大鼠脑挫伤后巢蛋白表达与脑挫伤经过时间的关系

目的观察大鼠脑挫伤后不同时间内巢蛋白(nestin)蛋白表达的变化,探讨其与脑损伤经过时间的关系。方法利用自由落体撞击大鼠脑挫伤模型,在脑挫伤后不同时间(0.5,6,12h和1,3,7,14,28d)观察nestin蛋白在伤侧皮质、海马齿状回及胼胝体表达情况。结果伤后0.5h伤侧皮质、海马齿状回及胼胝体nestin阳性细胞表达开始增强,7d达高峰,以后逐渐下降,28d伤侧皮质、海马齿状回恢复至正常组水平,伤侧胼胝体在伤后28d仍有弱表达。结论nestin免疫组化染色可以作为法医学推断早期脑损伤时间的指标之一;nestin可作为判断脑损伤是否存在及区分生前和死后脑损伤的标志。     

Report on complementary/alternative health care and HIV/AIDS

In 2001, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network published a lengthy report on Complementary/Alternative Health Care and HIV/AIDS: Legal, Ethical & Policy Issues in Regulation. The document is the first in a series of papers to be produced by the Legal Network on priority legal and ethical issues related to HIV/AIDS care, treatment, and support. The article below summarizes the contents of the report.     

Preventing mother-to-child transmission: landmark decision by South African court

On 14 December 2001, the High Court of South Africa delivered its judgment in Treatment Action Campaign et al v Minister of Health et al, ruling that the government was in breach of its constitutional obligations and must promptly develop and implement a comprehensive national program to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, including making antiretroviral drugs available for this purpose. This article summarizes the legal arguments and the outcome of a case that is of global significance in holding governments accountable for their obligations to progressively realize the human right to health.     

Examining the Construct Validity of the Original and Revised JBS: A Cross-Validation of Sample and Method

Factor analysis is a statistical technique that can provide an understanding of construct validity. Previous research examining the factor structure of the Juror Bias Scale (JBS) has uncovered problems in the scale's assessment of the constructs of probability of commission (PC) and reasonable doubt (RD). We here reevaluate the scale's constructs to better our understanding of the pretrial biases involved in the juror decision-making process. Importantly, previous findings have been limited to college student samples and trial material that has involved rape evidence. This study examines the construct validity of the JBS in a sample of 617 jury-eligible adults drawn from the community, and the predictive validity of the JBS is examined across 3 distinct trial scenarios. The results parallel earlier findings, indicating that although RD is a tenable and useful construct affecting juror decision-making, PC may be a less relevant pretrial bias. We therefore suggest that future research emphasize alternative constructs, such as confidence and cynicism in the criminal justice system.     

Personal identification based on radiographic vertebral features

Personal identification of human remains constitutes about 10% of the normal caseload of any forensic medicine practice. Identification can be achieved by a variety of methods, one of which is the comparison of antemortem and postmortem radiographs. There are numerous accounts of cranial and dental radiographic features useful for identification, whereas the availability of postcranial radiographs and especially plates that depict the vertebral column is less widespread among the forensic community. The authors here review the various vertebral features instrumental in positive identification that can be identified on radiographs of the spine.