构建我国立法效果评估制度

我国的立法机关注重立法前的调研和论证,对立法后的实际效果缺乏有效的评估论证,某些法律法规部分被执行或落实的不彻底的现象严重存在,影响了法律的严肃性和权威性.因此,必须建立和完善具有中国特色的立法效果评估制度.     

Sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome in the Mariana Islands

Sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS) is a distinct clinical entity in previously healthy, young, Southeast Asian males. It is well known in the Philippines and more recently recognized in the U.S. by nonspecific autopsy findings, with no evidence of underlying disease and absence of toxic drug or alcohol levels. In 1973-89, 14 cases of apparent SUNDS came to coroner's autopsy in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) and Guam. All 14 cases, with the exception of one Yapese, were previously healthy, male Filipinos, aged 23 to 55, who were either found dead in bed, or described by their colleagues as having nocturnal seizure activity consisting of gurgling, frothing, and tongue biting immediately prior to death. Autopsy findings showed no anatomic findings to account for death. Comprehensive serum and urine drug analyses were negative. All decedents showed absence of significant atherosclerosis or grossly detectable structural cardiac anomaly, while four showed cardiomegaly. Migrants from Southeast Asia carry with them a pre-disposition to this syndrome, which appears to decline with longer residence in the new country. The mechanism of death in SUNDS is believed to be ventricular fibrillation, possibly precipitated by sudden sympathetic discharge. Studies suggest at least some deaths may be associated with an abnormal cardiac conduction system. Acute pancreatitis has been a finding in some series, but not our cases. Why the condition is virtually limited to males and seemingly sleep-triggered, has not been adequately explained. Stress and depression are believed to be predisposing factors.     

Computer-Aided Instruction in Law: Theories, Techniques, and Trepidations

Legal education is only beginning to make use of the technological capabilities of computers as a medium for instructional design. In this article the authors show the applicability of computer-assisted instruction to law through programmed instructional techniques. They trace the two decades of development of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in law, the use and misuse of the computer's capabilities, the impact of CAI on law student attitudes and performance, and the positive student endorsement. They carefully analyze the computer's capacity for use in memory drills, tutorial sessions, and simulation exercises. They do not offer an unrestricted endorsement of the computer's capabilities but hope for the continuing development of CAI in the legal education process.     

关于融资性租赁问题的理论探讨

<正> 相对于民法的许多制度,融资性租赁合同属于非常年轻的制度,国外只有三、四十年的历史,进入我国才有十年。由于它的特殊性,用传统民法理论难以作出解释,因而给合同的订立、履行以及发生纠纷后的法院审理带来各种认识上的困难。本文拟从该制度的性质、产生的历史必然性及如何与现有的法律体系相互衔接等方面与法学界同仁共同探讨。广义上讲,融资性租赁并非一个合同,而是由三方当事人参加、两个法律关系组     

奇异的世界六大火山口

世界上大约有62条活火山是分布在太平洋西部,有45条分布在太平洋东部弧形陆链或岛弧中,有17条分布在南北美洲西部的主要山带,另外有14条分布在印度尼西亚一带,有7条分别分布在太平洋中心岛屿、印度洋岛屿和大西洋岛屿,其余的7条分布在地中海、小亚细亚北部和东非大裂谷.     

Morphometrics of the hyoid bone for human sex determination from digital photographs

The identification of unknown remains is very important. When unknown remains are found, anthropologists first determine their sex and age. The sex of most skeletons is determined by their shape. In the hyoid bone, the shape is sex related, so it can be used forensically to determine the sex. This study focused on sex-based morphometry of the hyoid bone in Koreans using digital photographs. Hyoid bones from 52 males and 33 females were examined. For each subject, we took 34 measurements from photographs using a computer program, and the data were analyzed statistically using SPSS 11.0. Twenty-one of 34 measurements had significant sex differences (p<0.05). The discriminant functions based on three measurements (X(1)-X(3)) were as follows: The accuracy of discriminant functions is 88.2% in both groups, so these can be used to distinguish males from females in a statistically significant manner.     

Chaos in The Courtroom Reconsidered: Emotional Bias and Juror Nullification

A widespread presumption in the law is that giving jurors nullification instructions would result in "chaos"-jurors guided not by law but by their emotions and personal biases. We propose a model of juror nullification that posits an interaction between the nature of the trial (viz. whether the fairness of the law is at issue), nullification instructions, and emotional biases on juror decision-making. Mock jurors considered a trial online which varied the presence a nullification instructions, whether the trial raised issues of the law's fairness (murder for profit vs. euthanasia), and emotionally biasing information (that affected jurors' liking for the victim). Only when jurors were in receipt of nullification instructions in a nullification-relevant trial were they sensitive to emotionally biasing information. Emotional biases did not affect evidence processing but did affect emotional reactions and verdicts, providing the strongest support to date for the chaos theory.     

Drug and chemical related deaths: incidence in the State of Maryland--1975 to 1980

The incidence of drug and chemical related deaths was studied over a six-year period in the State of Maryland. Deaths were classified into the following categories: alcohol, carbon monoxide (CO), single drugs, multiple drugs, and narcotism. The last three categories were further subdivided as to the specific drugs or chemicals involved. Over the six-year period the number of alcohol and CO deaths remained steady, the number of barbiturate and propoxyphene deaths declined, while the number of tricyclic antidepressant drug deaths increased.