A multivariate method for classifying third to seventh cervical newborn vertebrae using bone measurements.

This research provides a method to classify human newborn (9 to 10 lm) third to seventh cervical ossification centers. Nine linear measurements on the cervical neural arch were defined from 35 human neonates. Four discriminant functions were performed using the stepwise method. The model classifies 82.8% of grouped cases and 77.9% of cross-validated cases correctly. The model is useful in cases with isolated or commingled remains during anthropological or forensic investigations.     

Informal Service Access in Pro-Cyclical Welfare States: A Comparison of Electricity Theft in Slums and Regular Residential Areas of Montevideo

Abstract

It is often thought that political incumbents in developing countries abandon the poor during economic crises because of narrow and pro-cyclical welfare policies. In contrast to that view, this article argues that informal transfers for those excluded from the welfare state represent an example of “social policy by other means”. During dire economic conditions, democratic incumbents, who need the support or acquiescence of dislocated groups, expand irregular access to the electricity service counter-cyclically. Comparative time series data from slums and residential areas of Montevideo show that electricity losses respond to the political provision of both informal social insurance and informal redistribution.     

Participatory action research into donor–recipient relations: a case study

This article describes the exploratory and preparatory phase of a research project designed to use co-operative enquiry as a method for transformative and participatory action research into relations between donors and recipients in two developing countries, Bolivia and Bangladesh. It describes the origins of the idea, the conceptual challenges that the authors faced in seeking funding, and what they learned from this first phase. The authors analyse why the researchers, as well as the potential subjects of the research, were uncomfortable with the proposed methodology, including the challenges arising from their own positions and the highly sensitive nature of the topic. They explain why they decided to abandon the project, and they reach some tentative conclusions concerning the options for participatory action learning and research in development practice.     

Phylogenetic evidence for multiple independent duplication events at the DYS19 locus

Duplication events at Y chromosome STR loci have been repeatedly described in human populations. DYS19 is probably the best known example and it exhibits duplicate state in individuals from all continents. Despite the large amount of available data, evolutionary relationship between DYS19 duplication-bearing chromosomes has not been so far investigated. We address the genealogical correlation among such chromosomes by analysing newly identified DYS19 duplicated Y chromosomes by SNP genotyping and microsatellite-based network analysis. SNP and network analysis show that DYS19 duplicated Y chromosomes associate with different Y chromosome lineages. These results indicate that DYS19 duplication occurred more than once during human evolution.     

Estimation of the post-mortem interval in beagle dogs

Estimation of the time that has elapsed between death and the post-mortem examination of a body contributes to the investigation of death by defining the period during which death may have occurred. In a veterinary context, investigations involve a range of incidents including out-of-season shooting of game animals, poaching, death during transportation and cases of neglect or non-accidental injury of domestic animals. This study on dogs of the same breed, of similar weights and held under identical conditions, shows that a combination of rectal temperature, environmental temperature, gross pathology and histological changes can provide a scientifically based estimate of the post-mortem interval during the first 10 h following death, of up to one day, one to three days, three to seven days and one to three weeks.     

The limits of the physician's secrecy duty in risk situations. Special reference to genetics]

This work deals with those conflict situations that arise between the duty of secrecy by health professionals and the interest in safekeeping the life and physical integrity of third parties when dealing with behaviours by the patient, whether intentional or not, that could harm or place in danger those legal goods. The special situations of conflict that could arise in the ambit of genetic diagnosis are dealt as a special problem.     

Spain

European Journal of Political Research -