Trisomy 21 disclosure using STR and SNP markers typed by MiSeq FGx™ Forensic Genomics System

The presence of a tri-allelic pattern at a single locus in a multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) profile is a rarely observable event. Generally, based on peak height measured by the capillary electrophoresis (CE) method and combination of alleles, the tri-allelic pattern is distinguishable into two predominant types: type 1 and 2, which are caused, respectively, by somatic mutations and chromosomal rearrangements. When tri-allelic patterns at more than one STR located on the same chromosome are detected, there is a reasonable suspicion of a trisomy due to an extra copy of a chromosome. Therefore, information on the type of three-band pattern is usually limited to STRs localized on the same chromosome included in the forensic kit in use and sometimes in insufficient numbers to classify this event correctly. The opportunity to extend this evaluation to additional markers, such as SNPs detectable using NGS, has not yet been explored. In this study, using the ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep kit, two cases of autosomal aneuploidy were revealed on chromosome 21, relying not only on STRs assessment but also extending the analysis to the five identity-informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (iiSNPs) localized on chromosome 21.     

Blast Injury and the Human Skeleton: An Important Emerging Aspect of Conflict‐Related Trauma

Recent decades have seen an accelerating trend in warfare whereby a growing proportion of conflict‐related deaths have been caused by explosions. Analysis of blast injury features little in anthropological literature. We present a review of clinical literature that includes prevalence of injury to anatomical regions and potential indicators of blast injury which can be used by forensic anthropologists. This includes high prevalence of extremity (22.8–91.2%) and facial (19.6–40%) injury in combat contexts, lower limb fractures (19–74.3%) in suicide bombing, traumatic amputation (3–43%) and diffuse fracture patterns in terrorist bombings. Potential indicators of blast trauma include blowout fractures in sinus cavities from blast overpressure, transverse mandibular fractures, and visceral surface rib fractures. Ability to recognize blast trauma and distinguish it in the skeleton is of importance in investigations and judicial proceedings relating to war crimes, terrorism, and human rights violations and likely to become increasingly crucial to forensic anthropology knowledge.     

Application of Volume‐of‐Fluid Method to Analyze the Viscosity Effect on the Spine Formation of Bloodstains

In bloodstain pattern analysis, the blood droplet volume and surface impact velocity play an important role, and many related experimental studies have been carried out. If an appropriate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that could solve bloodstain patterns, especially spine formation bloodstain patterns, can be obtained, the blood droplet volume and impact speeds at various crime scenes can be predicted more accurately. For this purpose, Flow‐3D software using the volume‐of‐fluid method was applied to analyze the behavior of human blood droplets during an impact event, especially focusing on the viscous effect on splashing, which forms the spine which can be used to predict the impact velocity. To obtain a non‐Newtonian viscosity model of blood for a computational fluid dynamic analysis, the venous blood samples of 163 people were tested using a hemorheology instrument. Among the venous blood samples of 163 people, 37 samples for which all blood test results were in a normal range were selected for the non‐Newtonian viscosity modeling. From the CFD analysis, it could be concluded that a non‐Newtonian viscosity model is more appropriate than a constant viscosity model for predicting splashing that forms the spine. The gradient of the non‐Newtonian model at a high shear rate has more of an effect on spine formation than that at a low shear rate. The lowest viscosity with a high velocity at the outer front of the radiating flow plays an important role in forming the splashing pattern.     

Friends with(out) benefits: co-offending and re-arrest

Research shows that co-offending has contradictory effects on rates of re-arrest. On the one hand, group offending may be riskier: for example, co-offenders might be targeted by police or might snitch to protect themselves. Criminal networks may also have indirect effects: offenders embedded in criminal networks commit more offences and thus should have a higher risk of being arrested at some point. On the other hand, networks generate steady criminal opportunities with relatively low risk of arrest and high monetary benefits (e.g. drug trafficking). Few authors have empirically explored the relation between co-offending and re-arrest. This article does so using data from seven years of arrest records in the province of Quebec, Canada. The analysis is designed to explore why some offenders are re-arrested after an initial arrest while others are not. It focuses on the factors involved in re-arrest, considering two distinct levels of measures of co-offending. The first level of analysis takes into account a situational measure that indicates whether a given offence was committed by co-offenders (group offence). The second level is used to examine whether being part of a criminal network influences re-arrest. For offenders embedded in such networks, two network features (degree centrality and clustering coefficient) show that the global position of individuals within the Quebec arrest network are analysed. Our results suggest that co-offending is a crucial factor that should be taken into account when looking at the odds of being caught again. The use of generalised linear mixed model brings interesting nuances about the impact of co-offending. The article adds to the recently growing literature on the link between networks and criminal careers.     

The Reliability of Swipe/Wipe Classification and Directionality Determination Methods in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Swipe and wipe are types of transfer patterns commonly encountered at bloodied scenes. So far, there have been little published data on the reliability of evaluating these patterns. In this study, 36 bloodstain patterns were randomly assigned to 12 analysts in three separate trials, and the analysts were required to evaluate the pattern type and directionality. The results revealed that correct classifications of patterns type were problematic, with an overall error rate of 32%. Wipes created from wet bloodstains were the most difficult to identify due to the absence of signs of alteration. The directionality of swipes made with a gloved finger had a 100% success rate; however, for swipes made with cloth, the analysts mistook the direction in nearly every case, which is of significant concern, considering these are common patterns at crime scenes. This study suggested there is a need for revising the current protocols for interpretation of these pattern types.     

A comparative study on sanction system of cyber aider from perspectives of German and Chinese criminal law

In the context of the global information age, cases concerning the provision of technical assistance to commit cybercrimes are growing in leaps and bounds and a brand-new crime-as-a-service industry is beginning to take shape. German criminal law addresses this issue in the context of joint commission theory and individual incrimination as complementary, whereas the Chinese model, by contrast, has made marked progress in the fight against cyber aiding by introducing new criminal provisions. The change of cyber-aiding indeed represents a significant challenge to current criminal legislation and consideration of its criminal countermeasures is indispensably significant.     

开发高灵敏度血痕发光试剂用于法医现场检测

目的开发高灵敏度血痕发光试剂用于法医现场检测。方法本项目通过借鉴ECL发光的原理,通过化学电子链的乒乓共轭激活原理,使用均匀设计实验方法优化条件,合成多个新化合物,开发出新型高灵敏度血痕发光试剂。结果本项目开发的高灵敏度血痕发光试剂灵敏度高,发光时间长,在血液稀释1000倍的情况下,使用Chemi Scope3300化学发光成像系统读取荧光值,经过灰度转化最高值达到56,发光时间达到10分钟。结论本项目成功开发了高灵敏度血痕发光试剂,可以应用于法医现场检测。     

试论新农村建设的模式选择

城乡差别不是绝对的,而是因不同的社会政策和条件不相同,并且会随着社会经济的发展而变化。从现代社会经济和文化发展来看,城乡变化总趋势是向融合方向发展。从空间结构来看,实现城乡融合主要有三种理论模式,即优先发展乡村社区的模式,重点发展城市社区的理论模式,城乡一体化协调发展的理论模式。建设新农村,推进城乡协调发展,需要充分调动三种基本力量,即党和政府的主导力量、农民的主体力量、市场的推动力量。三种动力意味着建设新农村有四种可能的发展模式。     

当事人主导抑或法院主导？——传统民事诉讼模式的误判与归位

将“辩论主义”或“对抗制”作为传统民事诉讼模式的识别标准,都存在以偏概全的缺陷。在“当事人主张论证一法院裁判”的基本构造下,从程序运作层面、案件事实层面和法律适用层面三个层面考察,无论大陆法系还是英美法系从来没有绝对的当事人主导或法院主导。诉权和审判权之间协调配置是各国传统民事诉讼程序设计的共同法理。     

近红外照相显现深色衣料上血迹的实验研究

目的运用近红外反射照相技术,显现深色衣料上的全血及稀释血迹。方法取单个体人全血,用纯净水分别以1∶4、1∶8、1∶16、1∶32比例稀释,并立即将稀释血及全血分别滴落在10种组份共21块深色衣料上,使其自然干燥形成血迹,用普通数码相机及专业红外数码相机,分别对血迹进行拍照获取彩色图像及红外黑白图像。结果红外照相显现血迹优于彩色图像;不同衣料相同浓度稀释血迹的红外图像存在差异;相同衣料不同浓度血迹的红外图像亦有所不同。结论近红外红外照相可以很好地显现深色衣料上的血迹,血迹的红外图像形状有助于判断是否为稀释血液所形成;血液浓度对红外显现结果的影响较大。