La tortura en relación a la aplicación de la normativa antiterrorista : una aproximación estadística multifactorial

El artículo contiene en diferentes tablas datos demográficos, criminológicos y procesales de interés[ES] El objeto principal de este trabajo es aportar un instrumento complementario de información que pueda facilitar una mayor objetivación de cuál es la situación real de la tortura en relación a la aplicación de la normativa antiterrorista a detenidos incomunicados por su vinculación con la banda terrorista ETA. Se recogen en concreto los datos de alegaciones de malos tratos / tortura desde el año 2000 al 2008 sobre una muestra en la que se ha identificado a 957 detenidos (sobre un total de 1.231) en régimen de incomunicación y se ha volcado la información de casi 300 denuncias judiciales y testimonios y más de 500 informes médicoforenses. El estudio describe principalmente la existencia y porcentajes de alegaciones de malos tratos / tortura y un análisis de su incidencia en función de variables como el cuerpo policial, situación procesal, sexo, edad del detenido, año, lugar y motivo de la detención. A lo largo del trabajo se incorpora también el contraste de los datos con los hallazgos de los informes de control de organismos oficiales y no oficiales de derechos humanos y con algunos estudios empíricos nacionales.[EU] Lan honen helburu nagusia zera da: informazio-tresna osagarri bat eskaintzea, tortura-egoera zein den modu objektiboagoan argitze aldera, ustezko ETAkide atxilotu eta inkomunitatuei terrorismoaren aurkako legeria aplikatzerakoan. 2000 eta 2008 arteko aldian izan ziren 1.231 atxilotuetatik 957 atxilotuen torturari zein tratu txarrei buruzko alegazioen datuak jasot zen dira. Horretarako inkomunikatuen 300 salaketa eta lekukotza baino gehiagoren informazioa hustu da, baita 500 txosten mediku-forenseena ere. Ikerketan tratu txarren eta torturaren existentzia eta alegazioen ehunenekoak deskribatzen dira, baita tortura gertatzeko indikadoreak faktore bat zuen arabera: alegia, gorputz polizialaren, egoera prozesalaren, sexuaren, adinaren, urtearen, lekuaren eta atxiloketa egiteko motiboaren arabera. Lanean zehar emaitzak alderat zen dira giza eskubideetako erakunde ofizial zein ez-ofizialen kontrol-txostenen emait zekin baita Estatu mailan izan diren ikerketa enpiriko bat zuekin ere.[FR] L’objet principal de cette contribution est d’offrir un instrument complémentaire d’information en vue d’obtenir une image plus objective de la situation réelle de la torture concernant les personnes en garde à vue en régime d’incommunication en raison de leur relation avec la bande terroriste ETA. En particulier, on a recueilli les données concernant les allégations de mauvais traitements/torture entre 2000 et 2008 partant d’un échantillon de 957 détenus (sur un total de 1.231) en régime d’incommunication. Presque 300 témoignages et dénonciations judiciaires et plus de 500 rapports des médecins-légistes ont été aussi étudiés. L’article décrit l’existence et pourcentages d’allégations de mauvais traitements/torture et une analyse de leur incidence en fonction de variables telles que le corps policière, situation procédurale, sexe, âge du détenu, an, lieu et raison de la garde à vue. Les données sont également mises en perspective et en confrontation avec les résultats des rapports de contrôle provenant de différentes organisations officielles et non-officielles de droits humains et avec autres études empiriques nationaux disponibles.[EN] The main goal of this contribution is to make available critical information that could be useful in order to obtain a more accurate picture of the real situation of torture dealing with incommunicado detainees in relationship with ETA terrorist group under the enforcement of counterterrorist legislation. In particular data have been recorded for the period of time between 2000 and 2008, taking into consideration 957 (amongst the total figures of 1.231) detainees' allegations of torture / inhuman treatment. Up to 300 testimonies and judicial complains and more than 500 forensic reports have been gathered. This article describes the existence of allegations of torture / inhuman treatment and it s behaviour depending on different variable of the detainees such as sex, age, judicial situation, type of police that hold detainees in custody, place, year and motive of the arrest. Throughout this contribution those data are put in perspective with findings both of report s from different International Human Rights monitoring bodies and of empirical research available in the matter

La tortura en relación a la aplicación de la normativa antiterrorista : una aproximación estadística multifactorial

El artículo contiene en diferentes tablas datos demográficos, criminológicos y procesales de interés[ES] El objeto principal de este trabajo es aportar un instrumento complementario de información que pueda facilitar una mayor objetivación de cuál es la situación real de la tortura en relación a la aplicación de la normativa antiterrorista a detenidos incomunicados por su vinculación con la banda terrorista ETA. Se recogen en concreto los datos de alegaciones de malos tratos / tortura desde el año 2000 al 2008 sobre una muestra en la que se ha identificado a 957 detenidos (sobre un total de 1.231) en régimen de incomunicación y se ha volcado la información de casi 300 denuncias judiciales y testimonios y más de 500 informes médicoforenses. El estudio describe principalmente la existencia y porcentajes de alegaciones de malos tratos / tortura y un análisis de su incidencia en función de variables como el cuerpo policial, situación procesal, sexo, edad del detenido, año, lugar y motivo de la detención. A lo largo del trabajo se incorpora también el contraste de los datos con los hallazgos de los informes de control de organismos oficiales y no oficiales de derechos humanos y con algunos estudios empíricos nacionales.[EU] Lan honen helburu nagusia zera da: informazio-tresna osagarri bat eskaintzea, tortura-egoera zein den modu objektiboagoan argitze aldera, ustezko ETAkide atxilotu eta inkomunitatuei terrorismoaren aurkako legeria aplikatzerakoan. 2000 eta 2008 arteko aldian izan ziren 1.231 atxilotuetatik 957 atxilotuen torturari zein tratu txarrei buruzko alegazioen datuak jasot zen dira. Horretarako inkomunikatuen 300 salaketa eta lekukotza baino gehiagoren informazioa hustu da, baita 500 txosten mediku-forenseena ere. Ikerketan tratu txarren eta torturaren existentzia eta alegazioen ehunenekoak deskribatzen dira, baita tortura gertatzeko indikadoreak faktore bat zuen arabera: alegia, gorputz polizialaren, egoera prozesalaren, sexuaren, adinaren, urtearen, lekuaren eta atxiloketa egiteko motiboaren arabera. Lanean zehar emaitzak alderat zen dira giza eskubideetako erakunde ofizial zein ez-ofizialen kontrol-txostenen emait zekin baita Estatu mailan izan diren ikerketa enpiriko bat zuekin ere.[FR] L’objet principal de cette contribution est d’offrir un instrument complémentaire d’information en vue d’obtenir une image plus objective de la situation réelle de la torture concernant les personnes en garde à vue en régime d’incommunication en raison de leur relation avec la bande terroriste ETA. En particulier, on a recueilli les données concernant les allégations de mauvais traitements/torture entre 2000 et 2008 partant d’un échantillon de 957 détenus (sur un total de 1.231) en régime d’incommunication. Presque 300 témoignages et dénonciations judiciaires et plus de 500 rapports des médecins-légistes ont été aussi étudiés. L’article décrit l’existence et pourcentages d’allégations de mauvais traitements/torture et une analyse de leur incidence en fonction de variables telles que le corps policière, situation procédurale, sexe, âge du détenu, an, lieu et raison de la garde à vue. Les données sont également mises en perspective et en confrontation avec les résultats des rapports de contrôle provenant de différentes organisations officielles et non-officielles de droits humains et avec autres études empiriques nationaux disponibles.[EN] The main goal of this contribution is to make available critical information that could be useful in order to obtain a more accurate picture of the real situation of torture dealing with incommunicado detainees in relationship with ETA terrorist group under the enforcement of counterterrorist legislation. In particular data have been recorded for the period of time between 2000 and 2008, taking into consideration 957 (amongst the total figures of 1.231) detainees' allegations of torture / inhuman treatment. Up to 300 testimonies and judicial complains and more than 500 forensic reports have been gathered. This article describes the existence of allegations of torture / inhuman treatment and it s behaviour depending on different variable of the detainees such as sex, age, judicial situation, type of police that hold detainees in custody, place, year and motive of the arrest. Throughout this contribution those data are put in perspective with findings both of report s from different International Human Rights monitoring bodies and of empirical research available in the matter

Differential brain ADRA2A and ADRA2C gene expression and epigenetic regulation in schizophrenia. Effect of antipsychotic drug treatment

[EN] Postsynaptic alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor density is enhanced in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia subjects. This alteration might be due to transcriptional activation, and could be regulated by epigenetic mechanisms such as histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs). The aim of this study was to evaluate ADRA2A and ADRA2C gene expression (codifying for alpha(2)-adrenoceptor subtypes), and permissive and repressive histone PTMs at gene promoter regions in the DLPFC of subjects with schizophrenia and matched controls (n = 24 pairs). We studied the effect of antipsychotic (AP) treatment in AP-free (n = 12) and AP-treated (n = 12) subgroups of schizophrenia subjects and in rats acutely and chronically treated with typical and atypical antipsychotics. ADRA2A mRNA expression was selectively upregulated in AP-treated schizophrenia subjects (+93%) whereas ADRA2C mRNA expression was upregulated in all schizophrenia subjects (+53%) regardless of antipsychotic treatment. Acute and chronic clozapine treatment in rats did not alter brain cortex Adra2a mRNA expression but increased Adra2c mRNA expression. Both ADRA2A and ADRA2C promoter regions showed epigenetic modification by histone methylation and acetylation in human DLPFC. The upregulation of ADRA2A expression in AP-treated schizophrenia subjects might be related to observed bivalent chromatin at ADRA2A promoter region in schizophrenia (depicted by increased permissive H3K4me3 and repressive H3K27me3) and could be triggered by the enhanced H4K16ac at ADRA2A promoter. In conclusion, epigenetic predisposition differentially modulated ADRA2A and ADRA2C mRNA expression in DLPFC of schizophrenia subjects.This work was supported by Spanish MINECO (grant SAF2013-48586-R) and Basque Government (grant IT1211/19). The authors would like to thank the staff members of the Basque Institute of Legal Medicine for their cooperation in the study

Permissive epigenetic regulatory mechanisms at the histone level are enhanced in postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of individuals with schizophrenia

Background: Susceptibility to schizophrenia is determined by interactions between genes and environment, possibly via epigenetic mechanisms. Schizophrenia has been associated with a restrictive epigenome, and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been postulated as coadjuvant agents to potentiate the efficacy of current antipsychotic drugs. We aimed to evaluate global histone posttranslational modifications (HPTMs) and HDAC expression and activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of individuals with schizophrenia. Methods: We used postmortem DLPFC samples of individuals with schizophrenia and controls matched for sex, age, and postmortem interval. Schizophrenia samples were classified into antipsychotic-treated or antipsychotic-free subgroups according to blood toxicology. Expression of HPTMs and HDAC was quantified by Western blot. HDAC activity was measured with a fluorometric assay. Results: H3K9ac, H3K27ac, and H3K4me3 were globally enhanced in the DLPFC of individuals with schizophrenia (+24%–42%, p < 0.05). HDAC activity (−17%, p < 0.01) and HDAC4 protein expression (−20%, p < 0.05) were downregulated in individuals with schizophrenia. Analyses of antipsychotic-free and antipsychotic-treated subgroups revealed enhanced H3K4me3 and H3K27ac (+24%–49%, p < 0.05) and reduced HDAC activity in the antipsychotic-treated, but not in the antipsychotic-free subgroup. Limitations: Special care was taken to control the effect of confounding factors: age, sex, postmortem interval, and storage time. However, replication studies in bigger cohorts might strengthen the association between permissive HPTMs and schizophrenia. Conclusion: We found global HPTM alterations consistent with an aberrantly permissive epigenome in schizophrenia. Further studies to elucidate the significance of enhanced permissive HPTMs in schizophrenia and its association with the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs are encouraged

Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor expression and functionality in postmortem frontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia: Selective biased agonism via Gαi1-proteins

Serotonin 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT(2A)Rs) have been implicated in schizophrenia. However, postmortem studies on 5-HT(2A)Rs expression and functionality in schizophrenia are scarce. The 5-HT2AR mRNA and immunoreactive protein expression were evaluated in postmortem tissue from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of antipsychotic-free (n = 18) and antipsychotic-treated (n = 9) subjects with schizophrenia, and matched controls (n = 27). Functional coupling of 5-HT2AR to G-proteins was tested by measuring the activation induced by the agonist (+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride ((+/-)DOI) in antibody-capture [S-35]GTP gamma S scintillation proximity assays (SPA). In antipsychotic-free schizophrenia subjects, 5-HT2AR mRNA expression and protein immunoreactivity in total homogenates was similar to controls. In contrast, in antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia subjects, lower mRNA expression (60 +/- 9% vs controls) and a trend to reduced protein immunoreactivity (86 +/- 5% vs antipsychotic-free subjects) just in membrane-enriched fractions was observed. [S-35]GTP gamma S SPA revealed a significant (similar to)6% higher stimulation of G(alpha i1)-protein by (+/-)DOI in schizophrenia, whereas activation of the canonical G(alpha q/11)-protein pathway by (+/-)DOI remained unchanged. Expression of G(alpha i1) - and G(alpha q/11)-proteins did not differ between groups. Accordingly, in rats chronically treated with clozapine, but not with haloperidol, a 30-40% reduction was observed in 5-HT2AR mRNA expression, 5-HT2AR protein immunoreactivity and [H-3]ketanserin binding in brain cortical membranes. Overall, the data suggest a supersensitive 5-HT2AR signaling through inhibitory G(alpha i1)-proteins in schizophrenia. Together with previous results, a dysfunctional pro-hallucinogenic agonist-sensitive 5-HT2AR conformation in postmortem DLPFC of subjects with schizophrenia is proposed. Atypical antipsychotic treatment would contribute to counterbalance this 5-HT2AR supersensitivity by reducing receptor expression. (C) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.This study was supported by US National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01 MH084894 and R01MH111940 to JG-M), Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and European ERDF Funds (SAF2009-08460 and 2017-88126-R to JJM), and the Basque Government (IT-616-13 and IT-1211-19 to JJM)