Analysis of the testimonial evidence of Portugal’s first major forensic case: part II

The crime possibly perpetrated by a doctor named Vicente Urbino de Freitas in 1890 is one of the most famous cases of poisoning, and it had echoes in the Portuguese and foreign press for several decades. This prestigious doctor was convicted of the fatal poisoning of his nephew. He also attempted the homicide of two nieces and their mother-in-law, who only escaped because they obstinately refused to comply with the “therapeutics” prescribed by the family doctor. The motive of the crime should have been Vicente Urbino de Freitas’ ambition to receive the family inheritance of his wife, the daughter of the well-known merchant José António Sampaio of Flores Street in Porto. Vicente Urbino de Freitas was convicted but doubt about his guilt persists for more than a century. This second work aimed to collect and analyse all the relevant and contradictory testimonial evidence of the prosecution and defence witnesses. This case represents an odd historical record obtained through more than 12 years of research on the first major significant Portuguese forensic case. Rare and unprecedented testimonial evidence and photographs were obtained from different countries and then repaired, since these also provide an important historical record of the medical photography.     

植物物证的法医学应用

随着植物物证在案件侦破过程中的作用日益明显,应用植物学研究方法为刑事案件提供线索、证据的"法医植物学"越来越受到关注.法医植物学常用的实验技术有形态学检验、理化检验、分子遗传学检验等.本文通过整理法医植物学研究的相关文献及案例,以列举的形式简要阐述不同检验方法的利弊,总结法医植物学应用中需要注意的问题,供案件现场勘验时...     

创伤性骨关节炎法医学鉴定41例分析

目的探讨创伤性骨关节炎的法医学鉴定要点。方法总结苏州同济司法鉴定所2006~2010年受理的41例创伤性骨关节炎法医临床学鉴定案例,对被鉴定人的性别、年龄、致伤方式、损伤部位、损伤形态、影像学表现、治疗方式、创伤性骨关节炎确诊的时间间隔等资料进行回顾性统计、分析。结果法医学检验检见生理结构破坏合并功能障碍7例,功能障碍30例,生理结构与功能检查均未见明显异常9例,另2例临床于外伤后短时间内即诊断为创伤性骨关节炎的,法医学鉴定时未予认定。创伤性骨关节炎影像学表现的严重程度与疼痛、功能障碍等临床表现并没有显著的相关性。结论创伤性骨关节炎作为骨折后常见的并发症之一,好发于负重关节,发生的间隔时间不一,其临床表现严重程度较影像学表现对法医学鉴定意见的意义更大。     

创伤性脑损伤大鼠P300检测与海马microRNA表达变化

目的探讨创伤性脑损伤后大鼠海马microRNA的表达变化与认知功能障碍的相关性。方法 25只SD大鼠随机分为假手术组和伤后1h、1d、3d、5d组,采用Feeney自由落体法建立创伤性脑损伤动物模型。各组大鼠于设定的损伤时间点检测事件相关电位P300,应用基因芯片技术检测海马microRNA的表达情况,筛选特异性表达的microRNA。结果各组大鼠伤后P300的潜伏期延长,波幅下降,以伤后1d为甚。与假手术组相比,伤后各实验组microRNA表达谱具有显著差异。其中miR-21、miR-16、let-7b的表达与P300潜伏期变化存在显著相关,伤后1d为差异性表达的关键时间点。结论 microRNA可能在创伤性脑损伤后发生的认知功能障碍中发挥调控作用,有望为脑损伤后认知功能的法医学鉴定提供新的思路。     

肝豆状核变性患者中医证型的临床客观指标研究

目的分析不同中医证型肝豆状核变性(hepatolenticular degeneration,HLD)患者临床客观指标的差异,为HLD辨证分型客观化提供依据。方法回顾性分析2012年1月至2014年6月期间185例未经驱铜治疗的HLD患者的临床客观指标和中医证型,并比较不同中医证型患者客观指标的差异。结果不同证型HLD患者的发病年龄,病程,血尿酸水平,角膜K-F环阳性率,肝脏超声影像学表现,以及肾脏损伤、腹水和胆囊疾患发生率比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05),不同证型HLD患者的临床客观指标呈现不同的特征性变化。如肝肾不足证者发病最低,病程最短,血尿酸水平最高,角膜K-F环阳性率最低,肝脏超声主要呈现星光点征,肾脏损伤发生率最低。结论 HLD患者的年龄、病程、血尿酸水平、角膜K-F环、腹部彩色超声影像学表现对中医辨证分型具有一定参考价值。     

颅脑损伤后血液中S100β含量与损伤程度的关系

目的探讨血清中S100β蛋白含量与创伤性脑损伤程度的关系及法医学意义。方法选取健康体检者、颅脑损伤患者和其他创伤患者各30名作为研究对象,再根据入院时的GCS评分,将颅脑损伤患者分为轻中型组（GCS≥8分）和重型组（GCS〈8分）。用ELISA法对上述研究对象血清中S100β蛋白含量进行检测。结果在脑外伤6h内,颅脑损伤组血清S100β蛋白含量较正常对照组和创伤对照组升高,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;重型组与轻中型组相比,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。血清中S100β蛋白含量越高,患者颅脑损伤程度越严重。结论S100β蛋白可作为早期检测创伤性颅脑损伤的指标之一,其含量越高,颅脑损伤程度越重。     

论民法视野下人体医学试验损害的救济

人体医学试验不应因其具有公益性质而漠视受试者的权利。为了保护受试者的利益,研究者和受试者订立的知情同意书应该视为合同。试验过程中,受试者受到人身损害,可以选择向研究者提起违约之诉或者侵权之诉要求研究者承担损害赔偿责任。无论选择违约之诉还是选择侵权之诉,均应适用无过错责任原则。受试者的自冒风险行为可以作为免除研究者民事责任的事由,当然,研究者和受试者也可以就受试者自冒风险行为所招致的损害约定分担。     

A DNA-based approach for the forensic identification of Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) in a traditional Asian medicine

Attempts to prevent illegal trade in bile and gallbladders from Asiatic black bears, Ursus thibetanus, are hampered by difficulties associated with identifying such items. We extracted DNA from bile crystals of unknown species origin and generated partial cytochrome b (cyt b) sequences using either universal primers (positioned in conserved regions of cyt b), or primers designed on existing U. thibetanus sequences (UT). Species origin was determined by aligning resolved sequences to reference sequence data. The universal primers were unsuitable for U. thibetanus identification when multiple species templates were present in the samples. The UT primers amplified U. thibetanus DNA from all sample extracts, including those containing mixed species templates. The amplified fragment can distinguish U. thibetanus from the most closely related species, U. americanus, a distinct advantage of DNA sequencing over the methods currently used to analyze suspected U. thibetanus bile.     

Evaluation of postmortem biochemical markers: Completeness of data and assessment of implication in the field

Throughout the years an increase has been observed in research output on biochemical markers for determining the postmortem interval (PMI). However, to date, a complete overview is missing on the results of postmortem biochemical markers (PBM's) for PMI estimation. In this paper, literature was reviewed in order to identify the knowledge lacunae of PBM research from a practical point of view. A three-step approach was undertaken in order to achieve the set goal. Literature was collected, the PBM's were evaluated for completeness by means of a scorings index based on set criteria, and PBM's were subsequently evaluated in light of the Daubert & Frye criteria for scientific evidence in court. Seven PBM's were found to be well investigated, from which potassium had the highest completion score. However, none of these PBM's could be qualified as suitable for court evidence. Further, this study revealed that the majority of PBM's (94%) is not well investigated. Consequently, these PBM's did not meet Daubert & Frye criteria. In order to improve the assessment for use of PBM's as evidence in court regarding PMI estimation, PBM's should be investigated more thoroughly and data should be made readily available.     

Histopathological,histochemical and biochemical postmortem changes in induced fatal hypothermia in rats

Reaching a postmortem diagnosis of hypothermia is challenging in forensic practice. Therefore, this study was conducted to detect the histopathological, histochemical and biochemical changes that occur in adult albino rats following exposure to induced fatal hypothermia. Twenty-four adult albino rats were divided into the negative control, moderate hypothermia, severe hypothermia and hypoxia groups. Rats in the control group were euthanized when those in the moderate hypothermic group died. Blood samples were collected via heart puncture, and the cerebrum, heart, suprarenal gland, kidney, liver and skeletal muscle were removed to investigate the biochemical, histochemical and histopathological changes. Postmortem assessment depicted significant changes in lipid peroxidation, represented by increased malondialdehyde levels in the studied organs of the rats in hypothermic and hypoxia groups. Histopathological examination of the rats’ organs revealed degeneration and necrosis in the hypothermia and hypoxia groups. Sections taken from the severe hypothermic rats revealed a loss of normal cardiac tissue architecture, necrotic changes in the pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex, and massive necrosis, mainly in the tubules of the renal cortex and medulla. These findings suggest that histological changes might be used as biochemical markers for postmortem diagnosing of fatal hypothermia, particularly in severe hypothermic conditions.

Key points

• Death by hypothermia is a serious public health problem worldwide.
• Confirming a diagnosis and determining the cause of death in cases of hypothermia are among the most difficult practices in forensic medicine.
• Death by hypothermia might be associated with structural abnormalities in various organs.
• Studies using different tissue staining techniques will enable an overall illustration of the role of histopathological changes in body organs as indicators of hypothermia.