A burning issue. The Japanese "fire basin"

This article presents two deaths due to acute carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred when charcoal-burning hibachis were used as heating sources in enclosed camping facilities. In both deaths, the levels of blood carbon monoxide saturation were at or slightly below the expected lethal level. Coronary arteriosclerosis may have contributed to one death, while oxygen depletion may have been a contributing factor in the other. These cases illustrate the danger of using such heating sources in enclosed spaces, due to their carbon monoxide-generating capability. We suggest that suitable warnings be placed on the hibachis themselves.     

东星航空的非正常死亡

2009年4月21日,在东星航空进入破产程序仅仅20天之后,国航董事长孔栋在当天的国航业绩说明会上透露了国航湖北分公司刚刚获批的消息,并表示年内将可在武汉经营业务。     

首家民营航空公司的停航困境

奥凯航空的停航事件凸显了民营航空公司内部管理的脆弱,面对狭窄的市场空间和自身脆弱的现状,民营航空业要做的事情还很多2008年12月6日,国内首家投入运营的民营航空公司——奥凯航空正式停航。这比民航华北局限定的停航日期12月15日提前了9天。     

摁住楼市“虚火”

最近几个月,房地产调控政策频出,包括房地产贷款的"两道红线"。为抑制楼市"虚火",住房和城乡建设部副部长倪虹带队赴上海、深圳等地调研督导房地产市场情况。机构统计数据显示,去年年内累计房地产调控政策次数已达97次。一些人担心,楼市会陷入越上涨越调控、越调控越上涨的"老怪圈"。     

Rate increase disclosure and review: definitions of "individual market" and "small group market." Final rule

This final rule amends a May 23, 2011, final rule entitled "Rate Increase Disclosure and Review". The final rule provided that, for purposes of rate review only, definitions of "individual market" and "small group market" under State rate filing laws would govern even if those definitions departed from the definitions that otherwise apply under title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act). The preamble to the final rule requested comments on whether this policy should apply in cases in which State rate filing law definitions of "individual market" and "small group market" exclude association insurance policies that would be included in these definitions for other purposes under the PHS Act. In response to comments, this final rule amends the definitions of "individual market" and "small group market" that apply for rate review purposes to include coverage sold to individuals and small groups through associations even if the State does not include such coverage in its definitions of individual and small group market. This final rule also updates standards for health insurance issuers regarding disclosure and review of unreasonable premium increases under section 2794 of the Public Health Service Act.     

"First pass phenomenon" of inhaled gas in the fire victims

We investigated the differences in the levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), cyanide (HCN) and petroleum fuels (gasoline and kerosene) between left and right ventricular bloods from fire victims. COHb was slightly, and HCN and petroleum fuels were markedly higher levels in the left than those in the right. These effects were so called 'first pass phenomena' due to the circulation, diffusion and metabolization before the deaths of fire victims.     

Restructuring "Germany Inc.": The Politics of Company and Takeover Law Reform in Germany and the European Union

The reform of German company law by the Control and Transparency Law (KonTraG) of 1998 reveals the politics of corporate governance liberalization. The reforms strengthened the supervisory board, shareholder rights, and shareholder equality, but left intra‐corporate power relations largely intact. Major German financial institutions supported the reform's contribution to the modernization of German finance, but blocked mandatory divestment of equity stakes and cross‐shareholding. Conversely, organized labor prevented any erosion of supervisory board codetermination. Paradoxically, by eliminating traditional takeover defenses, the KonTraG's liberalization of company law mobilized German political opposition to the European Union's (EU) draft Takeover Directive and limited further legal liberalization.     

Medical devices; labeling for menstrual tampons; ranges of absorbency, change from "junior" to "light." Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule that amends its menstrual tampon labeling regulation to change the current term for tampons that absorb 6 grams (g) and under of fluid. A tampon with absorbency of 6 g or less is currently required to be labeled as "junior". FDA is changing the term "junior" to "light". The term "junior" implies that the tampon is only for younger or teenage women when, in fact, it may be appropriate for women of any age with light menstrual flow. FDA encourages women to use the lowest absorbency tampon appropriate for their flow to help minimize the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). At present, FDA requires standardized terms to be used for the labeling of a menstrual tampon to indicate its particular absorbency. This rule enables women to compare the absorbency of one brand and style of tampons with the absorbency of other brands and styles. FDA is issuing this final rule under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) to ensure that labeling of menstrual tampons is not misleading.     

反腐肃贪的国际承诺--《联合国反腐败公约》刑事程序问题评介

《联合国反腐败公约》的通过为我国打击腐败犯罪、解决贪官外逃问题提供了一项有力的法律武器。公约在刑事程序方面作出了许多特别规定,主要包括:增强反腐败机构的独立性;强化对被追诉者的程序控制和实体处罚;提升反腐败机构的侦控能力;加大对被害人的保护力度;拓宽证据收集渠道,降低证据运用的法律要求;加强反腐败领域的国际合作等。我国刑事诉讼同公约有不少契合之处,但也存在很大差距,主要表现在:承担反腐败职能的机构不独立,难以抵制各种压力的干预;举报制度存在问题,获取腐败犯罪信息的能力不足;侦查方式单一、落后,无法满足打击腐败犯罪的需要;证据制度不健全,不利于收集打击腐败犯罪的充分信息;对被害人的权利保障不力,影响反腐败工作的法律与社会效果;相关法律制度存在缺陷,给利用公约追回外逃资金造成困难。为强化刑事诉讼对腐败犯罪的追诉能力,有必要对我国相关立法进行改革与完善。     

浅谈"城中村"存在的消防安全隐患及整治措施

"城中村"给城市建设和消防安全监督管理带来了许多难题,制约着城市的发展和城市化进程的加快.要顺利推进"城中村"消防安全隐患整治和消防设施改造,各级政府部门应该立足实际、多措并举,及时建立起新的合作与整合机制,从而实现"城中村"与城市的和谐统筹发展.     

Disaster planning for air crashes. A retrospective analysis of Delta Airlines flight 191

The effectiveness of previously untested disaster plans was demonstrated during the aftermath of the crash of Delta Airlines Flight 191 at D/FW International Airport on Friday, August 2, 1985. These plans, in effect for years and subjected to periodic review, were as yet untried before this first disaster at D/FW International since its opening. This paper outlines the disaster plans, the actual problems encountered, the logistics of a disaster of this kind, and insights gained from the experience.     

美国“新经济”成长的制度因素及对我国的启示

20世纪90年代以来,美国经济出现了二战后罕见的持续非线性的高速度增长.其主要表现为高增长率、高就业、高规模、高扩张,人们将这种经济现象定义为-新经济.新经济出现在美国绝非偶然,本文旨在探讨新经济现象背后的制度因素--科技创新、制度创新、政策性保障及对中国知识经济发展的借鉴意义.     

The causes of death in fire victims

In 169 consecutive cases of autopsied fire victims about 50% had lethal levels of carboxyhemoglobin. Soot in the respiratory tract was found in about 90% of the cases. The age distribution of the fire victims showed significantly less persons in the 15-35-year group than should be expected according to the age distribution of the population, presumably due to greater agility of younger people. More than half of the fire victims had alcohol in the blood exceeding 0.05%, and alcohol intoxication should be considered accessary to many deaths in fire. The characteristic biphasic distribution of carboxyhemoglobin in fire victims together with other observations suggest that the principal causes of death are carbon monoxide followed by carbon dioxide poisoning and/or oxygen deficiency, while the influence of heat is considered to be of minor importance.     

The donor-conceived child's "Right to Personal Identity": the public debate on donor anonymity in the United Kingdom

On 1 April 2005, with the implementation of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (Disclosure of Donor Information) Regulations 2004, United Kingdom law was changed to allow children born through gamete donation to access details identifying the donor. Drawing on trends in adoption law, the decision to abolish donor anonymity was strongly influenced by a discourse that asserted the ‘child's right to personal identity’. Through examination of the donor anonymity debate in the public realm, while adopting a social constructionist approach, this article discusses how donor anonymity has been defined as a social problem that requires a regulative response. It focuses on the child's ‘right to personal identity’ claims, and discusses the genetic essentialism behind these claims. By basing its assumptions on an adoption analogy, United Kingdom law ascribes a social meaning to the genetic relatedness between gamete donors and the offspring.     

Food labeling; nutrient content claims, definition of sodium levels for the term "healthy." Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its regulations concerning the maximum sodium levels permitted for foods that bear the implied nutrient content claim "healthy." The agency is retaining the currently effective, less restrictive, "first-tier" sodium level requirements for all food categories, including individual foods (480 milligrams (mg)) and meals and main dishes (600 mg), and is dropping the "second-tier" (more restrictive) sodium level requirements for all food categories. Based on the comments received about technological barriers to reducing sodium in processed foods and poor sales of products that meet the second-tier sodium level, the agency has determined that requiring the more restrictive sodium levels would likely inhibit the development of new "healthy" food products and risk substantially eliminating existing "healthy" products from the marketplace. After reviewing the comments and evaluating the data from various sources, FDA has become convinced that retaining the higher first-tier sodium level requirements for all food products bearing the term "healthy" will encourage the manufacture of a greater number of products that are consistent with dietary guidelines for a variety of nutrients. The agency has also revised the regulatory text of the "healthy" regulation to clarify the scope and meaning of the regulation and to reformat the nutrient content requirements for "healthy" into a more readable set of tables, consistent with the Presidential Memorandum instructing that regulations be written in plain language.