Suicide by gabapentin overdose

Gabapentin is an antiepileptic drug that is prescribed for both FDA-approved and multiple off-label conditions, and has a relatively safe side-effect profile. Rare cases of overdose-related adverse effects have been reported in the literature. Described herein are the circumstances and autopsy findings of a 62-year-old woman with a history of depression, whose death was caused by intentional ingestion of excess gabapentin. The postmortem peripheral blood gabapentin concentration as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy was 88 μg/mL. Previously reported cases of individuals surviving gabapentin overdoses are discussed and compared with this case. Based on a review of the available literature, this appears to be the first published report of a death due solely to gabapentin toxicity.     

Fatality involving complications of bupivacaine toxicity and hypersensitivity reaction

This case represents unusual findings of elevated bupivacaine and tryptase concentrations following local anesthetic, bupivacaine, administered as a scalene nerve block for elective rotator cuff repair surgery. Following bupivacaine injection, the patient exhibited almost immediate seizure activity, bradycardia, and cardiac arrest. Resuscitative efforts including cardiopulmonary bypass restored a cardiac rhythm. However, the clinical medical status of the patient progressively declined and he died 7 h following administration of the local anesthetic. Autopsy revealed several abnormalities of the heart including cardiomegaly, myocardial bridging, and lipomatous hypertrophy of the intraatrial septum, which may have contributed to bradycardia and arrhythmia. Postmortem toxicology results revealed elevated bupivacaine and tryptase concentrations. Elevated postmortem bupivacaine concentrations 7 h following administration and abrupt onset of seizures indicate unintentional intravascular injection instead of nerve and tissue infiltration. An elevated postmortem tryptase concentration points to the possibility of a hypersensitivity reaction to bupivacaine.     

甲基苯丙胺对大鼠外周血中肾上腺素、去甲肾上腺素及肿瘤坏死因子-α的影响

目的观察甲基苯丙胺（MA）长时间给药对大鼠外周血中肾上腺素（N）、去甲肾上腺素（NE）及肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）的影响。方法雄性SD大鼠25只随机分成实验组（20只）和对照组（5只）,实验组再分为1、2、4、8周给药组（每组5只）。采用MA（10mg/kg）进行腹膜下注射制作染毒模型,应用放射免疫酶标技术检测大鼠外周血中N和NE;应用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测外周血中TNF-α的水平。结果实验组各大鼠饮食量下降及饮水量增加,其外周血中N和NE水平增高,TNF-α表达增强,与对照组比较均有显著性差异（P〈0.05）。结论长时间使用MA可以引起外周血中N和NE增高及TNF-α表达增强,可能是MA引起心脏损害的重要机制之一。     

我国创新药物专利司法保护的量化分析——基于药品专利案件裁判文书的实证研究

专利司法保护的范围和强度对制药企业自主创新具有关键的作用,人民法院审理药品专利案件的司法实践正是发挥这一作用的具体体现。细化该类案件中各种审判因素,从微观角度逐一进行深入剖析,对具体条款的调整、具体措施的推行以及审判实务中裁判尺度的把握将发挥积极效果。本文将以“中国知识产权裁判文书网”登载的所有药品专利案件为样本,通过建立指标体系进行量化统计,对近年来我国药品专利民事诉讼的主体、客体、适用法律、审理裁判等方面进行具体分析,探究此类案件在审理实践中所存在的问题及其成因,以期为完善药品专利司法保护制度提供可行的政策建议。     

反思严惩毒品犯罪的传统刑事政策

我国历来对毒品犯罪打击甚严,但从长期的实践来看,一味严惩毒品犯罪效果不甚理想。我们应客观地对毒品犯罪进行评价,在打击毒品犯罪时落实宽严相济的刑事政策,严格规范侦查手段,注重打击与教育相结合,从而获得禁毒效果的最大化。     

浅谈我国对吸毒行为刑事政策的应有调整

我国对吸毒人员一贯采取治病救人、教育改造的刑事政策,惩罚色彩很弱。至今为止,我国法律对吸毒行为的最严厉措施仅限于劳动教养。然而,走私、贩卖毒品等犯罪的愈演愈烈与对吸毒行为的控制不力是有密切关系的。鉴于吸毒行为本身的社会危害性以及现有保安措施的缺陷,《刑法》应对某些严重的吸毒行为增设吸毒罪予以刑罚规制。与此同时,其他法律法规中对吸毒人员所制定的保安处分措施也应加以完善。只有打防并举、多管齐下,才能遏制日益严重的毒品违法犯罪。     

试论毒品走私犯罪案件侦查

毒品走私是“全球性”的难题,与青少年犯罪、恐怖袭击并称为三大公害。文章阐述了当前我国毒品走私面临的国内外形势,分析了当前毒品走私犯罪活动的手段和特点,有针对性地提出了打击毒品走私犯罪活动的侦查方法。     

《刑法》第356条之法律性质与适用问题

我国《刑法》第356条是对毒品犯罪的相关规定,刑法理论界对该条的性质是毒品再犯还是特殊累犯持有不同看法,导致在法律适用上存在困惑。从立法意图、法律条文的表述以及该条文在刑法典中的位置来看,认为其是"法定的再犯"更为合理。对该条在数罪并罚情形中以及与《刑法》第65条发生竞合时如何适用法律,应该分析具体情况,适用不同法条。     

毒品案件实物证据收集的实证分析

根据《关于办理死刑案件审查判断证据若干问题的规定》、《关于办理刑事案件排除非法证据若干问题的规定》以及《大连会议纪要》的新要求,本文通过对毒品案件证据特征的总结,结合实际案例对毒品案件侦查中物证、书证、勘验检查笔录和视听资料等实物证据的收集方法进行实证分析。     

Quick Screening of Crystal Methamphetamine/Methyl Sulfone Exhibits by Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract: The analysis of mixtures of “crystal meth” (usually comprised of methyl sulfone [MS] and methamphetamine [MA]) by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GCMS) is routine in many forensic drug laboratories. The utilization of Raman spectroscopy for the identification of such mixtures quickly and without the need for a separation technique is discussed. Samples were dissolved in water and Raman spectra of the resulting aqueous solutions were collected. By comparing these spectra to spectra of methylsulfone and MA mixtures of known composition, an indication of the composition of the sample can be obtained in only a few minutes. This spectral comparison also can be used as a semi‐quantitative analysis of MA concentrations in such exhibits.