Phosphoglucomutase1 and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase types in human skin and adipose tissue

Attempts were made to detect phenotypes of the enzymes phosphoglucomutase (PGM) and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) in human skin and adipose tissues. Both enzymes could be typed using approximately 3 mg wet weight of tissue. Phenotypes could be distinguished after up to 15 days of aging for PGM and ten days of aging for PGD. Analysis of isoenzymes is potentially useful for mediolegal identification of human skin and adipose tissue.     

Books in review

She is author of Equity and Gender,and Property Rights and Eminent Domainboth published by Transaction.     

A practical method for the accurate determination of methemoglobin in blood containing carboxyhemoglobin

Kinetics of the oxidation of carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) by potassium ferricyanide was studied photometrically in a weakly acid solution. An increase in the absorbance at 630 nm reached a maximum within 10 min when over a 100-fold excess of ferricyanide to hemoglobin iron was used. A slight decrease in the absorbance was observed after completion of the reaction when over a 500-fold excess of the reagent was used. In the presence of 0.4% Sterox SE, the absorbance began to decrease without complete oxidation. From these findings, a simple, rapid and accurate method for the determination of methemoglobin (Met-Hb) in blood was devised. The method was compared with two other methods, using 11 blood samples containing various amounts of HbCO, and proved to be suitable for blood containing elevated HbCO as well as for ordinary blood.     

Truth as Justice: Investigatory Commissions in Latin America

In recent years, Latin American countries have sought to come to terms with prior periods of widespread human rights violations, relying increasingly on investigatory commissions. Investigatory efforts have been undertaken by democratically elected governments that replaced military dictatorships, by UN-sponsored commissions as part of a UN-mediated peace process, and by national human rights commissioners. This article examines truth commissions in Chile and El Salvador, an investigatory effort in Honduras, and a proposed commission in Guatemala. It compares the achievements and limitations of these commissions within the political constraints and institutional reality of each country, focusing on four major goals: the effort to create an authoritative account of the past; vindication of victims; recommendations for legislative, structural, or other changes to avoid repetition of past abuses; and establishing accountability or the identity of perpetrators.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Miranda</Emphasis> Comprehension in Adults with Mental Retardation and the Effects of Feedback Style on Suggestibility

Interrogations present several major challenges to persons with mental retardation (MR). Sixty adults with mild MR completed measures of Miranda comprehension and tendency to yield to leading questions. In addition, suggestibility was assessed based on whether participants revised answers to questions in response to unfriendly, friendly, or neutral feedback to original responses. Furthermore, we examined how expressed confidence in answers to repeated questions varied with the type of feedback received. Results revealed that participants demonstrated marked difficulties understanding their Miranda rights and greater likelihood of changing answers to questions for which they received friendly feedback than for questions for which they received unfriendly or neutral feedback. Most participants who received positive reinforcement for their answers on a second trial expressed confidence about improvement from trial 1 to trial 2, although accuracy did not improve. Implications of these results are reviewed.