Factors associated with stalking persistence

The longer stalking persists, the more damaging its effects. Despite this, little research has explored factors associated with stalking persistence, making it difficult to drive strategies that encourage desistance. This study examined risk factors associated with persistence in a sample of 637 participants from Brisbane (Australia) classified as ex-intimate stalkers. A self-report perpetration questionnaire was used to measure stalking duration (low/moderate/high) and risk factors for persistence. Findings identified marked differences in the nature of risk factors for moderate (1–12 months) as opposed to high persistence (>1 year). Ex-intimate stalkers were more likely to be moderately persistent (versus low and high persistence) if they had higher attachment anxiety, amorous motives, constantly ruminated about the victim and were feeling hurt. Ex-intimate stalkers were more likely to be highly persistent (versus low and moderate persistence) if they were aged over 30, had some tertiary education, had higher attachment avoidance, did not have amorous motives, wanted to frighten/hurt the victim and felt angry. Feeling suicidal and/or unable to cope was associated with both moderate and high persistence. Findings suggest it is crucial to differentiate risk factors for moderate and high persistence. Furthermore, ex-intimate stalking that persists the longest may be the most malicious.     

死后大鼠脾脏组织FTIR测量结果的法医学分析

目的应用傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）光谱技术分析大鼠死后脾脏组织随死亡时间增加的化学变化过程,为死亡时间推断研究提供新的途径与研究数据。方法大鼠断颈处死后,在30℃、20℃及4℃环境中,不同死亡时间点提取大鼠脾脏组织,并运用FTIR光谱仪测定不同化学基团随死亡时间的变化。结果随着死亡时间的推移,大鼠脾脏组织FTIR光谱的主要吸收峰峰位没有明显变化,而其吸收峰强度有明显差异：（1）1080cm-1和1238cm-1被指认核酸谱带吸收峰的峰强呈下降趋势;（2）1541cm-1被指认酰胺Ⅱ吸收峰的峰强呈上升变化;（3）1396cm-1被指认脂肪酸吸收峰的峰强呈上升变化;（4）指认为C-H结构振动的2852、2871、2923、2958cm-1吸收峰的峰强呈现上升趋势。结论 FTIR光谱分析技术有望成为法医死亡时间推断的有效方法。     

Sequences of the Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit I (COI) Gene are Suitable for Species Identification of Korean Calliphorinae Flies of Forensic Importance (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract:  Calliphorinae fly species are important indicators of the postmortem interval especially during early spring and late fall in Korea. Although nucleotide sequences of various Calliphorinae fly species are available, there has been no research on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) nucleotide sequences of Korean Calliphorinae flies. Here, we report the full-length sequences of the COI gene of four Calliphorinae fly species collected in Korea (five individuals of Calliphora vicina , five Calliphora lata , four Triceratopyga calliphoroides and three Aldrichina grahami ). Each COI gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and directly sequenced and the resulting nucleotide sequences were aligned and analyzed by MEGA4 software. The results indicate that COI nucleotide sequences can be used to distinguish between these four species. Our phylogenetic result coincides with recent taxonomic views on the subfamily Calliphorinae in that the genera Aldrichina and Triceratopyga are nested within the genus Calliphora .     

The potential to determine a postmortem submersion interval based on algal/diatom diversity on decomposing mammalian carcasses in brackish ponds in Delaware

Recently botanical evidence has been studied to determine if it is useful in forensic investigations. This study was performed to examine stillborn piglet decomposition in a brackish water environment and to semi-quantitatively document stages of decomposition, degree day accumulation per stage as well as the algal/diatom diversity useful in determining a postmortem submersion interval (PMSI). Piglets and ceramic tiles were submerged in brackish ponds and sampled on a regular basis to document algal diversity and succession between substrates and stages of decomposition. Significantly greater weight was lost from piglet carcasses during the early floating and advanced floating decay stages. Seasonal effects were observed in degree-day accumulations. Diatom diversity was significantly greater on piglet carcasses compared to tile substrates. Algal diversity decreased over time on the piglet carcasses as well as the stage of decomposition. A significant relationship and strong correlation between algal diversity found on the piglet substrate with time was observed. Our results indicate that more research is needed to examine the potential to use diatoms in not only determining manner of death but also the duration of time (PMSI) a victim may have been immersed in an aquatic environment.     

Caddisflies assist with homicide case: determining a postmortem submersion interval using aquatic insects

Although few indicators of time since death for corpses found in aquatic ecosystems are comparable in precision to the insect indicators used in terrestrial cases, there are observations that can be useful in suggesting or ruling out an approximate PMSI (postmortem submersion interval). For example, the time intervals required for certain growth phases of aquatic insects, such as caddisflies, that may attach themselves to the submerged remains can be used to estimate a minimum PMSI. Approximately 8 of the 13 orders of insects containing species with aquatic or semi-aquatic stages are likely to be associated with carrion or corpses in aquatic habitats. We present a case study in which portions of a body from an adult male were discovered in a south central Michigan stream. The body was dismembered and portions were recovered from two bags floating and submerged in the stream. Insect specimens collected from mesh and plastic bags consisted of one fly larva belonging to the family Muscidae, and caddisfly larvae belonging to two families: the Limnephilidae. (case-makers) and the Hydropsychidae, (net spinners). We used unique case-building behaviors of the limnephilid caddisflies found on the remains to elucidate a PMSI range consistent with the disappearance of the victim. It is important for forensic investigators to understand that although some precision is lost in estimating a PMSI with aquatic insects, these organisms should not be ignored in gathering evidence from aquatic crime scenes, and in fact, they can provide valuable details in estimating a PMSI.     

Whole body postmortem angiography with a high viscosity contrast agent solution using poly ethylene glycol as contrast agent dissolver

Postmortem minimal invasive angiography has already been implemented to support virtual autopsy examinations. An experimental approach in a porcine model to overcome an initially described artificial tissue edema artifact by using a poly ethylene glycol (PEG) containing contrast agent solution showed promising results. The present publication describes the first application of PEG in a whole corpse angiographic CT examination. A minimal invasive postmortem CT angiography was performed in a human corpse utilizing the high viscosity contrast agent solution containing 65% of PEG. Injection was carried out via the femoral artery into the aortic root in simulated cardiac output conditions. Subsequent CT scanning delivered the 3D volume data of the whole corpse. Visualization of the human arterial anatomy was excellent and the contrast agent distribution was generally limited to the arterial system as intended. As exceptions an enhancement of the brain, the left ventricular myocardium and the renal cortex became obvious. This most likely represented the stage of centralization of the blood circulation at the time of death with dilatation of the precapillary arterioles within these tissues. Especially for the brain this resulted in a distinctively improved visualization of the intracerebral structures by CT. However, the general tissue edema artifact of postmortem minimal invasive angiography examinations could be distinctively reduced.     

氯胺酮在急性中毒大鼠体内的死后再分布研究

目的探索氯胺酮在大鼠体内的死后再分布变化规律及温度对再分布的影响。方法48只雄性SD大鼠随机分为2个实验组（室温组24只、冷藏组18只）和1个对照组（6只）,实验组大鼠以氯胺酮290mg／kg灌胃,45min后缺氧处死,分别置于室温（24℃）和冷藏（4℃）条件下,于死后不同时间（0、12、24、48h）取心血、外周血、肝、肺、肾、心肌、大脑,检测其中氯胺酮含量;对照组大鼠以生理盐水灌胃,各对应组织器官样品为空白对照。血和组织样品中加入内标物SKF。。后碱化,乙酸乙酯萃取,GC／MS全扫描定性,内标法、工作曲线法气相色谱定量分析。结果室温条件下,大鼠死后48h内随着死亡时间延长,心血、肺、肝中氯胺酮的浓度呈升高趋势（P〈0．05）,肾脏中氯胺酮的浓度先升高后下降（P〈0．05）,外周血、心肌和脑中氯胺酮的浓度无显著性变化（P〉0．05）。冷藏条件下,血液及组织中氯胺酮浓度变化无显著性差异（P〉0．05）,除心肌外,各样本浓度均低于相应时段室温条件保存的样本。结论氯胺酮在大鼠体内存在死后再分布现象。温度对大鼠死后血液及组织中氯胺酮浓度变化有较明显的影响。     

大鼠肌肉中微生物ATP含量及其在死亡时间推断中的应用

目的 研究死后大鼠肌肉组织中微生物ATP浓度变化及其与死亡时间(postmortem interval,PMI)的关系. 方法取健康SD大鼠处死,死后不同时间取肌肉组织,用生物发光法检测微生物ATP浓度,对所得数据进行统计学处理.结果 死后肌肉组织中微生物ATP含量随时间延长而增加,于7d达到高峰,随后逐渐降低,并于10d再次略微升高.PMI在0～9d内与肌肉中微生物ATP含量变化拟合最优.以PMI为自变量的三次多项式回归方程为:y=0.020x3-0.166x2-0.666x+13.412(r2=0.989,P<0.01).结论 死后肌肉组织中微生物ATP含量变化可用于PMI推测;本检测方法所需检材量小,不受组织自身降解的影响.     

死亡时间推断的研究与进展

本文综述了组织学、组织化学、细胞分子生物学在死亡时间推断方面的研究成果及最新进展,随着死亡时间的延长,组织细胞、体液成分、生物大分子均出现规律性变化,并与死亡时间高度相关,可用于死亡时间的推断。     

Postmortem Diagnosis of Fatal Hypothermia by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis of Edema Fluid in Formalin-Fixed,Paraffin-Embedded Lung Tissues

The goal of this study was to investigate whether pulmonary edema could become a specific diagnostic marker for fatal hypothermia using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics. The spectral profile analysis indicated that hypothermia fatalities associated with pulmonary edema fluid contained more β-sheet protein conformational structures than the control causes of death, which included sudden cardiac death, brain injury, cerebrovascular disease, mechanical asphyxiation, intoxication, and drowning. Subsequently, the results of principal component analysis (PCA) further revealed that the content of β-sheet protein conformational structures in the pulmonary edema fluid was the main discriminatory marker between fatal hypothermia and the other causes of death. Ultimately, a robust postmortem diagnostic model for fatal hypothermia using a partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) algorithm was constructed. Pulmonary edema fluid spectra collected from eight new forensic autopsy cases that did not participate in the construction of the diagnostic model were predicted using the model. The results showed the causes of death of all these eight cases were correctly classified. In conclusion, this preliminary study demonstrates that FTIR spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics could be a promising approach for the postmortem diagnosis of fatal hypothermia.