A functional approach to sudden unexplained infant deaths

There is a great deal of variation in the methods and wording used by medical examiners in the medicolegal investigation and certification of infant deaths. This paper was created by the NAME Ad Hoc Committee on Sudden Unexplained Infant Death to address several specific issues, namely: * To establish a functional approach to the investigation of sudden unexplained infant deaths; * To outline a "bare minimum" set of recommendations to define the scope of investigation required; * To recommend methods and wording to be used when certifying infant deaths; * To develop a list of potential stressors or possible external causes of death that should be identified and reported on the death certificate and/or within a medical examiner/coroner office database. This paper was electronically posted for NAME member review and comment for a period of 30 days. The paper was further revised based on member comments and then submitted to the NAME board of directors in the fall of 2005 prior to the annual meeting. This text of this paper was officially approved and endorsed by the NAME board of directors on October 14, 2005, at the annual meeting in Los Angeles, CA.     

A fatal case of hypothermia associated with hemorrhages of the pectoralis minor, intercostal, and iliopsoas muscles

In a morning in January, a male in his early sixties was found dead in an outdoor parking area. The minimum temperature during the night before he was found dead was estimated to be 4.0 degrees C. Autopsy revealed the pinkness of hypostasis, slight abrasions and bruises on the face and the extremities, collapse of the lungs, and slight gastric submucosal hemorrhage. Histologic examination revealed compact arrangement of cardiac muscle fibers and cytoplasmic vacuolation in the adenohypophysis. Toxicologic examination demonstrated hyperacetonemia (51.2 microg/mL). Ubiquitin, one of the stress proteins that are induced by several stimuli, including severe cold, was detected in several organs. We concluded that the cause of his death was lethal hypothermia. In addition, hemorrhages were observed in the subfascial and/or intramuscular parts of the pectoralis minor, first intercostal, and iliopsoas muscles. Although it has been reported that iliopsoas muscle hemorrhage can result from hypothermia, there have been few reports concerning hypothermia-associated hemorrhages of the pectoralis minor and/or intercostal muscles. We presumed that intense shivering and/or effort ventilation during the course of lethal hypothermia might cause these muscle hemorrhages.     

Child abuse and chronic pain in a community survey of women

This study examined the relationship between a self-reported history of child physical and sexual abuse and chronic pain among women (N = 3,381) in a provincewide community sample. Chronic pain was significantly associated with physical abuse, education, and age of the respondents and was unrelated to child sexual abuse alone or in combination with physical abuse, mental disorder (anxiety, depression, or substance abuse), or low income. Number of health problems and mental health disorders did not mediate the relationship between physical abuse and chronic pain. Despite considerable evidence from the clinical literature linking exposure to child maltreatment and chronic pain in adulthood, this may well be the first population-based study to investigate this relationship for child physical and sexual abuse independently. The significant association between childhood history of physical abuse and pain in adulthood calls for a greater awareness of the potential for chronic pain problems associated with this type of maltreatment. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism for this complex relationship.     

Genetic data of 9 STR loci from Henan Province (central China)

Allele frequencies of the nine short tandem repeats (STR) loci D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D3S1358, D7S820, vWA, FGA (AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus) were determined in a population sample of unrelated individuals living in central China.     

Population data on the AmpF/STR Identifiler loci in Africans and Europeans from South Africa

Allele frequencies of 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci, D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA, were determined for 98 unrelated Africans from South Africa and 98 unrelated Europeans from South Africa using the AmpFlSTR Identifiler PCR amplification kit. The genotype frequency distributions of the 15 STR loci were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for both populations.     

Analysis of 15 STR loci in Chinese population from Sichuan in West China

Allele frequencies for 15 STR loci found in PowerPlex 16 System kit were determined in a sample of 200 unrelated individuals living in Sichuan area in west China. The values of observed heterozygosity (Ho), power of discrimination (PD), probability of paternity exclusion (PE) and polymorphism information content (PIC) were calculated. All loci were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p<0.05). The obtained frequency distributions were compared with other previously reported population data.     

液相色谱-串联质谱法检测血液中的美西律

目的建立测定血液中美西律(mexiletine)的液相色谱-串联质谱联用法(LC-MS/MS)。方法采用简便的乙腈蛋白沉淀法对血液进行预处理,应用Allure PFP Propyl液相柱分离,用电喷雾正离子模式离子化,多反应监测模式对美西律进行分析。结果美西律与内标纳洛酮分离良好,在0.02～10.00μg/mL内线性关系良好,相关系数为0.9999,回归方程为y=0.0283x-0.0151,日内与日间精密度的RSD均小于15%,最低检测限为0.01μg/mL。结论建立的LC-MS/MS方法简单、灵敏、可靠,可同时适用于美西律临床药物监测和法医毒物分析的需要。     

不同死亡方式大鼠心肌组织中ATP、ADP和AMP含量比较

目的比较不同死亡方式对大鼠心肌组织能量物质变化的影响,为判断不同死亡方式及死亡时间提供依据。方法180只大鼠随机分为三组,以不同方式(失血、窒息、断颈)处死,高效液相色谱法检测死后0、0.5、1、1.5、2、3、4、6、8、12、18和24h大鼠心肌组织中的ATP、ADP、AMP含量。结果三组不同死亡方式大鼠心肌组织的ATP、ADP、AMP的含量在大部分时间点做组间比较有明显差异(P<0.05);每组不同死亡方式的大鼠心肌组织中ATP、AMP的含量随时间的变化有明显的差异(P<0.01),而各组中的ADP在死亡一定时间后无明显差异。结论不同死亡方式的大鼠心肌组织中能量物质死后变化可以用作对死亡方式及某种方式不同死亡时间做出判断的依据。     

臂丛神经主要分支损伤法医学鉴定66例分析

目的探讨臂丛神经主要分支损伤的法医学鉴定。方法取自本室2003年1月至2005年12月共66例84条臂丛神经主要分支损伤的案例进行统计分析。结果被鉴定人中男性青壮年占较大比例;锐器伤引起神经损伤居多达94%;神经损伤伴有骨折的占34%,其中50%尺神经损伤伴尺骨骨折;曾行肌电图检查的为34条神经,占40%,其中有15条临床未确诊为神经损伤。结论臂丛神经主要分支损伤的法医学鉴定,关键看影响肢体运动功能的后果,鉴定时机宜术后20天 L(神经断端远侧的长度)/R(生长速度) 90天。     

Examination of a long-term clozapine administration by high resolution segmental hair analysis

The long-term administration of clozapine could be verified by fine segmentation and analysis of single hairs of one person to examine the history of a multiple poisoning case. Segments of 1-2.5mm length were extracted by ultrasonification in 30 microl of the mobile phase (mixture of methanol+water, 50+50). By application of isocratic liquid chromatography and using narrow bore columns (Synergy Polar-RP, Phenomenex), an acceleration and miniaturization of the HPLC-MS-MS assay could be achieved. Total amounts of clozapine down to 30 fg (on column) and its desmethyl metabolite could be analysed in multiple reaction monitoring mode. According to typical sample amounts of approximately 16 microg, relevant hair concentrations higher than 1 pg/mg were detected. Significant and reproducible concentration profiles along the hair fibres revealed characteristic administration cycles. The administration time course - in particular the time of its termination - could be verified with a precision of a few days. The accuracy and reproducibility of the concentration profile was proven based on multiple investigations of single hairs. An individual hair growth rate of 0.55 mm/day was determined with a relative standard deviation of 8% by comparison of concentration profiles in hairs collected after a time span of 165 days.