The Bordered World of Cross-border Cooperation: The Determinants of Local Government Contact Networks within Euroregions

The article discusses the determinants of local government contact networks within cross-border cooperation organizations (Euroregions). Relying on social capital theory, a combination of social network and qualitative analytical tools are applied on data from two Scandinavian and two East Central European cases. The analysis reveals that, even in favourable circumstances, contact networks are thin and Euroregions fail to develop into truly integrated political spaces. The analysis also shows that contact patterns on one side of the border, determined primarily by inter-municipal cooperation, will matter for how contact networks are formed across the border. The findings are important, as membership in a Euroregion is expected to foster cross-border political relationships that could have possible spillover effects in terms of encouraging policy cooperation outside the framework of the Euroregion, which in turn would enhance the likelihood of well-functioning cross-border governance spaces.     

山羊痘病毒的鉴定及序列分析

以华中地区某山羊场疑似山羊痘病料为对象,进行了本动物病例复制、透射电镜观察、病理切片HE染色、特异性目的基因扩增和序列测定及遗传进化关系分析。结果,复制了山羊痘本动物模型,观察到山羊痘病毒(GTPV)样粒子,切片HE染色可见有炎性细胞浸润,病料中扩增到P32基因;序列测定及遗传分析表明,该病毒为山羊痘病毒(ZL/HB/HN),与2008年分离于印度的山羊痘毒株(FJ748488)的遗传关系最近,与中国山羊痘疫苗株(AY881707)及1978年分离于印度的山羊毒株(AY382869)同属一个进化分支。     

Improving the point of origin determination in bloodstain pattern analysis

In bloodstain pattern analysis, it is important to know the point of origin (PO) of an impact pattern. This point can be estimated by means of the stringing method, the tangent method, or by commercially available computer programs. In this study, the accuracy of two computer programs was investigated under different conditions. Impact patterns were created by means of a modified mouse trap, and subsequently the PO was calculated. By examining the characteristics of single bloodstains, the influence on the deviation could be determined. To improve the estimation of the PO, it is important to select bloodstains that lie close to the presumable location of the blood source, that are large (width >1.5 mm) and that show an elliptical form. If possible, bloodstains from different walls should be taken into account. Our recommendations may improve the PO determination of impact patterns.     

Mandibular ramus: an indicator for sex in fragmentary mandible

Mandible is the hardest and most durable bone of the skull exhibiting a high degree of sexual dimorphism. Especially ramus of mandible is subjected to greater stress than any other bone of the skull because of the process of mastication. This study has been performed to establish the osteometric standards for practical use in forensic context over Indian population using mandibular ramus. The sample consists of 116 mandibles of Northern Indian population (M:F; 92:24, mean age 37.4 years), collected from the Department of Forensic Medicine, IMS, BHU, Varanasi. Osteometric informations about five metric parameters (coronoid height, projective height, condylar height, and maximum breadth and minimum breadth of ramus) were taken with sliding calipers. These parameters were subjected to different discriminant function analysis using SPSS 16.0. All parameters showed significant sexual dimorphism (p < 0.001 in all cases) with an overall accuracy of 80.2%, and coronoid height was the single best parameter providing an accuracy of 74.1%.     

三株鸡马立克氏病病毒流行毒株基因组重复区的序列测定及分析

对国内3株马立克氏病病毒血清1型(Marek’s disease virus type 1,MDV-1)流行毒株的基因组重复区进行序列测定及分析,并与GenBank中登录的MDV-1参考毒株序列进行比较。结果显示,3株毒株的基因组重复区序列具有较高同源性,在进化上属于一独立分支。3株毒株的长重复区长度约为12kb,预测的开放阅读框(ORF)分别为43、40、43个;短重复区约为12kb,预测的ORF分别为27、25、26个。3株毒株的多个ORF中存在它们特有的共性氨基酸突变,是国内MDV-1流行毒株的特有的遗传性特征。该研究为我国MDV的流行、遗传变异及防控研究提供了材料。     

伯氏疏螺旋体外膜蛋白C的表达及抗原性分析

以伯氏疏螺旋体SZ(B.garinii)、BO23(B.afzelii)、B31(B.burgdorferi sensu stricto)菌株的外膜蛋白OspC基因为靶基因,将PCR扩增出的目的片段克隆到表达载体pGEX-4T-1中构建重组质粒进行表达,表达的蛋白用MagneGSTTMProtein Purification System纯化,之后用此3株菌株免疫羊制备的阳性血清做Western-blot,检测该重组蛋白。证明这3个基因型菌株的重组OspC具有抗原性及交叉反应性。本研究表达的重组蛋白OspC(SZ菌株)为建立羊体内伯氏疏螺旋体抗体的ELISA检测方法奠定了基础。     

Identification of the source of ivory idol by DNA analysis

In this study, we describe a forensic case dealing with the identification of the source of the processed ivory object by DNA analysis. Two pieces of Lord Krishna's idols from a shop were confiscated by an investigating agency of the Indian government and forwarded to us to identify the source of its origin. We succeeded in isolating DNA from both processed ivory idols by using the phenol/chloroform DNA extraction method. The extracted DNA was subjected to PCR amplification using an elephant-specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop marker. DNA sequence analysis of the amplified fragment of mtDNA D-loop region confirmed that the idols were consistent with Asian elephant with 99% similarity.     

The effect of ionizing gamma radiation on natural and synthetic fibers and its implications for the forensic examination of fiber evidence

Circumstances of criminal activities involving radioactive materials may mean fiber evidence recovered from a crime scene could have been exposed to materials emitting ionizing radiation. The consequences of radiation exposed fibers on the result of the forensic analysis and interpretation is explored. The effect of exposure to 1-1000 kGy radiation doses in natural and synthetic fibers was noticeable using comparative forensic examination methods, such as optical microscopy, microspectrophotometry, and thin-layer chromatography. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed no signs of radiation-induced chemical changes in any of the fiber structures. The outcome of the comparative methods highlights the risk of "false negatives" associated in comparing colors of recovered fibers that may have been exposed to unknown radiation doses. Consideration of such results supports the requirement to know the context, including the environmental conditions, as much as possible before undertaking a forensic fiber examination.     

Prediction and preliminary standardization of fire debris constituents with the advanced distillation curve method

The recent National Academy of Sciences report on forensic sciences states that the study of fire patterns and debris in arson fires is in need of additional work and eventual standardization. We discuss a recently introduced method that can provide predicted evaporation patterns for ignitable liquids as a function of temperature. The method is a complex fluid analysis protocol, the advanced distillation curve approach, featuring a composition explicit data channel for each distillate fraction (for qualitative, quantitative, and trace analysis), low uncertainty temperature measurements that are thermodynamic state points that can be modeled with an equation of state, consistency with a century of historical data, and an assessment of the energy content of each distillate fraction. We discuss the application of the method to kerosenes and gasolines and outline how expansion of the scope of fluids to other ignitable liquids can benefit the criminalist in the analysis of fire debris for arson.     

Dental shape match rates in selected and orthodontically treated populations in New York State: a two-dimensional study

Forensically identifying a suspect's dentition from a bitemark in an open population requires the supposition that every person's dental alignment is different. There have been few studies that have tested this claim. Four hundred and ten lower anterior dentitions from a selected population and 110 lower anterior dentitions from one that was orthodontically treated were measured using geometric morphometric analysis, allowing comparison of arch shape. Dental match rates of 1.46% and 42.7% of individuals were found in the respective populations, given an established measurement error. Orthodontic treatment had a strong effect on match rate suggesting that treated or naturally well-aligned dentitions may be indistinguishable. Sexual dimorphism was found to be only slightly significant. Principal shape variation in both populations was degree of arch curvature. Results of studying these populations show that dental matches can occur, and that statements of certainty concerning individualization in such populations should be approached with caution.