The Non-Procedural Determinants of Responsiveness

This article starts from the remarks by Peter Mair on the growing gap between responsiveness and responsibility – or middle-run responsiveness – and the declining capacity of parties to bridge that gap. It focuses on the empirical analysis of the association between economic and substantive democratic dimensions and responsiveness, which are highly relevant to the way in which parties compete and govern within contemporary democracies. Following an introduction of the topic, the second section puts forward key concepts and hypotheses; the third presents the operationalisation of the variables and the applied method; the fourth and primary empirical section of the article analyses the non-procedural determinants of political and economic responsiveness, including freedom and equality as well as several key economic structural factors. The concluding remarks recapitulate the main empirical findings and submit a number of aspects that party leaders ought to take into account when addressing the thorny issue of responsiveness.     

Doping control analysis of selected peptide hormones using LC-MS(/MS)

With the constantly increasing sensitivity and robustness of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based instruments combined with enhanced reproducibility as well as mass accuracy and resolution, LC-MS(/MS) has become an integral part of sports drug testing programs particularly concerning the detection of peptide hormones. Although several of the relevant peptidic drugs such as insulins (Humalog LisPro, Novolog Aspart, etc.), growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRPs, e.g., GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, etc.), and insulin-like growth factors (e.g., IGF-1, IGF-2, long-R(3)-IGF-1) are currently analyzed using dedicated top-down analytical procedures, i.e. employing specifically tailored sample preparation procedures followed by targeted LC-MS(/MS) measurements focusing on intact analytes, first approaches towards multi-analyte methods have been established. These allow the determination of the prohibited substances in blood and urine doping control specimens following therapeutic applications. In addition, the use of new complementary devices such as ion mobility analyzers, e.g., in hybrid mass spectrometers yielded promising data for the differentiation of isobaric insulins, which outlines the potential to further accelerate and multiplex doping control analytical assays to meet the continuously increasing demands of rapid and unambiguous test methods. Moreover, the potential of LC-MS/MS to target recombinant peptide hormones such as human growth hormone using bottom-up approaches has been demonstrated by targeting proteotypic peptides that unambiguously differentiate the recombinant molecule from the naturally occurring and endogenously produced analog.     

Personal and Vicarious Experience with the Criminal Justice System as a Predictor of Punitive Sentencing Attitudes

This study examined the impact of prior personal or vicarious experience with the criminal justice system on sentencing attitudes. Existing research on sentencing attitudes has examined factors such as race, gender, income level, political affiliation, and education level, but few research studies have focused on actual contact with the criminal justice system and its influence on perceptions of sentencing as either too harsh or too lenient. The current study utilized data collected by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. Over 1,500 respondents were surveyed nationwide in 2006 regarding sentencing attitudes. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to assess the impact of factors of interest on sentencing attitudes. Results indicated that individuals who had been charged with a crime (personal experience), or who had an immediate relative or close friend who had been charged (vicarious experience), were more likely to perceive the criminal justice system as too harsh, regardless of race/ethnicity.     

The need for a complete dental autopsy of unidentified edentulous human remains

In December 2017, a decomposed unidentified body was found near the river Tronto in Teramo, Italy. The corpse was found without any identifying documents or specific personal belongings, except for a packet of cigarettes. The medical examiner determined a gastric perforation from the intake of hydrochloric acid to be the cause of death. A jar of muriatic acid found near the body led to suicide being considered the manner of death. The Penal Court in Teramo appointed two forensic odontologists to complete the postmortem assessment and collect dental data for personal identification. The corpse was found wearing a complete set of upper and lower dentures. The dental autopsy and 42 periapical X-ray images helped generate a biological profile of a man totally edentulous with upper and lower dentures, as well as an osteosynthesis with two plates and screws in the left ascending ramus of the mandible. In March 2018, the sister of a missing person reported the disappearance of her brother, and a presumptive identification was performed through visual recognition of the decomposed body. The sister confirmed the presence of two dentures and the location of the maxillo-facial surgery for the treatment of the fractured mandible. A complete dental autopsy was able to establish his identity without any DNA comparison needed. This case highlights the importance of performing a complete dental autopsy inclusive of dental radiographs, and its value in the identification of all unknown human remains even when totally edentulous.A complete dental autopsy should be performed in all cases of human identification.

Keypoints

• Despite a corpse being edentulous, a complete dental autopsy can still be useful.
• Dental radiographs, such as bitewings, periapical images, panoramic radiographs, and CT scans, are recommended in all identification autopsies.