澳大利亚《信息技术证据管理指引》述评

在实行诉讼对抗制的国家，人们可以通过以下三种方法使信息技术证据成为保护企业利益的一种工具：(1)起诉，包括刑事诉讼；(2)法庭辩护；(3)为规则制定者和企业作出重要决策提供依据。然而，对于什么样的信息技术证据具有可采信性，人们仍有质疑。计算机法学正是研究如何确定、保存、分析及如何提交数字证据的一门新兴的学科。尽管传统上计算机法学被认为是一门滞后的学科，但是澳大利亚《信息技术证据管理指引》还是前瞻性地规定了能使电子证据效力最大化的系统生存周期的一些重要原则。     

Keeping up with revolutions: evolution of higher education in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s higher education system has undergone some dramatic changes in the past century, evolving from largely traditional religious colleges to fully state-funded communist-atheist institutions. Since the end of the communist administration and subsequent market-oriented reforms, the institutions of higher education (IHEs) in Uzbekistan have had to reinvent and reform themselves again, as the demand for different kind of education increased. This paper puts the current changes and trends in IHEs into an historical perspective and highlights some important effects of the market reforms on the educational scene.     

Rich doctors and poor patients: Market failure and health care systems in developing countries

This article argues that, in developing countries, health care systems (HCS) have been facing the problem of market failure, implying that the fair rules of market principles do not apply and patients often become losers. Explaining the theoretical issues involved, the article examines various causes of market failures in HCS, including: rent-seeking activities by doctors, asymmetric information between doctors and patients, between patients and insurance companies, and the oligopolistic behaviour of health care practitioners. The policy implications of the study suggest that, in many cases, government intervention is essential to eliminate market failures in the HCS in developing countries.     

Estimation of stature from foot length and foot breadth among the Rajbanshi: an indigenous population of North Bengal

In forensic anthropology, estimation of stature from feet dimensions plays a significant role in establishing personal identity. There is a scarcity of literature on the estimation of stature from foot length and foot breadth among various Indian populations, including the indigenous populations found in the northern part of the state of West Bengal, India. The Rajbanshis and the Meches are two such indigenous populations. The present study is an attempt to understand the relationship between stature and feet dimensions among Rajbanshi male and female individuals of North Bengal, India. Measurements of stature, foot length and foot breadth were recorded from 350 adult Rajbanshi and 100 adult Meche individuals (age range: 18-50 years) residing in different villages located in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal. The Technical Error of Measurements was within the accepted limits. The results of the present study indicate that female Rajbanshi individuals exhibit shorter stature and smaller feet than their male counterparts. Using ANOVA, it is determined that there was significant differences (p<0.05) in stature, foot length and foot breadth between sexes. Using paired t-test, it is further observed that bilateral variation was significant (p<0.05) within sexes with respect to foot length, but not with foot breadth (p>0.05). Stature, foot length and foot breadth are positively and significantly correlated with each other (p<0.01). The higher correlation coefficient between stature and foot length over that of stature and foot breadth points to the fact that foot length, rather than foot breadth, is more accurate in estimating stature. Sexual dimorphism is more pronounced than bilateral differences among Rajbanshi individuals. Using linear regression, it is observed that stature was strongly dependent on foot length and foot breadth. Foot breadth is strongly dependent on foot length. Prediction of stature is more accurate by using step-wise multiple regression. Age does not have a significant effect on stature estimation. The equations obtained for the Rajbanshis were fitted on the Meches to check whether the same equations could be utilized for both these indigenous communities. The equations obtained for another Indian population from the literature were also fitted and tested on the Rajbanshi. It may be concluded that the present study has provided equations to estimate stature from the feet dimensions among the Rajbanshis. It would be unwise to use the same equations for stature estimation for different Indian populations.     

STR polymorphism among two tribal populations of India

Two tribal populations of India, Bison Horn Maria and Muria from Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh in Central India were studied for DNA polymorphisms at tetranucleotide short tandem repeat (STR) loci (F13A01 and HUMvWA). A total of 63 random adult individuals for F13A01 locus and 53 samples for HUMvWA were analyzed in the present study.     

The STAR Community Rating System: An Analysis of the Communities Participating in the Program

This study is the first to explore the STAR Community Rating System® (STAR), a data-driven sustainability framework and certification program launched in October 2012, that allows local governments to measure their sustainability performance and progress relative to other communities. This research identifies and analyzes the major characteristics of the communities that are currently participating in the program. A discussion of the findings and policy recommendations should help increase the membership and effectiveness of the STAR system. More importantly, it reinforces the enormous potential that local governments have with respect to leveraging the synergies between economic, environmental, and societal priorities.