An unusual case of sudden unexpected death: postmortem investigation and biomechanical analysis of the cervical spine

A naked man died under peculiar circumstances and the postmortem examination revealed unexpected lesions in the cervical spine. Investigations of the cervical spine (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and histological examination) showed that a piece of bone was torn of the anterior part of vertebra C6 and that there was fresh bleeding in the surrounding tissue. The cause of death remained unclear but was most likely cardiac arrhythmia initiated by beta-2 agonist inhalation due to an acute asthmatic attack. Data from biomechanical investigation using finite element analysis supported the conclusion that the cervical spine injury was secondary to impact during falling as a consequence of the cardiac arrhythmia.     

Appearance of chemical burns resulting from the washing of a deceased body with bleach

The authors report on a case of postmortem washing of a body with bleach. An adult female victim was found nude in an alleyway with both hands removed in the City of Westminster, CO. Cause of death was attributed to severe blunt force trauma to the head. The victim had been dumped in the alleyway within 7 h of discovery. Evidence discovered at the crime scene and autopsy indicated that the murder and subsequent washing of the body with bleach occurred at a secondary location(s). The victim was wet to the touch, presenting a strong odor of bleach. Several "ribbon"-like burn patterns were observed on the victim's back and upper thighs. These burn marks were replicated by dowsing a deceased pig with an over-the-counter concentration of bleach.     

不同死亡方式大鼠心肌组织中ATP、ADP和AMP含量比较

目的比较不同死亡方式对大鼠心肌组织能量物质变化的影响,为判断不同死亡方式及死亡时间提供依据。方法180只大鼠随机分为三组,以不同方式(失血、窒息、断颈)处死,高效液相色谱法检测死后0、0.5、1、1.5、2、3、4、6、8、12、18和24h大鼠心肌组织中的ATP、ADP、AMP含量。结果三组不同死亡方式大鼠心肌组织的ATP、ADP、AMP的含量在大部分时间点做组间比较有明显差异(P<0.05);每组不同死亡方式的大鼠心肌组织中ATP、AMP的含量随时间的变化有明显的差异(P<0.01),而各组中的ADP在死亡一定时间后无明显差异。结论不同死亡方式的大鼠心肌组织中能量物质死后变化可以用作对死亡方式及某种方式不同死亡时间做出判断的依据。     

心外科手术后死亡医疗纠纷尸检分析

目的从尸检角度讨论心外科手术后死亡的死因及诊疗缺陷。方法按临床诊断、手术类型、死亡时间、死亡特点、尸检特点、纠纷特点、诊疗缺陷等方面,比较所选案例的临床、尸检资料特点。结果心瓣膜置换手术4例,冠心病冠脉搭桥手术1例,先心病大动脉转位手术1例。心肌梗死2例,心肌广泛损伤1例。心内膜感染2例,多器官功能衰竭1例。家属怀疑诊疗不当6例。诊疗缺陷主要为手术适应证、手术时机,手术器材的选用,手术操作,术后病情观察、处理不及时,对病情严重程度、手术风险及预后的告知不充分。结论尸检不仅能查明死因,还可帮助评价手术质量、术后处理的诊疗质量,对解决纠纷具有重要的辅助作用。     

Differential accumulation of pulmonary and cardiac mast cell-subsets and eosinophils between fatal anaphylaxis and asthma death: a postmortem comparative study

The distribution profile of infiltrated mast cell-subpopulations and eosinophils in the lung and heart sections of the patients who died of severe allergic hyperresponsiveness, was investigated. Four study groups were designed comprising 9 cases who died in systemic anaphylaxis (Group I), 10 asthmatic individuals whose death were assigned to acute and severe bronchial asthma (Group II), 10 asthmatic cases who died from non-immunological diseases (Group III). Twenty consecutive autopsies of non-allergic subjects who died of unnatural causes (Group IV) served as control group in this study. Utilizing antibodies against human tryptase and chymase and a double immunohistochemical staining method, we distinguished successfully all three subsets of mast cells (MC), MC-TC (containing both tryptase and chymase), MC-T (containing only tryptase) and MC-C (containing only chymase) types, subdivided on the basis of the protease compositions of their secretory granules. In order to immunostaining eosinophils, we used antibody to major basic protein as a marker. We also measured postmortem blood tryptase, specific and total serum IgE. The intriguing finding of this study was the marked differences of cellular composition in the lung between fatal anaphylaxis and asthma death. Significant augmentation of MCs infiltrated in lung and heart sections of anaphylaxis patients and drastic infiltration of bronchial eosinophils in asthmatic death and consequent release of their related inflammatory mediators might explain the differential expression of the associated symptoms in these two groups. The anaphylactic deaths did show neither emphysema nor significant mucous bronchial secretions whereas all asthmatic deaths did. The degree of pulmonary congestion and edema was also more severe in anaphylaxis. This corresponded with the histological findings and the location and number of mast cell-subsets and eosinophils in the different compartments of the lungs. We have demonstrated that the third type of mast cell MC-C is only found in the lungs in anaphylactic deaths. The practical consequence of our study will be that it is now possible to confirm a suspicion of anaphylaxis death not only by measurements of serum mast cell tryptase, but also by immunohistochemical methods.     

续存、限制、渐废：再论中国刑罚之死刑命运

死刑终归与社会的发展和人类文明进程不协调,本次《刑法修正案（八）》顺应废止死刑的国际刑事政策潮流,取消了13个经济性非暴力犯罪的死刑,无疑是我国刑事立法的一大进步。但是我国现阶段仍不具备立废全部死刑的成熟条件,尚须在保留死刑的前提下,从立法、司法、政策及民众思想上创造限制死刑到全面废止死刑的条件。     

当引渡“遭遇”死刑

二战后,由于国际人权保护观念的高涨,“死刑不引渡”原则作为死刑废止论的一个表征和限制引渡的“安全阀”之一,而引人注目.当引渡“遭遇”死刑,当死刑关涉人权,当三者聚合在国际刑事司法合作中时,在保留死刑和废除死刑的国家间,造成了一些互不谅解的情况.其实,就目前世界发展状况而言,生存权仍是一种相对权,保留死刑和保障人权并不矛盾,各国应抱着求同存异的态度,协商解决矛盾,实现生存权和公共秩序保护之间的均衡.     

论我国死刑制度的实质性改革——以《刑法修正案(八)》削减死刑罪名为视角

《刑法修正案(八)》的出台引起社会高度关注,因为与以往历次《刑法》修正案相比,本次《刑法》修改可以说是幅度和力度最大的一次。《刑法修正案(八)》的亮点之一就是削减了死刑罪名,由于死刑是剥夺犯罪人生命的刑罚,因其严厉性、残酷性、非人道性和不可纠正性而长期为人所诟病,死刑之存废也是学界一直关注和争论的焦点问题,然而,就我国现阶段而言,对死刑依然保持现状或轻言完全废除都不可取,更重要的应当是在刑事立法和司法适用上对死刑进行有步骤地、渐进式地改革。从此意义上说,《刑法修正案(八)》充分表明我国已进入对死刑的实质性改革阶段。     

死刑案件被害人权利保护问题

在刑事司法领域,人权保障是一个内涵丰富且不断发展的制度体系。既要保障犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的合法权利,也要保障被害人的合法权利,同时注意二者平衡。1996年《刑事诉讼法》确认了被害人的诉讼主体地位,但由于缺少配套机制,导致实践中出现诸多问题。新《刑事诉讼法》在很大程度上完善了犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的诉讼权利及其保护,但较少涉及被害人的权利保护问题。与普通刑事案件相比,死刑案件给被害人造成的伤害尤为严重,应当给予特别保护。     

论危害结果与死刑的限制适用

危害结果在很大程度上反映出行为社会危害性的大小,在我国死刑裁量中发挥了重要作用。危害结果在很多情况下是作为酌定量刑情节的形态存在的,其对于死刑的限制适用具有重要意义。充分发挥危害结果情节在限制死刑适用中的作用,应当力戒死刑适用"唯后果论"的倾向;物质性的危害结果不是特别严重的,可以不判处死刑立即执行;危害结果的发生系存在介入因素的场合,应当慎用死刑立即执行。