Recovery and evaluation by cytologic techniques of trace material retained on bullets

Fragments of tissue, intermediate targets, and debris related to firing are embedded in the fine striations and deforming edges of bullets. Because most of these fragments are too small to visualize and process as histologic sections, this material is usually washed away when the projectiles are cleaned following removal at autopsy. By preserving the rinsing material that results from routine cleaning of projectiles, it may be possible to evaluate adherent material from the bullet by cytologic techniques, including filter preparations, cell blocks, and smears of macroscopic tissue fragments. Bullet-wash cytology produced cellular elements, tissue fragments, and inert material from intermediate targets. Different tissue elements could be documented with a given projectile; this information could be utilized to document the path of a bullet through the body or intermediate target. This initial study suggests that low- and high-velocity projectiles produce different types of tissue debris, with much more fragmentation and scarcity of cellular components in the high-velocity rounds. Inert material, resulting from intermediate targets, such as clothing, as well as gunshot residue on the bullet or debris from the barrel could be distinguished on preparations. There was a difference in tissue representation of adherent material on the bullet; connective tissue, mesothelial coverings, and fragments from organs with higher elastic and cohesive properties were seen with much greater frequency on the filters than were loosely cohesive and friable organs such as liver and spleen. The cytologic preparations from projectile washings reflect both the path taken by the bullet and the ballistic damage to the organs. Thus, the cytologic evaluation of bullet washings may be useful in the incorporation of gunshot wound evaluation to support documentation of the trajectory of the projectile.     

Group-specific component imaging from trace material using isoelectric focussing and electroblotting

GC-subtyping was carried out on blood stains, that had been made on glass and stored under room temperature-conditions. Using isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel, followed by transfer to nitrocellulose membrane by semi-dry-electroblotting and detection with enzyme-linked antibody complex the GC-detection was possible even after 64 days. Methodical problems are discussed.     

热处理方法恢复PVC胶带分离缘形态

目的建立一种能有效恢复PVC胶带上变形分离缘原始形态的热处理方法。方法选取3个品牌的PVC胶带作为实验样品,沿宽度方向进行不同程度的拉伸,用水浴加热的方法对变形的分离缘进行处理,通过实验确定加热温度、时间以及对变形的恢复效果。结果基于分离缘宽度测量的变形程度大大缩小,对分离缘的凹凸形态恢复效果良好。结论本文建立的热处理方法,能有效地对PVC胶带上变形的分离缘进行形态恢复,可大大增加整体分离痕迹检验的可行性、结论的准确性及说服力。     

Homicide by gunshot. An evaluation of 50 homicides with reference to gunshot wound site]

In this paper the homicides committed in the region of Ulm with firearms over a period of 17 years were studied. These included 50 deaths caused by gunshot wounds, 33 males and 17 females. Homicides by firearms accounted for 44 percent, which was slightly higher than in other German regions. Homicide victims were found in all age groups with a markedly higher number up to the 20th year and in the fourth decade of life. In most cases small arms were used, and in many cases multiple shots were fired primarily hitting the head and the left side of the trunk: but injuries in the region of the extremities were also seen.     

MicroRNA在创伤性脑损伤的研究进展

MicroRNA是一类非编码小分子RNA,可调控人类基因组中20%-30%的基因,对细胞分化、增殖和凋亡起着重要调控作用。部分microRNA在哺乳动物中枢神经系统呈高水平表达,在神经元发育、突触发生和可塑性等过程中发挥关键作用,对认知功能亦有重要影响。创伤性脑损伤所致认知障碍的鉴定是法医学领域的重点及难点问题,识别其相关的特异性microRNA及其靶基因、阐明相应的信号传导通路对明确颅脑损伤的诊断、鉴别、预后及判断致伤机制、推断死因等方面可能均具有重要价值,应是今后的研究重点。本文简介microRNA在中枢神经系统中的分布与功能,对microRNA在创伤性脑损伤中所发挥的作用以及法医学研究进展做了重点阐述。     

外伤后诊疗失误医疗纠纷分析

通过对5例外伤后医疗纠纷案件的回顾性分析,探讨了此类医疗纠纷的特点和医疗失误的成因。通过外伤和医疗失误在患者死亡后果中责任程度分析,提出了“死因竞合”和“参与度”的判定原则。并且认为,在涉讼的此类医疗纠纷案件的技术鉴定中,如将对死者进行全面尸体解剖和病理学检验以明确患者死亡的原因作为必要的前置程序．则对于此类案件的科学鉴定具有非常重要的意义。     

创伤性脑损伤动物模型研究进展

创伤性脑损伤(traumatic brain injury,TBI)是多因素作用的高度复杂过程,TBI动物实验研究有利于阐明TBI原发性、继发性损伤机制及病理生理学过程,为诊断及治疗提供依据.动物模型的选择依赖于研究目的,然而各种动物模型均具有局限性,仅能复制TBI关键的损伤机制或某一重要的病理生理学过程而无法全面反映...     

外伤性视神经损伤的法医学鉴定

目的 探讨外伤性视神经损伤的特点及其法医学鉴定的要点。方法 对40例视神经损伤的法医学鉴定案例进行回顾性研究,所有案例均进行眼科常规检查及眼电生理(VEP)检查,视力接近正常或正常者进行视野检查。结果视神经损伤在眼外伤中占13.84％,多并发于颅脑损伤(65％),交通肇事致伤67.50％。伤者多表现为明显的视功能障碍(67.50％)。LED-VEP检查表现为潜伏期延长和/或波幅降低,严重者为切迹波甚至无波;视盘色淡或苍白,90.00％瞳孔对光反射异常。结论 外伤后,LED-VEP异常、眼底视盘改变、瞳孔对光反射,以及视野异常是判定视神经损伤的主要指标。     

Schedule for rating disabilities; evaluation of residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Final rule

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Schedule for Rating Disabilities by revising the portion of the Schedule that addresses neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. The effect of this action is to provide detailed and updated criteria for evaluating residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI).     

An evaluation of methods for isolating antiparkinson preparations from cadaveric material

Methods of amedine, amyzyl, and tropacine isolation from cadaveric material, blood and urine were developed. They ensure higher output of the given substances as compared with conventional methods of isolation of toxicologically significant substances. An extraction-photometric method was developed for estimation of amedine, amyzyl, and tropacine in the cadaveric material.     

Deposition and incorporation of trace objects on the bone in blunt injury

A total of 457 cases with the impact of blunt hard objects and cars on the surface of different bones with formation of sites of deposition and incorporation of trace objects are analyzed. Variants of incorporation of fragments of hairs, fibers, metals, varnish into bone surface and microstructure are described, their diagnostic significance, mechanism of formation, and relationship with bone injuries are discussed.     

Suicidal single gunshot injury to the head: differences in site of entrance wound and direction of the bullet path between right- and left-handed--an autopsy study

The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the anatomical site of a gunshot entrance wound and the direction of the bullet path between right- and left-handed subjects who committed a suicide by a single gunshot injury to the head. The retrospective autopsy study was performed for a 10-year period, and it included selected cases of single suicidal gunshot head injury, committed by handguns. We considered only contact or near-contact wounds. The sample included 479 deceased, with average age 47.1 ± 19.1 years (range, 12-89 years): 432 males and 47 females, with 317 right-handed, 25 left-handed, and 137 subjects with unknown dominant hand. In our observed sample, most cases involved the right temple as the site of entrance gunshot wound (about 67%), followed by the mouth (16%), forehead (7%), left temple (6%), submental (2%), and parietal region (1%). The left temple, right temple, and forehead were the sites of the gunshot entrance wounds, which were the best predictors of the handedness of the deceased (Spearman ρ = 0.149, P = 0.006). Our study showed that the direction of the bullet intracranial path in cases of suicide was even a more potent predictor of the handedness of the deceased (Spearman ρ = 0.263, P = 0.000; Wald = 149.503, P = 0.000).     

创伤性脑损伤后生物分子标志物的研究进展

创伤性脑损伤(traumatic brain injury,TBI)是指机械性外力作用于头部时发生的损伤,导致一个或者多个病变,如颅内损伤、神经病学或者神经心理学改变、意识障碍或者死亡。TBI可因直接打击、缺血缺氧性脑损伤、炎性介质、细胞因子及氧自由基等机制诱发神经元死亡。TBI发生发展过程中产生了大量生物分子标志物,深入研究TBI后生物分子标志物的变化及其规律,对法医学鉴定及临床治疗都有重大意义。本文结合相关文献概述了TBI相关生物分子标志物的研究进展,为寻找更精确的与TBI诊断相关的生物分子标志物提供参考依据。     

大鼠脑外伤后溶酶体酶Cathepsin—B和D的表达

目的研究大鼠脑外伤后溶酶体酶cathepsin-B和-D是否被激活及其不同时段表达变化,阐述其与凋亡执行因子caspase-3表达的关系,并探讨对脑外伤诊断及形成时间的意义。方法采用自由落体打击法建立脑外伤动物模型,并对模型及对照样本进行免疫荧光、双标和激光共聚焦检测,结果用SPSS10.0软件处理。结果脑外伤后1hcathepsin-B表达即增加,4～8d达高峰,脑外伤后32d仍处于高表达水平;cathepsin-D的表达于脑外伤后12h增加,4～8d达高峰,32d的表达仍然高于12h的表达水平。脑外伤初期,cathepsin-B和-D阳性细胞与caspase-3阳性细胞重叠较少,脑外伤后6h开始增加,32d仍然有很多阳性细胞重叠。结论脑外伤后cathepsin-B和-D被激活,其激活在脑外伤早期可能抑制细胞凋亡执行因子caspase-3的激活,之后(6h后)则与caspase-3起协同作用,共同促进细胞死亡;cathepsin-B和-D表达的时程变化对于脑外伤的法医学诊断和中晚期的时间推断有参考意义。     

GFAP和VEGF在创伤性脑损伤中表达的研究进展

创伤性脑损伤是世界上导致死亡及残疾的主要原因之一。检测对中枢神经系统损伤有高度特异性和敏感性的生物标志物,可以在一定程度上反映损伤情况。胶质纤维酸性蛋白与血管内皮生长因子均可作为颅脑损伤的生物学标记物,其表达变化规律、峰值出现时间,与创伤性脑损伤的严重程度及损伤时间的推断密切相关,对于法医病理学具有重大意义。该文对胶质纤维酸性蛋白与血管内皮生长因子的分子生物学特性及其在创伤性脑损伤中的表达进行综述。     

Signs of injury in bone findings--analysis and evaluation

Recent bone finds examined under forensic aspects as well as historic skeletons (mainly dating from the Middle Ages) with a known history as to the cause of death and the place where they were found were studied to develop basic criteria for the assessment of the cause and time of origin of bony defects. With regard to the time of origin it was found that the closer an injury occurs before or after death, the harder it is to distinguish from a perimortal injury. A schematic pattern was worked out for the kind of origin classifying the injuries as to "type of force", "mechanism", "weapon/object" and "effect to the bone", which helps in the forensic assessment of the causes of injuries found on bones.     

Fixation of cells for analysis by laser microdissection--comparative studies in forensic trace material

This paper is focused on the preparation of samples for laser microdissection (LM) in forensic casework. In forensic genetics, it is essential to preserve and separate cellular traces during sample preparation, as they are usually gathered in very small amounts and are often contaminated with undesired cells. This is made possible by laser microdissection, a technique developed to cut cells or tissue of a certain type from a microscopical specimen by UV laser and catapult them directly into a PCR reactor. This method minimizes the risk of getting inconclusive, mixed DNA profiles due to contamination by foreign DNA and also supplies information about the cellular origin of a DNA profile. A method for optimized fixation and staining of spermatozoa for laser microdissection was established. Four different fixation methods combined with two staining methods were tested on two different microscope slides. Moreover, the effect of a blocker pen to contain the specimen on the slide was investigated.     

Autonomic dysreflexia and sudden death in people with traumatic spinal cord injury

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening clinical syndrome consisting of acute episodes of excessive, uncontrolled sympathetic output that may occur in quadriplegics and in paraplegics whose spinal cord lesions are above the level of T6. These uncontrolled bouts of sympathetic output can cause transient and pronounced elevations of blood pressure that on occasion can lead to serious sequela such as the precipitation of a hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. The episodes of AD are often triggered by some type of noxious stimulus such as a distended urinary bladder or a fecal impaction. We present the case of a 62-year-old man with a history of quadriplegia resulting from a diving accident 40 years ago that was complicated clinically by episodes of autonomic dysreflexia. While hospitalized, he experienced an episode of autonomic dysreflexia with severe hypertension, which was soon followed by neurologic deterioration and death. Antemortem imaging revealed a large hypertensive-type intracerebral hemorrhage originating in his right caudate nucleus. Although his death at first appeared to be a natural death due to a spontaneous hypertensive-type intracerebral hemorrhage, his clinically documented autonomic dysreflexia convincingly linked the remote spinal cord injury and the fatal intracerebral hemorrhage, engendering an accidental manner of death.     

核因子-κB及其在创伤性脑损伤后的作用

核因子-κB是一种具有多向性调节作用的核转录因子.机体受到创伤后,NF-κB被激活,调节多种炎性介质基因转录,引起局部及全身的炎症反应.对NF-κB的有关研究可望用于法医学家对损伤时间的推测.