Metric forensic anthropology decisions: Reliability and biasability of sectioning-point-based sex estimates

Subjective decisions make human cognitive processes more susceptible to bias and error. Specifically, research indicates that additional context biases forensic anthropologists’ morphological analyses. To address whether metric analyses are also subject to bias, we conducted a pilot study in which 52 experienced osteologists measured a difficult-to-classify human femur, with or without additional contextual information. Using a metric sectioning-point sex-estimation method, participants provided a sex estimate for individual skeletal element(s) and, when given multiple elements, the combined skeletal assemblage. Control group participants (n = 24) measured only the femur. In addition to the femur, bias group participants (n = 28) either measured a female humerus and viewed a female-biasing photograph (n = 14) or measured a male humerus and viewed a male-biasing photograph (n = 14). We explored whether the experts in the different groups would differ in: (1) femoral measurements; (2) femoral sex-estimation conclusions; and (3) final sex-estimation conclusions for the skeletal assemblage. Although the femoral measurements and femoral sex estimates were comparable across groups, the overall sex estimates in the female-biased group were impacted by contextual information—differing from both the control and male-biased groups (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that cognitive bias can occur even in metric sex-estimation conclusions. Specifically, this occurred when the metric data and single-element sex estimates were synthesized into an overall estimate. Thus, our results suggest that metric methods are most vulnerable to bias when data are synthesized into an overall conclusion, highlighting the need for bias countermeasures and comprehensive statistical frameworks for synthesizing metric data to mitigate the effects of cognitive bias.     

债权形式主义下物权行为有限存在之三维分析及立法建构

民法学界关于物权行为的讨论并未系统、深入,从事实、规范、价值三维角度分析债权形式主义下 应有物权行为的有限存在空间,且和债权行为一样均可单独引发物权变动,但不存在独立性与无 因性问题,并提出了立法建构模式。     

物化观与马克思问题域逻辑转换

物化观是解答当代价值观的一个核心问题。马克思的物化观有一个从早期费尔巴哈人本主义理性批判到实践唯物主义经济分析的问题域逻辑转换过程 ,对物化观的经济分析是马克思主义价值观确立的基础。物化实质上体现了作为商品的劳动产品在资本主义利益关系下对主体 (劳动者 )生存和发展的一种否定关系。正如消灭异化要以生产力高度发展为前提一样 ,只有适应生产力的发展要求 ,改变滋生物化的特殊经济利益关系 ,建构一个用公共的生产资料进行劳动的自由人联合体 ,劳动 (实践 )创造的产品才会体现对主体 (人 )生存和发展的肯定关系。这就是马克思物化观问题域逻辑转换的价值指归。而卢卡奇把物化从经济因素中剥离出来 ,按黑格尔理性革命观的图式将其提升为马克思主义哲学的核心概念 ,它无疑为一切把客观的经济利益关系当作价值事实的唯意志主义提供了理论支持。     

TESTS OF NONLINEAR DYNAMICS IN U.S. HOMICIDE TIME SERIES,AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS*

Attempts to explain temporal patterns in U.S. homicide data usually assume that a linear process accounts for the variation. A nonlinear process is an obvious alternative, however, and reasonable arguments suggest that nonlinearity may in part underlie homicide series dynamics. This paper applies tests for nonlinearity to national time series of homicide rates and counts. The results provide relatively little evidence of nonlinear structure; instead, a linear (random walk) process appears to generate most of the change in the series. Although this supports the unstated assumptions of current theories, it also raises questions about why homicides should follow a linear time path in the first place.     

The GMO food arena in the EU (1998–2001)

A highly politicised arena in the EU has been caused by the 1998 Commission legislative proposal with regard to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The debate over different interests became more intense. During the EU decision‐making process concerning GMOs, two larger coalitions cutting across institutions and countries waged the fight: one was led by industry and was in favour of GMOs and the other was against and mainly rooted in nongovernmental lobby groups. In mid‐2001, the ‘anti’ movement had gained a (temporary) winning position. In an attempt to explain this, it was concluded that the industrial lobby has been nonchalant in its preparatory work for public affairs management, by not carefully studying the various stakeholders, issues, time developments and the boundaries of this arena. With the benefit of hindsight it can be seen that the industrial lobby itself has missed opportunities and made unforced errors. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications     

鸭传染性腔上囊病毒VP2基因的克隆与序列分析

应用RT PCR法对分离于当地典型发病鸭群的鸭传染性腔上囊病毒 (IBDV )YL997株进行了VP2基因的克隆与序列分析 ,并和相关毒株进行了比较。结果表明 ,YL997株与STC株的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性只有 92 .5 %和 91.8% ,与超强毒株UK6 6 1的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性均为97.6 % ,而与当地鸡群中分离的超强毒株HN94 2的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性则高达 98.1%和98.4 % ,该毒株的VP2基因序列完全具备了超强毒株的主要特征。     

DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics: Recommendations on the interpretation of mixtures

The DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) was convened at the 21st congress of the International Society for Forensic Genetics held between 13 and 17 September in the Azores, Portugal. The purpose of the group was to agree on guidelines to encourage best practice that can be universally applied to assist with mixture interpretation. In addition the commission was tasked to provide guidance on low copy number (LCN) reporting. Our discussions have highlighted a significant need for continuing education and research into this area. We have attempted to present a consensus from experts but to be practical we do not claim to have conveyed a clear vision in every respect in this difficult subject. For this reason, we propose to allow a period of time for feedback and reflection by the scientific community. Then the DNA commission will meet again to consider further recommendations.     

The evolution of European legal integration

This article contributes to the development of theories on European integration by testing and exploring statistical models on the long-term development of legislative activity of the European Commission. Drawing on legal information gained from the European Union’s PreLex database and analyzing it with the help of statistical analyses, we map out growth patterns of EU law between 1976 and 2003. We construct time-series models and models based on non-linear regression. While the performance of models based on the traditional theoretical approaches, intergovernmentalism and neo-functionalism, is rather poor, the analysis suggests that nonlinear dynamic models might be an interesting avenue for future conceptualizations of the EU integration process. This article is based on a paper presented at the ECPR Standing Group on the European Union Second Pan-European Conference on EU Politics, “Implications of a Wider Europe: Politics, Institutions and Diversity”, 24–26 June 2004, Bologna, Italy. We would like to thank the seminar participants for useful comments.     

移动电话使用与道路交通事故的关系

随着移动通讯事业的迅速发展,开车使用移动电话的人越来越多,与移动电话相关的交通事故也随之增加。本文总结了移动电话对驾驶者的影响和与移动电话相关的交通事故发生的危险因素,并阐述了目前降低与移动电话相关的交通事故发生采取的措施并提出预防相关交通事故发生的对策。     

法律经济学学科构建探析

法律经济学是法学和经济学的一种新的研究方法。法律经济学的发展史也印证了法律经济学是研究方法创新的结果。法律经济学从萌芽、初创、产生到发展,历经两个多世纪的演化,有着丰富的理论和实践研究成果,被冠以不同的称谓、被赋予丰富的内涵。法律经济学的概念具有多元化、动态、法学与经济学相结合的本质特征。