Immunohistochemical distribution of C-reactive protein in the hepatic tissue in forensic autopsy

Previously, we examined the expression of C-reactive protein (CRP) in hepatic tissues in fatal injuries (injury deaths) immunohistochemically, and classified the CRP distribution into three patterns: diffuse (D-) pattern, diffuse with strong positivity in the hepatic lobules; periportal (PP-) pattern, characterized by positive cells in the periportal region of some lobules; focal (F-) pattern, showing small islands of positive cells in some lobules. There was a relationship between the CRP distribution and the survival time. In this study, we further analyzed the deaths including those due to other than fatal injuries (non-injury deaths), and a study of a total of 314 deaths from various causes was performed. Generally, non-injury deaths showed findings similar to those in injury deaths. PP- and/or F-patterns were observed in 43.7% of cases having a short survival time (<6 h), but found in only 3% of those surviving longer (>6 h), showing that such findings are suggestive of a short survival time. D-pattern was found more frequently in non-acute deaths (60.4%), than in acute deaths (10.9%). In acute deaths, D-pattern was found in some cases showing extensive tissue injuries, such as burns and polytrauma, and inflammative predisposition. Immunohistochemical findings also showed some correlation with the serum CRP level. Our data suggest that hepatic CRP immunohistochemistry may be a useful tool for elucidating the dying process.     

Immunohistochemistry of pulmonary surfactant apoprotein A in forensic autopsy: reassessment in relation to the causes of death

To reassess the immunohistochemical distribution of pulmonary surfactant apoprotein A (SP-A) in relation to the causes of death, 282 forensic autopsy cases were reviewed. The most intense and dense granular immunostaining of intra-alveolar SP-A was observed in the hyaline membrane syndrome from various traumas, protracted death from drowning, and perinatal aspiration of amniotic fluid. Similar granular staining pattern was found in fatal poisoning by a muscle relaxant and organophosphate pesticides. An evident increase of intra-alveolar granular staining was noted in most fatalities from mechanical asphyxia and drowning, and some cases of fire death. SP-A staining was usually very weak or sparse in alcohol intoxication, poisoning by hypnotics and also carbon monoxide poisoning. These findings suggest that the amount of intra-alveolar granular SP-A staining may be a possible indicator of severity and duration of respiratory distress (agony) from peripheral (non-central nervous system) origin and alveolar damage.     

Pulmonary surfactant-associated protein A levels in cadaveric sera with reference to the cause of death

Pulmonary surfactant-associated protein A (SP-A) is an exclusively lung specific protein, and is considered to leak into the blood stream in alveolar septal damage. In this study we examined the serum SP-A level in forensic autopsy materials using an enzyme immunoassay with monoclonal antibodies to assess the postmortem level in relation to the cause and mode of death. Although a gradual postmortem degradation should be taken into consideration, topological relationship of serum level seemed to be fairly stable (arterial> or =venous blood in most cases), indicating no evident influence of postmortem diffusion. Significant elevation of serum SP-A (76.7-250 ng/ml in left heart blood) was observed in hyaline membrane diseases from various causes independent of the postmortem intervals (<30 h). However, mean SP-A levels in postmortem heart blood were usually low in asphyxia including hanging, strangulation and choking (left, 25.5 ng/ml; right, 22.3 ng/ml), polytrauma (left, 13.1 ng/ml; right, 9.0 ng/ml) and stab wound to the neck (left, 34.1 ng/ml; right, 29.4 ng/ml). Prominent elevation was noted in a case of fatal strangulation with complication of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, and also in some deaths due to drowning, burns in fires, blunt and gunshot chest injuries. These findings indicated that postmortem elevation of serum SP-A levels was associated with alveolar septal damage due to inflammation, mechanical and physical stresses, which caused leakage of SP-A into the bloodstream.     

Precarity and Vulnerability: Rubber Plantations in Northern Laos and Northern Shan State,Myanmar

ABSTRACT

In northern Laos and Northern Shan State in Myanmar, there has occurred a rapid expansion of rubber plantations, both by large economic concessions and by smallholder farmers. The impact of the introduction of rubber differs by place. This article analyses the impact of the introduction of rubber in two villages in Northern Shan State and two in Luang Namtha Province, Lao PDR. We differentiate vulnerability and precarity while assessing the changes that women and men have experienced, which allows us to problematise the long-term vulnerability of seemingly well-adapted farming households. We argue that the strategies that farmers have chosen to improve their situation today will lead to unsustainable livelihoods in the long term. We also link the analysis of vulnerability and precarity to changes in household gender relations. Notwithstanding increased precarity, rising household cash incomes and external support have improved women’s position in some places while hardly affecting gender relations in others.     

Detection of pretreated fingerprint fluorescence using an LED-based excitation system

Abstract:  Optimization of a light emitting diode (LED)-based excitation system for the detection of pretreated fingerprint fluorescence is described. Fluorescent ridges can usually be excited by irradiation with forensic light sources such as xenon arc lamps or quartz-halogen lamps with high-power output and suitable filters. However, they are too expensive for many crime laboratories in smaller organizations. We concentrated on LEDs which have advantages over conventional light sources in that they are simpler and of lower cost, but the power output and quality of each individual LED unit is not sufficient for the detection of weak fluorescent ridges. To resolve this subject, blue and green LED arrays composed of ninety LED units were adopted and suitable low pass filters for them were designed. An experimental system, consisting of blue and green LED arrays with the suitable low pass filters for illumination, high pass filters for viewing, a digital camera and a computer, was tested. The fluorescent images of cyanoacrylate ester fumed/rhodamine 6G stained fingerprint on white polyethylene sheet and weak fluorescent ridges of ninhydrin/indium chloride treated fingerprint on white paper were successfully detected and photographed. It was shown that the improvement of LED beam in intensity and quality can compensate the disadvantages, resulting in well-contrasted images.     

Women's involvement in small-scale aquaculture in Northeast Thailand

In Northeast Thailand, women are heavily involved in small-scale aquaculture. However, as aquaculture becomes more intensive, women are in charge of less. Women's decision-making power in aquaculture and in the household is stronger when women have greater material resources and knowledge than their husbands; and the case studies on which the article draws show that what is important is not how much women have, but how much they have in relation to their husbands. The case studies also illustrate that women's gender roles and responsibilities, as well as the social expectations placed upon them, limit what they will gain through aquaculture. In intensive aquaculture in particular, women are expected to invest all their resources in this activity in order to sustain the family enterprise.     

Postmortem serum uric acid and creatinine levels in relation to the causes of death

Serum uric acid (UA) and creatinine (Cr) mainly derive from skeletal muscle tissues. Although, remarkable postmortem stability of the serum levels has been reported, there appears to be very poor knowledge of the diagnostic value in investigation of death, except for uremia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate postmortem serum UA and Cr levels using 395 forensic autopsy cases, in comparison with blood urea nitrogen (BUN), for investigation of the pathophysiology of death with special regard to the causes of death involving possible skeletal muscle damage, e.g. due to hypoxia, heat or agonal convulsions. Cr and BUN showed relatively good topographic stability in the cadaveric blood, whereas, UA was often much higher in the right heart blood than in the left heart and peripheral blood, independent of postmortem intervals. Moderate to marked elevation of Cr and BUN accompanied with hyperuricemia was observed in delayed death. In the acute death cases (survival time <30 min), UA, especially in the right heart blood, showed a considerable elevation in mechanical asphyxiation and drowning. The Cr level in fire victims with a lower carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level (<60%) was significantly higher than in those with the possible fatal level (>60%). A similar elevation of Cr was observed in fatalities from heat stroke and methamphetamine (MA) poisoning. The observations suggested that hyperuricemia in acute death may be indicative of advanced hypoxia and that elevated Cr level may reflect the skeletal muscle damage, especially due to thermal influence.     

Road development,and changes in livelihood and mobility in Savannakhet,Lao PDR

The development of roads is a major focus of development projects in the Mekong Sub-Region. This empirical study was conducted in Savannakhet, Lao PDR, to examine the benefits of road development, its impact on livelihoods, and the link between livelihoods and mobility through the concept of sense of place. The results showed that road development affected people's livelihoods, which, in turn, affected their sense of place and mobility. Analysing sense of place allows us to understand how road development can change gender norms and why more women migrate than men.     

Deterioration or refinement? Impacts of an increasing number of lawyers on the lawyer discipline system in Japan

This paper discusses the impacts of an increasing number of lawyers (bengoshi) on the lawyer discipline system in Japan. Due to a relatively small number of lawyers up until the 1990s, few people, including citizens and lawyers themselves, cared about the misconduct of lawyers. However, there appears to be a recent change in this tendency. The sudden increase in the number of lawyers after the Justice System Reform in 2001 focused citizens’ awareness on quality in the practice of law. Some lawyers claim that the increase in the number of young lawyers has deteriorated the quality of legal services, thereby damaging public trust in lawyers. In this paper, I analyze lawyer discipline cases from 1988 to 2015 that are available to the public. The result shows that while the number of disciplinary cases actually has increased since 2004, it is not young lawyers but primarily experienced senior members who have contributed to the increase. In conclusion, I argue that an increase in lawyer discipline is a positive phenomenon for the Japanese bar in developing detailed ethical standards, thereby providing better legal services.