死刑的司法与立法限制--量刑情节的制约

立足云南省死刑适用的司法实践,结合实务部门判处死刑考虑的量刑情节,对如何从实际数量上减少死刑适用并进而从立法上减少死刑罪名提出一些实用性思路.     

论联合国大陆架界限委员会在外大陆架划界中的作用——兼谈中国及周边国家的外大陆架申请

《海洋法公约》关于外大陆架申请期限的规定,导致大批国家近期向联合国大陆架界限委员会提出了申请。大陆架界限委员会的主要职能是在审议沿海国提交的划界案的基础上,就有关划定外大陆架外部界限的事项向沿海国提出建议。大陆架划界委员会所做出的建议既非一个司法式的判决,又非一个纯粹的参考意见。沿海国基于委员会的建议而划定的外大陆架外部界限具有"确定性和拘束力"。在当前的情势下,中国在掌握充分的科学技术数据编写好我们自己的外大陆架划界申请案的同时,还应注意妥善处理与日本、菲律宾、越南等周边一些国家之间的相关争端,以更好地维护我国的主权和国家利益。     

俄国近代自由主义的历史变迁与影响探析

俄国自由主义是俄国对西方的感应和国内的变迁共同作用的混合产物,它是以欧洲自由主义的变异形态即＂不充分的自由主义＂存在并发挥作用的。从短时段看,俄国近代自由主义随着1918年立宪会议被解散而走向终结;但从长时段看,自由主义作为俄国近代化的产物,它随着俄国近代化的向前发展而逐渐融入俄国社会,成为俄国近代以来政治文化传统的重要组成部分。     

"战略时间差"与中国的战略安全

国际关系中的时间包括时间点、时间段和时间过程。从国际博弈的时间长度来看,既有宏观时间的博弈,也有微观时间的博弈,二者都有可能产生战略性的影响。纵观古今中外历史,把握“战略时间差”虽然不一定能做到“不战而屈人之兵”,但能够做到以更小的代价获得博弈的优势地位。中国的战略安全是与战略机遇期联系在一起的,过去四十多年中国发展和大国成长战略机遇的获得主要由于技术革命、权力转移和西方的战略失误三个因素,但中国在新时代需要主动通过把握和运用“战略时间差”来塑造战略机遇。从总体战略来看,中国仍然需要争取和平的国际环境,以彰显中国在走向世界舞台中央时的世界担当;要尽力争取所有的国际博弈尤其中美博弈为正和博弈,以化解既有主导国对正在崛起的中国的担心和不信任;关键还要着力中国的内部发展,这是获得战略机遇期的实质性内容。把握所有“战略时间差”的最终目标是实现中华民族的伟大复兴,在世界舞台上和平崛起。     

Postmortem Analysis of Electrogram Records from an Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator (ICD) in the Reconstruction of a Road Traffic Accident

The case of a 69‐year‐old man, equipped with an ICD and suffering from several chronic cardiac diseases, who died in a car accident, was presented. We analyzed electrogram records from the ICD explanted from the body during the autopsy, which showed that the driver had suffered from malignant ventricular arrhythmia—ventricular fibrillation (VF). A thorough analysis of the details of the accident, as well as the timing of VF and the rhythm observed after the discharge of the ICD showed that the direct cause of the accident was the episode of arrhythmia resulting in a loss of consciousness. Therefore, the presented case illustrates the usefulness of postmortem analysis of electrogram records from ICDs in the reconstruction of road traffic accidents. In such cases, if the victims are implanted with ICDs, it should be a routine procedure performed by forensic pathologists.     

Reasons for South Korean attitudes towards the death penalty: exploring the nexus between strong public support and history of misapplication

As of this writing, South Korea (officially, the Republic of Korea) is an abolitionist-in-practice nation; capital punishment is legal, but no death sentences have been carried out since a moratorium was enacted in 1997. Public support for the death penalty has decreased over time; however, the factors that determine support for or opposition to the death penalty of the South Korean general public are largely unknown. Using survey data from a nationwide sample of 416 respondents, this study examined the potential predictors for public attitudes towards capital punishment support. A majority of survey respondents (83%) supported the death penalty, a higher percentage than recent surveys of the South Korean general public. The deterrence and retribution perspectives were positively related to death penalty support, while crime severity, neighbourhood safety, the brutalisation effect, and innocence were negatively related. This study provides the first multivariate analysis of factors associated with South Korean attitudes towards the death penalty.     

Bone Area Histomorphometry

Quantifying the amount of cortical bone loss is one variable used in histological methods of adult age estimation. Measurements of cortical area tend to be subjective and additional information regarding bone loss is not captured considering cancellous bone is disregarded. We describe whether measuring bone area (cancellous + cortical area) rather than cortical area may improve histological age estimation for the sixth rib. Mid‐shaft rib cross‐sections (n = 114) with a skewed sex distribution were analyzed. Ages range from 16 to 87 years. Variables included: total cross‐sectional area, cortical area, bone area, relative bone area, relative cortical area, and endosteal area. Males have larger mean total cross‐sectional area, bone area, and cortical area than females. Females display a larger mean endosteal area and greater mean relative measure values. Relative bone area significantly correlates with age. The relative bone area variable will provide researchers with a less subjective and more accurate measure than cortical area.     

Comparative and Correlation Studies of Biochemical Substances in Vitreous Humor and Synovial Fluid

Vitreous humor (VH) and synovial fluid (SF) become optional postmortem samples for biochemistry investigation. However, few studies have explored SF as a potential source, and there is still controversy whether the biochemical concentrations in bilateral VH are the same. We explored the concentrations of biochemical substances in both VH and SF, and compared between both sides and between the fluids. We also correlated the biochemical concentrations in both fluids. All samples were centrifuged after collection and the supernatant fluids were used for the analysis. The results indicated no significant difference in the constituent concentrations between the fluids from both sides (p > 0.05). Sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium concentrations were significantly higher in the VH, but in vice versa for glucose, uric acid, and creatinine concentrations (p < 0.001). Sodium, potassium, glucose, lactate, urea, uric acid, and creatinine concentrations between both fluids showed significant correlation (p < 0.05), but not chloride and magnesium concentrations.     

Multiple Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysms: A Rare Cause of Sudden Cardiac Death

Multiple giant aneurysms involving the coronary arteries are uncommon and rarely reported. In the presented case, a 63‐year‐old man with poorly controlled hypertension died suddenly. Gross autopsy examination showed multiple giant thrombus‐filled coronary artery aneurysms, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, and cardiomegaly. Histological sections of the coronary aneurysms showed atherosclerotic changes with both organized and fresh thrombus. Giant coronary aneurysm is defined as a segmental enlargement of a coronary artery with a diameter exceeding 20 mm or more. The main etiology of this nebulous entity is attributed to atherosclerosis and inflammatory or inherited connective tissue disorders with the remainder being congenital, infectious, or idiopathic. Before its cataclysmic presentation, when ruptured or thrombosed, giant coronary aneurysm usually has a silent clinical course. Sudden death owing to giant multiple coronary aneurysms is rare and mandates careful classification of the aneurysms and prudent search for autoimmune‐mediated or genetically based factors for subsequent ancillary autopsy studies.