Chromosomal duplications along the Y-chromosome and their potential impact on Y-STR interpretation

Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) markers are being used as potential tools for distinguishing low levels of male DNA in the presence of excess female DNA as is present in many sexual assault samples. Usually single copy Y-STR loci produce a single amplicon in single source samples, and thus the observation of multiple peaks at such a locus could suggest to an analyst that a mixture of more than one male contributor is present in the tested sample. However, many regions of the Y-chromosome are duplicated or even triplicated in some individuals and this fact can thus complicate potential mixture interpretation. Reasons for the presence of duplications at multiple loci within a single sample are explored in the context of Y-STR marker location along the chromosome. True male-male mixtures commonly exhibit more than one locus-specific PCR product across multiple Y-STR loci that are not adjacent to one another on the Y-chromosome. In addition, duplicated loci typically possess alleles that differ by only a single repeat unit and possess similar peak heights.     

Populism on Difficult Terrain: The Right- and Left-Wing Challenger Parties in the Federal Republic of Germany

Right-wing populist parties in Germany were unable to benefit from the success of their counterparts in neighbouring Western European states from the mid-1980s. Despite this failure, there were several attempts to establish such a party in Germany. Even the ‘centre’ of the political spectrum attempted to approach populist structures and content, and this was especially true of the FDP during the 2002 parliamentary election campaign. After a discussion of the term ‘populism’, we analyse the different parties' opportunities, political proposals and the reasons why they ultimately failed. We then examine the recently founded party ‘The Left’ as a case of left-wing populism, a rarely discussed topic, and we pay particular attention to the development of the leftist alliance between PDS and WASG. Finally, we discuss whether a leftist populist grouping could, perhaps, have better prospects for success in the German party system than a right-wing populist party.     

Reviews and notes

Zillah R. Eisenstein (ed.), Capitalist Patriarchy and the Case for Socialist Feminism. (New York and London: Monthly Review Press, 1970. 394 pp. $5.95 paper).

The Lavender and Red Book: A Gay Liberation/Socialist Anthology (Lavender and Red Union, Los Angeles; 1976).

Janice G. Raymond, The Transsexual Empire: The Making of the She‐Male. (New York: Beacon Press, 1979. 220 pp. $12.95 cloth).

Dorothy Dinnerstein, The Mermaid and the Minotaur: Sexual Arrangements and Human Malaise (New York: Harper Colophon Books, 1977) first published in 1976.

Bertell Oilman, Social and Sexual Revolution: Essays on Marx and Reich. (Boston: South End Press, 1979. 228 pp. $5.50 paper, $15.00 cloth).     

Analysis of mutations in father–son pairs with 17 Y-STR loci

We have examined 389 father/son sample pairs from U.S. Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics and Asians using the 17 Y-STR loci in the Yfiler™ kit and observed a total of 24 differences between father and son. Thirteen mutations resulted in the gain of a repeat in the son and 11 resulted in a loss of a repeat. All samples resulted in single repeat mutations except one sample which contained a two repeat loss at Y-GATA-H4. Furthermore, two different sample pairs were found to have two mutations. An African American sample pair had a mutation at DYS458 and a second at DYS635 and an Asian sample pair had mutations at DYS439 and Y-GATA-H4.     

Complex linkages between forced labor slavery and environmental decline in marine fisheries

Recent media attention on human rights abuses in the fishing sector, precipitated by undercover investigations from nongovernmental organizations and investigative journalists (e.g., Environmental Justice Foundation [EJF] 2014 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION (EJF). (2014) Slavery at Sea: The Continued Plight of Trafficked Migrants in Thailand’s Fishing Industry (London, UK: EJF). [Google Scholar], 2015a Environmental Justice Foundation. (2015a) Thailand’s Seafood Slaves: Human Trafficking, Slavery and Murder in Kantang’s Fishing Industry (London, UK: EJF). [Google Scholar], 2015b EJF. (2015b) Pirates and Slaves: How Overfishing in Thailand Fuels Human Trafficking and the Plundering of our Oceans (London, UK: EJF). [Google Scholar]; Mendoza, McDowell, Mason, and Htusan 2016 MENDOZA, Martha, MCDOWELL, Robin, MASON, Margie, HTUSAN, Esther. (2016) Fisherman Slaves: Human Trafficking and the Seafood We Eat (New York: AP Editions). [Google Scholar]), has prompted calls from the scientific community for increased transdisciplinary and empirical research of fisheries’ social dimensions, such as labor (Kittinger et al. 2017 KITTINGER, John N., TEH, Lydia C. L., ALLISON, Edward H., BENNETT, Nathan J., CROWDER, Larry B., FINKBEINER, Elena M., HICKS, Christina, SCARTON, Cheryl G., NAKAMURA, Katrina, OTA, Yoshitaka, YOUNG, Jhana, ALIFANO, Aurora, APEL, Ashley, ARBIB, Allison, BISHOP, Lori, BOYLE, Mariah, CISNEROS-MONTEMAYOR, Andrés M., HUNTER, Philip, LE CORNU, Elodie, LEVINE, Max, JONES, Richard S., KOEHN, Zachary, MARSCHKE, Melissa, MASON, Julia G., MICHELI, Fiorenza, McCLENACHAN, Loren, OPAL, Charlotte, PEACEY, Jonathan, PECKHAM, S. Hoyt, SCHEMMEL, Eva, SOLIS-RIVERA, Vivienne, SWARTZ, Wilf, and WILHELM, T.’Aulani. (2017) Committing to socially responsible seafood. Science, 356(6341), 912–913.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Given views that social and ecological systems are interdependent (Ostrom 2009 OSTROM, Elinor. (2009) A general framework for analyzing sustainability of social-ecological systems. Science, 325(5939), 419–422. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), the need for theory development to explicate pathways for how this interdependence occurs and the potential for using policy and practices for intervention and prevention exist. Integrating ecological data and economics and human rights theory, Brashares and colleagues’ (2014) wildlife decline and social conflict framework offered a hypothesis about the negative association between fish stock declines and child slavery. Yet, more precision in terminology, pathways, and feedbacks may be warranted. With the aim of exploring empirical, conceptual, and theoretical support for Brashares et al.’s (2014 BRASHARES, Justin S., ABRAHMS, Briana, FIORELLA, Kathryn J., GOLDEN, Christopher D., HOJNOWSKI, Cheryl E., MARSH, Ryan A., McCAULEY, Douglas J., NUÑEZ, Tristan A., SETO, Katherine, and WITHEY, Lauren (2014) Wildlife decline and social conflict. Science, 345(6195), 376–378.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) pathways, the revised theory developed in this article posits how forced labor slavery and environmental decline in marine fisheries may be linked.     

An (in)effective tax and expenditure limit (TEL): Why county governments do not utilize their maximum allotted property tax rate

Tax and expenditure limits (TELs) are restrictions placed on governments limiting their ability to collect and spend revenue. Residents support these TELs, as they desire lower tax burdens and more government efficiency; yet, residents still desire the same level of public services. Property tax rate limits, a specific type of TEL, are placed upon local governments to limit their ability to collect revenue and expand authority. Rate limits were implemented on the assumption that governments would tax at their highest maximum possible rate, but this is not always the case. This article studies why some local governments choose not to utilize their maximum allotted property tax rate. Using an open systems governance approach, a panel data analysis was conducted using data from 67 Florida counties from 2008 to 2017. Results of the analysis show that the use of special districts and the age of the residential population have significant effects on property tax rate decisions.     

A deterrence study of the death penalty in Illinois, 1933–1980

The study analyzes the effect of executions and the death penalty on homicides in Illinois. A forty-eight year time series (1933–1980 inclusive) is used as the basis for this analysis. The first series of results are presented in a graph of executions and homicides by year. A second portion of the analysis compares the mean homicide rates for three time periods—years with executions, years when the death penalty was allowed but no executions were performed, and years in which the death penalty was abolished by the U.S. Supreme Court. No notable differences in homicide rates were observed for these three eras. Finally, a regression analysis was performed which included a lag structure and several relevant controls. The deterrence measure (executions) made no contribution to the variation in homicide rates. Thus, the authors conclude that there is no deterrent effect for the death penalty on homicides in Illinois.