A Molecular Method to Correlate Bloodstains with Wound Site for Crime Scene Reconstruction

Bloodstain pattern analysis to determine the wound‐of‐origin of bloodstains is problematic with nonspecific patterns. In this proof‐of‐concept study, the authors examined a molecular approach to correlate bloodstains with injuries using the rat as a model. Specifically, investigations were conducted on the rat brain marker, rno‐miR‐124‐3p, with the QIAGEN miScript System and real‐time PCR analysis. Rno‐miR‐124‐3p was detected in brain homogenates diluted 100,000 times; in 3‐week‐old, room temperature stored, simulated brain–blood stains; and in bloodstains from head gunshot wounds collected with swabs and subsequently frozen for 9–18 months; however, rno‐miR‐124‐3p was not detected in whole blood. Proof‐of‐principle was demonstrated by the ability to distinguish bloodstains from a gunshot wound to the head versus bloodstains from a gunshot wound to the chest, by the testing of otherwise identical bloodstains from the two patterns for the presence of the marker. The results suggest a viable approach to a longstanding problem in casework.     

More than a Friendly Visit: A New Strategy for Improving Local Governing Capacity

This article argues that in order to take into account changes in the governance era, performance assessment at the local level may well have to be refocused. Researchers will have to reconsider their strategies. They should consider the governance character of public administration and pay attention to co-operative settings and democratic aspects. In addition, researchers should think not just about gathering facts about the performance of local government, they should also try to contribute to a learning process. This paper presents a new strategy for assessing the capacity that local governments have to get things done. This strategy acknowledges the governance context of local authorities and casts a keen eye on the way local governments fulfil their functions and aim to involve various stakeholders. The evaluation of this assessment strategy shows its relevance, although minor improvements could be made.     

The presence of trace amines in postmortem cerebrospinal fluid in humans

The postmortem levels of biogenic amines in cerebrospinal fluid may represent a useful tool in defining some pathological conditions; no information is available concerning the occurrence of trace amines in postmortem cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, the occurrence of octopamine, synephrine and tyramine were evaluated by using a HPLC system in 20 postmortem samples of cerebrospinal fluid (obtained from 11 males and 9 females) and their levels were compared with those of 20 living subjects (obtained from 11 males and 9 females). The results show that trace amines dramatically increase in the postmortem cerebrospinal fluid (100, 20, and 4 fold increase for tyramine, octopamine, and synephrine respectively). To our knowledge, our data represent the first time trace amines have been identified in postmortem cerebrospinal fluid and the dramatic increase observed for tyramine has the potential of becoming a new tool in forensic science for better defining the time of death.     

Legalization and dissolution of consensual unions: an example of log-linear models used to estimate models of competing risk

"This is a mainly methodological work: a generalization of the so-called proportional risk models to cases of multiple and competing risks.... Proportional risk models are an extension of the methodology implied in calculating mortality tables, where the risk function is made to depend on some variables (covariables), as in a regression model.... Life-table methodology has been...an essential instrument in demographic calculus and analysis." The author uses the proposed methods to analyze the determinants of the legalization and dissolution of consensual unions in Mexico. (EXCERPT)     

Cleaning Puparia for Forensic Analysis

We tested procedures for removing adipocere from insect samples to allow identification. An acceptable procedure was determined: (i) Samples were sorted in petri dishes with 75% alcohol to remove any larvae, adult insects, or other soft‐bodied material. (ii) Samples of up to 24 puparia were placed in a vial with 15 mL of 95% acetone, capped, and vortexed for a total of 30–90 sec in 10‐ to 15‐sec bursts. This step removed large masses of adipocere or soil from specimen. (iii) Specimens were removed from acetone and placed in a vial of 15 mL of 2% potassium hydroxide (KOH) and vortexed in 10‐ to 15‐sec bursts until all puparia appeared clean (with our samples this required a total of 60–120 sec). (iv) Specimens were removed from the 2% KOH, placed in 75% ethanol, and examined microscopically. (v) Material was stored in 75% ethanol for identification and long‐term preservation.     

A Molecular Method to Detect Wound Cells in Bloodstains Resultant of Sharp Force Injuries for Crime Scene Reconstruction

Previous research by the authors on an animal model showed that bloodstains can contain additional information about their somatic origin in the form of wound cells. Bloodstains produced by a gunshot wound to the head were distinguished from bloodstains produced by a gunshot wound to the chest by testing the stains for a brain microRNA marker. In this study, the effectiveness of the technique was examined on blood drops shed externally from a stab wound to the liver of rat carcasses. Specifically, investigations were conducted on the liver microRNA marker, rno‐mir‐122‐3p, with the QIAGEN miScript System, and PCR analysis. Between the two stabbing methods used, 67% of the scalpel blades and 57% of the blood drops tested positive for rno‐mir‐122‐3p; however, other samples tested negative giving inconclusive results as to the wound‐of‐origin. The amount of the liver cells in the bloodstains appeared to be related to the extent of trauma.     

Nonlinear Granger causality between oil price and stock returns in India

The nonlinear causal dimension in oil price and stock returns aspect is less explored in literature. This study provides such evidence by applying Hiemstra and Jones (1994) nonlinear Granger causality test to the VAR residuals in case of India. Our result indicates that there exists bi‐directional nonlinear causality between oil price and stock returns. It implies that the lagged information of oil price and stock returns can be able to predict each other efficiently.