Medical examiner response to the drug overdose epidemic in King County Washington: “Real-time” surveillance,data science,and applied forensic epidemiology

As the overdose epidemic overwhelmed medicolegal death investigation offices and toxicology laboratories, the King County Medical Examiner's Office responded with “real-time” fatal overdose surveillance to expedite death certification and information dissemination through assembling a team including a dedicated medicolegal death investigator, an information coordinator, and student interns. In-house testing of blood, urine, and drug evidence from scenes was performed using equipment and supplies purchased for surveillance. Collaboration with state laboratories allowed validation. Applied forensic epidemiology accelerated data dissemination. From 2010 to 2022, the epidemic claimed 5815 lives in King County; the last 4 years accounted for 47% of those deaths. After initiating the surveillance project, in-house testing was performed on blood from 2836 decedents, urine from 2807, and 4238 drug evidence items from 1775 death scenes. Time to complete death certificates decreased from weeks to months to hours to days. Overdose-specific information was distributed weekly to a network of law enforcement and public health agencies. As the surveillance project tracked the epidemic, fentanyl and methamphetamine became dominant and were associated with other indicators of social deterioration. In 2022, fentanyl was involved in 68% of 1021 overdose deaths. Homeless deaths increased sixfold; in 2022, 67% of 311 homeless deaths were due to overdose; fentanyl was involved in 49% and methamphetamine in 44%. Homicides increased 250%; in 2021, methamphetamine was positive in 35% of 149 homicides. The results are relevant to the value of rapid surveillance, its impact on standard operations, selection of cases requiring autopsy, and collaboration with other agencies in overdose prevention.     

2,4,6-Tri(2′-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine for determination of iron(II), Iron(III), and total iron contents on human palms

When iron-based tools, such as knives or guns, are held, traces of iron can transfer to the skin. However, no previous studies have been published regarding the effect of the elapsed contact time on the transfer of iron species with different valences to the palm. Compared with 3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine (PDT), 2,4,6-tri(2′-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPTZ) was found to exhibit a higher sensitivity to iron(II) spectrophotometrically. This work employed 2,4,6-tri(2′-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPTZ) and UV spectrophotometry to determine the amounts of iron(II), iron(III), and total iron transferred to human palms from iron tools. It was found that the palmar moisture level was an important factor in determining the amounts of total iron, including iron(II), transferred to the palm. For identical contact times, the amounts of total iron transferred to the palm was proportional to the palmar moisture, and the difference between the maximum and minimum amounts was 12 μg per hand. However, the amounts of iron(II) transferred to the palm gradually decreased over time for low palmar moisture levels, but steadily increased over time for high palmar moisture levels. Additionally, for average levels of palm moisture, the amounts of iron(II) and iron(III) transferred to the palm gradually decreased and increased, respectively, with longer contact times. Notably, this research could serve as a theoretical basis and guide for the detection of trace iron species with different valences on human palms for criminal investigations.     

ICF脑卒中核心分类组合功能的图形建模研究

目的依据《国际功能、残疾和健康分类(ICF)》脑卒中核心组合,探讨脑卒中相关功能类目之间的关系,绘制ICF脑卒中核心分类组合的功能地形图,为脑卒中的伤残评定提供科学理论依据。方法收集106例脑卒中被鉴定人样本,采用"最小的绝对缩减和变量选择算子",研究脑卒中ICF核心组合功能的59项类目变量之间的条件依存关系,并用图形建模分析类目之间的内在联系,绘制功能地形图。结果 59项类目之间的相互联系构成了功能地形图,b340、b735、b175和b152因关联性较高而居于地形图的中心位置。结论脑卒中功能地形图可以揭示ICF功能类目之间复杂的关系结构及关联程度。可以为应用ICF进行脑卒中的伤残评定提供科学理论依据。     

溺死鉴定中硅藻检验的应用

在法医学检案中,溺死诊断以及入水地点的判定一直是重点和难点之一,硅藻检验被认为是一种相对可靠的诊断溺死的方法,而根据硅藻的群落特征推断其入水区域具有一定的可信度。对不同水域内硅藻进行研究,可为溺死鉴定及入水区域的判定提供参考。本文就硅藻相关的生物学特性、检验方法等相关的国内外研究进展进行综述,供法医学工作者在相关科研和检案实践中参考。     

社区治安网格化管理探析

城市化的不断发展,在促进经济增长,加速人口流动的同时,也加剧了社会治安环境的恶化。为了维护良好的社区治安环境,应对社会转型压力,公安机关在警务实践中积极探索社会治安管理模式,并形成了一套适用于社区治安的网格化管理体系。该文在界定社区治安网格化管理的基础上,对实行社区治安网格化管理的价值作了详细分析,并从加强社会协同、互联网技术应用和强化网格化领导三方面对社区治安网格化管理的构建和完善作了阐述。     

网络治理与网络平台刑事责任研究——以《刑法修正案(九)》为视角

网络治理已成为社会治理法治问题的重大课题,网络治理与平台责任也成为建设法治网络的重要内容。《刑法修正案(九)》首次增设相关网络罪名强化平台责任,推动了平台管理责任的刑罚化。在认定网络平台刑事责任时,应注重刑法归罪思维与网络技术思维的结合,在遵循平台归罪模式内在规律的前提下,探讨平台相关罪名构成要件的理解与适用问题,以实现强化平台责任与打击网络犯罪的双重目的,并发挥刑法的政策化功能,推进网络空间法治化。     

国家赔偿费用支付方式存在的问题及解决办法

我国现行国家赔偿法对国家赔偿费用支付方式的规定,在落实中存在若干问题。建议从以下几个方面对其予以完善：一是建立统一的国家赔偿基金;二是由申请人直接向国家赔偿基金管理部门申请赔偿;三是建立公正合理的国家赔偿评估机制;四是限制国家赔偿基金管理部门的审查权。     

建立刑事判例制度的可行性研究

刑事判例作为一项制度在英关法系国家大放异彩,大陆法系国家和地区也利用其来完善自己的法律制度,在我国建立刑事判例制度具有可行性。我国有现行的法律依据;有判例法的传统;能够克服判例制度建立的障碍和具有建立判例制度的措施。