Interpersonal Factors in the Risk for Sexual Victimization and its Recurrence during Adolescence

Being a victim of sexual aggression from a peer is a common experience among adolescents and poses a significant risk for various forms of psychopathology. Unfortunately, little is known concerning specific interpersonal factors that increase an adolescent’s risk for experiencing sexual aggression. The current study assessed the contribution made by several interpersonal factors both for the first and repeated experience of becoming a victim of sexual aggression from a peer. Data were collected annually from a longitudinal sample of 200 adolescents over a period of 4 years and were analyzed using multiple-spell, discrete-time survival analysis. Approximately 46% of the adolescents reported experiencing some form of sexual aggression by the end of wave 4. Further, 65% of victims reported experiencing a repeat incident of aggression. Females were at higher risk both for initial and repeated victimization, as were adolescents with more sexual experience and higher levels of rejection sensitivity. Results are discussed in terms of implications for future prevention efforts.

Physiologic Responses to Racial Rejection Images Among Young Adults from African-American Backgrounds

Physiologic reactivity to racially rejecting images was assessed in 35 young adults (10 males, 25 female) from African-American backgrounds using the startle probe paradigm. In a laboratory setting, participants viewed 16 images depicting racial rejection, racial acceptance, nonracial negative, and nonracial positive themes. While viewing these images, startling bursts of noise were presented and the magnitude of the eyeblink responses were measured. Results supported an attentional mechanism which suggests that, while viewing both racially rejecting and nonracial positive images, individuals may be so absorbed in processing the images that they appear less distracted by the startling noise. However, these patterns were only found for participants low in racial regard. Young adults who felt positively about their racial background did not exhibit differential processing of startle stimuli as a function of slide themes. Race-rejection sensitivity did not moderate startle reactivity. Developmental implications, particularly in light of coping with racial discrimination, are discussed.

“The Higher You Fly,the Further You Fall”: White-Collar Criminals, “Special Sensitivity” and the Impact of Conviction in the United Kingdom

The resilience of some high-profile white-collar criminals in the media gaze after prison may lead some to conclude, particularly as some research also supports this notion, that this group of offenders generally manages well after conviction. Research in this area is, however, small and largely American. The authors seek to add to this small body of research by offering findings on the impact of conviction on 17 UK convicted white-collar criminals after completion of their sentence. It provides a unique insight into the consequences of conviction, showing that although there were some offenders who did experience limited impact and coped well, there was also a significant group who suffered a decline in status, financial losses, negative media coverage, and relationship and mental health problems, to name some. The authors argue more research is needed on this group and their needs as they are often neglected by the criminal justice system.     

How people organise cultural attitudes: cultural belief systems and the populist radical right

Political scientists generally agree that all individuals structure their cultural attitudes in the same unidimensional fashion. However, various populist radical right parties remarkably combine moral progressiveness with conservatism regarding immigration-related issues. This suggests that the structuring of cultural attitudes among the electorate may also be more complex than typically assumed. Applying Correlational Class Analysis to representative survey data, the study uncovers three cultural belief systems. For individuals adhering to an integrated one, all cultural attitudes are interdependent, as typically assumed. However, two alternative belief systems are also uncovered: intermediate and partitioned. In the latter, positions on one cultural attitude (e.g. ethnocentrism) are barely related to positions on others (e.g. rejecting Islam or opposing homosexuality). The existence of multiple cultural belief systems challenges the widely held assumption that all people organise their cultural attitudes similarly. Both political party agendas and individuals’ education level and religion appear key to understanding variation in belief systems.     

Race-Based Peremptory Challenges: An Empirical Analysis of Litigation from the U.S. Court of Appeals, 2002–2006

This paper examines race-based peremptory challenges. Such challenges occur during the voir dire jury selection process. The process allows both the defense and the prosecution to strike jurors who they believe will not decide cases fairly. However, in the case of Batson v. Kentucky 476 U.S. 79 (1986), the Supreme Court ruled that race could not be used as a factor in eliminating prospective jurors. This paper examines federal litigation for five years in which it was alleged that race was used as a factor in removing a juror. An examination of the cases revealed that most of the cases involved sole male litigants who allege that there were multiple race-based peremptory challenges used in their cases. Moreover, most of the cases that led to the allegations involved violent offenses. Other case characteristics are noted, but of most significance was the finding that most appellants lost their cases. As such, the courts felt that most of the challenges were, in fact, race neutral. The implications of this research are discussed. This study was funded by an undergraduate research grant from Penn State University.     

用串联质谱法提高毒鼠强的检测灵敏度

目的建立一种能避免生物样品中杂质的干扰,提高毒鼠强检测灵敏度的方法。方法应用串联质谱法,对生物样品中的毒鼠强进行检验研究。结果在样品无需净化的情况下,以m/z240为母离子,当激活电压在0.8V左右时,毒鼠强二次电离的离子碎片适中,质谱谱图清晰;此时进样量为1.0ng的毒鼠强,其信噪比(s/n)为87,经与全扫描质谱法进行比较灵敏度大为提高。结论该方法能有效提高毒鼠强检测灵敏度,适用于同类案件检验。     

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires,

Forensic anthropologists are regularly asked to assist with the identification of unknown individuals using comparative medical radiography. This study addressed the use of midline medical sternotomy wires as a means for personal identification. Antemortem and postmortem radiographic comparisons were completed by 46 professional forensic anthropologists and anthropology graduate students familiar with comparative medical radiography as a technique for assessing identification. Participants were asked to make five radiographic matches from a pool of 20 radiographs. Participants also completed an anonymous survey detailing their education level and experience making radiographic comparisons. Participants were 99.5% accurate in matching the radiographs. Sensitivity was 98.7%, and specificity was 99.7%. Logistic regression analysis found no statistically significant differences in the participants' ability to make a correct match. As the high accuracy rates indicate, the shape, size, and various characteristics of the sternotomy wires are individualizing and can confidently be used when assisting with personal identification cases.     

Missing Data Problems in Criminological Research: Two Case Studies

This paper considers the problem of missing data in two circumstances commonly confronted by criminologists. In the first circumstance, there is missing data due to subject attrition—some cases drop out of a study. In this context, analysts are frequently interested in examining the association between an independent variable measured at time t(x _t ) and an outcome variable that is measured at time t + 1(y _t + 1); the problem is that the outcome variable is only observed for those cases which do not drop out of the study. In the second circumstance there is missing data on an independent variable of interest for typical reasons (i.e., the respondent did not wish to answer a question or could not be located). In this case, researchers are interested in estimating the association between the independent variable with missing data and an outcome variable that is fully observed. Criminologists often handle these two missing data problems by conducting analyses on the subsample of observations with complete data. In this paper, we explore this problem with two case studies and we then illustrate the use of methods that directly address the uncertainty produced by missing data.     

益化清解方对2型糖尿病大鼠炎性分子网络的影响

[HT5K]目的:观察益化清解方对2型糖尿病（T2DM）大鼠炎性分子网络调控的影响。方法:复制T2DM大鼠模型,治疗组用益化清解方中药灌胃,并与模型组、二甲双胍组及正常组作对照。分别在给药前和给药第15,30天检测T2DM大鼠的肿瘤坏死因子 α（TNF α）、白介素6(IL 6）、高敏C 反应蛋白（hsCRP）、脂联素(Adiponectin,Adp)、瘦素(leptin）水平,探讨其变化与空腹血糖（FBG）、血清胰岛素（FINS）及胰岛素敏感性指数（ISI）的关系;并检测各组大鼠脂肪组织脂联素及骨骼肌组织脂联素受体R1 Mrna表达水平,探讨Adp、Adp受体与这些因素之间的关系。结果:益化清解方能显著降低T2DM大鼠血糖、血脂、C反应蛋白等水平,并提高胰岛素敏感性,改善糖尿病大鼠的脂肪组织Adp Mrna表达水平。结论:益化清解方对糖、脂双调节的作用可能是通过增加胰岛素敏感性而实现的,其与改善糖尿病大鼠的脂肪组织Adp Mrna表达相关.