Application of Virtual Anatomy Technology in Postmortem Examination of Medical Dispute Cases / 法医学杂志

Objective To discuss the application value of CT scanning technology in cause of death determination of medical dispute cases. Methods From July 2017 to December 2018, postmortem CT imaging data of 12 medical dispute cases were collected. CT imaging diagnosis results and anatomy findings as well as differences between antemortem and postmortem CT diagnosis were compared. The advantages and disadvantages of CT routine tests of the cadavers in terms of the diagnosis of disease and damage were analyzed. Results The comparison between CT imaging diagnosis and anatomical findings showed that CT scans had advantages in the diagnosis of disease and damage with large differences in density changes, such as atelectasis, pneumonia, calcification, fracture and hemorrhage, etc. The comparison of CT diagnosis in antemortem and postmortem examination showed that the cadavers of medical dispute cases were well preserved and that postmortem CT scan was meaningful for the diagnosis of antemortem diseases. Conclusion Virtual anatomy technology has a relatively high application value in postmortem examination of medical dispute cases. It can provide effective information for the appraisers before the autopsy and can also provide a reference for cause of death analysis when the anatomy cannot be performed.

Comparative analysis between diatom nitric acid digestion method and plankton 16S rDNA PCR method / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To compare and explore the application value of diatom nitric acid digestion method and plankton 16S rDNA PCR method for drowning identification.@*METHODS@#Forty drowning cases from 2010 to 2011 were collected from Department of Forensic Medicine of Wenzhou Medical University. Samples including lung, kidney, liver and field water from each case were tested with diatom nitric acid digestion method and plankton 16S rDNA PCR method, respectively. The Diatom nitric acid digestion method and plankton 16S rDNA PCR method required 20 g and 2 g of each organ, and 15 mL and 1.5 mL of field water, respectively. The inspection time and detection rate were compared between the two methods.@*RESULTS@#Diatom nitric acid digestion method mainly detected two species of diatoms, Centriae and Pennatae, while plankton 16S rDNA PCR method amplified a length of 162 bp band. The average inspection time of each case of the Diatom nitric acid digestion method was (95.30 +/- 2.78) min less than (325.33 +/- 14.18) min of plankton 16S rDNA PCR method (P < 0.05). The detection rates of two methods for field water and lung were both 100%. For liver and kidney, the detection rate of plankton 16S rDNA PCR method was both 80%, higher than 40% and 30% of diatom nitric acid digestion method (P < 0.05), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The laboratory testing method needs to be appropriately selected according to the specific circumstances in the forensic appraisal of drowning. Compared with diatom nitric acid digestion method, plankton 16S rDNA PCR method has practice values with such advantages as less quantity of samples, huge information and high specificity.

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis and postmortem autolysis of pancreas / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the pathomorphologic changes between the pancreas in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) and that in acute deaths of rats (within 48 hours) so as to find the distinctions.@*METHODS@#The animal models of ANP and other acute deaths (electroshock, mechanic asphyxia/strangle, and acute poisoning with tetramine) were established according to the criteria. Half-quantitative grading and image quantitative analysis methods were employed to observe the gross and microscopic changes of the pancreases.@*RESULTS@#Three features including inflammation infiltrate, fat necrosis and calcium deposit in the ANP group were considerably different from that in other acutely died rat group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Inflammation infiltrate, fat necrosis and calcium deposit are the most important pathologic features found in ANP by common light microscope, distinguishing ANP from postmortem pancreatic autolysis.

Concentration changes of amylase in vitreous humor of acute pancreatitis associated with different postmortem interval in rabbits / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate concentration changes of amylase in rabbits vitreous humor of acute pancreatitis associated with postmortem different interval.@*METHODS@#To induce animal model of acute pancreatitis with sodium taurocholate, observed concentration changes of amylase after different postmortem interval, then compared with normal.@*RESULTS@#The concentration of amylase in vitreous humor of rabbit 24h after death were related to postmortem interval significantly; The concluded formulae of the relationship between postmortem interval and amylase concentration is y=8.7420+0.7699x-0.0083x2 (R2=92.62792, F=14.89734, P=0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#Concentration changes of amylase in vitreous humor of acute pancreatitis associated with postmortem interval may provide a new sensitive and objective method for the forensic early injury time estimation.

Cell apoptosis in closed cerebellar contusion in rat / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the cell apoptosis explore closed cerebellar contusion in rat.@*METHODS@#SD rats model of contusion was established and apototic cells were detected by TUNEL method at 5, 10, 30, 45, 60 min and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 h, after injury.@*RESULTS@#Apototic cells in contusion area appeared at 1 h after closed cerebellar contusion, reached the peak at 4-6 h, then decreased and so as marginal area where the peak was in 6-8 h.@*CONCLUSION@#The apoptotic index of closed contusion of cerebellum in different injury time may provide a new sensitive and objective method for the forensic early injury time estimation.