小鼠死后骨骼肌、心、肝、肾、脑细胞核中DNA的变化规律

目的 研究小鼠器官细胞核中DNA降解变化与死亡时间的关系,为法医学推断死亡时间提供一种新方法.方法 应用单细胞凝胶电泳技术结合荧光显微镜和计算机图像分析技术,测定小鼠在死后72h内不同时间点骨骼肌、心、肝、肾、脑细胞核头DNA含量、尾DNA含量、头半径、尾长度、尾矩、Olive矩、头面积、尾面积8项参数的变化值.结果 在小鼠死亡72h内,彗星尾DNA含量、尾长度、尾矩、Olive矩、尾面积都呈增加趋势,头DNA舍量、头半径、头面积均呈下降趋势.计算出体现DNA降解趋势的二项式回归方程(P<0.001)和多元回归方程(P<0.0001).结论 本研究提供的各组回归方程,可为法医学推断死后经过时间提供一种新的方法.     

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。     

论虚拟解剖

“开放式”解剖是法医学死亡调查中的传统手段。随着科技进步和技术发展,现在的断层扫描影像学技术已经可以部分甚至全部取代传统的解剖技术。计算机断层扫描成像技术可以提供个体的损伤或死后变化的二维或三维影像信息．可以充分而客观地反映如骨折、气体检塞、皮下气肿、气压损伤、腐败改变及器官损伤等。这些反映个体损伤或者死后变化的计算机断层扫描成像技术可以为司法实践提供直观、有力的法医学证据。而另一种影像学技术．核磁共振成像技术在探查软组织损伤、器官损伤及非外伤性损伤等方面具有独特优势。但是,如何辨别生前和死后骨折形态的差异,如何调整生前死后变化的信号检查强度等方面。一直没有系统地研究报道。本文将综述有关计算机断层扫描和磁共振成像技术在法医解剖方面的应用,引入“虚拟解剖”的概念．系统地介绍这种独立、客观和微创的新型解剖方式．并对其在法医学死亡调查中产生的影响做出前瞻性预测。可以预见,在今后大量、广泛的法医死亡调查中．“虚拟解剖”将成为一种普遍应用的损伤和死亡的分析鉴定方式。     

精神视界的开发与“点”的深入——谈“中国当代文学”的教学

本文探讨大学中文专业基础课＂中国当代文学＂教学中的精神追求与方法特征。文章强调挖掘中国当代文学发展历程所蕴涵着的丰富精神内涵、突出它与源远流长的世界文学和中国古代文学之间的深度关联,并阐述了教学过程中的＂问题意识＂和情感体验在文学教育中的重要性,反对平面化单一性的知识介绍。     

手法联合盐酸氨基葡萄糖治疗膝骨关节炎临床观察

目的 基于红外热成像技术评价手法治疗膝骨关节炎(knee osteoarthritis,KOA)的临床疗效,探讨手法作用机制,形成手法治疗KOA规范化诊疗评估方案。方法 通过简单随机方法将40例KOA患者分为对照组和治疗组,每组20例（治疗组和对照组分别被剔除1例和2例）。治疗组采用手法治疗联合盐酸氨基葡萄糖胶囊口服,对照组采用自我按摩联合盐酸氨基葡萄糖胶囊口服。治疗2周后,以膝关节区域温度、督脉温度、视觉模拟量表（visual analogue scale, VAS）评分、西安大略和麦克马斯特大学骨关节炎指数（the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index,WOMAC）、连续5次坐立时间、15 m直线连续行走时间为指标,评价两组疗效。结果 两组治疗后VAS评分均显著降低（P＜0.05）;治疗组治疗前后VAS评分差值显著大于对照组（P＜0.05）。两组治疗后WOMAC的疼痛、僵硬、生活功能评分和总分显著降低（P＜0.05）;其中治疗组治疗前后WOMAC总分和僵硬评分差值显著大于对照组（P＜0.05）。两组治疗后连续5次坐立时间、15 m直线连续行走时间均显著降低（P＜0.05);治疗组治疗后连续5次坐立时间、15 m直线连续行走时间降低值显著大于对照组（P＜0.05）。两组治疗后膝关节区域温度显著降低（P＜0.05）,督脉区域温度显著升高(P＜0.05);治疗组治疗后膝关节区域温度降低值和督脉区域温度升高值显著大于对照组（P＜0.05)。两组基于WOMAC总分的临床疗效比较,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,治疗组临床疗效明显优于对照组。结论 中医手法治疗可减轻KOA患者膝关节疼痛、僵硬症状,改善日常生活功能,疗效优于自我按摩。     

Specific Patterns of Canine Scavenging in Indoor Settings

Postmortem animal mutilations due to domestic dogs in isolated domestic deaths are taphonomic modifications regularly observed by forensic pathologists. They are rarely described in the literature; however, even though they present specific patterns. Through 41 cases, 10 at the forensic institute in Lille (France) and 31 at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (USA), plus 22 cases from the literature, specific locations and patterns of postmortem scavenging lesions are proposed. These lesions are mainly distributed in three locations: the face, especially the nose and the mouth (73.1%), the neck (43.1%), and the arm (shoulder/upper limb [29.2%], hand [26.8%]). We discuss the time span between death and scavenging, the consequences on identification, and comparison with outdoor settings. Outdoor scavenging lesions are mainly located on the trunk and limbs usually sparing the head, which strongly differs from indoor distribution and imply different animal motivations.     

3D forensic facial approximation: Implementation protocol in a forensic activity

The primary objective of this paper is to report on the successful implementation of forensic facial approximation in a real case in the forensic context. A three‐dimensional (3D) facial approximation protocol of the skull was performed with free software, applying techniques in a virtual environment that have already been consolidated in the literature. The skull was scanned with the photogrammetry technique, the digital replica was imported in the Blender software (Blender Foundation, Amsterdam) and individualized model sketches of the face were traced with the MakeHuman software (MakeHuman Org) according to the anthropological profile of the victim. The face created was imported in Blender, where it was adapted, modeled, and sculpted on the 3D skull and its soft tissue markers, using an American open‐source application of the technique in the digital environment. The face created in a virtual environment was recognized and legal identification procedures were started, resulting in the more agile delivery of the disappeared body to its next of kin. It is therefore concluded that facial approximation may not be a primary method of human identification, but it can be satisfactorily applied in the forensic field as an individual recognition resource. It has great value in narrowing the search, reducing the number of alleged victims, and leading to identification tests, therefore significantly reducing the number of genetic DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) tests—which are considered costly for the State or Federation—and consequently reducing the waiting time before delivery of the body to its family.     

Radiodense bullet wipe around osseous entrance gunshot wounds

“Bullet wipe” is the material deposited by a bullet on any surface with which it comes into contact after it is fired and may contain debris from the gun barrel, including particles of primer and metal fragments from previously fired bullets. X‐ray analysis is a non‐destructive method by which traces of metallic elements can be visually detected. The analysis of osseous defects for radiodense bullet wipe (RBW) assists in determining the presence or absence of perforating gunshot wounds, especially in fragmented, skeletonized remains. The aim of our current study was to determine the frequency of RBW around entrance firearms injuries that perforated bone. We prospectively analyzed entrance gunshot wounds for RBW over a three‐year period using digital X‐ray analysis (n = 59). We retrospectively reviewed the corresponding autopsy reports to determine the frequency of RBW by biologic sex, reported ancestry, age‐at‐death, location of wound, manner of death, range of fire, bullet caliber, and presence of bullet jacket. Data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test or Chi‐square test with significance levels accepted at p < 0.05. RBW was present in 66% (n = 39) of examined cases. Decedent characteristics did not significantly alter RBW distribution, including biologic sex (p = 0.75), reported ancestry (p = 0.49), and age‐at‐death (p = 0.43). Additionally, the location of the osseous entrance gunshot wound, manner of death, range of fire, and cartridge caliber did not affect RBW detection. All cases involving non‐jacketed rounds (n = 5) showed RBW (p = 0.30). To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the frequency of RBW detection from osseous entrance gunshot wounds.     

Fatal paradoxical air embolism diagnosed by postmortem imaging and autopsy

The recognition and visualization of an arterial gas embolism are difficult. We report a case of sudden death caused by paradoxical air embolism of coronary and cerebral arteries, diagnosed by the pre autopsy computed tomography (CT) scanning. A 54-year-old woman suddenly died after the self-removal of the jugular vein catheter. Postmortem imaging examination using CT scanning showed multiple gas embolisms in the cerebral arteries, pulmonary artery, right atrium and ventricle, left ventricle, aorta, and coronary arteries. These findings suggested that the occurrence of acute ischemia of the brain and heart caused by massive air inflow to the artery. Conventional autopsy revealed a patent foramen ovale of the heart. These results indicated that the patient died of paradoxical air embolization of the coronary and cerebral arteries through a patent foramen ovale because of right-to-left shunting. The use of postmortem imaging as an aid for conventional autopsy has proved to be of advantage in the case of gas embolism.     

Air, water, and surface bacterial contamination in a university-hospital autopsy room

Today, little is known about the bacteriological environment of the autopsy room and its potential interest for medico-legal practices. Seven hundred fifty microbiological samples were taken from surface (n = 660), air (n = 48), and water (n = 42) to evaluate it in a French University Forensic Department. Median bacterial counts were compared before and during autopsy for air samples, and before and after autopsy for surface samples, using Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test. Bacterial identification relied on traditional phenotypic methods. Bacterial counts in the air were low before autopsy, increased significantly during procedure, and seemed more linked to the number of people in the room than to an important production of aerosol-containing bacteria. Despite cleaning, human fecal flora was omnipresent on surfaces, which revealed insufficient disinfection. Bacteriological sampling is an easy way to monitor cleaning practices in postmortem rooms, but chiefly a way to improve the reliability of medico-legal proofs of infectious deaths.