Fatal case of Rapunzel syndrome in neglected child

Rapunzel syndrome is very extreme form of trichobezoar formation where the tail of the trichobezoar extends from the stomach into the small intestine. Death resulting from this condition is rare and is usually associated with gastric or intestinal perforation. We report a fatal case of Rapunzel syndrome in a 3 years and 10 months old girl. Review of the literature indicates that this case involves the youngest child to have died from this syndrome. Furthermore, this case is unique due to the clear association with the parent's neglect with failure to provide the child with adequate health care.     

Application of the Iscan method to two- and three-dimensional imaging of the sternal end of the right fourth rib

Age determination is a major field of interest in physical and forensic anthropology. Among the different methods based on macroscopic skeletal study, the Iscan method, which analyzes the sternal end of the right fourth rib, is one of the most reliable. We applied the Iscan method to two- and three-dimensional multislice computed tomography (MSCT) reconstructions of the sternal end of the right fourth rib on 39 ribs. The intra-observer variability on MSCT reconstructions was good (gamma coefficient equal to 0.86; value of the Krippendorff's alpha reliability equal to 0.79); inter-observer variability on MSCT reconstructions was also good (gamma coefficient ranging from 0.82 to 0.88; value of the Krippendorff's alpha reliability ranging from 0.78 to 0.86). We demonstrated excellent agreement between the results of analysis of bone samples and those of the two- and three-dimensional images, in particular regarding bone projections, morphology of the pit and of its rim. The accuracy of age estimation did not significantly differ between the Iscan method applied to dry bones and the same method applied to MSCT images. Determination of the Krippendorff's alpha reliability coefficient for the inter-error method confirmed the agreement between phase estimations obtained with the two methods (ranging from 0.55 to 0.71). The real civil age was comprised in 21 cases out of 36 for assessment performed on dry bones and in 23 cases out of 36 on MSCT reconstructions, which represented 58.3% and 63.9%, respectively. Use of MSCT reconstructions in forensic anthropology offers many advantages: no bone preparation, no damage to bone material, and the possibility of application to living individuals.     

Child abuse: practical application of autopsy, radiological, and microscopic studies

A 17-month-old male infant died at home. The infant's right arm was immobilized because of a humeral fracture 1 month earlier. The circumstances of death appeared unclear to the police investigators and a medicolegal autopsy was carried out. External examination revealed diffuse ecchymoses of varying color. Postmortem imaging was performed prior to autopsy (X-rays, multislice computed tomography [MSCT], and focused brain magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). These investigations revealed four rib fractures of varying ages, one of which was posterior. Cerebral and pericerebral traumatic lesions were also diagnosed: bilateral subdural hematomas, intraventricular, meningeal, and interpedoncular hemorrhages. In the abdomen, fresh blood was visible within the anterior abdominal wall and the mesenteric root. Autopsy and microscopic study confirmed these lesions. This case report illustrates the valuable assistance rendered by MSCT and MRI to diagnose abuse when a child has died in unclear circumstances.     

Homicide by unusual‐edged weapons: Forensic considerations of two cases

Homicide by stab wound is common worldwide. However, the use of unusual edged weapons is rarely reported in the forensic literature. Here, we report two cases of homicide involving a Japanese sword, or katana, and a sickle. Both of these weapons can create either stab or incised wounds with some particularities. In our cases, characteristics of the external wounds, internal injuries, and the depth of penetration raised the possibility of an unusual weapon. Meticulous forensic examination of these injuries (morphological characteristics, depth of penetration, trajectories, and cut marks in the bone) may allow the forensic expert to determine the type of weapon used.     

The Church Committee and a new era of intelligence oversight

Thirty years ago, the Church Committee completed what was and still is the most exhaustive look at any government's secret intelligence agencies. The Committee showed that in times of crisis, even constitutional democracies are likely to violate their laws and forget their values. In this reflection, the Committee's Chief Counsel states that by examining the full record over time, the Committee found that it was insufficient to blame abuses solely on intelligence agencies. Ultimate responsibility was properly fixed with the presidents, attorneys general, and other high executive branch officials. Seven general lessons, including the danger of excess secrecy, are drawn from his experience. These lessons are valuable for the present struggle with terrorism.     

Europäisierung — ein weites Feld. Literaturbericht und Forschungsfragen

Eusammenfassang Wenngleich sich Europ?isierung in der Politikwissenschaft noch zu keinem eigenst?ndigen Theoriestrang verdichtet hat, haben die Aktivit?ten in diesem Forschungsbereich in den vergangenen Jahren erheblich zugenommen. Nationalstaatliche Ver?nderungsprozesse fest im Blick, brachten diese Arbeiten einen lange vernachl?ssigten Bereich zurück auf die Forschungsagenda: die Rückwirkung der europ?ischen Integration auf den Nationalstaat. Dieser Bericht spiegelt den aktuellen Stand der Europ?isierungsdebatte wider und umfasst sowohl Prozesse der Europ?isierung von EU-Mitgliedsstaaten als auch von (potenziellen) Beitrittskandidaten. Darüber hinaus werden dringliche Forschungsfragen zukünftiger Europ?isierungsstudien aufgeworfen, um einen bescheidenen Beitrag zur wissenschaftlichen Debatte zu leisten.     

How Valid Is Negotiation Research Based on Student Sample Groups? New Insights into a Long‐Standing Controversy

Although a considerable amount of research has examined the impact of experience on negotiation behavior and performance, we still know very little about the usefulness of student samples in negotiation research because most studies have compared the performance of inexperienced students with those who had received some kind of extensive negotiation training or with experienced professional negotiators(s). Against this background, we investigate whether the results obtained from trained student samples are generally similar to those of professional negotiators. Generally, our data confirm our hypotheses that students with some negotiation training and experience perform better than untrained student negotiators and that they are not significantly outperformed by professional negotiators. From this, we conclude that many questions in the field of negotiation research can be effectively tested by using trained students as experimental subjects.     

Radiological, forensic, and anthropological studies of a concrete block containing bones

Multidisciplinary forensic, anthropological, and radiological studies of bone fragments encased in a concrete block were carried out to determine whether or not the bones were human. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) investigation was performed before the bones were removed from the concrete. MSCT study pinpointed the location of the bone fragments within the concrete block, which was helpful for their extraction and recovery, and identified most of their types and nature. Osteological study on dry bones provided more accurate identification of the bones and of their side. According to both methods, the human skeletal remains were compatible with those of a child, aged 8-13 years old, with a minimum height of 128 cm. Neither investigation identified sex or racial phenotype. Both studies identified the skeletal remains as consisting of two animal and five human bones. Furthermore, both methods revealed that the concrete completely encased bones, suggesting a secondary burial.     

Assessing measurement invariance of PCL-R assessments from file reviews of North American and German offenders

Cross-cultural research on psychopathy necessitates assessment methods that are generalizable across linguistic and cultural differences. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare the factorial structure of Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) assessments obtained from file reviews of North-American (N = 2622) and German (N = 443) male offenders. The analyses indicated that the 18 item, 4-factor model of the PCL-R obtained with the standard PCL-R protocol (interview and file review) also holds for file review data. On a factor-by-factor level, the data are commensurate with strong factorial invariance of factor loadings and item thresholds for the Interpersonal and Lifestyle factors, and with likely metric invariance for the Affective factor. The Antisocial factor showed structural differences between the two samples. The results imply that cultural or environmental factors more strongly influence the judgment and/or expression of antisociality. Based on the results, cross-cultural comparisons between North-American and German offenders in terms of PCL-R psychopathy should be limited to the Interpersonal and Lifestyle factors. Further research using data obtained through the standard protocol (i.e., interview plus file information) is encouraged.