The Impact of genetic fingerprinting and gene profiling in Forensic Science Free Essays

Gene profiling and genetic fingerprinting was unheard of in Forensic Science 20 years ago. DNA testing was initially introduced in the 1980s and the first court case, which saw a man put behind bars due to the forensic evidence was in 1985. Following the success of the use of physical proof, numerous cases around the world from paternity tests to identification of American soldiers from the Vietnam War have been solved. We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of genetic fingerprinting and gene profiling in Forensic Science or any similar topic only for you Order Now A person’s DNA (de-oxyribonucleic acid) can be found from a single strand of hair, skin under a murder victim’s nails or bodily fluids such as sweat, saliva, semen and blood. The chances of a sample of DNA being the same as another person, other than monozygotic twins is 1 in 24 million. This is why recent cases such as that of Sarah Payne rely so much on DNA samples found at the crime scene. In this case a single strand of Sarah’s hair was found on Roy Whitting’s sweatshirt and matching fibres from his sweatshirt were found on her shoe, although there was slight controversy as to whether the evidence was contaminated. The method for extracting the DNA from a sample is a complex one. The technique was first developed in this country in 1985, the year of the first proven case. Firstly the DNA must be extracted from the sample of body tissue or fluid. This could be a very small amount in a criminal investigation where the offender could’ve taken every precaution to avoid being caught. A process called Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) then multiplies the sample and produces millions of identical strands of DNA. PCR is completed by a â€Å"repetitious, cyclic programme of heating and cooling the substance together with a heat resistant DNA polymerase and two specific DNA primers. The polymerase and primers reproduce a small region of a genome, the whole of the DNA of the organism.† – quoted from DNA in Forensic Science by J. Robertson, A.M. Ross and L.A. Burgoyne. Forensic scientists use PCR to produce plenty of DNA to carry out all the necessary experiments to obtain a conclusive result. The DNA is then broken up, using enzymes, into standard fragments. The enzymes used cut the DNA at precise sequences of A C G and T in the DNA. A few fragments are then chosen and separated by size on a gel. The gel is then exposed to radioactive samples of the DNA. This produces different sized bands and the bands that have the same sequence of DNA are prominent. Generally the DNA evidence found at the scene is tested and the suspect may have a blood test or a saliva sample from the inside of the cheek, which will also be tested. The two samples will be tested and compared several times. If the two samples have 5 bands or more that match the result is considered as decisive. In 1992, after many years of arguments for and against the gene profiling, the National Research Agency accepted the method as a reliable one to help identify criminal suspects and shortly after the procedure entered the mainstream court system. Genetic fingerprinting is now so common it’s difficult to avoid in everyday society. The accuracy of gene profiling is very good. The chance of two people sharing one band of DNA is approximately 1 in 30. This may not seem like there is much chance of identifying a person, as there is a fairly high possibility of it being a number of people. However, the National Research Agency has a policy stating that at least 5 bands have to match for the test to be considered as positive. This means that the probability goes from 1 in 30 to 1 in 30 x 30 x 30 x 30 x 30, which is equal to 1 in 24 million providing the two samples aren’t from blood relatives. This is why genetic fingerprinting is considered as firm proof in a court of justice. Overall, the chance of getting a DNA test wrong is slim, providing the tests are carried out properly. However, just because someone’s DNA is found at a crime scene doesn’t prove that the suspect is guilty. There are many other areas of law that need to be investigated before a verdict can be decided. Some offences that are committed rely almost solely on forensic evidence such as that of rape. If semen is discovered and recognized as that of the suspect then that is nearly a conclusive result. The suspect may claim that the other party consented to sexual intercourse, but would find it difficult to deny that intercourse took place. Nevertheless, forensic evidence does have its problems. Firstly the tests have to be carried out in fully sterile conditions to ensure that the DNA isn’t distorted in any way. It is crucial that the sample before PCR takes place is not contaminated as PCR will produce several thousands of exact clones and all the forthcoming tests could be inaccurate. Also, over time mutation of a sample takes place, gradually decreasing the likelihood of identifying a suspect perfectly. There have been experiments carried out to test how quickly mutation takes place. Scientists have found that, with blood and semen stains kept at room temperature for more than four years, it was almost impossible to identify any reliable DNA information due to mutation. In some cases, such as rape, the evidence can disappear within a matter of hours. When testing for semen in a rape case, the DNA should be found within 20 hours of the crime. Following the first 20 hours, the probability of obtaining an accurate identification decreases hour by hour. Conclusion With the slim chance of 2 people’s DNA making a full match, gene profiling is a definite way of proving whether a person was at a crime scene or not. Whether they actually committed the crime is a different matter. Providing all tests are carried out well and the DNA is extracted properly and without contamination then the results should be extremely accurate. On the whole, gene profiling has taken forensic science that stage further and it has developed to being a crucial part in identifying criminals all over the world. There remain ethical difficulties which have yet to be resolved, for example, the establishment of a DNA database, human rights and civil liberties, the use of DNA information in unrelated legal cases, etc, but these issues will be addressed in due course. How to cite The Impact of genetic fingerprinting and gene profiling in Forensic Science, Papers

Japanese companies running out of excuses - myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Japanese companies running out of excuses. Answer: After the heady days of the US and global financial meltdown of 2007/2008; the UAW allowed some manufacturers to introduce two-tier wages with the aim of lowering production costs and to spur growth in the depressed automotive sector . Apart from helping save the auto makers, the system has helped spur a growth in jobs in the industry, with hitherto closed factories being opened and creating job opportunities for the unemployed, even if the entry wages are nearly half that of tier 2 employees (Lee, 2011). The two-tier systems has helped create jobs and spur the growth of jobs in the US Auto industry Inevitably, the two-tier wage system raises concerns due to the wide wage disparity between new and established workers; this is more of a social issue than an economic one. Viewed through the prism of economics, the two-tier wage system is sustainable, especially in the short to medium term; this is because it makes sense to have more people productively employed, gaining crucial skills while helping automotive workers balance their books and regain profitability that can guarantee even the entry level workers earning less a job and stable income in the future. In the short and medium term, the system has been very successful (Wernle, 2014). In the longer term, however, it will not be sustainable, especially from a social angel because as the FIAT CEO has argued, it is likely to create resentment and two classes of workers within the same factory. Talking of its sustainability, the answer is yes and no; yes because from a purely economic angle, it will be acceptable for unemployed p eople to accept jobs at a lower wage rate than remain unemployed. Some of the drawbacks to two tier wage systems is obvious resentment from those paid less and problems with unions of equal pay for equal work. It will also help the auto makers lower costs and gain profitability, and this will lead to expansion and opening of new plants that will increase employment. Meanwhile, the entry level employees will eventually move to the established employees rank and earn more wages. Elsewhere, it has been successful, tied to the seniority system that has long been a tradition in Japanese companies (White, 2018). The concerns of the FIAT CEO are justified by social factors, where eventually, there will be resentment and class issues based on wages that can adversely impact productivity and cooperation among staff: this is why Marchionne thinks it will create two classes of workers. Some drawbacks of the system is that it will be complicated in the long term when auto makers become profitable and have to negotiate wages with the UAW. These are legitimate concerns; experienced workers in the lower wage bracket are likely to seek greener pastures, disrupting their current employers, so in the long t erm, the system as presently implemented is NOT sustainable: what is required is its evolution to something better Using non GM workers may be economically sound but social unsustainable; based on the Hierarchy of needs and sociological functioning, employees seek loyalty from employers and vice versa. While it may work in the short term, it is unsustainable in the medium to long term: this would be Marchionnes thoughts about the approach, it still will create resentment as well. The two-tier system will go away in the near future, with the most likely scenario is for it to evolve, say to be used for interns rather than full time employees. Union pressure, and worker demands for equal pay for equal work will eventually see its disbandment, or at the very least, its evolution (Chen, 2011) References Chen, L. (2011).Two-Tier Wages Are Likely to Evolve - NYTimes.com. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/09/18/can-detroit-sustain-its-two-tier-pay/two-tier-wages-are-likely-to-evolve [Accessed 23 Feb. 2018]. Lee, D. (2011).Two-tier pay system brings reopening of GM plant, reviving hope. [online] LA Times. Available at: https://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/18/business/la-fi-economy-wages-20111218 [Accessed 23 Feb. 2018]. Wernle, B. (2014). Why mess with 2-tier wage success?. [online] Automotive News. Available at: https://www.autonews.com/article/20140526/OEM02/305269987/why-mess-with-2-tier-wage-success%3F [Accessed 23 Feb. 2018]. White, S. (2018).Japanese companies running out of excuses not to raise wages. [online] Japan Today. Available at: https://japantoday.com/category/business/Japanese-companies-running-out-of-excuses-not-to-raise-wages [Accessed 23 Feb. 2018].

Computer Viruses Essays (441 words) - Computer Viruses,

Computer Viruses A computer virus is an illegal and potentially damaging computer program designed to infect other software by attaching itself to any software it contacts. In many cases, virus programs are designed to damage computer systems maliciously by destroying or corrupting data. If the infected software is transferred to or accessed by another computer system, the virus spreads to the other system. Viruses have become a serious problem in recent years, and currently, thousands of known virus programs exist (Reed 85-102). Three types of viruses are a boot sector viruses, file virus, and Trojan horse virus. A boot sector virus infects the boot program used to start the system. When the infected boot program executes, the virus is loaded into the computer's memory. Once a virus is in memory, it can spread to any floppy disk inserted into the computer. A file virus inserts virus code into program files. The virus then spreads to any program that accesses the infected file. A Trojan horse virus (named after the Greek myth) hides within or is designed to look like a legitimate program. Some viruses interrupt processing by freezing a computer system temporarily and then displaying sounds or messages. Other viruses contain time bombs or logic bombs. A time bomb is a program that performs an activity on a particular date. A logic bomb is a program that performs an activity when a certain action occurs, such as an employee being terminated. A worm, which is similar to a virus, copies itself repeatedly until no memory or disk space remains. To detect computer viruses, antivirus programs have been developed. Besides the detecting of the viruses, antivirus programs also have utilities to remove or repair infected programs or files. Some damaged files cannot be repaired and must be replaced with uninfected backup files. The table below outlines some techniques used to protect computer systems. Table Techniques for Virus Protection and System Backup Using Virus Protection Software Backing Up Your System Install virus protection software on every computer system. Develop a regular plan for copying and storing important data and program files. Before use, scan every floppy disk with a virus scan program to check for viruses. Implement a backup plan and adhere to its guidelines. Check all programs downloaded from the Internet or bulletin boards for viruses. Keep backup copies of files in fireproof safes or vaults or off-site If your system becomes virus infected and you have questions, contact the National Computer Security Association (NCSA) for low-cost assistance (Elmhurst, 6 Nov. 1998). Bibliography Chambers, Anita R., and Zachary W. Peters. "Protecting Against Virus Attacks." Computers May 1998: 45-62. Elmhurst, Mark. "Virus Infection: Where to Obtain Assistance" Word 97, Project 3. http://www.scsite.com/wd97/pr3.htm (6 Nov. 1998). Reed, Margaret E. An Introduction to Using Computers. Chicago: West Davidson Jones Publishing Company , 1998.

Things Fall Apart Essays - African Writers Series, Free Essays

Things Fall Apart Essays - African Writers Series, Free Essays Things Fall Apart In the book Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe is trying to give an explanation of what it is like to live in an African society. The story is about a man named Okonkwo who is a member of the Ibo tribe. Achebe is telling the story of Okonkwo from his childhood till his death. Before I read this book I did not have a very good idea of how people lived in Africa, and the ideas of I did have about life in traditional African societies turned out to be untrue. Achebe did a very good job of illustrating a traditional African society, and by reading this book I now have a much better idea of what life is like in a non-western society. I think that this was Achebe's goal in writing this book, to educate people about some of the struggles people have and life in traditional African societies. The title Things Fall Apart is a good choice for a title of this book. The main character, Okonkwo, did not like the way his father lived. He thought that a man should be strong and do typical male tasks. But Okonkwo's father, Unoka, did not fit mold according to Okonkwo. Okonkwo was ashamed of his father, and told himself that he would make a better life for himself and his family. Okonkwo was able to do this, he became very successful in the Ibo tribe and had gained a very high standing in the tribe. It was his goal to become an elder in the tribe, and it looked like he was going to achieve that goal. Okonkwo was banished form the tribe for seven years for killing a boy, and was forced to live with his mother's tribe for the seven years. Okonkwo lost all of his titles and his standing in the Ibo tribe. After the seven years had passed, Okonkwo went back to the Ibo tribe and had to start his live over. Over the seven years that Okonkwo was away, the Ibo tribe changed a lot. Most of these changes were do to the missionaries which had come to Africa to try to convert people to Christianity. Okonkwo could not accept these changes, and in a rage of anger he killed a clansman. This was the worst crime a man could commit. After Okonkwo did this he realized that there was no hope for redeeming himself and no way that he could become an elder. So he hung himself because he could not live with the fact that he would never regain his standing in the tribe. He would have most likely been killed for committing this crime anyway. Basically Okonkwo's life fell apart on him, hence I feel that the title Things Fall Apart is very fitting for this book. I thought that Achebe did a good job at writing this book. After getting into the book I found it very easy to read and follow. It took a while to get use to the names of the people in the book, and the Ibo words and phrases. I thought that the purpose of this book was not directly stated, but it was implied. The purpose was to show people what it is like growing up in a traditional African Society, and Achebe did a good job a showing that. The book is chronologically organized, starting with Okonkwo as a child and ending with his death. I feel that the audience level for this book would be high school and above. I think that there are a lot of implied messages and ideas that mature readers will pick out easier than younger readers. I feel that the book is not biased, and I feel represents the African people as well as the white missionaries fairly. So overall I feel that the book was very well written and found it enjoyable to read. I found it ironic that both Okonkwo and his father, Unoka, ended up the same way. Both ended up being put in the evil forest after their death. Unoka ended up in the evil forest because he did from a strange disease, while Okonkwo ended up in the evil forest because he had killed a clansman. I found this ironic because it seemed the Okonkwo tried to everything different from his father. Okonkwo did not agree with the way Unoka lived, and he told himself that he was not going to live that way.

Diplomatic Role of Residual US Forces in Iraq Essay

Diplomatic Role of Residual US Forces in Iraq - Essay Example he revenue end up being used in making the situation better rather than being utilized in development projects like improving the infrastructure hence pulling the countries development downwards. The political situation in Iraq has affected the gulf cooperation council (GCC) countries for instance Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UEA and Bahrain. The situation in Iraq has however been improved to some extent through the intervention of various groups that are all aimed at restoring peace in the country. This is nonetheless a justification that the country is in a good position currently and even in the future as the condition of the people in Iraq is faced with a lot of uncertainty due to the external forces that come in the name of assisting but in the long run end up not helping considerably as they have their hidden agenda. This has in a way contributed to an increased poverty level of the people. This paper looks into the diplomatic role of residual US forces in Iraq. Iraq is a country that has faced a lot of political instability especially after the war led by the US in the year 2003. The war was mainly aimed at destroying the society of Iraq through insecurity and lack of peace making the United States and other interested parties to easily gain access to the resources in the country especially the rich oil reserves. Since then, the political situation in the country has not been good which led to the signing of an agreement between the country and the US where the latter was to offer assistance in regard to restoring peace in Iraq through provision of security in the country by laying down particular strategies aimed at bringing the Iraqi people together and preventing any foreign or external attacks. The decision was made based on the United States’ capabilities in terms of equipment and military forces which could be of substantial help to the country. The agreement was also in favor of the United States as it could now have some acc ess to the oil

How Multi-sensory Teaching Materials helping students with Dyslexia Essay

How Multi-sensory Teaching Materials helping students with Dyslexia - Essay Example Knowing how each of these components affect the other makes the school teachers and school administrators have a better idea on how they can improve the overall learning experience of students with learning disability. A case-based investigation was conducted to test the difference between the use of pure visual and hearing sensory with the use of multisensory teaching materials which does not only stimulate the students’ visual and hearing sensory but also their kinaesthetic (motor memory) and tactile (hands) sensory. The research findings revealed that the use of multisensory teaching materials is better since students with dyslexia can have visual dysfunction, hearing impairment or both. This study also provided some ways on how to apply a whole school approach when implementing the use of multisensory teaching materials in the local schools. Defined by the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, dyslexia is â€Å"a brained-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s ability to read† (NINDS, 2010). Even though the level of dyslexia varies from one person to another, it is common for students with dyslexia to have problems with reading, writing, and spelling out words. With a gender ratio of 3.29 boys to 1 girl, Cantonese-speaking Chinese children in Hong Kong between the age brackets of 6 to 10-1/2 years old were found to have an incidence rate of 0.66% dyslexia cases (Chan et al., 2008). Despite the high incidence rate of dyslexia among the Cantonese-speaking Chinese children in Hong Kong, there are still a lot of middle and high school teachers who are inadequately prepared to teach students whose academic reading and writing skills are below the average level (Strickland & Alvermann, 2004, pp. 1 – 13). Modifying the teaching methods and educational environment are necessary to enhance the

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Interview - Essay Example This paper will discuss the problems experienced by Asian immigrants during their stay in USA. Being an immigrant in the USA, it is very hard to find a job even with good academic qualifications. The country has a culture of prioritizing the Native Americans and hence the immigrants find it hard to find a job. The job market is USA is flooded making many people unemployed. This situation makes it difficult for Asians to find jobs in USA. The expectations of the immigrants are very high due to the country’s economic position but in the end they feel very disappointed (Waters, Mary and Karl 429). Most of the employers will be reluctant to choose an immigrant over an American. The employers have a perception that the Americans are better than the Asian immigrants in all ways. To find a job, the Asians will have to obtain a work permit. Obtaining a work permit is very easy for Americans but very troublesome for the immigrant, the process that the immigrant is required to go through are very complex and most of them give up in the process. There is a lot of scrutinies and the requirements to obtain a permit are high. This is a discouraging factor to immigrant and most of them end up doing dirty jobs in order to survive. The interview I did on Kawon Kim Park who is an Asian immigrant proved that most Asian immigrants will want to study in the USA but not work in the USA. She was certain that after school she wouldn’t want to work in the USA due to the high competition especially for the Immigrants. According to a report by the AAPI initiative, the average poverty level of Asian immigrants in USA is 12.6 which is below the average USA poverty level (AAPI initiative retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/aapi/data/critical-issues). Such statistic creates an impression that life is difficult for Asian immigrants in the country. The statistics indicate that over 61% of the Asian immigrants