Sampling methods for the recovery of offender cellular material from victim skin surfaces

Sexual assault can cause major health and welfare issues and is considered a severe and inhuman criminal offence. During an assault, minute quantities of trace DNA can be transferred between a perpetrator, victim and/or crime scene. Transfer of DNA often occurs through strong physical skin-to-skin contact or oral acts resulting in saliva being deposited onto the skin of a victim. Understandably, the skin of a victim can be a critical scene for gathering biological material from the perpetrator to produce a DNA profile, so it is imperative that trace DNA evidence is correctly collected. This literature review aims to address the current research on sampling collection methods available and identify potential problems and factors influencing the recovery of DNA from skin-to-skin or saliva-to-skin contact. Several factors have been identified to potentially influence the recovery of biological material from skin, including, but not limited to, the effect of background DNA and shedder status. Whether or not an individual consistently deposits the same amount of DNA every time, particularly after washing hands, is still an area of constant debate. Nevertheless, background DNA has been found to impact the conclusiveness of a profile, and while it is unavoidable, a sampling method that collects the least quantity of background DNA would be extremely beneficial. There are several sample collection methods available including the single swab, double swab, tape-lift and mini-tape. Unfortunately, the use of adhesive tapes is more common for the recovery of cellular material from textiles, with little research focusing on skin as a target surface. Presently, the double swabbing method is considered the gold standard technique for sampling skin, with numerous studies utilising this procedure. While the idea behind this technique is promising, the support for this method was found to be far from universal. There is a lack of overwhelming support for any single sample collection technique, therefore a new method could be introduced using alcohol wipes. Not only are alcohol wipes pre-moistened making for a faster application, but they are also cheap and easily accessible to medical and healthcare workers. There is a need for a single study to compare all the available and potential collection methods, focusing specifically on the recovery of offender DNA from victim skin

Culturally- and Linguistically-Responsive Online Teacher Learning Professional Development

This literature review explores the landscape of online teacher learning and professional development (PD) that is responsive to cultural and linguistic differences. The researchers, a diverse group of doctoral students, instructors, and teacher educators, are motivated by the need to address racial inequities and disparities exacerbated by the recent pandemic. The review aims to understand the theories and conceptual models used in responsive online teacher preparation and PD, the utilization of technology and its affordances, and the intentional targeting of specific groups for responsive teacher preparation and PD. The study followed a systematic approach, resulting in the selection of 27 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlighted the significance of socioculturally inspired theories, frameworks, and practical models in addressing inclusivity. They, in turn, influenced various tools used to reduce barriers, create online communities, enhance accessibility, and promote engagement. Accordingly, the review also revealed that to foster inclusivity, intentional efforts were required to involve teachers from minority, majority, and international communities. The implications emphasized the importance of teacher preparation and PD in establishing responsiveness, refuting deficit thinking, and capitalizing on cultural and linguistic assets. They also underscored the need for equity in the design of online teacher training and professional development. Finally, the review concluded with the various ways AI could be looped into the process

Prospectus, October 5, 1990

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1990/1023/thumbnail.jp

Creating an Interdisciplinary Robotics Initiative @ IIT (Spring 2003) IPRO 316: Creating an Interdisciplinary Robotics Initiative @ IIT IPRO316 Spring2003 Final Presentation

The IPRO team will investigate the general area of self-powered and mobile robots and create an action plan with recommendations for specific robotics-centered IPRO projects and other activities at IIT. It is critical that the team develop a common level of understanding and appreciation for project opportunities in robotics. This can be accomplished in several ways during the semester, through (1) a hands-on project experience, (2) review of the literature, (3) field trips to institutions that play a role in robotics research, design, development and marketing, (4) organization of an IIT special interest group (SIG) focused to topics in robotics, and (5) exploration of the opportunities for IIT to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Professor Lykos will facilitate team discussions with other faculty at IIT who have expertise in various aspects of robotics. The extent to which the above five task opportunities are addressed is a function of the size of the team, level of experience of team members, and specific interests of team members. Students who have a background in robotics or are highly motivated to develop a deeper knowledge about robotics technology are strongly encouraged to contact Professor Lykos to discuss their role on the team and suggest areas of focus for the team's work before enrolling in this IPRO section.Sponsorship: IIT Collaboratory for Interprofessional StudiesProject Plan for IPRO 316: Creating an Interdisciplinary Robotics Initiative @ IIT for Spring 2003 semeste