The Challenge of Adolescent Crowd Research: Defining the Crowd

As research on adolescent crowds has increased over the past several decades, researchers appear to be confident in their claims of the consequences of crowd membership, even suggesting targeted interventions. This review of the various methods used to identify adolescents’ crowd membership suggests that this confidence may be misplaced. There are diverse methodologies used in this research area that examine different samples of adolescents belonging to each crowd. Social-type rating methods, self-identification methods, grouping by adolescent behaviors or characteristics, and ethnographic or other qualitative methods should be accompanied by greater specificity in terminology to alert researchers to the various phenomena being studied (i.e., “reputational crowd,” “interactional crowd,” “behavioral crowd,” “affiliation crowd”). Additionally, studies comparing the various self-identification approaches and peer ratings are needed, along with reliability studies of peer ratings. More attention to specific methodology to determine crowd membership and its stability will aid the design of theoretical models of adolescent crowds and contribute to developmental outcome research.

Whole-genome sequencing of degraded DNA for investigative genetic genealogy

Whole genome sequencing has opened the doors to Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) analysis of challenging forensic samples that are not suitable for microarray genotyping. These samples still do not typically achieve high enough coverage for direct genotype calling, therefore a pipeline for imputation from low coverage sequencing data was evaluated using data from the 1000 Genomes Project. This pipeline generated results suitable for IGG down to 0.25X coverage. Additionally, forensic samples from a variety of tissue types and input amounts were sequenced and successfully uploaded to genetic genealogy databases after imputation.     

Probabilistic SNP genotyping at low DNA concentrations

We present a statistical method for biallelic SNP genotyping that reduces the risk of wrong SNP calls and gives fewer no-calls. The method uses a symmetric multinomial logistic regression model with an intuitive graphical interpretation. Its probabilistic nature gives the user control over the accepted risk through the estimated genotype probabilities. We compared the performance of our method with the HID SNP Genotyper v.4.3.1 plug-in (HSG) (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and the additional criteria of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) through a series of six DNA dilutions from 500 pg to 16 pg DNA. The HSG method made wrong calls from 62.5 pg DNA and below, while the UCPH method made wrong calls at 16 pg DNA. Our method allowed SNP genotyping of 16 pg DNA without making wrong calls. Depending on the DNA dilution, our method also reduced the number of no-calls by 70–96 % compared to UCPH method and 59–69 % compared to the HSG method. Our method can be used for any biallelic genotyping.     

The use of ‘privileges’ in political discourse in the early modern Low Countries

This article examines why the privileges occupied such a prominent place in Dutch rebel propaganda from the 1560s. It then considers whether these continued to be so highly regarded after the United Provinces gave up the search for a princely overlord to succeed Philip II in the late 1580s. It concludes by suggesting that with the emergence of provincial sovereignty, the privileges gradually lost their significance as one of the bastions of Dutch freedom.     

中国战略文化的和平性——《文化现实主义》再反思

江忆恩的战略文化研究在概念界定、实证分析等方面提供了诸多值得反思和借鉴的地方,但在战略文化定义及大战略划分过程中却狭义化了大战略概念,且在文本分析和案例选择上有所偏狭,因而其"中国战略文化是极端现实主义"的结论并不完全正确。通过对大战略概念进行重新定义,并以明代以及中国历史上其他八个正统王朝的战争数据为分析依据,笔者得出,中国战略文化的低暴力特征体现得甚为明显。     

PCR扩增循环数与低拷贝模板DNA的STR分型

目的探讨PCR扩增循环数对低拷贝模板DNA的STR分型的影响。方法模板DNA(9947A)的不同扩增用量(含低拷贝模板量),采用ProfilerPlus试剂盒,扩增循环数分别为28、30、32、34、38次,3100型基因分析仪(ABI,美国)检测结果。结果循环数从28次增至38次,模板DNA量最低检出量可从0.25ng减少至0.0312ng;先循环28次后,每反应加0.3μlAmpliTaqGoldDNA聚合酶,再循环6次较1次34个循环的检测灵敏度高,相当于1次38个循环的效果。结论增加PCR扩增循环数,可能影响低拷贝模板DNA的STR分型。     

PCR扩增3因素对低拷贝模板STR分型的影响研究

目的探讨低拷贝模板(low copy number,LCN)STR扩增方法,提高LCN检材的检验成功率。方法采用Profiler P lusTM试剂盒与9947A对照DNA,改变Taq酶量、体系、循环次数3个因素进行扩增检验,了解各变量对扩增检测的影响。结果对低拷贝模板DNA,单纯增加Taq酶量或反应体系,扩增效率改善不明显;增加循环数,显著提高检验灵敏度;低于0.01ng的模板DNA,同时增加扩增体系、Taq酶量、循环数在一定程度上提高扩增效率。结论对于影响扩增的Taq酶量、体系、循环次数3个因素中,循环数影响最大,但应慎用34次及以上循环数;三者同时增加,对于低于0.01ng模板DNA的扩增可有效改善。     

MiniFiler~(TM)试剂盒在LCN-STR分型中的应用

目的评估MiniFilerTM试剂盒在LCN-STR分型中的法医学应用价值。方法采用MiniFilerTM与IdentifilerTM试剂盒,对49份常量与39份LCN检材,包括血迹、精斑、骨骼等7类常见检材的检验结果进行比较,并对两种试剂盒的检测灵敏度进行比较。结果在49份常量检材的检验结果中,两种试剂盒的STR分型结果全部一致;在39份LCN生物检材的检验结果中,MiniFilerTM试剂盒获得全部STR分型的有30份,部分分型的5份,阴性的4份;IdentifilerTM试剂盒获得部分STR分型的22份,阴性的17份。MiniFilerTM试剂盒检验成功率明显高于IdentifilerTM试剂盒;MiniFilerTM试剂盒的检测灵敏略高于IdentifilerTM。结论MiniFilerTM试剂盒可显著提高LCN生物检材的检验成功率,适合应用于法庭科学实际检案中LCN生物检材的检验鉴定。     

大型活动密集人群的风险分析与管理

近年来,随着大型活动日益增多,大型活动中密集人群现象逐渐引起社会关注。作为活动的主体,大型活动人员具有不可预测性、分布不均匀等特性。密集人群的存在,易引发及扩大事故的后果,是大型活动安全的重要影响因素。本文描述了密集人群对大型活动的影响,分析了人群密度、人群状态、人群构成这3个相关因素。在此基础上提出了大型活动密集人群管理的主要程序和办法。     

'Talking in Fictions': Jennings on Parliament

Sir Ivor Jennings made many ground-breaking contributions to the study of Parliament. Among them are two books written in the 1930s, while Jennings was at the peak of his powers: Parliamentary Reform in 1934, ¹ and Parliament in 1939. ² This essay offers an assessment of Jennings' scholarship on Parliament. It commences with some observations on his method, and this is followed by an outline of the argument in Parliament and an appraisal of the book's originality and ongoing significance. The essay closes with some brief remarks concerning Jennings' Parliamentary Reform .