Characteristics of child abuse homicides in the state of Kansas from 1994 to 2007.

OBJECTIVE: This study described the epidemiology of child abuse homicides in the state of Kansas from 1994 to 2007. It focused on obtaining significant details on all recorded child abuse homicides in Kansas during this time frame to provide critical information that can be used for future preventive measures. METHODS: A retrospective case review was conducted on data gathered by the Kansas State Child Death Review Board for all cases of "child abuse homicides" that occurred from 1994 to 2007. RESULTS: A total of 170 child abuse homicide cases in Kansas between 1994 and 2007 were identified. The majority of these cases (63.5%) were considered fatal child physical abuse. There was a predominance of female victims (55.9%). The vast majority of victims were White (78.8%), followed by Black (17.1%). One to 2-year-olds accounted for the largest age group of children who were victimized (33.5%). For cases with known prenatal care status, 74% of mothers received adequate prenatal care. The largest percentage of victims was children of single mothers (40.6%), with no prior history of child abuse (60%). The majority of deaths occurred in the victim's residence (81.8%). The greatest number of deaths occurred secondary to abusive head trauma (42.9%), followed by asphyxia (21.8%). When a trigger was known, 44.2% involved inconsolable crying. The most common perpetrator was the victim's biological father (26.6%), followed by the victim's biological mother (24.9%), then the victim's mother's male paramour (19.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Familiarity with characteristics involved in child abuse homicide allows for opportunities to enlist important preventive measures. Most child abuse homicides occurred at the hands of the victim's biological parents and in the victim's own residence. Prevention should be focused on parent education and coping mechanisms for the frustrating features of crying in normal infants that lead to shaking or abuse.

HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 allele distribution in the Muong population exposed to malaria in Vietnam.

The distribution of 30 HLA-DRB1 alleles in 85 individuals and of 10 HLA-DQB1 alleles in 91 individuals of the Viet Muong population was studied and compared with those of nine other Asian populations, including 103 Viet Kinh belonging to the major ethnic group in Vietnam. In terms of genetic distance, our data are consistent with a close ethnogeographic relationship between Viet Muong, Buyi and Dai Lue, two Southern Chinese ethnic groups. Conversely, these three populations are distant from the Northern Chinese population. The Viet Kinh belong to an intermediate group, together with North-eastern Thais, Thais and present day Thais. The striking presence of the HLA-DQ1*0502 allele (48% frequency) in the Viet Muongs is possibly anthropological or environmental in origin: the Viet Muongs have been submitted to endemic malaria for centuries, and the survivors carry the protective trait of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. This raises the hypothesis of a possible resistance to lethal or severe forms of the disease, where the association with a specific HLA-DQB1 allele may play a role.