Individual Dismissals in Europe and the United States: A Model on the Influence of the Legal Framework on Firing Costs

In this article, we present a model of individual dismissals based on the workers' right to file a suit against their employer arguing that the dismissal is unjustified or unfair. The model is a standard pre-trial bargaining game between a firm and a worker. We study two cases: when the law states the severance pay for unfair dismissal (the European case), and when judges can decide freely on the compensation to be paid to the worker (the American case). The model provides some guidelines for Labour Law reforms. In the European case, a decrease in the severance pay for unfair dismissals fixed by law will decrease the severance pay offered by the firm, and only under some assumptions will decrease the expected firing cost and will increase the settlement probability. In addition, the transition from the European to the American case is likely to increase the probability of settlement (and to decrease it in the opposite case) with ambiguous effects on agreed severance pay and expected firing costs.     

Homicide attempt with a Japanese samurai sword

The use of Japanese swords for homicidal attempts is rare. A Japanese samurai sword is a sharp and cutting object. When faced with the use of this weapon, one must distinguish between stabs and incised wounds. Incised wounds can rarely lead to death, but because of the size of the weapon, stabs usually cause much more serious injuries. Stabs also imply a penetrating movement, whereas incised wounds can be the consequence of protective circular blows. Therefore, it is important to distinguish clinically between these two kinds of wounds. We report a case where the perpetrator argued he had given a circular blow, unfortunately hitting the victim. The pieces of evidence are discussed.     

STR DNA typing: increased sensitivity and efficient sample consumption using reduced PCR reaction volumes

Improvements in detection limits/sensitivity and lower sample consumption are potential benefits of reducing PCR reaction volumes used in forensic DNA typing of crime scene samples. This premise was studied first with experimental mixtures and a nine-loci megaplex, which demonstrated stochiometric amplification and accurate detection. Next, adjudicated casework samples were subjected to amplification under 15 different template DNA to PCR reaction volume ratios. Reduction of PCR reaction volume and DNA down to 10 microL and 0.500 ng, respectively, produced identical profiles with the same signal intensity and heterozygous allele peak height ratio (HR). Reduction to 5 microL and 0.063 ng yielded HR values that were slightly affected in one to three STR loci. PCR reaction volume reduction can enhance detection and sensitivity while reducing the consumption of irreplaceable crime scene samples.     

Determination of drug levels in larvae of Protophormia terraenovae and Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine

Two species of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of morphine. These species, Protophormia terraenovae and Calliphora vicina are among the first wave of insects colonizing a dead body. Two series of 3 rabbits were given dosages of 10, 20, and 40 mg/h of morphine over a 3 h period via ear artery perfusion. A morphine blood level plateau was attained after 1 h of perfusion. Two other rabbits were used as controls. Samples of tissues collected from rabbits using a coelioscopic technique were determined to have morphine concentrations similar to those encountered in human overdoses and were correlated with dosages of morphine administered. All samples from control rabbits were negative for morphine. Larvae and puparia of both species were regularly collected from each rabbit for toxicological analysis. Concentrations of morphine in larvae reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine were significantly lower than concentrations found in the tissues. There was a decrease in concentration in morphine observed in transition from feeding 3rd instar larva to puparium. A correlation between larval concentration and tissue concentration was found only in feeding 3rd instar larvae.     

Immunohistochemical contribution to the study of morphine metabolism in Calliphoridae larvae and implications in forensic entomotoxicology

Morphine was detected by immunohistochemistry on sections of third stage larvae of Calliphora vomitoria (Diptera, Calliphoridae) reared on minced beef meat previously treated with morphine hydrochloride. The detection was performed with an avidin-biotin-peroxidase-complex method. Positive specimens showed specific staining of the haemolymph and a more intense immunoreaction in an area located at the limit between exocuticle and endocuticle. These results constitute an evidence of morphine accumulation inside the cuticle of Diptera larvae during their development. During the pupariation, the larval cuticle is transformed into the sclerotized puparium. This study consequently points out the possibilities of analyzing empty pupariae when suitable tissues or living necrophagous insects are absent.     

Glucose and lactate in vitreous humor compared with the determination of fructosamine for the postmortem diagnosis of diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic illness responsible for a great number of deaths. In postmortem diagnosis, because of the difficulty involved in interpreting blood glucose levels and relatively nonspecific pathologic features, biochemical markers in vitreous humor are useful. The aim of this study was to compare the results obtained for the combined determination of lactate and glucose with fructosamine levels recorded in the vitreous humor of two diagnostic groups (one diabetic and the other nondiabetic). The authors intended to ascertain the capacity of different markers measured in vitreous humor to diagnose diabetes mellitus. Fifty-one cadavers (mean age, 58.7 years; standard deviation, 17.09) were studied. The mean postmortem interval was 16.4 hours (standard deviation, 9.05). Cases were assigned to two diagnostic groups according to whether they were previously diagnosed as either diabetic or nondiabetic. Statistically significant differences for glucose, fructosamine, and the sum values of glucose and lactate were found between the two diagnostic groups. The highest levels were obtained in the group of cases with a previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. After the comparison of receiver operating characteristic curves, the sum values of glucose and lactate in vitreous humor is a better predictor of antemortem diabetes mellitus than the fructosamine.     

Piperazine-like compounds: a new group of designer drugs-of-abuse on the European market

1-Aryl-piperazine compounds are, depending on their substituents, selective for certain serotonin receptors and together with their easy availability and their so-called legal status, this group of psychoactive compounds are potential designer drugs-of-abuse. Internet in that respect is an important source of information and distribution facilities. Because this development may have consequences for the interpretation of future clinical and forensic toxicological case studies, some analytical aspects of 1-benzyl-piperazine (BZP), 1-[4-methoxyphenyl]-piperazine (pMeOPP) and 1-[3-trifluoromethylphenyl]-piperazine (TFMPP) were studied. BZP was not detected by the AxSYM FPIA technology designed to determine amphetamine-like compounds, but had showed some cross reactivity with EMIT d.a.u.. The cross reactivities at 300 and 12,000ng/ml (RS)-amphetamine equivalents were 0.4 and 1.3%, respectively. Although BZP was not identified directly by the REMEDi HS Drug Profiling System, it can be detected by this HPLC/UV scanning system. Using GC/NPD without derivatisation, BZP, pMeOPP and TFMPP can be analysed for and applying GC/MS without or with acetylation or trifluoroacetylation, these compounds can be identified unambiguously. The usefulness of GC/NPD and GC/MS in this respect was demonstrated by the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the content of a capsule with the synthetic stimulant A2, which proved to contain 86.4mg of BZP.     

Belgium's Anti-Sect War

Since the suicide—homicide of 53 members of the Order of the Solar Temple in 1994 and the gas attempt by Aum Shinrikyo in Tokyo's subway in 1995, a number of European states have decided to fight against sects. France and Belgium are in the forefront of this battle. Both countries have set up official observatories of sects and state agencies involving various ministries to combat them. Preventive policies targeting sects are being carried out. In Belgium, the Anthroposophic Society, a philosophical movement listed as 1 of 189 sects suspected of being dangerous, has sued one federal entity that printed unfounded accusations against their movement in a widely distributed brochure against sects. The same Anthoposophic Society has also petitioned the Court of Arbitration to have the law establishing an observatory of sects annuled. This report deals with both legal actions.     

Why do people vote? An experiment in rationality

The study presents the findings of an experiment conducted during the 1993 Canadian fedeal election campaign. Students in two universities were exposed to a ten-minute presentation about the rational model of voting and the ‘paradox’ that so many people vote when it is apparently irrational on a cost-benefit basis. Our data indicate that exposure to the presentation decreased turnout in the election by seven percentage points. This result contributes to the debate abut the effect of rational-choice models on real political behavior. More important, the experimental panel data permit the presentation's effect to be decomposed, and this helps explain why people do vote. In this study, turnout was reduced mainly because the presentation diminished the respondents' sense of duty, an effect that was indirect, because there was no reference in the presentation to such motives. Framing the voting act in rational-choice terms induced some students to reconsider whether they should feel obliged to vote.