Y chromosome STR haplotypes and allele frequencies in Illinois Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic males

POPULATION: Population: Illinois Caucasian ( n =117), Illinois African American ( n =218), and Illinois Hispanic ( n =68).     

Microbial metagenome profiling using amplicon length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction proves more effective than elemental analysis in discriminating soil specimens

The combination of soil's ubiquity and its intrinsic abiotic and biotic information can contribute greatly to the forensic field. Although there are physical and chemical characterization methods of soil comparison for forensic purposes, these require a level of expertise not always encountered in crime laboratories. We hypothesized that soil microbial community profiling could be used to discriminate between soil types by providing biological fingerprints that confer uniqueness. Three of the six Miami-Dade soil types were randomly selected and sampled. We compared the microbial metagenome profiles generated using amplicon length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction analysis of the 16S rRNA genes with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy analysis of 13 elements (Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Si, and Zn) that are commonly encountered in soils. Bray-Curtis similarity index and analysis of similarity were performed on all data to establish differences within sites, among sites, and across two seasons. These data matrices were used to group samples that shared similar community patterns using nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis. We concluded that while chemical characterization could provide some differentiation between soils, microbial metagenome profiling was better able to discriminate between the soil types and had a high degree of reproducibility, therefore proving to be a potential tool for forensic soil comparisons.     

The judicial response to crime and the criminal: A utilitarian perspective

This paper examines the hypothesis that the sentencing decision of the criminal court is consistent with utilitarian principles and that the judiciary uses the length of incarceration as an instrument for the maximization of societal well-being. A theoretical model is developed, whose principal arguments are offender and offense attributes, resource costs, the availability of alternative sanctions, and the general crime rate. Four questions are considered: (i) How does a utilitarian court respond to a general increase in crime? (ii) How does the availability of alternative sanctions affect the length of incarceration ? (iii) How does a utilitarian court respond to offenders who are more likely to recidivate? (iv) How does the court respond to offenders who commit more serious offenses? The model is empirically evaluated, using cross-sectional data for the state of Georgia for individuals sentenced to prison in 1978 for a UCR index offense. The theoretical model provides few specific behavioral rules for the court to follow. Answers to the foregoing four questions are shown to depend upon both the efficacy of sanctions and the cost of the administration of those sanctions. It is not possible to predict, for example, how a utilitarian court should respond to a rise in crime or how it should respond to offenders who are likely to commit more serious offenses. The empirical analysis shows that, in fact, the sentence length varied inversely with the general offense rate, with the likelihood of imprisonment, and with the length of postprison probation. The evidence also indicates that sentences vary with the individual's original record but not with the offender's age or race. With the exception of possible gender bias, the court's sentencing behavior was consistent with utilitarian principles.     

广东广西地区5个群体9个STR基因座的频率调查

目的 调查广东汉族、广西汉族、广西侗族、广西壮族、广西苗族5个群体9个STR基因座多态性,探讨其在法医学检验中的应用价值。方法 应用AmpFISTR Profiler PlusTM荧光标记复合扩增系统,对广东广西5个群体4个民族的1191个无关个体的血样DNA进行9个STR基因座的复合扩增;用ABI 3100遗传分析仪对扩增产物进行分型,统计9个STR基因座的群体遗传学参数。结果 9个STR基因座在广东广西地区5个群体中的累积偶合率为1.51×10-11～8.08×10-11,累积非父排除率为0.99981—0.99990。,结论 该9个STR基因座可满足汉族、壮族、侗族、苗族群体法医学的个体识别及亲权鉴定的需要。     

应用DNA3’末端转移推测死亡时间

目的根据机体死后组织细胞DNA降解规律,研究其与死亡时间之间的关系.方法SD大鼠处死后,在不同死亡时间段取肝、肾、脾组织提取DNA.根据DNA3′末端转移的方法(TdT法)将dUTP结合到DNA的3′末端,检测反应剩余的dUTP量,从而推测机体死后不同时间段DNA的降解情况.结果经对剩余dUTP检测发现,dUTP的剩余量随死亡时间延长而减少,说明DNA降解与死亡时间存在一定的关系.结论根据机体死后DNA降解规律可用于早期死亡时间的推测.     

灌服毒鼠强诱导大鼠细胞DNA的损伤研究

目的研究毒鼠强体内染毒后,毒鼠强对大鼠脑细胞、心肌细胞、淋巴细胞DNA的损伤作用。方法选择健康Sprague-Dawley大白鼠20只,分成5组,每组4只,采用灌胃方法使大鼠毒鼠强体内染毒,按0.2,0.1,0.05,0.01mg·kg-1制作大鼠毒鼠强中毒模型,并以灌服生理盐水的健康大鼠为对照,分离实验大鼠的淋巴细胞、心肌细胞和脑细胞,用彗星电泳的方法测定不同浓度毒鼠强中毒后的细胞DNA损伤。结果0.2,0.1,0.05,0.01mg·kg-1剂量组的毒鼠强均可引起大鼠的淋巴细胞、心肌细胞和脑细胞DNA损伤,均与对照组差异有显著性(P<0.01)。结论毒鼠强诱导体内细胞DNA损伤可能是毒鼠强毒性作用机制之一。     

人权公约与生命权的刑法保护的比较研究

生命权是国际社会公认的基本人权。珍爱生命、保护生命权日益成为联合国国际人权公约和国际社会所致力追求的目标。刑法作为一国法律体系的重要组成部分,由于其保护法益的广泛性、重要性及其对违法行为制裁的严厉性,使得刑法对公民生命权的保护较之其他部门法而言更具举足轻重的意义。但就刑法对生命权的保护方式而言,中外刑法则主要通过对杀人罪的规定与限制和废除死刑两种"相对"的———或称"因果"的方式而完成的。从《公民权利与政治权利国际公约》的角度,就我国刑法对生命权的保护及其立法完善进行探讨,能使现行刑法较好较早地与国际人权公约接轨。     

中国共产党对宗教信仰自由政策的探索历程

党的宗教信仰自由政策是在土地革命时期初步形成,抗日战争时期逐步成熟,建国初期全面发展,新时期系统完善的.土地革命时期的宗教政策具有限制"信教自由"的特点;抗日战争时期具有统战性的特点;建国初期比较突出地体现了管理的特点;新时期以来则更多地体现出相适应的特点.     

我国政党制度安全：挑战及对策

政党制度安全,就是指在特定的政党政治框架中,一国政党制度不存在危险或受到内外执政风险影响下仍能保持政党制度的巩固。在新的国际国内形势下,我国政党制度面临着前所未有的挑战:我国成为国际敌对势力“西化”的主要目标;苏联模式政党制度彻底瓦解,多党制在世界范围内不断扩展;信息传播全球化网络化,思想舆论环境日趋复杂;我国社会阶级阶层结构深刻变化,出现了多样化发展的趋势。面对压力和挑战,我们必须坚持中国共产党领导的多党合作制度不动摇;重新审视和定位中国共产党特别是各民主党派的代表性;提高政治协商制度的体制化水平;推进政治协商具体工作的规范化和制度化;大胆借鉴世界各国政党和政党制度建设的有益成果。