Virological analysis in the diagnosis of sudden children death: a medico-legal approach

Infections are considered to be an important cause of unexpected death in children. It has also been assumed that respiratory viruses are involved in the genesis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The Spanish National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences act as the forensic reference centre for Spain. We analyse the experience of this centre in the virological study of 64 cases of sudden children death where viral serology, virological cultures, herpesviruses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and electron microscopy were performed. According to pathological findings, death could only be attributed to an adenovirus infection in one amygdalitis with upper airways stenosis and asphyxia. Human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) was detected by PCR in one case with pathological findings characteristic of SIDS. Recent infection by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) were also detected. Meanwhile, 85.9% of the cases yielded negative viral results. Twenty-eight infants were finally categorised as SIDS. Pathological findings of infection were detected in 12 patients despite the negativity of viral analyses. Although viral infection is an uncommon cause of sudden children death, a complete microbiological investigation will help to solve the puzzle of SIDS. Definitive guidelines for microbiological analyses need to be updated whilst new pathogens are discovered or new techniques are implemented in order to clarify unsolved cases.     

Genetic data on nine STRs (CSF1PO, TPOX, THO1, F13AO1, FESFPS, vWA, D16S539, D7S820 and D13S317) and two VNTRs (D1S80 and D17S5) in Rosario population, Santa Fe Argentine

Allele frequencies for nine short tandem repeats (STRs) loci (CSF1PO, TPOX, THO1, F13AO1, FES/FPS, vWA, D16S539, D7S820 and D13S317) and two variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) were obtained from a sample of 270 unrelated individuals born in the Rosario city, Santa Fe province of Argentina.     

Results of the GEP-ISFG collaborative study on two Y-STRs tetraplexes: GEPY I (DYS461, GATA C4, DYS437 and DYS438) and GEPY II (DYS460, GATA A10, GATA H4 and DYS439)

A collaborative exercise was carried out by the Spanish and Portuguese ISFG Working Group (GEP-ISFG) in order to evaluate the performance of two Y-chromosome STR PCR tetraplexes, which include the loci DYS461, GATA C4, DYS437 and DYS438 (GEPY I), and DYS460, GATA A10, GATA H4 and DYS439 (GEPY II). The participating laboratories were asked to type three samples for the eight markers, using a specific amplification protocol. In addition, two control samples, with known haplotypes, were provided. The results obtained by the 13 different participating laboratories were identical, except for two laboratories that failed to type correctly the same two samples for GATA C4. By sequence analyses, two different GATA C4 allele structures were found. One control sample (allele 21) and two questioned samples (allele 22, correctly typed by all the laboratories, and allele 25) presented the following repeat structure: (TCTA)4(TGTA)2(TCTA)2(TGTA)2(TCTA)n, but different from the one found for allele 26 in one sample included in this exercise, as well as in the second control sample (allele 23), namely (TCTA)4(TGTA)2(TCTA)2(TGTA)2(TCTA)2(TGTA)2(TCTA)n. The collaborative exercise results proved that both Y-tetraplexes produce good amplification results, with the advantage of being efficiently typed using different separation and detection methodologies. However, since GATA C4 repeat presents a complex structure, with alleles differing in sequence structure, efficient denaturing conditions should be followed in order to avoid typing errors due to sizing problems.     

A serological and histological study of the Egyptian mummy 'Iset Iri Hetes' from the Ptolemaic period III-I B.C

Serological and histological examinations of the muscles of the calf of an Egyptian mummy dated between the third and first centuries B.C. were performed. Human protein was identified, the ABO phenotype was determined as type B, and morphological disruption of the cells was observed.     

Allele frequencies of six STR loci in Argentine populations

Allele frequencies of six short tandem repeat (STR) loci were determined in a Caucasian urban sample of La Plata city and three Amerindian sample populations of Argentina. Allele frequencies showed differences between urbans and Amerindians, and among Amerindians as well. The degree of genetic differentiation of subpopulations was mainly due to the Amerindian contribution. Mapuche, Mocovi, and pooled Amerindian populations showed little evidence of HW disequilibrium, and association of alleles. In the urban sample, there is no evidence of population substructuring. Forensic probabilities of exclusion and matching showed high differences between the population groups. Finally, La Plata sample did not show differences with Caucasians from other geographic regions.     

Citizenship and Democracy: A Journey to Europe's Past

The relationship between citizenship and democracy is poorly understood, and the two notions are often used synonymously. Governing is obviously the central issue, but whereas citizenship seems to require self-limitation by calling on civic virtues, democracy is actually enlarging citizens' power. The Polish and Dutch Republics from the seventeenth and eighteenth century present an interesting mirror image of how citizenship and democracy relate to each other in political practice.     

Conditional Cash Transfers and Voting for Incumbents under Democratic Backsliding: The Case of Honduras's Bono 10,000

As democracies worldwide have reverted to competitive authoritarian regimes or full dictatorships, some autocrats have used clientelist policies to strengthen their positions of power. We contend that autocrats can weaponise conditional cash transfers (CCTs) to shore up electoral support under democratic backsliding. In this vein, we analyse the impact of Honduras's Bono 10,000, a discretionary CCT, on the electoral support for the incumbent National Party and opposition blocs between 2013 and 2017, an era marked by the erosion of democracy. Using two survey waves from the AmericasBarometer by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), we show how the CCT boosted the electoral support for the National Party as democracy unravelled. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on how autocrats rely on carrots – not just sticks – to consolidate power.