Restructuring the State in South Africa: New Strategies of Incorporation and Control

Although it is now widely conceded that there have been many changes in South Africa in recent years, not least in the political sphere, the nature and significance of these changes remain hotly contested. After sketching the pre-reform system, this article presents a broad and comprehensive account of the institutional reorganization of the South African state and the official justification for it. Acknowledging that at the moment only tentative interpretations of these developments are possible, it poses questions about the adequacy of official explanations and suggests that a deeper motivation for the changes lies in a commitment to both order and reform, the outlines of which are much clearer at the local than at the national level.     

Chinese scholars call for AIDS rules based on respect for individual rights

In June 2002, the UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS in China published a comprehensive situation analysis and needs assessment of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The report, entitled "HIV/AIDS: China's Titanic Peril", also describes and analyzes current HIV/AIDS legislation and policies. It notes that "laws and regulations that are based on fear and prejudice have contributed to fuelling the epidemic instead of curbing it." The report observes that the targets and goals established in China's five-year Plan of Action (2001-2005) are not consistent with the commitments endorsed in June 2001 at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS. It states that the Plan "continues to present HIV/AIDS as a medical problem, and fails to understand the epidemic as a broader development issue." Even where laws could assist, enforcement remains a huge challenge. For example, in 1998 the National People's Congress passed a law prohibiting commercial blood donations for medical purposes. Nonetheless, the illicit and unregulated blood trade, which has rapidly accelerated the spread of HIV infection in China, has continued. When the alarm was sounded by Dr. Wan Yanhai, coordinator of the AIZHI (AIDS) Action Project, the government response was to arrest him. In the following article, Nick Young, editor of China Development Brief, reviews the findings of three studies commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the role of the law in response to HIV/AIDS.     

HIV study among pregnant Aboriginal women raises concerns

An unlinked HIV seroprevalence study among pregnant Aboriginal women in BC reveals an alarming trend and raises ethical questions about certain types of research in Aboriginal communities.     

Extension of the color suite available for chemical enhancement of fingerprints in blood

The use of ortho- and para-phenylenediamine (OPD & PPD respectively) for the enhancement of fingerprints in blood has been investigated. Optimal pH conditions and H2O2 concentrations have been determined using UV/Vis spectroscopy. Both OPD and PPD are effective and less hazardous alternatives to the presently used 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) for the development of blood fingerprints, especially on porous surfaces. The orange color of OPD and the purple color of PPD offer alternative colors to the brown color of DAB and the light green color of ABTS for standing out against particular backgrounds. Both OPD and PPD can be used after ninhydrin treatment, but the reverse is not the case.     

Fatal child abuse-maltreatment syndrome. A retrospective study in Ontario,Canada, 1990-1995

Child death due to repeated episodes of physical assault or neglect has been termed the child abuse-maltreatment syndrome (CAMS). We characterized the injuries in a series of fatally abused or maltreated child to delineate objective diagnostic criteria for the CAMS for use by clinicians and pathologists. All deaths (age <17 years) investigated by the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, Canada during the time period 1990-1995 were reviewed. Cases of CAMS were defined as death due to lethal recent injury or malnutrition in the presence of significant old (healing or healed) injuries indicative of repeated episode of inflicted trauma. The nature and frequency of the various injuries was determined. The frequency of the shaken baby syndrome, and the types and frequency of ano-genital injuries were also studied. Twenty-one cases of fatal CAMS were found in the study period. Most cases had significant recent head injury with intra-cranial hemorrhage (71%). Other significant recent injuries commonly observed included blunt injuries of the skin and soft tissues (67%), blunt abdominal trauma with visceral injuries (14%), and fractures (18%). Eight cases (38%) fulfilled accepted criteria for the shaken baby syndrome. Many children with fatal head injuries had evidence of older head trauma (38% of all cases). A significant minority of cases had evidence of malnutrition due to neglect (10%) or ongoing ano-genital injuries (10%). Most cases of child homicides due to repeated episodes of abuse or maltreatment involve head trauma including shaken baby syndrome. Fractures of long bone and ribs, the classical markers of child abuse, were relatively infrequent compared with head injury. A proportion of cases had ano-genital injuries due to repeated sexual abuse or punitive maltreatment. All clinicians and pathologists must recognize the wide spectrum of injuries in child abuse to ultimate protect the victim or other children in an at-risk situation.     

Age estimation by occlusal tooth wear

The purpose of the present investigation was to test the accuracy of a new scoring system in recording tooth wear for age estimation. The material consisted of dental stone casts of 383 volunteers who had sound premolars and molars with normal occlusion. The degree of occlusal wear for all premolar and molar teeth was scored with the new system. The high intra- and inter-examiner concordances showed that the new score system was very reliable. The degree of tooth wear showed a significant positive correlation with age in each and every examined tooth of both males and females. Tooth wear scores of males were higher than those of females. Calculating tables for age estimation were designed and the accuracy of age estimation was obtained with the General Linear Models procedures. Our system could provide estimation of an individual's age within +/-3 years in 42.4% of males and 49.4% of females, within +/-5 years in 61.8% of males and 63.3% of females. When the subjects were divided into two age groups and data were re-treated, the accuracy of age estimation was increased. Collectively, it was shown that our new system for scoring tooth wear is a reliable and accurate method for age estimation.