Fatal stun gun injury using a modified animal sedation gun

A 54-year-old butcher attempted to commit suicide with a manipulated "humane killer". He removed the recoil spring, the rubber bush and also the screw forming the muzzle end, which to our knowledge has never been described in a case report before. Due to this manipulation the entire bolt left the weapon, as a free projectile, penetrated the forehead and lodged inside the skull, from where it could not be removed neurosurgically. The patient died from the consequences of the severe cerebral injury 3 days later.     

Social capital in microfinance: Case studies in the Philippines

The present study examines how formation of social capital in themicrofinance sector is affected by enlarging the political or economicresources of the informal groups of poor households and microfinanceinstitutions (MFIs) that contribute to social cohesion. In particular, thischapter attempts to show how the regulatory and supervisory framework as wellas the financial innovations of microfinance institutions have affected poorhouseholds capacity for cooperation and mutual support in their fightagainst poverty.     

Mitochondrial diversity of a northeast German population sample

Mitochondrial DNA sequences of the hypervariable regions HV I and HV II were analyzed in 300 unrelated individuals born and living in the northeast corner of Germany (Western Pomerania) to generate a database for forensic identification purposes in this region. Sequence polymorphism were detected using PCR and direct sequencing analysis. A total of 242 different haplotypes were found as determined by 147 variable positions. The most frequent haplotype (263G, 315.1C) was found in 10 individuals and is also the most common sequence in Europe. Three other haplotypes were shared by 5 individuals, 2 sequences by 4, 8 haplotypes by 3, 15 sequences by 2 persons, and 213 sequences were unique. The genetic diversity was estimated to be 0.99 and the probability of two random individuals showing identical mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes is 0.6%. A comparison with other studies from Germany showed only little differences in the distribution of haplogroups. Nevertheless, one frequent haplotype in northeast Germany (five unrelated individuals) could only rarely be found in other German and European regions. Our results may indicate that despite a high admixture proportion in the German population some regions could demonstrate certain characteristic features.     

Vorzugstemperatur und Vorzugsluftfeuchtigkeit der beiden Schabenarten Periplaneta Americana und Blaberus trapezoideus (Insecta: Blattaria)

Zusammenfassung Von adulten M?nnchen der beiden SchabenartenPeriplaneta americana undBlaberus trapezoideus wurden gleichzeitig Vorzugstemperatur und Vorzugsluftfeuchtigkeit ermittelt. Für beide Arten konnten in ihren Vorzugstemperaturen gewisse Akklimatisationserscheinungen festgestellt werden. BeiP. americana steigt die Vorzugstemperatur von 26°–29° nach einem einmonatigen Aufenthalt bei 20° auf etwa 29°–30° nach einerer Exposition bei 35° an.B. trapezoideus hat eine um etwa 3° niedrigere Vorzugstemperatur. Nach einem Aufenthalt bei 20° betr?gt sie etwa 23°–26°. Sie steigt auf etwa 26° nach einer Exposition bei 32° an.P. americana bevorzugt stets ein trockenes Milieu (geboten wurden 18% r.L.),B. trapezoideus such h?here Luftfeuchtigkeit auf (45%–93% r.L.) und meidet trockenes Milieu. Ein Gewichtsverlust von 15%–18% veranla?tP. americana eine um 1°–3° niedrigere Vorzugstemperatur, aber vor allem eine sehr hohe Luftfeuchte aufzusuchen. Ein Gewichtsverlust von 20%–25% des K?rpergewichtes hat keinen Einflu? auf die Vorzugstemperatur vonB. trapezoideus; jedoch halten sich die Tiere nur ebenfalls l?nger in sehr hoher Luftfeuchte auf.

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Summary The combined temperature and humidity preferences were investigated in adult males ofPeriplaneta americana andBlaberus trapezoideus. Both species show an acclimatization effect. After spending one acclimatization at 20°B. trapezoideus preferred 23°–26°, after spending one month at 32° the preference was about 26°.P. americana prefers the lowest available humidity (18%).B. trapezoideus avoids dry air and is equally distributed in the steps provided of 45%–93% r.h. After desiccation to 15%–18% of the total body weight,P. americana prefers a temperature 1°–3° lower than that before desiccation, but in this case most of all it prefers a very high humidity. Desiccation has no influence on the temperature preference ofB. trapezoideus, but the animal spends more time in very high humidities.

     

Gc subtypes: demonstration using isoelectric focusing. Study of population and formal genetics

Gc-subtypes were determined by isoelectric focusing and immunfixation on samples from 492 unrelated blood donors from Berlin. The frequency of the three genes was found to be GcIF = 0.1270, GcIS = 0.6006, Gc2 = 0.2724. Analysis of 78 parents with 190 children did not show deviations from the expected mode of inheritance. Investigation of the adults from paternity cases and of their children on the other hand obtained similar results. No rare alleles were observed.     

Identification of menstrual blood by real time RT-PCR: technical improvements and the practical value of negative test results

The identification of body fluids can be of crucial importance in forensic casework. Recently we have shown that the detection of cell- and tissue-specific mRNAs is a suitable technique to identify menstrual blood and semen. In this paper we present an improved method using real time-PCR and the menstrual blood marker MMP-7 which increases sensitivity and specificity. We furthermore demonstrate case examples described showing that the correct identification of samples as non-menstrual is likely to be in the focus of criminal investigations. Although negative test results may have a number of other reasons, the new technique provides quantitative results thus allowing a cut-off value for the control marker GAPDH to be defined, below which negative results for the menstrual blood marker MMP-7 allow the conclusion that the sample was indeed not menstrual blood. Using these data, it is possible to apply the molecular identification of menstrual blood to forensic casework considering both the limitations and the capabilities of the method.     

Cyclical accountability

Public Choice - A new wave of protectionism is threatening the open and cooperative international order. This paper applies evolutionary game theory to analyze the stability of international trade...