家兔肺冲洗的巨噬细胞吞噬作用与死亡时间的关系

应用流式细胞仪对不同死亡时间家兔肺冲洗的巨噬细胞吞噬荧光微球的功能进行定量测定。结果显示:随着死亡时间的推移,吞噬细胞的吞噬功能均有显著下降,各时间点吞噬细胞吞噬荧光微球的百分率和在每个吞噬细胞中的荧光微球的数目也是逐渐减少,这种巨噬细胞吞噬功能规律性的下降,有助于估计死亡时间。     

Decapitation due to early post-mortem canine gnawing

A 53-year-old male was found dead in his home. The deceased's head, almost totally skeletonized, was lying at a distance of about 150 cm from the thorax inlet. The other occupant of the flat was a mongrel sheepdog. The autopsy conducted for the inquest established extensive damage to soft tissue in the head, neck and chest. The second to sixth cervical vertebrae were missing. The seventh cervical vertebra and the right first rib displayed bone lesions. The tissue injuries were attributed in the diagnosis to post-mortem canine gnawing. Cause of death was given as intermittent haemorrhaging of the gastro-intestinal tract from oesophageal varices in a status of hepatic cirrhosis. There was no indication that death had been caused by another party. About two days were estimated to have elapsed since death. Attention is drawn to this doubtless rare instance of total decapitation of the deceased with displacement of the head caused by a dog during the early post-mortem period.     

Persistent Retinal Iron in Abusive Head Trauma

Retinal hemosiderin deposition is a histologic indicator of sustained hemorrhage but cannot be used to precisely estimate the elapsed time since an episode of trauma. A 5‐month‐old male infant was admitted to hospital after acute deterioration. Examination revealed encephalopathy, subdural hematomas, and retinal hemorrhages consistent with abusive head trauma (AHT). At the age of 3, he was readmitted to hospital with spontaneous osteopenic fracture of the right femur. The patient deteriorated and died after unsuccessful resuscitation. Ophthalmopathological investigation showed atrophy of the retina and optic nerve and hemosiderin deposition in both eyes. Retinal hemosiderin deposition is currently generally assumed to disappear within 6–8 weeks after the occurrence of hemorrhage in AHT. This case report describes an infant with bilateral retinal hemosiderin depositions due to hemorrhages sustained from AHT occurring 32 months prior to death. Implications of this finding for the interpretation of retinal hemosiderin depositions in AHT are discussed.     

Minimum and maximum development rates of some forensically important Calliphoridae (Diptera)

Blow fly development rates are frequently used to estimate elapsed time since death in homicide investigations in the first few weeks after death. However, in order to make more precise estimates of time since death, accurate developmental data must be generated for all carrion species, and at temperatures that are comparable with those found at crime scenes. This paper presents developmental rates determined for five forensically important species in British Columbia, Phormia regina (Meigen), Phaenicia sericata (Meigen), Eucalliphora latifrons (Hough), Lucilia illustris (Meigen), and Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, at several temperatures.     

人离体肝组织胺类产生与死亡时间和环境温度的关系

目的探讨在不同环境温度下,人离体肝组织中有机胺类产生量随死亡时间变化的规律,为某些碎尸案的死亡时间推断提供参考资料。方法应用高效液相色谱仪外标法,动态检测人离体肝组织中组胺、腐胺、尸胺和未腐败氨基酸含量。结果在8℃、15℃、23℃和32℃环境下,有机胺类产生量分别于人死后肝脏即刻离体69h、54h、40h和33h趋于最大值,并且在到达峰值之前,各温度组离体肝组织中有机胺类生成量均与死亡时间成正比关系。结论人离体肝组织中有机胺类产生量与死亡时间和环境温度在一定范围内均呈正相关。     

Alterations in human bones and teeth as a result of restricted sun exposure and contact with corrosive agents

Skeletal remains were discovered in an unused cistern near the Omaha, Nebraska airport and were positively identified through comparison of antemortem and postmortem dental radiographs. Although nearly nine years had elapsed between death and discovery, the bones and teeth revealed evidence of the application of a corrosive substance at or about the time of death, as well as an unusual restricted response to sun exposure, that contributed to the prosecution and murder conviction of a member of Hell's Angels in the Omaha area.     

应用酶组织化学方法鉴定死亡时间的初步探讨

利用7例颅脑外伤死亡的健康青年尸体,在死后48h,环境温度18～24℃,空气相对湿度83～92％和实验湿度54～64％的条件下,检测肝脏、肾脏酶活性的变化。实验结果表明,肝脏乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)和L-苹果酸脱氢酶(MDH),随着死亡时间的延长,活性逐渐减低,48h近于阴性;而肾脏上述二种酶活性则在死亡后6h和24h出现高峰,36h开始下降;肝脏的酸性磷酸酶(ACP)亦于死后6h和24h出现高峰,36h开始下降。而肾脏此种酶在死后18～24h,有增高趋势。笔者认为上述酶活性的规律性变化有助于死亡时间的推断。应用二种以上酶活性的变化特点,能够较准确地判断死亡时间。     

大鼠死后心血吗啡浓度变化的HPLC检测

采用高效液相邑谱分析技术（HPLC）检测治疗量及中毒量吗啡肌注大鼠死后心血中吗啡浓度变化。结果表明，以治疗量吗啡肌往大鼠，在死后96h内，心血中吗啡浓度随死后时间增加而显著升高（P＜0．01），吗啡浓度水平与死后时间里显著正相关；以中毒量吗啡肌注大鼠，在死后12h内，心血吗啡浓度无明显变化；死后24h、48h及96h，随死后时间延长，心血中吗啡浓度逐渐升高（P＞0．01），其递增强度不如治疗量吗啡组大鼠的明显.本研究证实，死后尸体心血吗啡浓度明显受生前剂量的影响，且在死后96h内，随死后时间增加．心血中吗啡浓度少数不断增高。     

Amended cause and manner of death certification: a six-year review of the New Mexico experience

Little is known about the amendment of death certificates (DCs) issued by medical examiners and coroners. This retrospective study examined why, how, and with what frequency cause and manner of death were amended on DCs issued by forensic pathologists over a 6-year period at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Approximately 1% of DCs had either cause or manner of death amendments, with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and intoxicants the most commonly amended and resulting causes of death, respectively. There was a significant association between manner of death and number of DCs amended (p<0.001). By percent, natural and suicide DCs were the most frequently amended. The way in which manner of death changed was significantly associated with the amount of time elapsed between DCs (p=0.04). Toxicology was the most common reason for DC amendment.     

270例尸体瞳孔的统计分析

本文报告270例尸体瞳孔形态、直径大小,并就其与死因、年龄、性别、死亡时的环境亮度以及死后经过时间的关系,进行了分析和讨论。有机磷中毒死的瞳孔平均直径最小(3.59mm);青壮年尸体瞳孔的平均直径较小儿、老年人略大;男性尸体瞳孔略大于女性。死于黑暗环境的尸体瞳孔较死于明亮环境的尸体瞳孔略大。生前因虹膜病变使瞳孔呈不规则形,死后瞳孔持续呈不规则形。作者认为,尸体瞳孔的形态、直径大小与死因(如有机磷中毒)有关,并受死者生前眼的健康状况、年龄及死亡时的环境亮度等因素的影响。在死后经过时间的瞳孔直径变化上,统计值无逐渐缩小或散大的规律性变化。     

Efficacy of entomological method in estimation of postmortem interval: a comparative analysis

Sixteen insect-infested cadavers were examined and analysed to evaluate the reliability of the entomological method in estimation of time elapsed since death, in relation to other medico-legal approaches. The entomological method was found statistically more reliable and superior when compared to other prevalent methods.     

Brain concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in fatal cases

Since cocaine in blood rapidly hydrolyzes to benzoylecgonine, cocaine concentrations determined in postmortem blood may not reflect the presence or concentration of cocaine in the body at the time of death. The interpretative value of the determination of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in brain tissue was investigated. Cocaine and benzoylecgonine were quantitated by coextraction and formation of the propyl derivative of benzoylecgonine followed by selected ion monitoring gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using electron ion impact ionization. Cocaine and benzoylecgonine were found to be evenly distributed throughout the brain. Cocaine and benzoylecgonine concentrations were stable in frozen brain tissue (-4 degrees C) on reanalysis after 1 to 3 months of storage, and in refrigerated tissue (10 degrees C) after 30 days of storage. Blood, brain, and liver concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in 37 cocaine overdose cases and 46 cases in which cocaine was incidental to the cause of death were reviewed. The ratios of cocaine/benzoylecgonine in the toxic cases (brain mean 14.7 and blood mean 0.64) were clearly different from those found in the incidental cases (brain mean 0.87 and blood mean 0.27). The brain/blood ratios of cocaine and benzoylecgonine concentrations generally were characteristic of the time elapsed since cocaine dosing. In cocaine overdose cases, the mean ratio was 9.6 for cocaine and 0.36 for benzoylecgonine. These are within the range found in animal studies for brain/blood ratios of cocaine and benzoylecgonine 0.5 to 2 h after cocaine administration. In incidental cases, the brain/blood ratios were mean 2.5 for cocaine and 1.4 for benzoylecgonine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Post mortem cohabitation-shell growth as a measure of elapsed time: a case report

A partial calvaria, dredged from the sea-bed some years previously, was referred to us for examination. The presence of a well-established mollusc colony on the vault allowed us to establish a minimum elapsed time since death. Such a cross-disciplinary co-operative study is of great advantage in expediting a satisfactory conclusion.     

Autopsy Identification of Viable Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in the Lungs of a Markedly Decomposed Body

Various infectious diseases, including COVID-19, MERS, and tuberculosis, are global public health issues. Tuberculosis, which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is highly contagious and can be transmitted through inhalation of the bacteria. However, it has been assumed that the infectiousness of bacteria and viruses in dead bodies weakens as the time from death increases. In particular, there is little awareness of infection control measures concerning decomposed bodies or even the need for such measures. The deceased, in whom we discovered MTB 3 months following her death, was a woman in her 80s who died at home. We performed judicial autopsy, because police suspected homicide when her husband hanged himself. Obtained organs were used for microscopic examination by hematoxylin–eosin staining and Ziehl–Neelsen staining. In addition, real-time PCR and mycobacterial culture testing using Ogawa's medium were performed for the detection of MTB. We found that the MTB in the decomposed body remained viable and potentially infectious. To identify the bacterial strain further, we performed DNA-DNA hybridization and identified the strain as MTB complex. Potentially infectious live MTB survived in the dead body far longer than had been previously reported. Pathologists should consider microbial culture tests for all autopsied cases in which the decedent's medical history or macro-examination suggests possible infection, even when a long duration of time has passed since death. Pathologists and specialists who perform autopsies should recognize that all dead bodies are potentially infectious, including those in which long periods have elapsed since death.     

A model for the aging of fly larvae in forensic entomology

A method is described for determining the time of hatching of blowfly larvae on a corpse with respect to temperature. Temperature is known to have a profound effect on the rate of growth of fly larvae, and it is suggested that past assumptions that the growth of larvae found in a corpse has taken place at one approximated ambient temperature may have led to large overestimates of the development time of the larvae, and thus overestimates of time of death. Larvae of Lucilia cuprina, Calliphora vicina (= erythrocephala), Calliphora stygia and Calliphora hilli were cultured under constant temperatures, and their growth rates modeled with a logistic growth curve. Two programmes have been developed, one to compute the parameters for the logistic equations, the other is used to estimate the time elapsed from the time at which a sample is removed from a body to the estimated hatching time of the larvae comprising the sample, with temperatures and species as variables.     

What is the best sample for determining the early postmortem period by on-the-spot flow cytometry analysis?

The level of degradation of DNA as a means for determining the time of death has been proposed as a valid adjunct to the classic thanatochronologic methods. The twofold aim of this work was to determine which organ might reveal both a correlation between the percentage of degradation of the DNA and the time lapse since death, and would be easiest to sample and yield the most reproducible results even in technically unfavorable situations such as on-the-spot investigations at the scene of death. A comparison of the spleen, blood, and liver showed that hepatic tissue best meets these specific needs because it shows a virtually linear correlation between the time elapsed since death and the level of degradation of the DNA, and it can easily be sampled at the scene of death by use of a common biopsy needle.     

Estimation of the breaking of rigor mortis by myotonometry

Myotonometry was used to detect breaking of rigor mortis. The myotonometer is a new instrument which measures the decaying oscillations of a muscle after a brief mechanical impact. The method gives two numerical parameters for rigor mortis, namely the period and decrement of the oscillations, both of which depend on the time period elapsed after death. In the case of breaking the rigor mortis by muscle lengthening, both the oscillation period and decrement decreased, whereas, shortening the muscle caused the opposite changes. Fourteen h after breaking the stiffness characteristics of the right and left m. biceps brachii, or oscillation periods, were assimilated. However, the values for decrement of the muscle, reflecting the dissipation of mechanical energy, maintained their differences.     

Linear rate of change in the product of erythrocyte water content and potassium concentration during the 0-120-hour postmortem period in the rat

An accurate and reproducible technique was employed for measurement of water content (RBCH2O) and potassium concentration (RBCK) in rat erythrocytes post mortem. Coefficients of variation for determination of RBCH2O and RBCK, as estimated from the results of duplicate analyses (n = 36), were 1.21% and 1.17%, respectively. Erythrocyte water content and RBCK were directly and linearly related (r = +0.93 (P less than 0.001], while the product of RBCH2O and RBCK varied linearly and inversely (r = -0.89 (P less than 0.001] with postmortem interval (PMI) over the 0-120-h postmortem period. In addition, the standard deviations of the data points for (RBCH2O X RBCK) remained relatively constant and independent of PMI. Attention is drawn to the possibility of determining time elapsed since death from (sequential) measurements of (RBCH2O X RBCK) in individual cadavers.     

唾液血型抗原分泌时限变化及温度对抗原活性的影响

探讨人唾液中ABH血型抗原不同时限的分泌量,以及保存温度对血型抗原活性的影响。应用时间决定性荧光免疫测定法（TR．FIA）对O型分泌型10例和非分泌型5例人在不同条件下唾液中H抗原量进行检测。唾液血型抗原的分泌量随时间而波动,进餐后降低明显,但不干扰分泌型的判定。37℃保存48h抗原活性完全丧失,6℃保存1周抗原活性几乎没有变化。结果表明,唾液分泌时段不影响分泌型判定,将唾液制成斑痕可长期保存样品。     

兔不同时间切创中肌细胞核DNA的定量测定

为了使损伤时间推断手段更加精确化,为损伤时间推断提供新的方法,我们利用显微分光光度计测定兔皮肤切创创口内肌细胞核DNA 含量,结果发现:正常肌细胞核DNA 含量为18. 420Au,而损伤后创外周区内肌细胞核的DNA 含量立即迅速下降。伤后1h 为17. 274Au;伤后3h 为8. 672Au,达最低水平,随着损伤及经过时间的延长,DNA 含量又逐渐回升,伤后6、8、12,24h 的含量分别为12. 563、13. 608、14. 743,16. 448Au。上述结果说明,损伤区域内肌细胞核内DNA 的含量与损伤时间有明显关系,DNA定量分析可作为损伤时间推断的一个重要根据。