Segmental determination of ethyl glucuronide in hair: a pilot study

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a minor metabolite of ethanol. Its detection in hair is more and more studied in both clinical and forensic context for the purpose of alcohol abuse monitoring. In this pilot study, hair specimens from 15 patients included in a treatment program after alcohol abuse cessation, were segmented and analyzed for EtG. The results were then compared to their self-reported past alcohol consumption and to their blood biomarkers values (GGT, MCV, ASAT, ALAT). EtG concentrations measured in hair varied from 8 to 261 pg/mg. The pattern of EtG concentration detected in the different hair segments matched with the drinking history of patients, displaying variations (increase and decrease) in alcohol consumption and also time of cessation. Results also demonstrated the existence of a significant correlation (r(p)=0.5357; p=0.0390) between EtG concentration in hair and the amount of alcohol intake. Variations in the EtG concentrations with respect to hair segments may provide an overview of the drinking history of patients. Moreover, EtG concentration in hair may help to estimate the daily alcohol intake.     

Postmortem Measurement of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Vitreous Humor and Bile

Abstract: Postmortem human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) blood assay can confirm postmortem diagnosis of pregnancy or document situations in which HCG levels are elevated. In some cases, however, blood sampling is not possible at autopsy. In this study, HCG was quantified by enzyme‐linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) in the bile (n = 5), vitreous humor (n = 4), and postmortem blood (n = 4) of five pregnant women. There were no false negatives in the pregnant subjects (n = 5) or false positives in controls (n = 34), enabling this test to be recommended for routine use in forensic contexts in which the detection of elevated HCG levels could be of interest.     

Suicide by skull stab wounds: a case of drug-induced psychosis

Suicide by stabbing to the head and/or driving sharp objects into the skull is of extreme rarity. This article reports the case of a 27-year-old man, who committed suicide by multiple knife stabs and cuts to the head, the torso, one shoulder and the forearms. Autopsy showed a perforating wound of the skull and the 10-cm long broken blade of the knife being still embedded in the right temporal lobe of the brain. The deceased had no history of psychiatric illness but was currently treated by mefloquine, a quinine derivative associated with a high rate of psychiatric adverse effects. Toxicological examination confirmed a recent intake of mefloquine together with chloroquine, another antimalarial drug. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a completed suicide with very strong evidence of mefloquine implication. Discussion focuses upon mefloquine-induced psychiatric disorders and highlights the importance of performing toxicological investigations in cases of unusual suicides.     

Spanish legislation against trafficking in human beings: punitive excess and poor victims assistance

The article seeks to provide a perspective of human trafficking as one of the fastest growing criminal activities of the last few years in the area of organised crime and one that affects human beings’ most basic rights. In the main, the response to the problem has been its criminal prosecution, but without tackling the issues of need that underlie this conduct and which the traffickers take advantage of to abuse, assail and exploit the people they traffic. In this context, the evolution of Spanish legislation in terms of the criminalisation of this problem has made it one of the most repressive, although there is no clear evidence of its effectiveness. This punishment, which covers a wide range of criminal conducts, has not however been accompanied by any policies to support and integrate the victims of trafficking, which has led to a large number of victims being subjected to slavery who, in the majority of cases, fall under the control of the trafficking networks again.     

Who are Chinese Citizens? A Legislative Language Inquiry

By exploring the meaning construction of Chinese citizenship stipulated in Chinese legislation and its interaction with social identities and human nature in the Chinese society, the present study investigates the nature and evolution of the conception of Chinese citizens through three selected cases from Chinese legislations, which illuminate that Chinese citizens are essentially persons with independent personalities defined by the rights and obligations stipulated in legislation. This conception is further strengthened by the entitlement to private properties and equality before law. This conception of Chinese citizenship is concrete and meaningful in the sense that it is underpinned with reference to social identities as person, people and personality in Chinese legislations. The reference of the conception to human being constitutes the essence of Chinese legislation. The meaning construction of Chinese citizenship is indeed a dynamic process engineered in the social and cultural process. The findings on the evolution of the construction of Chinese citizenship in Chinese legislation suggest that the formation of legal identity through legislation varies greatly in different countries. Nevertheless, the realization of the conception of citizenship will necessarily be backed up by social identities as person, people and personality, which will be further strengthened and expanded by the legitimating of private properties and equality before law. Citizenship is achieved by social participants through mediation engineered within the social and cultural process.     

听力正常人颅顶慢反应阈值与行为听阈的比较

目的通过比较听力正常人的颅顶慢反应(slow vertex response,SVR)阈值与纯音测听(pure toneaudiometry,PTA)阈值的关系,探讨SVR检测技术在听觉功能障碍法医学鉴定中的应用价值。方法对听力正常的46名志愿者,分别对双耳进行0.125～8kHz频率范围内的PTA阈值及0.5～4kHz频率范围内的SVR反应阈测试,通过配对t检验比较0.5、1、2、4 kHz频率范围的SVR反应阈与PTA阈值的差异,并运用方差分析比较不同频率间的SVR反应阈与PTA阈值差值的差异。结果各频率的SVR反应阈与PTA阈值差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。SVR反应阈与PTA阈值的差值在1kHz频率时最小,为(3.86±6.12)dBHL,而在0.5、2、4kHz频率时的差值分别为(5.98±6.72)、(7.12±6.56)、(8.53±7.90)dBHL。不同频率之间的SVR反应阈与PTA阈值差值的差异有统计学意义。结论听力正常人的SVR反应阈在各频率均稍高于行为听阈,在运用SVR反应阈推断行为听阈时需进行校正。     

中国—东盟体育产业合作现状及策略研究

中国与东盟国家加强合作交流有利于地区的经济发展、社会进步,而体育交流是深化中国—东盟友好关系的有效方式,不仅有利于中国的体育发展、有利于提升东盟国家体育的国际竞争力,而且有利于促进国际体坛公平新秩序的建立.本文对中国和东盟体育产业发展问题进行研究,探讨如何实现中国—东盟体育产业携手并进,共同打造中国—东盟体育产业合作发展的空间和路径.     

Fatal Overdose of Gamma‐hydroxybutyrate Acid After Ingestion of 1,4‐Butanediol

We report a case of fatal intoxication from 1,4‐butanediol (1,4‐BD), which was ingested by a young and “naïve” gamma‐hydroxybutyrate (GHB) consumer during a party with the co‐ingestion of alcohol, cannabis, and methylene‐dioxy‐methamphetamine. The following drug concentrations were found using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry on autopsy samples and on a cup and a glass found at the scene: 20,350 mg/L (bottle) for 1,4‐BD; 1020 mg/L (femoral blood), 3380 mg/L (cardiac blood), 47,280 mg/L (gastric content), and 570 mg/L (vitreous humor) for GHB. The concentration of GHB is difficult to interpret in forensic cases due to the possibility of an endogenous production of GHB. The variable tolerance of the user may also modify the peri‐ and postmortem GHB concentrations. This case underscores the need to have many different sources of toxicology samples analyzed to avoid the hypothesis of endogenous production of GHB.     

当下中国能动司法的知识反思

当下中国的能动司法要充分发挥其积极作用并同时避免不利的实践与后果,就必须要恪守能动司法的限度;也即要处理好“能动”地司法与“依法”司法之间的关系,并在此基础之上型构起能动司法的边界。因而,这不仅意味着,当下中国司法场域里的能动司法,必须要认真对待法治的基本原则,甚至是“法条主义”;而且也意味着当下中国的司法改革,必须要摆脱长期以来西方二元对立的司法知识观对中国司法裁判与司法发展的宰制,以一种新的、当然也是适合于中国社会的司法知识观来引领中国的司法发展。