The Brazilian bovine traceability system: a critical appraisal.

This paper examines the creation of the Sisbov, launched to certify provenance, nutritional as well as sanitary aspects of Brazilian cattle production. Economic, social and political consequences, particularly in respect to the initial compulsory character of the regulations, are considered. The government will have greater control and more information, not only about the cattle herd, but also about the ranchers themselves. After a brief historical review of similar programs in France, with links to the "Mad Cow" Disease, the origins and initial objectives of Sisbov are examined. A connection is made with the development of Information Systems and the development of subcutaneous chips used to identify their bearers

Take Me Out In A Velie Car

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/6353/thumbnail.jp

Deformation and rupture of armour grade steel under localised blast loading

A series of 30 blast experiments were conducted on monolithic steel panels of two armour grade steels. The two steels evaluated were a high hardness armour (HHA) and a rolled homogenous armour (RHA). Tests were conducted at two standoff distances using a fixed charge diameter. The charge weight was varied to produce specific magnitudes of blast loading and to isolate the rupture threshold of each material. The results indicated that the HHA steel, generally reserved for ballistic protection, outperformed a more ductile RHA steel in terms of both its deformation resistance and rupture threshold. Optical and scanning electron microscopy was utilised for fractographic analysis of the ruptured plates. The failure of the steels in this investigation was found to be initiated by slant shear fracture with little to no localised thinning. This is in contrast to the tensile instability and ductile tearing predicted by established theories of plate rupture for mild steels under blast loading. The deformation and rupture of the candidate steels was analysed for all experimental conditions and compared to current empirical models based on a non-dimensional impulse parameter. While deformation behaviour is well predicted, the blast rupture threshold of the armour grade steels is poorly captured by current empirical modelling approaches. The identified shear fracture mode leads to lower energy absorption capabilities of the material compared to more ductile tensile failure

Impact of dysfunctional maternal personality traits on risk of offspring depression, anxiety and self-harm at age 18 years:a population-based longitudinal study

BackgroundThe impact of underlying parental psychological vulnerability on the future mental health of offspring is not fully understood. Using a prospective cohort design, we investigated the association between dysfunctional parental personality traits and risks of offspring self-harm, depression and anxiety.MethodsThe association between dysfunctional parental personality traits (monotony avoidance, impulsivity, anger, suspicion, and detachment), measured in both mothers and fathers when offspring were age 9 years, and risk of offspring depression, anxiety and self-harm at age 18 years, was investigated in a population-based cohort (ALSPAC) from over 8000 parents and children.ResultsHigher levels of dysfunctional maternal, but not paternal, personality traits were associated with an increased risk of self-harm, depression, and anxiety in offspring. Maternal associations were best explained by the accumulation of dysfunctional traits. Associations were strongest for offspring depression: Offspring of mothers with three or more dysfunctional personality traits were 2.27 (1.45–3.54, p &lt; 0.001) times as likely to be depressed, compared with offspring of mothers with no dysfunctional personality traits, independently of maternal depression and other variables.ConclusionsThe accumulation of dysfunctional maternal personality traits is associated with the risk of self-harm, depression, anxiety in offspring independently of maternal depression and other confounding variables. The absence of associations for equivalent paternal traits makes a genetic explanation for the findings unlikely. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Mothers with high levels of dysfunctional personality traits may benefit from additional support to reduce the risk of adverse psychological outcomes occurring in their offspring.</jats:sec

The truth about snitches: an archival analysis of informant testimony

Informants are witnesses who often testify in exchange for an incentive (i.e. jailhouse informant, cooperating witness). Despite the widespread use of informants, little is known about the circumstances surrounding their use at trial. This study content-analyzed trials from 22 DNA exoneration cases involving 53 informants. Because these defendants were exonerated, the prosecution informant testimony is demonstrably false. Informant characteristics including motivation for testifying, criminal history, relationship with the defendant and testimony were coded. Most informants were prosecution jailhouse informants; however, there were also defence jailhouse informants and prosecution cooperating witnesses. Regardless of informant type, most denied receiving an incentive, had criminal histories, were friends/acquaintances of the defendant and had testimonial inconsistencies. In closing statements, attorneys relied on informant testimony by either emphasizing or questioning its reliability. The impact of informant testimony on jurors’ decisions is discussed in terms of truth-default theory (TDT), the fundamental attribution error and prosecutorial vouching

The truth about snitches: an archival analysis of informant testimony

Informants are witnesses who often testify in exchange for an incentive (i.e. jailhouse informant, cooperating witness). Despite the widespread use of informants, little is known about the circumstances surrounding their use at trial. This study content-analyzed trials from 22 DNA exoneration cases involving 53 informants. Because these defendants were exonerated, the prosecution informant testimony is demonstrably false. Informant characteristics including motivation for testifying, criminal history, relationship with the defendant and testimony were coded. Most informants were prosecution jailhouse informants; however, there were also defence jailhouse informants and prosecution cooperating witnesses. Regardless of informant type, most denied receiving an incentive, had criminal histories, were friends/acquaintances of the defendant and had testimonial inconsistencies. In closing statements, attorneys relied on informant testimony by either emphasizing or questioning its reliability. The impact of informant testimony on jurors’ decisions is discussed in terms of truth-default theory (TDT), the fundamental attribution error and prosecutorial vouching