An investigation of the feasibility of inferring ethnic origin from DNA profiles.

A small experiment is described which uses databases of Afro-Caribbeans and Caucasians to establish the quality of information that might be given to an investigator about the ethnic group of the donor of an unknown crime stain. The results show that the technique can provide qualified indications, but categoric conclusions are not, in general, feasible. An appraisal is given of the technique within the operational context.     

Postmortem stability of DNA

High-molecular-weight DNA was recovered postmortem in sufficient quantities from various human organ tissues as well as from blood, although not all organs were equally well suitable. Good DNA stability was found in brain cortex, lymph nodes and psoas muscle over a period of three weeks postmortem. Spleen and kidney showed good DNA stability up to five days postmortem but after longer periods, rapid degradation was observed. Yields of DNA from blood were not consistent because of the non homogeneity of samples. Blood clots were rich with DNA. Generally, the amount of degraded DNA correlated directly with the duration of the postmortem period. However in some cases, DNA degradation was already prominent after a short period. However in some cases, DNA degradation was already prominent after a short period. Case histories showed that high environmental temperature at the site of death and/or infectious diseases prior to death were the main factors for rapid autolysis. Gradual disappearance to complete loss of the long fragments (15-23 kb) was observed in DNA fingerprinting using the minisatellite probe 33.15. No extra-bands were noted, thus excluding erroneous conclusions. However, evidentiary value of older samples was lower.     

Relationship between the concentration of ethanol and methanol in blood samples from Swedish drinking drivers

Headspace gas chromatography was used to determine the concentration of ethanol and methanol in blood samples from 519 individuals suspected of drinking and driving in Sweden where the legal alcohol limit is 0.50 mg/g in whole blood (11 mmol/l). The concentration of ethanol in blood ranged from 0.01 to 3.52 mg/g with a mean of 1.83 +/- 0.82 mg/g (+/- S.D.). The frequency distribution was symmetrical about the mean but deviated from normality. A plot of the same data on normal probability paper indicated that it might be composed of two subpopulations (bimodal). The concentration of methanol in the same blood specimens ranged from 1 to 23 mg/l with a mean of 7.3 +/- 3.6 mg/l (+/- S.D.) and this distribution was markedly skew (+). The concentration of ethanol (x) and methanol (y) were positively correlated (r = 0.47, P less than 0.001) and implies that 22% (r2) of the variance in blood-methanol can be attributed to its linear regression on blood-ethanol. The regression equation was y = 3.6 + 2.1 x and the standard error estimate was 0.32 mg/l. This large scatter precludes making reliable estimates of blood-methanol concentration from measurements of blood-ethanol concentration and the regression equation. But higher blood-methanol concentrations are definitely associated with higher blood-ethanol in this sample of Swedish drinking drivers. Frequent exposure to methanol and its toxic products of metabolism, formaldehyde and formic acid, might constitute an additional health risk associated with heavy drinking in predisposed individuals. The determination of methanol in blood of drinking drivers in addition to ethanol could indicate long-standing ethanol intoxication and therefore potential problem drinkers or alcoholics.     

The morphogenesis of electrically and heat-induced dermal changes in pig skin

In order to establish pathological evidence in dermis for distinguishing between sequelae of electrical torture and those of other superficial injuries, the skin of eleven fully anaesthetized Danish Landrace pigs have been exposed to heat and electrical energy from either 50 Hz alternating current (a.c.) or direct current (d.c.) via 12 mm large contact knobs or via a pointed 0.5 mm large electrode (only 50 Hz a.c.). The lesions have been examined from 1 to 126 days after the injury. While heat lesions exposed to energy lower than 60 joule only gave minor changes, heat lesions exposed to more than 60 joule showed changes in both collagen fibres (basophilic or eosinophilic fibres without any birefringence or coarse cross-striation in polarized light, respectively) and dermal cells (granular cytoplasm). Areas exposed to 50 Hz a.c. via 0.5 mm. electrode showed basophilic collagen fibres and in a few biopsies on day 7 calcium salts on collagen fibres. Using 12 mm large electrodes the changes were minor, but basophilic and eosinophilic collagen fibres with no birefringence or with fine/coarse cross-striation respectively were seen. Even cells with 'vesicular nuclei' were seen on day 1 and 2 after the injury. The changes in the anode area showed resemblance to that of heat lesions (basophilic collagen fibres). Eosinophilic collagen fibres with fine densely spaced cross-striation in polarized light and 'vesicular nuclei' as well as collagen fibres with calcium salts were seen in the cathode lesions. It is concluded that the dermal changes in the cathode area are specific for electrical injury from day 1 to 14. However, earlier studies have demonstrated dermal changes specific for electrical injury at day 0 and the presence of calcified collagen fibres up to 2 months after injury. The dermal changes in anode lesions were non specific and could not be differentiated from those found in heat lesions. Alternating current lesions (50 Hz) were specific from day 1 to day 7, when the pointed electrode was used, but only in a few days when the energy was transferred via the 12-mm electrodes.     

Vitamin D binding protein (Gc) subtypes by isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting

The polymorphism of the human vitamin D binding protein (Gc system) was investigated in a total of 149 sera from unrelated healthy Egyptians residing in Tanta City, Gharbiya Governorate, Nile Delta of Egypt, using isoelectric focusing (IEF) in thin-layer polyacrylamide gel followed by immunoblotting. The estimated gene frequencies were Gc1s = 0.540, Gc1f = 0.242 and Gc2 = 0.218.     

A rapid method for the extraction of cocaine and benzoylecgonine from body fluids

A method has been developed for the rapid extraction of cocaine and benzoylecgonine from post-mortem blood and urine samples. Solid phase columns containing C8 packing material gave clean, emulsion free extracts from body fluids. The total time for each extraction was approx. 10 min and the system has the capacity for the simultaneous extraction of up to 10 samples. Urine can be extracted directly, blood samples were sonicated before extraction to allow for their easy passage through the columns. The method gave excellent recoveries of cocaine (98-100%) from spiked samples at concentrations of between 50 ng/ml and 10 micrograms/ml. Analysis of the extracts was by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).     

coloniality,political subjectivation and the gendered politics of protest in a ‘state of exception’

In this paper, I shall make the following propositions: in order to conceptually capture and represent the acts of political protest in a state of exception, we will need to reorient and supplement our representational apparatuses and also our theoretical frameworks for thinking about the gendered modes of protest under emergency laws and political abandonment. Through an analysis of the ‘naked protest’ of the Meira Peibis in Manipur, a ‘state of exception’ in democratic India, I shall argue that a series of supplementations to our current thinking on intersectionality, bare life and political subjectivation are required if we are to make sense of political acts of resistance, refusal and disavowal of the law of exception.