Two tricyclic antidepressant poisonings: levels of amitriptyline, nortriptyline and desipramine in post-mortem biological samples

Two deaths due to amitriptyline and desipramine overdoses are reported. The first case deals with a 20-year-old Caucasian male who was found dead at his residence. Toxicological analysis of the blood, urine, liver and kidney revealed the presence of amitriptyline (1.7 mg/l, 0.13 mg/l, 36.0 mg/kg and 98.0 mg/kg) and nortriptyline (0.66 mg/l, 0.74 mg/l, 12.0 mg/kg and 37.0 mg/kg). The gastric content contained only 220 mg of amitriptyline. The urine also contained norverapamil, which was consistent with previous verapamil therapy. The second case involved a 19-year-old Caucasian male who attempted suicide earlier and was on desipramine medication. The blood, urine, liver and gastric content disclosed the presence of desipramine in the concentrations of 14.2 mg/l, 33.7 mg/l, 112.5 mg/kg and 180 mg, respectively. The levels of these tricyclics analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography were in agreement with the levels reported in the literature. Though with the amitriptyline poisoning no significant anatomic changes were noted, the desipramine-caused death was further supported by the multisystem vascular congestion and ischemic changes consistent with cardiopulmonary failure.     

Symmetrical hypopigmentation of the nipples secondary to trauma

Deviant sexual behavior may lead to unusual skin lesions. The following is a case report of unusual trauma-related, symmetrical lesions of the nipples in a male homosexual from repeated application of bondage apparatus to his areolae and nipples.     

实验性脑挫伤后 Fos蛋白和 NGFR变化与损伤时间关系的研究

目的 检测分析不同损伤时间组实验大鼠脑挫伤灶周围神经细胞中 NGFR阳性染色强度变化与损伤后经过时间之间的关系,对其在脑挫伤时间推断中的作用作出评价。方法 运用免疫组织化学技术（ SABC法）,结合计算机彩色图像分析技术观察大鼠实验性脑挫伤后原癌基因 c－ fos的表达产物 Fos蛋白和神经生长因子受体（ NGFR）的染色变化。结果 （ 1）伤后 0.5h组在挫伤灶周围可见 Fos阳性染色细胞出现。伤后 3h组阳性表达数量和强度达峰值,且分布广泛。后表达逐渐降低。 1d后各组未见 Fos阳性染色强度增加的细胞。对照组染色为阴性。（ 2）伤后 1d组在挫伤灶周围可见少量 NGFR阳性染色细胞,以神经细胞表达为主。伤后 3d组,阳性细胞表达与 1d组相比有显著性增强 (P< 0.01), 数 量 和 着 色 强 度 达 到 高 峰 , 量 多 且 染 色 深 。 之 后 逐 渐 缓 慢 减 弱 。 对 照 组 染 色 为 阴 性 。 可 见 脑 挫 伤 后 Fos和 NGFR在 损 伤 局 部 的 阳 性 染 色 分 别 在 伤 后 早 期 及 随 后 较 晚 时 段 里 出 现 。 前 者 表 达 时 间 短 暂 , 而 后 者 则 持 续 时 间 较 长 , 但 都 有 一 定 的 规 律 性 。 结 论 Fos蛋 白 和 NGFR变 化 可 用 于 脑 挫 伤 后 不 同 时 段 的 损 伤 时 间 推 断 。     

Ocular findings in pediatric deaths under 2 years of age (1994-2004)

Abstract:  Our purpose is to highlight novel ocular findings of 102 forensic pediatric cases under 2 years of age who die suddenly. Forensic information, grossing, and microscopic eye protocol was followed. The most common diagnosis was Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (57/102). Novel cytoid bodies were present in the retina of 72/102 cases and they were located predominantly 90% (65/72) at the anterior part of the retina ( p  < 0.001). Of the SIDS cases, 85% (47/57) showed the presence of cytoid bodies, and among all diagnosis, SIDS was the most associated with cytoid bodies ( p  = 0.003). A second observation was extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) identified in 35/102 cases and 22 of the 57 SIDS cases. The most frequent EMH location was the choroids (29/35). This study is the first to demonstrate the presence of cytoid bodies and extramedullary hematopoiesis in the retinas of SIDS cases and children who die suddenly from other causes.     

Costal cartilage calcification pattern--a clue for establishing sex identity

Radiological study of costal cartilage calcification patterns in establishing the sex identity is conducted in Southern Indians. Three major patterns of calcification capable of establishing sex identity were noticed. Calcification was not observed below the ages of sixteen years in the female and twenty years in the male. This, though seriously limits the applicability of the method to age groups of sixteen and twenty years and above in the female and male sexes respectively, the ease, rapidity and relative inexpensiveness of the procedure in both living as well as dead and decomposed, requiring little expertise, recommends its use especially where a forensic expert is readily not available.     

Incentivizing Fiscal Transfers in the Indian Federation

The sharp deterioration in the fiscal health of the states hasbeen a matter of concern for policymakers. The remedial measuresrecently taken include the institution of the Medium Term FiscalRestructuring Policy (MTFRP), stipulating performance requirementsfor borrowing from the World Bank and the Asian DevelopmentBank (ADB), and the Accelerated Power Development and ReformProgram (APDRP). This article evaluates these schemes. The importantconclusions are that (1) incentive-linked transfers are toosmall to make any difference to fiscal performances, (2) multipleschemes create segmented incentives, (3) there are serious problemsof design, and (4) the schemes do not address the basic causesof deterioration in the states 'fiscal performance.     

英租威海卫司法殖民之特性分析

本文从司法体制和司法管理,分析了英租威海卫时期的司法具有三个特点:司法不独立,具有鲜明的行政化特色;司法权外来和受限控、诉讼资源极为有限;吸收中国传统的调解制并加强规范管理,指出这些特点是英国司法殖民本性的体现。     

一国两制中的若干法律问题

<正> 实现香港、澳门的回归、台湾的统一,完成祖国统一大业,是全体中国人民的历史使命。指导我们完成这一使命的基本方针,就是邓小平同志提出的“一国两制”的伟大构想。这一构想为解决历史遗留问题开创了崭新的思路,成为我国处理港澳台问题的基本国策,是小平同志建设有中国特色社会主义理论的重要内容,也是小平同志留给我们中华民族的不朽的政治遗产。