The collision of healthcare and corporate law in a hospital closure case

This Article analyzes potential conflicts that arise from both the judicial and administrative approval processes that govern the closure of charitable hospitals through a sale of all or substantially all of their assets. Examining the recent closure attempt by the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital as an example, the Article highlights the various public health and corporate law issues that are raised when a not-for-profit hospital seeks closure. The Article thoroughly discusses both the statutorily and judicially required approval schemes applicable to the closure of charitable hospitals. The Article also suggests ways in which these conflicts might be avoided or remedied, as well as gives advice regarding hospital board decisionmaking.     

Protecting genetic materials and genetic information: a case study of Guthrie Cards in Victoria

The authors are privileged to have been provided with correspondence about a dispute over the ongoing storage of genetic material (as Guthrie Cards) in Victoria. The correspondence details confusion over the roles of government and the private sector service provider in accounting for the storage, use and destruction of these stored genetic materials collected as part of a government public health program. The purpose in publishing this account is to highlight the present inadequacies in current practices and the ongoing potential for a crisis in the management of collected genetic materials through a lack of appropriate regulation, transparency and accountability. The article suggests measures to remedy some of the existing inadequacies in contractual arrangements and recommends that the government retain ownership and control of both the genetic materials and the derived information to ensure some accountability in the present legal environment.     

Death due to microvascular occlusion in sickle-cell trait following physical exertion

The heterozygous condition characterized by the presence of hemoglobin AS (sickle-cell trait) occurs in approximately 8% of the American black population. Unlike the homozygous state (sickle-cell disease), sickle-cell trait is not widely recognized as a cause of life-threatening illness or death despite over 30 case reports describing fatal or serious complications of exercise in young black males with this condition. These reports identify heat stress, dehydration, viral illness, and poor physical conditioning as factors which may contribute to exertional rhabdomyolysis and sudden death, suggesting multifactorial etiology. However, since sickling is known to occur postmortem, it remains controversial as to whether the pathogenesis of these exercise related deaths involves microvascular obstruction by sickled erythrocytes. We describe three young black individuals with no significant past medical history who died following physical exertion. In all three cases, postmortem hemoglobin electrophoresis demonstrated hemoglobin AS. In none of the cases was the body temperature found to be elevated. These cases serve to remind the forensic community that, in the proper setting, sickle-cell trait must be viewed as a potentially fatal disorder.     

An investigation of the psychological characteristics of stalkers: empathy, problem-solving, attachment and borderline personality features

This study examined the psychological characteristics of a sample of self-reported stalkers in comparison with a control group, on measures of empathy, problem-solving skills, attachment, and borderline personality features. Stalkers were identified by their endorsement of specific behavioral items, consistent with a widely adopted definition of stalking, denoting behaviors that: (a) are repeatedly directed toward an identified target; (b) are intrusive and unwanted; and (c) evoke fear in the victim. Stalkers scored significantly higher than controls on measures of insecure attachment and borderline personality features, suggesting that the stalking group demonstrates a general pattern of inadequate interpersonal attachment, has limited abilities to form and maintain appropriate relationships, is emotionally labile and unstable, and experiences ambivalence regarding their interpersonal relationships. Treatment implications are discussed herein.     

Processes involved in the development of latent fingerprints using the cyanoacrylate fuming method

Chemical processes involved in the development of latent fingerprints using the cyanoacrylate fuming method have been studied. Two major types of latent prints have been investigated-clean and oily prints. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used as a tool for determining the morphology of the polymer developed separately on clean and oily prints after cyanoacrylate fuming. A correlation between the chemical composition of an aged latent fingerprint, prior to development, and the quality of a developed fingerprint has been observed in the morphology. The moisture in the print prior to fuming has been found to be more important than the moisture in the air during fuming for the development of a useful latent print. In addition, the amount of time required to develop a high quality latent print has been found to be within 2 min. The cyanoacrylate polymerization process is extremely rapid. When heat is used to accelerate the fuming process, typically a period of 2 min is required to develop the print. The optimum development time depends upon the concentration of cyanoacrylate vapors within the enclosure.     

Mobile autopsy teams in the investigation of war crimes in Kosovo 1999.

On request of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the Danish-Swedish forensic teams worked in Kosovo during the summer and the fall of 1999. The teams worked mainly as "mobile teams" at sites with few graves. Only two larger sites were examined. Most of the bodies were buried separately. A few "multiple burial" graves were examined, but no mass graves were encountered. The main purpose of the autopsies was to establish the cause and manner of death. Identification was of less importance, but a majority of the bodies had been identified prior to the autopsy. A total of 308 bodies, mainly males, were examined. The age varied greatly with a mean age of 47 years. The most common cause of death was gun shot wounds and the most common manner of death was homicide.     

Status and prospects of developing the Forensic Medical Service in the Russian Federation

Forensic medical service is constantly updated, which is confirmed by introduction of new modern methods, such as detection of blood or semen with test strips, new modifications of methods for handling bone material, differentiation of blood of the same group within ABO system, identification of blood groups in mixed stains of blood of humans and some animals, use of gel plates, etc. Methodological and information letters have been issued and field seminars are regularly carried for upgrading expert biologists. The overwhelming majority of expert biologists have received specialized education and topical upgrading.