Electrical excitability of skeletal muscle postmortem in casework

The paper gives a review of the development of methods of postmortem electrical excitability of skeletal muscle for determining the time since death. For practical application in casework, the following method can be proposed: position of electrodes in the orbicularis oculi muscle, stimulation by rectangular impulses of 10 ms duration, 30 mA in a repetition rate of 50/s. The muscular reaction on excitation is graded in 6 degrees according to the spread of movement and the intensity of contraction. To each degree a time information is corresponding (95%-limits of confidence). These 95%-limits of confidence were proved to be valid for cases of sudden natural or traumatic deaths. Exclusions: deaths after chronic lingering disease (shorter times), fatal hypothermia, haematomas, emphysemas of the eyelid (longer times). The practical application in casework together with the temperature method (Henssge 1988, 1) is described. Applying both methods the death time estimation in the early postmortem interval may be much more precise and accurate than using one method alone.     

大鼠死后腓肠肌直接电兴奋性变化与早期死亡时间的关系

目的探讨大鼠死亡后不同时间腓肠肌电兴奋性的变化,为早期死亡时间的推断提供新的指标。方法建立大鼠机械性窒息模型,利用电生理检测仪检测死亡后不同时间大鼠腓肠肌对不同强度的电刺激的反应性,记录肌肉组织动作电位出现时间,统计学分析其差异并建立回归方程。结果大鼠机械性窒息死亡后一定时间内,其腓肠肌对电刺激的兴奋性与死亡时间呈明显线性关系。结论肌肉组织的电兴奋性可以作为早期死亡时间推断的有效指标。     

Light microscopical investigations on structural changes of skeletal muscle as artifacts after postmortem stimulation

Samples of skeletal muscle were taken from 20 human corpses where mechanical or electrical stimulation had been carried out up to 8h postmortem (hpm) in order to estimate the time since death. The stimulation had caused an idiomuscular bulge or tetanic contraction of the muscle tissue at this location. The muscle samples were examined for structural changes of the fibers by light microscopy. A comparison with control muscle samples taken contralaterally from the same corpse, showed that the findings previously interpreted as being of intravital origin, e.g. destruction of fiber integrity, invagination and contraction bands, could also be due to postmortem alterations. It is hypothesized that structural changes to the muscle fibers can, in general, be produced as long as the manifestation time is shorter than the supravital phase after the time of force impact.     

Postmortem behavior of the rheobase

Own investigations on the postmortem rise of muscular threshold were conducted on 20 bodies with exactly known time of death. Muscular contraction was objectified using a sensitive force transducer. The muscle was excitated using rectangular impulses of 1 second duration of a current intensity which produces a force of muscular contraction of 2.5 mN. These excitations were continued over the postmortem interval until a current intensity of 80 mN doesn't cause a contraction of 2.5 mN any more. Investigations were mainly performed at the thenar muscles. There is a linear relationship between ln of muscular threshold (current intensity) and the time since death (r = 0.965). For any case the linear regression line between ln of muscular threshold and time since death was calculated. With mean values for slope and intercept the time of death was calculated for each measured threshold. Extrapolation of the time since death with mean values also for the slope reveals a much more precise estimation of the time since death than an extrapolation with an individual slope as proposed by Joachim and Feldmann (1980). The method was proved on a random sample of 8 practical cases. The real time since death was always within the 95%-limits of confidence of the extrapolated time since death.     

Estimation of short-term postmortem interval utilizing core body temperature: a new algorithm

The use of temperature-based short-term postmortem interval (PMI) estimation methods can be useful to homicide investigators at the scene of a questionable death; however, a number of current PMI estimation techniques have high error rates such that they are of limited utility to law enforcement investigators and forensic professionals. These methods fail to control confounding errors present in individual data. An averages-based method of short term postmortem interval estimation was compared to eight other methods, and found to predict postmortem interval considerably more accurately, and for much longer periods of time.     

大鼠死后腓肠肌内糖原含量变化与死亡时间的关系

目的研究大鼠死亡后腓肠肌内糖原含量变化与死亡时间之间的关系。方法采用断颈、机械性窒息、失血性休克三种方法分别处死大鼠,于死亡后0﹑0.5﹑1﹑1.5﹑2﹑3﹑4﹑8﹑12﹑18和24h时间点取腓肠肌,利用PAS染色方法并结合计算机图像分析技术分析糖原含量变化。结果大鼠腓肠肌内糖原含量和阳性面积随死亡后时间的延长而呈线性减少。结论腓肠肌内糖原含量和阳性面积可作为死亡时间推断的参考指标。     

Cathepsin activity in the myocardium and skeletal muscles as a sign of the time of death

Determination of postmortem interval according to the time course of cathepsins activity within 5 days since death was carried out using myocardium and skeletal muscles of white breedless rats and cadavers of people who died of craniocerebral trauma. Natural time course of changes in cathepsins activity was determined which makes it possible to use these values as one of criteria in determination of postmortem interval.     

应用FTIR光谱技术推断死亡时间

目的 应用傅立叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱技术分析大鼠死后组织、人体离体组织随死亡时间推移的化学降解过程,为死亡时间推断的研究提供新的途径与方法.方法 大鼠断颈处死后置于4℃、20℃、30℃环境,在不同死亡时间点提取大鼠不同组织;收集有同样死亡时间的人尸体组织,离体取材,并运用FFIR光谱仪测定不同化学基团随死后和离体后...     

大鼠死后心肌骨骼肌细胞肌动蛋白变化及与死亡时间的关系

目的　探讨大鼠死后心肌骨骼肌细胞肌动蛋白的变化及其与死亡时间的关系。方法　采用免疫组化S P法和IBSA图像分析系统 ,观测大鼠死后不同时间心肌骨骼肌抗肌动蛋白单克隆抗体 (HHF3 5 )染色变化。结果　在大鼠死后 5 4h内 ,心肌骨骼肌呈不同程度的HHF3 5缺染 ,其面积随死后时间的延长而增大。经对IBSA图像分析数据进行方差分析 (F心肌 =5 88 2 7,F骨骼肌 =3 5 1 2 5 ,P <0 0 5 ) ,具有显著性差异 ;经逐步回归分析 (r心肌 =0 943 ,r骨骼肌 =0 95 8,P <0 0 5 ) ,具有正相关关系。所建方程y心肌 =-3 0 5 68+1 0 0 3x1,y骨骼肌 =-2 4 897+0 986x2 (X为HHF3 5缺染面积均数 )具有统计学意义。结论　在一定时间内 ,大鼠死后不同时间心肌骨骼肌细胞HHF3 5缺染面积 ,随死后时间的延长而增大。     

肌红蛋白降解与人体死亡时间的相关性

目的检测人体死亡后骨骼肌中肌红蛋白的降解水平,探讨其与死亡时间的关系。方法分别于人体死后0、4、8、12、24、36、48、60、72h取骨骼肌,置于室温25℃,在不同时间点抽提蛋白质,用Western Blot方法检测肌红蛋白,随后利用生物电泳图像分析软件分析。结果肌红蛋白随死后时间逐步降解。结论肌红蛋白降解的检测可用于推断死亡时间。     

The electric conductivity indices of the skeletal muscles in the dynamics of the posttraumatic period]

In order to determine the time of inflicting mechanical trauma, values of electric conduction of skeletal muscles were measured taking into consideration postmortem interval and temperature of an object tested. Electric conduction of traumatized and intact muscles was determined within 0, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hr of posttraumatic period directly after death (the 1st series of observations) and in different postmortal periods. The results of investigations disclose presence of certain time-course changes in parameters of electric conductivity of skeletal muscles depending on time of posttraumatic period.     

心肌梗死6项免疫组化指标的死后稳定性比较

目的　探讨用于早期心肌梗死死后诊断的维连接蛋白 (Fn)、纤维蛋白原 (Fg)、补体 (C5 )、肌红蛋白(Mb)、肌动蛋白 (HHF3 5 )、结蛋白 (Dm )等 6项免疫组化指标在死后不同时间的稳定性。方法　应用免疫组织化学法、图像分析和统计学处理系统 ,检测缺血心肌细胞内Mb、HHF3 5、Dm的缺失面积和Fn、Fg、C5的阳性反应面积 ,并对 6项免疫组化指标在死后不同时间的稳定性进行比较。结果　正常心肌组织 4℃放置 1～ 2d ,Dm、HHF3 5、Mb染色均匀 ,未见明显缺失 ;放置 3d以上 ,即可见Dm、HHF3 5、Mb明显缺失 ,且随放置时间延长 ,缺失面积逐步增大。缺血心肌组织随放置时间延长 ,Dm、HHF3 5、Mb的缺失面积逐步增大 ,Fg、C5、Fn阳性反应面积逐渐减少 ;放置 14d以上 ,Fg呈阴性反应 ;放置 2 1d以上 ,C5呈阴性反应 ;放置 2 8d ,Fn仍呈阳性反应。正常心肌组织放置不同时间 ,均未见Fg、C5、Fn阳性反应。图像分析结果显示阳性反应面积逐步减少。结论　Dm、HHF3 5、Mb的稳定性最差 ,易受死后自溶的影响 ,只适用于新鲜尸体 (死后 1～ 2d) ;Fg次之 ,可用于死后 4℃放置 7d的尸体 ;C5较好 ,可用于死后 4℃放置 14d的尸体 ;Fn稳定性最好 ,可用于死后 4℃放置 2 8d的尸体。     

家兔急性胰腺炎死后不同时间眼玻璃体液淀粉酶变化

目的探讨急性胰腺炎死后不同时间眼玻璃体液淀粉酶变化。方法用1%牛胆酸钠诱导家兔急性胰腺炎动物模型建立,于死后不同时间和正常对照组,观察其淀粉酶变化。结果家兔急性胰腺炎死后72h眼玻璃体液淀粉酶含量(x)与死亡时间(y)存在相关关系,并导出其二项式回归方程为y=8.7420 0.7699x-0.0083x2(R2=92.62792,F=14.89734,P=0.001)。可作为推定早期损伤时间的参考指标。结论家兔急性胰腺炎死后不同时间眼玻璃体液淀粉酶改变为法医早期死亡时间推断提供了灵敏客观的实验依据。     

死后大鼠脾脏组织FTIR测量结果的法医学分析

目的应用傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）光谱技术分析大鼠死后脾脏组织随死亡时间增加的化学变化过程,为死亡时间推断研究提供新的途径与研究数据。方法大鼠断颈处死后,在30℃、20℃及4℃环境中,不同死亡时间点提取大鼠脾脏组织,并运用FTIR光谱仪测定不同化学基团随死亡时间的变化。结果随着死亡时间的推移,大鼠脾脏组织FTIR光谱的主要吸收峰峰位没有明显变化,而其吸收峰强度有明显差异：（1）1080cm-1和1238cm-1被指认核酸谱带吸收峰的峰强呈下降趋势;（2）1541cm-1被指认酰胺Ⅱ吸收峰的峰强呈上升变化;（3）1396cm-1被指认脂肪酸吸收峰的峰强呈上升变化;（4）指认为C-H结构振动的2852、2871、2923、2958cm-1吸收峰的峰强呈现上升趋势。结论 FTIR光谱分析技术有望成为法医死亡时间推断的有效方法。     

利用人体标本进行死亡时间推断的研究现状

死亡时间(PMI)推断具有重要的法医学意义,但尚无可以应用在实践领域的PMI推断方法。本文从PMI推断的实践应用角度出发,从脏器、骨骼、骨骼肌、牙齿、牙龈以及大体观、毛发、皮肤和血液等角度,对利用人体标本进行死亡时间推断的研究现状进行了综述。希望对我国开展人体标本的PMI推断实践研究提供借鉴。     

Immunohistochemical detection of fibronectin and tenascin in incised human skin injuries

Immunohistochemical detection of molecules involved in inflammatory reaction can be useful for the diagnosis of vitality in skin wounds. We studied the expression of fibronectin (FN) and tenascin (TN) in 58 human skin wounds (48 vital and 10 postmortem). The age of vital injuries ranged from 3 min to 8 h and postmortem specimens were collected after a postinfliction interval of 15-180 min. One hundred thirty-seven formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections (mean: 2.3 sections per case) were stained with each of two monoclonal antibodies against FN and TN using the streptABC technique. A reticular staining for FN in wound edge and dermis was observed in 50% of vital specimens versus 0% in postmortem cases. Immunoreactivity was reduced in 10 autolysed cases. FN positivity exclusively at the injury margin was observed in 39.4% of vital wounds and 10% of postmortem cases. TN was negative in all specimens. Vital and postmortem hemorrhage areas showed positivity for FN and TN. Due to its low sensitivity, immunohistochemical analysis of FN is useful for determining vitality only in a minority of cases. Different factors in everyday practice, including autolysis and technical problems often produce false negative reactions with the result that FN cannot be regarded as a reliable parameter of vitality. Positive reactions (network staining) are more valuable than negativity but are not pathognomonic. Both vital and postmortem hemorrhages show an enhanced positivity for FN and TN, thus impeding the diagnosis.     

Estimation of postmortem interval using an electric impedance spectroscopy technique: A preliminary study

The objective of this study was to develop a rapid method for the estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) using electric impedance spectroscopy. Postmortem rat spleens were studied at 10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C; The results obtained demonstrated that postmortem interval negatively correlated with the absolute value of Im Z^// (capacitive reactance component) in electrical impedance. This suggests that electric impedance spectroscopy may be a sensitive tool to determine the postmortem interval.     

电击兔肢体所致骨损伤后的实验性研究

目的220V交流电击兔肢体后,观察电击部位骨表面的病理改变,为法医病理诊断电击伤提供客观、量化的指标。方法用220V交流电作为损伤电压。动物分为:生前电击组、死后5m in电击组、腐败组及正常对照组。每组骨骼标本均进行肉眼检察、X线检测及SEM观察;同时运用能谱仪测量电击部位元素的种类及含量。结果①电击部位骨皮质SEM下骨皮质紊乱、小孔穴形成、周围高密度影环绕,且钙、磷元素升高,碳元素下降是诊断电击伤的指标,并能鉴别生前、死后电击伤及腐败骨。②小孔穴的形态及钙、磷、碳元素的变化可用于推断电击时间。结论电击造成骨组织的形态及电击部位元素的改变可作为鉴别生前、死后电击伤、腐败骨和推断电击时间的指标。     

应用DNA3’末端转移推测死亡时间

目的根据机体死后组织细胞DNA降解规律,研究其与死亡时间之间的关系.方法SD大鼠处死后,在不同死亡时间段取肝、肾、脾组织提取DNA.根据DNA3′末端转移的方法(TdT法)将dUTP结合到DNA的3′末端,检测反应剩余的dUTP量,从而推测机体死后不同时间段DNA的降解情况.结果经对剩余dUTP检测发现,dUTP的剩余量随死亡时间延长而减少,说明DNA降解与死亡时间存在一定的关系.结论根据机体死后DNA降解规律可用于早期死亡时间的推测.     

根据mRNA稳定性推断死亡时间的研究

目的检测大鼠肺、胸肌β肌动蛋白(β-actin)mRNA在死后不同时间的表达,为死亡时间的推断寻找新的指标。方法大鼠断颈处死后于21℃温度控制系统模拟死后改变,在不同时间点抽提相应组织总RNA,利用RT-PCR技术检测β-actinmRNA的表达水平变化并对扩增产物进行半定量分析。结果大鼠肺β-actinmRNA于死后12d仍可检出,胸肌在死后8d的检测呈阴性。β-actinmRNA在肺脏和胸肌的稳定性呈现器官差异性和时间差异性。结论观察死后肺、胸肌β-actinmRNA的变化,可为死亡时间推断提供客观依据。