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.     

“（在／当）＋P＋时／时候，Q”句式分析

“(在/当) P 时/时候,Q”句式是用已知事件发生的时间为参照来标示另一事件发生的时间。由于全句表述出发点不同,表述核心自然也有差别。“时候句”由于参照时段与参照时点的不同,句式获得了不同的语句功能,表达出不同的语义。不同表述功能下的句式在语法上存在着种种制约因素。     

火灾发生起数的区间估计和假设检验

在分析火灾发生概率规律性的基础上,可在一定的置信水平上,对火灾发生的起数进行区间估计和假设检验。通过区间估计将未来的火灾形势预测为一个置信区间,通过假设检验可排除随机干扰,确定火灾发生起数的变化规律,这些信息都能为消防规划的制定提供科学的数量依据。     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中caspase-3的表达及其活性

目的探讨皮肤切创愈合过程caspase-3的表达、激活情况及其活性的变化规律。方法建立小鼠皮肤切创模型后,应用比色法、Western blotting技术对小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中不同时间段caspase-3的表达、激活情况及其活性进行研究。结果伤后不同时间的caspase-3活性倍增值、caspase-3酶原表达呈现时间规律性变化,并可见caspase-3的激活片段。结论caspase-3可能在皮肤损伤愈合过程中细胞的凋亡中发挥作用,caspase-3可以成为用于皮肤损伤时间推断的指标。     

小鼠骨骼肌细胞核DNA降解与死亡时间的关系

目的　监测小鼠死后骨骼肌核内DNA降解的情况 ,探讨死后细胞核DNA降解的一般规律。方法　建立小鼠死亡模型 ,在死后 72h内 ,以 12h的间隔取骨骼肌样本进行单细胞凝胶电泳 ,在荧光显微镜下测量彗星图像 ,并作统计学分析。结果　机体死后 ,骨骼肌细胞在电泳图像上出现了明显的彗星形拖尾 ,L/W比值随死亡时间而逐渐增大 ,二者呈一定的线性关系。结论　单细胞凝胶电泳技术可以应用于早期死亡时间推断。     

甲维盐中毒死亡小鼠体内的分布及死后再分布

目的研究甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐(简称甲维盐)中毒死亡小鼠的致死血浓度、靶器官组织、毒物蓄积库和死后毒物再分布的特征。方法采用灌胃法建立中毒小鼠模型,动态观察急性中毒组、亚急性中毒组小鼠的主要中毒症状和临床死亡时间。观察中毒死后小鼠各器官组织病理形态学改变,应用酶联免疫吸附试验测定死后0、24、48、72h甲维盐体内分布及死后再分布,采用高效液相色谱法测定中毒小鼠的致死血浓度和死后各时间点的血中甲维盐浓度。结果中毒小鼠均在灌胃后15~30 min内依次出现神经、呼吸系统症状。急性中毒组小鼠的临床死亡时间为(45.8±7.9)min,亚急性中毒组为(8.0±1.4)d。甲维盐的急性致死血浓度范围为447.164 0~524.463 5 mg/L。光镜及荧光显微镜下各器官组织均见明显的病理改变;小鼠中毒死后72 h内,血、心、肝、脾、肺、肾及脑甲维盐浓度变化具有规律性(P0.05)。结论甲维盐中毒作用的主要靶器官为心、肝、肾、肺、脑和接触部位(胃),其主要蓄积库为肾、肝,甲维盐在小鼠体内存在死后再分布现象。     

利用尸食性蚤蝇推断死亡时间的法医学研究进展

死亡时间的准确推断一直是法医学的难题。昆虫学方法已被认为是死亡时间推断的有效方法。尸食性蝇类发育生物学在死亡时间推断中有着重要地位。蚤蝇体形微小,在相对密闭的空间,可成为尸体上主要的甚至是唯一的昆虫证据。本文从尸食性蚤蝇的作用、种属鉴定以及日龄推断方面,综述了利用尸食性蚤蝇推断死亡时间的法医学研究进展。     

死后眼组织变化与死亡时间推断

眼组织推断死亡时间一直是国内外法医学界的研究热点之一,从肉眼观到镜下观,从细胞水平到分子水平,不断有新的研究成果和报告出现。大量研究资料表明,随着死亡时间的延长,眼角膜、视网膜、玻璃体液及房水等均出现规律性的变化,并与死亡时间高度相关,可用于死亡时间推断。本文对其在法医学领域的研究进展作以综述。