The Metropolitan New York Ethics Committee Network: coming together at a time of concern

Approximately two years ago, colleagues at some of the major teaching hospitals in the New York City area began to consider the possibility of pooling resources and providing the opportunity for the over 100 hospital-based ethics committees currently in existence in and around New York City to come together. It was thought that by joining together in a network type of organization, committees could exchange experiences and wisdom, and jointly examine and develop responses to some of the more unique, as well as the more conventional, ethical dilemmas they confronted. Those efforts culminated in the start-up of the Metropolitan New York Ethics Committee Network.     

False homozygosities at various loci revealed by discrepancies between commercial kits: implications for genetic databases

Routine control of 2055 consecutive genotypes revealed discrepancies between the profiles established with the SGM plus and/or Profiler plus kits on one hand, and the profiles established with the Powerplex16 kit on the other hand. Furthermore, five discrepancies for vWA, three for D8S1179, two for FGA and three for D18S51 loci were found. In 10 cases (loci vWA, FGA, D18S51, D8S1179), the SGM plus and/or Profiler plus profiles showed homozygosity and the Powerplex16 genotype revealed heterozygosities which were confirmed to be true, both by typing with individual primer pairs and DNA sequencing. In four cases (two discrepancies at locus FGA, one at D18S51 and an abnormal paternity pattern for D5S818), the Powerplex16 kit showed apparent homozygosity and the SGM plus and/or Profiler plus kits showed heterozygosity. Mutation analysis could be performed for some of these individuals and evidenced variants, presumably leading to an annealing failure of one primer; the identified mutations are reported. It is suggested that databases should include information about the kits used to determine the profiles while ensuring that the primer sequences are made available.     

对于弱智女性实施强制性绝育的民事法律制度研究

对于弱智女性实施强制性绝育是指在不经本人同意的情况下由监护人或法院决定而实施的绝育。目前,英国、加拿大、苏格兰、美国部分州、德国均在严格的限制条件下准许强制性绝育。立法在准许实施强制性绝育者的年龄、实体法上的理由、程序等方面有很大的不同。我国目前的强制性绝育立法还有不足,应该加以完善。我国某儿童福利院决定切除两少女子宫的行为违反了《民法通则》规定的监护制度。     

知识产权权利归属推定制度研究

一、知识产权权利归属推定制度的特殊性所谓"推定"即指也许并非属于某种情形,但是在没有相反证据的情况下,认定其为某种情形的规定。权利归属推定制度实际上是一种交易中的第三人保护制度。权利归属推定制度一个重要的法律后果就是第三人能够善意取得相关交易客体的权利。在     

流浪儿童乞讨权规制的法理思考

当下中国城市有一个令人痛心的图景,那就是流浪乞讨儿童的大量存在。要从根本上保障流浪乞讨儿童的权益,就要立法禁止儿童乞讨,建立起对相关人员和机构的责任追究制度,从制度上防范儿童流浪乞讨。同时,应化解在城市生活的农村户籍儿童所面临的物质和精神层面的诸种现实难题,践行保障儿童权益的国际法基本原则。     

The measurement of concern about victims: Empathy,victim advocacy and the Victim Concern Scale (VCS)

Purpose . In a series of studies, the authors developed the Victim Concern Scale (VCS) to assess levels of concern for diverse types of crime victims. The goal was to derive a psychometrically sound instrument and to assess victim concern in relation to other crime‐related attitudes and victim advocacy endorsements. Methods . Through several scale iterations, participant responses to the VCS were examined. Participants also completed measures of empathy and provided judgments about specific victim/crime scenarios. In addition, in two large samples (college [N = 276] and community [N = 478]), victim concern was compared with other attitudes, attributions and participant demographics. Results . Participants readily distinguished among different victims. Four factors emerged from the VCS. Raters endorsed the highest levels of concern for victims of violent crimes and the lowest level for ‘culpable’ victims. Women and older respondents showed higher levels of concern across all categories of victims. Both victim concern and emotional empathy influenced advocacy responses to victimization. Victim concern was unrelated to such traits and attitudes as authoritarianism, political ideology or punishment goals; moreover, a high level of concern for victims did not preclude endorsement of rehabilitative goals for offenders. Conclusions . The VCS appears to be a valid instrument for assessing levels of concern for victims. It differs meaningfully from measures of general empathy. The VCS could be used to assess differential attitudes across demographic groups or as a measure of change following exposure to educational or other persuasive intervention.     

Reducing public expenditures for physician services: the price of paying less

The purpose of this paper is to examine how physicians respond to changes in payment levels from government insurers. Our analysis focuses on two issues: controlling overall program expenditures, and assuring full access to care for program clients. We review evidence from natural experiments in which payment levels were increased, frozen, or decreased. These studies show that freezing or reducing payment levels is not effective in controlling program expenditures, because physicians responded by increasing the quantity and complexity of services provided. Furthermore, when government programs freeze or reduce their payment levels, physicians are less likely to treat the clients of these programs. We conclude that policymakers must seek alternative strategies for controlling program expenditures.