Elder abuse and neglect: challenges and directions for legal reform

The last two decades have heralded an increased community and professional awareness of the phenomenon of elder abuse and the challenges it poses to the enjoyment of the human rights of some older people. The contemporary Australian legal system provides many of the components of a framework required to assist in the promotion of the rights of the elderly and in the prevention and remedy of elder abuse. This framework acts in concert with health and community services dedicated to the advancement of health and wellbeing into old age. In the future, the acknowledgment and adoption of international legal principles which are directed to the needs of the elderly, the reform of existing domestic legislation and the development of new elder-specific statutes may all impact upon the incidence and consequences of elder abuse. To date, no Australian jurisdiction has adopted a legislative regime targeted specifically at the issues confronting older Australians who may be vulnerable to abuse and neglect. This column looks at some of the options for legal reform in this area.     

Triangle identified at the proximal end of femur: a new sex determinant

Deviating from the conventional measurements, the present study uses the points of traction epiphysis on the upper end the femur as a landmark for measurement. A triangle was drawn on the posterior aspect of the femur using the apex of two traction epiphyses and the lateral most point on the articular margin of head. The study was conducted on 200 male and 80 female femora belonging to Central India. The lengths of triangle, so drawn, yielded highly significant results. The measurements were further evaluated by discriminant function analysis. Employing a single variable attained a prediction accuracy of 85.5% for males and 81.3% for females. When the variables were combined into a function, the accuracy improved to 86.5% for males and 86.3% for females. One of the advantages of the measurements on the proximal end of femur is that they can be used on fragmented bone where the shaft and distal end are missing. The study has applied value in the field of forensic anthropology.     

Autopsy at 2 months after death: brain is satisfactorily preserved for neuropathology

Disclosure of neurological disorders by neuropathological examination may be one important aim of forensic autopsies. There are insufficient data on human brain tissue preservation after prolonged postmortem periods. Here, we describe neuropathological findings in a brain of a 77-year-old woman that was fixed at autopsy 2 months after death. The body had been stored in a cooling chamber at 3 degrees C temperature. Gross inspection of the brain was satisfactorily possible. Histomorphology was excellently preserved. Many histochemical and immunohistochemical stains allowed satisfactory neuropathological evaluation of brain tissue and the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless, some immunohistochemical stainings repeatedly yielded negative or suboptimal results. We conclude that neuropathological examination of human brain tissue extracted from the skull and fixed after prolonged body storage in a cool environment is feasible for forensic diagnosis of neurological disorders even several months after death. However, in such cases the significance of negative immunohistochemical staining results must be interpreted with caution.     

Effects of long-term incarceration: a statistical comparison of two expert assessments of two experts at the beginning and the end of incarceration

Several studies have been conducted on the effects of long-term imprisonment on mental health but only few with a longitudinal study design. Those with longitudinal design often have a very short observation period. In this study the data of 87 long-term prisoners have been compared over an average period of 14.6 years. A statistical comparison of two expert assessments of two experts at the beginning and the end of incarceration was made. Changes of mental disorders, of personality and intelligence tests and of physical diseases amongst others have been included in the analysis. The overall rate of psychological disorders decreased. Adjustment disorder had been initially identified in 25.2%. Personality test results described a stabilization of traits like depressive attitude, emotional instability and a decrease of hostility. Neither significant changes on the outcomes of the intelligence test nor significant changes of physical health were found. Though a decrease of psychological morbidity is described, the overall numbers of psychological disorders remain high compared to the non incarcerated population. A damaging effect of long-term imprisonment could not be proven by this study.     

Under the microscope: legal challenges to fingerprints and DNA as methods of forensic identification1

Suspects in legal cases can be identified by an ever‐growing list of novel methods. The most common techniques currently used include latent print and DNA analysis. Although standard fingerprinting entered the courtroom over a century ago, the admissibility of fingerprint evidence has undergone a period of intense scrutiny in the USA in recent years. In contrast, most challenges to DNA analysis as a science came during its inception in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Current challenges to fingerprint evidence attempt to discredit the science behind the theory whereas challenges to DNA evidence often bring into question the competency of the analyst. In either case, the lessons learned in various court systems give guidance for those implementing the newer emerging biometric identification technologies such as facial recognition systems, retinal scans and the like. The first section of this article deals with fingerprint analysis and recent challenges to fingerprint admissibility in US courts. The second section discusses the evolution of DNA analysis and relevant cases. The final section gives recommendations for emerging biometric technologies to follow to satisfy the standards set forth by the courts.     

Advanced therapies and the outer limits of DNA regulation: new horizons for patents or a scaffold too far?

This Regulation seeks to regulate existing and future advancedtherapy medicinal products intended for the market in MemberStates, being either prepared industrially or manufactured bya method involving an industrial process, and introduces additionalprovisions to those laid down in the pharmaceutical legislationDirective 2001/83.