大鼠心肌组织中microRNA和18S rRNA的降解与死亡时间的相关性

目的探讨大鼠死后心肌组织中microRNA和18S rRNA的含量变化与死亡时间的关系。方法将SD大鼠断颈处死后置于25℃室温、50%湿度的环境中,于死后不同时间提取心肌组织中总RNA。利用实时荧光定量PCR检测大鼠心肌组织中miR-1-2和18S rRNA的含量变化,结果用循环阈值(Ct值)表示,分析死亡时间与Ct值的关系,最终建立死亡时间推断的回归分析方程。结果大鼠死后120h内心肌组织中miR-1-2含量无明显变化,此后开始下降;而18S rRNA含量在96 h内逐渐增多,随后开始缓慢下降。大鼠死后不同时间18S rRNA的Ct值以及18S rRNA和miR-1-2的ΔCt值与PMI呈非线性相关,二次曲线拟合的R2值分别为0.9487、0.8072。结论 18S rRNA的Ct值和18S rRNA与miR-1-2的ΔCt值与PMI之间存在明显非线性关系,可以作为早期死亡时间推断的指标。     

Actin、Dm、Mb和Fn诊断急性心肌梗死的研究

目的探讨Actin、Dm、Fn和Mb在诊断急性心肌梗死中是否具有实际应用价值。方法选取已确诊的30例尸检心脏标本,分为急性心肌梗死组、冠状动脉粥样硬化组及正常心肌组。在心脏左前壁取材,连续切片,分别作HE染色,Actin、Dm、Fn和Mb免疫组化SP法染色,采用图像分析技术客观测量及比较各组标本染色强度。结果在急性心肌梗死组和冠状动脉粥样硬化组中,Actin、Dm和Mb在心肌细胞中表达均明显缺失,而Fn明显表达;而且在这两组间此4项指标表达效果无统计学差异。在正常心肌组中,Actin、Dm和Mb在心肌细胞中表达均无缺失,而Fn不表达。结论Actin、Dm、Fn和Mb对心肌细胞的缺血缺氧十分敏感,能反映明确的心肌坏死,但对坏死发生的机制缺乏特异性,因此用于诊断急性心肌梗死时需慎重。     

不同环境条件下大鼠皮肤死后大体和组织学改变

死亡时间的推测是法医病理学研究的重点和难点,对晚期死亡时间的推断误差较大。皮肤是机体死后分解破坏发生较迟的部分。不同环境条件下死后不同时间大鼠皮肤大体、组织学的改变,为推测较长的死后间隔时间建立实验动物依据。利用皮肤大体、组织学改变可望较系统和准确地推测晚期死亡时间。     

Free amino acid concentrations in vitreous humor and cerebrospinal fluid in relation to the cause of death and postmortem interval

We studied free amino acids in vitreous humor and cerebrospinal fluid from 58 cadavers in the course of routine medicolegal autopsies in the city of Granada. The main objective was to establish whether free amino acids contents in these fluids were related with the cause of death, postmortem interval, and severity of the classic signs of asphyxia. The amino acids (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, glutamine, glycine/threonine/histidine, citruline, arginine, alanine, taurine, GABA, tirosine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine/tryptophan, leucine, and lysine) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. There were no statistically significant differences in amino acids concentrations in vitreous humor when the different causes of death were considered. Our results did not show any statistically significant relationship when asphyxial score was plotted against the vitreous content of each amino acid. A statistically significant increase with postmortem interval was observed in vitreous taurine (r = 0.3191, p = 0.01461), glutamate (r = 0.4323, p = 0.0007) and particularly in aspartate (r = 0.4508, p = 0.0003).     

How and when do presidents influence the duration of coalition bargaining in semi‐presidential systems?

How and when do presidents influence the government formation process in semi‐presidential systems? Presidents have both a formal role and vested interest in the formation of the cabinet, yet their influence has been overlooked in studies of the duration of government formation. In this article, it is argued that the president's influence over government formation can be explained by his or her perceived legitimacy to act in the bargaining process and their partisanship. In this first case, it is argued that the legitimacy to act derives from a president's constitutional powers and more powerful presidents simplify cabinet bargaining, leading to shorter government formation periods. In the second case, it is proposed that presidents and their parties have overlapping preferences. Therefore, when the president's party holds greater bargaining power in government formation negotiations, the bargaining process is less uncertain and less complex. Thus, government formation processes will be shorter. Using survival models and data from 26 European democracies, both propositions are confirmed by the analysis. The results enhance our understanding of the dynamics of cabinet bargaining processes and contribute to the wider study of semi‐presidentialism and executive‐legislative relations. One broader implication of these results is that the president's party affiliation is an important motivation for them as political actors; this contrasts with some previous studies which conceive of presidents as non‐partisan actors.     

Stature Estimation from Postmortem CT Femoral Maximum Length in Contemporary Danish Population

Stature estimation methods for Danish adult population have generally relied on Trotter and Gleser’s and Boldsen’s regression equations that are based on the skeletal remains of recent war dead American Whites, Terry Skeletal Collection, and Danish archaeological medieval skeletal materials, respectively. These equations are probably not suitable for stature estimation in contemporary Danish forensic cases. Furthermore, because postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is now routinely performed at Danish forensic departments, equations based on PMCT, rather than measurements of defleshed bones, are needed. The aim of this study was to develop new equations for adult stature estimation based on PMCT femoral measurement. Maximum femoral length was measured on the PMCT images of 78 individuals (41 males and 37 females) aged 23–45 years. The measurement accuracy was tested on dry bones, and all the measurements were included in the inter- and intra-observer analyses. Both analyses results demonstrated the reliability of the method and data. Comparison between the living stature of the individuals and the estimates based on the equations by Trotter and Gleser and Boldsen demonstrated the unreliability of the previous equations to some extent. New regression equations were then developed and validated on a different sample of 18 Danish forensic cases. Comparisons of all the equations indicated that both the sets of previous equations underestimated the stature in the new validation dataset. The new equations developed in this study provide a reliable alternative for stature estimation in modern Danish forensic cases.     

Hemorrhagic Retinopathy and Optic Nerve Sheath Hemorrhage Associated With Fatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage from a Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Due to Segmental Fibromuscular Dysplasia

Fibromuscular dysplasia is an idiopathic, nonatheromatous, and noninflammatory arterial disease that most commonly affects the renal and carotid arteries. We report a child with subarachnoid and ocular hemorrhage associated with an aneurysm due to fibromuscular dysplasia. Computed tomography following a witnessed collapse revealed diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage and severe cerebral edema. An autopsy confirmed the radiographic findings and detected bilateral retinal hemorrhages, optic nerve sheath hemorrhages, and a ruptured saccular aneurysm due to focal fibromuscular dysplasia involving the intracranial right vertebral artery. This case documents a fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage in a child with an intracranial saccular aneurysm caused by fibromuscular dysplasia. The associated retinal hemorrhages are easily detected by postmortem monocular indirect ophthalmoscopy.     

The Impacts of Paid Family Leave Benefits: Regression Kink Evidence from California Administrative Data

We use 10 years of California administrative data with a regression kink design to estimate the causal impacts of benefits in the first state-level paid family leave program for women with earnings near the maximum benefit threshold. We find no evidence that a higher weekly benefit amount (WBA) increases leave duration or leads to adverse future labor market outcomes for this group. In contrast, we document that a rise in the WBA leads to an increased likelihood of returning to the pre-leave firm (conditional on any employment) and of making a subsequent paid family leave claim.     

A Multi-Drug Intoxication Fatality Involving Xyrem® (GHB)

Abstract:  Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is best known as a recreational depressant drug, whose use has also been implicated in drug facilitated sexual assault cases. It is also available as a therapeutic agent (Xyrem^®) used for the treatment of daytime sleepiness or cataplexy associated with narcolepsy. This is a report of a case of a 53-year-old woman undergoing treatment with Xyrem^® for narcolepsy. The decedent was also prescribed tramadol, gabapentin, cetirizine, modafinil, carisoprodol, and Xyrem^®. Toxicological analysis of the blood revealed GHB 165.6 mg/L, and 90.7 mg/L in the urine. Blood GHB concentrations in the range 156–260 mg/L have been reported to induce moderately sound sleep. The combined use of central nervous system depressant drugs, together with her problematic sleep apnea, and snoring (both contraindications for GHB use) were determined to have caused this subject's death. The manner of death was determined to be accidental.     

Estimating the timing of long bone fractures: correlation between the postmortem interval, bone moisture content, and blunt force trauma fracture characteristics*

There is very limited knowledge about how long perimortem fracture characteristics persist into the postmortem interval (PMI). Therefore, in this study, 60 porcine long bones were exposed to natural taphonomic conditions and fractured with a steel bone breaking apparatus every 28 days throughout a 141-day period. Differences between macroscopic blunt force trauma fracture characteristics (fracture angle, surface morphology, and outline) were examined to determine if they varied over time or in relationship to bone moisture content (ash weight) and overall assessment. There are significant relationships between (1) PMI and percent ash weight (%AW), fracture surface, and fracture angle and (2) %AW and fracture surface and fracture angle. Bone moisture content correlates significantly with fracture morphology and other characteristics commonly used by forensic anthropologists to determine the timing of traumatic injuries. However, fracture characteristics normally associated with perimortem trauma can persist long into the PMI.