Research Progress and Forensic Identification of Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy / 法医学杂志

With the rapid development of the social economy in China, the incidence of diseases caused by excessive drinking is gradually increasing as well. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy refers to long-term high intake of ethanol, and has typical dilated cardiomyopathy characteristics, such as, hemodynamic changes, symptoms, signs, and morphological features. It is a kind of cardiomyopathy that excludes other causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Due to the lack of specific pathological changes, the forensic pathological identification of alcoholic cardiomyopathy can only be based on the patient's medical history and by ruling out other causes of cardiomyopathy. This paper reviews the pathogenesis and forensic identification of alcoholic cardiomyopathy in order to provide reference for forensic pathologists and clinicians.

Statistical Analysis of the Heart and Lung Mass in Forensic Anatomical Cases and Its Forensic Significance / 法医学杂志

Objective To investigate the differences of heart mass and lung mass in forensic autopsy cases and to explore their application value in forensic identification. Methods The data from 1 614 autopsy cases accepted by center of Medico-legal Investigation of China Medical University between 2007 to 2016 were collected. The correlation of heart and lung mass with age, height, body weight, and body mass index （BMI）, as well as differences in different causes of death were analyzed by GraphPad Prism 6.0 software. Results The heart mass and lung mass of males were higher than those of females （P<0.05）. The heart mass of males and females was positively correlated with age, height, body weight and body mass index （BMI） （P<0.05）. The heart mass of patients dying from sudden cardiac death （SCD） was significantly higher than those dying from other causes of death. The lung mass of patients dying from drowning and delayed treatment was higher than those dying from other causes of death （P<0.05）. Conclusion In forensic practice, measurement of the heart mass and lung mass has certain significance for differential diagnosis and diagnosis of different causes of death.

Effect of Corpse Cryopreservation on Forensic Pathological Identification / 法医学杂志

Because cryopreservation can effectively slow down the putrefaction and prolong the preservation time of corpses, it has become the main way of corpse preservation in China. However, it may cause a certain degree of non-specific effects on the corpses and thus interfere with forensic pathological identification. This paper summarizes relevant problems reported in domestic and foreign literature reports and practical identification, and analyzes the effects of cryopreservation on corpses from aspects of anatomical findings, histomorphology, postmortem biochemistry, and postmortem imaging, therefore to provide Chinese forensic workers assistance on problems in their practice of forensic pathology.

Forensic Pathological Identification and Antidiastole of Commotio Cordis / 法医学杂志

Commotio cordis （CC） is the acute death caused by the cardiac rhythm disorder after a sudden blunt external force to the precordium of a healthy person without previous heart disease. As one type of violent heart damage, CC is rare with relatively small external force and sudden death, therefore causing disputes. This paper reviews the epidemiology, mechanisms and the key points in forensic identification of CC, discusses the identification and antidiastole of CC, myocardial contusion, sudden cardiac death and death from inhibition, and provides assistance to forensic pathologists to identify such causes of death.

Expression of Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Myocardial Tissue of Sudden Cardiac Death and Non-sudden Cardiac Death / 法医学杂志

Objective To study the expression pattern of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in myocardial tissue from forensic routine cases and to explore its application value in the forensic determination of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Methods The data of 96 autopsy cases accepted by the center of Medico-legal Investigation of China Medical University between December 2008 to May 2014 were collected. There were 62 cases in SCD group cardiac and 34 cases in non-SCD group. The myocardial tissues were taken from left and right ventricular wall, respectively. The expressions of BNP protein and BNP mRNA in myocardial tissue were detected by HE staining, immunohistochemical staining, Western blot-ting and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), etc. Results The immunohistochemical staining of myocardial tissue showed diffusely positive staining in SCD group, and patchily or diffusely positive staining in non-SCD group with lighter degree. The result of Western blotting showed that the expression of BNP protein elevated in left ventricular wall of SCD group. The result of RT-qPCR showed a positive correlation between the BNP mRNA expressions in bilateral ven-tricular walls and the heart weight, bilateral lung weight, and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration. There were large differences between the BNP mRNA concentra-tions in SCD group and non-SCD group, and the former was statistically higher (P<0.05). Conclusion The expressions of BNP protein and BNP mRNA in myocardial tissue are related to the causes of death. Combined with pathological changes, the expressions of BNP protein and BNP mRNA in myocar-dial tissue have certainly practical significance for the determination of SCD and the analysis of the death mechanism in the cases related to forensic pathology.