The Language of Practical Philosophy

Kant's criticism is based on the idea that all possible knowledge of facts is determined by the immanent structure of our apparatus of cognition, and that therefore we have no access to reality as it is per se (" Ding an sich "). In modern analytical philosophy some elements of this view survived, namely, the distinction between framework construction and actual data of experience, supposition or voluntary setting. The conditio humana is characterised by our capacity of acting. Acting is defined as behaviour determined and controlled by information processes. The structure of these processes defines the semantics and logical principles of practical philosophy. From this view follows the conception of value judgments, the logic of preferences, formal teleology, the analysis of utility and norm logic. The framework theories should be open in order to be able to express all possible theoretical views, namely, subjectivism as well as objectivism. The paper gives a concise account of the systems of practical thought (formal axiology, formal teleology, preference logic and norm logic) and their gnoseological problems.     

Highly sensitive HLA-DNA typing from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue samples

Nucleotide sequences have been determined for more than 1700 different alleles at the core of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. The highly polymorphic character of these genes affects adaptive immune response and is also useful for forensic applications. HLA typing from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue provides abundant useful information for both clinical settings and forensic investigations. This study, which investigated the potential use of DNA from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue samples in an HLA PCR sequence-specific primer and probe (SPP) system, showed that tissue fixed in formalin for less than 3 days and embedded in paraffin can serve as a useful source of DNA for PCR-SPP typing kits.     

MiniSTR multiplex systems based on non-CODIS loci for analysis of degraded DNA samples

We describe two short amplicon autosomal short tandem repeat (miniSTR) quadruplex systems for eight loci D1S1171, D2S1242, D3S1545, D4S2366, D12S391, D16S3253, D20S161, and D21S1437, unlinked from the combined DNA index system (non-CODIS) loci, using newly designed primer sets. The results of an assay of 411 Japanese individuals showed that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products within the eight loci were less than 150bp in size, without the seven additional bases for adenylation. The frequency distributions in the loci showed no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations. The accumulated power of discrimination and power of exclusion for the eight loci were 0.9999999991 and 0.998, respectively. For assay of highly degraded DNA, including artificially degraded samples and the degraded forensic casework samples assessed with the present miniSTR quadruplex systems, the systems proved quite effective in analyzing degraded DNA.     

A proposed exception to the AIDS confidentiality laws for psychiatric patients

The authors offer psychotherapists a proposed exception to strict acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related confidentiality laws. The proposal is based on previously established exceptions to the psychotherapist-patient privilege. The recommended breach of confidentiality applies only to cases that meet all of the following criteria: (1) A patient knows that he or she has a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive blood test and has been informed of AIDS-related safety precautions, (2) the HIV-positive patient has a mental disorder, and (3) it is reasonable to believe that the mental disorder has significantly impaired or may significantly impair the patient's ability and behavior to follow AIDS-related safety precautions.     

Evolution of the Psychological Autopsy: Fifty Years of Experience at the Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner‐Coroner's Office

The origin of the psychological autopsy was in the late 1950s and the result of a collaboration between the Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner‐Coroner's Office and the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center. It was conceptualized as a thorough retrospective analysis of the decedent's state of mind and intention at the time of death. It was used initially in “equivocal” deaths where the manner of death was possibly either suicide or accident. Later, it was used in cases where a party (primarily family members) protested the Medical Examiner‐Coroner's suicide determination. Over the past 25 years, the University of Southern California Institute of Psychiatry, Law, and Behavioral Science has served as the psychiatric/psychological consultants to the Coroner's Department. Research findings, the use of this approach in high‐profile cases, and the most recent manner in which the psychological autopsy is conducted are discussed.     

A case of paternity testing influenced by the silent allele of Rh erythrocyte groups

A paternity test is presented in which a father and his two children possessed an extremely rare amorphic gene R-29 (r,---). One of the children was determined to be illegitimate at the first trial as her Rh phenotype was R2R2(ccDEE) and the father's phenotype was R1R1(CCDee). At the Court of Appeal, however, the rare Rh gene r(---) was shown to be inherited from the father to the appellant child through extended tests including her brother whose phenotype was also R2R2(ccDEE). She was acknowledged to be legitimate.