Sequence analysis of a new short tandem repeat locus D17S2266E located in the human growth hormone gene cluster HumGH@

D17S2266E is a new, variable genetic marker exhibiting polymorphism of the number of repeats of four- and two-nucleotide motifs. This study, carried out on a group of 250 unrelated persons from various regions of Poland, revealed the presence of 24 different alleles ranging in size from 232 to 290 base pairs. Analysis of the sequenced fragments demonstrated that the alleles consisted of two flanking regions and two variable blocks that were separated by a consensus sequence. There were (AAAG)(5)(AG)(1)(AAAG)(3-4) repeats in the first block, and [(AAAG)(2)(AG)(1)](0-1)[(AAAG)(6)(AG)(1)](0-1)(AAAG)(n) repeats in the second block. On the basis of the allele frequencies in the population, we were able to do biostatistical calculations, which gave the following results: expected heterozygosity 0.8947 +/- 0.0137, power of discrimination 0.9793, polymorphism information content 0.8837, probability of exclusion (PE) 0.7859, PE for motherless cases 0.6473, and an average paternity index of 4.7470. These biostatistical parameters show that the marker D17S2266E can find a wide range of applications in forensic testing.     

Extraction of alternative fuels from fire debris samples*

Alternative fuels, specifically biodiesel, biodiesel blends, and E85 fuel, have been gaining a market share over the past few years. With the emergence of these fuels, fire debris analysts should be able to recognize their characteristics since these fuels may be encountered in casework. In this study, pure biodiesel (B100) and a 20% blend of pure biodiesel with petroleum diesel (B20) are examined as liquids and are extracted from debris samples using both passive headspace concentration and solvent extraction. Typical fire debris instrumental conditions are used to analyze these samples. Components of B100 and B20 may be observed in debris samples extracted using the passive headspace concentration method, but the chromatographic patterns are different from the pure liquid samples. When solvent extraction is used as a secondary extraction method on debris samples, the resulting patterns are consistent with the pure liquids of B100 and B20. E85 fuel, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, can be extracted using a typical fire debris extraction technique but requires slight modifications to typical fire debris instrumental conditions. E85 is shown at various stages of evaporation to demonstrate the resiliency of the ethanol. Additionally, samples of E85 were placed on carpet, burned and extinguished to demonstrate the effects of the suppression medium on the retention of ethanol.     

Genetics and genomics of core short tandem repeat loci used in human identity testing

Over the past decade, the human identity testing community has settled on a set of core short tandem repeat (STR) loci that are widely used for DNA typing applications. A variety of commercial kits enable robust amplification of these core STR loci. A brief history is presented regarding the selection of core autosomal and Y-chromosomal STR markers. The physical location of each STR locus in the human genome is delineated and allele ranges and variants observed in human populations are summarized as are mutation rates observed from parentage testing. Internet resources for additional information on core STR loci are reviewed. Additional topics are also discussed, including potential linkage of STR loci to genetic disease-causing genes, probabilistic predictions of sample ethnicity, and desirable characteristics for additional STR loci that may be added in the future to the current core loci. These core STR loci, which form the basis for DNA databases worldwide, will continue to play an important role in forensic science for many years to come.     

用ELISA法对腹泻羔感染K_(99)定居因子阳性大肠埃希氏菌的调查

用ELISA方法对从新疆7个地区采集的270份腹泻羔粪样和肠内容物进行大肠埃希氏菌K_(99)菌毛抗原检测,其阳性率为7.8％。     

高校公共体育课安全伤害事故的防范与处理

高校公共体育课伤害事故的有效防范,应是高校公共体育课工作的重要组成部分,是体育教学改革和发展的基本要求。建立规范的高校公共体育课人身安全保障制度关系重大,制定和实施相应的高校体育意外事故处理程序和法律法规,是依法治校、依法执教的必然要求。     

Tax incentives for innovation: time to restructure the R&;E tax credit

The R&E tax credit has never been effective and subsequent attempts to restructure it have not addressed the major deficiencies. Moreover, in the 25 years since the R&E tax credit was enacted, a steadily increasing number of countries have implemented or expanded competing tax incentives, which in many cases are better structured and larger in size. As a result, the relative impact of the US credit is now negative in terms of incentives to conduct R&D within the domestic economy. The inadequacy of the credit stems largely from its small size and its incremental format. The impact of an R&D tax incentive is affected by its scope of coverage, the ability of industry to take advantage of it over the entire R&D cycle, the magnitude of the incentive relative to other nations’ tax policies, and its ease of implementation. In the end, a tax incentive must sufficiently lower the user’s cost of R&D to overcome barriers to allocation of private-sector resources commensurate with the potential rates of return on such investments. As a policy instrument, a tax incentive for R&D should be most effective if its form is a flat rate applied to all R&D.

绝经后妇女肾虚证与载脂蛋白E基因多态性的相关性

目的探讨绝经后妇女肾虚证与载脂蛋白E（apolipoprotein E，ApoE）基因多态性的相关性。方法以80例绝经后肾虚证妇女及65例绝经后无肾虚证妇女为研究对象，以ApoE基因为候选基因，运用限制性片段长度多态性检测ApoE基因型。结果肾虚组人群ApoE基因型ε2/ε3、ε2/ε4、ε3/ε3、ε3/ε4和ε4/ε4频率分别为11．25％、8．75％、58．75％、11．25％、10．00％，对照组人群ApoE基因型ε2/ε3、ε2/ε4、ε3/ε3、ε3/ε4、ε4/ε4频率分别为15．38％、6．15％、69．23％、9．24％、0；肾虚组人群ApoE等位基因ε2、ε3、ε4频率分别为10．00％、70．00％、20．00％，对照组ε2、ε3、ε4频率分别为10．76％、81．55％、7．69％；肾虚组ApoE等位基因ε4频率明显高于正常对照组（χ^2=4．386，P〈0．05）。结论ApoE等位基因ε4频率升高与绝经后妇女肾虚证相关，可能是肾虚证的危险因子；ApoE基因型ε4／ε4是绝经后妇女肾虚证一个有用的标志物。