A novel method for cyanide quantification in human whole blood using ion chromatography with amperometric detection and its application to cyanide intoxication cases

Cyanide is a highly toxic agent that has been frequently used for suicide in South Korea. It is also used in various industrial fields, such as metal plating, in which many accidental cyanide intoxications have occurred. To overcome the disadvantages of conventional cyanide analysis methods, a simple and fast method for the analysis of cyanide in whole blood using ion chromatography (IC) with amperometric detection was developed in this study. Whole blood samples were deproteinized, diluted, and analyzed using an IC–amperometric detection system. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L, respectively. The method showed good linearity in the range of 0.2 to 50 mg/L with R² > 0.99. The intra- and inter-assay precision and accuracy values were <10%. The established method was successfully applied to analyze whole blood samples from three cyanide intoxication cases.     

Postmortem Computed Tomography in Firearm Homicides: A Retrospective Case Series,

Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is integrated into the evaluation of decedents in several American medical examiner offices and medicolegal death investigative centers in many other countries. We retrospectively investigated the value of PMCT in a series of firearm homicide cases from a statewide centralized medical examiner’s office that occurred during 2016. Autopsies were performed or supervised by board-certified forensic pathologists who reviewed the PMCT scans prior to autopsy. PMCT scans were re-evaluated by a forensic radiologist blinded to the autopsy findings and scored by body region (head–neck, thoracoabdominal, and extremities). Injury discrepancies were scored using a modified Goldman classification and analyzed with McNemar’s test. We included 60 males and 20 females (median age 31 years, range 3–73). Based on PMCT, 56 (79.1%) cases had injuries relevant to the cause of death in a single body region (24 head–neck region, 32 thoracoabdominal region). Out of these 56 cases, 9 had a missed major diagnosis by PMCT outside that region, including 6 extremity injuries visible during standard external examination. Yet all had evident lethal firearm injury. We showed that PMCT identifies major firearm injuries in homicide victims and excludes injuries related to the cause of death in other regions when a single body region is injured. Although PMCT has a known limited sensitivity for soft tissue and vascular pathology, it can be combined with external examination to potentially reduce or focus dissections in some of these cases depending on the circumstances and medicolegal needs.     

The Stability of 4-Chloromethcathinone in Blood and Vitreous Humor

We present results of our study on the stability of 4-chloromethcathinone (4-CMC) in authentic postmortem peripheral blood and vitreous humor samples. The stability of 4-CMC was determined in postmortem blood samples (for a period of 90 days) and vitreous humor (30 days) at three different temperatures: −15°C, +4°C, and + 23°C. The analyses were carried out using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). In both materials, the lowest 4-CMC stability was demonstrated at room temperature. The blood samples stored in a freezer (−15°C) showed stability for the entire study period (90 days), while in the case of the vitreous humor sample stored at the same temperature the concentration of the substance decreased by 53% after 30 days. The study carried out in authentic postmortem blood and vitreous humor samples confirms the previous reports of 4-CMC instability in biological material. Authors suggest that the biological material should be stored frozen until analyses are carried out as soon as possible after collection of the material.     

法医学尸体检验职业防护指南(建议稿)

法医工作者的职业暴露风险极大,案件现场及尸体上的有毒有害物质、高致病性微生物以及利器、骨折等因素均可能给法医带来身心伤害甚至生命危险。随着经济社会发展,法医的工作环境已经较过去显著改善,但是针对个人防护的重视程度仍需提高。近年来公共卫生事件频发,给法医职业防护带来新的挑战,迫切需要借鉴生物安全领域的先进技术和防护理念,以满足新形势下法医工作的需要。本指南立足当前法医职业防护的实际需求,从暴露风险、防护分级、应急处置等角度阐述,希望能为制定法医职业防护相关标准提供参考,以指导法医工作者开展个人防护工作,为提升法医职业化水平和身心健康提供帮助。     

我国法院招考制度评析与法官选任制度重建

在“凡进必考”的要求下,我国各级人民法院当前多已采用公务员考试模式招考“工作人员”。但无论从报考条件、考试内容,还是考试方式来看,这种招考制度都不能被认为是遴选法官的理想模式。重新审视法院招考制度,将法官的选任从目前普遍采用的招录法官助理、书记员甚至法警、法院行政人员的公务员考试中分离出来,疏通成熟法律人才进法官队伍的渠道,建立符合司法特质、体现法官独立要求的法官选任制度是我们的当务之急。     

面部整容术对颅像重合的影响分析

颅像重合法对身源不明的颅骨个体识别已在国内开展二十余年,其依据是对送检的失踪人照片面部软组织与颅骨之间标志点、线的对应量度关系做出是否同一人的认定。经多年观察总结面部整容术的方法、部位及形态与颅像重合标志点、线量度间的影响问题,对于人群中是否有部分人是面部整容术后的面像判断,提出相关专业人员的鉴定分析方法。     

论刑事庭前审查程序的价值——兼论我国庭前审查程序的完善

刑事庭前审查程序的价值主要体现为三个方面:一是对公诉案件进行"过滤",从而抑制公诉,防止不必要的和无根据的审判发动;二是对公诉案件进行"分流",使不同刑事案件适用繁简不同的诉讼程序,防止简单案件适用复杂的诉讼程序,或者是复杂案件适用简单的诉讼程序;三是保障人权并节约诉讼资源.在此基础上,提出了"建立我国预审法官制度"等完善我国刑事庭前审查程序的构想.     

高校被诉引起的法律思考

1999年发生了两起有重大影响的高校学生诉学校拒发毕业证、学位证行政诉讼案。高校之所以能成为行政诉讼的被告,是由高校行使自主权时的法律地位和自主权的法律性质所决定。基于现代行政法理论,高校在基于法律法规的授权对学生行使诸如颁发毕业证、进行处分等教育管理权时,是作为法律法规授权的组织而具有行政主体的资格。应从树立依法治校的法治理念、加强和完善高等教育法制以及建立一套健全的教育行政与司法救济制度三个方面促进高校依法行使自主权。     

法医文证审查100例分析

通过100例法医文证审查案件的分析,发现在目前检察机关文证审查工作中,存在委托数量不足、委托程序不规范、送检材料不全面等问题;在送审鉴定文书中,也存在标准条文掌握不当、鉴定人基础知识欠缺和粗心大意等问题。同时发现,鉴定文书的规范化程度和采信率已经得到有效的提高;且规范化越高的鉴定机构,则其鉴定文书的准确率越高,被采信率也越高。目前有必要加强检察技术部门文证审查的技术水平,进一步积累办案经验,切实增强检察机关的法律监督能力。     

浅谈印章印文的边框特征

本文通过对印章边框特征的产生原理及种类的分析与研究,阐述了影响印章边框特征的因素,提出了应用边框特征检验印章印文应注意的基本事项。