This paper presents and discusses 30 cases of cadavers that had been transferred for forensic entomology investigations to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, northern Thailand, from 2000 to 2006. Variable death scenes were determined, including forested area and suburban and urban outdoor and indoor environments. The fly specimens found in the corpses obtained were the most commonly of the blow fly of family Calliphoridae, and consisted of Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) Chrysomya villeneuvi Patton, Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve, Chrysomya chani Kurahashi, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann), and two unknown species. Flies of the family Muscidae [Hydrotaea spinigera Stein, Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp)], Piophilidae [Piophila casei (L.)], Phoridae [Megaselia scalaris (Loew)], Sarcophagidae [Parasarcophaga ruficornis (F.) and three unknown species], and Stratiomyiidae (Sargus sp.) were also collected from these human remains. Larvae and adults of the beetle, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), were also found in some cases. Chrysomya megacephala and C. rufifacies were the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats associated with both urban and forested areas, while C. nigripes was commonly discovered in forested places. S. nudiseta was collected only from corpses found in an indoor death scene.

Purpose:This study aimed to explore the associations between learning styles and high academic achievement and to ascertain whether the factors associated with high academic achievement differed between preclinical and clinical students.Methods:A survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The Index of Learning Styles questionnaire was used to assess each student’s learning style across four domains. High academic achievement was defined as a grade point average of at least 3.0.Results:Of the 1,248 eligible medical students, 1,014 (81.3%) participated. Learning styles differed between the preclinical and clinical students in the active/reflective domain. A sequential learning style was associated with high academic achievement in both preclinical and clinical students. A reflective learning style was only associated with high academic achievement among preclinical students.Conclusion:The association between learning styles and academic achievement may have differed between preclinical and clinical students due to different learning content and teaching methods. Students should be encouraged to be flexible in their own learning styles in order to engage successfully with various and changing teaching methods across the curriculum. Instructors should be also encouraged to provide a variety of teaching materials and resources to suit different learning styles.

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Y-short tandem repeat (Y-STR) typing is very beneficial for identifying offenders in cases of sexual assault. Even though vaginal swabs from female victims are routinely taken for DNA analysis, penile penetration does not occur in every case. Therefore, in such cases the victim’s lower undergarment is also obtained, along with vaginal and/or anal swabs. In accordance with each country’s statutory guidelines, the positive legal prescription for sexual offences is rather extensive. So, cases that have occurred prior to DNA analysis being applied routinely may now be typed for Y-STR, even after the specimens have been frozen for so long. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality and quantity of Y-STRs that we derived from fluids extracted from sperm-negative specimens. Twenty-eight frozen stain-extracted-fluids from lower undergarments samples were available. Their Y-STR profiles were amplified, and typed, using commercial Y-STR kits. The results demonstrated that 35.7% of stain-extracted-fluids on lower undergarments that had been stored in -20°C for 16-53 months showed complete typing of Y-STRs, with an average DNA peak height of each sample occurring within a range of 90.60 - 2,905.92 RFUs. Nor was there a significant difference in the number of loci and average DNA peak height found among the samples kept frozen from < 36 months, as compared to those of > 36 months. The results of this study support our assertion that even extremely long-term preservation of extracted fluids at -20 °C can maintain high-quality and quantity Y-STR segments. Keywords: DNA peak height, Frozen extract, Sexual assault, Y-STR, Y-STR loci