Forced oral opening for cadavers with rigor mortis: two approaches for the myotomy on the temporal muscles

Forensic dentistry plays an essential role in personal identification procedures. An adequate interincisal space of cadavers with rigor mortis is required to obtain detailed dental findings. We have developed intraoral and two directional approaches, for myotomy of the temporal muscles. The intraoral approach, in which the temporalis was dissected with scissors inserted via an intraoral incision, was adopted for elderly cadavers, females and emaciated or exhausted bodies, and had a merit of no incision on the face. The two directional approach, in which myotomy was performed with thread-wire saw from behind and with scissors via the intraoral incision, was designed for male muscular youths. Both approaches were effective to obtain a desired degree of an interincisal opening without facial damage.     

Allele frequencies for nine STR loci in Beijing Chinese

Allele frequencies for nine STR loci namely, D3S1358, HUMvWA, HUMFIBRA/FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317 and D7S820 were obtained from a sample of 198 unrelated Chinese in Beijing, China.     

Cytochrome b gene for species identification of the conservation animals

A partial DNA sequence of cytochrome b gene was used to identify the remains of endangered animals and species endemic to Taiwan. The conservation of animals species included in this study were: the formosan gem-faced civets, leopard cats, tigers, clouded leopards, lion, formosan muntjacs, formosan sika deers, formosan sambars, formosan serows, water buffalo, formosan pangolins and formosan macaques. The control species used included domestic cats, domestic dogs, domestic sheeps, domestic cattles, domestic pigs and humans. Heteroplasmy was detected in the formosan macaque, domestic pig and domestic cats. The frequencies of heteroplasmy in these animals were about 0.25% (1 in 402bp). Sequences were aligned by Pileup program of GCG computer package, and the phylogenetic tree was constructed by the neighbor-joining method. The results of sequence comparison showed that the percentage range of sequence diversity in the same species was from 0.25 to 2.74%, and that between the different species was from 5.97 to 34.83%. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that the genetic distance between the different species was from 6.33 to 40.59. Animals of the same species, both the endangered animal species and domestic animals, were clustered together in the neighbor-joining tree. Three unknown samples of animal remains were identified by this system. The partial sequence of cytochrome b gene adopted in this study proved to be usable for animal identification.     

Detection of ABH blood group antigens in the saliva of Koreans and their stability according to storage of saliva samples

The purpose of the present study was to identify salivary molecules carrying the ABH blood group antigens in Koreans and to investigate the changes in these antigens according to processing and storage of saliva samples. Secretor or non-secretor phenotypes and salivary components carrying the ABH antigens were identified in 90 subjects, 30 subjects in each ABO blood group, by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Saliva samples were then obtained from 12 secretors-two males and two females in each ABO blood group and aliquots of both fresh saliva samples and their supernatants after centrifugation were stored at room temperature, 4, -20 and -70 degrees C. The same experiments were performed after 1, 3 and 6 months to investigate changes in the blood group antigens. In all 68 secretors, high-molecular-weight salivary mucin (MG1) was found to be the primary carrier of the ABH antigens. A salivary component of approximately 80 kDa also carried H antigen in seven saliva samples of 22 blood type O secretors. The blood group antigens were better detected in centrifuged samples. In saliva samples preserved at room temperature and 4 degrees C, the blood group antigens were either not detected or detected as degraded molecules. No change was found in the blood group antigens in saliva samples preserved at -20 and -70 degrees C for 6 months.     

Crime trends and the effect of mandated drug treatment: Evidence from California's Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act

The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act (SACPA), implemented statewide in California in July 2001, mandates drug treatment rather than incarceration for certain nonviolent drug offenders. Critics of the legislation suggest that crime increased as a result of the legislation, but researchers have largely ignored this issue. Utilizing time series methodology applied across several independent data sets from Orange County, California, the effects of SACPA on crime were assessed. Results indicate that significant increases in commercial burglaries and paraphernalia arrests may have been attributed to SACPA, but the overall pattern does not support a conclusion that crime increased markedly.     

China Internet going wild: Cyber-hunting versus privacy protection

The Internet is notoriously known to be the “human flesh search engine” in China when it is used against private individuals for the purpose of social shaming, monitoring and revenge. In such case of cyber witch hunting, personal information of the targeted individuals is often ruthlessly exposed and their lives are mercilessly disrupted. In the face of the growing resort to the human flesh search engine, the Beijing Court delivered the first ruling condemning this practice and affirming privacy rights for Chinese citizens at the end of 2008. This article discusses the trend of cyber-manhunt in China, with specific focus on the judgment of the Beijing Court. It points out the inadequacy in the ruling and argues that legislative enactment to protect personal information at the national level is essential in China.     

The pluralization of policing and the rise of private policing in China

Policing in China has undergone tremendous change during the economic transformation of the past three decades. This paper describes the plural policing bodies that have existed during pre- and post-reform periods in China. In the pre-reform period the policing bodies were generally public in nature with the public security police playing an important role in providing professional guidance to the other policing bodies. In the post-reform period, there has been a transition from a monopoly of public policing to an integration of public/private policing, with the public security police still playing a leading role in the policing network. Apart from the emergence of private policing (the security service industry), there is also a trend towards privatizing some previously public policing bodies in line with the movement toward strengthening the rule of law and towards privatization in general.     

Direct amplification of STRs from blood or buccal cell samples

Forensic databasing laboratories routinely analyze blood or buccal cell samples deposited on FTA^® paper. Prior to PCR amplification of the STRs, the FTA^® samples must undergo multi-step sample purification protocols to remove the PCR inhibitors present within the sample and from the FTA^® paper. The multi-step sample purification protocols are laborious, time-consuming and increase the potential for sample cross-contamination.To eliminate the need for DNA purification, we conducted studies to optimize the PCR buffer and thermal cycling parameters to allow for direct amplification of STRs from blood or buccal samples on FTA^® paper. We evaluated the effect of various factors on the DNA profile including: FTA^® disc size, blood sample load variation, and buffer formulation. The new STR assay enables the direct amplification of DNA from single source samples on FTA^® discs without sample purification. The new STR assay improves the workflow by eliminating tedious steps and minimizing sample handling. Furthermore, the new STR assay reduces cost by eliminating the need for purification reagents and expensive robots.     

Sequence polymorphisms at the DXS6789, DXS8377 and DXS101 loci in three Asian populations

Sequence analyses of X-chromosomal short tandem repeats, DXS6789, DXS8377 and DXS101 were performed for representatives of 3 Asian populations: 130 Japanese, 61 Bangladeshi and 89 Indonesian males. At DXS6789, the sequence polymorphism was found in 7 alleles in the Japanese, 3 in the Bangladeshis and 3 in the Indonesians. At DXS8377, the sequence polymorphism was found in 13 alleles in the Japanese, 9 in the Bangladeshis and in all alleles identified in the Indonesians. At DXS101, the sequence polymorphism was found in 7 alleles in the Japanese, 9 in the Bangladeshis and 8 in the Indonesians. Because sequence polymorphisms were found in most of the alleles at the DXS6789, DXS8377 and DXS101 loci, it was concluded that sequencing was essential for identifying the alleles at these loci in all 3 Asian populations.     

Graduate students' perceptions of contrapower sexual harassment

This study compared the perceptions of 172 graduate students to traditional versus contrapower sexual harassment. Graduate students are a unique sample due to their dual role as a student and a teacher. After controlling for attitudes toward feminism and sexual harassment, participants viewed contrapower sexual harassment as less indicative of sexual harassment than traditional sexual harassment. Those with teaching experience perceived the scenarios provided as more indicative of sexual harassment than participants without teaching experience, and this effect was magnified for males. These findings suggest that people take sexual harassment less seriously in contrapower sexual harassment than in traditional sexual harassment. Furthermore, it is possible that teaching experience makes graduate students more aware of the complicated power differentials involved in classroom settings.