Refining the analysis of Y-chromosomal diversity in Alentejo (Portugal)

Sickle cell anemia (HBB*S) and glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, present a clinal distribution in Portugal, being more frequent in the South and showing foci of high prevalence in some places from Alentejo such as Coruche and Pias. Since the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of G6PD deficiency alleles and HBB*S lead to conclude that Sub-Saharan Africa was the place of origin of many of them, it is likely that at least some were introduced in Alentejo by Sub-Saharan individuals whose presence in the region is known to have had considerable demographic impact. To evaluate the male mediated Sub-Saharan influence in present-day populations from Coruche and Pias, we have performed a high resolution analysis of 16 Y-STRs and 23 Y-SNPs in 91 males from Coruche and 54 from Pias. The results showed the absence of haplogroups of Sub-Saharan origin and a Y-chromosome composition basically not differing from those previously reported for other Portuguese mainland regions. Therefore, from the forensic point of view the studied populations can be dealt without special concerns.     

A family with unusual Kell genotypes

A family in which kKp^a, kKp^b, KKp^b and K^o are segregating confirms the depressing effect of Kp^a on the products of other Kell genes in cis. The significance of such unusual Kell genotypes in forensic testing is discussed.     

Cerebral massive hemorrhage in congophilic angiopathy and its medicolegal significance

The principles of a special type of senile cerebromeningeal angiopathy, these days usually named “congophilic angiopathy”, are demonstrated on the basis of eight cases, complicated by spontaneous massive intracranial hemorrhages in seven and late traumatic hemorrhage in one of them. The occurrence of massive hemorrhages associated with congophilic angiopathy has until now only rarely been reported. The medicolegal significance of this vascular disease is emphasized by the eighth, traumatic, case, which became forensically relevant; the late massive hemorrhage had to be regarded as significantly favoured by amyloid angionecrosis, which is the main feature of congophilic angiopathy.     

Morphometrische Untersuchungen bei stenosierender Koronarsklerose und ihre Bedeutung für die Bewertung konkurrierender Todesursachen

Coronary sclerosis is generally supposed to be the most important factor for coronary thrombosis, myocardial infarction and coronary heart death. Stenosing coronary sclerosis may be postmortally documented by angiography and morphometry. It is possible to obtain sufficient morphological data to suggest acute cardiac insufficiency, if the maximum grade of stenoses as a functional parameter and the heart weight are regarded in addition to the quantitative results of the three main branches of the coronary arteries (lumen and intima areas).Generally the cardiac results of autopsy are used individually and subjectively for the explanation of the cause of death. The conclusiveness of these results of autopsy depends on the circumstances of death and the existence of further pathological findings. Competing causes of death may exist in the form of illnesses, injuries, alcoholic and drug effects, physical strain and emotional stress or medical provisions. The quantitative valuation of the cardiac findings with a critical limit for an acute coronary death permits a more exact interpretation of such competing causes of death. This method of examination may also reveal an unpresumed competing cause of death, for example an intoxication. This was demonstrated by four autopsy cases.     

Gender Differences in Strain,Negative Emotions,and Coping Behaviors: A General Strain Theory Approach

This paper empirically evaluates Broidy and Agnew’s propositions, in which they apply general strain theory to explain gender differences in crime and deviance, by analyzing data from a national survey of adult African Americans. First, African American women were more likely to report strains related to physical health, interpersonal relations, gender roles in the family, and less likely to mention work‐related, racial as well as job strain than African American men. Second, African American women were less likely than African American men to turn to deviant coping strategies when they experienced strain partly because their strains were more likely to generate self‐directed emotions, such as depression and anxiety, which in turn were less likely to lead to deviant coping behaviors than other‐directed, angry emotion. Finally, it was found that the self‐directed emotions were more likely to result in nondeviant, legitimate coping behaviors than other‐directed emotion, anger.     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒HN-HW株全基因组分子特征分析

利用RT-PCR方法扩增得到猪繁殖障碍与呼吸综合征病毒(PRRSV)HN-HW分离株全长基因组的17个片段。拼接后发现该毒株基因组全长为15 334nt(包括poly A尾巴),与国内外14株美洲型PRRSV分离株全序列相似性介于85.3%～99.4%之间,而与欧洲型PRRSV Lelystad Virus(M96262)和SD01-08(DQ489331)分离株全序列相似性仅为59.7%和59.9%。序列分析表明,该毒株包括189nt的5′UTR,14 981nt的蛋白编码区和150nt的3′UTR及14nt的poly(A)尾巴。同美洲标准株ATCC VR-2332相比,Nsp2存在30个氨基酸的缺失。本研究结果补充了PRRSV毒株的基因组信息数据,为深入研究该毒株的遗传与变异及其与生物学特性的关系奠定了基础。     

布鲁氏菌bp26基因缺失株的构建

选择含有反向筛选基因sacB标记的pRE112质粒为自杀载体,利用等位基因交换的方法成功敲除了布鲁氏菌弱毒疫苗S19株、S2株、M5株的bp26基因,构建了具有非抗性基因标记的缺失株S19-Δbp26、S2-Δbp26、M5-Δbp26。将构建的重组自杀质粒pRE-Δbp26(缺失了bp26基因的681个碱基)电转化入布鲁氏菌后,经过5μg/mL氯霉素筛选单交换子和70g/L蔗糖筛选同源重组双交换子,用菌落PCR及DNA测序的方法进行验证。结果表明,bp26基因的缺失改造成功,连续传20代后菌落PCR及DNA测序的结果显示突变株具有遗传稳定性。以pRE112自杀质粒为基础构建无抗性基因标记的布鲁氏菌缺失株为布鲁氏菌的基因功能研究奠定了基础,同时Δbp26缺失株的构建可为新型布鲁氏菌疫苗的研制奠定基础。     

Does it pay to pollute? Shareholder wealth consequences of corporate environmental lawsuits

In this paper, we employ the event study methodology to examine shareholder wealth consequences of corporate environmental lawsuits filed in the US Circuit Courts from 1980 to 2001. We find that stocks of defendant firms experience significant negative abnormal returns around the lawsuit filing dates. When the plaintiffs are government entities, the abnormal returns of the defendant stocks are significantly negative. On the other hand, when the plaintiffs are individuals or nonpublic business entities, the abnormal returns are statistically insignificant. When lawsuits are filed under EPA's superfund statute, defendant firms experience significant loss in equity value. For shareholders of the average firm in our sample, the empirical evidence suggests that it does not pay to pollute if the firm is sued.     

Inducing corporate compliance: A compound corporate liability regime

Corporate liability regimes have two major social goals: (i) inducing corporations to internalize all social ramifications of their activity; and (ii) inducing corporations to prevent, deter, and report their employee misconduct. The scholarly polemic has shown that none of the liability regimes recognized thus far in the literature efficiently satisfies both social goals. Following a Law and Economics approach, this paper develops an innovative regime that may comprise an optimal corporate liability framework in most settings. The Compound Corporate Liability Regime developed in this paper is a two-layer strict liability regime. Under this regime, corporations that self-report their employee misconduct incur a sanction that is reduced by the variable enforcement costs saved due to their self-reporting. Such a liability framework aligns social and corporations’ interests, and thereby satisfies both social goals of corporate liability regimes.     

Zum Klagebegehren auf Untersagung von Immissionen, die von B?umen und Pflanzen des Nachbarn ausgehen

Nach stRsp zu § 364 Abs 2 ABGB hat sich das Begehren des durch die Immission beeintr?chtigten K1 auf Untersagung/Unterlassung des Eingriffs zu beschr?nken. Dem Bekl muss vielmehr die Auswahl der Schutzma?nahmen überlassen werden. Gleiches (arg "ebenso") gilt für die Determinierung der im Klagebegehren angestrebten Untersagung des Entzugs von Licht oder Luft durch nachbarliche B?ume oder andere Pflanzen nach § 364 Abs 3 idF ZivR?G 2004.