Suicide by injection of a veterinarian barbiturate euthanasia agent: report of a case and toxicological analysis

The history and toxicological findings of a suicidal case involving injection of a veterinarian barbiturate euthanasia agent (Vetanarcol containing pentobarbital are presented. Blood pentobarbital concentrations compatible with drug overdose were determined. Almost identical levels were found in blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and vitreous humour (VH). The highest concentration was measured in the bile. The present case is compared with similar rare cases in the literature.     

Desire recast: the production of gay identity in Iran

This paper traces the transformation of sexual space in Iran during the past 200 years; a process which culminated in the emergence of Iranian gays at the beginning of this century. We reconcile the work of Najmabadi [2005. Women with mustaches and men without beards: gender and sexual anxieties of Iranian modernity, Berkley: University of California Press], Foucault [1990. The history of sexuality, Vol. 1: an introduction, New York: Vintage Books], and Massad [2002. Re-orienting desire: the gay international and the arab world. Public Culture 14(2), 361–385; 2007. Desiring arabs, Chicago: University of Chicago Press] and describe distinct moments of modern subject construction. We claim that gays are constituted in Iran through a process of heteronormalization of social space, followed by the ‘fixing’ of deviant types in law and medicine and then the availability of a positive frame of reference which makes its appearance in the mid-1990s when the discourse of identity and human rights enters Iran. We conclude by signalling a new chapter in the constitution of sexual space in Iran in which gay activists experiment with Persian culture to create gay-friendly speech.     

Performing Independence. The Apolitical Image of Polish Think Tanks

Think tanks—non-governmental policy institutes engaged in both research and advocacy—occupy a position at the intersection of different societal fields. This interstitial position determines how they operate and what language they use. Their claim to expertise hinges upon their successful presentation as independent actors. In this endeavour, an apolitical image is crucial. This article studies the role of language in legitimising the position of think tanks. How do think tanks negotiate their apolitical image? What organisational and historical reasons sustain their claim to be apolitical? These questions will be addressed here, through original empirical material based on semi-structured interviews with Polish think tank leaders.     

Evaluation of a simplified method of the conduction system analysis in 110 forensic cases

A simplified method of the His bundle analysis is evaluated by the study of 110 forensic cases. The atrioventricular node or its part were observed in 96 cases (87.3%), penetrating bundle in 92 cases (83.6%), branching and left bundles branch in 109 cases (99.1%) and right bundle branch in 73 cases (66.4%). The changes such as fibrosis and fatty infiltration show statistically significant differences (P<0.01) between progressive age groups confirming their degenerative and age-related nature. The study included as well nine cases of sudden unexpected death and two cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), for which the autopsy with histological examination and toxicological analysis resulted negative. For nine of these cases, pathological lesions were found which can even explain the fatal issue. Moreover, in the cases with known cause of death, potentially lethal changes were noticed. This simple, low cost technique could be proposed to forensic pathologists as easy to fit into the routine processing of autopsy material, allowing the detection of major abnormalities with minimal effort. The authors also consider the difficulties related to the interpretation of the pathological findings in the conduction system.     

Sex‐ and Size‐Related Patterns of Carrion Visitation in Necrodes littoralis (Coleoptera: Silphidae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

The estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) based on successional patterns of adult insects is largely limited, due to the lack of potential PMI markers. Sex and size of adult insects could be easily used for such estimation. In this study, sex‐ and size‐related patterns of carrion attendance by adult insects were analyzed in Necrodes littoralis (Coleoptera: Silphidae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). For both species, abundance of males and females changed similarly during decomposition. A slightly female‐biased sex ratio was recorded in N. littoralis. Females of N. littoralis started visiting carcasses, on average, one day earlier than males. There was a rise in size of males of N. littoralis at the end of decomposition, whereas for females of both species and males of C. maxillosus, no size‐related patterns of carrion visitation were found. Current results demonstrate that size and sex of adult carrion beetles are poor indicators of PMI.     

Marginalization in Urban Spaces of the Global South: Urban Refugees in Cairo

The paper explores the marginalization of Sudanese refugeesin Cairo, arguing that although socially, economically, culturallyand politically marginalized, refugees participate and contributeto the transformation of urban spaces in Cairo, as they do elsewherein the developing world. The paper finds that in terms of legalsecurity and livelihood coping strategies, there is little differencebetween those refugees with legal status and those residingillegally in Egypt. Despite social exclusion and lack of accessto rights and services, some Sudanese refugees balance risksand costs of marginalization to advance their livelihoods. Ingeneral, in the context of lack of full integration possibilitiesin Egypt and inadequate assistance provided by the United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees Office and international andlocal organizations and faith-based institutions, refugees comeup with creative ways of managing their livelihoods, contributingboth economically and culturally to the host society. In thiscontext, refugees are seen as social agents, rather than aneconomic burden for the host country.