The identification of a dismembered human body: a multidisciplinary approach

A criminal case was directed to a multidisciplinary forensic team for identification, concerning a victim whose head, having two gunshot wounds, had been separated by a sharp instrument and was recovered 6 months later. The purpose of this research was to determine the sex and age of the victim for human identification. Primarily, macroscopic examination of the skull, tooth, and DNA analysis was conducted for sex determination. A rough assessment of age was made from the skull based on anthropological findings, however a more definitive result of age estimation was determined utilizing dental morphology. The dental data showed an age range of 32-37 from the mineral examination and the formulation of microscopic measurements. The results obtained from the skull and dental analysis matched with the physical characteristics of the victim's body, the known personal data of this person, and with the superposition of the photos gathered by a formal request. Besides, the result of DNA profiling of the victim showed male gender and direct relationship with the victim's presumed wife and daughter. Generally, research on human identification consists of sex and age determination. The sex characteristics can be precisely proved from DNA tests. However, age can be estimated by skeletal, and dental analysis. In this case the performed sex and age analysis lead the research to the selective matching of the missing person's identity.     

中国汉族及日本群体7个Y—STR位点及单倍型的遗传多态性和群体差异

目的调查Y染色体7个STR位点及单倍型的遗传多态性并分析其群体差别。方法应用PCR、变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳结合银染显色分型技术,检测45例中国汉族及59例日本男性DNA样品。结果在DYS393、DYS389Ⅰ、DYS19、DYS390、DYS389Ⅱ、DYS392等6个位点中共检出33个等位基因,DYS385位点检出39个等位基因组,其频率分布在0.0169～0.6444之间,DP值分布在0.5406～0.9579之间,以DYS385位点最高。7个位点数据综合比较,二组群体间在遗传学上存在显著性差异P<0.05。由7个位点组成的单倍型有95种,中国汉族有41种,DP值为0.9960,日本群体有54种,DP值为0.9965,2群体间未发现相同的单倍型。结论上述7个STR位点属于高鉴别能力位点,单倍型具有很高的遗传多态性并显示出明显的民族特征。     

中国北方汉族与维吾尔族群体8个STR位点的遗传多态性

目的调查中国北方汉族与维吾尔族群体8个STR位点的遗传多态性。方法应用荧光标记引物试剂盒及基因扫描技术检测vWA、TH01、TPOX、CSF1PO、D5S818、D13S317、D7S820、D16S539位点等位基因。结果100例汉族群体共检出62个等位基因,累计非父排除率为0.9975;50例维吾尔族群体共检出52个等位基因,累计非父排除率为0.9973。2群体总个人识别机率均超过0.9999。基因频率分布2群体间存在显著性差异。结论8个STR位点在汉族与维吾尔族群体中具有较高的遗传多态性,频率分布有民族差别。     

Precedent Externality, Network Effect, and the Possible Inefficiency of the Evolution of Laws

Using the traditional scenario of tort conflict as an example, I argue that the marginal precautionary costs of injurers and victims are not constant, as was assumed by most previous researchers. The precedent of a liability rule has some natural externality on the precaution technology, and hence marginal cost, faced by future agents involved in torts. The adoption of legal rules therefore has a network effect, meaning that the present prevalent adoption of one rule increases the probability of its future adoption. Treating the dynamic evolution of legal rules as a random process, we are able to apply an established result in the literature of network economies to conclude the path-dependence, non-predictability, and potential inefficiency concerning the final legal rule to which the dynamics converge.