Evaluation of Postmortem Bacterial Migration Using Culturing and Real‐Time Quantitative PCR

Postmortem bacteriology can be a valuable tool for evaluating deaths due to bacterial infection or for researching the involvement of bacteria in various diseases. In this study, time‐dependent postmortem bacterial migration into liver, mesenteric lymph node, pericardial fluid, portal, and peripheral vein was analyzed in 33 autopsy cases by bacterial culturing and real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). None suffered or died from bacterial infection. According to culturing, pericardial fluid and liver were the most sterile samples up to 5 days postmortem. In these samples, multigrowth and staphylococci were not or rarely detected. RT‐qPCR was more sensitive and showed higher bacterial positivity in all samples. Relative amounts of intestinal bacterial DNA (bifidobacteria, bacteroides, enterobacter, clostridia) increased with time. Sterility of blood samples was low during the studied time periods (1–7 days). The best postmortem microbiological sampling sites were pericardial fluid and liver up to 5 days after death.     

“Night fell on a different world”: experiencing,constructing and remembering 9/11

This article explores the endurance of the pervasive framing of “9/11” as a moment of temporal rupture within the United States. It argues that this has persisted despite the existence of plausible competitor narratives for two reasons: first, because it resonated with public experiences of the events predating this construction’s discursive sedimentation and; second, because of its vigorous defence by successive US administrations. In making these arguments this article seeks to extend relevant contemporary research in three ways: first, by reflecting on new empirical material drawn from the Library of Congress Witness and Response Collection, thus offering additional insight into public understandings of 11 September 2011 in the immediacy of the events; second, by drawing on insights from social memory studies to explore the persistence of specific constructions of 9/11 and; third, by outlining the importance of categories of experience and endurance for constructivist international relations more broadly.     

Gorr on actus reus

Advances in forensic techniques have expanded the temporal horizon of criminal investigations, facilitating investigation of historic crimes that would previously have been considered unsolvable. Public enthusiasm for pursuing historic crimes is exemplified by recent high-profile trials of celebrities accused of historic sexual offences. These circumstances give new urgency to the question of how we should decide which historic offences to investigate. A satisfactory answer must take into account the ways in which the passage of time can erode the benefits of criminal investigation, the costs associated with investigating old crimes, and the need to prioritize investigations in the face of limited police resources. This article emphasizes the first of these factors. It begins by considering the moral goals of a criminal justice system and the contribution of criminal investigations to the achievement of these goals, distinguishing between contributions that depend on further steps in the criminal justice process, such as prosecution and punishment, and contributions that can have value independently of these further steps. Using this important distinction, the article then examines a range of factors that relate the passage of time to criminal justice goals, including the seriousness of the crime; deterioration of evidence; death of the offender, victim and others affected by the crime; and diminished psychological connectedness between those affected by the crime and their current selves. While the range and non-uniformity of relevant factors preclude a simple answer to the question of when historic crimes should be investigated and call instead for case-by-case assessment, we find that the analysis does support some general conclusions that can guide such an assessment.     

共产党人先进性对强化军魂意识的时代价值

共产党人的先进性,从整体上说就是党的先进性,因此永葆党的先进性,对强化军魂意识具有着根本性价值,包括认同价值和促进价值;共产党人的先进性,从个体上说就是党员的先进性,因此永葆每一个共产党员的先进性,对强化军魂意识具有着主体性价值,包括中介价值、示范价值和保证价值;党的先进性和党员先进性是高度统一的,因此新形势下深入开展共产党员先进性教育,是永葆共产党人先进性的现实基础,对我们强化军魂意识有着重要的发展性价值,包括基础价值和着力价值等。     

Determination of Time since Death using Vitreous Humor Tryptophan

Determination of time since death (TSD) plays very important role in forensic examination as it narrows down field of suspects and aids in deceased identification. This study utilizes the fluorescence property of vitreous humor (VH) tryptophan to determine TSD using o‐phthalaldehyde (OPA). The detection limit of these fluorometric studies was found to be 8 ppb indicating sensitivity and high accuracy in TSD determination. The study was performed on selected 76 cadaver with known TSD ranging from 3 to 90 h. Excellent correlation between VH tryptophan and TSD was obtained with a coefficient of correlation R² = 0.9590. Results showed statistically significant increase in vitreous tryptophan with TSD up to 90 h, and the proposed method was efficaciously applied for prediction of TSD as no systematic error exist. The regression equation obtained from the study is [Trp] = 2.21 + 2.98 * TSD.     

Wasting or saving time? How government and opposition parties use time during legislative debates. Evidence from the Italian case

The use of plenary time during legislative debates has consequences for the enhancement of party goals. Hence, parties have different preferences on how legislative time should be managed: while some parties would like time not to be ‘wasted’ on the floor, other parties may instead try to ‘consume’ as much time as possible. Speeches delivered in the plenary signal these preferences. Focusing on plenary debates on legislation, this paper proposes a theory for explaining party speech-making behaviour that takes into consideration parties’ preferences on the use of time and their incentives related to the divide between government and opposition. The theoretical argument also emphasises the role of issue salience and party cohesion, which interact with the incentives faced by government and opposition parties. Hypotheses are tested against data from over 21,000 speeches delivered in the Italian parliament. Results highlight the importance of considering the different incentives faced by government and opposition parties when analysing speech making in parliamentary settings, and suggest some interesting avenues for future enquiry.     

A Study of PCR Inhibition Mechanisms Using Real Time PCR*,†

Abstract: In this project, real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was utilized to study the mechanism of PCR inhibition through examination of the effect of amplicon length, melting temperature, and sequence. Specifically designed primers with three different amplicon lengths and three different melting temperatures were used to target a single homozygous allele in the HUMTH01 locus. The effect on amplification efficiency for each primer pair was determined by adding different concentrations of various PCR inhibitors to the reaction mixture. The results show that a variety of inhibition mechanisms can occur during the PCR process depending on the type of co‐extracted inhibitor. These include Taq inhibition, DNA template binding, and effects on reaction efficiency. In addition, some inhibitors appear to affect the reaction in more than one manner. Overall we find that amplicon size and melting temperature are important in some inhibition mechanisms and not in others and the key issue in understanding PCR inhibition is determining the identity of the interfering substance.     

Investigation of Reproducibility and Error Associated with qPCR Methods using Quantifiler® Duo DNA Quantification Kit*

Abstract: Reproducibility of quantitative PCR results is dependent on the generation of consistent calibration curves via accurate volume transfers and instrument performance. A review of 14 standard curves, using two different QuantDuo^® standard DNA lots, showed variability of cycle threshold values between assays were larger than those of the Internal PCR Control (IPC). This prompted a set of experiments designed to determine the source of variability. Results showed that error introduced during DNA addition to the plate resulted in little variation. A comparison of seven independent series demonstrated cycle threshold variation between dilutions was larger than the variation expected from repeated samples. Modeling the influence of pipette errors on dilution series accuracy indicated that a more rigorous approach to external calibration curve production is required and showed that improvement in calibration curve stability is expected if the pipette conditions are carefully chosen and/or a single validated curve is utilized as the calibrator.     

论审前程序改革对我国证据制度的影响——兼评举证时限制度在我国的确立

审前程序的改革一直是民事诉讼法学探讨的前沿问题,也是司法实践中亟待解决的重要问题。随着我国《证据规定》的颁布和实施,我国的审前程序得到了完善和发展,对我国的证据制度也产生了重要影响。我国已初步确立了举证时限、证据交换等制度,但也存在需要完善之处。     

有效把握时间的领导艺术

时间之重要,人人都知道。尤其作为领导者,对"寸金难买寸光阴"这句话的体会更为深刻。从某种意义上说,能否充分利用时间,关系到工作的成败。对领导者来说,能否利用好时间关系到管理工作的水平和质量。做到合理利用时间是领导者应该学习和关注的大问题,同时也是必须把握的一门领导艺术。