Nondestructive Methods for Recovery of Biological Material from Human Teeth for DNA Extraction

The extraction of DNA from human skeletal remains applied to forensic, and evolutionary studies do not exclude risks, which are to be evaluated when working with unique specimens that could be damaged or even destroyed. In the present study were evaluated several nondestructive methods for recovering DNA instead of the most currently used pulverization method. Three different procedures to access inside the dental pieces (occlusal perforation, cervical perforation, and cervical cut) have been compared with the aim of recovering as many cell remains as possible to carry out a DNA extraction. Given the DNA quantitation results, a method was proposed that consists of a cervical cut to facilitate the access to the pulp cavity and a subsequent filing of the root canals down to the apex of the dental root. This methodology allows the recovery of both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, with the minimum deterioration for the dental pieces.     

The “Sin of Omission”? Radio Vatican and the anti‐Nazi Struggle, 1940–1942

Studies and articles have recently appeared condemning Pius XII and Vatican policy during World War II. Pius XII and the Vatican are charged with having committed "crimes of omission". The papacy is accused of having remained silent during the mass killings of the Jews and of passivity when no order was given to the national Churches to act in the Jews' defence. An examination of broadcasts from Vatican radio challenges such conclusions. These broadcasts show that Vatican radio exposed Nazi persecution of the Church and opposed collaboration with Nazism. Furthermore, Vatican radio also appealed to Christians to remain true to their faith's injunctions: to defend the sanctity of life and the unity of humankind. In so doing the Vatican pursued a policy of spiritual resistance to Nazi ideology and racism.     

Can Business Development Services practitioners learn from theories of innovation and services marketing?

Business Development Services (BDS) programmes have become big business for international donors and NGOs. Focusing on small enterprises in developing countries, the current BDS approach assumes that the development of commercial markets is the key to success. Yet many of these programmes continue to have a limited impact. A review of modern theories of innovation and services marketing management suggests that this may be because current BDS support practice reflects a rather limited understanding of how new markets actually develop. Drawing on the insights that these theories offer, the authors suggest that BDS practice should develop a more evolutionary approach, recognising that service innovations develop through active, on-going interaction between suppliers and customers. The article concludes with practical policy guidelines and a discussion about tools that could help BDS to adopt this more successful approach.     

The zinc test as an alternative for acid phosphatase spot tests in the primary identification of seminal traces

The value of the acid phosphatase spot test in the primary visualization and identification of seminal traces is hampered by the sensitiveness of the enzyme to biodegradation. An alternative spot test is proposed, based on the high concentration of the more stable zinc metal in seminal plasma. The proposed zinc spot test is simple and suitable for on site investigation. Although the sensitivity in fresh stains is lower than that of the acid phosphatase spot test, this is largely compensated by the lower sensitiveness to biodegradation. The specificity for semen is higher than that of the acid phosphatase spot test. In vaginal swabs it was nevertheless seen, that samples should be taken within 24 h after alleged sexual assault to give reliable results.