Kinetics of ethanol degradation in forensic blood samples

To determine ethanol in human post-mortem blood samples is problematic, largely due to the inappropriate and variable methods of preserving and storing, which can cause decomposition and loss of alcohol concentration. In this study, four crucial parameters of sample conservation were studied: temperature (T), percentage of air chamber in container (%CA), ethanol concentration in blood and post-mortem time. Blood samples from post-mortem cases were stored under different conditions (ethanol levels were known in all cases); factorial design variables: (%CA) 0, 5, 20, 35, 65%; storage temperature: 25, 4 and -10 degrees C; in a total of 15 experiments. No preserving agent was used in samples. Quantification of ethanol in blood was carried out by gas chromatography with head-space FID detector. Initial ethanol concentration ranged from 0.50 to 4.30 g/L. The kinetics of degradation observed was pseudo-first-order. The parameter that characterised the kinetics of ethanol degradation (k(0)) ranged from (4 x 10(-4) and 5.0 x 10(-1) day(-1)), depending on storage conditions. A strong dependence between ethanol degradation and the content of the air chamber was observed and this dependence was found to be stronger than that between degradation and temperature; there was an experimental relation between (k(0)) and (%CA). Activation energy for different conditions, i.e. 0, 5, 20, 35 and 65 (%CA), were calculated and contour plots were made. A mathematical equation relating air chamber, temperature and ethanol concentration at a certain time was determined. This equation allowed estimation of initial concentrations of ethanol with minimal error. A good correlation between experimental data and data calculated with the equation was obtained (r(2) = 0.9998). The best storage conditions were: 0% CA and storage at -10 degrees C, obtaining an ethanol degradation of 0.01% after 15 days. However, 33% of ethanol degradation was obtained with 35% CA at 25 degrees C after 15 days. This equation is useful in forensic cases in which original concentration of ethanol has to be estimated under different sample storage conditions.     

医疗事故的原因分析和相关技术鉴定的建议

目的分析医疗事故的发生原因,及医疗纠纷技术鉴定的现状。方法32例医疗纠纷技术鉴定按一般情况(性别、年龄、主要疾病、后果)和鉴定结果(有无失误、因果关系、责任程度等)进行统计分析。结果死亡鉴定17例,活体鉴定15例。32例中医疗事故13例,非医疗事故19例,医疗事故的原因多为医疗责任心不强。结论加强医务人员综合素质培养可以减少医疗事故的发生。为了使医疗纠纷技术鉴定取得积极的效果,建议国家进一步完善有关尸体解剖的立法;事故等级中宜增加医疗差错的鉴定;有必要进一步提高医疗纠纷鉴定的公正性。     

大鼠急性心肌缺血动物实验模型的改进

目的改进大鼠急性心肌缺血动物实验模型时,提高手术的成功率和动物成活率。方法比较传统方法与改进方法动物试验的成功率。结果传统方法成功率只有60%,改进方法成功率达到90%以上。结论改进后的方法能大大降低手术难度,减少实验费用,优于传统方法。     

The problem of single parent/child paternity analysis--practical results involving 336 children and 348 unrelated men

In a certain amount of paternity investigations, only DNA from child and alleged father is analyzed, thus increasing the possibility of false paternity inclusions. The aim of this study was to determine how many wrong paternity inclusions could be detected in a rather small geographical area comparing empirical results from 336 children and 348 men (13-15 STRs were investigated per person). This comparison between each child and all unrelated men (i.e. all putative fathers from the other cases) with an especially designed computer program resulted in 116,004 man/child pairs. Less than three excluding STRs were found in 1666 child/unrelated man pairs (1.44% of the comparisons). At least one unrelated man with only two or less STR mismatches could be determined for 322 children (95.8% of all investigated children). In 26 comparisons no STR mismatches between a child and an unrelated man were detected, thus at least one and up to three "second father(s)" under 350 men could be found for 23 children, if the mother is excluded. Paternity probabilities between 95.475% and 99.996% were calculated. Our results underline the difficulties in motherless paternity cases using only STR analysis and advise great precaution in assigning verbal predicates such as "paternity proven" in those investigations.     

Analysis of the population heterogeneity in Hungary using fifteen forensically informative STR markers

Previous studies have shown that population analyses in Hungary can be of great importance from the viewpoint of the examination of population differentiation. This study provides additional population genetic data of the Hungarian population on the thirteen CODIS core STR loci and on two penta STRs (PentaE, PentaD). Allele frequency and profile databases were generated for four population samples. Comparing the allele frequency values by G-statistic, calculating the FST indices and with the pair-wise comparisons of inter-population molecular variance (AMOVA) the four Hungarian populations could be distinguished.     

Data for Y-chromosome haplotypes defined by 17 STRs (AmpFLSTR Yfiler) in two Tunisian Berber communities

The 17 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) included in the AmpFLSTR Yfiler PCR Amplification Kit (AB Applied Biosystems) (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635 and GATA H4) were typed in two Berber communities, a small village (Takrouna) and a town (Sejenane), from North Tunisia. As expected, diversity was higher in the town, even when compared with a pool of three small Berber communities, probably due to the combination of different founder effects and genetic drifts operating in the small villages.     

Perceived positive aspects of intimate relationships among abused women in methadone maintenance treatment programs (MMTP)

This study examines the positive aspects of intimate relationships perceived by drug-involved women victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). The article examines the association of psychological distress, childhood abuse, and severity of IPV with the different positive aspects the women indicated. Most analyses were conducted on a subsample of 149 women in methadone maintenance treatment who intended to continue their relationship with their abusive partner. The women most frequently valued fulfillment of the role of an intimate partner such as "he takes care of me, loves me, makes me laugh" (29.7%). Fewer than one tenth of the women valued their partners' role as economic provider; however, these women reported more physical IPV. Women intending to continue the relationship (more than two thirds of the participants) reported less physical or sexual IPV and experienced less psychological distress. Policy and practice implications are discussed.