An Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains with Cerebral Palsy: Associated Skeletal Age Delay and Dental Pathologies*

Abstract: In 2002 the authors were asked to examine the skeletal remains of an individual with a known history of severe cerebral palsy (CP) who was 21–23 years old at death. Skeletal age estimates of 11–15 years and dental age estimates of c. 16 years are younger than the known age of the decedent. Skeletal analysis also identified dental pathologies such as chronic tooth grinding and substantial calculus deposits. Scarce literature exists on forensic human remains cases with CP, and this study contrasts the age discrepancy and other features of this case with typical clinical characteristics of CP. A review of the CP literature suggests that delayed skeletal maturation and dental pathologies such as those observed in this case are indicative of complications related to CP. This article may alert future investigators to some of the osteological signs of CP and the probability that age indicators may be misleading.     

浅议刑事责任年龄

随着社会的发展，虽然未成年人无论在体格上还是在智力上以及对问题的分析，对是非的判断都似乎达到“成人水平”，但受刑事责任年龄的限制，未成年人所受刑罚与其所实施的危害社会的行为不符，削弱了法律的合理性和法律的正义性。但是受世界刑法的发展趋势的影响：一个文明的国度不应丧失对未成年人犯罪教育抢救的信心，不应扩大对未成年人危害社会行为的刑事惩罚。主张降低刑事责任年龄者实质上是迷信刑罚万能，与刑罚目的相悖，是在推卸国家、社会、家庭所应承担的对未成年人教育的责任。     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中纤维细胞募集和分化的时间依赖性

目的 观察小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中,纤维细胞募集和分化随时间变化的规律性.方法 应用免疫荧光技术共定位纤维细胞[共表达CD45、Ⅰ型前胶原(procollagen Ⅰ)]和肌成纤维细胞[共表达CD45、平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)],计数纤维细胞及其分化成的肌成纤维细胞.结果 ...     

法治信念的危机与法治论者的姿态——法治进入方法论时代的背景考察

中国的法治建设,在起步阶段就遇到一系列理论冲突与现实矛盾,这属于法治进程中正常现象。面对冲突的理论和复杂的社会现实,法律人对法治的信念不能丢失。信念的丢失而引发法治的危机说法多少有点危言耸听,但是,从面死而生的角度看,这会使人们更加理性和正确地看待法治的进程。也许只有在法治论者的苦苦挣扎中,我们才能够深入理解法治的真谛。坚守法治信念是法律人的基本意识形态,是法治理论和法治建设中不可缺少的精神支柱。     

Marriage and power: Age at first marriage and spousal age gap in lesser developed countries

This paper examines age at first marriage for women and spousal age gap as an indicator for female agency from 1950 to 2005. Using a dataset of 77 LDCs this paper seeks to explore which variables determine differences at a country level in marriage patterns. We look at the influence of urbanisation, education, percentage population of Muslim faith, and family type. We find that education is a key in determining at what age women marry, having as would be expected a positive effect on age at first marriage and depressing spousal age gap. Urbanisation is significant, with a positive effect on age and negative on spousal age gap, although the effect is not very large. The percentage Muslim variable depresses female age at first marriage and increases spousal age gap but only when family type is not controlled for. The initially strong negative effect of percentage population Muslim over the period under consideration on age of first marriage has decreased, which raises some interesting questions about the role of Islam in female empowerment.     

Estimation of Gestational Age from Tooth Germs: Biometric Study of DentaScan Images

Abstract: The few available studies on fetal age estimation concern very small samples, and statistical analysis is sometimes inadequate. In this survey, we used germs of deciduous teeth to estimate fetal age. Forty‐nine fetuses and 40 mandibles were scanned, and observations and measurements were made on DentaScan images. After checking their repeatability and reproducibility (analysis of variance), we defined thresholds using Fisher’s linear discriminant analysis to calculate the probability that a fetus was over or below a predefined age threshold. The forensic threshold which is of particular interest in France is 22 weeks amenorrhea. Relationships between fetal age and deciduous germ measurements were then sought by multiple linear regression. The thresholds gave very good results: 91.84% of good probability for the threshold of 22 weeks amenorrhea with no chance of error. The most precise age evaluation obtained nevertheless gave a range of ±4.6 weeks amenorrhea, so greater accuracy is still needed.     

Comparison of Age Estimation in Japanese and Scandinavian Teeth Using Amino Acid Racemization*

Abstract: Racemization method is currently considered to be one of the most accurate methods for age estimation. There are many factors that affect racemization reaction velocities. We investigated ethnic differences in the racemization reaction velocities between Japanese and Scandinavian teeth. After a heating experiment, the Arrhenius equation was used to obtain a rate constant (k). Both groups presented almost identical velocities, indicating that there was no difference in the tooth racemization reaction between the two groups. However, because 14 of the 18 Scandinavian teeth had multiple roots, it is possible that accurate racemization rates of the teeth themselves were not reflected in the results. These findings reconfirm that the type of tooth selected is extremely important when evaluating age by racemization.     

Age Estimation in Indians Using Demirjian’s 8‐teeth Method

Abstract: Demirjian’s grading of tooth calcification is widely used to assess age of individuals with developing dentitions. However, its application on numerous populations has resulted in wide variations in age estimates and consequent suggestions for the method’s adaptation to the local sample. Conventionally, Demirjian’s method utilized seven mandibular teeth on the left side. A recent modification incorporated the third molar with a view to apply the method on a wider age‐group. Moreover, the revised method developed regression formulas for assessing age. This paper tested the 8‐teeth method using 547 Indians (348 females, 199 males) aged 7–25 years. Demirjian’s formulas resulted in inferior age prediction in Indians (9.2% misclassification at 99% confidence interval vs. 0% misclassification in the original study); therefore, India‐specific regression formulas were developed, which gave better age estimates (mean absolute error, MAE = 0.87 years) than the original formulas (MAE = 1.29 years). This suggests that Demirjian’s 8‐teeth method also needs adaptation prior to use in diverse populations.     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中Ⅱ型大麻素受体的表达

目的观察皮肤切创愈合过程中CB2R表达变化的时问规律性。方法 健康小鼠50只,随机分为10组,建立皮肤切创模型,应用免疫组织化学技术及Westernbloting方法检测切创后不同时间段小鼠背部正中皮肤CB2R的表达。结果免疫组织化学结果显示,对照组CB2R表达于表皮、毛囊、皮脂腺、皮肌层、血管平滑肌、神经纤维外膜及神经纤维束束膜;伤后6h损伤区及周边区多核粒细胞少量表达CB2R,12～24h以单个核细胞阳性表达为主,3d以单个核细胞和梭形成纤维细胞表达为主,5～14d以梭形成纤维细胞为主。CB2R阳性细胞率于0h～3d逐渐升高,5d达最高峰,随后逐渐下降。经Westernblotting检测显示,对照及各个损伤时间段都有CB2R阳性条带,其中5d为CB2R表达高峰。结论小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中,CB2R于损伤区及周边区多核粒细胞、单个核细胞、梭形成纤维细胞中表达,并具有规律性,提示CB2R可能参与皮肤损伤愈合,并可用于皮肤损伤时间的推断。