Changing views of jury power

This article highlights the major events and empirical research in the continuing debate over the power and competence of the jury in civil and criminal trials. The concept ofjury nullification, the power of the jury to return a verdict based upon their moral conscience despite the evidence and the law, is used as a convenient filter to discuss the legal and behavioral assumptions about jury power and performance. The legal, historical, and even behavioral contexts reflect a bipolar theme in the level of trust Americans have exhibited towards the jury system. One pole reflects the notion that juries lack predictability and rationality in their verdicts and are moved by emotional concerns. Antipodally, juries have been thought to reflect an historical competence at applying common sense notions of equity and rationality to conflicted and ambiguous cases. This article traces the history of these two views of jury power and competence. A critical review of the empirical research that may inform the debate about the jury's competence in both criminal and civil arenas is provided.     

Analysis of 2-hydroxyimipramine in an imipramine-related fatality

A fatality following ingestion of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (Novopramine), acetaminophen, and ethyl alcohol is described. Imipramine, desipramine, acetaminophen, and 2-hydroxyimipramine were quantitated by high performance liquid chromatography, and ethyl alcohol by gas liquid chromatography. Concentrations of imipramine, desipramine, 2-hydroxyimipramine, and acetaminophen were: in blood--9.0, 1.1, 3.9, and 11 mg/L; in urine--92, 14, and 42 mg/L (acetaminophen not quantitated in urine). Ethyl alcohol concentration in blood was less than 10 mg/dL and 105 mg/dL in the urine by headspace gas chromatography. These findings are compared to previous reports of imipramine-related fatalities. To our knowledge, this is the first fatality reported involving imipramine where analysis included quantitation of 2-hydroxyimipramine in blood and urine.     

Is race-based medicine good for us?: African American approaches to race, biomedicine, and equality

This article presents a preliminary framework for exploring the intersection of science and racial politics in the public debate about race-based pharmaceuticals, especially among African Americans. It examines the influence of three political approaches to race consciousness on evaluations of racial medicine and offers an alternative critique.     

Development and usage of a NIST standard reference material for real time PCR quantitation of human DNA

National Institute of Standards and Technology SRM 2372 human DNA quantitation standard has been produced to support the need for a human-specific DNA quantitation standard in forensic casework and calibration of new quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays. The conventional DNA concentration has been assigned with one of the U.S. National Reference UV/Visible Spectrophotometers, assuming an absorbance of 1.0 at 260 nm equals 50 ng/μL of double stranded DNA. In addition, an interlaboratory study has been conducted, to verify that the SRM 2372 materials perform well in currently used DNA quantitation assays by the forensic DNA community. Each unit of SRM 2372 consists of three well-characterized DNA extracts. Component A is a single-source human male material derived from blood. Component B is a multiple-source human female material derived from blood. Component C was purchased as a purified unsheared genomic human DNA (Sigma-Aldrich Co., St. Louis, MO) obtained as a lyophilized human genomic extract and has both male and female donors. SRM 2372 is intended to enable the comparison of DNA concentration measurements across time and place. Manufacturers can use SRM 2372 to validate the values assigned to their own reference materials. Individual forensic laboratories can use SRM 2372 to validate DNA quantitation methods and to verify the assigned concentration of in-house or commercial DNA calibration standards.     

Screening for barbiturates in vitreous humor by the EMIT-st serum enzyme immunoassay

In 16 medical examiner's cases, which were found to be barbiturate-positive by thin-layer chromatographic screening of the liver, blood barbiturate concentrations were determined by gas chromatography. The corresponding vitreous humor samples were screened by the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique, the EMIT-st serum barbiturate assay. By using the recommended dilution for detecting serum barbiturates, it was possible to detect barbiturates in vitreous humor at a toxic concentration. By using one fourth the amount of diluent, the barbiturates could be detected also at a therapeutic concentration. The EMIT-st assay proved to be useful in the screening for barbiturates in vitreous humor, a material that is readily available in forensic toxicology.