An examination of the types of leading questions used by investigative interviewers of children

Purpose &ndash; The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of leading questions used by a representative sample of investigative interviewers of children. In particular, it examined whether these interviewers use the type of questions that are known to elicit reports of false activities or events among child samples.Design/methodology/approach &ndash; A total of 82 police officers who were authorized to conduct interviews with alleged child abuse victims conducted individual mock interviews with children aged 5-7 years. The focus of the interviews was an event that was staged in the children\u27s school a week earlier. Prior to the interview, each officer was provided with accurate and inaccurate information about the event, including details about an activity that did not occur. The officers\u27 task was to elicit as detailed and accurate account of the event as possible using the techniques they would &ldquo;normally&rdquo; use in the field.Findings &ndash; Although the officers refrained from using coercive interview techniques, two problematic types of questions were relatively common. These include: questions that presumed that an activity/detail occurred that had not been previously mentioned by the child; and questions that included highly specific details about an activity. Both of these techniques had featured in prior laboratory research on children\u27s false event narratives.Research limitations/implications &ndash; These results support the need for better training techniques for assisting officers to avoid the use of leading questions.Originality/value &ndash; While it is well established that investigative interviewers do sometimes use leading questions when interviewing children, this is the first study to specify the incidence of various types of leading questions.of leading questions.<br /

New Polymer Tensiometers: Measuring Matric Pressures Down to the Wilting Point

Tensiometers are commonly used for measuring soil water matric pressures. Unfortunately, the water-filled reservoir of conventional tensiometers limits their applicability to soil water matric pressures above approximately –0.085 MPa. Tensiometers filled with a polymer solution instead of water are able to measure a larger range of soil water matric pressures. We designed and constructed six prototype polymer tensiometers (previously called osmotic tensiometers) consisting of a wide-range pressure transducer with a temperature sensor, a stainless steel casing, and a ceramic plate with a membrane preventing polymer leakage. A polymer chamber (0.1–2.2 cm3) was located between the pressure transducer and the plate. We tested the polymer tensiometers for long-term operation, the effects of temperature, response times, and performance in a repacked sandy loam under laboratory conditions. Several months of continuous operation caused a gradual drop in the osmotic pressure, for which we developed a suitable correction. The osmotic potential of polymer solutions is temperature dependent, and requires calibration before installation. The response times to sudden and gradual changes in ambient temperature were found to be affected by polymer chamber height and polymer type. Practically useful response times (<0.2 d) are feasible, particularly for chambers shorter than 0.20 cm. We demonstrated the ability of the instrument to measure the range of soil water pressures in which plant roots are able to take up water (from 0 to –1.6 MPa), to regain pressure without user interference and to function properly for time periods of up to 1 yr

Palynologie et lithostratigraphie du Pléistocène du site de Donnacona, vallée du Saint-Laurent, Québec

À Donnacona, une séquence de sédiments non glaciaires est intercalée entre un complexe glaciaire inférieur et le Till de Gentilly. Le complexe inférieur comprend un till basal, des dépôts de marge glaciaire, un diamicton, quelques varves, un till et une rudite sommitale. La séquence intermédiaire est composée de trois unités: des silts et sables riches en débris végétaux, datés à >35 000 BP (UQ-678), des sables stratifiés et des silts massifs. L'interprétation paléoenvironnementale de la séquence tient compte du spectre et de la concentration polliniques, de la diversité taxonomique et de la nature des sédiments. Un traitement statistique met en évidence quatre palynozones. La palynologie démontre que les dépôts stratifiés intermédiaires de Donnacona sont en fait postérieurs aux Sédiments de Saint-Pierre, à l'exception d'une mince zone inférieure (palynozone Donnacona 1 à Picea et Abies dominants) corrélée au sommet des Sédiments de Saint-Pierre. Le reste de l'unité à débris organiques est attribué aux Rythmites du Saint-Maurice. Des rythmites saisonnières sont révélées par la palynologie. Le contenu pollinique (palynozone Donnacona 2) évoque une sapinière méridionale incluant des espèces thermophiles dont Tsuga et Tilia, progressivement remplacée par une pes-sière. L'unité de sables contenant les palynozones Donnacona 3 et la base de Donnacona 4 est corrélée aux Sables des Vieilles-Forges. Elle représente une détérioration climatique. L'unité sous le Till de Gentilly indique un environnement glaciolacustre contemporain d'une toundra forestière puis d'une toundra (partie supérieure de la palynozone Donnacona 4).At Donnacona, a sequence of non-glacial sediments is intercalated between a lower glacial complex and the Gentilly Till. The lower complex consists of a basal till, ice margin deposits, a diamicton, some varves, a till and an upper rudite. The intermediate stratified sequence includes three units: silt and sand with plant debris, dated at >35,000 BP (UQ-678), stratified coarse sands and a massive sift. The paleoenvironments are assessed from the pollen spectra and concentrations, the taxonomic diversity and the sedimentology. The pollen diagram is divided into four palynozones by statistical treatment. Pollen study demonstrates that the intermediate stratified deposits at Donnacona are younger than the St. Pierre Sediments, except a thin lower zone (palynozone Donnacona 1 with dominant Picea and Abies) which is correlated with the upper part of the St. Pierre Sediments. The remainder of the unit with plant debris is correlated with the Saint-Maurice Rhyth-mites. Pollen analysis revealed that this unit contains seasonal rhythmites. The pollen content (palynozone Donnacona 2) indicates that a southern Abies forest, which included thermophilous species such as Tsuga and Tilia, was gradually replaced by a Picea forest. The coarse sand unit contains the Donnacona 3 and the lower part of Donnacona 4 palynozones. It is related to the Vieilles-Forges Sands and to a climatic deterioration. The unit below Gentilly Till was deposited in a glacial lake coeval with a forest tundra and later with a tundra (upper part of palynozone Donnacona 4).Bei Donnacona ist eine Sequenz nicht glazialer Sedimente zwischen einen tieferen glazialen Komplex und die Grundmorane von Gentilly eingefugt. Der untere glaziale Komplex urnfaRt ein Basaltill, Ablagerungen von dem glazialen Saum, ein Diamikton, einige War-wen, eine Grundmorane und eine daruberliegende Rudite. Die mittlere Sequenz besteht aus drei Einheiten: Schlamm und Sand, die sehr viel pflanzliche Uberreste en-thalten und die auf > 35 000 v.u.Z. (UQ-678) datiert werden, geschichteter Sand und massiver Schlamm. Die Interpretation der Palaoumwelt der Sequenz berucksichtigt Pollen-Spektrum und -Konzentration, die Vielfalt der Systematik und der Natur der Sedimente. Eine statistische Verarbeitung hebt vier Palynozonen hervor. Die Pollen-Analyze zeigt, dafî die geschichteten mittleren Ablagerungen von Donnacona in der Tatjungerals die Sedimente von Saint-Pierre sind mit Ausnahme einer feinen unteren Zone (Palynozone Donnacona 1 mit Dominanz von Picea und Abies), die mit der Spitze der Sedimente von Saint-Pierre korreliert wird. Der Rest der Einheit mit organischen Frag-menten wird den Rythmiten von Saint-Maurice zugeordnet. Die Pollen-Analyse deckt saisonbedingte Rythmite auf. Der Pollen-Gehalt (Palynozone Donnacona 2) weist auf einen sudlichen Tannenwald, der thermophile Arten wie Tsuga und Tilia enthielt und allmâhlich durch einen Picea-Wald ersetzt wurde. Die Sandeinheit, welche die Palynozonen Donnacona 3 und die Basis von Donnacona 4 enthalt, wird mit dem Sand von Vieilles-Forges korreliert. Sie stellt eine KIi-maverschlechterung dar. Die Einheit unter der Grundmorane von Gentilly weist auf eine glaziallimnische Unwelt, die mit einer WaId-Tundra und dann einer Tundra zeitlich zusammenfiel (obérer Teil der Palynozone Donnacona 4)

piRNAs and Aubergine cooperate with Wispy poly(A) polymerase to stabilize mRNAs in the germ plasm

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and PIWI proteins play a crucial role in germ cells by repressing transposable elements and regulating gene expression. In Drosophila, maternal piRNAs are loaded into the embryo mostly bound to the PIWI protein Aubergine (Aub). Aub targets maternal mRNAs through incomplete base-pairing with piRNAs and can induce their destabilization in the somatic part of the embryo. Paradoxically, these Aub-dependent unstable mRNAs encode germ cell determinants that are selectively stabilized in the germ plasm. Here we show that piRNAs and Aub actively protect germ cell mRNAs in the germ plasm. Aub directly interacts with the germline-specific poly(A) polymerase Wispy, thus leading to mRNA polyadenylation and stabilization in the germ plasm. These results reveal a role for piRNAs in mRNA stabilization and identify Aub as an interactor of Wispy for mRNA polyadenylation. They further highlight the role of Aub and piRNAs in embryonic patterning through two opposite functions

Contrasting the perceptions of child testimony experts, prosecutors and police officers regarding individual child abuse interviews

The aim of this study was to compare and contrast the perceptions of various stakeholders regarding a series of interviews about child abuse. Eight focus groups were conducted, each involving a police officer (child abuse investigator), a prosecutor who specializes in child abuse and a child testimony expert. The aim of the focus groups was to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the specific interviews, which were conducted by the police officer in each focus group. Thematic analysis showed that the prosecutors and child testimony experts were relatively consistent in their perceptions about the need for more free narrative from child witnesses, and to ensure that police officers demonstrate open-mindedness when interviewing children. Differences in priorities and assumptions about the value of various interview techniques, however, were found among the stakeholders. These differences and their practical implications are discussed.<br /

Erosion influences the seismicity of active thrust faults

International audienceAssessing seismic hazards remains one of the most challenging scientific issues in Earthsciences. Deep tectonic processes are classically considered as the only persistentmechanism driving the stress loading of active faults over a seismic cycle. Here we show via amechanical model that erosion also significantly influences the stress loading of thrust faultsat the timescale of a seismic cycle. Indeed, erosion rates of about B0.1–20mmyr1, asdocumented in Taiwan and in other active compressional orogens, can raise the Coulombstress by B0.1–10 bar on the nearby thrust faults over the inter-seismic phase. Masstransfers induced by surface processes in general, during continuous or short-lived andintense events, represent a prominent mechanism for inter-seismic stress loading offaults near the surface. Such stresses are probably sufficient to trigger shallow seismicity orpromote the rupture of deep continental earthquakes up to the surface

Enhancing narrative coherence in simulated interviews about child abuse

Purpose &ndash; Simulated child interviews, where adults play the role of a child witness for trainee investigative interviewers, are an essential tool used to train investigators to adhere to non-leading, open-ended questions. The aim of this study is to examine whether the use of a training procedure that guides persons playing the role of a child in simulated interviews results in interviewees producing more coherent narratives (measured by the number of story grammar details).Design/methodology/approach &ndash; A total of 80 police officers individually engaged in ten-minute interviews, whereby an untrained (colleague), or trained respondent, played the role of the child interviewee. For each child respondent condition, the interviews varied according to child age (five or eight years).Findings &ndash; As predicted, trained respondents reported a higher proportion of story grammar elements and a lower proportion of contextual information than the untrained respondents, as well as more story grammar elements in response to open-ended questions. However, there were limitations in how well both groups tailored their story grammar to the age of the child they were representing.Originality/value &ndash; These findings demonstrate that our training procedure promotes a more coherent interviewee account, and facilitates a response style that is more reinforcing of open-ended questions.<br /

Review of Two Decades of Cholera Diagnostics – How Far Have We Really Come?

BACKGROUND Cholera, an ancient scourge, continues to inflict high rates of mortality today. The rising incidence of epidemics in areas of poor sanitation and crowding highlight the need for better epidemic prevention and early response. Such interventions require the availability of rapid and accurate diagnostic techniques to trigger timely response and mitigate the scale of the outbreak. The current gold standard of bacterial culture is inadequate for rapid diagnosis, highlighting the overarching neglect of field diagnostic needs. This paper was written to support the World Health Organisation's Global Task Force on Cholera Control mandated Cholera and diarrhoeal disease laboratory Network (CholdiNet) in devising a protocol for the validation of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) for Vibrio cholerae. The status of diagnostic tools for Vibrio cholerae is assessed, describing products that have been commercialised over the last two decades and discussing their peer-reviewed evaluation. METHOD Review of post-1990 peer-reviewed and grey literature on rapid diagnostic tests for Vibrio cholerae. RESULTS Since 1990, twenty four diagnostic tests have been developed for the detection of Vibrio cholerae in human faecal samples. Fourteen of these have also been described in the literature, with rapid chromatographic-immuno assays (CIA) featuring strongly. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays maintain the ability to detect the lowest amount of bacteria; however CIAs achieve both low detection thresholds and high sensitivity and specificity, making them possible candidates for use in field conditions. Field and laboratory studies were performed in a wide range of settings demonstrating variability in performance, however only a few of these studies were sufficiently stringent, highlighting five RDTs that showed promise in field conditions; COAT, IP cholera dipstick, SMART, IP dipstick and Medicos. In light of non-independent reporting, the authors would like to see these five products undergoing additional studies, with further technical improvements if needed and commercial production. The authors hope that public health use of such a RDT in limited-resource field conditions on stool samples may contribute to effective reduction in cholera epidemic spread.This work was supported by an ANU Vice Chancellor’s travel grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscrip