High‐Resolution Melting (HRM) of Hypervariable Mitochondrial DNA Regions for Forensic Science

Forensic strategies commonly are proceeding by analysis of short tandem repeats (STRs); however, new additional strategies have been proposed for forensic science. Thus, this article standardized the high‐resolution melting (HRM) of DNA for forensic analyzes. For HRM, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from eight individuals were extracted from mucosa swabs by DNAzol reagent, samples were amplified by PCR and submitted to HRM analysis to identify differences in hypervariable (HV) regions I and II. To confirm HRM, all PCR products were DNA sequencing. The data suggest that is possible discriminate DNA from different samples by HRM curves. Also, uncommon dual‐dissociation was identified in a single PCR product, increasing HRM analyzes by evaluation of melting peaks. Thus, HRM is accurate and useful to screening small differences in HVI and HVII regions from mtDNA and increase the efficiency of laboratory routines based on forensic genetics.     

Detection and Identification of Psilocybe cubensis DNA Using a Real‐Time Polymerase Chain Reaction High Resolution Melt Assay,

Psilocybe cubensis, or “magic mushroom,” is the most common species of fungus with psychedelic characteristics. Two primer sets were designed to target Psilocybe DNA using web‐based software and NBCI gene sequences. DNA was extracted from eighteen samples, including twelve mushroom species, using the Qiagen DNeasy^® Plant Mini Kit. The DNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the primers and a master mix containing either a SYBR^® Green I, Radiant? Green, or LCGreen Plus^® intercalating dye; amplicon size was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis. The PCR assays were tested for amplifiability, specificity, reproducibility, robustness, sensitivity, and multiplexing with primers that target marijuana. The observed high resolution melt (HRM) temperatures for primer sets 1 and 7 were 78.85 ± 0.31°C and 73.22 ± 0.61°C, respectively, using SYBR^® Green I dye and 81.67 ± 0.06°C and 76.04 ± 0.11°C, respectively, using Radiant? Green dye.     

Quality of low secure services in the UK: development and use of the Quality of Environment In Low Secure Services (QELS) checklist

Low secure services provide care for psychiatric patients whose risk cannot be safely managed in other settings. The physical environment in these units plays an important role in supporting recovery and risk management. We developed the Quality of Environment in Low secure Services (QELS) checklist to assess the quality of the physical environment of these services. Using recommendations from previously published standards we piloted a draft checklist with a weighted scoring system reflecting the views of patients and providers. The checklist showed good criterion validity and inter-rater reliability. Data collected from 33 low secure services showed considerable variation in the quality of the physical environment. The QELS checklist provides an accessible and reliable means for managers and clinicians to assess whether the quality of the physical environment of low secure units meets recommended standards and can be used to support efforts to improve the quality of care delivered by these services.     

On the constitutional foundations of Hong Kong

Hong Kong law is characterized by a mixture of legal sources and traditions, originating from the constitutional government-based structure in the mid-1800s to the new laws, which were promulgated at the beginning of the 20th century. Since Hong Kong’s return into the People’s Republic of China in 1997, the development and forms of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Laws have been influenced by the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China of 1982, the Sino-British Joint Declaration of Hong Kong issues of 1984 as well as the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of 1990. The government of China continues to undertake measures, promoting a high degree of autonomy within the Hong Kong as well as its political stability and economic prosperity. All these measures contribute to the promotion of the rule of law and unification of China.     

DOES DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL MEAN DROPPING INTO DELINQUENCY?*

Approximately one third of U.S. high‐school freshmen do not earn their high‐school diploma on time. For African‐American and Hispanic students, this figure nearly reaches one half. The long‐term economic consequences of dropping out of school for both the student and the larger community have been well documented. It has also been argued that school dropouts put themselves at a higher risk for delinquent and criminal behavior when they leave school. Although it seems plausible that dropping out might increase the potential for delinquent conduct, another view states that dropping out is simply the final event in a long, gradual process of disenchantment and disengagement from school. Dropouts show evidence of school failure and developmental problems years in advance. It has been argued, therefore, that the actual event of finally leaving school has no causal effect on criminal or delinquent behavior because it has been so long in coming. In this article, we examine the effect of leaving school early, and the reason for dropping out, on delinquent behavior with the use of panel data models from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 Cohort (NLSY97). Through an appeal to identity theory, we hypothesize that the effect of dropping out is not uniform but varies by the reason for leaving school, gender, and time. This conjecture receives only partial empirical support. Implications for future work in the area are discussed.     

The Future of British Political History: Concluding Remarks

These concluding remarks reflect, in the light of the preceding articles, on two themes that recur throughout the collection. First, how can historians maintain an effective presence in public debate about politics in Britain? Second, how should political historians position themselves within the discipline, at a time when—it is suggested—political history is losing ground among British academic historians? It is argued here that, in each case, they should reflect on what they can most distinctively contribute, either as historians or as political historians; and that they should frame their interventions accordingly.     

论金融危机下高校思想政治教育工作的内容取向

国际金融危机不仅给我国经济社会发展带来严峻挑战,而且也给高校党建工作特别是思想政治教育工作带来新的挑战。高校思想政治教育工作是党建工作的重要组成部分,它的特殊主体是当代大学生。努力做好金融危机大背景下的高校思想政治教育工作,对加强大学生党建工作有重要意义。金融危机下高校思想政治教育工作,从内容取向方面来说,除了继续坚持对大学生进行原有的世界观、人生观和价值观教育以外,主要点可以概括为正确认识金融危机的本质、注重化解学生的心理危机、树立战胜金融危机的信心、拓宽知识结构和提高实践能力等几个方面。     

Determinants of e-government maturity： Do organizational specific factors matter？

E-government is said to be an efficient and effective way of delivering government services to its customers. Web information accessibility and online transactional services increase transparency, openness of bureaucratic institutions and reduce cost of transactions. Global e-government surveys which portray the trend in countries＇ e-government readiness and stage of e-government maturity rank developing countries at the bottom. Based on the benefits reaped from e-government and the fact that some countries can progress than others; it is evident that e-government has become a development phenomenon to researchers and policy makers. Accordingly, the basic empirical question to researchers has been on what determines e-government maturity？ To answer this question, it is important first to distinguish between e-readiness and e-government maturity in order to understand the intuition behind this question. E-readiness comprises of all prerequisite necessary to implement e-government while e-government maturity refers to the actual level of e-government progress a country has attained based on websites assessment. While macro factors such as level of Gross Domestic Product, human capital and ICT （information and communication technology） infrastructure are important in determining e-government maturity at the national level; they may not necessarily explain differences of e-government maturity among government agencies within the same country. In other words, why there are differences in e-government maturity among governmental agencies even in those countries which are ranked at the top. In this paper authors argue that organizational specific factors play a vital role in determining the stage of organizational e-government maturity. To accentuate the argument, authors provide one of the possible frameworks and respective propositions to indicate the influence of organizational specific characteristics on e-government maturity.     

高层建筑外墙清洗方法及清洗机械的研究

阐述了清洗城市建筑、尤其是高层建筑外墙的目的和意义 ,对现有的高层建筑外墙清洗方法进行了分析 ,并介绍了一种提高清洗效率的清洗机械及计算方法。     

城市职业青年群体的分化及其对策研究

随着我国经济社会结构的逐步转型与知识经济的兴起 ,城市职业青年群体之间的分化正日益凸显。知识青年与未进大学校门的一般青年之间 ,在就业状况、工资性收入、职业流动、继续教育状况、经济社会地位的自我认定、政治参与及生活质量等方面呈现出显著差异。正视职业青年群体的分化应成为我们制定青年政策的出发点