of pretreatment--membrane separate--handle behind is designed. Following the craft, the experiment of purging the radioactive substances simulation, biological and chemistry war agent is done. The experiment shows that the removal rates of ten kinds of radioactive nuclide can reach 99.9% and of biological war agent approach 100%. The quality of water which is polluted by chemistry war agent can reach some standard＇s require. Therefore, the fruit of research can provide the practical technique for drinking water safeguard in the future.     

Optimization of DNA recovery from toothbrushes

In human identification, the victim's toothbrush is an invaluable personal item as the deposited cellular material contains DNA from which a reference profile can be produced. The profile obtained then allows direct comparison to be made with the profile from the unidentified body. This study was undertaken to determine the minimum number of bristle bundles that would generate a complete DNA profile. The minimum period of usage for a toothbrush to retain enough cells for genotyping was also investigated. We also tested two commonly used DNA extraction methods: QIAamp^® DNA Mini Kit and Chelex^® 100 to explore the efficiency of these protocols in recovering DNA from toothbrushes. In this experiment, volunteers brushed their teeth for 1, 7, 14, or 30 days. DNA was extracted from 5 and 10 bundles of bristles cut from the collected toothbrushes. The amount of DNA recovered was quantified by quantitative real-time PCR, and DNA genotyping was performed for each sample. Data revealed that QIAamp^® DNA Mini Kit performed better at yielding DNA in terms of purity, quantity, and quality than Chelex^® 100. It was also found that, with a suitable method of recovery, DNA samples from five bundles of bristles from all of the toothbrushes generated complete profiles. Based on the experimental results, a general guideline concerning the appropriate extraction method and the quantity of the starting material for the analysis of DNA from toothbrushes could be suggested.     

2人份混合检材STR图谱分析

目的探讨混合检材STR图谱分析结果。方法收集了3例实际案例检材,提取DNA,PCR扩增后用310型遗传分析仪检测。结果当DNA含量差距不大时,2人份混合检材检验结果易于分析,当DNA含量差距较大时或者2人份以上混合检材,图谱分析非常困难。结论根据本文提出的问题和实验结果,当遇到这样的混合样品,分析结论一定要谨慎。     

The Effectiveness of the EU's Ozone Policy

Has the EU's ozone policy been effective? In other words: What caused the 90 per cent phase-out of ozone depleting substances (ODS) within the EU? Was it due to an EU-wide regulatory approach, to national circumstances, or to the Montreal Protocol? As EU's environmental policy has not been overly successful so far, it would interesting to know why ozone policy is an area where the EU and its Member States have reached targets effectively over a relatively short time. We suggest that the effectiveness of EU's ozone policy is due to two factors that together secured this rapid phase-out. First, the ozone policy was enacted by means of an EU regulation – rather than by directives – which required all Member States and all larger ODS-generating corporations to implement a ban simultaneously. Second, with the US administration making a u-turn and the increased availability of ODS-substitute chemicals, Europe saw a political opportunity to speed up the phase-out process. A limited study of the phase-out of ODS in Spain supports this argument. While the EU's ozone policy has been effective, its success owes much to particular economic and political circumstances associated with the issue of ozone depletion.