Determining the Effectiveness of Noncontact Three-Dimensional Surface Scanning for the Assessment of Open Injuries

Noncontact three-dimensional (3D) surface scanning methods are used within forensic medicine to record traumas and other related findings. A structured light scanning technique is one of these methods and the most suitable for the forensic field. An assessment of the efficiency of different structured light scanners with forensic injuries is essential to validate this technique for wound documentation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the capability of the HP structured light scanner Pro S3 for digitizing open injuries having complicated areas and depths. Fifteen simulated injuries on mannequins were scanned and assessed. Comparisons between 3D and direct wound measurements were made. The results showed that the technique was able to create detailed 3D results of the extensive injuries. Statistical significance tests revealed no difference between the two measurement methods. Because the scanner is applicable for routine work, it should be considered to confirm the same results on real cadavers and actual wounds.     

大数据视阈下公职人员廉政风险动态监测及预警

廉政风险防控具有前瞻性和高效益,属治本之策。大数据为公职人员廉政风险防控提供了新的研究视角和方法,可通过协同联动的廉政风险防控平台深度挖掘规模剧增的海量数据进行动态监测及预警。基于目前理论研究和实践现状,以公职人员为无差别微观研究主体,将公职人员廉政风险预警流程设计为廉政风险信息采集、廉政风险信息分析、廉政风险信息评估、廉政风险信息处理四部分,利用大数据量化研判,实现公职人员个体相关数据的分析评估和实时监测,可及时防控和遏制腐败行为的发生。     

Getting away with foul play? The importance of formal and informal oversight institutions for electoral integrity

Electoral integrity is increasingly being recognised as an important component of democracy, yet scholars still have limited understanding of the circumstances under which elections are most likely to be free, fair and genuine. This article posits that effective oversight institutions play a key role in scrutinising the electoral process and holding those with an interest in the electoral outcome to account. The main insight is that deficiencies in formal electoral management can be effectively compensated for via one or more other institutional checks: an active and independent judiciary; an active and independent media; and/or an active and independent civil society. Flawed elections are most likely to take place when all four checks on electoral conduct fail in key ways. These hypotheses are tested and supported on a cross‐national time‐series dataset of 1,047 national‐level elections held in 156 electoral regimes between 1990 and 2012.     

毛泽东廉政思想的发展历程、鲜明特色与重要意义

毛泽东廉政思想是毛泽东在领导党的廉政建设的长期实践中,把马克思列宁主义廉政理论与中国共产党的廉政建设实际相结合,并吸收借鉴中华民族优秀传统廉政文化和历史经验基础上逐渐形成和发展起来的。毛泽东廉政思想经历了早期萌芽、井冈山和中央苏区时期初步形成、延安时期走向成熟、新中国成立前后继续发展、毛泽东晚年的曲折探索等阶段,且在不同阶段有不同的侧重点。站在实现"两个一百年"奋斗目标的历史交汇点上,梳理毛泽东廉政思想的历史脉络并揭示其特征与意义,有助于为新时代推进反腐败斗争提供历史借鉴和现实启示。     

Highly efficient and automated extraction of DNA from human remains using a modified EZ1 protocol

Bones and teeth often represent the only sources of DNA available for identifying human remains. DNA in bones and teeth is generally better preserved than that in soft tissues because of the presence of hard connective tissue with a high level of calcium. Because of the extensive mineralisation, the choice of an efficient DNA extraction procedure is important to minimise the sampling of a high level of minerals and to remove polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors. Some protocols are available for DNA extraction from bones and teeth as part of the Qiagen EZ1 DNA Investigator Kit using the EZ1 Advanced XL automated purification platform. To improve the efficiency of DNA extraction from skeletal remains, the present study focuses on a modification to these already available protocols. In this study, different bones and teeth collected between 1 and 50 years after death were subjected to DNA extraction using the standard EZ1 protocol, a supplementary protocol, and a modified protocol. The modified approach included a decalcification step, whereas the Qiagen protocols worked directly on non-decalcified powder. In all three procedures, 150 mg samples were used for DNA extraction. We evaluated the quantity of DNA recovered from samples, the presence of any PCR inhibitors co-extracted, the level of DNA degradation, the quality of short tandem repeat (STR) profiles, and the reproducibility of the modified procedure. When compared with the other protocols, the modified protocol resulted in the best recovery of DNA that was free of PCR inhibitors. Additionally, the STR profiles were reliable and of high quality. In our opinion, the decalcification step increases DNA recovery by softening tissues, which allows lysis solutions to act more effectively. Furthermore, the use of two lysis solutions and the variation added to the EZ1 purification step allow for DNA recovery with quality and quantity superior to those of the previously available Qiagen-based protocols. These findings may be helpful solutions to the problems commonly encountered when dealing with difficult samples, such as bones and teeth.

Key points

• Bones and teeth often represent the only sources of DNA for identifying human remains.
• The choice of an efficient DNA extraction procedure is important for maximizing DNA recovery and removing PCR inhibitors.
• This study focuses on modifications to the previously available Qiagen-based protocols.
• The modified protocol enabled the best recovery of DNA, and both quality and quantity were superior to those of the previously available Qiagen-based protocols.
• The STR profiles obtained from samples extracted using the modified protocol were reliable and of high quality.

     

Integrity Systems,Values, and Expectations: Explaining Differences in the Extent of Corruption in Three Spanish Local Governments

Our article attempts to explain the differences in the extent of corruption related to urban planning in three Spanish local settings, all of them being important touristic resorts: Marbella, a municipality in the Costa del Sol with a very high level of corruption; Lanzarote, in the Canary islands with a high incidence of corruption despite its pioneering role in establishing innovative policies to limit urban (touristic) growth; and Menorca, in the Balearic Islands where corruption has been very low. We argue that the explanations focusing on the different features of the local integrity systems (LISs) face difficulties to account for the variations in the incidence of corruption across these Spanish municipalities: despite some interesting differences, the LIS of the cases considered is basically quite similar. Thus, we turn to the analysis of social values and social expectations on the political system by local citizens, testing whether a different set of citizens’ values and expectations on the behavior of local decision makers may explain this local variation in corruption practices. The article presents the results of a public opinion survey on values and expectations administered in the three cases. Against our expectations and the literature on the topic, no significant difference in shared social values and expectations has been found. The article shows that, as for an empirically tested explanation of the cross-local variations in the degree of urban corruption in Spain, the jury is still out.     

Towards a Model of Local Integrity Systems: The Experiences of Local Government in Great Britain

This article expands upon the concepts of the local integrity system (LIS) and integrity management system through a qualitative analysis of the integrity frameworks for local government in Great Britain. With an emphasis on the recent English experience, but drawing upon the comparative systems in Wales and Scotland, the article demonstrates some ways in which integrity has been developed, led, monitored, and enforced, and discusses the perceptions of leading stakeholders in relation to this. It will argue, in addition, that recent changes brought by the Localism Act 2011, has potentially weakened the English LIS.     

The Obama Administration's Challenges after the “War on Science”: Reforming Staffing Practices and Protecting Scientific Integrity in the Executive Branch

In this article, we examine the difficult leadership position President Barack Obama inherited as he took office with respect to science and technology policy making and implementation, particularly following the Bush administration and years of the so‐called “war on science.” We contend that the Obama administration's challenge is not only to take substantive policy action, but also to reform certain administrative practices, particularly in light of the previous administration's practice of the politics of strategic vacancies, a managerial technique that rearranges an agency's ideological inclinations not through the usual forms of active politicization (i.e., by filling the appointee ranks with like‐minded ideologues) but instead by “starving” the agency of staff and co‐opting its agenda that way.     

Digital reconstruction of fragmented tooth remains in forensic context

Forensic odontology majorly focuses on the identification of victims through the analyses of oral and para-oral structures.Exposure to high temperatures and trauma can occur in mass disasters and may lead to the fracturing and fragmentation of teeth.These fragments may become very fragile and easily damaged while handling.Conventional methodologies such as the use of transparent nail polish,hair spray,cyanoacrylate or adhesives have been used to stabilise the fragmented pieces.This study introduces a new and innovative digital technique that utilises three-dimensional surface scanning(3DSS)and rapid prototyping techniques to reconstruct fractured portions of the teeth.The results of qualitative congruency analysis suggest that over all variance of morphological error(0.0526±0.05)mm.These results imply that the reconstructed 3D model can be used for various morphometric analyses.     

Box-Benhken响应面法优化超声提取天冬中皂苷的工艺

目的 优化天冬中皂苷的超声提取工艺,为质量检测提供基础。方法 以紫外可见分光光度法测定天冬中皂苷的含量,并比较菝葜皂苷元与薯蓣皂苷元对照品与天冬样品的最大吸收波长,采用单因素实验法及Box-Benhken响应面法设计天冬皂苷的超声提取实验,并对Box-Benhken响应面模型进行方差分析。结果薯蓣皂苷元的最大吸收波长与天冬样品最大吸收波长相近。响应面分析的最佳提取条件为：乙醇浓度为48%,液料比为50 mL/g,超声时间为61 min。天冬皂苷的含量预测值为5.10%,验证试验的天冬皂苷含量的平均值为5.07%。结论 选择薯蓣皂苷元作为对照品,可以较好地反映天冬皂苷含量水平。响应面法建立的天冬皂苷含量模型具有良好的实际指导意义,可作为进一步研究天冬的实验基础。