Testing Antemortem Blood for Ethanol Concentration from a Blood Kit in a Refrigerator Fire

The stability of ethanol in antemortem blood stored under various conditions has been widely studied. Antemortem blood samples stored at refrigerated temperature, at room temperature, and at elevated temperatures tend to decrease in ethanol concentration with storage. It appears that the stability of ethanol in blood exposed to temperatures greater than 38°C has not been evaluated. The case presented here involves comparison of breath test results with subsequent analysis of blood drawn at the time of breath testing. However, the blood tubes were in a refrigerator fire followed by refrigerated storage for 5 months prior to analysis by headspace gas chromatography. The subject’s breath was tested twice using an Intoxilyzer 8000. The subject’s blood was tested in duplicate using an Agilent headspace gas chromatograph. The measured breath ethanol concentration was 0.103 g/210 L and 0.092 g/210 L. The measured blood ethanol concentration was 0.0932 g/dL for both samples analyzed. Although the mean blood test result was slightly lower than the mean breath test result, the mean breath test result was within the estimated uncertainty of the mean blood test result. Even under the extreme conditions of the blood kit being in a refrigerator fire, the measured blood ethanol content agreed well with the paired breath ethanol test.     

桑黄正丁醇提取物对白念珠菌生物膜形成的抑制作用

目的 探讨桑黄正丁醇提取物（butyl alcohol extract of Phellinus igniarius decoction,BAEP）体外对白念珠菌（Candida albicans）标准株SC5314生物膜形成的影响。 方法 采用二倍稀释法测定BAEP对白念珠菌的最低抑菌浓度（minimal inhibitory concentration,MIC）和抑制50%生物膜形成的最低浓度(sessile minimal inhibitory concentration,SMIC50);采用XTT还原法测定BAEP对白念珠菌生物膜代谢的影响;固体培养基上观察BAEP对白念珠菌菌落形态的影响;倒置显微镜与荧光显微镜下分别观察BAEP对白念珠菌生物膜形态与活性的影响;扫描电镜下观察BAEP对白念珠菌生物膜形态结构的影响;实时荧光定量PCR（quantitative real-time PCR,qRT-PCR）检测生物膜相关基因ALS1和HWP1的转录水平变化。结果 BAEP对白念珠菌生物膜的SMIC50为1 024 μg/mL;菌落形态实验观察结果显示,1 024 μg/mL BAEP可影响白念珠菌菌落;倒置显微镜、荧光显微镜下显示1 024 μg/mL BAEP可抑制白念珠菌生物膜的形态和活性;扫描电镜下显示1 024 μg/mL BAEP对白念珠菌生物膜有明显的抑制作用;qRT-PCR检测结果显示BAEP可明显下调HWP1的表达水平和上调ALS1基因的表达水平。结论 BAEP对白念珠菌SC5314生物膜的形成有一定的抑制作用。     

高效液相色谱法测定不同加工工艺天麻中天麻素和天麻苷元含

目的 建立高效液相色谱法同时测定天麻中天麻素及天麻苷元含量的方法,优选不同产地的天麻加工工艺。方法 采用高效液相色谱法测定天麻素和天麻苷元含量,色谱柱为Spursil C18-EP（250 mm×4.6 mm）,流动相为甲醇-0.1%磷酸水（5∶95）,检测波长220 nm,柱温40 ℃,流速1 mL/min。结果 隔水蒸30 min、清水煮15 min、0.2%矾水煮15 min、煮后直接切片是4种较佳的加工工艺,所制得的天麻饮片中天麻素和天麻苷元含量依次降低。结论 隔水蒸30 min所制得的天麻饮片中天麻素及天麻苷元含量最高,优于其他处理方法。     

Alcohol intoxication may exacerbate the effects of blunt cranial trauma through changes in brain free magnesium levels

Moderate to high levels of alcohol decrease brain intracellular free magnesium concentration, a factor known to be critical in brain injury. Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to examine changes to brain free magnesium concentration after blunt cranial trauma in alcohol-intoxicated rats. Rats exposed acutely or chronically to alcohol sufficient to increase blood alcohol levels to between 150 and 350 mg/dL demonstrated a brain free magnesium level that was 20-50% less than in nonintoxicated animals (p < 0.01). After injury, brain free magnesium levels declined more rapidly and to a greater extent in alcohol-affected animals than in nonintoxicated control animals (p < 0.001). As both preinjury depletion of magnesium and degree of magnesium decline after brain injury have been associated with poor recovery, these findings suggest that moderate to severe alcohol intoxication may predispose the brain to a worse outcome by reducing brain free magnesium levels, both before and after injury.     

Elimination rates of breath alcohol

Legal driving limits are set coequally with 0.5 g/L blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or 0.25 mg/L breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) in Austria as well as in other European countries. As mostly some time elapses between BrAC measurement and driving offence, a back calculation of alcohol concentrations is often required. The calculation of hourly BrAC elimination rates can thereby help to avoid unnecessary variances. A study with 59 participants was performed under social conditions. BrAC was determined with the legally accredited Alcotest 7110 MK III A every 30 min, and concomitantly venous blood samples were drawn. Five hundred and four BrAC/BAC value pairs were evaluated. The overall mean peak BrAC was calculated with 0.456 mg/L (±0.119 mg/L standard deviation). The mean hourly BrAC elimination rate was overall determined with 0.082 mg/L per h (0.050–0.114, 95% range). Mean rate of females (0.087 mg/L h⁻¹) and the according 95% limits were statistically significantly higher than of males (mean rate 0.078 mg/L h⁻¹, p < 0.04). Our results confirm the possibility to implement hourly BrAC elimination rates, provided that adequate statistical ranges and basic forensic scientific rules that have been set up for alcohol back calculations are observed.     

Alcohol and Violence Related Cognitive Risk Factors Associated with the Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence

The primary aim of this study is to determine the association between alcohol, violence related cognitive risk factors, and impulsivity with the perpetration of partner violence among current drinkers. A probability sample (n = 1468) of White, Black, and Hispanic couples 18 years of age or older in the United States household population was interviewed in 1995 with a response rate of 85%. The risk factors of interest included the alcohol and violence related cognitions of approval of marital aggression, alcohol as an excuse for misbehavior, and aggressive expectations following alcohol consumption as well as impulsivity. In all, 15% (216/1468) of the respondents reported perpetration of domestic violence. In addition, 24% (7/29) of those who approved of marital violence, 11% (126/1163) of those who reported alcohol use as an excuse for misbehavior, 10% (128/1257) of those who reported aggressive expectations following alcohol consumption, and 14% (99/716) of those who reported impulsivity also reported perpetration of domestic violence. Bivariate analysis indicated that all of the cognitive risk factors were significantly more common in those who reported perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) (p < 0.05). However, multivariate analysis controlling for ethnicity, education, income, age, gender, and impulsivity indicated that those who reported strong or very strong expectations of aggressive behavior following alcohol consumption were 3.2 (95% CI = 1.3–7.9) times more likely to perpetrate IPV. Although all of the alcohol and violence related cognitive risk factors were associated with the perpetration of domestic violence, expectations of aggressive behavior following alcohol consumption appeared to be the strongest predictor of the perpetration of IPV among current drinkers. Therefore, alcohol expectancy may be an important factor to assess when attempting to identify and treat perpetrators of domestic violence who are also current drinkers.     

Substance Use and Abused Women's Utilization of the Police

There is extensive research that addresses the role of police in responding to domestic violence calls. However, there has been relatively little attention to the factors that impel women to call the police during an incident of abuse. This paper investigates the role of alcohol and drugs in influencing women's utilization of the police for misdemeanor-level incidents of abuse, and is based on interview data from 419 abused women. Results indicate that women are significantly more likely to call the police when male partners use both alcohol and drugs, and when they are frequently drunk. Offender drunkenness, rather than the quantity or frequency of alcohol consumption, has a significant escalation effect on police utilization by victims of abuse.     

VIEW FROM THE BENCH

Although some believe that the family courts are gender biased against fathers, Judge Menno disagrees. From his experience as a family court judge and his view from the bench, fathers are treated fairly in court determinations pertaining to access to their children. In making these determinations, courts must take into consideration the reality of divorce and out-of-wedlock arrangements. This article describes how Judge Menno's county family court operates, and he further subgroups various types of fathers, describing how each fares in the family court when trying to gain access to their children.     

酶促试纸条测定唾液中乙醇含量的研究

生化酶促反应使试纸与含有乙醇的液体接触后显色,根据颜色的不同确定被测液体中的乙醇含量,依此研制出酶促试纸条。通过志愿者实验,同时收集血液和唾液, 比较酶促试纸条测定唾液中乙醇含量与顶空气相色谱检测血醇和唾醇的结果。考察酶促试纸条的影响因素。通过提高缓冲液浓度至0.6mol/L和减少乙醇氧化酶的量改进酶促试纸条,使相同乙醇浓度的酸碱两种唾液间的差异显著缩小。所研制的酶促试纸条具有成本低、操作简便、快速的优点。     

血液乙醇检测内外标法比较研究

目的通过比较内标法和外标法对血液乙醇含量检测结果,探讨外标法在法医学实践中的应用价值。方法通过收集2005年10月~2006年12月间本中心符合检测要求的血液样品263例,每例分别采用内标法和外标法进行血液样品乙醇含量检测,比较其检测结果。结果外标法检测时间短(2.5min),用量0.5ml,而内标法检测时间长(6.5min),样品量1.0ml;外标法检测血乙醇平均浓度为89.30mg/100ml,内标法检测血乙醇平均浓度为92.37mg/100ml,P=0.001。结论外标法检测时间短(2.5min),用量少,节约检材,可作为大量待测血液样本的筛选检查手段。