Microbial Sampling and Data Interpretation for Problematic Buildings: Considerations for Construction Related Environmental Claims

Bioaerosol data is often used in cases of building mold infestation alleging damage or adverse health effects upon occupants, despite the lack of consistent sampling and analytical protocols and numerical health-based standards. The most fundamental problem in these scenarios is defining a “significant” difference between a suspect indoor environment and the reference environment, regardless of the type of sampling and analysis utilized. Data interpretation focused upon differences in absolute numerical concentrations of fungi is subject to wide differences in expert opinion. On the other hand, an objective quantification of differences can be expressed in terms of probability and better meets criteria established in evidentiary rules.     

中国刑事证据立法的基本理念

证据制度是一国诉讼制度中重要的组成部分。我国目前证据立法过于粗疏 ,可操作性不强 ,远远不能满足司法实践的需要。合理地重构证据制度 ,应当对传统证据理论进行全面检视 ,在此基础上准确把握现代刑事证据制度藉以立足的基本理念 ,惟此方能实现理性立法。     

Sudden and unexpected death of a 6-month-old baby with silent heart failure due to anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.

A 6-month-old girl died suddenly without any previous symptoms of heart failure. Autopsy examination showed cardiomegaly (97 g) with a severely fibrotized myocardium. The left coronary artery was originating from the pulmonary artery. Histologically, the myocardium showed myocardial infarcts of different ages, as well as grossly thickened arterial branches due to increased flow in left-right shunt. We suggest that rare anomalies of the coronary arteries should be considered in the autopsies of suspected sudden infant death syndrome cases.     

Impact of tropical conditions on thin layer chromatography in analytical toxicology: high temperatures and moderate humidities.

The impact of high temperatures (24 to 39 degrees C) and low to moderately high humidities (20 to 70%) on the applicability of TLC systems for drug identification was studied during a 6 month climatologic cycle in Burkina Faso (West Africa). In general, the Rf values as observed on the plates were found to be substantially affected as compared with values obtained at temperate climates. Some TLC systems were more affected than others and the largest deviations of up to 30 Rf units were at low humidities. Tropical conditions also had a negative effect on the reproducibility of Rf values. However, when an Rf-correction procedure was applied, using reference mixtures of known drugs on each plate, accuracy as well as reproducibility of the resulting Rfc values were drastically improved and data thus corrected were found to be compatible with existing TLC data bases developed under moderate climatological conditions. The impact of high to extremely high humidities (70 to 100%) remains to be investigated.     

Who Owns Your Body? A Patient''s Perspective on Washington University v. Catalona

Washington University v. Catalona revolves around ownership of tissue samples provided by patients for research purposes, raising significant ethical and legal questions concerning patient rights, current human research practices, and the treatment of samples as capital resources by the research institution.     

Organic impurity profiling of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) tablets seized in The Netherlands.

In this study, a new method was developed for the impurity profiling of illicit MDMA tablets. The extraction efficiency, linearity, repeatability and reproducibility of the method were evaluated. Eighty two MDMA tablets coming from presumed unrelated large seizures in 2004 (n >500 tablets) were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to assess the discrimination power of the method. The latter was found to be practical, robust, relatively easy to perform, highly discriminative and yielding good chromatography. In addition, some new impurities were detected and identified. Their chemical structures and mass spectra are reported.     

迈向理性的刑事诉讼法学——2006年刑事诉讼法学研究述评

2006年刑事诉讼法学的研究主要围绕刑事诉讼基本理论、刑事诉讼法的修改、司法改革以及证据制度等问题进行,体现了如下几点可喜的变化和进步:刑事诉讼法学的学科体系逐渐从注释法学转向理论法学,研究领域不断拓展,在检讨传统刑事诉讼法学基础上出现了一些富有创见的新理论体系;研究方法趋于多样化,特别是实证研究的引入为刑事诉讼法学注入新的活力;刑事诉讼法学研究仍然遵循理论联系实际的原则,体现了理论研究与实践活动的互动。