Histological and immunohistochemical study of Wischnewsky spots in fatal hypothermia

Wischnewsky spots in the gastric mucosa are considered an important finding for the diagnosis of hypothermia-related deaths. In the present prospective histological and immunohistochemical investigation, 14 cases of fatal hypothermia presenting Wischnewsky spots at autopsy were studied. Macromorphologically, the lesions, varying in diameter from 0.1 to 0.4 cm, had a blackish-brownish color and appeared partly lofty, especially on the apex of gastric folds. Histologically, no erosions or ulcers were observed in the gastric mucosa. In some cases, hemorrhages in conjunction with infarctions of the mucosa were observed in the mucosal glands. Those regions, however, did not represent the lesions visible as Wischnewsky spots at the macroscopical level. Immunohistochemical stains were done with a specific antibody against hemoglobin (Dako, Glostrup, Denmark). Wischnewsky spots expressed immunopositivity with antihemoglobin. Concerning the pathogenesis and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms contributing to the development of Wischnewsky spots, we hypothesize that cooling of the body in the setting of cold ambient temperatures primarily leads to circumscribed hemorrhages of the gastric glands in vivo or in the agonal period, respectively. Subsequently, due to autolysis, erythrocytes are destroyed and hemoglobin is released. Following exposure to gastric acid, hemoglobin is hematinized, leading to the typical blackish-brownish appearance of Wischnewsky spots seen at gross examination. Wischnewsky spots are not equivalent to erosions in terms of histopathological diagnosis but rather represent epiphenomena generated in vivo or in the agonal period of fatal hypothermia.     

A new method of age estimation based on the changes in human non-collagenous proteins from dentin

The new method exploits the characteristic of staphylococcal protease V8, which specifically splits peptide bonds where l-glutamic or l-aspartic acid participate. Those peptide bonds where d-aspartic acid is present remain unsplit because of the stereospecifity of enzymes. In accordance with expectations, fewer peptide bonds are split by this protease at more advanced ages and larger peptide fragments are thus formed due to the higher content of d-amino acid residues in the proteins of older people. The samples of acid-extracted non-collagenous proteins from dentin were separated using high performance liquid chromatography after enzymatic hydrolysis. A peak with a retention time of 45.3 min was chosen and his enlarging area showed a linear correlation with increasing age. Although the linear correlation with age was proved, the scattering of values decreases the usefulness of the proposed method for age estimation.     

The Nuremberg Trial and its Impact on Germany

The impact of the Nuremberg trial on Germany has changed overtime. It is not only a question of evolving legal debate, butalso a correlation of historical, political and moral developments.The author considers the reception of the International MilitaryTribunal (IMT) trial during the Cold War. West Germany rejectedNuremberg's historic precedent, principally on the grounds thatthe Allies had enforced victors’ justice, and that theTribunal had applied ex post facto law by violating the nullumcrimen principle. Meanwhile, East Germany seemingly took upthe cause of Nuremberg by prosecuting minor Nazi perpetrators.However, this affirmation was politically motivated, and itled to inhumane abuses of power, exemplified by the Waldheimtrials. The reunification of Germany marked the beginning ofa positive approach to the Nuremberg legacy: the new generationof judges, politicians and academics was increasingly sympatheticto international criminal justice, and adopted the Nurembergprecedent by dealing judicially with crimes committed in theEast during the Cold War. The study goes on to deal with therelevance of West German legal critique for modern internationalcriminal law. The author suggests that a distinction shouldbe made between true victims of international crimes and thosewho wish to revise history by portraying themselves as such,as many West Germans did after World War II. Moreover, the ‘victors’justice’ argument must not be used to conceal the factthat justice has indeed been administered. However, the criticismof the IMT's violation of the nullum crimen principle is firmlygrounded in the German, as opposed to Anglo-American, legaltradition.     

Developments in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders: looking backward with a view to the future

This article provides a brief review of a number of key developments within the area of sexual offending over the past two decades. In addition, several directions for future research are discussed. The review presents information concerning several well-validated risk assessment instruments that are available. As well, some of the accumulating evidence concerning the efficacy of contemporary approaches to treatment with sex offenders is mentioned, as are theoretical developments within the field.     

Reference ballistic imaging database performance

Ballistic imaging databases allow law enforcement to link recovered cartridge cases to other crime scenes and to firearms. The success of these databases has led many to propose that all firearms in circulation be entered into a reference ballistic image database (RBID). To assess the performance of an RBID, we fired 4200 cartridge cases from 600 9mm Para Sig Sauer model P226 series pistols. Each pistol fired two Remington cartridges, one of which was imaged in the RBID, and five additional cartridges, consisting of Federal, Speer, Winchester, Wolf, and CCI brands. Randomly selected samples from the second series of Remington cartridge cases and from the five additional brands were then correlated against the RBID. Of the 32 cartridges of the same make correlated against the RBID, 72% ranked in the top 10 positions. Likewise, of the 160 cartridges of the five different brands correlated against the database, 21% ranked in the top 10 positions. Generally, the ranking position increased as the size of the RBID increased. We obtained similar results when we expanded the RBID to include firearms with the same class characteristics for breech face marks, firing pin impressions, and extractor marks. The results of our six queries against the RBID indicate that a reference ballistics image database of new guns is currently fraught with too many difficulties to be an effective and efficient law enforcement tool.     

Appeasing nihilists? Some economic thoughts on reducing terrorist activity

Recent contributions to the economics of terrorism have given contradicting recommendations for campaigning against terrorism, from the proposal to deprive terrorists of their resources to the proposal of raising the opportunity costs of terrorism by increasing the wealth of the affected regions. Within a simple framework which differentiates between the decision to become an active terrorist and the decision to support terrorists and which allows for reciprocal reactions to anti-terrorism policies, it is argued here that undifferentiated deterrence may indeed backfire, but so may an increase of the opportunity costs of terrorism. A very targeted anti-terrorism policy aimed only at active terrorists would then be the most reasonable remaining approach.     

公共政策问题建构过程中的公共性研究

公共政策具有公共性,亦即处理大多数民众的问题。政策具有问题性,也就是政策以民众问题为导向,大多数民众有相同问题,政府机关将问题纳入政府议程,提出解决策略。倘若忽视公共性,公共政策就有可能变为某些个人、团体、阶层谋取私立的工具。这就要求我们在公共政策的制定和实施的过程中,必须时时关注公共性,亦即要做到在政策问题取向上的公共性。故而,首先探究公共政策问题与其公共性之意涵;其次,析探问题建构中公共性之哲学基础;最后,藉由现今流行于公共政策学界,用以展现问题建构过程中公共性的审议式民主,以及审议式民主在台湾之应用-公民会议的召开,来加以进一步说明。     

Dosage of treatment to sexual offenders: are we overprescribing?

A sample of 337 offenders who received treatment in a variety of sex offender treatment programs in the Ontario region of Correctional Service Canada between 1993 and 1998 were divided based on the highest intensity sex offender programming that they received (low, moderate, and high). The three groups were compared with reference to a variety of actuarial risk assessment measures, criminogenic factors, and the number and type of treatment programs completed. It was hypothesized that the high-intensity group would have more criminogenic risk factors, higher actuarial scores, and participate in more treatment programs than both the moderate- and low-intensity groups. The results indicate that in general, the hypotheses were supported. Nonetheless, the results suggest that the low-intensity group may be receiving too much sex offender-specific treatment.     

New horizons in forensic radiology: the 60-second digital autopsy-full-body examination of a gunshot victim by multislice computed tomography

The goal of this study was the full-body documentation of a gunshot wound victim with multislice helical computed tomography for subsequent comparison with the findings of the standard forensic autopsy. Complete volume data of the head, neck, and trunk were acquired by use of two acquisitions of less than 1 minute of total scanning time. Subsequent two-dimensional multiplanar reformations and three-dimensional shaded surface display reconstructions helped document the gunshot-created skull fractures and brain injuries, including the wound track, and the intracerebral bone fragments. Computed tomography also demonstrated intracardiac air embolism and pulmonary aspiration of blood resulting from bullet wound-related trauma. The "digital autopsy," even when postprocessing time was added, was more rapid than the classic forensic autopsy and, based on the nondestructive approach, offered certain advantages in comparison with the forensic autopsy.     

Extraction and analysis of human nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from electron beam irradiated envelopes

The United States Postal Service is considering methods such as electron beam irradiation to neutralize biological agents sent through the mail. While this is proven to reduce/eliminate pathogenic organisms, it may also degrade human genomic DNA and therefore hinder the ability to garner forensically informative genetic profiles. To determine the effects of electron beam irradiation on DNA typing, 16 white, standard letter-sized envelopes were licked. Half of the envelopes served as nonirradiated controls while the other half underwent irradiation at dosages sufficient to kill anthrax spores (29.3 and 51.6 kGy). Total cellular DNA was extracted from all envelopes; nuclear short tandem repeat loci, as well as the hypervariable region I from mitochondrial DNA, were amplified by means of the polymerase chain reaction. Short tandem repeat profiles and mitochondrial DNA sequence haplotypes were acquired on an ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer platform. Analysis of data from irradiated samples revealed evidence of DNA degradation; however, the ability to construct full genetic profiles from both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA remained largely unaffected. The use of the polymerase chain reaction, coupled with florescent fragment analysis and mitochondrial DNA sequencing, should be considered to profile biological material from evidence enduring irradiation to inactivate infectious agents.