8581 research outputs found
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Contraband tobacco: Systematic profiling of cigarette packs for forensic intelligence
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Tobacco smuggling remains a widespread illegal activity in Canada, associated with important social and economic impacts, and often linked to organized crime. This study explores the application of forensic profiling as an intelligence tool to support the analysis of contraband cigarette production and distribution. Physical and chemical manufacturing characteristics of seized contraband cigarette packs, provided by police forces, were observed and coded using macroscopic, microscopic, and spectroscopic techniques. Multivariate statistical analyses were then conducted to compare manufacturing characteristics between packs and identify potential links. The analyses highlighted links between cigarette packs and seizures based on shared manufacturing characteristics. The results and the identified groups were also compared with seizure data provided by our collaborator. The results demonstrate the relevance of forensic profiling to formulate hypotheses regarding shared production processes or supply networks. These hypotheses provide information that contributes to understanding tobacco smuggling and aim to examine how forensic intelligence can support law enforcement and measures to prevent and disrupt this criminal activity. A preliminary optimal procedure for applying forensic profiling in operational contexts targeting contraband tobacco was finally proposed. Despite limitations in the dataset creation that were beyond our control, this study represents a starting point for applying this scientific approach to tobacco smuggling
Design of experiments (DOE) analysis of the effects of environmental conditions on bloodstain degradation using spectroscopic methods
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Blood is one of the most common types of trace found at crime scenes. However, from a forensic point of view, the potential of blood traces is still not fully exploited, as there is as yet no reliable technique for dating blood traces found at scenes. The same difficulties are cited in the literature for published research on blood traces: the mechanisms of blood degradation are known and validated, but traces found at scenes are not controlled samples. Traces therefore need to be evaluated in the light of this uncertainty and the factors that can influence the blood trace dating model. In the course of this project, we assessed the significance of the environmental effects of temperature (10–40°C), humidity (25–75 %) and radiation (none and maximum) using three different spectroscopic techniques: Raman spectroscopy, MicroNIR spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging. The use of a climatic chamber with the addition of LED lamps (daylight and UV) enabled parameters to be controlled during a 3-day aging period for each sample. By means of a 2-level experimental screening design of the three factors, we were able to observe complementarity between the methods used. Raman spectroscopy highlighted the influence of temperature, MicroNIR spectroscopy provided information on the influence of temperature and relative humidity, and hyperspectral imaging demonstrated the influence of temperature and the presence of radiation. These results provide a better understanding of the factors that cause the blood degradation model to deviate, enabling us to develop a more comprehensive model of these factors
≪ C’est à cause de la forêt que je me suis lancée en politique ≫ : la participation des femmes aux luttes écologistes au Québec, sous le prisme de l'écoféminisme politique
Full text linkLes obstacles et facilitateurs du retour au travail selon la perspective des employés en absence maladie pour troubles mentaux courants
Full text linkRisk management in closed-loop supply chains: A methodology towards fair distribution of financial gains
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The transition from linear to closed-loop supply chains can generate financial gains through the recirculation of residual materials. However, closed-loop supply chains face risks of financial losses that may impact all stakeholders. Therefore, to mitigate stakeholders’ risk aversion and ensure their profitability, a systemic risk management approach for closed-loop supply chain managers is necessary. This article proposes a novel methodology to support a fair distribution of the financial gains resulting from the circular economy, based on stakeholders’ contributions within the closed-loop supply chain, by sharing risks among them. The main contributions of this study include the conceptualization of four risk categories to assess (pre-existing, new, individual, and interrelated), and the definition of eight stakeholders’ contribution criteria (categorized into investment, responsibility, control, and qualification). The risk management methodology was applied to a real case study of a closed-loop supply chain involving two stakeholders for the reuse of spring street sweepings in winter road maintenance. The results demonstrate that: i) the transition generates a 4,666 gain for the service provider due to risk reduction, and iii) risk sharing enables a fair distribution of the total $30,734 gain based on stakeholders’ contributions (55% for the road authority and 45% for the service provider). This study should encourage closed-loop supply chain managers to address risks of financial losses to overcome stakeholders’ reluctance to engage and collaborate in closed-loop supply chains, thereby strengthening their implementation
Les personnages féminins dans la littérature de fantasy : le cas de La passe-miroir de Christelle Dabos, suivi du Secret d’Angeldenn
Full text linkDeveloping generic skills for future health professionals: Student and faculty perceptions of a recovery college curriculum and courses
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Purpose
As health-care systems worldwide grapple with complex challenges such as limited resources, qualified personnel shortages and rapid technological advancements, there is an urgent need for educational transformation in health-care professions. This urgency arises from the necessity for health-care professionals to evolve beyond traditional roles and acquire essential generic skills such as adaptative, epistemic, relational, ethical and citizenship skills – areas identified as gaps in conventional university curricula. This study aims to investigate the potential of the recovery college (RC) model, integrated into a Canadian university’s health-care curriculum, to address these gaps.
Design/methodology/approach
Through qualitative group interviews with eight students and three faculty members and subsequent descriptive content analysis, the authors explored the perceived outcomes of this model.
Findings
The authors discerned 15 themes within the five core categories of generic skills (epistemic, ethical, relational, adaptative and citizenship skills), with “experiential knowledge acquisition” central to the training input and other significant themes including “ethical sensitivity,” “collaborative communication,” “self-care” and “open-mindedness to diversity.” The findings highlight the RC model’s potential in fostering these crucial skills among future health-care professionals and challenging prevailing epistemic injustices in health care.
Research limitations/implications
Further investigations are needed to understand the long-term effects of this model on health-care practice and to explore its potential integration into wider health-care education programs.
Originality/value
This study enriches understanding of the RC model’s role in health-care education, thereby proposing a significant shift toward more inclusive and effective health-care professional training
Le lien entre l’autodétermination et la qualité de vie chez les personnes présentant une déficience intellectuelle
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