Blood Versus bone marrow ethanol concentrations in rabbits and humans

Post-mortem ethanol levels in bone marrow and heart blood were determined in rabbits and humans. The average ratio of blood/femur marrow ethanol in 39 rabbits was 2.10 ± 0.23 with a range of 1.27 – 3.50. In 18 human autopsy cases the average ratio of blood/rib marrow ethanol levels was 2.16 ± 0.32 with a range of 1.65 – 2.94. The average blood/marrow ratios in humans and rabbits were comparable. However, a wider range of ratios was noticed in the rabbit study.     

Blood, bone marrow and eye fluid ethanol concentrations in putrefied rabbits

The effect of putrefaction on postmortem blood, bone marrow and eye fluid ethanol levels was evaluated in rabbits. Control and dosed animals were sacrificed and stored at either room temperature (approx. 19 degrees C) or cold temperature (approx. 3.5 degrees C) for as long as 28 days. Control animals stored at room temperature showed ethanol levels in the bone marrow that peaked at 7 days after sacrifice, followed by decreases to a nondetectable level at 21 days. Overall decreases were demonstrated in bone marrow of dosed rabbits stored at room temperature for all postmortem intervals. The control animals stored at low temperature showed no ethanol in the bone marrow and blood until 21 days after sacrifice. Dosed rabbits stored at low temperature showed no significant changes in blood and marrow ethanol until 21 days after sacrifice.     

电击死兔骨骼肌及心肌HSP70 mRNA和c-fos mRNA表达

目的 研究电击死兔骨骼肌与心肌HSP70 mRNA和c-fos mRNA-表达变化。探究生前电击与死后电击的鉴别方法。方法 15只新西兰兔,随机分电击死组、死后电击组和对照组,每组5只,用荧光RT-PCR技术检测骨骼肌与心肌热休克蛋白70（HSP70） mRNA与c-fos mRNA表达水平,对所得结果进行统计学分析。结果 生前电击兔骨骼肌及心肌HSP70 mRNA与c-fos mRNA表达高于死后即刻电击者（P〈0．05）。结论 检测骨骼肌及心肌HSP70 mRNA与c-fos mRNA表达变化有助于于生前电击与死后电击的鉴别。     

Post-mortem investigation of calcium content in liver, heart, and skeletal muscle in accidental hypothermia cases

The identification of hypothermia as cause of the death was always quite problematic in the field of forensic medicine. The aim of the present study was to verify the determination of calcium content in post-mortem liver, heart, and skeletal muscle samples as the biochemical marker defining hypothermia as the cause of death. The study involved 43 autopsy cases in which the circumstances of death indicated the effects of overcooling. The control group consisted of material collected from the corpses of 30 persons who were not exposed to low temperatures but died due to technical injuries (n = 5), asphyxia (n = 6), intoxication with ethanol and other substances (n = 8), and acute myocardial infarction/ischemia (n = 11). The concentration of calcium in autopsy samples was determined applying flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Our study showed no significant differences of calcium content in tissues of persons who died due to hypothermia, over those who died in normothermic conditions.     

悬挂双前肢致死兔的膈肌超微结构的研究

目的研究悬挂体位下窒息死亡动物的膈肌超微结构变化。方法取悬挂双前肢体位家兔的膈肌和腓肠肌组织,以勒颈致死家兔的膈肌和腓肠肌组织为对照,采用透射电镜方法观察其超微结构的变化。结果悬挂组膈肌的细胞核、细胞质、细胞膜均有缺氧损伤的征象,其中肌纤维内的肌原纤维、线粒体病变尤为严重;勒颈组膈肌的改变与悬挂组膈肌相类似,但程度上较轻微;悬挂组腓肠肌轻微病变,但肌原纤维无明显改变;勒颈组腓肠肌无明显改变。结论悬挂体位造成了膈肌纤维超微结构的损伤,形成了机体缺氧的病理基础,可导致死亡;本实验的结果可为限制性体位窒息死亡的法医学鉴定标准提供实验性的形态学依据。     

Sympatho-adrenal activity in acute cold stress. The mechanism of sudden death following water immersion]

In addition to currently known mechanisms of sudden death following water immersion, predominantly vagal cardio-depressive reflexes are discussed. The pronounced circulatory centralization in diving animals as well as following exposure to cold water indicates additional sympathetic activity. In cold water baths of 15 degrees C, our own measurements indicate an increase in plasma catecholamine levels by more than 300%. This may lead to cardiac arrhythmias by the following mechanism: Cold water essentially induces sinus bradycardia. Brady- and tachyarrhythmias may supervene as secondary complications. Sinusbradycardia may be enhanced by sympathetic hypertonus. Furthermore, ectopic dysrhythmias are liable to be induced by the strictly sympathetic innervation of the ventricle. Myocardial ischemia following a rise in peripheral blood pressure constitutes another arrhythmogenic factor. Some of these reactions are enhanced by alcohol intoxication.     

家兔烧死后气管、肺及心肌的病理形态学观察

目的探讨烧死的病理形态学依据。方法建立家兔烧死动物模型,用光镜、透射及扫描电镜观察10只生前烧死家兔气管、肺及心肌的病变;并与死后焚尸及非烧死的正常组(各5只)对照。结果透射电镜下,气管粘膜上皮完全脱落,成堆红细胞和纤维蛋白成分粘附在平滑肌表面。肺Ⅰ型上皮细胞结构基本完整连续,线粒体嵴有断裂、缺失;Ⅱ型肺泡上皮细胞微绒毛消失,多数细胞线粒体、板层小体、高尔基体未见异常,少数Ⅱ型肺泡上皮细胞质膜破损、染色质浓集、胞质内容丢失。心肌严重变性坏死,细胞膜破坏,线粒体极度肿胀,肌丝溶解并出现收缩带坏死。扫描电镜下,气管粘膜上皮有完整纤毛,但上皮大片脱落,少数区域纤毛上皮稀疏排列,有脱落柱状上皮附着在纤毛上;肺间皮细胞结构基本完整,微绒毛数量不一致;心内膜的内皮细胞大部脱落,暴露内皮下结缔组织,心肌纤维呈扭曲排列。死后焚尸及正常组对照组未见上述变化。结论烧死兔的光镜和电镜下气管、肺及心肌的病理形态学变化,能为生前烧死与死后焚尸的鉴别提供依据。     

Water-soaked evidence: detectability of explosive traces after immersion in water

Various factors governing the detectability of explosive traces after being soaked in water were studied. The variables are: the type of the surface (surfaces liable to be found in aircraft were chosen), the type of explosive, the type of water (tap or seawater), and movement of the immersed surface in the water. The maximal immersion times (tmax) after which explosive detection was possible were evaluated. This datum was found to depend on the type of explosive (one of the important factors is solubility in water), the surface material and the environmental conditions (tap or seawater movement). Detection of PETN on high-density polyethylene, linoleum, glass and aluminum, by the chemical Explosive Testing Kit (ETK), was possible even after a month of soaking in seawater. In addition, it has been found that movement of bulk water around the samples with deposited explosives considerably decreases tmax values. It is, therefore, recommended to retrieve samples for explosive analysis as soon as possible and in areas where the currents of water is minimal.     

An Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains with Cerebral Palsy: Associated Skeletal Age Delay and Dental Pathologies*

Abstract: In 2002 the authors were asked to examine the skeletal remains of an individual with a known history of severe cerebral palsy (CP) who was 21–23 years old at death. Skeletal age estimates of 11–15 years and dental age estimates of c. 16 years are younger than the known age of the decedent. Skeletal analysis also identified dental pathologies such as chronic tooth grinding and substantial calculus deposits. Scarce literature exists on forensic human remains cases with CP, and this study contrasts the age discrepancy and other features of this case with typical clinical characteristics of CP. A review of the CP literature suggests that delayed skeletal maturation and dental pathologies such as those observed in this case are indicative of complications related to CP. This article may alert future investigators to some of the osteological signs of CP and the probability that age indicators may be misleading.     

生前电击与死后电击骨骼肌肌小节的长度变化

目的研究生前电击与死后电击的肌小节长度变化,为生前电击与死后电击的鉴别提供新的方法。方法12只兔随机分为对照I组、对照II组、电击死组和死后电击组。每组3只。对照I、II组与死后电击组兔分别从耳缘静脉注射空气30m l处死。对照I组处死后,于死后即刻取其后肢股四头肌;对照II组死后24h于相同部位取材;电击死组兔通220V交流电,通电致兔死后即刻取材;死后电击组于死后即刻通220V交流电4m in后,在相同部位取材。用透射电镜观察骨骼肌肌小节长度变化,对所得结果进行统计学分析。结果生前电击与死后电击骨骼肌肌小节均缩短,与对照组I相比,前者较后者缩短程度更甚(P=0.000);死后电击组与对照I组相比,仅轻微缩短(P=0.000),对照II组相比,缩短较为明显(P=0.000);对照II组较对照I组的肌小节显著伸长(P=0.000)。结论研究骨骼肌肌小节的长度变化有助于鉴别生前电击与死后电击。     

Skeletal indicators of pregnancy and parturition: a historical review

Over a century of scientific literature has documented the research and analysis relating to the possible skeletal evidence of pregnancy, parturition, and childcare, yet today, there still exists variation in methodology and interpretation. Historical perspective facilitates understanding of the growth and development of the theories and research currently available to the forensic science community. Review of the relevant literature clearly indicates that specific skeletal alterations are not exclusively connected to obstetrical events. Although parturition and related events have been shown to leave various alterations on bone, the research record also demonstrates that other factors can contribute to the same or similar changes. Additionally, such alterations can often be found in nulliparous women and men and are frequently absent in parous and multiparous women. This literature review calls for the continued exploration of skeletal alterations for determining parity status in human skeletal remains.     

Recognition of Skeletal Fractures in Infants: An Autopsy Technique

Abstract:  Complete recognition and documentation of injury pattern is crucial in the diagnosis of child abuse. Skeletal fractures regarded as highly specific to nonaccidental injury in infants include posterior rib, scapular, metaphyseal, and spinous process fractures. These injuries are often occult, especially when acute, to standard radiologic and autopsy procedures. The presented autopsy technique requires incising and reflecting skeletal muscles to expose the bones and costal osseous joints in situ , increasing the opportunity to recognize skeletal injury. Fractured or atypical appearing bones are removed and processed for complete evaluation. The bones are processed by macerating the soft tissue in a water soap bath at an elevated temperature. To aid in reconstruction of the decedent, long bones are replaced with wooden dowels and the chest cavity is packed with the organ bag. The technique is invasive and recommended for cases in which the pathologist has reasonable suspicion of acute or remote trauma.     

Drugs and alcohol in hypothermia and hyperthermia related deaths: a retrospective study

Hypothermia and hyperthermia related cases recorded for the period 1973 to 1984 were collected from the files of the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Oulu, and the necropsy protocols including toxicological results were analyzed. The fact that similar alcohol concentrations were found in both types of fatalities points to the poikilothermic effect of alcohol in humans, as found in animal studies. Both types of deaths seem to be associated with the alcohol elimination phase. Antidepressants and neuroleptics were most often found in the hypothermia cases, but benzodiazepines were also quite frequently present. In spite of the diminished use of barbiturates, these still appear in hypothermia fatalities. Certain other drugs that affect thermoregulation were also noted in solitary cases. Extended toxicological analysis was seldom made in the cases of hyperthermia deaths, and no firm conclusions on the poikilothermic effect of psychotropic drugs could be reached, for example. Therapeutic drug concentrations did not alone predispose the subjects to hypothermia, but appeared in connection with alcohol consumption or chronic diseases.     

兔悬挂双前肢致死组织中PKC、AchE、HSP70的活性变化

目的观察兔悬挂双前肢致死不同组织中PKC、AchE、HSP70的活性变化,探讨其在死亡机制中的作用。方法家兔双前肢悬挂致死亡,取膈肌、肋间肌、心肌、腓肠肌、大脑、脑干、肝、肾、肺等组织,以勒颈、颅脑损伤和疾病死亡相应组织为对照。采用SP法对上述组织中蛋白激酶C(PKC)、乙酰胆碱酯酶(AchE)和热休克蛋白70(HSP70)进行免疫组化染色,观察其活性,并采用多组独立样本的Kruskal-Wallis秩和检验方法,对结果进行统计学分析。结果膈肌、肋间肌和大脑组织细胞质中PKC免疫组化阳性染色,悬挂组较其它组增强(P0.05);膈肌、肋间肌、心肌、大脑和肝细胞质及肌组织神经束中AchE免疫组化阳性染色,悬挂组较其它组增强(P0.05);大脑、心、肺中HSP70免疫组化阳性染色,悬挂组较其它组增强(P0.05)。结论PKC、AChE、HSP70通过不同机制,在悬挂双上肢体位性窒息死亡中起到一定作用,本文结果可为相关研究及鉴定提供实验依据。     

Red state, blue state, flu state: media self-selection and partisan gaps in Swine flu vaccinations

This study assesses the relationship between political partisanship and attitudes and behavior with respect to the H1N1 virus (swine flu) crisis of 2009 in general, and the U.S. mass vaccination program in particular. I argue that even seemingly nonpartisan political issues like public health are increasingly characterized by partisan polarization in public attitudes and that such polarization is attributable, at least partly, to the breakdown of the information commons that characterized the U.S. mass media from roughly the 1950s until the early 1990s. In its place has arisen an increasingly fragmented and niche-oriented media marketplace in which individuals are better able to limit their information exposure to attitudes and opinions that reinforce, rather than challenge, their preexisting beliefs. I test my argument against a variety of data sources, including opinion surveys and state-level swine flu vaccination rate data.     

Histological and immunohistochemical study of Wischnewsky spots in fatal hypothermia

Wischnewsky spots in the gastric mucosa are considered an important finding for the diagnosis of hypothermia-related deaths. In the present prospective histological and immunohistochemical investigation, 14 cases of fatal hypothermia presenting Wischnewsky spots at autopsy were studied. Macromorphologically, the lesions, varying in diameter from 0.1 to 0.4 cm, had a blackish-brownish color and appeared partly lofty, especially on the apex of gastric folds. Histologically, no erosions or ulcers were observed in the gastric mucosa. In some cases, hemorrhages in conjunction with infarctions of the mucosa were observed in the mucosal glands. Those regions, however, did not represent the lesions visible as Wischnewsky spots at the macroscopical level. Immunohistochemical stains were done with a specific antibody against hemoglobin (Dako, Glostrup, Denmark). Wischnewsky spots expressed immunopositivity with antihemoglobin. Concerning the pathogenesis and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms contributing to the development of Wischnewsky spots, we hypothesize that cooling of the body in the setting of cold ambient temperatures primarily leads to circumscribed hemorrhages of the gastric glands in vivo or in the agonal period, respectively. Subsequently, due to autolysis, erythrocytes are destroyed and hemoglobin is released. Following exposure to gastric acid, hemoglobin is hematinized, leading to the typical blackish-brownish appearance of Wischnewsky spots seen at gross examination. Wischnewsky spots are not equivalent to erosions in terms of histopathological diagnosis but rather represent epiphenomena generated in vivo or in the agonal period of fatal hypothermia.