Quantification of Morphine,Codeine, and Thebaine in Home‐Brewed Poppy Seed Tea by LC‐MS/MS

Recently, medical examiners reported two cases of a 21‐year‐old male and 24‐year‐old male with high amounts of morphine in their blood at autopsy. It was suspected that the decedents ingested lethal amounts of morphine from home‐brewed poppy seed tea. No studies to date have investigated opium alkaloid content extracted from poppy seeds by home‐brewing methods. Various poppy seed products were purchased from online sources and extracted with four home‐brewing methods representative of recipes found on drug user forums. Morphine, codeine, and thebaine were quantified in the tea extracts by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry using a validated analytical method. Morphine, codeine, and thebaine concentrations from seeds were <1–2788 mg/kg, <1–247.6 mg/kg, and <1–124 mg/kg, respectively. Alkaloid yield varied between extractions, but regardless of extraction conditions, lethal amounts of morphine can be rinsed from poppy seed coats by home‐brewing methods.     

Use of Xylazine in Drug‐Facilitated Crimes

Human xylazine poisoning is uncommon. This report describes the use of xylazine for intentional poisoning with criminal intent. Two incidents occurred within 3 weeks: the first involved one victim, and the second involved two victims. The clinical presentations were brief coma, bradycardia, hypotension, and hyperglycemia. The victims recalled having been given a drink from a stranger in a hospital waiting room before loss of consciousness. In the first case, general drug screening by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (MS) revealed xylazine in the gastric contents, but liquid chromatography–tandem MS (LC‐MS/MS) of serum did not. In the second incident, LC‐MS/MS screening of both victims’ urine and serum samples revealed an unknown peak in the total ion chromatograms, which a molecular mass database identified as morantel or xylazine. The latter was confirmed by comparison with a xylazine standard. Based on this report, we suggest that xylazine should be classified as a controlled drug.     

Teens and Spice: A Review of Adolescent Fatalities Associated with Synthetic Cannabinoid Use

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are commonly abused by adolescents with reported past year (2013) use in high school students between 3 and 10%. Standard adolescent postmortem toxicology does not include routine SC analysis, and thus, the true burden of fatalities related to SCs is unknown. A retrospective case review of two cases included scene investigation, interviews, autopsy, and toxicology. SCs were confirmed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC?MS/MS). Review of the eight adolescent SC‐associated fatalities in the literature revealed five of eight cases had no other discernible cause of death on autopsy. Compounds detected included PB‐22 (1.1 ng/mL), JWH‐210 (12 ng/mL), XLR‐11 (1.3 ng/mL), JWH‐122, AB‐CHMINACA (8.2 ng/mL), UR‐144 (12.3 ng/mL), and JWH‐022 (3 ng/mL). With synthetic drug use on the rise, forensic experts should have a high index of suspicion for the possibility of SC intoxication in adolescent fatalities with no other discernible cause of death.     

从犯罪学研究范式论"短信"犯罪

目前,随着手机的普及,利用短信作案的犯罪案件呈逐年上升趋势,对社会生活构成严重危害,引发了一系列的治安问题.运用犯罪学研究范式对这一新型的犯罪现象进行分析研究,是科学揭示犯罪原因以及寻求正确预防对策的客观基础.通过变量等级中个人因素和社会因素的分析,宏观与微观分析轴的具体剖析,以及经验与思辨的结合,从而针对这一犯罪现象完整地构建出理论框架.     

短信息诈骗犯罪的侦查对策

近年来,短信息诈骗犯罪呈多发势头。由于此类犯罪科技含量高、作案方式隐蔽、侵害对象不特定,不仅严重危害人民群众的财产安全,而且给侦查破案带来困难。侦破此类案件应当合理界定管辖权限,做好取证工作,加强协作配合,积极串并案件,选准破案突破口,加强情报信息。     

温州汉族人群D7S2846、D19S400和D18S535基因座的遗传多态性研究

目的研究D7S2846、D19S400和D18S535位点在温州汉族人群的遗传多态性。方法EDTA抗凝血样采自194名无血缘关系温州地区汉族个体,用chelex-100法提取DNA,PCR扩增,聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳,银染显色分析。结果D7S2846观察到6个等位基因及15种基因型;D19S400观察到10个等位基因及36种基因型;D18S535观察到8个等位基因及26种基因型。各基因座的杂合度(H)分别为:0.644、0.724、0.772;个人识别能力(Dp):0.854、0.940、0.938。结论三个STR基因座具有较高杂合度,等位基因分布符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡,在法医学应用和群体遗传学研究中有较高的价值。     

中国鄂温克族人群15个STR基因座多态性研究

目的调查15个STR基因座在中国鄂温克族人群中的基因频率分布。方法应用PowerPlex16System复合扩增系统,对99名鄂温克族无关个的血样DNA进行多态性研究。结果在鄂温克族人群中15个STR基因座偶合率(Pm)在0.0205～0.1733之间,个体识别概率(DP)在0.8267～0.9795之间,杂合度在0.6061～0.9091之间,三联非父排除率(PE)在0.4038～0.7690之间,多态性信息总量(PIC)在0.5985～0.8734之间,15个STR基因座总TDP值为0.9999999999998,所有基因座经χ2检验符合Hard-Weinberg平衡。结论上述15个STR基因座在鄂温克族人群中等位基因分布较好,个体识别率高,适合法医个体识别和亲子鉴定。     

混合斑的DNA分型解析

综述了常染色体STR、Amelogenin、Y染色体STR、线粒体DNA和单核苷酸多态性等DNA检测方法在解释混合斑检验结果应用中的进展。对混合斑的统计学方法也作了总结。     

短串联重复分型异常

短串联重复序列(STR)已被广泛应用于法医学的个体识别和亲子鉴定中。大多数情况下,STR的分型均得到了准确、可靠的结果,但是在应用中也发现了一些异常的分型现象。引起这些异常现象原因很多,有DNA的遗传性变异、DNA模板质量不好、分型试剂或方法的不同、PCR反应中非特异性反应以及异常的电泳行为等。这些异常的结果会干扰STR分型结果的解析。     

刑事诉讼中疑罪案件处理的几个问题辨析

疑罪从无是无罪推定原则在案件的实体处理上的体现。准确界定疑罪案件是刑事司法实践中正确适用疑罪从无原则的前提和关键。疑罪从无原则不仅适用于审判阶段 ,也适用于侦查和起诉阶段 ,但效力不同。我国现行刑事诉讼法未能彻底贯彻疑罪从无的精神 ,如二审程序的立法有悖于这一精神及最高人民法院的司法解释又给其予以重大冲击。