Anal Examinations in Cases of Alleged Homosexuality

Anal examinations are forcibly conducted in many countries where consensual anal intercourse is considered a criminal act. They are conducted almost exclusively on males in an effort to “prove” that they are “homosexuals” despite the fact that anal intercourse is not a necessary determinant of “homosexual activity.” Forcibly conducted anal examinations are usually initiated at the request of law enforcement officials, the prosecutor, or the court and conducted in the absence of informed consent or in circumstances where individuals are not capable of giving genuine informed consent or where refusal to give consent would be interpreted as self-incrimination. This may be presumed to be the case when examinations are conducted on individuals in detention, subsequent to allegations of criminalised sexual acts by the authorities. The purpose of this medico-legal statement is to provide legal experts, adjudicators, health care professionals, and policymakers, among others, with an understanding of: 1) the validity of forcibly conducted anal examinations as medical and scientific evidence of consensual anal intercourse; 2) the likely physical and psychological consequences of forcibly conducted anal examinations; and 3) whether, based on these effects, forcibly conducted anal examination constitutes cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or torture

Statement on Virginity Testing: Independent Forensic Expert Group

Virginity examinations are practiced in many countries, and often forcibly, in a number of contexts, including in detention places; on women who allege rape; on women who are accused by authorities of prostitution; and as part of public or social policies to control sexuality. In other states, the practice is illegal. The purpose of this medico-legal statement is to provide legal experts, adjudicators, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, among others, with an understanding of the physical and psychological effects of forcibly conducting virginity examinations on females and to assess whether, based on these effects, forcibly conducted virginity examinations constitute cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or torture. This medico-legal statement also addresses the medical interpretation and relevance of such examinations and the ethical implications. This opinion considers an examination to be ‘forcibly conducted’ when it is “committed by force, or by threat of force or coercion, such as caused by fear of violence, duress, detention, psychological oppression or abuse of power, against such person incapable of giving genuine consent.”   For full details about the Independent Forensic Expert Group please visit http://www.irct.org/our-support/ medical-and-psychological-case-support/forensic-expertgroup.aspx

Assessment of Morphological and Physiological Traits of Moroccan Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Varieties Submitted to Severe Salt Stress

The maintenance of Moroccan barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivation under rising saline conditions requires investigations to be performed. In the present work, we aimed to test the effect of salt stress on four Moroccan barley varieties (ADRAR, AMIRA, LAANACEUR, and MASSINE). Salt stress was applied by increasing NaCl concentration gradually in nutrient solution to 300 mM (Severe stress). Our results showed that salt stress induces significant decreases in RDW, SDW, and Chl content. In addition, significant increases of EL% and proline content were recorded. Analysis of variance showed a significant intraspecific variability between varieties and a significant effect of treatment and combination of the varieties factor and treatment factor. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that under NaCl treatment, MASSINE is the genotype that kept significantly high values of SDW and RDW

Impact of Severe Salt Stress on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Parameters in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

In the Mediterranean area, climate change induces an important increase in soil salinity, which threatens crop production. Here, we aimed to test the impact of severe salt stress on the Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) used by Moroccan breeders. Stress was applied by increasing salinity gradually by 8 dS/m. Two weeks later, the root dry weight (RDW) and shoot dry weight (SDW) were measured as morphological parameters. Soluble proteins, total soluble sugars (TSS), and proline contents were quantified in both of leaves and roots parts. Furthermore, Chlorophyll a (Chl a), b (Chl b), and total Chlorophyll (Chl T) contents were quantified in leaves to estimate the salt stress impact on the photosynthetic apparatus. Our results showed a significant decrease in morphological parameters under stress. Additionally, a significant reduction in photosynthetic pigment was recorded. Compared to leaves, important accumulations of proline and soluble protein contents in roots were observed. These results indicate that under salt treatment, alfalfa plants react to salinity by storing many molecules in the roots for planned mobilization after recovery

The role of N-remobilisation and the uptake of NH4+ and NO3-by Lolium perenne L. in laminae growth following defoliation under field conditions

International audienc

The Challenges of Implementing a “Patient-Oriented” Telepathology Network; the Eastern Québec Telepathology Project Experience

Background: The aim of the Eastern Québec telepathology project is to provide uniform diagnostic telepathology services across a huge geographic region with a low population density. This project is intended to provide surgeons and pathologists with frozen section and second opinion services anywhere and at any time across the entire region in order to avoid unnecessary patient transfer

Influence des réserves azotées et carbonées sur la repousse des espèces prairiales

National audiencePasture species undergo successive cycles of defoliation and re-growth, which differ in frequency and in intensity. This partial (or total) removal of photosynthetic tissues decreases the assimilation of carbon dioxyde. This decrease is accompanied in legumes by a reduced fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, and by a reduced uptake of nitrate and ammonium. Plants respond to this by mobilizing C and N reserve substances stored in the uncut parts, in order to secure new growth. The role of these reserves mobilized to the re-growing tissues was reassessed in several experiments on Perennial Rye grass, White Clover and Lucerne. The effects of management and of environmental factors on N reserve storage are discussed. In legumes, low nitrogen reserves on the day of defoliation led to a reduced re-growth, but in certain grasses, a certain compensation took place, through an increased uptake of nitrogen.Les espèces prairiales sont soumises à des défoliations successives qui réduisent fortement la quantité de CO2 assimilé et l'absorption d'azote. Afin d'assurer sa croissance après la coupe, la plante mobilise vers les tissus aériens en croissance certains substrats carbonés et azotés stockés dans les tissus laissés en place par la coupe. Pour assurer la productivité et la pérennité du couvert par une bonne gestion, il importe de bien identifier ces mécanismes d'adaptation. Les substrats carbonés et azotés mis en réserve sont disponibles dans les tissus laissés en place par la coupe (racines, pivots, tiges, stolons, base des feuilles). Différentes expérimentations sur ray-grass anglais, trèfle blanc, luzerne ont permis d'évaluer le rôle de ces réserves mobilisées vers les tissus en repousse. Les incidences actuellement connues des modes de défoliation (selon leur rythme et leur intensité) et de certains facteurs environnementaux sur ces réserves sont abordées. Chez les légumineuses, il apparaît qu'une plus faible disponibilité en réserves azotées au moment de la coupe se traduit par une réduction du potentiel de repousse alors que chez certaines graminées une compensation intervient suite à une augmentation de l'absorption d'azote par la plante

Rôles des réserves N et C durant la repousse foliaire printanière ou après une coupe chez les espèces fourragères

National audienc

Genotypic Variation of Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Amino Acid Metabolism in Barley

International audienceOwing to the large genetic diversity of barley and its resilience under harsh environments, this crop is of great value for agroecological transition and the need for reduction of nitrogen (N) fertilizers inputs. In the present work, we investigated the diversity of a North African barley genotype collection in terms of growth under limiting N (LN) or ample N (HN) supply and in terms of physiological traits including amino acid content in young seedlings. We identified a Moroccan variety, Laanaceur, accumulating five times more lysine in its leaves than the others under both N nutritional regimes. Physiological characterization of the barley collection showed the genetic diversity of barley adaptation strategies to LN and highlighted a genotype x environment interaction. In all genotypes, N limitation resulted in global biomass reduction, an increase in C concentration, and a higher resource allocation to the roots, indicating that this organ undergoes important adaptive metabolic activity. The most important diversity concerned leaf nitrogen use efficiency (LNUE), root nitrogen use efficiency (RNUE), root nitrogen uptake efficiency (RNUpE), and leaf nitrogen uptake efficiency (LNUpE). Using LNUE as a target trait reflecting barley capacity to deal with N limitation, this trait was positively correlated with plant nitrogen uptake efficiency (PNUpE) and RNUpE. Based on the LNUE trait, we determined three classes showing high, moderate, or low tolerance to N limitation. The transcriptomic approach showed that signaling, ionic transport, immunity, and stress response were the major functions affected by N supply. A candidate gene encoding the HvNRT2.10 transporter was commonly up-regulated under LN in the three barley genotypes investigated. Genes encoding key enzymes required for lysine biosynthesis in plants, dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHPS) and the catabolic enzyme, the bifunctional Lys-ketoglutarate reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase are up-regulated in Laanaceur and likely account for a hyperaccumulation of lysine in this genotype. Our work provides key physiological markers of North African barley response to low N availability in the early developmental stages

Guidelines from the Canadian Association of Pathologists for establishing a telepathology service for anatomic pathology using whole-slide imaging

The use of telepathology for clinical applications in Canada has steadily become more attractive over the last 10 years, driven largely by its potential to provide rapid pathology consulting services throughout the country regardless of the location of a particular institution. Based on this trend, the president of the Canadian Association of Pathologists asked a working group consisting of pathologists, technologists, and healthcare administrators from across Canada to oversee the development of guidelines to provide Canadian pathologists with basic information on how to implement and use this technology. The guidelines were systematically developed, based on available medical literature and the clinical experience of early adopters of telepathology in Canada. While there are many different modalities and applications of telepathology, this document focuses specifically on whole-slide imaging as applied to intraoperative pathology consultation (frozen section), primary diagnosis, expert or second opinions and quality assurance activities. Applications such as hematopathology, microbiology, tumour boards, education, research and technical and/or standard-related issues are not covered