The Application of Flow Cytometry as a Rapid and Sensitive Screening Method to Detect Contamination of Vitreous Humor Samples and Avoid Miscalculation of the Postmortem Interval

Research into maximizing the speed, precision, and reliability of estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) has been a recurring object of investigation and methodologies based on the vitreous humor (VH) have provided good results. However, contamination from causes not readily apparent, such as blood, can occur, and thus lead not only to an erroneous estimation of PMI, but also interfere with the correct identification of other substances in the VH. We have developed a flow cytometry method which quantifies blood contamination and is able to detect erythrocytes in 1:750,000 dilution of contaminated VH which affects the results of hypoxanthine. It is an improvement on the previous more complex mass spectrometry method, being faster, more sensitive, and readily available. As such, it could be proposed for the rapid screening of appropriate samples by detecting and eliminating blood contaminated samples from PMI estimation.     

Prefatory Note

In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that segregatedschools were inherently unequal in the historic Brown v. Boardof Education decision. At that time, schools in the South weresegregated by law, and those in many other districts were defacto segregated by either official policy or housing patterns(Clotfelter, 2004). In addition     

The trust “builders” in the technology transfer relationships: an Italian science park experience

This study proposes and assesses the effectiveness of a solution for disseminating trust in the technology transfer services. Focusing on the original experience of a science park located in Northern Italy, we propose a model focused on interface figures capable of conducting a direct dialogue with an enterprise and gaining its trust thanks to their reputation of reliability and expertise, the informal-personalised nature of the contact and their geographic, social, cultural and professional proximity. These factors stem from the features of this particular “boundary spanner” who identifies in the case-study with retired business owners/managers. This solution has proven to be particularly effective for small and medium-sized enterprises that typically show a preference for local and informal contacts within the networks and the need to refer to guide-figures when interacting with external knowledge sources because often they are not used to such scenarios.     

Challenger Quality and the Incumbency Advantage

Most estimates of the incumbency advantage and the electoral benefits of previous officeholding experience do not account for strategic entry by high‐quality challengers. We address this issue by using term limits as an instrument for challenger quality. Studying US state legislatures, we find strong evidence of strategic behavior by experienced challengers. However, we also find that such behavior does not appear to significantly bias the estimated effect of challenger experience or the estimated incumbency advantage. More tentatively, using our estimates, we find that 30–40% of the incumbency advantage in state legislative races is the result of “scaring off” experienced challengers.     

From the Language of Class to the Rhetoric of Development: discourses of ‘nationality’ and ‘ethnicity’ in China

In the People's Republic of China's (PRC) continuous state-building project since its establishment in 1949, the notion of nation and nationality (minzu) has been uninterruptedly utilised by the leading elite in its political programmes. The notion of the ‘nationality question’ (minzu wenti) was employed especially for addressing the issues of the officially identified minority nationalities at the time when the multinational nature of the state was made fundamental. However, how a multinational character of the Chinese state is interpreted by the state elite and how this interpretation is shaped by their policies have arguably changed along with the political and economic preferences of the regime. This paper aims to explore the meaning of ‘nationality question’ during the period of socialist construction, and traces the shift in its notion during the reform period which started in the 1970s. The essay pays attention to the change in the preferred corresponding English term of minzu wenti. I argue that the substitution of the ‘nationality question’ term, which was dominant during the socialist period, with the concept of the ‘ethnic question’ during the reform period points not only to the changing character of the government policies towards minorities, but also legitimises them as the only suitable and rightful in the context of economic reforms.     

Can Facebook really be a tool for supporting citizen engagement during emergencies?

The present study explores how Italian regions and their presidents employed Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic to encourage citizen engagement. To do so, it adopts quantitative methodologies. Our results show that most public actors increased their levels of social activity during the pandemic but mainly for promoting public communication and that citizens much prefer interacting with presidents. Moreover, citizen engagement was higher when posts were published during nonbusiness hours or weekends, while it decreased when posts contained photos or videos.     

A Case of Nonfatal Intoxication Associated with the Recreational use of Diphenidine

Diphenidine is a dissociative drug that shows several psychotropic effects including euphoria, shifts in perception of reality, hallucinations, and transient anterograde amnesia. In this study, a case of acute intoxication occurring after diphenidine intake is reported. A 30‐year‐old Caucasian male was hospitalized after he was found in a confused and agitated state and unable to communicate. The physical examination displayed tachycardia, miotic pupils, and increased both body temperature and respiratory rate. After a liquid–liquid extraction procedure, GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of diphenidine in plasma and urine at concentrations of 308 and 631 ng/mL, respectively. Methylphenidate and diclazepam were also detected in the plasma. The clinical progress of the patient was favorable, and his symptoms were cured with a symptomatic treatment. The combined circumstantial elements and toxicological results of the case reported revealed the occurrence of an acute intoxication ascribable to the recreational abuse of diphenidine.