Fatal Intoxication with α‐PVP,a Synthetic Cathinone Derivative

This study presents the fatal case of a young man who was admitted to the ICAU due to sudden cardiac arrest. An interview revealed that the patient had taken some unspecified crystals. From the moment of admission, his condition deteriorated dramatically as a result of increasing circulatory insufficiency. After a few hours, sudden cardiac arrest occurred again and the patient was pronounced dead. In the course of a medicolegal autopsy, samples of biological material were preserved for toxicology tests and histopathological examination. The analysis of samples using the LC‐MS/MS technique revealed the presence of α‐PVP in the following concentrations: blood—174 ng/mL, urine—401 ng/mL, brain—292 ng/g, liver—190 ng/g, kidney—122 ng/g, gastric contents—606 ng/g. The study also presents findings from the parallel histopathological examination. Based on these findings, cardiac arrest secondary to intoxication with alpha‐PVP was determined as the direct cause of the patient's death.     

钾中毒死亡家兔的尸体化学变化

目的研究家兔钾中毒死亡后的尸体化学变化特征,为钾中毒的法医学鉴定提供参考。方法采用浓度为0.3%和1%的KCl葡萄糖溶液分别以全速和100滴/min的速度输给家兔,至其死亡,测定家兔输液前后血、尿电解质浓度,比较两种不同输液方式所致钾中毒死亡后尸体化学变化特征。结果输钾前后,家兔血清K (SK)浓度升高,血清Na 、Ca2 、Cl-及HCO3-浓度均降低,全血K (TK)及血清Mg2 浓度变化无显著性差异。0.3%KCl组致死输液时间长于1%组(P=0.006),致死输钾量无显著性差异(P=0.062);TK、血清Na 、Mg2 及Cl-浓度变化值具有显著差异,SK、Ca2 、HCO3-浓度变化值无显著差异;尿量和尿液各电解质浓度指标未见显著性差异。结论尸体SK、TK及血清Mg2 浓度升高,有助于钾中毒的法医学死后诊断。     

原因自由行为探析

本文围绕着原因自由行为之法理的历史发展、体系位置、适用范围、与“同在原则”及完全昏醉罪的关系等问题进行了论述。就我国而言,最优的解决方案就是在刑法总则中设置关于原因自由行为的提示性条款,在分则危害公共安全罪一章中设置完全昏醉罪的条款。     

Influence of alcohol intoxication of pedestrians on injuries in fatal road accidents

Pedestrians belong to the group of road users with the highest mortality rate. The frequency of road accidents involving pedestrians is 2% but pedestrians represent as many as 13% of all road accident deaths. Because of the mechanism and dynamics of injury and the effects of alcohol on physical and mental performance, pedestrians under the influence of alcohol are classed among the road users most at risk.Our retrospective study included 125 pedestrian fatalities treated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana between 1999 and 2006. We classified the victims into two groups by blood alcohol level Group I (alcohol positive) and Group II (alcohol negative), defined differences in gender, age, incidence of injuries and established causes of death and period of survival following the road accident. In Group I (n = 53) 96% were male and 4% female; the average age was 45.6 years. In Group II (n = 72) 40% were male and 60% female; the average age was 63.1 years. The percentage of injuries to individual parts of the body was higher in Group I than among the deceased pedestrians in Group II. The most common cause of death in both groups was craniocerebral trauma. Death occurred in the first 6 h following the accident in 92% of cases in Group I and in 69% of cases in Group II.Alcohol-positive pedestrians are predominantly younger men, who have a higher level of risk of a road accident, greater incidence of injuries and a shorter period of survival following a road accident.     

Estimating the degree of ethanol intoxication from analysis of cerebro-cranial hematomas

314 cases of combined cerebro-cranial trauma and posttraumatic intracranial hematomas were identified of which ethanol was detected in 114 hematomas. The other investigative group was 103 hospitalized patients who had hematomas evacuated during neurosurgical procedures. In 62 of these cases ethanol was detected. Blood and urine samples were also collected and the alcohol concentration was determined in all specimens by GC and ADH. The ethanol elimination rate for autopsy and operative intracranial hematomas was approximately 0.07–0.08‰/h(±0.034‰/h). The elimination rate of ethanol from blood (β₆₀) was about two or three times greater as that from hematomas. Because of the different water content of intracranial hematomas from blood, it was necessary to adjust the ethanol concentration for water content. On the basis of the corrected ethanol concentrations and the elimination rates for both tissues it was possible to estimate the ethanol concentration at the time of injury. Intracranial hematomas are tissues of possible value in the determination of alcohol intoxication especially in alcoholism. Ethanol can be found in hematomas even after 72 h from head injury.     

A Carbon Dioxide Fatality from Dry Ice

Abstract:  This report documents a rare case of carbon dioxide intoxication in a young healthy male. The deceased hid in a small plastic container, size 1.5 × 1 × 1 m, and within 5 min he was located suffering convulsions and was reported as dead within minutes. Scene investigation revealed dry ice in the container. Autopsy findings were unremarkable. The probable cause of the convulsions was carbon dioxide intoxication due to both the dry ice sublimation and the small confined space in which he was hiding. This report emphasizes the significance of scene investigation in establishing the cause of the death.     

亚急性黄药子中毒的实验病理学研究

目的 研究黄药子对小鼠毒性作用的病理变化及其毒作用机制。方法 按1/4LD_(50),1/10LD_(50),1/30LD_(50)剂量给ICR小鼠连续灌服200％的黄药子水煎剂,观察中毒小鼠各主要器官的组织学与超微结构变化,酶组织化学检查及血清生化检测。结果 中毒小鼠肝细胞脂肪变性,糖原增多,严重者可见灶性坏死;肾小管上皮细胞变性、坏死。通过酶组织化学方法发现肝脏SDH酶和G-6-P酶活性下降,血清ALT和BUN升高。结论 黄药子毒作用的主要靶器官或靶组织为肝和肾。毒作用机理是对线粒体、内质网等膜性结构的破坏导致酶活性的降低,影响代谢。     

急性博落回中毒的实验病理学研究

目的 探讨博落回中毒作用的靶器官、靶组织和病变特点,以及博落回中毒机理。方法 应用博落回水煎液对大鼠经口急性染毒,行组织病理学和重要脏器电镜检查及血清生化检测。结果 博落回对大鼠的半数致死量(LD50)为19.5g/kg,染毒大鼠血清谷丙转氨酶(GPT)、肌酐(Cr)、尿素氮(BUN)、肌酸激酶(CK)及其同功酶(CK-MB)增高;心电图(EKG)表现异常;肝、脾、肾脏器系数减小。光镜下中毒大鼠心、脑、肝、肾等器官呈淤血、出血性改变;电镜下中毒大鼠心、脑、肝、肾细胞内线粒体、内质网、核膜等膜性结构破坏。结论 博落回毒作用的主要靶器官或靶组织是心、脑、肝、肾,病变特点为受累脏器淤血、出血性变;毒作用的主要机理是对线粒体、内质网和核膜等膜性结构的破坏。     

美国精神病人强制住院治疗法律制度及其借鉴

精神病人强制住院治疗制度是美国一项重要的法律制度。该制度通过司法程序将具有危险性、无法自理的精神病人强制性地送入精神治疗机构治疗。这涉及精神病人的人身自由、名誉等基本权利,因此美国制定法和判例法中形成了强制治疗的实体标准和正当程序。该制度要求治疗机构根据实际情况对于治疗期限届满的精神病人作出合理的处理。这一制度为我国精神病人强制治疗法律制度的规范与完善提供了可资借鉴的经验。