‘In and Against the State’? Venezuela’s Education Missions and the Struggle for a Democratic Alternative

In Latin America, dissatisfaction with neoliberal democracy has led to a search for alternatives based on more participatory forms of citizen engagement that have overtly pedagogical dimensions. This paper focuses on Venezuela’s Adult Education Missions to illustrate the possibility but also the inherent contradictions of education ‘in and against the state’ to enhance grassroots critical consciousness and mobilisation. It argues that while considerable progress has been made at the micro level, structural change from above to redistribute power and transform capitalist relations of production has been insufficient and that this threatens the future of the project for radical social change.     

Loss of heterozygosity detected in a short tandem repeat (STR) locus commonly used for human DNA identification

Short tandem repeat (STR) markers are commonly used in basic genetic research and in human identification testing. Clinically, STRs can be used to study genetic alterations in tumors. A genetic deletion common to many types of cancer is referred to as the loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Numerous examples of LOH in cancer have been described and some have been mapped to areas located in close proximity to markers employed in human identity testing. Despite this fact, LOH has rarely been observed for STR loci commonly employed in forensic testing. Recently, for medico-legal purposes, we were asked to determine whether a tissue biopsy originated from a particular individual. For a reference source we assessed two specimens, one from normal tissue and one from cancerous tissue. When both reference specimens were used to generate DNA profiles, we observed LOH at one STR locus, D13S317. As demonstrated in other cancers only the cancerous biopsy demonstrated LOH. The forensic community should be cognizant of these unusual circumstances because, as identification of human DNA continues to be used more extensively, certain instances will arise in which reference material will not be readily available. In these situations, archived specimens may be employed as a reference source. Clinical specimens such as tissue biopsies should be used with caution if they have not been confirmed to contain normal tissue.     

Carbon monoxide poisoning

This paper illustrates the remarkable fall of carbon monoxide poisoning due to the abolition of coal gas in the 1970 era and a corresponding decrease in suicide deaths. It enfolds the varying forms of suicide and accident according to age, sex and circumstance.     

Mothers Affected by Domestic Violence: Intersections and Opportunities with the Justice System

Secondary analysis from two qualitative studies was used to explore the interactions of mothers exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) with the justice system. Results were categorized according to three key themes: (a) negative interactions within the justice system, (b) positive interactions within the justice system, and (c) recommendations for an improved justice system response to domestic violence. Overall, findings suggested that mothers affected by domestic violence are confronted with negative attitudes and ineffectual practices within convoluted bureaucratic criminal justice systems, leaving many feeling revictimized. Despite the negative aspects of the legal system, women in both studies cited positive examples of feeling comforted, validated, and even empowered by the actions of the specific service providers. The findings of both studies underscore the need for greater efficiencies within the justice system and mandatory training for service providers, making it easier for women who have left their abusers to access appropriate support services, as well as the importance of affirmational support particularly when it can be provided by a peer with shared experiences. Future research is needed to guide the development of interventions that will limit the impacts of IPV exposure on child developmental outcomes.     

Arab Defamation Laws: A Comparative Analysis of Libel and Slander in the Middle East

Nations in the Arab world are known for their restrictions on press freedom, with public officials often using defamation laws to hinder good journalism. To promote reform, this article analyzes defamation laws of six Arab countries – Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya and the United Arab Emirates – and compares them to international norms. In areas with strong press protections, three characteristics related to defamation law were identified. First, defamation cases should be handled by civil lawsuits rather than police complaints, so journalists are not threatened with jail for their reporting. Second, the law must afford greater scrutiny for public figures than for private individuals so that the powerful cannot stifle public debate. Third, truth must be an absolute defense against allegations of defamation, so that people cannot protect an undeserving good reputation. The analysis reveals that defamation provisions in these countries are not in alignment with international norms.     

Isolation of tooth pulp cells for sex chromatin studies in experimental dehydrated and cremated remains.

In experiments designed to assess sex chromatin in artificially mummified and heated pulp tissue, a method was devised that successfully separates cells while minimizing nuclear damage. Sex chromatin (both Barr bodies and F-bodies) is shown to preserve in dehydrated human pulps up to one year. Human pulp tissue retains sex diagnostic characteristics when heated to 100 degrees C for up to 1 h. Parallel experiments on extracted teeth from young pigs reveals comparable tissue preservation. Heat penetration is retarded, however, in unextracted pig teeth in fleshed jaws such that temperatures could be raised to 300 degrees C for longer than 1 h. Heat penetration into fleshed material was further tested by the insertion of thermocouple probes to assess the temperature attained within the pulp chamber. At chamber temperatures up to 75 degrees C sex diagnosis in human pulps from extracted teeth was still possible. In outdoor incineration of fleshed pigs' heads in an open fire, 75 degrees C in the pulp chamber was reached at a fire temperature within the range 500-700 degrees C. The implications of these findings for forensic situations are described.