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。     

加入WTO与中国内外资企业法律制度分析

审视我国现行的内外资企业法律制度,其与市场经济法治要求有一定的距离,并且存在着诸多与 WTO 规则相背离的地方。我们应本着经济立法是对客观经济规律地正确反映的指导思想,制定反映我国社会主义市场经济要求的内外资企业法律制度。     

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。     

单一大关节判定男性青少年骨龄可靠性的比较研究

通过男性青少年单一关节X线片判定年龄是快速、简便的一种方法,但这些方法哪一种更准确尚无系统研究。本文研究了100例正常男性青少年X线片(13~18岁)对单一大关节判断年龄的结果进行了初步比较,结果发现在不同年龄段每种方法的准确性是不同的。在15~16岁之前,百分位数法、CHN法、肩关节法、肘关节法和腕关节法准确性更高些。在15~16岁之后,六大关节法、膝关节法、踝关节法和髋关节法的准确性更好。     

论证券虚假陈述中中介机构的民事责任

为了更好地保护投资者的权益,遏制违法违规行为,加强证券市场的监管,有必要进一步完善中介机构的民事责任制度.本文对中介机构虚假陈述民事责任的性质、构成要件、归责原则等进行了较为详尽的分析,并提供了相关对策.     

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。     

Influence of electricity on post-mortal body temperature

In a case of suicidal application of electricity differences between the rectal temperature of the body and the suspected time of death were observed.In order to answer the question whether an electric current from hand to hand over >30 min led to a rise in body temperature FEM-based computer simulations and animal experiments were carried out. Both resulted in a warming of the soft parts in the arm without warming the body core. Thus a temperature-based estimation of the time since death can also be used in cases with electricity as the cause of death. Besides, in the animal experiment we found a spontaneous rise in the body core temperature even without application of electricity which may be a reason for the typical temperature plateau after death.