Suicidal Nitrogen Inhalation by use of Scuba Full‐Face Diving Mask

A 29‐year‐old man was found dead lying on the bed in a hotel room in a famous Slovak mountain resort. He had a full‐face diving mask on his face, connected through a diving breath regulator to a valve of an industrial (nondiving) high‐pressure tank containing pure 100% nitrogen. The breath regulator (open‐circuit type) used allowed inhalation of nitrogen without addition of open air, and the full‐face diving mask assured aspiration of the gas even during the time of unconsciousness. At autopsy, we found the typical signs of suffocation. Toxicological analysis revealed 94.7% content of nitrogen in alveolar air. Following the completion of the police investigation, the manner of death was classified as a suicide. Within the medico‐legal literature, there has been only one similar case of suicidal nitrogen inhalation described (1).     

A 27‐Locus STR Assay to Meet All United States and European Law Enforcement Agency Standards,

Different national and international agencies have selected specific STR sets for forensic database use. To enhance database comparison across national and international borders, a 27‐locus multiplex system was developed comprising all 15 STR loci of the European standard set, the current 13 STR loci of the CODIS core, the proposed 22 STR loci of the expanded CODIS core, 4 additional commonly used STR loci, and the amelogenin locus. Development required iterative primer design to resolve primer‐related artifacts, amplicon sizing, and locus‐to‐locus balance issues. The 19.5‐min assay incorporated newly developed six‐dye chemistry analyzed using a novel microfluidic electrophoresis instrument capable of simultaneous detection and discrimination of 8 or more fluorescent dyes. The 27‐locus multiplex offers the potential for a new international STR standard permitting laboratories in any jurisdiction to use a single reaction to determine profiles for loci they typically generate plus an expanded common STR profiling set of global interest.     

When Abuse Happens Again: Women's Reasons for Not Reporting New Incidents of Intimate Partner Abuse to Law Enforcement

Although most women abused by intimate partners experience a patterned behavior of abuse (by either the same or new partners), little is known about their decision making regarding whether to call the police for subsequent abuse. The current study found that 90 percent of women who had encountered the criminal legal system for previous intimate partner abuse victimizations did not contact the police for some or all recurrences. Qualitative analysis was conducted among a sample of 102 women regarding their reasons for not re-engaging the legal system for subsequent victimizations. The results suggested 5 overall reasons as to why women involved with the criminal legal system choose not to engage the system again.     

广东东莞市男性青少年肩关节正位DR片骨龄研究

目的利用肩关节正位数字化X线片（DR片）上诸骨发育特点建立男性青少年骨龄评测数学模型。方法对广东东莞市310名15~22岁男性青少年拍摄肩关节正位DR片,根据锁骨肩峰端（X1）、肩胛骨肩峰端（X2）、喙突（X3）、肱骨近端（X4）及锁骨胸骨端（X5）骨骺发育分级评分,利用SPSS统计进行各骨骼发育评分与年龄间的相关分析、Fisher＇s线性两类判别分析及多元逐步回归分析。结果 X1~X5与生活年龄间的Pearson相关系数分别为0.496、0.571、0.559、0.702、0.807（P〈0.01）;16、17、18周岁判别分析综合判别率为87.2%~91.4%,年龄推断多元逐步回归方程准确率（±1岁）约79.8%。结论本研究建立的年龄判别分析方程及多元逐步回归方程,可为法医活体年龄鉴定提供了新的地区性标准和方法。     

From Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong Un: nuclear impasse or diplomatic opportunity?

The recent death of Kim Jong Il and the succession of his son, Kim Jong Un, as Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea leaves the Northeast Asian region at a crossroads. Given the younger Kim’s lack of political experience, it is reasonable to believe that his priority will be on consolidation of his political and military power base in Pyongyang. More recently, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has sent mixed signals with regard to its intentions. On the one hand, North Korea has agreed to a moratorium of its nuclear activities and has even invited the IAEA to inspect its nuclear facilities; at the same time, however, the DPRK has also announced its plan to launch a satellite in mid-April, using technology derived from the Taepodong missile. Set against this backdrop, we underline and comparatively assess the importance of the USA, the Republic of Korea, and China, all of which will be going through a political transition in 2012. We conclude that Seoul and Beijing are in the best position to reopen the process of dialogue with the DPRK.     

氯氮平及其代谢物在人血液中的药代动力学研究

目的研究氯氮平及其代谢物在人血液中的药代动力学和检出时限,为氯氮平中毒的法医学鉴定提供实验依据。方法 29名太原汉族人口服12.5mg氯氮平后不同时间采集肘静脉血,固相萃取法提取,超高效液相色谱-串联质谱仪分析,MRM(多反应离子检测)记录方式,保留时间和定性离子对定性,内标法和标准曲线法定量检测其中氯氮平、去甲氯氮平、氮氧氯氮平含量,3p97药代动力学软件拟合C-T数据,计算药代动力学参数。结果口服12.5mg氯氮平后,氯氮平、去甲氯氮平、氮氧氯氮平在血中动力学过程均符合一级吸收二室开放模型,达峰时间分别为2.96±1.32h、8.65±3.00h、9.31±26.38h,达峰浓度分别为34.68±9.32ng/mL、11.16±4.15ng/mL、9.62±13.88ng/mL,半衰期分别为17.02±23.63h、27.06±12.58h、41.27±29.75h,血中检出时限分别为81.72±26.19h、93.21±29.40、19.93±14.62h。结论口服氯氮平后氯氮平及其代谢物去甲氯氮平、氮氧氯氮平的药物动力学符合一级吸收二室开放模型,模型和参数可以为氯氮平的法医学鉴定提供实验依据。     

IS ARTICLE 5.7 OF THE SPS AGREEMENT AN APPLICATION OF THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE?

The “Precautionary principle” is regarded as the new buzz phrase in the discussion of risk regulation relating to the areas of environment and health. Article 5.7 of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measure (SPS Agreement) uses a similar approach to the protection of human, animal and plant life, and health. It is important to pay close attention to some of the relationships concerning the precautionary principle and Article 5.7. Firstly, when a member decides to take sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, they usually act from the perspective of prudence and precaution. In addition, the precautionary principle finds similar expression in Article 5.7. However, the precautionary principle has not been explicitly written in the SPS Agreement as a ground for justifying the SPS measures in situations that are inconsistent with the obligations set out in the Agreement. The case law shows that the Panel is very careful about the use of the language of precaution. The Appellate Body is reluctant to allow the precautionary principle to override the specific obligations in the Agreement. Whether Article 5.7 can be regarded as an application of the precautionary principle needs to be examined. Under the current discourse, however, this article finds that the precautionary principle cannot by any means be used as an interpretative tool for Article 5.7. Reliance on the precautionary principle to trigger Article 5.7 is supposed to be unsuccessful. As in situations where taking SPS measures threats the environment and health become irreversible, more attention should be paid to practical issues to ensure the necessity and efficacy of the measures.     

晚清在华美国传教士与近代西方国际法的传入——以伯驾为中心的考察

近代中西文化交流由于种种原因,外国传教士成为重要媒介。在近代西方国际法传入中国的过程中,晚清寓华美国传教士发挥了重要作用。本文以第一位来华医学传教士伯驾翻译国际法的活动为中心,兼及丁韪良,论述了寓华美国传教士对近代西方国际法传入中国所作的重要贡献及其对晚清外交和中国国际法学发展的影响。