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The DNA contamination of evidentiary trace samples, included those collected in the autopsy room, has significant detrimental consequences for forensic genetics investigation. After the COVID-19 pandemic, methods to prevent environmental contamination in the autopsy room have been developed and intensified. This study aimed to evaluate the level of human DNA contamination of a postmortem examination facility before and after the introduction of COVID-19-related disinfection and cleaning procedures. Ninety-one swabs were collected from the surfaces and the dissecting instruments, analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and typed for 21 autosomal STRs. Sixty-seven out of 91 samples resulted in quantifiable human DNA, ranging from 1 pg/μl to 12.4 ng/μl, including all the samples collected before the implementation of COVID-19 cleaning procedures (n = 38) and 29 out of 53 (54.7%) samples taken afterward. All samples containing human DNA were amplified, resulting in mixed (83.6%), single (13.4%), and incomplete (3%) profiles. A statistically significant decrease in DNA contamination was found for dissecting instruments after treatment with chlorhexidine and autoclave (p 0.05). Environmental decontamination strategies adopted during COVID-19 pandemic only partially solved the long-standing issue of DNA contamination of postmortem examination facilities. The pandemic represents an opportunity to further stress the need for standardized evidence-based protocols targeted to overcome the problem of DNA contamination in the autopsy room.

Der sich seit Jahren durchgesetzte Begriff des Literaturtransfers wird hier aus verschiedenen Perspektiven besprochen. Es geht um die Möglichkeit der Erschließung von Texten, um die Rezeption seitens des Publikums, um das Editionswesen und nicht zuletzt um die Kunst des Übersetzens. Der achte Band enthält Beiträge zu folgenden Themen: - Der Taugenichts bei, vor und seit Eichendorff in Deutschland und anderswo; - Edition und Interpretation; - Übersetzungen literarischer Texte und deren Edition; - Modelle, Figuren und Praktiken des deutsch-italienischen Literaturtransfers; - Florenz und die Deutsch-Florentiner. Eine Austauschbühne zwischen Risorgimento und Gründerzeit

Das Schicksal der Flüchtlinge auf ihrem Weg über das Mittelmeer wird in Liebe deinen Nächsten (2017) lebhaft gezeigt, in dem Gaby von Borstel und Peter Eickmeyer ihre dreiwöchige Erfahrung auf einem Rettungsschiff wiedergeben. Die Spannung zwischen Sprache, Schrift und Bild, der wechselnde Gehalt des Pronomens ‚wir‘ und des Substantivs ‚Meer‘, die entscheidende Rolle des Erzählens, das Zusammenspiel zwischen dem Buch und dem Blog der Autoren, der praktische Nutzen des Bandes für eine Spendenaktion sind einige bedeutende Aspekte dieser Graphic Novel, die zeigen, wie vielseitig und kraftvoll die Darstellung der „fragmentierten Flucht nach Europa“ (B. Etzold) ist, die Liebe deinen Nächsten dem Leser anbietet.

Il rischio di esacerbazione della violenza domestica in epoca di pandemia COVID-19 è stato segnalato in sede nazionale e internazionale. Attraverso una revisione delle fonti ufficiali, della letteratura scientifica e delle fonti giornalistiche, è stato indagato il fenomeno per identificarne le peculiarità di interesse sanitario e medico-legale, nonché di evidenziare le attività di contrasto introdotte a livello nazionale e internazionale. Il nostro studio consente di confermare che la pandemia ha comportato un aumento dei casi di violenza a fronte, talora, di una riduzione delle nuove richieste di aiuto. La paucità di evidenze è risultata in particolar modo per il child abuse e l’elder abuse, problematiche particolarmente soggette ad under-reporting anche al di fuori del contesto COVID19. Si è inoltre dimostrato come l’infezione da COVID-19 e le misure di contrasto all’infezione possano associarsi ad una variazione delle caratteristiche della violenza domestica, con l’emergenza di elementi “nuovi”, di interesse per gli operatori sanitari e, in particolare, anche dei medici legali che in un prossimo futuro saranno chiamati ad intervenire e a fornire una valutazione sui casi di violenza. È emersa l’importanza non solo di consolidare le misure già presenti, ma anche di introdurre nuovi strumenti di contrasto, quali ad esempio la creazione di nuovi canali multimediali e punti di informazione dedicati e accessibili, date le restrizioni, per la denuncia dei casi di abuso domestico, la riorganizzazione delle case rifugio, l’utilizzo a scopo preventivo delle forze dell’ordine ed il coinvolgimento della comunità con la sensibilizzazione su questo problema, anch’esso principalmente di salute pubblica.

Fly artifacts resulting from insect activity could act as confounding factors on a crime scene and interfere with bloodstain pattern analysis interpretation. Several techniques have been proposed to distinguish fly artifacts from human bloodstains based on morphological approach and immunological assay, but a DNA-based method has not been developed so far. Even if in forensic genetic investigations the detection of human DNA is generally the primary goal, fly artifacts can provide useful information on the dynamics of crime events. The present study provides a molecular method to detect fly DNA from artifacts deposited by Calliphora vomitoria after feeding on human blood through the analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene subunit I (COI). Fly artifacts originated from digestive process and of different morphology spanning from red and brownish/light brown, circular and elliptical stains to artifacts with sperm-like tail or a tear-shaped body were collected. The COI amplification was successfully obtained in 94% of fly artifact samples. The method showed high sensitivity and reproducibility, and no human DNA contamination was observed, offering specificity for use in confirmatory test. This molecular approach permits the distinction of fly artifacts from genuine bloodstains and the identification of fly’s species through the COI region sequencing by protocols usually applied in forensic genetic laboratories. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00414-021-02643-7.

Fly artifacts (FA) are bloodstains resulting from insect activity at a crime scene, usually by feeding on human blood. Whether these artifactual stains might be useful for forensic toxicological investigations in cases of absence of conventional and unconventional matrices, for example, in cases concealment of the body or of extensive putrefaction, has not yet been investigated. The purpose of this study is to understand if FA trace evidence permits toxicological analysis when traditional matrices are not available. To this aim, FA experimentally produced by Calliphora vomitoria feeding on human blood of a cocaine and heroin user were collected from absorptive and non-absorptive material. FA material was analyzed by a new simple and fast LC-MS/MS method. Results were evaluated in terms of presence of the drug and relative amount of the detected molecules. From a qualitative point of view, the analysis of FA revealed all the substances originally detected in post-mortem blood in both cases. The ratios of cocaine/benzoylecgonine, codeine/morphine, and 6-monoacetylmorphine/morphine recovered in FA from cotton-textile materials and from non-absorptive surfaces were consistent with data resulted from original post-mortem blood. The preliminary study herein reported demonstrated that FA are extremely informative in case of cocaine and heroin users and merit further research in order to be applied in real caseworks.

The reconstruction of dynamic of traffic injuries remains a challenge in forensic pathology and is often based on circumstantial data. Dash Cams are digital video recorders which can be located inside a vehicle and continuously record the view through the windscreen, thus providing objective evidence. Here we present the case of a traffic crash in which a pedestrian was hit by an articulated lorry. The analysis of a video recorded from a Dash Cam retrieved inside the vehicle during the death scene investigation (DSI) was crucial in the reconstruction of the manner of death. Indeed, the death, which was initially assumed to be accidental, was finally deemed as a suicide on the basis of the video recording, which showed an intentional and sudden rush of the victim to the middle of the roadway. Advantages and disadvantages of the use of Dash Cams will be discussed, focusing on the profound differences in the related national and international regulations. Based on the present case, in traffic crashes, the search for Dash Cams during the DSI may be recommended and the video recordings should be analyzed in the setting of a multidisciplinary and multimodal evaluation of the case, for a proper reconstruction of the facts. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12024-021-00382-0.

Femicide is defined as the gender-related killings of women and girls or as an any intentional murder of women and it represents a worldwide health issue. Although it has gained a growing attention across the public and the media, true data on its prevalence and a characterization of the phenomenon are still scarce. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the characteristics of female homicides and femicides, which are necessary to design and monitor effective preventive efforts. Post-mortem examination reports of female homicides occurred in the judicial district of Bologna over a period of 70 years were revised. Characteristics of victims and perpetrators, circumstantial and post-mortem data were extracted. Overall, 172 female homicides were observed, including 103 femicides, with no significant changes over time. The mean age of victims increased over time and showed a statistically significant association with the victim-perpetrator relationship. Homicides committed by non-intimate partner family members increased. Our study unveiled that, in the past decades, femicide was a hidden but constant social phenomenon, despite the social, cultural and juridical changes. The research in forensic pathology could help bring to light trends, characteristics and risk factors to be considered for strategies to counteract violence against women.

An application of the innovative city planning method, developed within the EU FP7 project InSMART, is applied to the municipality of Cesena (Italy). A multi-model approach is used to explore and rank alternative plans (combinations of actions and measures) towards the sustainable development of the municipality, with a particular focus on the residential and transport sectors. On the basis of the possible space of decisions of the municipality (which can be seen as “urban planner”, as “regulator”, as “provider of support and information”, as “consumer” and as “supplier” of energy), alternative planning hypotheses have been prepared and tested making use of a city-energy system model and scenario analysis. Scenarios are built around different themes with the aim of exploring the potential benefits (or drawbacks) of the combination of specific “competitive” projects, actions, standards, targets. A reference development of the local system is assumed to be modified through six combinations of actions and measures aiming at representing six pillars of alternative pathways towards the sustainability. Figures below report the key themes and hypotheses taken into consideration in the planning exercise. Once the dynamic pictures of the urban system are produced (one per each alternative), a multi-criteria method is used to determine the ranking of the options, evaluated against a set of elements (technological, social, environmental, economic). This stage is still ongoing and will generate the whole dataset (weights, preference functions) required to rank the alternatives in the next few months. All these alternative strategies are designed with the involvement of the municipality of Cesena, to directly respond their needs of knowledge about potential impacts of different action plans. Compared to the existing city strategic energy action plans, the advantage of the outputs of this approach is the fact that multiple future energy scenarios are analysed and cross-compared and “integrated” strategies ranked.

Ein YouTube-Video über die Begegnung eines Kreuzfahrtschiffes mit einem Flüchtlingsboot hat der Schriftstellerin, Drehbuchautorin und Filmproduzentin Merle Kröger den Anlass zu ihrem Roman »Havarie« (2015) gegeben. Die Lebensabschnitte von elf Figuren (Migranten, Urlaubern, Kreuzfahrtschiffs-, Seenotrettungs- und Frachtarbeitern) kreuzen sich in einem Zeitraum von zwei Nächten und einem Tag im Mittelmeer; das Zusammenprallen unterschiedlicher Welten, das aus diesen Begegnungen entsteht, wird aus den sich abwechselnden Perspektiven aller Hauptfiguren nüchtern und schonungslos erzählt. »Havarie« ist aber nicht nur ein Roman der Jetztzeit, der die Migrantenwelle aus Afrika darstellt, sondern wegen seiner Anspielungen auf Konflikte u. a. in der Ukraine, Algerien, Syrien, Nordirland und in den Philippinen, die Schwarz-Weiß-Bilder am Ende des Bandes visuell darstellen, auch einer der jüngsten Weltgeschichte. Da Geschichte »nicht nur in der Zeit, sondern auch im Raum« spielt (Schlögel), gewinnt vor allem das Meer eine tragende Funktion, sowohl als permeabler Grenz- und Übergangsraum als auch als Landschaft mit unsichtbaren und trotzdem deutlichen Abgrenzungen, die zeigt, dass das besitzanzeigende Adjektiv in der Bezeichnung mare nostrum die Konnotation der Inklusion und der Gemeinsamkeit zugunsten der Exklusion und der Alterität verloren hat. Unter den Schiffen und Booten, die das Mittelmeer durchkreuzen, spielt das Kreuzfahrtschiff eine besonders wichtige Rolle: Es stellt einen mehrsprachigen Mikrokosmos dar, der - wie sein Name »The Spirit of Europe« verrät - das Wesen eines Erdteiles synthetisiert und die soziale Ungleichheit, die Ausbeutung, die Gleichgültigkeit, die Geldgier, die Kontaktarmut, die Oberflächigkeit und den Egoismus bloßstellt, die ihn kennzeichnen: Havariert ist also nicht nur das Schlauchboot der Flüchtlinge, sondern auch Europa und der Mensch. Wichtig ist schließlich die literarische Gattung, der »Havarie« angehört: Der Text ist ein Kriminalroman, der monatelang auf Platz 1 der Krimi-Bestenliste der Zeit stand. Vermisst wird Jo, ein philippinischer Sänger des Kreuzfahrtschiffes, aber der traditionelle Ablauf eines Krimis fehlt fast genauso wie die Ermittlung und die Ermittlerfigur. Das Verbrechen steht aber fest: mehrfacher Mord. An Jo (vielleicht), an den Flüchtlingen, die das Mittelmeer zum Massengrab werden lassen, und an der Menschlichkeit. Die zentrale Frage der Kriminalliteratur »whodunit?« (Alewyn) bleibt, und ihre Beantwortung wird dem Leser und seinem Gewissen überlassen. Ist aber der Leser als Europäer und Mensch nicht selber ein Mörder?

Auf der sprachgeschichtlichen Ebene erfullt Lingua Tertii Imperii. Notizbuch eines Philologen (1947) des judischen Wissenschaftlers Victor Klemperer eine grundlegende Funktion, denn kurz nach Kriegsende versucht dieses Werk, „das Gift der LTI deutlich zu machen und vor ihm zu warnen“ (LTI). Von der Kritik bisher wenig beachtet wurden aber die individuellen und kollektiven Gedachtnisinhalte des Werkes, die sich tagebuchartig als Anlass und Beweis philologischer Uberlegungen erweisen und zur Rekonstruktion der nahen Vergangenheit sowohl eines verfolgten deutschen Intellektuellen als auch eines in den nationalsozialistischen Rausch versetzten Volkes beitragen.

It is now widely recognized that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may cause extensive damage to the intestine. The pathogenesis of NSAID-induced intestinal injury, however, is still controversial and both local irritant actions and cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition have been proposed as underlying mechanisms. In this study we investigated further on NSAID-induced intestinal damage by using nonselective (indomethacin and ibuprofen), COX-1 selective (SC-560) or COX-2 selective (celecoxib) inhibitors. NSAIDs were administered orally to conscious rats and small intestinal injury was evaluated 24 h afterwards in terms of macroscopic and microscopic alterations, myeloperoxidase activity, lipid peroxidation, number of enterobacteria in the mucosa and epithelial mucin content. Oral administration of indomethacin (20 mg/kg) induced macroscopic and microscopic damage to the small intestine, increased translocation of enterobacteria from lumen into the mucosa, myeloperoxidase activity and lipid peroxidation. Ibuprofen (120 mg/kg), SC-560 (20 mg/kg), celecoxib (60 mg/kg) or the combination of SC-560 plus celecoxib did not cause any intestinal injury nor modified the number of bacteria in mucosal homogenates. SC-560 significantly increased both myeloperoxidase activity and lipid peroxidation, whereas celecoxib significantly reduced myeloperoxidase levels, while leaving unaltered lipid peroxidation. Finally, all NSAIDs, mostly indomethacin, increased neutral mucins and decreased acidic mucins in the intestinal goblet cells. These results indicate that inhibition of cyclooxygenase, although variably influencing mucosal integrity homeostasis, is not sufficient to initiate acute intestinal damage in rats. Moreover, topical mucosal injury induced by the NSAID molecule seems to be a critical factor in the development of intestinal injury.

The discovery of a second isoform of cyclooxygenase has led to a re-evaluation of the mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, focusing in particular on the gastrointestinal system. We investigated the involvement of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in the regulation of gastric acid secretion and cardiovascular functions in anesthetized rats, after acute intravenous administration of the selective cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitor SC-560, the selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib and the nonselective inhibitor indomethacin. Indomethacin, celecoxib and SC-560 did not significantly modify basal acid secretion. Indomethacin and celecoxib were also ineffective on the acid secretion stimulated by pentagastrin; by contrast, SC-560 significantly enhanced the acid secretion stimulated by pentagastrin, electrical vagal stimulation or histamine. The stimulatory effects of SC-560 were prevented by cervical vagotomy, atropine and famotidine. Indomethacin caused either no change, increasing or decreasing effects on mean arterial pressure and heart rate. By contrast, SC-560 was unable to change cardiovascular parameters at 5 mg/kg, while inducing a marked bradycardia at 10 mg/kg. Celecoxib was ineffective. Our findings indicate that cyclooxygenase-1-derived prostaglandins are involved in the regulation of stimulated acid secretion and of basal heart rate; the role of prostaglandins in the acute control of systemic blood pressure under resting conditions seems to be negligible.

The effects of the cannabinoid (CB)-receptor agonists WIN55,212-2 and HU-210 and the selective CB(1)-receptor antagonist SR141716A were tested on in vitro and in vivo acid secretion assays from the rat. In the isolated gastric fundus from immature rats, WIN55,212-2 (0.001-30 microM), HU-210 (0.001-10 microM), or SR141716A (0.1-10 microM) did not change the basal acid output or acid responses to histamine, pentagastrin, or electrical field stimulation. HU-210 (0.3 micromol/kg, intravenously) inhibited the acid response to pentagastrin in anesthetized adult, young, or immature rats with lumen-perfused stomachs; moreover, HU-210 reduced vagally induced acid secretion in adult animals, its antisecretory effect being reversed by SR141716A (0.65 micromol/kg, intravenously). In vitro and in vivo data indicate that CB(1) receptors are not located on parietal cells but, rather, on vagal pathways (possibly at preganglionic sites) supplying the gastric mucosa. The lack of effect of CB-receptor ligands in vitro cannot be ascribed to the use of immature rats, since HU-210 inhibited stimulated acid secretion in vivo, irrespective of the animal age.

Bacterial antigens, such as intestinal microflora, are known to play a role in the pathogenesis of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Tylosin, a macrolide antimicrobial agent, has proven to be effective in cat and dog chronic colitis, but the reasons underlying this efficacy are still unclear. In the present study we evaluated the effects of tylosin on 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in the rat, in comparison with the antibacterial drug metronidazole and the corticosteroid budesonide. Colitis was induced by a single intrarectal administration of 10 mg TNBS under light ether anesthesia. Tylosin (20 mg/kg twice a day), metronidazole (160 mg/kg twice a day) and budesonide (500 µg/kg once a day) were given orally for up to 6 days to separate groups of rats. The animals were sacrificed after 6 days and colonic lesions evaluated (colon weight, macroscopic and histologic damage, myeloperoxidase activity). Tylosin and metronidazole significantly lowered macroscopic lesion score, reduced colon weight, the severity of histologic lesions and myeloperoxidase activity; budesonide did not significantly change the parameters of colonic inflammation. These data indicate a protective effect of tylosin against intestinal inflammation, suggesting a major role for bacteria, anaerobes in particular, in the development of TNBS-induced mucosal damage.

Between the publication of Treffpunkt im Unendlichen (1932) and that of Mephisto. Roman einer Karriere (1936), we witness the rise of National Socialism and Klaus Mann’s consequent exile. Although the two above-mentioned novels are characterised by marked differences which are connected in the first place with Mann’s life experience and its impact on his relationship with art and politics, they also present several points of contact. These do not concern simply the parallelism between Gregor Gregori, the dancer of Treffpunkt im Unendlichen, and Hendrik Höfgen, the actor of Mephisto; indeed, an interesting comparative study may also be developed in order to reflect on certain similarities between the two texts, especially as regards the whole constellation of characters and the main thematic clusters of the two texts., Annali Online Lettere - Ferrara, VI 1-2 (2011)

Il passaggio dal viaggio e dal soggiorno di tarda età moderna al turismo di metà Ottocento è un tema spesso non affrontato e di cui sono state date rare proposte di periodizzazione. Il capitolo propone una interpretazione e una periodizzazione delle pratiche di viaggio e soggiorno di primo Ottocento in rapporto alle pratiche precedenti di antico regime e a quelle moderne che andranno a confluire nel fenomeno turistico.

Tra la fine del Settecento e gli inizi dell’Ottocento, il mondo orientale, africano o più esotico, diviene un terreno di invenzione in cui gli scenografi, come tanti artisti del tempo, mischiano le conoscenze archeologiche con l’ecclettismo dell’immaginazione. E forse, sono proprio le vicende ambientate fuori dall’Europa quelle in cui meglio è possibile scorgere le caratteristiche della sensibilità di Antonio Basoli (1774-1843) e l’attenzione che egli riserva agli stimoli culturali della sua epoca e al nascente esotismo, inteso come attrazione esercitata da un passato lontano che può, per similitudine o opposizione, divenire modello per l’occidente. Basoli sente forte il fascino dei mondi lontani leggendo le fonti, che saranno indagate attraverso documenti inediti, che circolavano in Europa; ma questa fascinazione svela una profonda ambivalenza: è l’occhio di un artista dell’Occidente che interpreta la cultura artistica orientale con strumenti linguistici ancora legati ai canoni di una scienza prospettica, forse incapace di cogliere una percezione visiva del tempo e dello spazio profondamente diversa. Infatti, nelle tavole che conservano la memoria dei suoi allestimenti (Il tempio d’Osiri in Egitto, Piazza cinese, Pagoda indiana, Un serraglio di Sidi-Ali in Algeri, Tempio del Sole a Cuzco, ecc.) si può apprezzare la scrupolosa cura nel documentarsi circa usi, costumi e monumenti dei popoli e paesi dove si svolgono le storie che metterà in scena; nello stesso tempo si può notare, tuttavia, come non si trasformi mai in puro esercizio filologico, in quanto l’immaginazione permette a Basoli di scegliere tra le fonti iconografiche a sua disposizione, in modo tale da isolare alcuni caratteri particolarmente significativi che vengono assunti come cifra di un determinato ambiente. Nell’individuare gli elementi architettonici che permettono allo spettatore di riconoscere il luogo fisico in cui è ambientata la vicenda, lo scenografo, tuttavia, isolandoli attraverso un cannocchiale prospettico, ne ignora lo spazio antropologico rischiando di violarne l’identità. Between the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the Oriental world, both the African and the exotic one as well, becomes a land of inventions where set designers, as many artists of that time, mix their archeological knowledge with the ecleptism of imagination. And perhaps, it is easier to catch the features of Antonio Basoli's sensitivity in the events set out of Europe as well as the attention that he points out in the cultural incentives of his period and in the growing exoticism, meant to be an attraction carried out by a far away past which can, either for simile or opposition, become a pattern for the Western world. Basoli deeply feels the fascination of far away worlds by reading the sources, which will be searched out trough unpublished documents that where already circulating in Europe; however, this fascination reveals a strong ambivalence: it's the mind of a Western artist who interprets the Oriental artistic culture trough linguistic devices still bound to the rules of a prospective science, which is maybe unable to get a visual perception of time and space extremely different. As a matter of fact, in the panels that keep that memory of his exhibitions (The Temple od Osiris in Egypt, The Chinese Square, The Indian Pagoda, The Sidi-Ali menagerie in Algeri, The Temple of the Sun in Cuzco, etc.), you can appreciate the detailed attention he paid to research traditions, customs and monuments of the people and the countries where the stories he displays are set. In the meantime you can notice, however, how that never turns into philological practice, as imagination allows Basoli to choose among the iconographic sources he has at his disposal, in order to isolate some particularly meaningful features which will be understood as a deal of a specific environment. By identifying architectural elements which allow the visitor to recognize the physical place where the story is set, the set designer, although he isolates them through prospective binoculars, he ignores their anthropological space, risking therefore violating their identity.