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This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 21.

Pulmonary embolisation of bone fragments from penetrating cranial gunshot wounds
We describe a case of pulmonary embolism associated with bone fragments after a gunshot to the head in which bone fragments surrounded by leukocytes, interstitial and intra-alveolar oedema and haemorrhage around the embolised vessels, leukostasis and fat and bone marrow embolism suggest that the survival time from the gunshot was sufficiently long to allow changes in lung microcirculation and lung tissue. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Case ReportPages 1-4DOI 10.1007/s00414-011-0643-9Authors R. Cecchi, Department of anatomical, histological, medico-legal and locomotor apparatus sciences, Forensic Medicine s...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - November 9, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Mutation rate estimates for 13 STR loci in a large population from Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil
Abstract Short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms have been extensively used in forensic genetics analysis. Knowledge about the locus-specific mutation rates of STRs improves forensic probability calculations and interpretations of diversity data. To incorporate single-locus diversity information into autosomal STR mutation rate estimations, 13 STR loci were studied during 2007–2009 in 10,959 paternity investigation cases from Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, covering an overall number of 284,934 allelic transfers. A total of 355 mutations were identified; 348 repeats were gains or losse...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - November 9, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Human age estimation combining third molar and skeletal development
Abstract The wide prediction intervals obtained with age estimation methods based on third molar development could be reduced by combining these dental observations with age-related skeletal information. Therefore, on cephalometric radiographs, the most accurate age-estimating skeletal variable and related registration method were searched and added to a regression model, with age as response and third molar stages as explanatory variable. In a pilot set up on a dataset of 496 (283 M; 213 F) cephalometric radiographs, the techniques of Baccetti et al. (2005) (BA), Seedat et al. (2005) (SE), Caldas ...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - November 9, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Hospital admissions for neurological and renal diseases among dentists and dental assistants occupationally exposed to mercury
Conclusions Our nationwide study does not indicate that occupational exposure to mercury increases the risk of hospital admissions for neurological, Parkinson's or renal diseases.
Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine - November 9, 2011 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Thygesen, L. C., Flachs, E. M., Hanehoj, K., Kjuus, H., Juel, K. Tags: Other exposures Workplace Source Type: research

Record keeping by Swiss physiotherapists - A national survey of knowledge regarding legal requirements.
CONCLUSION: The participants had an appreciation of the value of records, but they did not have the relevant knowledge regarding the legal requirements for keeping records. The participants blamed a lack of time and remuneration for their failure to keep records according to known requirements. RECOMMENDATION: All practising allied health professionals should keep up-to-date and accurate records that conform to active legal requirements and existing international guidelines. In addition to the existing legal requirements, the emergence of e-health and the electronic era will trigger major changes in patient record mana...
Source: Swiss Medical Weekly - November 8, 2011 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Richoz C, Ayer A, Berchtold A, Richoz S Tags: Swiss Med Wkly Source Type: research

Reclassification of SIDS cases—a need for adjustment of the San Diego classification?
Abstract A study was undertaken reclassifying cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) taken from two geographically separate locations utilizing the San Diego definition with subclassifications. One hundred twenty-eight infant cases were examined from files at Forensic Science South Australia in Adelaide, SA, Australia over a 7.5-year period from July 1999 to January 2007. Thirty-one cases (24%) had initially been diagnosed as SIDS and 30 (23%) as undetermined while 67 (52%) had an explainable cause of death. After reclassification, the number of SIDS cases had increased to 49 of the 128 cases, now repr...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - November 8, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Cytokines and sudden infant death
Conclusions In a small group of patients, very high cytokine concentrations are a possible explanation for the cause of death (“cytokine storm”). Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s00414-011-0638-6Authors Mechtild M. T. Vennemann, Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstr. 23, 48149 Münster, GermanyBrigitte Loddenkötter, Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstr. 23, 48149 Münster, GermanyTony Fracasso, University Center of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandEdwin A. Mi...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - November 8, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Voluntary, knowing, and intelligent pleas: Understanding the plea inquiry.
When defendants plead guilty, they are asked a series of questions (the plea inquiry) in open court to ascertain whether pleas are made knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily. There is a wealth of research on adjudicative competence, but little to none on the plea inquiry. Whereas competence is relevant to whether one has the ability to make knowing, intelligent, and voluntary decisions, the plea inquiry is relevant to whether one actually made such a decision. In the present study, 99 adult defendants who just pled guilty were interviewed and tested about aspects of the plea process. We found that whereas almost all ...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - November 7, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Redlich, Allison D.; Summers, Alicia Source Type: research

Punishment without reason: Isolating retribution in lay punishment of criminal offenders.
Research has suggested that criminal punishment decisions are driven primarily by retribution and that retributive judgments are achieved by a process of abstract moral reasoning. However, problems with construct validity limit confidence in these conclusions. Study 1 (N = 254) used experimentally manipulated vignettes to isolate retributive motives. Participants' sentencing recommendations were strongly provoked by indices of retribution (criminal intent) even when the most common consequentialist reasons for punishment (offender dangerousness and publicity of punishment) were minimized. In an exploratory fashion, Study 2...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - November 7, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Aharoni, Eyal; Fridlund, Alan J. Source Type: research

Behavior displayed by female victims during rapes committed by lone and multiple perpetrators.
This article reports two studies that examined qualitatively the behavior of female rape victims during sexual assaults. The first study is an analysis of 78 stranger sexual assaults, committed in the United Kingdom, by male offenders. The second study is an analysis of 89 allegations of stranger rape, again from the United Kingdom, perpetrated by multiple male suspects. Information about victim behavior was extracted from victims' accounts made to the police. More than 100 different victim behaviors were identified in each study, and more than 80 behaviors were common across studies. Myth-congruent behaviors were present ...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - November 7, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Woodhams, Jessica; Hollin, Clive R.; Bull, Ray; Cooke, Claire Source Type: research

Consequences of criminal court involvement for child victims.
Despite concerns being routinely raised about psychological consequences for child victims of participation in criminal proceedings, empirical research remains limited, and findings have not been integrated within a well-established set of theoretical principles. In the current review, we describe extant research concerning the links between child victims' involvement in criminal prosecutions and subsequent outcomes, particularly in the domains of mental health and legal attitudes. Findings reveal that, although some facets of children's legal experiences, such as testifying repeatedly, are associated with adverse outcomes...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - November 7, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Quas, Jodi A.; Goodman, Gail S. Source Type: research

Gender policing: Harassment judgments when men target other men.
We presented the fact pattern from a litigated case to 53 female and 53 male people working in a Midwest community and varied whether the workforce was male dominated (90% men) or nearly balanced (55% men). Results showed that men exposed to a male worker who complained about another man's behavior in a male-dominated workplace used themselves as reference points and found less evidence of harassment than did those exposed to the same conduct in a balanced workplace. While women workers also showed evidence of self-referencing, the gender balance in the workplace did not influence their judgments. The results of the study ...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - November 7, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Wiener, Richard L.; Bennett, Sidney; Cheloha, Carrie; Nicholson, Nolt Source Type: research

A practical model to explain results of comparative DNA testing in court
Abstract: With ongoing developments in DNA typing more information can be derived from minimal and degraded biological samples, but explaining this information to criminal justice professionals has become increasingly challenging. We use a practical model to help forensic scientists explain and lawyers understand the meaning of reported DNA-based evidence. Using this model, reporting officers classify results of comparative DNA testing in a uniform way. Application of this model to casework met with appreciation from legal professionals.
Source: Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series - November 7, 2011 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: A.J. Meulenbroek, T. Sijen, C.C.G. Benschop, A.D. Kloosterman Source Type: research

Recognition and understanding of goals and roles: The key internal features of mental health court teams.
Abstract The increasing involvement of people with mental illness in the criminal justice system has led to the formation of specialty programs such as mental health courts (hereafter MHCs). We discuss MHCs and the teams serving these courts. Specifically, we examine team members' perceptions of MHC goals and their own and others' roles on the MHC team. Using a semi-structured interview instrument, we conducted 59 face-to-face interviews with criminal justice and mental health treatment personnel representing 11 Ohio MHCs. Findings from our qualitative data analyses reveal that MHC personnel understand individuals'...
Source: International Journal of Law and Psychiatry - November 7, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Gallagher M, Skubby D, Bonfine N, Munetz MR, Teller JL Tags: Int J Law Psychiatry Source Type: research

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Biotechnology Law Report , Vol. 0, No. 0.
Source: Biotechnology Law Report - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: article Source Type: research

Department of Health and Human Services
Biotechnology Law Report , Vol. 0, No. 0.
Source: Biotechnology Law Report - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: article Source Type: research

Revision of the Materiality to Patentability Standard for the Duty to Disclose Information in Patent Applications [EXCERPTS]
Biotechnology Law Report , Vol. 0, No. 0.
Source: Biotechnology Law Report - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: article Source Type: research

Examining Attitudes about and Influences on Research Participation among Forensic Psychiatric Inpatients
Although a growing body of research has examined various types of coercive practices that may occur among psychiatric patients over the years, almost no attention has been given to coercive influences that may occur specifically in the context of recruitment into research projects. Particularly for those who are institutionalized (e.g., in‐patient insanity acquittees), there are significant concerns that their autonomous decision‐making to consent or not may be significantly impaired due to the highly restrictive and controlled environment in which they live. This exploratory study sought to examine patients’ percept...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Melissa S. MagyarJohn F. EdensMonica EpsteinPaul G. StilesNorman G. Poythress Tags: Special Issue Article Source Type: research

Intelligent Diagnosing of Intellectual Disabilities in Offenders: Food for Thought
Research on offenders with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in the criminal justice arena is on the rise, reflected by a growing number of relevant publications each year. However, there is a long recognized methodological problem that hampers the comparability of empirical studies and that raises doubts about the accuracy of prevalence rates, comorbidities, and various correlates and characteristics. In this paper we will argue that the crux of the problem can, on the one hand, be found in the plurality of assessment methods for intelligence and adaptive functioning, which are not all sufficiently reliable and valid. On th...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Katarzyna UziebloJan WinterJohan VanderfaillieGina RossiWalter Magez Tags: Special Issue Article Source Type: research

Obstacles to Research in Residential Juvenile Justice Facilities: Recommendations for Researchers
Federal, state, and local initiatives to improve the treatment and outcomes for young people in the juvenile justice system prompt the need for additional research. Despite the call for empirical data, researchers encounter numerous obstacles when initiating and conducting studies in detention and post‐adjudication facilities. These obstacles are often only briefly mentioned in publications, but they can interfere with researchers' desires and abilities to conduct studies in these settings. This paper reviews legal, ethical, and methodological challenges to successfully conducting research in detention and residential po...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Christy LaneNaomi E.S. GoldsteinKirk HeilbrunKeith R. CruiseDaniel Pennacchia Tags: Special Issue Article Source Type: research

Effects of Neuroimaging Evidence on Mock Juror Decision Making
We describe study limitations and pose questions for further research. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Edith GreeneBrian S. Cahill Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Detecting Children's Lies: Comparing True Accounts About Highly Stressful Injuries with Unprepared, Prepared, and Coached Lies
AbstractIn this investigation, 514 university students judged whether children were telling the truth about highly emotional events. Eight children (half female, half 8–9 and the remainder 12–14 years old) had been injured seriously enough to require emergency room treatment and were interviewed a few days later. Each was yoked to three other children matched in age and gender who fabricated accounts under one of three conditions: lies that were unprepared, prepared (24 hours to prepare), and coached by parents. Participants were at chance when judging true accounts as well as unprepared and prepared lies. However, 7...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Kelly L. WarrenElyse DoddGraham RaynorCarole Peterson Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Medication‐assisted Treatment Research with Criminal Justice Populations: Challenges of Implementation
Creating, implementing and evaluating substance abuse interventions, especially medication‐assisted treatments, for prisoners, parolees, and probationers with histories of heroin addiction is an especially challenging endeavor because of the difficulty in coordinating and achieving cooperation among diverse criminal justice, substance abuse treatment, research, and social service agencies, each with its own priorities and agenda. In addition, there are special rules that must be followed when conducting research with criminal justice‐involved populations, particularly prisoners. The following case studies will explore ...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Michael S. GordonTimothy W. KinlockPatrice M. Miller Tags: Special Issue Paper Source Type: research

Voluntary Consent in Correctional Settings: Do Offenders Feel Coerced to Participate in Research?
A major ethical concern in research with criminal offenders is the potential for abuse due to coercive influences that may adversely affect offenders' capacity to give voluntary consent to participate in research conducted in correctional settings. Despite this concern, to date there have been almost no systematic scientific investigations of the extent to which offenders themselves perceive that coercion occurs in these settings or that it is likely to influence their decisions about research participation. In a sample of over 600 ethnically diverse men and women recruited from various prisons and community corrections fa...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - November 1, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: John F. EdensMonica EpsteinPaul G. StilesNorman G. Poythress Tags: Special Issue Paper Source Type: research

Asking the important questions.
Abstract It is nearly a decade since the World Health Organization declared violence to be a major public health problem, yet for many of us violence remains someone else's territory - an issue for lawyers, police and government - not something for general practices or primary care providers to grapple with. Certainly violence is a concern for government and other agencies; in 2009 the Australian government launched the National Plan to Reduced Violence against Women and their Children and the Centers for Disease Control in the United States of America has an entire division devoted to violence prevention. PMID...
Source: Australian Family Physician - November 1, 2011 Category: Primary Care Authors: Lee R Tags: Aust Fam Physician Source Type: research

Foreword: Cardiovascular Emergencies
Ask any emergency physician to list the most common chief complaints among emergency department (ED) patients and chest pain is certain to show up as a top complaint. Ask those same emergency physicians to list the most deadly conditions in the ED and you’re likely to see acute myocardial infarction, dysrhythmias, and perhaps an assortment of other cardiac conditions. Next, ask risk managers and malpractice lawyers for their “top 5” list of causes of malpractice in emergency medicine and, once again, you’re certain to see cardiac conditions on that list. In short, cardiac conditions are common, deadly, and high ris...
Source: Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America - October 31, 2011 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Amal Mattu Source Type: research

Lines get blurry in health care 'partnerships'
Merger. Partnership. Collaboration. Affiliation. Acquired. Bought. Purchased. How many ways can a business arrangement between one or more separate entities be stated? Not having a formal business or finance degree I can’t say for certain. But having been a business writer or business editor for a combined 15 years, I can attest there’s a lot of them. And I can, without fear or hesitation, posit that when it comes to the new avalanche of health care combinations upon us, lawyers and executives are going to try every one of those terms...
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Physician Practices headlines - October 28, 2011 Category: American Health Authors: Christopher Sheffield Source Type: research

The survival of metallic residues from gunshot wounds in cremated bone: a radiological study
In this study, 31 adult bovine ribs underwent a shooting test. Every rib was shot with a single bullet, at a near-contact shooting distance, using two kinds of projectile: 17 samples were shot with a full metal-jacketed bullet and the remaining 14 with an unjacketed bullet. After the shooting test, every rib underwent a “charring cycle” in an electric oven up to 800°C. Every sample underwent radiological investigation with conventional radiography, before and after the burning process, to evaluate any changes in number and distribution of metallic residues. Radiographs showed survival of radiopaque residues in ev...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 28, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Beware the pitfalls of EHR licenses, donations
Adoption of electronic health records has yet to hit "critical mass" in the healthcare industry because of the perceived high cost. Before you look into cheap or free options, get to know the risks.
Source: Medical Economics - Malpractice - October 25, 2011 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Aggregation of powers: Stem cell research and the scope of presidential power examined through the lens of executive order jurisprudence.
The executive order has long been a favored tool of presidents for shaping policy. In reviewing challenges to orders over the years, the Supreme Court has adopted a broad conception of executive authority, thereby expanding the scope of presidential power. In light of this expansion, this comment examines whether President Obama acted within the permissible bounds of his constitutional authority in issuing Executive Order 13,505—in which he directed a subordinate executive agency to issue new rules allowing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. This comment begins its analysis by exploring the regulatory backg...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - October 24, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Bigloo, Kiyan Source Type: research

Transgender discrimination in the military: The new don't ask, don't tell.
With the recent repeal of the “Don't Ask Don't Tell” (DADT) policy, gay rights groups celebrated a new victory for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. However, most people do not realize that DADT did not apply to transgender persons. Transgender persons are banned from serving by various regulations within each division of the armed forces and a Department of Defense directive imposing certain psychological and medical restrictions. The restrictions are automatic and do not leave room for case-by-case evaluation of readiness to serve. This paper first examines a study conducted by the Palm Center of...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - October 24, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Kerrigan, Matthew F. Source Type: research

Understanding jurors' judgments in cases involving juvenile defendants: Effects of confession evidence and intellectual disability.
Juveniles are at heightened risk for falsely confessing to crimes, particularly if they are intellectually disabled. We conducted a mock trial experiment to investigate the effects of a juvenile defendant's confession and status as intellectually disabled on jurors' decision making. As expected, jurors discounted a juvenile's coerced confession: Jurors' judgments were similar for a juvenile who was perceived to have confessed under coercion and a juvenile who did not confess. In general, these effects were explained by the fact that, compared to a juvenile who was perceived as having confessed voluntarily, a juvenile who w...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - October 24, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Najdowski, Cynthia J.; Bottoms, Bette L. Source Type: research

The increasingly blurred line between "mad" and "bad": treating personality disorders in the prison setting.
The increasingly blurred line between "mad" and "bad": treating personality disorders in the prison setting. Albany Law Rev. 2011;74(3):1277-300 Authors: Hall DL, Miraglia RP, Lee LW PMID: 22003592 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Albany Law Review - October 21, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Hall DL, Miraglia RP, Lee LW Tags: Albany Law Rev Source Type: research

Estimation of the time since death—reconsidering the re-establishment of rigor mortis
We examined 314 joints (elbow and knee) of 79 deceased at defined time points up to 21 h post-mortem (hpm). Data were analysed using a random intercept model. Here, we show that re-establishment occurred in 38.5% of joints at 7.5 to 19 hpm. Therefore, the maximum time span for the re-establishment of rigor mortis appears to be 2.5-fold longer than thought so far. These findings have major impact on the estimation of time since death in forensic casework. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-4DOI 10.1007/s00414-011-0632-zAuthors Sven Anders, Department of Legal Medicine, Universi...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 20, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Physicians’ knowledge and continuing medical education regarding fitness to drive: a questionnaire-based survey in Southeast Switzerland
Abstract Valid information for physicians in Switzerland concerning knowledge and continuing education in traffic medicine is not available. Also, their attitude to the legally prescribed periodic driving fitness examinations is unclear. In order to gain more information about these topics, 635 resident physicians in Southeast Switzerland were sent a questionnaire (response rate 52%). In a self-estimation, 79% of the queried physicians claimed to know the minimal medical requirements for drivers which are important in their specialty. Statistically significant differences existed between the specialties, whe...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 19, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Injuries sustained by children inside clothes dryers: a report of a fatality and review of the literature
We report a case of a 4-year-old child found dead at his home inside a domestic clothes (tumble) dryer. The child had been reported missing in the morning by his mother and found a short time later inside the dryer with the door shut. The child was pronounced dead at the scene. A pre-autopsy computed tomography scan identified findings associated with aggressive resuscitation attempts. Post-mortem examination showed generalised blunt trauma to his head and limbs, a thin film subdural haemorrhage and burns from contact with hot components and hot air whilst being trapped alive inside the active dryer. A forensic examina...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 18, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

A subacute epidural haematoma extending over the occipital region and posterior cranial fossa due to a laceration in the transverse sinus
Abstract A 6-year-old male was found dead on his stomach with massive reddish vomiting from his mouth and nose. Postmortem cranial CT revealed an epidural haematoma in the left occipital region, but the cause and origin of the haematoma were unclear. An autopsy revealed that the epidural haematoma expanded over the left temporal region and the left side of the occipital region and posterior cranial fossa, and its origin was a laceration in the left transverse sinus induced by diastases in the left lambdoidal and occipitomastoid sutures. A pathohistological examination revealed that one portion of the haemato...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 18, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Written vs. Spoken Eyewitness Accounts: Does Modality of Testing Matter?
AbstractThe aim of the current study was to test whether the modality of testing (written vs. spoken) matters when obtaining eyewitness statements. Writing puts higher demands on working memory than speaking because writing is slower, less practiced, and associated with the activation of graphemic representations for spelling words (Kellogg, 2007). Therefore, we hypothesized that witnesses' spoken reports should elicit more details than written ones. Participants (N = 192) watched a staged crime video and then gave a spoken or written description of the course of action and the perpetrator. As expected, spoken crime an...
Source: Behavioral Sciences and the Law - October 18, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Melanie SauerlandSiegfried L. Sporer Tags: Research Report Source Type: research

D.C., Specialty Hospitals of America in settlement talks over foreclosure
Specialty Hospitals of America LLC and D.C. government are in settlement talks to resolve a complex legal dispute stemming from the 2010 takeover of United Medical Center, sources with knowledge of the talks said. Lawyers in Attorney General Irvin Nathan’s office have been gathering information from contractors and the hospital itself to prepare an offer as both sides exchange settlement proposals, two sources said. It is not yet clear whether the two sides are close to a deal. Ted Gest, spokesman for the Attorney General’s office, declined to comment...
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Physician Practices headlines - October 17, 2011 Category: American Health Authors: Ben Fischer Source Type: research

Forensic DNA research: keeping it real
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to the EditorPages 1-2DOI 10.1007/s00414-011-0636-8Authors Andrew John Hopwood, Forensic Science Service, Birmingham, UKKeith Elliott, Forensic Science Service, Birmingham, UK Journal International Journal of Legal MedicineOnline ISSN 1437-1596Print ISSN 0937-9827
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 17, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Mutation analysis of 24 short tandem repeats in Chinese Han population
Abstract Germline mutations of 24 short tandem repeat (STR) loci (TPOX, D3S1358, FGA, D5S818, CSF1PO, D7S820, D8S1179, TH01, vWA, D13S317, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, Penta D, D21S11, D2S1772, D6S1043, D7S3048, D8S1132, D11S2368, D12S391, D13S325, D18S1364, and GATA198B05) were studied for 6,441 parent–child meioses taken from the paternity testing cases in Chinese Han population. In total, 195 mutations were identified at 22 of the 24 loci. Among them, 189 (96.92%) mutations were one step, five mutations (2.56%) were two step, and one mutation (0.51%) was three step. No mutation was found at the TH01 and TP...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 17, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Development of two multiplex PCR systems for the analysis of 14 X-chromosomal STR loci in a southern Brazilian population sample
Abstract We developed two multiplex systems for the coamplification of X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs). X-Multiplex 1 consisted of DXS6807, DXS6800, DXS7424, DXS101, GATA172D05 and HPRTB and X-Multiplex 2 consisted of DXS8378, DXS9898, DXS6801, DXS6809, DXS6789, DXS7133, DXS8377 and DXS7423. In addition, we present allele frequencies for these loci in a south Brazilian population comprising 124 females and 141 males and haplotype frequencies of linked markers for males. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was tested in the female sample and no significant deviations were found after applying Bonferr...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 14, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

A loophole in Spanish law and unsolved ethical issues in paternity testing
Abstract: Article 18 of the current Spanish Constitution (which came into force in 1978) defends all citizens’ right to privacy. Accordingly, the new Code of Ethics of the Spanish Medical Association includes several articles concerning studies conducted on genetic information and the acceptance of such studies by all individuals involved. As a result, a serious problem arises in paternity testing cases when investigating an alleged father–child relationship when the biological mother has not given consent for access to be gained to her genetic information.When it comes to the laboratory investigating these cases, the ...
Source: Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series - October 13, 2011 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: C. Barrot, C. Sánchez, S. Jiménez, M. Ortega, M. Gené Source Type: research

Can I take your picture? Undercover interviewing to detect deception.
There are many contexts in which investigators want to interview suspects about their intentions without alerting the suspects that they are actually being interviewed. In the present experiment, we developed and tested an “undercover interviewing” technique. Liars were instructed to run a crime-related reconnaissance mission to a nearby island and were further instructed to generate an innocent cover-up story to hide their criminal intentions. On arrival at the hovercraft terminal, an undercover agent, acting in the role of either a doctoral student or an amateur photographer, approached the liars and asked apparently...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - October 10, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Vrij, Aldert; Mann, Samantha; Jundi, Shyma; Hope, Lorraine; Leal, Sharon Source Type: research

The individual risk assessment of terrorism.
I attempt to identify the central conceptual and methodological challenges that must be overcome if the risk assessment of terrorism is to make the same progress that in recent years has distinguished the risk assessment of other forms of violence. Four principal conclusions are offered. First, clarity from the outset on what is being assessed—the risk of terrorism in the aggregate, or of specific types of terrorism, or of specific phases in the process of becoming a terrorist, or of specific roles in terrorist activity—is a prerequisite to progress in research. Second, one current approach to the risk assessment of mo...
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - October 10, 2011 Category: Medical Law Authors: Monahan, John Source Type: research

EHR security: Confluence of law, patient protection, benefit to physicians
Electronic health records are changing the paradigm of medical practice by making increasing volumes of information more central to patient care.
Source: Medical Economics - Malpractice - October 10, 2011 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Mid Staffordshire lawyers say they withheld report from coroner to protect trust
Two former senior members of the legal team at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust have defended their failure to disclose to the local coroner a damning consultant’s report on the death of a...
Source: BMJ Online First - October 10, 2011 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Dyer, C. Tags: Immunology (including allergy), Trauma, Injury News Source Type: research

Postmortem chemistry update part II
Abstract As a continuation of “Postmortem Chemistry Update Part I,” Part II deals with molecules linked to liver and cardiac functions, alcohol intake and alcohol misuse, myocardial ischemia, inflammation, sepsis, anaphylaxis, and hormonal disturbances. A very important array of new material concerning these situations had appeared in the forensic literature over the last two decades. Some molecules, such as procalcitonin and C-reactive protein, are currently researched in cases of suspected sepsis and inflammation, whereas many other analytes are not integrated into routine casework. As in part I, a lit...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 8, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research

Effects of fall conditions and biological variability on the mechanism of skull fractures caused by falls
Abstract In a forensic investigation, there is considerable difficulty in distinguishing between different mechanisms that could explain the head injury sustained. The key question is often whether the injury was the consequence of a fall, a blow, or a fall caused by a blow. Better understanding of the parameters influencing the mechanism of skull fracture could be of use when attempting to distinguish between different causes of injury. Numerous parameters concerning fall conditions and biological variability are reported in the literature to influence the mechanism of skull fracture. At the current time, t...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - October 8, 2011 Category: Medical Law Tags: International Journal of Legal Medicine Source Type: research