Allelic frequencies of 13 STR loci in autochthonous Basques from the province of Vizcaya (Spain)

Allelic frequencies of 13 STR loci (D3S1358, VWA, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D16S539, TH01, TPOX, CSF1PO, and D7S820) were estimated from a sample of 73 unrelated healthy donors natives of the Spanish Basque province of Vizcaya. These STR loci constitute the core of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA genetic markers in the US Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). All STR loci analysed met Hardy-Weinberg expectations. Based upon the allelic frequencies, forensically important parameters including gene diversity (GD), polymorphism information content (PIC) and power of discrimination (PD) were calculated.     

"Natural death" of a patient with a deactivated implantable-cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)?

A 66-year-old patient with terminal heart insufficiency (NYHA IV) received maximum medical therapy, but was also in need of an implantable-cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). The ICD functioned flawlessly for the whole duration of implantation. It reverted several ventricular tachycardias with anti-tachycardial pacing alone, whereas some needed cardioversion as well. The patient died on the fourth day of hospitalization for a routine check of his ICD. The post-mortem examination revealed, that the ICD was deactivated and that the data had been erased after the patient's death. By reading off the raw data still stored within the ICD, the erased information could be restored. The stored EGMs showed traces of old ICD interventions as well as a permanent deactivation provoked by exposition to a magnetic field just hours before the patient's death. The problem of archiving and documenting the volatile electronic data inside the ICD is discussed. The need of a full autopsy after telemetric reading of the ICD data, including the explantation of the ICD aggregate and electrodes, as a means of quality assurance and under forensic aspects is emphasized.