Bile analysis of drugs in postmortem cases

Bile is, in certain cases, collected together with blood from different sites (heart, brain, femoral), urine and other organs or matrices. This study reports comparative results obtained from the analysis of blood and bile for different drugs found: acetaminophen, amphetamine and related compounds, several antidepressants, several benzodiazepines, cocaine and its metabolites, dextropropoxyphene and its metabolite, hydroxyzine, methadone and metabolite, morphine and codeine, levomepromazine, thioridazine, propranolol, tramadol and its metabolite. Several findings are presented: (1) There were no significant differences in the levels of the compounds among the samples of blood obtained from different sites. (2) Levels in bile are generally several fold higher than those in blood. The mean bile to blood ratios vary from about 1 (for acetaminophen, amphetamine) to about 2000 (for desmethylclobazam). (3) In certain cases (16 over 44), although the drug or its metabolite was not detected in blood from different sites, it was detected in bile. As other authors had advocated, it is very useful to ask the pathologist to take the gall bladder with its contents together with the other samples, in order that the sample of bile can be used in the comprehensive toxicological analysis and therefore be complementary to the other fluids or matrices. An additional advantage for using bile is that the concentrations of drugs or their metabolites are generally several fold higher than their blood concentrations.     

Polymorphism at fifteen hypervariable microsatellite loci in four populations of Maharashtra,India

Polymorphism at 15 microsatellite loci was studied in four predominant, endogamous populations of Maharashtra state in India. The studied population included Marathas, Desasth Brahmins, Chitpavan Brahmins and Dhangars; all of whom belong to Marathi speaking linguistic group of India. The distribution of the allele pattern at 13 tetranucleotide repeat and two pentanucleotide repeat of Powerplex 16 System portrays that these markers are highly polymorphic and thus, informative in human identification and understanding diversity in the addressed populations.     

Genetic variation at 15 autosomal microsatellite loci in the three highly endogamous tribal populations of Orissa,India

Although microsatellite diversity in autosomal chromosomes has been extensively described for many of the Indian populations, there is still a lacuna left on information about the genetic diversity of tribal populations. This paper reports the genetic data on the three tribal populations belonging to the Austroloid ethnic group from Orissa (Juang, Paroja and Saora). The 15 STR (D3S1358, THO1, D21S11, D18S51, PentaE, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D16S539, CSF1PO, PentaD, vWA, D8S1179, TPOX, FGA) polymorphism would help to accentuate the STR database for better understanding of population genetics and forensic applications. The microsatellites included in the system are found to be highly polymorphic, with the combined power of exclusion being greater than 0.999, in all the three investigated populations.     

欧盟宪法危机的成因、影响及出路

欧洲迎来了历史上前所未有的和平统一的机会,欧元的成功已进一步地把欧洲的经济融合到一起。政治上,欧盟宪法的起草也给人们以巨大的希望,人们希望看到一个统一、和平的欧洲出现。但在2005年,法国和荷兰先后在全民公决中,否定了《欧盟宪法》,这给欧洲统一的进程蒙上了阴影。本文尝试分析此次危机出现的原因,并进一步探讨危机出现可能带来的影响,以及预测今后欧洲一体化的前景。     

关于《网络著作权》的法律问题

本文界定了网络著作权侵权,探讨了网络著作权的管辖问题、法定许可问题、侵权行为的表现形式以及侵权的责任及赔偿标准等问题。     

Environment,advocacy, and community participation: MOPAWI in Honduras

This paper analyzes the work of Mosquitia Pawisa (MOPAWI) in relation to the development of its strategic linkages among the grassroots, the state, and ultimately the international level of politics in practice. Over the years, MOPAWI has developed a large and complex program addressing many aspects of development in La Mosquitia. Working strategically at two levels, MOPAWI has endeavored to change government policy for the region through continued lobbying and advocacy. It has also worked alongside with local communities to find ways of improving livelihoods without harming the environment. The key strength of the MOPAWI work has been the high level of community participation and mobilization by managing their own development in a time of profound change. Overall, the experience of MOPAWI suggests that nongovernmental organizations can play a strategic role in obtaining environmental protection, government recognition of ethnic diversity, and rights for indigenous people.     

Population genetics of the D1S1656, D12S391, and D18S535 loci in Asturias (North Spain)

Allele and genotype frequencies for three recently described short tandem repeat loci D1S1656, D12S391, and D18S535 were determined in a population sample from Asturias (North Spain). The loci were amplified using a fluorescence based PCR method and were typed automatically. No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations were observed. The three loci proved to be highly discriminating and the allele frequencies observed are similar to those of the other European populations that have been typed for these loci to date.     

Formation of an interfering substance, 3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidine, during a pseudoephedrine urinalysis

During fatal aviation accident investigations, biosamples from the victims are submitted to the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) for drug analysis. In the process of one such analysis by CAMI, an unknown substance was found in a urine sample. Simultaneous screening by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography/FID (GC/FID) suggested the presence of pseudoephedrine. A subsequent routine confirmation analysis of a separate urine aliquot by GC Fourier transform infrared (GC/FTIR) and GC mass spectrometry (GC/MS) indicated that the retention times of the unknown substance matched with those of pseudoephedrine. However, its infrared and mass spectra were different--the -OH and -NH groups were missing, a C-O-C group was present, and the molar mass was 12 atomic mass units (amu) more than that of pseudoephedrine. A subsequent literature search suggested that ephedrine-like amines react with aldehydes to form oxazolidines. Therefore, the 12-amu increase could be accounted for by condensation of pseudoephedrine with formaldehyde. Since this aldehyde is present in various grades of methanol and ethyl acetate, and these solvents were used during the solid-phase extraction, 3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidine was synthesized by using (+)-pseudoephedrine HCl and formaldehyde. The analytical findings of the synthesized compound were consistent with those of the unknown interfering substance, confirming that it was the oxazolidine. Aldehyde contaminants in solvents or specimens can transform drugs of interest and may result in misidentification of a compound originally present in specimens. Therefore, chemicals used in analyses should be of the highest available purity, and a multi-analytical approach should be adopted to maintain a high degree of quality assurance.     

Diagnostic role of acute microscopic changes in myocardium

Forensic medical diagnosis of death from coronary heart disease, acute ethanol poisoning, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, closed cardiac injuries, mechanical injuries incompatible with life which may be directly caused by acute cardiac failure, requires identification and evaluation of diagnostic complexes of acute myocardial changes. The diagnostic significance of such complexes of myocardial changes is characterized for the first time. A method for evaluation of such changes, addressed to expert histologists, is presented.