Crowdsourced and crowdfunded: the future of forensic DNA?

ABSTRACT

Forensic DNA analysis is dependent on comparing the known and the unknown. Expand the number of known profiles, and the likelihood of a successful match increases. Forensic use of DNA is moving towards comparing samples of unknown origin with publicly available genetic data, such as the records held by genetic genealogy providers. Use of forensic genetic genealogy has yielded a number of recent high-profile successes but has raised ethical and privacy concerns. Navigating family trees is complex, even more so when combined with a comparison of genetic relationships. This intelligence-gathering process has led to occasional false leads, and its use also risks a public backlash, similar to concerns over Cambridge Analytica. A cautious approach to use of this technique is therefore warranted.     

短串联重复序列HumFGA、D3S1359的法医学应用研究

对短串联重复序列（short tandem repeats，STR）的两个高多态位点HumFGA(human alpha fibrinogen，人类α-纤维蛋白原基因)、D3S1359的法医学应用进行研究，并通过实际检测案件统计结果进行评估。实验结果表明：两位点灵敏度高，分别为0.2、0.5ngDNA；同一性和可重复性均较理想；种属特异性好，常见动物未发现扩增产物，仅灵长类动物（黑叶猴和猕猴）有扩增条带；复合扩增体系效果良好；在352次减数分裂中，D3S1359未发现突变，HumFGA检测到1次，突变率为0.28％；实际案件统计和应用结果也显示两位点是多态性高，实用性强的两个遗传标记系统。HumFGA和D3S1359在法医学个人识别与亲子鉴定案例中有较大应用价值。     

Social climate within secure inpatient services for people with intellectual disabilities

Background The social climate of inpatient facilities is thought to be an important contributor to treatment outcome. However, little research has focused on this construct within secure forensic services for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the social climate of two different types of secure units (‘low’ secure vs. ‘medium’ secure) contained within the same facility for offenders with ID. Two hypotheses were generated: (1) residents would rate the social climate of the whole facility in a more negative direction than staff, and (2) residents and staff would rate the social climate of the ‘low’ secure unit in a more positive direction than that of the ‘medium’ secure unit. Method Using a 2 (factor ‘Participant’ = Staff or Resident) × 2 (factor ‘Unit’ = ‘Low’ or ‘Medium’ Secure Unit) between‐subjects design, 18 residents and 37 staff members were recruited and completed the Correctional Institutions Environment Scale (CIES), a measure of social climate. Results Residents tended to rate the units in a more positive direction than staff on some sub‐scales. Participants rated the ‘low’ secure unit in a more positive direction than the ‘medium’ secure unit on two sub‐scales of the CIES. However, on selected sub‐scales there were differences. The findings of this study suggest that the CIES may be a valid instrument for use within forensic services for people with ID, and further suggests that residents and staff have different perceptions of the shared social climate, which may have implications for service development.     

医疗纠纷尸检86例法医学分析

目的：以法医学观点分析讨论医疗纠纷尸检的意义和重要性。方法：从本系1993年－2001年9月尸检资料中选出涉及医疗纠纷的86例资料，经驻表格逐一登记，分类整理，最后进行分析。结果：医疗纠纷的发生率逐年增多，且多集中于儿科（20例，23.2%)、产科（19例，22.1%)、内科（16例，18.6%)、诊所（10例，11.6%)、外科（9例，10.5%)等。医疗纠纷多与院内猝死、难以避免的并发症死亡、临床诊断不清、误诊、误治及医务人员态度不好等有关。结论：医疗纠纷的发生与许多因素有关，法医受理医疗纠纷尸检在程序上有利于取得社会公信，并有利于纠纷的最终解决。     

兔肺小动脉内羊水栓塞成分的时序变化及其意义

目的：观察羊水成分在肺小动脉内时序演变过程，为羊水栓塞诊断提供依据。方法：建立兔羊水栓塞症模型，用旺，阿尔辛兰-荧光桃红改良染色法及TEM法，观察羊水中细胞进入兔肺后的时序变化及病变过程。结果：角化上皮等进入兔肺血管后经15d即分解消失，但其引起的多发性结节性小动脉炎经22d才可见到，TEM可见到角化上皮的凋亡过程。结论：羊水中角化上皮细胞在肺小动脉内的时序改变及继发血管改变在病理诊断医疗事故鉴定中具有重要意义。     

575名新疆汉族青年学生手长、掌长与身高的关系

目的：研究新疆汉族青年手长、掌长与身高的关系，为人类学、法医学提供参考，同时为中国人体质调查积累资料。方法：应用Ｈｒｄｌｉｃａｓ标准和我国普遍采用的方法测量了５７５名（男２７０名，女３０５名）１８～２４岁汉族青年学生的手长、掌长和身高，并将原始数据进行医学统计学处理。结果：按年龄组和性别组计算出各组手长、掌长和身高的均值，身高与手长、掌长的比值。并提出由手长、掌长推算身高的简单公式（身高＝手长×比值，身高＝掌长×比值）和回归方程（身高＝回归系数×手长＋截距，身高＝回归系数×掌长＋截距）。结论：手长、掌长和身高各组性差有显著性（Ｐ＜０．０１）；由手长、掌长推算身高的简单公式和回归方程成立（Ｐ＜０．０５）。     

The practice of forensic psychiatry in cases of homicide in Copenhagen, 1959 to 1983

During the years 1959 to 1983 a doubling in the rate of homicide took place in Copenhagen. This increase was exclusively due to an increasing number of male offenders. By comparing with another Danish material, the frequency of female homicide as well as that of homicide combined with suicide was found practically unchanged since 1946, indicating that both of these kinds of homicides seem to have a background different from those of other offences of fatal violence. During the years 1959 to 1983, the criteria of selection of the defendants for a psychiatric examination for the court were fairly consistent. Examinations were performed in practically all cases, where a charge of murder raised by the police was followed by a legal trial for homicide. Less and less of the defendants, however, were hospitalized for the examination, while more were examined in The Clinic of Forensic Psychiatry in Copenhagen.     

Traumatic Memories: Empirical Foundations, Forensic and Clinical Implications

This article reviews empirical research on memories for negative personal experiences among adults. It examines basic concepts (including neural underpinnings), theoretical models of the affect-memory relationship, and data from three sources: victims or witnesses to crimes and atrocities, "flashbulb memories" for traumatic events, and laboratory simulations of shocking experiences. Evidence suggests that memories for traumatic experiences contain more central than peripheral detail, are reasonably accurate and well-retained for very long periods, but are not completely indelible. Assertions of eyewitness memory's vulnerability to change through suggestion have overstated the evidence. Forensic and clinical implications are discussed and a plea issued for more study of the memory phenomena that characterize posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are the focus of trauma survivors' treatment.     

4种尸食性蝇类卵的表面超微结构

:【目的】明确尸食性蝇类卵的形态 ,以便于在医学和法医学中的应用。【方法】用扫描电镜机观察杭州地区 4种尸食性蝇类卵的形态。【结果】丝光绿蝇、大头金蝇、巨尾阿丽蝇和厩腐蝇卵的超微结构形态各异 ,卵的大小、表面形态、中区、孵出线、卵孔和垂柱皆为重要的鉴别特征。【结论】通过卵壳超微结构可区分常见尸食性蝇类。