DNA-based and taxonomic identification of forensically important Sarcophagidae (Diptera) in southeastern Spain

Studying dipterans at the scene of a death can provide essential information for interpreting the evidence and help to reconstruct the events happened to a corpse in the past. Molecular tools have been employed for identification at specific levels in the cases of cryptic species or poorly conserved specimens. Identification of specimens is essential in forensic entomology since each species has a specific growth rate, which determines the calculation of the minimum post mortem interval (minPMI). In addition, phylogeographic reconstruction within a species can help to differentiate the haplotypes from a geographic area, thereby helping to clarify the possible relocation of a corpse. The morphological identification of Sarcophagidae species is often difficult, especially for the females. This is an important Diptera family since some of its species are among the first to reach a corpse, especially in warm areas. In this study, we compared the sarcophagids found in human corpses in forensic cases in Alicante (southeast of Spain) with specimens collected from baited traps in the same area and surrounding provinces. In total, 189 specimens were collected, comprising 72 from forensic cases and 117 from baited traps. Molecular identification was conducted by sequencing the cox1 mitochondrial gene and analyzing the sequences using ABGD, GMYC, and BIN species delimitation methods. The median joining algorithm in the PopART program was used to construct phylogeographic networks. Eight species in the family Sarcophagidae were identified. The most widely collected species were Sarcophaga argyrostoma and Sarcophaga tibialis. The haplotype networks obtained for these species did not indicate a clear geographic distribution of haplotypes. The S. argyrostoma samples from Alcoy were clearly isolated. The results demonstrated that this method is useful for identifying Sarcophagidae samples in forensic investigations and it can be employed for minPMI estimation.     

Crime Trends in the EU

The paper’s aim is to show to EU policy makers, academics, journalists and the general public what the available information tells us about crime levels, trends in crime and public opinion about crime among Member States. The paper centres on an analysis of current trends on crime levels and trends based on the data available both from victimisation surveys and police statistics. The victimisation survey source is the published data collected in the International Crime Victimisation Survey. A separate analysis based on the Eurobarometer was also carried out. Data on police statistics present two separate sources i.e. the Council of Europe Sourcebook and the crime data published annually by the UK Home Office. These two sources both add considerable value to the raw police statistics by their choice of data, their commentary and their technical explanations and definitions. The paper compares data on three crime types (robbery, domestic burglary and theft of a motor vehicle) across the 15 Member States of the European Union (as in 2003). These three types were selected in line with the priorities of the EU Commission and as types of crime that are a major concern for EU-citizens. The paper has been modified from a report produced by the European Crime prevention network for the EU Directorate of Justice and Home Affairs with the permission of the EU. The members of the network are listed in the appendix.     

Importance of radiological diagnosis applied to necroscopy

The authors evaluate the consequences of incomplete necroscopic examinations wherein it was impossible to apply radiological resources to locate firearm projectiles. The study includes 8185 reports from the Instituto Médico-Legal Afranio Peixoto in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, representing the totality of corpses processed from January to December 2001; of these, 3122 were gunshot victims, 309 of which were buried with unremoved projectiles, being liable to future judicial reappraisal. During the same period, there were 23 exhumation requests by police authorities, 12 of them querying the existence of projectiles. The authors looked into the formal reasons assumed by the medico legal experts to conclude their reports from incomplete examinations, and suggest that gunshot necroscopic examinations should follow specific protocols, as incomplete autopsies will require further exhumations, at unnecessary additional costs.     

Analysis of STR loci in Cartagena, a Caribbean city of Colombia

Allele frequencies, together with some parameters of forensic interest were estimated for nine STRs included in the AmpF/STR Profiler kit (CSF1PO, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D13S317, FGA, TH01, TPOX and vWA) in a sample of 215 unrelated individuals from Cartagena (Colombia). For all loci, no significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed. Comparative analysis results between our data and those from other Colombian and African population samples revealed significant differences, except with two Colombian Caribbean Coast sub-regions.     

女大学生就业“难”问题审视与改善对策

女大学生就业"难"主要表现为:就业机会"难"与理想持平,求职过程"难"获尊重礼遇,薪资待遇"难"与能力对应,工作地位"难"与男生平等。性别刻板印象的存在、人才培养模式的滞后、相关保障措施的乏力、社会责任意识的欠缺、女性生理心理的特征是导致女大学生就业"难"的主要原因。坚持以人为本,营造女大学生就业氛围;完善保障政策,保护女大学生就业权益;优化培养结构,增强女大学生就业能力;履行社会责任,保障女大学生就业岗位;强化自强意识,拓展女大学生就业空间等,有利于改善女大学生就业"难"问题。     

我国社会组织政策参与及其制度分析

在现代社会,以社会组织为载体的参与是比公民个人直接参与更为合理有效的政策参与途径。由于我国社会组织自身能力有限以及制度空间的挤压,目前其对于政策的影响只起有限的作用。当前我国社会组织政策参与主要存在政策参与率较低、政策参与内容的非政治化和途径的非制度化等问题。针对导致社会组织政策影响力低的制度因素,政府应为社会组织的发展创造能促型的法律、制度与政策环境,即构建"分类管理、项目引导、行为监管"的新管理模式、制定出台社会组织基本法以及进一步转变政府职能、拓宽社会组织政策参与的渠道等。     

我国公务员周边绩效的影响因素及其提升对策研究

周边绩效是近年绩效评估研究的重点和热点,绩效影响因素的分析是建立绩效评估指标的基础,也是建立整个评估机制的重要根据。本文通过研究我国公务员周边行为和周边绩效的特点及其内外部影响因素,深化了公务员这一群体的周边绩效理论,明确了我国公务员周边绩效的影响因素,提出了提高我国公务员周边绩效的建议,可使周边绩效在我国公务员的绩效管理中得到合理关注,发挥其应有的价值和作用。