A more sensitive method for the quantitation of genomic DNA by Alu amplification

Current procedures for human DNA quantitation reach their limit at 150 pg DNA, which is above the limit of the PCR profiling range using Profiler-Plus (Applied Biosystems, CA). This study tested the potential for the use of primate specific Alu sequences in forensic science for the sensitive detection and quantitaion of DNA. A fluorescently labelled primer pair was designed enabling high efficiency amplification of the core Alu sequence within primate DNA. Quantitation was performed by measurement of fluorescence intensity and comparison to a series of standard template DNA amounts via the construction of a standard curve. The new Alu-based quantitation protocol developed has shown its feasibility in more sensitively quantitating (100-2.5 pg) unknown amounts of human DNA for forensic use. The method is compatible with the use and throughput of current forensic procedures.     

Democratic Accountability and National Parliaments: Redefining the Impact of Parliamentary Scrutiny in EU Affairs

Abstract:  The question of strengths and weaknesses of national parliaments in EU affairs, one of the most salient in the debate on the democratic legitimacy of the EU, is generally answered by assessing formal parliamentary powers which can influence their governments' EU policy. Such an evaluation, however, is flawed: Formal mandating rights are usually incompatible with the overall logic of parliamentary systems, which explains why most national parliaments make very little use of them. Even more importantly, it unduly reduces parliamentary functions to the legislative or policy-making function. Drawing on agency theory, it will instead be argued that the functions of public deliberation and of holding the government publicly to account are at least as important and therefore need to be included in a redefined concept of parliamentary strength. In particular, the article proposes a distinction between two different elements of accountability—monitoring and political scrutiny—which recognises parliamentary majority and opposition as two distinct agents of the electorate.     

Determination of opiates and cocaine in hair using automated enzyme immunoassay screening methodologies followed by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) confirmation

The objective of this study was to develop a two-step strategy for analysis of opiates and cocaine in hair samples involving an immunological screening procedure followed by confirmation of results using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A semi-quantitative automated competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methodology using Oral Fluid Micro-Plate Enzyme Immunoassays (Orasure Technologies, Inc.) was developed and validated. Applicability was proven by analysis of authentic head hair samples from drug users (n=103) and from opiate associated fatalities (n=21). The optimum cutoff values for the ELISA tests were 0.1 ng cocaine-equivalents/mg hair and 0.05 ng morphine-equivalents/mg hair using a 50 mg hair sample. Both ELISA tests had a sensitivity of 100%, the specificity was 66% for cocaine-equivalents and 42% for morphine-equivalents. The intraassay precision was 11% for the cocaine and 3% for the opiates ELISA, while interassay precision was 12% for the cocaine and 4% for the opiates ELISA test. The actual analyte concentrations in the hair samples were determined using GC-MS and were between 0.04 and 5.20 ng/mg for heroin (HER), between 0.04 and 30.01 ng/mg for 6-monoacetylmorphine (MAM), between 0.03 and 11.87 ng/mg for morphine (MOR), between 0.02 and 1.84 ng/mg for codeine (COD), between 0.02 and 2.48 ng/mg for acetylcodeine (AC), between 0.01 and 21.37 ng/mg for cocaine (COC), between 0.03 and 10.51 ng/mg for benzoylecgonine (BE) and between 0.05 and 1.26 ng/mg for cocaethylene (CE). The automated ELISA tests were proven to be valid screening procedures for the detection of cocaine and opiates in hair as confirmed by GC-MS. Screening methods provide rapid and inexpensive automated pre-test procedures to detect drugs in hair or other matrices. For forensic purposes screening therefore represents an ideal complement to routinely applied GC-MS procedures.     

Divergent preferences and legislative speeches on Brexit

ABSTRACT

How do legislators deal with having preferences that go against those of the principals that they represent in parliament? This article analyzes the debate in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum in the House of Commons to explore the relationship between divergent preferences and legislative speeches. It finds that legislators who defy the will of their country or constituency are rather communicative, and their speeches reveal higher levels of negativity. In contrast, those defying their party refrain from speaking in parliament, but if they speak, they use a significantly less negative language. These findings suggest that legislators behave strategically in deciding whether and how to justify their positions publicly when in conflict with their various principals.     

Politische Kommunikation, Priming und Wahlverhalten

This study examines Cho’s (2005) argument of priming-effects of political communication on the electorate choice. Hypotheses about the priming-effects of public and private television, of tabloids and mainstream newspapers as well as interpersonal communication in strong and weak community networks are deduced. The empirical analysis of the German Federal State Election 2005 reveals a priming-pattern that gains plausibility when discussing the election campaign and theoretical assumptions regarding human information processing.     

Direct ELISA kits as a sensitive and selective screening method for abstinence control in urine

In 2009 cutoff values of assessment criteria to testify abstinence control in order to estimate driving ability were standardized in Germany. The cutoff values are lower than required in existing guidelines like SAMHSA and there is critical discussion about detection of low concentrations by using immunoassay, especially concerning amphetamines in urine (50 ng/ml). In this study Direct ELISA kits were tested for their applicability to identify the absence of amphetamines, cannabinoids, opiates, cocaine, methadone and benzodiazepines in urine. Results were confirmed by LC/MS or GC/MS analyses. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values (positive as well as negative) and overall misclassification rates were evaluated by contingency tables and were compared to ROC-analyses. Sensitivity results as well as specificity results were satisfying showing sensitivity values higher than 96% for each analyte. The amphetamine test we used showed sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 88%, respectively, even if amphetamine tests usually react with high cross-reactivity. Our study results include high discrimination at required cutoff values between positives and negatives for each drug group and demonstrate that immunological tests complying with requirements of current decreased urine cutoff values for assessment of driving ability do exist.     

Effects of judicial instructions and juror characteristics on interpretations of beyond reasonable doubt

The standard of proof, beyond reasonable doubt (BRD), serves as a threshold for reaching verdicts in criminal cases. Past research has demonstrated that factors such as the wording of judicial instructions defining the standard can influence people's interpretation of it. In addition, there is some concern that instructions may not be effective for the wider jury-eligible population. In an experimental study involving members of the general public, we examined the effect of two commonly used judicial instructions (i.e. sure and firmly convinced) against a situation when BRD was undefined, on people's quantitative interpretations of BRD as well as on their self-reported understanding of the standard and confidence in applying it. We also explored the effect of juror characteristics (i.e. gender, age and education). Compared to when the standard was undefined, the sure instruction helped to reduce inter-individual variability in interpretations of BRD and the firmly convinced instruction increased people's understanding of the standard. However, neither instruction was effective in increasing confidence in applying the standard or in reducing observed individual differences. These findings underscore the importance of developing evidence-based judicial instructions that can benefit the broad jury-eligible population equally and in a variety of ways.