Whose DNA is this? How relevant a question? (a note for forensic scientists).

This communication seeks to draw the attention of researchers and practitioners dealing with forensic DNA profiling analyses to the following question: is a scientist's report, offering support to a hypothesis according to which a particular individual is the source of DNA detected during the analysis of a stain, relevant from the point of view of a Court of Justice? This question relates to skeptical views previously voiced by commentators mainly in the judicial area, but is avoided by a large majority of forensic scientists. Notwithstanding, the pivotal role of this question has recently been evoked during the international conference "The hidden side of DNA profiles. Artifacts, errors and uncertain evidence" held in Rome (April 27th to 28th, 2012). Indeed, despite the fact that this conference brought together some of the world's leading forensic DNA specialists, it appeared clearly that a huge gap still exists between questions lawyers are actually interested in, and the answers that scientists deliver to Courts in written reports or during oral testimony. Participants in the justice system, namely lawyers and jurors on the one hand and forensic geneticists on the other, unfortunately talk considerably different languages. It thus is fundamental to address this issue of communication about results of forensic DNA analyses, and open a dialogue with practicing non-scientists at large who need to make meaningful use of scientific results to approach and help solve judicial cases. This paper intends to emphasize the actuality of this topic and suggest beneficial ways ahead towards a more reasoned use of forensic DNA in criminal proceedings.

Nombres 11-12 et la question d'une rédaction deutéronomique dans le Pentateuque

(Résumé de l'ouvrage) The volume is presented to Professor C.H.W. Brekelmans in celebration of his 75th birthday. The editors were of the opinion that there could be no better way to honour Chris Brekelmans than with a collection of articles treating the "Deuteronomic" traditions found in the Book of Deuteronomy as well as in the so-called Tertrateuch, and Deuteronomistic History. In the past years, a renewed impetus has been given to the development of Deuteronomic Studies. The present Festschrift aims at contributing to the current debate which has a special interest in methodological questions regarding the identification and characterization of "Deuteronomistic" texts in the aforementioned complexes of Old Testament writings. The volume is divided into four sections. The first section offers a collection of articles which focus on the Book of Deuteronomy itself. The second section contains contributions dealing with Deuteronomic History. The third section is devoted to the relationship between the Deuteronomic - in the largest sense of the word - traditions and the Tetrateuch. The fourth and final section presents a collection of articles on a number of important issues, each of which offers its own direct or indirect contribution to the study of the Deuteronomi(sti)c literature and its relationship to the remaining texts of the Old Testament.