Fatal outcome of poisoning with the benzodiazepines flunitrazepam and diazepam

On a wintry day a 29-year-old woman was found dead beside her car showing head injuries and signs of hypothermia. Several empty packets of sedative and hypnotic drugs were lying inside the car. Toxicological analysis revealed the presence of flunitrazepam (heart blood of the left and right chamber 0.033 mg/L each), norflunitrazepam (left heart blood 0.029 mg/L, right heart blood 0.027 mg/L), 7-amino-flunitrazepam (left heart blood 0.090 mg/L, right heart blood 0.104 mg/L), diazepam (left heart blood 0.395 mg/L, right heart blood 0.386 mg/L), nordazepam (left heart blood 0.112 mg/L, right heart blood 0.115 mg/L) and temazepam (left heart blood 0.034 mg/L, right heart blood 0.033 mg/L). Neither alcohol nor other drugs were found. It was concluded that benzodiazepine intake led to a disturbance of consciousness. Whether the woman died in this situation due to the icy temperature as a result of hypothermia or whether she died or would have died solely due to benzodiazepine overdosage could not be clarified.     

P物质在过敏性休克家兔胃肠道内的表达

目的观察P物质在过敏性休克家兔胃肠道组织中随时间变化的规律,探讨其在过敏性休克中的作用。方法 30只家兔随机分为实验组(24只)和对照组(6只)。实验组采用多人混合血清致敏家兔,建立过敏性休克模型。休克不同时间段(猝死即刻、休克0.5h、休克1h、休克2h)提取家兔胃、小肠、圆小囊。冰冻切片,应用免疫组化(IHC)SP法和原位杂交(ISH)方法进行P物质染色,BI-2000计算机图像分析系统进行图像分析,计算阳性积分光密度值(IOD),用SPSS11.5统计软件进行方差分析,SNK检验。结果与对照组相比,实验组各小组胃、肠、圆小囊P物质蛋白和mRNA表达明显增加,且随着休克时间的变化逐渐减弱(P0.001)。IHC方差分析结果为:胃组织F=198.008,肠组织F=56.796,圆小囊组织F=67.231;ISH统计学分析方差分析结果为:胃组织F=67.506,肠组织F=72.117,圆小囊组织F=216.798。结论家兔胃肠道P物质在过敏性休克后一段时间内(2h)均表达增高,随休克时间的延长逐渐下降。     

Suicidal contact gunshot wounds to the head with .38 Special Glaser Safety Slug ammunition

Glaser Safety Slug TM ammunition is a uniquely designed, essentially prefragmented ammunition. Tests performed by the U.S. Justice Department demonstrated that the ammunition possesses high kinetic energy, high relative incapacitation index (RII) and poses a very low risk to bystanders because of its total loss of kinetic energy in the target. Despite having been manufactured since 1974, no deaths from this ammunition have been previously reported. The authors herein describe the first three reported human deaths.     

浅谈高空轻生事故的处置

近年来,社会上出现高空轻生的事故越来越多.处置高空轻生事件成为消防部队社会救助行动中一个新的课题.对高空轻生者实施救援难度大,如何顺利救出轻生者成为消防部门救援的一个难点.本文结合福州市公安消防支队近年来的案例及当前救援实际情况,对高空轻生事故的原因、特点、救援措施进行研究和探讨.     

Dieulafoy lesion of the esophagus causing massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding and death: a case report

Dieulafoy lesion is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We present a case report of sudden and unexpected death in a previously healthy male where autopsy revealed a classic Dieulafoy lesion with a submucosal artery protruding through a small mucosal defect in the esophagus, thereby exposing it to stress and consequent rupture. Advances in endoscopic techniques have drastically reduced mortality from Dieulafoy lesion. Nevertheless, it is an important diagnosis to be kept in mind when autopsy reveals an upper gastrointestinal bleeding.     

Suicidal electrocution using timers. Case reports and review of the literature]

Suicidal electrocution using a time switch is relatively rare. Based on two cases from the authors' own forensic material and seven cases from literature peculiarities regarding the concomitant intake of medicines (benzodiazepines) and alcohol are discussed and comments are made how to proceed in the criminal and forensic investigation of such cases.     

Homicidal traumatic asphyxia associated with pebble impaction of the upper airway.

The news media tend to sensationalize murders involving multiple methods because of their inherent brutality. Similarly, when addressing a jury, prosecutors often emphasize the most grisly part of a murder to ensure a speedy conviction. This paper reports a case of a teenage boy who was murdered by the use of multiple methods of asphyxia. The methods of asphyxial death and the reconstruction of the sequence of events by the medical experts during the murder trial played an important role in the conviction and ultimate sentencing of the perpetrators.     

Case comment: Moore v. Regents of the University of California.

The increasing use of human tissues in medical research has spawned a host of ethical and legal debates. Legal analysis in this area has almost exclusively focused on the question of property rights in both the tissues used in research and in the resulting products. One illustrative case is Moore v. Regents of the University of California, in which a patient sued his doctor for conversion of his spleen which had been removed for therapeutic purposes. The doctor later used the spleen to develop a patented and profitable cell-line. This Comment examines and rejects the property law approach to this issue. Instead, this Comment proposes two legislative changes which would 1) eliminate any trade in human tissues and 2) require doctors to inform their patients of any research interest in proposed medical procedures. These proposals resolve the problem presented in Moore, and avoid the misleading, and inevitably unanswerable, question of property rights.     

从警察执法权威缺失透析暴力袭警问题

近年来,公安民警在执法过程中遭遇暴力袭击的事件频发,不仅严重阻碍了正当执法工作的进行,而且对人民警察的人身安全构成了极大威胁,本文试从当前警察执法权威缺失的角度对暴力袭警的问题进行探讨.     

再论计算机犯罪概念

犯罪学与刑法学都以犯罪作为主要的研究对象,但是由于两种学科的任务和目的不同,导致犯罪学与刑法学是两种不同的语言环境。计算机犯罪概念在犯罪学和刑法学的定义中也会存在较大的差异,此差异是目前计算机犯罪概念难以形成统一认识的最重要的原因。如果在犯罪学语境中定义计算机犯罪,那么计算机犯罪的外延包括以计算机作为犯罪对象的计算机犯罪和以计算机作为犯罪工具的计算机犯罪。     

Medicare program; Medicare appeals of individual claims--HCFA. Final rule with comment period

Under section 1869 of the Social Security Act, Medicare beneficiaries and, under certain circumstances, providers or suppliers of health care services may appeal adverse determinations regarding claims for benefits under Medicare Part A or Part B. This rule expands our regulations to recognize the right of Part B appellants to a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) for claims if at least $500 remains in dispute and the right to judicial review of an adverse ALJ decision if at least $1,000 remains in controversy. Also, this rule codifies in regulations: Limitations on the review by ALJs and the courts of certain national coverage determinations, and the statutory authority for an expedited appeals process under Part A and Part B.     

Medicare Program; establishment of the Medicare+Choice Program--HCFA. Interim final rule with comment period

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) establishes a new Medicare+Choice (M+C) program that significantly expands the health care options available to Medicare beneficiaries. Under this program, eligible individuals may elect to receive Medicare benefits through enrollment in one of an array of private health plan choices beyond the original Medicare program or the plans now available through managed care organizations under section 1876 of the Social Security Act. Among the alternatives that will be available to Medicare beneficiaries are M+C coordinated care plans (including plans offered by health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, and provider-sponsored organizations), M+C "MSA" plans, that is, a combination of a high deductible M+C health insurance plan and a contribution to an M+C medical savings account (MSA), and M+C private fee-for-service plans. The introduction of the M+C program will have a profound effect on Medicare beneficiaries and on the health plans and providers that furnish care. The new provisions of the Medicare statute, set forth as Part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, address a wide range of areas, including eligibility and enrollment, benefits and beneficiary protections, quality assurance, participating providers, payments to M+C organizations, premiums, appeals and grievances, and contracting rules. This interim final rule explains and implements these provisions. In addition, we are soliciting letters of intent from organizations that intend to offer M+C MSA plans to Medicare beneficiaries and/or to serve as M+C MSA trustees.     

Medicaid program; Medicaid managed care. Withdrawal of final rule with comment period

This document withdraws all provisions of the final rule with comment period on Medicaid managed care that we published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2001 (66 FR 6228) with an initial effective date of April 19, 2001. This January 19, 2001 final rule, which has never taken effect, would have combined Medicaid managed care regulations in a new part 438, implemented Medicaid managed care requirements of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33), and imposed new requirements on entities currently regulated as "prepaid health plans' (PHPs). The regulations set forth in the final rule being withdrawn have been superseded by regulations promulgated in a subsequent rulemaking initiated on August 20, 2001 (66 FR 43613). In addition, this document addresses comments received in response to an interim final rule with comment period that we published on August 17, 2001 in the Federal Register (66 FR 43090) that further delayed, until August 16, 2002, the effective date of the January 19, 2001 final rule with comment period.     

Graduate and professional study fellowships--Department of Education. Final regulations with invitation to comment

The Secretary issues final regulations for the Graduate and Professional Study Fellowships Program. The regulations, which implement Title IX, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, have been amended to reflect the statutory changes in the Education Amendments of 1980 and to reflect changes required by the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). These regulations specify the selection criteria the Secretary uses in evaluating applications for fellowships for graduate and professional study, public service education, and studies in domestic mining and mineral and mineral fuel conservation. These regulations also describe application procedures, eligibility requirements, and the terms and conditions of an award.     

20世纪各国死刑废除运动的回顾及评述

死刑废除运动是进入20世纪以来世界范围内一项十分引入注目的问题,回顾和总结上个世纪死刑废除运动的历程和经验,是正确认识死刑废除运动的发生、发展及未来前景的重要课题。本文从法制史的角度,对世界范围内20世纪废除死刑运动的基本情况作了回顾和总结,并得出了几点启示,以期有助于目前对死刑废限问题的讨论。     

Medicaid program; State share of financial participation--HCFA. Interim final rule with comment

On September 12, 1991, we published in the Federal Register an interim final rule with comment entitled "Medicaid Program; State Share of Financial Participation" (56 FR 46380). It dealt with the use of State taxes and provider donations as the State share of the costs of the Medicaid program. Because of misunderstanding created by certain portions of that rule, we are publishing this interim final rule to withdraw and cancel it and to set forth a clearer interim final rule on donations and taxes.     

Medicare program; schedule of limits on home health agency costs per visit--HCFA. Notice with comment period

This notice with comment period sets forth a revised schedule of limits on home health agency costs that may be paid under the Medicare program for cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 1993. These limits replace the per-visit limits that were set forth in our July 8, 1993 notice with comment period (58 FR 36748). This notice also provides, in accordance with the provisions of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA '93), that there will be no changes in the home health agency (HHA) cost limits for cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 1994, and before July 1, 1996. In addition, this notice responds to public comments on the July 8, 1993 notice with comment period, which originally set forth the HHA cost limits for cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 1993, and on the January 6, 1994 notice with comment period (59 FR 760), which announced the elimination of the hospital based add-on effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 1993.     

Medicare program; Medicare coverage of screening mammography--HCFA. Interim final rule with comment

This interim final rule implements section 4163 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-508), which provides limited coverage for screening mammography services. It amends current Medicare regulations to set forth payment limitations and conditions for coverage of screening mammography. The conditions consist of quality standards to assure the safety and accuracy of screening mammography services performed by qualified physicians and other suppliers of these services.