Comparison of ethanol concentrations in right cardiac blood, left cardiac blood and peripheral blood in a series of 30 cases

The aim of this study was to compare ethanol concentrations in right cardiac blood, left cardiac blood and peripheral blood. Samples were taken from a series of 30 medicolegal autopsies. Ethanol was measured by headspace GC-FID. In each case, the degree of putrefaction, chest or abdominal injury, and/or regurgitation of gastric contents into the airways were noted. Our results show that there exists in certain cases a marked increase in ethanol concentration in left cardiac blood compared with right cardiac blood and peripheral blood. In these cases, we observed (i) a high concentration of ethanol in the gastric contents and (ii) regurgitation of gastric contents into the airways. The authors discuss the post-mortem redistribution mechanisms which could explain these results and stress the value of sampling right cardiac blood at autopsy.     

Interpreting small quantities of DNA: the hierarchy of propositions and the use of Bayesian networks

The dramatic increase in the sensitivity of DNA profiling systems that has occurred over recent years has led to the need to address a wider range of interpretational problems in forensic science. The issues surrounding questions of the kind "whose DNA is this?" have been the subject of considerable controversy but now it is clear that the emphasis is shifting to questions of the kind "how did this DNA get here?" Such issues are discussed in this paper and new insights are provided by two particular recent developments. First, the notion of the "hierarchy of propositions" that has arisen from a project called Case Assessment and Interpretation (CAI) that has been running in the British Forensic Science Service (FSS). Second, a technique for drawing inferences in the face of many interacting considerations, known as "Bayesian networks"--or "Bayes' nets" for short--that has been the subject of an earlier paper in this journal (1). The discussion is carried out by means of case studies, based on actual cases. It is clear that, whereas the inference in relation to the source of the DNA in a crime sample might be overwhelmingly strong, the inference in relation to the propositions that a jury must consider relating to the identity of the actual offender may be much more tentative.     

Coexistence of Subdural Hematoma and a Rare Cardiopathy in an Infant: Etiological and French Medicolegal Discussion

During legal proceedings following the unexpected death of an infant, the magistrate calls on an expert to clarify the causes of death and to decide on the course to be taken. A report was made following the death of a 7‐month‐old baby girl after recovery from cardiac arrest when investigations of the cause revealed a subdural hematoma (SDH). We discuss the interconnection of these two entities and their role in the lethal process. In this infant, two distinct lesions with medicolegal implications were simultaneously present: on the one hand histiocytoid cardiopathy, and on the other hand SDH, which could result from ill‐treatment. The case of this infant reminds us that the role of the pediatrician is to report the suspicion, whereas the role of the medical expert is to inform the magistrate as to the reality of abuse and its implication in the lethal process.     

Coordination for traceability in the food chain. A critical appraisal of European regulation

Risk management has become a central issue in sanitary crises. Agro food firms have devised organizational responses to sanitary risks, usually implying better traceability. European Regulation 178/2002 established mandatory traceability. This paper provides a critical appraisal of the European Regulation on traceability. The analysis characterizes the mandatory traceability established and evaluates whether the information provided facilitates the withdrawal of targeted products promised by the European Regulation. It demonstrates the importance of traceability practices and sets out the responsibilities of food business operators as defined in the regulation. This regulation is seen as creating economic incentives for more stringent traceability. The problem of private operators’ coordination in relation to traceability practices is explained and the question of whether this problem can be solved by the strict application of European Regulation 178/2002 is addressed. The limits of the European Regulation in this context are demonstrated and solutions are proposed.

Translating Technical Diplomacy: The Participation of Civil Society Organisations in International Standardisation

ABSTRACT

This article examines the participation of civil society organisations (CSO) in the various arenas of global governance with focus on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). While diverse studies recognise the difficulty of CSOs’ participation despite the growing importance of standards in the organisation of markets, little attention has been paid to how such involvement is likely to be reinforced in what we call “technical diplomacy”, the negotiating processes involving states and non-state actors geared toward setting specifications claiming to be based on scientific knowledge. Drawing upon scholarship in new forms of regulation in organisational studies, international relations, and science and technology studies, the paper argues that CSOs’ participation depends on multiple translation practices between lay- and expert-knowledge. Findings are based on an action-research project, INTERNORM, pooling academic and CSO participation in ISO technical committees. It suggests some promising directions for addressing the democratic deficit of technical diplomacy.     

Three-dimensional computer-assisted craniometrics: a comparison of the uncertainty in measurement induced by surface reconstruction performed by two computer programs

Digital investigation of anthropological material through computed tomography (CT) offers several new opportunities in morphometrics. However, an object measured with computer-assisted methods does not necessarily exactly match the original one. The scanning and surface reconstruction of the object induce some alterations, and data acquisition is prone to measurement uncertainty. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the intra- and inter-observers variations in medical CT scan measurements of a known-size phantom and two dry crania. Two software packages, AMIRA and Treatment and Increased Vision for Medical Imaging (TIVMI), which use different techniques of surface reconstructions, were compared. The mean difference between the measurements was lower for TIVMI, using an objective algorithm based on the half-maximum height (HMH) protocol in three dimensions (3D). AMIRA can induce up to a 4% error in known measurements and 5% uncertainty in dry skull measurements. This study emphasises the risk of object shape alteration in each step of its digitisation.     

End-of-life decisions and demented patients. What to do if the patient's current and past wishes are in conflict with each other?

In this article different approaches are distinguished in order to solve the question of what has to be done if a demented patient behaves in a manner which is found to be inconsistent with his previously expressed wishes. Positions vary, from implementing the advance directive to not implementing the advance directive. The article defends a compromise position by holding that the exact circumstances of each case should be weighed against each other to determine the outcome and to provide an answer to the research question.     

Single-metal deposition (SMD) as a latent fingermark enhancement technique: an alternative to multimetal deposition (MMD)

This paper proposes an alternative solution to multimetal deposition (MMD) for the development of latent fingermarks on non-porous and porous surfaces. MMD offers a good sensitivity, however it is very time-consuming and requires many reagents to be carried out. Single-metal deposition (SMD) replaces the silver enhancement of the gold colloids by a gold enhancement procedure. This reduces the number of baths by one as well as the number of reagents and their cost, utilizes reagents with a longer shelf life, and most importantly reduces the labor-intensity of the procedure. It offers quasi-identical results to MMD and thus makes a very attractive alternative.     

An extended likelihood ratio framework for interpreting evidence.

This paper reviews some current methods, the likelihood ratio-based approach and the full Bayesian approach for the interpretation of evidence and discusses previously identified shortcomings in them. It suggests an approach based on a compromise--based on an extended likelihood ratio--that may combine the merits of logic without overstepping acceptable bounds for the forensic scientist in the presentation of evidence. The approach is exposed formally and takes advantage of inferential networks called Bayesian networks.     

The Sangh Parivar and the Hindu Diaspora in the West:What Kind of "Long-Distance Nationalism"?

"Long-distance nationalism," an expression coined by Benedict Anderson, is often used to refer to transnational political activities, but the dynamics of this expatriate nationalism tend to be neglected. Mere nostalgia or even spontaneous mobilizations are invoked to explain this phenomenon, but fail to explain the mechanisms that lie behind it. Using the example of Hindu nationalist movements, this paper seeks to highlight the implications of political entrepreneurs in the country of origin and the instrumental dimension of long-distance nationalism. The Sangh Parivar, a network of nationalist Hindu organizations, was replicated among the Hindu diaspora and its structure was literally exported by a centralized body located in India itself. The spread of the Sangh Parivar and of its Hindutva ideology abroad was greatly facilitated by local policies like multiculturalism and by the rise of racism in the countries of emigration. A comparison of Hindu nationalist outlets in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada brings to light two main factors instilling long-distance nationalism: a favorable local context for ethnic mobilization among migrants and a centralized organization in the country of origin. The engineering of long-distance Hindu nationalism from India questions the changing nature of nationalism in a globalized world.