Recommendations for consistent treatment of length variants in the human mitochondrial DNA control region

Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis is a valuable forensic tool, useful in cases where the amount of extracted DNA is low or highly degraded. Population databases are used to determine the relative rarity of a particular profile obtained in a forensic case. Rather than full DNA sequence information, sequence profiles are compared to a reference sequence, and the differences from the reference are recorded in forensic databases. A standard method is proposed for characterizing length variants, and examples are described using actual human control region mtDNA profiles. Consistency in alignment and nomenclature avoids inadvertently describing two sequences as different when in fact they are the same.     

Demographic, pathologic, and toxicological profiles of 127 decedents testing positive for ephedrine alkaloids

The relative toxicity of ephedra-containing dietary supplements is disputed. In order to ascertain the magnitude of the problem, we reviewed all autopsies in our Medical Examiner's jurisdiction, from 1994 to 2001, where ephedrine or any its isomers (E+) were detected. Toxicology testing results were tabulated and anatomic findings in E+ cases were compared to those in a control group of drug-free trauma victims. Of 127 E+ cases identified, 33 were due to trauma. Decedents were mostly male (80.3%) and mostly Caucasian (59%). Blood ephedrine concentrations were <0.49 mg/l in 50% of the cases, range 0.07-11.73 mg/l in trauma victims, and 0.02-12.35 mg/l in non-trauma cases. Norephedrine (NE) was present in the blood of 22.8% (mean of 1.81 mg/l, S.D.=3.14 mg/l) and in the urine of 36.2% (mean of 15.6 mg/l, S.D.=21.50mg/l). Pseudoephedrine (PE) was present in the blood of 6.3% (8/127). More than 88% (113/127) of the decedents also tested positive for other drugs, the most common being cocaine (or its metabolites) and morphine. The most frequent pathologic diagnoses were hepatic steatosis (27/127) and nephrosclerosis (22/127). Left ventricular hypertrophy was common, and coronary artery disease (CAD) detected in nearly one third of the cases. The most common findings in E+ deaths are those generally associated with chronic stimulant abuse, and abuse of other drugs was common in those with CAD. There were no cases of heat stroke or rhabdomyolysis. In most cases, norephedrine was not detected, suggesting it plays no role in ephedrine toxicity.     

City government structure: are some institutions undersupplied?

City councilors have a vested interest in maintaining the local government structure that got them elected. This resistance to change may result in non-optimal supplies of particular local political institutions as cities and metropolitan areas experience changes in population and diversity. Using unique data from the State of Florida, we show that there is an undersupply of cities offering larger council sizes. Our evidence also suggests that there is no undersupply of cities with the mayor-council versus the council-manager form of government or cities with at-large versus district election methods.     

The Control of Public Networks

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the control of networks, an issue that we believe is critical for explaining the overall effectiveness of public networks. We first discuss why it is important to study the issue and why it has been neglected as a topic by public management and organization scholars. We then present the various types of control and how they are utilized in a network context. Finally, we discuss how the mechanisms of control might be related to network effectiveness, drawing heavily on an understanding of how this relationship is addressed by contingency theorists. We close by posing challenges to researchers for developing new insights into the control of networks and why this knowledge is relevant for public managers and policy makers.