Democratic justice: the priority of politics and the ideal of citizenship

In his Democratic justice and the social contract, Weale presents a distinctive contingent practice-dependent model of ‘democratic justice’ that relies heavily on a condition of just social and political relations among equals. Several issues arise from this account. Under which conditions might such just social and political relations be realised? What ideal of equality is required for ‘democratic justice’? What are its implications for the political ideal of citizenship? This paper focuses on these questions as a way to critically reconsider Weale’s model. After presenting Weale’s procedural constructivism, I distinguish his model from an institutional practice-dependent model, one salient example of which is Rawls’s political constructivism. This distinction allows for a formulation of the social and political equality required for justice in each case. The contingent model assumes that an equality of ‘status’ will generate just social practices, yet it fails to recognise that an equality of ‘role’ is also important to ensure citizens’ compliance. The paper ultimately seeks to show that the contingent model is insufficient to ensure that just social practices will become stable.     

Death Caused by Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (Lyell Syndrome)

Abstract: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is characterized by fever, scalded appearance of the skin, and epidermolysis associated to blister formation and exfoliation, and it is caused by hypersensitivity reaction to a drug. The authors report two cases of death as a result of TEN; both referred to old aged women treated with a polytherapy including allopurinol. Both patients displayed erythematous skin lesions similar to scald burns and epidermolysis at the face, chest, and abdomen and died shortly after hospitalization. Autopsy findings and histological examinations revealed epidermal necrolysis and confirmed the clinical diagnosis. A strict time‐correlation between allopurinol administration and symptoms was evidenced. Because of its iatrogenic origin, TEN often arises suspicions of medical liability; however, because of its unpredictable nature, the occurrence of this syndrome cannot be ascribed to the medical staff whose main task is the rapid diagnosis and the correct management.     

On the use of IRMS in forensic science: proposals for a methodological approach

The flourishing number of publications on the use of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in forensic science denotes the enthusiasm and the attraction generated by this technology. IRMS has demonstrated its potential to distinguish chemically identical compounds coming from different sources. Despite the numerous applications of IRMS to a wide range of forensic materials, its implementation in a forensic framework is less straightforward than it appears. In addition, each laboratory has developed its own strategy of analysis on calibration, sequence design, standards utilisation and data treatment without a clear consensus. Through the experience acquired from research undertaken in different forensic fields, we propose a methodological framework of the whole process using IRMS methods. We emphasize the importance of considering isotopic results as part of a whole approach, when applying this technology to a particular forensic issue. The process is divided into six different steps, which should be considered for a thoughtful and relevant application. The dissection of this process into fundamental steps, further detailed, enables a better understanding of the essential, though not exhaustive, factors that have to be considered in order to obtain results of quality and sufficiently robust to proceed to retrospective analyses or interlaboratory comparisons.