Commode Cardia—Death by Valsalva Maneuver: A Case Series

The Valsalva maneuver is used in clinical medicine for the diagnosis and/or treatment of various cardiovascular conditions. It can also be used in activities of daily living, such as defecation. Due to the cardiovascular effects produced during the Valsalva maneuver, it may be contraindicated in certain medical conditions and could be a trigger of sudden cardiac death. The incidence and prevalence of death following Valsalva maneuver in the presence of underlying cardiovascular disease, or “commode cardia,” has not been examined. In 2012, the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office (Detroit, MI) investigated 21 deaths that occurred on the toilet, fourteen of which were due to cardiovascular disease. In another 31 deaths in the bathroom due to cardiovascular disease, the possibility that the decedent defecated immediately prior to death could not be excluded. Hence, the incidence of commode cardia in this population ranges from 2.3 to 7.4% of all cardiovascular‐related deaths.     

Atomic force microscopy as a biophysical tool for nanoscale forensic investigations

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has found its way to the arsenal of tools available to the forensic practitioner for the analysis of samples at the nano and microscales. As a non-destructive probing tool that requires minimal sample preparation, the AFM is very attractive, particularly in the case of minimal or precious sample. To date, the use of the AFM has primarily been in the arena of imaging where it has been complementary to other microscopic examination tools. Forensic applications in the visual examination of evidence such as blood stains, questioned documents, and hair samples have been reported. While a number of reviews have focused on the use of AFM as an imaging tool for forensic analyses, here we not only discuss these works, but also point to a versatile enhancement in the capabilities of this nanoscale tool – namely its use for force spectroscopy. In this mode, the AFM can determine elastic moduli, adhesion forces, energy dissipation, and the interaction forces between cognate ligands, that can be spatially mapped to provide a unique spatial visualization of properties. Our goals in this review are to provide a context for this capability of the AFM, explain its workings, cover some exemplary works pertaining to forensic sciences, and present a critical analysis on the advantages and disadvantages of this modality. Equipped with this high-resolution tool, imaging and biophysical analysis by the AFM can provide a unique complement to other tools available to the researcher for the analysis and characterization of forensic evidence.     

Recouping after Coup-Proofing: Compromised Military Effectiveness and Strategic Substitution

In order to counter the threat of a coup, states often undertake a number of strategies to “coup-proof” their militaries, such as creating institutional redundancy, severely limiting interbranch communications, and basing promotions on loyalty rather than merit. As a result of such policies, however, the fighting effectiveness of these armed forces is degraded, and the marginal return on military investment is greatly reduced. We argue that leaders who have coup-proofed their militaries undertake several substitution policies in order to offset their military weakness when faced with external threats. These policies include pursuing chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons and forging alliances. We find support for these theoretical predictions in quantitative tests on data with global coverage between 1970 and 2001.     

Linking ammonium nitrate-aluminum (AN-AL) post-blast residues to pre-blast explosive materials using isotope ratio and trace elemental analysis for source attribution

Forensic science practitioners are often called upon to attribute crimes using trace evidence, such as explosive remnants, with the ultimate goal of associating a crime with a suspect or suspects in order to prevent further attacks. The explosive charge is an attractive component for attribution in crimes involving explosives as there are limited pathways for acquisition. However, there is currently no capability to link an explosive charge to its source via post-blast trace residues using isotope ratios or trace elements. Here, we sought to determine if pre-blast attribution signatures are preserved after detonation and can be subsequently recovered and detected. A field study was conducted to recover samples of post-blast explosives from controlled detonations of ammonium nitrate-aluminum (AN-Al), which were then analyzed via isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for quantitation and profiling of isotopes ratio and trace element signatures, respectively. Oxygen and nitrogen isotope ratios from AN-Al yielded some of the most promising results with considerable overlap within one standard deviation of the reference between the spreads of pre- and post-blast data. Trace element results from AN-Al support the findings in the isotope ratio data, with 26 elements detected in both pre- and post-blast samples, and several elements including B, Cd, Cr, Ni, Sn, V, and Zn showing considerable overlap. These preliminary results provide a proof-of-concept for the development of forensic examinations that can attribute signatures from post-blast debris to signatures in pre-blast explosive materials for use in future investigations.     

欧盟的决策机制:机构、权限与程序

欧盟的决策机制是指欧盟在决策过程中各机构之间形成的协同制约关系。欧盟由欧共体、共同外交和安全政策以及司法与内务合作三大支柱组成,它们分别实施不同的决策机制。本文详细介绍了三大支柱各自的决策机构、决策权限、决策程序,分析了欧盟决策机制的特点,认为欧盟决策机制的演变反映了欧洲一体化的历史进程及欧盟本身独特的组织范型。同时,本文也指出,欧盟决策机制的运作受政府间会议和各种委员会等非决策机构的影响很大,欧盟的决策实际上是决策机构和非决策机构共同参与的结果。     

信息不对称下公务员考录的机制设计

本文运用信息经济学理论来解释和分析在公务员考录过程中存在的信息不对称问题,如逆向选择、道德风险和"学历高消费"等。针对这些信息不对称问题,本文提出:保证政府部门能经济、有效地吸收录用广大社会优秀人才,一方面,要在职位分类的基础上,建立分类分级考试制度和实行专业技术岗位聘任制以克服逆向选择问题;另一方面,设计合理有效的考试录用机制,大力加强政府部门的信息化工作,扩大考任制实施范围等以减少道德风险和"学历高消费"的问题。     

志愿者与志愿精神:和谐社会的重要内在动力

本文通过对志愿者及其志愿服务的探讨,阐述了构建和谐社会的基础即治理的理念,而治理的思路又与志愿精神息息相关,具有深刻的现实意义。志愿者并非仅利用其使命感、慈善心发挥其效能,更为重要的是适应多元的社会环境。本文认为,志愿者从事志愿服务将会成为构建和谐社会的重要推动力量。     

What is the magnitude of the subpopulation effect?

The effect of population subdivision on estimated match probabilities has been raised [Nature 339 (1989) 501; Am. J. Hum. Genet. 48 (1991) 819; Science 254 (1991) 1921]. Previous work [J. Forensic Sci. 39 (1994) 319; J. Forensic Sci. 39 (1994) 988; Am. J. Hum. Genet. 55 (1994) 533] has compared product rule estimates from differing databases and found that the "subpopulation" error may be of the order of a factor of 10. This approach compares an estimate with an estimate. This paper uses simulation to extend these studies by allowing a comparison to a 'true match probability' and supports the conclusion that subpopulation effects are mild. In addition the performance of recommendations 4.1 and 4.2 of NRC II [National Research Council and C.O.D.F. Science, The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996].     

Logical implications of applying the principles of population genetics to the interpretation of DNA profiling evidence

There have been several efforts to codify the approach to interpreting DNA evidence [National Research Council, The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996; I.W. Evett, B.S. Weir, Interpreting DNA Evidence: Statistical Genetics for Forensic Scientists Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, 1998]. Despite these efforts there are still aspects of ad hoc decision making in modern DNA interpretation. This article discusses some of the remaining areas of concern in this respect. Because of the immense discriminating power of DNA evidence it is unlikely that these concerns would contribute to a miscarriage of justice. They are more likely to lead to lengthy and wasteful debate in court, and to potential appeals. We advocate a previously developed approach to DNA evidence [Sci. Justice 39 (4) (1999) 257; B.S. Weir, in: D.J. Balding, C. Cannings, M. Bishop (Eds.), Handbook of Statistical Genetics, Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics, Wiley, New York, ISBN: 0-471-86094-8, 2001; J. R. Stat. Soc. A 158 (1) (1995) 21] that would give a more solid logical foundation and hopefully lead to sounder and less debatable testimony.