A mixed DNA profile controversy revisited

Semaan et al. (J Forensic Res, 2020, 11, 453) discuss a mock case “where eight different individuals [P₁ through P₈] could not be excluded in a mixed DNA analysis. Even though … expert DNA mixture analysis software was used.” Two of these are the true donors. The LRs reported are incorrect due to the incorrect entry of propositions into LRmix Studio. This forced the software to account for most of the alleles as drop-in, resulting in LRs 60–70 orders of magnitude larger than expected. P₁, P₂, P₄, P₅, and P₈ can be manually excluded using peak heights. This has relevance when using LRmix which does not use peak heights. We extend the work using the same two reference genotypes who were the true contributors as Semaan et al. (J Forensic Res, 2020, 11, 453). We simulate three two-donor mixtures with peak heights using these two genotypes and analyze using STRmix?. For the simulated 1:1 mixture, one of the non-donors’ LRs supported him being a contributor when no conditioning was used. When considered in combination with any other potential donors (i.e., with conditioning), this non-donor was correctly eliminated. For the 3:1 mixture, all results correctly supported that the non-donors were not contributors. The low-template 4:1 mixture LRs with no conditioning showed support for all eight profiles as donors. However, the results from pair-wise conditioning showed that only the two ground truth donors had LRs supporting that they were contributors to the mixture. We recommend the use of peak heights and conditioning profiles, as this allows better sensitivity and specificity even when the persons share many alleles.     

Observer determination of the make,model, and year of questioned vehicles

Often, criminal acts involving a vehicle are caught on digital video surveillance systems. While potentially useful for an investigation, the recording conditions are typically less than optimal for the extraction of key information for the identification of the perpetrator, such as a license plate. Providing the make, model and year of a questioned vehicle is a common request for examiners, to narrow the field of potential suspect vehicles. This study seeks to compare the performance of a nonpeer-reviewed make, model, and year determination between two separate groups, specifically, trained forensic image examiners and nontrained individuals. Results show that even with varied image capture conditions and quality, the trained forensic image examiners more correctly and completely identified the test group of questioned vehicles make, model, and year.     

建立教学管理监控体系,促进学校新发展

教学工作在学校整个工作中的中心地位已毫无疑问,而高质量的教学管理则是确保教学效果、提高教学质量的重要前提。为了切实提高教学管理的水平与质量,建立起一个涉及师资队伍、课程建设、教材资料建设、教学过程、毕业生质量追踪等方面内容的完整的教学管理监控体系势在必行。教学管理监控体系的建立和运作,不仅能够有效提高工作效率,而且能保证学校人才培养目标的实现,并且为学校的重要决策提供信息依据。     

应用硅珠法提取陈旧骨骼DNA

骨骼相对于人体其他的组织脏器腐败降解慢,是进行高度腐败及白骨化样本DNA检验的唯一检材。但骨骼DNA的提取比较困难,本文运用传统的硅珠法提取骨骼DNA取得了很好的效果。1材料与方法1.1样本1~4年水浸泡、土埋的股骨、肱骨等样本,来自本实验室日常检案检材。1.2方法1.2.1骨骼DNA提取用水洗净骨骼表面,晾干。锯成小块,用锉打磨内外表面。去离子水、乙醇和5%bleach浸泡、晾干,磨成粉末。取骨粉5g;加入0.5mon/L EDTA(pH8.0)溶液,搅拌均匀置于摇床上脱钙12h,去离子水洗两遍,去上清,重复4次[1];沉渣中加入适量裂解液(6mon/L GuSCN,20mo…     

刑法学课程内容设置探讨——高校不同层次、不同专业刑法学课程教学内容的安排

刑法学体系结构庞大,刑法学课程可根据该体系的重点难点以及培养目标、实际需要等因素确定教学内容的安排。在专科、本科兼招的高等学校,既有必要安排好大专层次各专业的刑法学课程,又应该考虑好本科层次各专业刑法学课程的设置。     

DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics: Recommendations on the interpretation of mixtures

The DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) was convened at the 21st congress of the International Society for Forensic Genetics held between 13 and 17 September in the Azores, Portugal. The purpose of the group was to agree on guidelines to encourage best practice that can be universally applied to assist with mixture interpretation. In addition the commission was tasked to provide guidance on low copy number (LCN) reporting. Our discussions have highlighted a significant need for continuing education and research into this area. We have attempted to present a consensus from experts but to be practical we do not claim to have conveyed a clear vision in every respect in this difficult subject. For this reason, we propose to allow a period of time for feedback and reflection by the scientific community. Then the DNA commission will meet again to consider further recommendations.     

牛分枝杆菌esat-6和mpb70-mpb83基因DNA疫苗的免疫效果

用PCR技术和重叠延伸剪接技术获得牛分枝杆菌esat-6基因和mpb70-mpb83融合基因,连接真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(+),构建了重组质粒pCE6和pC70-83-E6。分4组免疫小鼠:pCE6组、pC70-83-E6组、pcDNA3.1(+)和PBS对照组,采用间接ELISA法检测免疫小鼠血清特异性抗体水平,MTT法检测免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖情况和IFN-γ分泌情况。结果表明,2重组质粒免疫组小鼠的血清抗体水平持续上升,而2对照组始终维持在较低水平,且pC70-83-E6组小鼠的抗体水平高于pCE6组。经PPD刺激后,pCE6组和pC70-83-E6组小鼠的SI值与2对照组均差异显著(P<0.05),2重组质粒免疫组间差异不显著(P>0.05);2重组质粒免疫小鼠脾细胞产生的IFN-γ均显著高于2对照组(P<0.05),且pC70-83-E6组明显高于其他3组(P<0.05)。证实本试验构建的2种牛分枝杆菌DNA疫苗可有效诱导实验动物产生体液免疫和细胞免疫应答。     

To block or not to block: European approaches to content regulation,and implications for freedom of expression

Based on the limited effectiveness of state laws, and lack of harmonization at international level a number of states started to introduce policies to block access to Internet content and websites deemed illegal which are situated outside their legal jurisdiction. However, blocking policies are not always subject to due process principles, decisions are not necessarily taken by the courts of law, and often administrative bodies or Internet hotlines run by the private sector decide which content or website should be subject to blocking. Therefore, increasingly, the compatibility of blocking action is questioned with regards to the fundamental right of freedom of expression. This article assesses significant developments at the pan-European level with regards to the development, and implementation of Internet content blocking policies. Adaptation of content blocking policies from certain member states of both the European Union and the Council of Europe will be used to assess the nature and implementation of access blocking policies. It will be argued that there could be a breach of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights if blocking measures or filtering tools are used at state level to silence politically motivated speech on the Internet.     

当代人类文化发展呈现融合性趋势

当代人类化发展的重要特征是化发展呈现融合性趋势，具体表现为物质化与精神化融合的趋势，大众化与小众化融合的趋势，市场化与精英化融合的趋势，外在化与内在化融合的趋势。     

Appeals to Reason

This article considers how statistical reasoning changes conceptions of evidence and proof. Beginning with three Court of Appeal judgments in which proof is quantified, it traces the implications of statistical ways of thinking about proof through the law of criminal evidence. This leads to the bizarre conclusion that proof is, by and large, impossible. The argument then takes a more constructive turn. The way in which the presumption of innocence is conceptualised in statistical argument is criticised and it is suggested that proof depends on a precondition of trust in the way suspects are selected by the police. For that trust to be deserved, police suspects must be chosen in a legitimate manner.