Resolving paternity relationships using X-chromosome STRs and Bayesian networks

X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (X-STRs) are very useful in complex paternity cases because they are inherited by male and female offspring in different ways. They complement autosomal STRs (as-STRs) allowing higher paternity probabilities to be attained. These probabilities are expressed in a likelihood ratio (LR). The formulae needed to calculate LR depend on the genotype combinations of suspected pedigrees. LR can also be obtained by the use of Bayesian networks (BNs). These are graphical representations of real situations that can be used to easily calculate complex probabilities. In the present work, two BNs are presented, which are designed to derive LRs for half-sisters/half-sisters and mother/daughter/paternal grandmother relationships. These networks were validated against known formulae and show themselves to be useful in other suspect pedigree situations than those for which they were developed. The BNs were applied in two paternity cases. The application of the mother/daughter/paternal grandmother BN highlighted the complementary value of X-STRs to as-STRs. The same case evaluated without the mother underlined that missing information tends to be conservative if the alleged father is the biological father and otherwise nonconservative. The half-sisters case shows a limitation of statistical interpretations in regard to high allelic frequencies.     

大学英语写作测试命题原则、来源及类别

本文对历年来大学英语四、六级写作测试中的命题原则、命题题材来源和分类进行了分析,探讨了大学英语四、六级写作测试的发展动态以及作文设立最低分的命题特点,并就考前的准备提出了具体建议：必须有计划、有步骤、有针对性地进行英语短文写作能力的强化训练。     

Classification of Glass Fragments Based on Elemental Composition and Refractive Index*

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of likelihood ratio (LR)‐based measures when they are applied to solving various classification problems for glass objects which are described by elemental composition, and refractive index (RI) values, and compare LR‐based methods to other classification methods such as support vector machines (SVM) and naïve Bayes classifiers (NBC). One hundred and fifty‐three glass objects (23 building windows, 25 bulbs, 32 car windows, 57 containers, and 16 headlamps) were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometer. Refractive indices for building and car windows were measured before (RI_b), and after (RI_a) an annealing process. The proposed scheme for glass fragment(s) classification demonstrates some efficiency, although the classification of car windows (c) and building windows (w) must be treated carefully. This is because of their very similar elemental content. However, a combination of elemental content and information on the change in RI during annealing (ΔRI = RI_a?RI_b) gave very promising results. A LR model for the classification of glass fragments into use‐type categories for forensic purposes gives slightly higher misclassification rates than SVM and NBC. However, the observed differences between results obtained by all three approaches were very similar, especially when applied to the car window and building window classification problem. Therefore, the LR model can be recommended because of the ease of interpretation of LR‐based measures of certainty.     

Objective evaluation of similarity scores derived by Evofinder® system for marks on bullets fired from Chinese Norinco QSZ-92 pistols

In recent years, many studies have been conducted in the field of firearm identification with the objective of providing an objective method of evaluating the comparison of cartridge cases. However, less attention has been paid to the objective evaluation of bullet comparisons. In this study, 1 000 registered Chinese Norinco QSZ-92 pistols were used, and a database of 2 996 bullets was constructed. Both the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the score-based likelihood ratio method were used to objectively evaluate the similarity scores derived by the Evofinder^® system. The results indicate that this system has excellent ability to discriminate between the selected pistols. This paper proposes an objective evaluation method, which serves as a response to the ongoing debates regarding the foundation of the discipline.     

基于指示交付的动产所有权移转——兼评《中华人民共和国物权法》第26条

我国物权法第26条规定了指示交付的方式,通过转让基于占有媒介关系的原物返还请求权,使出让人无须占有媒介人的同意和协助,就能移转动产的所有权,更无须将第三人的占有限于"依法"占有。出让人是否通知占有媒介人,并非动产所有权移转的要件,而只是设立动产质权的前提,并在债法领域发挥保护债务人的作用。为使无占有的出让人也能同其他占有人一样移转其动产所有权,以满足合理的交易需求,建议借鉴德国通说,允许当事人仅根据其合意来移转所有权,该种情形超出了物权法第26条的文义范围。我国法院不少判决以转让提单、仓单等交付证券作为适用物权法第26条的情形,有误解之嫌。当事人以该类证券的交付替代证券项下货物的交付,仍然是适用物权法第23条的现实交付。此类交易方式虽法无明文,但应根据商事交易习惯予以认可,以便证券项下的货物便捷流通。     

债权让与的优先顺序与公示制度

债权让与的优先顺序,即债权让与对抗债务人以外第三人的效力问题,系债法上分歧最大的问题之一,事关保理、资产证券化等现代债权融资交易发展,且为拓宽中小企业、农户等弱势当事人融资渠道的关键因素之一,具有深层次社会经济意义。运用“制度内情境分析法”,依次考察让与主义、通知主义、登记主义三种主要制度对各方当事人及第三人的影响,可发现登记主义更为公平、更有效率。各国的历史与经验证据支持此结论。中国合同法对此未作规定,存在不足。物权法新创应收账款质押登记制度,越来越多的债权转让亦可能在该系统登记。未来有必要对债权完全让与及担保性让与采统一登记制度。债权让与登记制,表明公示原则为适用于一切财产权转让的基本原则,性质为财产法总则上的原则。     

Uncertainty in probabilistic genotyping of low template DNA: A case study comparing STRMix™ and TrueAllele™

Two probabilistic genotyping (PG) programs, STRMix™ and TrueAllele™, were used to assess the strength of the same item of DNA evidence in a federal criminal case, with strikingly different results. For STRMix, the reported likelihood ratio in favor of the non-contributor hypothesis was 24; for TrueAllele it ranged from 1.2 million to 16.7 million, depending on the reference population. This case report seeks to explain why the two programs produced different results and to consider what the difference tells us about the reliability and trustworthiness of these programs. It uses a locus-by-locus breakdown to trace the differing results to subtle differences in modeling parameters and methods, analytic thresholds, and mixture ratios, as well as TrueAllele's use of an ad hoc procedure for assigning LRs at some loci. These findings illustrate the extent to which PG analysis rests on a lattice of contestable assumptions, highlighting the importance of rigorous validation of PG programs using known-source test samples that closely replicate the characteristics of evidentiary samples. The article also points out misleading aspects of the way STRMix and TrueAllele results are routinely presented in reports and testimony and calls for clarification of forensic reporting standards to address those problems.     

试论合同权利转让的通知问题

在合同权利转让过程中,权利转让的事实是在转让人和受让人之间发生的,债务人毫不知情,权利是在权利人掌握之中。通知的目的是要让债务人知晓这个事实,及时向受让人履行义务,使受让人真正实现合同权利转让的权利利益。无论通知人是转让人还是受让人,只要债务人知晓合同权利转让的事实,即应当产生相同的法律效果。     

保付代理及其涉及的有关债权转让的法律问题及立法比较

国际保理,概括而言,是为国际贸易赊销方式提供的一种集账务管理、应收账款收取、信用风险担保和贸易资金融通为一体的综合性金融服务。随着国际市场竞争的愈演愈烈,国际保付代理业务得到了迅猛发展,成为各国出口商加强国际市场竞争力的有效手段。对国际保理的债权转让问题进行了分析,并就如何完善保理业务立法提出了建议。     

非法转让农村集体土地使用权刑事案件若干问题探析

近年来,我国农村集体土地流转秩序比较混乱,非法转让土地使用权的案件时有发生,村民委员会作为农村集体土地的管理者,在土地流转过程中往往起着极其重要的作用。但我国刑法并没有将村民委员会规定为单位犯罪主体,导致司法实践中出现很多尴尬。本文着重对村民委员会和村民小组作为单位犯罪主体的适格性、村民委员会＂牟利目的＂的认定及村民委员会非法转让土地使用权行为的性质等方面的问题进行探讨。