Re: Low enrollment courses

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

At 10:35 AM 11/4/2004, Joel, you wrote in part:
> Do any of you come from schools or know of schools that cancel low
> enrollment courses (sections)?  If so, how do they handle exceptions?
> In particular I'm interested in schools that use a mechanism along
> the lines of the average section size for the department must be
>  above a certain magic number.
> Or other creative ways allowing, the often low
> enrollment advanced physics courses, to proceed.
>
> Joel Rauber

Not entirely in jest, if only you can tag onto the title for the course,
 '- and Applications in Forensic Investigation ', I expect you will see
a landslide of applications. At least, judging from the local interest
from young people in this field, not entirely unconnected with the
variety of dramatic offerings on TV about crime scene investigation.

In the course of offering what help I could,  I find that fingerprint
 loops are much more common than arches, and a flat smooth surface
is preferred for generating samples.   The ink or 'inkless' fluid
 is offered in microporous smooth hard pads. Fingerprints may
 be developed by fuming specimens with cyanoacrylate glue.
Fuming is enhanced with a heater or by adding some caustic soda.
Moisture helps the process along.
The prints may then be sprinkled with fluorescent powder.

I had supposed that 2-D  optical Fourier transforms would provide
a matching modality, but it appears that particular features of a print
are coded for matches.

Do it yourself polymerase chain reaction [PCR] kits are hard to find at
 budget prices. During the last ten years a second generation of
DNA 'primers' [gene sequences] are now used to provide
high discrimination. There are also maleness DNA tests on offer.
   The gel electrophoresis  adds another instrumental step,
which does not encourage indiscriminate field use.


Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!