The return of public investment in telecommunications: Assessing the early challenges of the national broadband network policy in Australia

Against a current trend of investing in the next generation networks (NGNs) by using public funds, the Australian government has initiated a so-called National Broadband Network (NBN) project to invest up to AUD$36 billion tax payer's money on building a national wide fibre broadband network aiming to cover 93 per cent Australian by 2020. As being the most costly infrastructure-building project in Australian history, the NBN project promises to deliver super-fast broadband services, create jobs and promote the country's economy at large. This article will critically analyse the NBN project in Australia and highlight the challenges that are coming alone at this early stage of the deployment, so the Australia's experience of pubic investment in broadband networks can be shared and lessons can be learnt.     

How reliable is cloudsourcing? A review of articles in the technical media 2005–11

A review of articles in the technical media between 2005 and 3Q 2011 disclosed reports on 49 outages involving 20 cloudsourcing providers. Several of these were major events. Many caused difficulties for user-organisations’ staff. Some caused lengthy suspension of services by user-organisations to their customers. A number of them involved irretrievable loss of data. Many user-organisations have failed to risk-assess their use of cloudsourcing, and are exposing their businesses to unmanaged risks.     

Getting Caught and Getting Hitched: An Assessment of the Relationship Between Police Intervention,Life Chances,and Romantic Unions

Little research has assessed the link between formal police intervention, financial hardship, and the formation and quality of romantic relationships. Using data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, we contribute to this literature by examining effects of police intervention at two time points on marriage stability and romantic relationship quality. We find that police intervention during adolescence is associated with increases in financial hardship during young adulthood, which, in turn, decreases the odds of entering into a stable marriage by age 31 and the extent to which those who have a romantic relationship feel their partner is supportive. Early police intervention also is indirectly associated with a reduction in partner satisfaction and an increase in partner violence via young adult arrest. We conclude that even minimally invasive contact with the criminal justice system during adolescence has long-lasting collateral consequences in the family arena.     

Measuring the Contextual Effects and Mitigating Factors of Labeling Theory

Despite the longevity of labeling theory, there remains a need for further empirical validation. We examine three ways that official intervention may lead to secondary (that which occurs following the fixation of a label) deviance: self-concept, pro-social expectations, and association with deviant peers. We examine a sample of labeled and non-labeled individuals, utilizing data from the Children at Risk study. Based on our analytical view of a three-year panel of 677 randomly selected juveniles, ordinary least squares regression shows that official intervention with the criminal justice system leads to an increased delinquent self-identity, decreased pro-social expectations, and an increased association with delinquent peers, which then lead to an increased likelihood of engaging in subsequent delinquency. While validating the theory, we suggest a revised model of labeling that better depicts the complicated association between formal labeling and subsequent delinquent behavior. We conclude with policy suggestions based on less formal interventions for offenders.     

A U.N. Convention to Regulate PMSCs?

Abstract

In the last 20 years the ruthless competition for natural resources, political instability, armed conflicts, and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have paved the way for private military and security companies (PMSCs) to operate in areas which were until recently the preserve of the state. PMSCs, less regulated than the toy industry, commit grave human rights violations with impunity. The United Nations has elaborated an international binding instrument to regulate their activities but the opposition of the U.S., U.K., and other Western governments—and from PMSCs, which prefer self-regulation—have prevented any advancement.     

长期饮酒对急性中毒大鼠死后体液内MDMA再分布的影响

目的研究长期饮酒对急性中毒大鼠体液中亚甲基二氧甲基苯丙胺(MDMA)死后再分布的影响。方法 SD雄性大鼠360只,随机均分为A、B、C、D 4组;A、B组以白酒,C、D组以双蒸水为饮用液体,4周后各组按150mg/kg MDMA剂量灌胃,处死后分置于25℃、4℃条件下;以VARIAN CP-3800气相色谱仪分别检测处死时血乙醇含量和0～10d内体液样品中MDMA浓度。结果 0～10d不同条件下,大鼠血液、玻璃体液及尿液中MDMA的PMR浓度变化趋势均为先升高、后降低;各时间点A、B组和C、D组大鼠各体液样本MDMA浓度较0h均有显著性差异(P<0.05),各时间点A与C组、B与D组之间体液样本MDMA浓度有显著性差异(P<0.05);A与B组、C与D组之间体液样本MDMA浓度有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论长期饮用乙醇会降低MDMA在体液样品中的再分布,其影响程度高低依次为血液、尿液及玻璃体液;低温也可减少体液中MDMA的再分布。     

曲马多依赖大鼠动物模型建立的实验研究

目的建立曲马多依赖大鼠动物模型。方法 30只大鼠平均分为3组,观察以60mg/kg曲马多灌胃给药与停药戒断过程中大鼠的身体依赖和精神依赖表现。结果曲马多依赖组大鼠在给药后15min内,对声音及触摸刺激反应性增高,奔跑、跳跃、竖尾等现象为3.9±0.4次/只,明显高于对照组的0.5±0.1次/只(P<0.05);条件性位置偏爱实验中,曲马多依赖组大鼠明显偏爱给药的白箱(P<0.05)。而戒断组在停止给药后出现烦躁不安、高度激惹、尖叫等行为4.9±0.7次/只,高于依赖组的0.6±0.2次/只(P<0.05);依赖组与戒断组大鼠体重明显下降(P<0.05)。结论以60mg/kg灌胃给药112d,大鼠对曲马多产生依赖,曲马多依赖大鼠动物模型建立成功。     

中国汉族人群17个Y-STR基因座突变情况分析

目的 调查分析17个Y-STR基因座等位基因突变的情况.方法 收集中国汉族人群867对父子共1 649份男性血样本.采用YfilerTM复合扩增试剂盒进行17个Y-STR基因座分型,共检测出14 739次等位基因传递,统计各基因座发生等位基因突变的频率.结果 在17个基因座中发现涉及13个基因座共41次突变,其中一步突变40次(97.6％),两步突变1次(2.4％);突变共涉及40对父子,其中39对仅1个基因座发生突变(97.5％),1对同时有2个基因座发生突变(2.5％);平均突变率为2.8×10-3(95％CI 2.0～3.8×10-3).等位基因突变时获得重复单位数19次,丢失重复单位数22次,两者比例接近.结论 中国汉族人群Y-STR基因座突变可涉及多数基因座,突变率在2.8×10-3左右,在数据库的建立与应用中应重视,注意采用相关方法进行甄别.     

从法的价值角度看共同隐私保护

家庭自古以来是最大的秘密区,保守家庭秘密反映到法律上是对共同隐私的保护。通过剖析隐私权中的共同隐私的概念及其法律关系,结合法的目的价值及其冲突解决原则,得出共同隐私保护应从法律限制、公共利益限制和特殊群体限制三个方面来平衡共同隐私保护中的系列冲突。     

和谐行政法律秩序下行政调解制度的构建

和谐行政法律秩序的构建需要行政主体与行政相对人在行政过程中的良性互动,亦要求在行政救济领域达到理想的效果。行政诉讼作为一种监督行政权、保障公民权的行政救济制度,也必然要求达到这种和谐的状态,即法院在行政诉讼中不能简单一判了之,要追求法律效果与社会效果的统一,从而构建起一种和谐的行政法律秩序,而行政诉讼调解机制不失为一个有益的探索与实践。