心肌肌钙蛋白T在家兔缺血心肌中的表达及其死后稳定性

目的 探寻心肌肌钙蛋白T（cTnT）在家免缺血心肌中的表达规律及其死后稳定性．并对其在法医学实践中诊断早期心肌缺血的应用价值进行评价。方法用冠状动脉结扎法建立家兔急性心肌缺血模型．应用免疫组织化学法、图像分析和统计学处理系统,检测死后cTnT表达情况,并对实验组和对照组cTnT的表达进行比较。结果缺血区心肌组织可见明显不规则灶状、片状cTnT缺失区,间质呈阴性表达。在4℃放置．随放置时间延长,正常和缺血心肌组织cTnT阳性表达均有减弱趋势,至14d时均完全缺失。但仅在4℃放置1～7d内,缺血心肌和正常心肌标本之间cTnT阳性反应具有显著性差异。结论cTnT的免疫组化表达用于认定死后4℃放置的尸体是否有死前心肌缺血时．宜在7d以内进行。     

非法拘禁罪行为构造研析

旨在剖析非法拘禁罪的行为构造。首先就非法拘禁罪之客观行为进行了本体研析,界定了"拘禁"与"其他方法"之内涵。随后,从基本构成时间和从重或加重构成时间两个层次,探究了非法拘禁罪客观行为的时间限定问题。在此基础上,述及非法拘禁罪客观行为之前提条件,并认为非法限制他人人身自由的行为,在必要时也可以非法拘禁罪论处。     

Two Novel Methods for Enhancing Postmortem Fingerprint Recovery from Mummified Remains

Postmortem fingerprint collection is a routine part of many forensic death investigations. Although the production of postmortem prints is usually straight forward, several obstacles and scenarios can make the collection difficult. A common challenge occurs when finger pads are mummified. Several current techniques allow for softening and rehydration of mummified finger pads; however, despite the employment of such techniques, the production of adequate postmortem fingerprints can remain elusive. The authors present two techniques that can improve the chances of obtaining suitable fingerprints from mummified remains. The “baby powder method” involves applying a cornstarch‐based powder, such as baby powder, onto the darkened and mummified finger pads, to allow better visualization of the fingerprint detail. The “transillumination method” involves carefully dissecting away the tissues underlying the finger pad, followed by placement of a bright light source underneath the finger pad, such that the finger ridge pattern is illuminated.     

An Assessment of the Skeletal Fracture Patterns Resulting from Fatal High (˃3 m) Free Falls

The injury patterns resulting from fatal high (?3 m) free falls have previously been documented in clinical and medico‐legal contexts; however, details relating specifically to the skeletal blunt force trauma (BFT) have been limited. This study aimed to augment what is known of the skeletal fracture patterns resulting from fatal high free falls. Skeletal trauma was analyzed from full‐body postmortem computed tomography scans of 95 individuals who died following a high free fall. Fracture patterns were documented using the five general anatomical regions, axial and appendicular regions, and postcranial unilateral and bilateral regions. Patterns were analyzed in the context of the extrinsic and intrinsic variables that may influence fractures using multiple logistic regression. Fracture patterns involved all aspects of the skeleton, with 98.9% exhibiting polytrauma, and were influenced primarily by the height fallen, manner of death, and landing surface. This improved understanding of fracture patterns will augment anthropological interpretations of the mechanism of BFT in cases of suspected high falls.     

A Forensic Entomological Analysis Can Yield an Estimate of Postmortem Interval,and Not Just a Minimum Postmortem Interval: An Explanation and Illustration Using a Case

Several authors claimed that a forensic entomological analysis can never be interpreted as the postmortem interval (PMI), but that it can be interpreted as a minimum postmortem interval (PMI_min), or dead for not less than X amount of time. Because in most instances, a PMI estimate should be a range, that is, the set of values from maximum postmortem interval (PMI_max) to PMI_min, objections to PMI estimation are objections to PMI_max estimation. The arguments for this position did not address the substantial body of literature describing estimation of both PMI_max and PMI_min using insect succession analysis. This report reviews the scientific issues and presents a recent homicide investigation in which several forensic entomology experts used the absence of carrion insects on the corpse, a kind of succession analysis, to estimate PMI or PMI_max.     

Entomological and Cardiologic Evidence of Time Since Death in Short Postmortem Intervals

Estimating the time since death of the deceased is a main goal in forensic investigations, but this can be challenging due to contradictory results derived from different investigations at the scene of death. We present a case of a 78‐year‐old woman, found dead in a small forest with broad‐leaved trees, whose husband had a history of domestic violence. Routinely performed investigations, such as postmortem rectal temperature and lividity, yielded inconsistent time since death results between only a few and longer than 20 h. This difficulty was most likely caused by high ambient temperatures of up to 38.0°C, which negatively influenced the informative value of the applied nomogram method. Additionally, performed entomological investigation of fly maggots (Lucilia illustris) recovered from the corpse and the assessment of heart pacemaker data revealed consistent and incontrovertible results. The presented case highlights the benefits of information provided by entomological investigations and data evaluation of cardiac implantable electronic devices and the combined use of the two techniques.     

Suicide by Intentional Air embolism

Venous air embolism occurs when air enters the venous system. The main causes of venous air embolism include medical procedures, neck and head trauma, and injuries of the genitals. Self‐induced suicidal (and intentional) air embolism is extremely rare. The authors report a rare case of a suicidal air embolism committed using a self‐made tool composed of a plastic bottle and an infusion set, injecting nearly 2000 mL of air into the cubital vein. The toxicological analysis suggested that midazolam, together with air, was also injected into the circulation using the same bottle and infusion set.     

溴敌隆及其代谢物-苄叉丙酮在犬体内的死后分布

目的研究溴敌隆及其代谢物-苄叉丙酮在中毒致死犬体内死后分布规律,为溴敌隆中毒检材的采取提供实验依据。方法分别经口给予犬2倍和4倍LD_(50)溴敌隆,待其死亡后迅速解剖取材,气相色谱-质谱联用法测定心血、外周血、尿、胆汁、心、肝、脾、肺、肾、脑、左下肢肌、膀胱、胃、胃内容、胰等脏器和体液中溴敌隆和代谢物-苄叉丙酮的含量。结果犬经2倍和4倍LD_(50)溴敌隆灌胃染毒后3d开始出现出血症状,(178.40±20.94)h后死亡。溴敌隆和代谢物-苄叉丙酮在各组织脏器及体液中的死后分布为:溴敌隆2LD_(50)组溴敌隆:胆汁尿、肝、心、肾心血、外周血、脾、肺等;苄叉丙酮:胆汁、尿、心血、外周血、肺、胃内容中含量高于其他脏器。溴敌隆4LD_(50)组溴敌隆:胆汁、尿肝、外周血心血、胃内容物等脏器。苄叉丙酮:胆汁、尿、肺浓度高于其他脏器。结论溴敌隆及其代谢物-苄叉丙酮在中毒致死犬体内死后分布不均匀,溴敌隆在胆汁、尿、肝脏、心血和外周血含量较高,代谢物-苄叉丙酮在胆汁、尿、肺较高。胆汁、尿、肝脏、心血、外周血可作为疑似溴敌隆中毒毒物分析的检材。     

Frozen: Thawing and Its Effect on the Postmortem Microbiome in Two Pediatric Cases,

Previous postmortem microbiome studies have focused on characterizing taxa turnover during an undisturbed decomposition process. How coexisting conditions (e.g., frozen, buried, burned) affect the human microbiome at the time of discovery is less well understood. Microbiome data were collected from two pediatric cases at the Wayne County Medical Examiner in Michigan. The bodies were found frozen, hidden in a freezer for an extended time. Microbial communities were sampled from six external anatomic locations at three time points during the thawing process, prior to autopsy. The 16S rRNA V4 gene amplicon region was sequenced using high‐throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). Microbial diversity increased, and there was a distinct shift in microbial community structure and abundance throughout the thawing process. Overall, these data demonstrate that the postmortem human microbiome changes during the thawing process, and have important forensic implications when bodies have been substantially altered, modified, and concealed after death.     

Postmortem Fluid Concentrations of Heroin Biomarkers and Their Metabolites

Only limited data exist concerning the utility of complementary specimens in heroin-related deaths. As such, this report employed a validated LC-MS-MS method to quantify 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), 6-acetylcodeine (6-AC), and their metabolites morphine and codeine in blood with (BN) and without preservative (B) and the additional unpreserved specimens of vitreous humor, urine, stomach contents, and bile from 20 postmortem cases in which heroin was the primary cause of death. The median concentration of 6-MAM in BN was 0.011 mg/L, B was 0.008 mg/L, urine was 0.186 mg/L, vitreous humor was 0.022 mg/L, stomach contents was 0.147 mg/L, and bile was 0.012 mg/L. Only one case was found to be positive for 6-AC in B (case 6, 0.002 mg/L), and the median concentration of 6-AC was 0.002 mg/L in BN, 0.012 mg/L in urine, 0.003 mg/L in vitreous humor, 0.057 mg/L in stomach contents, and 0.004 mg/L in bile. These findings present new information on the distribution of these analytes in complementary matrices and support their inclusion for accurately determining the role of heroin in opioid-related deaths.