Suicidal behavior in the Ukraine, 1988-1998

This report studies the available data concerning suicide rates in the Ukraine and points to the importance of appropriate monitoring of suicides and attempted suicides. It illustrates the necessity of collecting this information and of developing "The Ukrainian National Program on Suicide Prevention." Unfortunately, suicide research and publications about suicide rates were prohibited in the former Soviet Union, so some of the data about suicidal behavior in the Ukraine is incomplete. We used the official suicide death statistics of the Ukraine from the Center of Statistics (Ukrainian Ministry of Health) for the period 1988-1998. The overall rate of suicide in the Ukraine is relatively high. Official statistics in the Ukraine show that there were 29.6 suicides per 100,000 population in 1998. The frequency of completed suicide differs in the various regions of the country, suicides being more frequent in the industrially developed regions and in the rural areas of the country than in the cities. In the western part of the Ukraine the frequency of suicide is relatively low (11.1 per 100,000). Between 1988 and 1997 the suicide rate increased by 57%. In 1998 the suicide rate for women was approximately five times lower than that for men.     

准噶尔盆地南缘区域羊鼻蝇的发生世代调查

以新疆准噶尔盆地南缘区域为调查点,应用昆虫系统调查法进行羊鼻蝇生活史调查,并对其各虫态期进行了测算和分析。结果发现：羊鼻蝇幼虫的百分比曲线呈不等称双峰型,发育速率时快时慢,冬季有滞育现象;该地区羊鼻蝇的发生世代为１ ａ ２ 代,２ 代所用时间不等,且世代重叠     

Paternity analysis when the putative father is missing: first case in Chile.

Genetic marker analysis is a powerful tool for solving paternity-related problems when the putative father is missing. This report describes the first time this approach was employed in Chile to solve such a problem. In the case presented, the alleged father was missing as a result of the political detentions that took place in Chile during 1973. It was not possible to obtain any biological sample from him because he was missing. Thus, the case was resolved by means of genetic marker analysis of the alleged father's close relatives.     

Adolescent sexual matricide following repetitive mother-son incest.

A case of a 16-year-old male who committed a sexual matricide following years of mother-son incest is reported. After murdering his mother by strangulation, which itself was sexually arousing, the youngster engaged in both vaginal and anal necrophilia. The homicide occurred while the perpetrator was in a dissociative state and experiencing what has been referred to as a catathymic crisis: the sudden release of emotionally charged psychic conflict and tension, resulting in extreme violence within an interpersonal bond. Discussion of maternal image and maternal sexual conduct in relationship to the psychosexual development of adolescent males offers insight into the motivation in this extremely rare case.     

Morphine perfused rabbits: a tool for experiments in forensic entomotoxicology

In order to establish an animal model for entomotoxicological studies, the kinetics of morphine elimination from blood after a single intravenous injection of morphine and the concentration of morphine in tissues following a continuous perfusion were studied. The aim of these experiments was to obtain controlled morphine tissue concentrations similar to those encountered in fatal human heroin overdoses. These tissues can be used as a food source for developing fly larvae in entomotoxicological studies. In the single injection experiment, seven rabbits were administered 1 or 2 mg/kg body weight of morphine chlorhydrate via the main ear artery. Blood samples of 200 microL were removed regularly via a catheter. Morphine concentration was determined using RIA techniques. Morphine was found to be first rapidly distributed and then slowly eliminated, following a two-exponential equation. Elimination of morphine from blood can be described as a two-compartment model. Constants of the equation were determined using the Kaleidagraph program. Using those constants, the main pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated. Results of these parameters showed the following: clearance from 13.3 to 16.2 L.h.1, half-life of the distribution phase from 0.6 to 0.9 min, and half-life of the elimination phase from 21 to 26 min. These results were used to calculate the rate of perfusion of morphine for rabbits to obtain desired, controlled, and constant concentrations of morphine in tissues. In the second experiment, three rabbits received a perfusion of morphine intravascularly at a rate of 2 mg/kg/h for a period of 3 h. These rabbits were sacrificed and analyses performed on several abdominal and thoracic organs. Results showed that the concentrations of morphine differed according to the organ analyzed, but were reproducible for organs between animals. These concentrations were similar to those normally encountered in cases of human death due to heroin overdoses.     

Determination of lysergic acid diethylamide in body fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection--a more sensitive method suitable for routine use

A new method for determination of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in body fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection was developed based on previously published methods. The new method is suitable for confirmation of samples tested positive by immunoassay, avoiding loss of LSD by absorption to surfaces. The reduced loss of LSD results in improved sensitivity. This is achieved by adding ethylene glycol to the samples, which cover glass surfaces. This principle can similarly be used to improve analysis of other drugs. Body fluids for analysis included urine and whole blood. An internal standard was applied for quantification of LSD. The new method offers satisfying precision data and has a detection limit of less than 0.05 ng/nL.     

The law and the public's health: a study of infectious disease law in the United States

Law plays crucial roles in the field of public health, from defining the power and jurisdiction of health agencies, to influencing the social norms that shape individual behavior. Despite its importance, public health law has been neglected. Over a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine issued a report lamenting the state of public health administration, generally, and calling, in particular, for a revision of public health statutes. The Article examines the current state of public health law. To help create the conditions in which people can be healthy, public health law must reflect an understanding of how public health agencies work to promote health, as well as the political and social contexts in which these agencies operate. The authors first discuss three prevailing ways in which the determinants of health are conceptualized, and the political and social problems each model tends to create for public health efforts. The analysis then turns to the core functions of public health, emphasizing how law furthers public health work. The Article reports the results of a fifty-state survey of communicable disease control law, revealing that few states have systematically reformed their laws to reflect contemporary medical and legal developments. The Article concludes with specific guidelines for law reform.