[Postmortem computed tomography of the frozen corpse]. / Posmertnaya komp'yuternaya tomografiya oledenevshego trupa.

The purpose of the work is to identify the possibilities of computed tomography in establishing postmortem changes in the bones of the skeleton and internal organs during in a frozen corpse. The article describes a case from thanatological practice with the performance of a pre-sectional computed tomography of a corpse of a young woman found in a forest in a state of complete freezing. As a result of the study, CT images of frozen internal organs were obtained, which are never found in clinical practice. Significant changes in the CT pattern were revealed due to a decrease in the density of the frozen zones. The use of pre-sectional computed tomography enabled to identify postmortem changes in internal organs formed during freezing of the corpse; the position of the corpse during its glaciation and the uniformity of the freezing process.

[About the term «newborn¼ in forensic medicine]. / K ponyatiyu «novorozhdennyi¼ v sudebnoi meditsine.

The aim of this work is to prove necessity of using the term «newborn¼ as common both in forensic medicine and general medicine (from the moment of birth till 28th day), to show legality of using the term «signs of recent birth¼, to demonstrate the importance of understanding not only the higher border in definition of neonatal period but its initial moment that is necessary to solve some investigative questions and determine legal capacity of people and provide criminal justice defense of citizens' life and health.

[Ophthalmotonus examination in children (4-17 years) to determine the time of death]. / Izuchenie urovnya oftal'motonusa u detei (4­17 let) dlya opredeleniya davnosti nastupleniya smerti.

This article presents data on the analysis of intravital and postmortem intraocular pressure (IOP) values in children aged 4 to 17 years. Intravital ophthalmotonus values were analyzed according to medical records of 991 children; the mean value for the age of 4-17 years was determined as 19±3 mm Hg with a confidence level of more than 95%. Postmortem IOP values were studied in 158 deceased subjects (28.440 measures) with follow-up from 1 to 12 h after death. The relationship between postmortem IOP values and time in children aged 4 to 17 years is linear, allowing to calculation the time of death by mathematical modeling and determining the predicted time of death range with a probability of more than 95%. Postmortem IOP values in the examination of deceased children aged 4 to 17 years can be used as an additional criterion in determining the time of death as a postmortem interval with a confidence not less than 95% with the minimum range not less than 2 hours.

[Postmortem intraocular pressure values in children (0-3 years old) depending on time elapsed from the moment of death]. / Posmertnye znacheniya vnutriglaznogo davleniya u detei (0­3 goda) v zavisimosti ot davnosti nastupleniya smerti.

This article presents data on the analysis of intravital and postmortem intraocular pressure values in children aged 0 to 3 years. Intravital intraocular pressure values were analyzed according to medical records in 1 643 children, and the average values were calculated. The intravital intraocular pressure values in children aged 0 to 2 years were found to be 14±2 mm Hg, and in children aged 2 to 3 years, 15±3 mm Hg, with an error-free prediction probability of more than 95 %. Postmortem intraocular pressure values were determined in 12 960 measurements in 192 deceased patients with a time elapsed from the moment of death ranging from 1 to 12 hours. It was demonstrated that postmortem intraocular pressure values in the examination of deceased children aged 0 to 3 years can be used as an additional criterion in determining the time of death as a postmortem interval with a probability of error-free prediction not less than 95 % with the minimum range not less than 3 hours.

[Determination of the death time in children (1-3 years old) by the muscle contraction swelling (idiomuscular tumor)]. / Opredelenie vremeni nastupleniya smerti u detei (1­3 goda) po valiku myshechnogo sokrashcheniya (idiomuskulyarnaya opukhol').

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Was to research the muscles response in children during three years of their life to mechanical stimulation with evaluation of the maximum time of its occurrence from 2 to 15 hours of the postmortem period. Assessment of the muscles response to mechanical stress is one of the methods for determining the time of death coming. For the deceased of mature age, there is very little scientific data on this topic and for children and adolescents there is none at all. The results of a study of 244 children corpses aged 1 to 3 years with a precisely established time of death within 2 to 15 hours of the postmortem period are presented. Two 2 age groups have been identified: 1st - from 1 to 2 years, 2nd - from 2 to 3 years. It was determined that the response of muscles to mechanical stress in children depends on age and does not depend on gender. The time of occurrence of the muscle contraction swelling for each age group was established. The results of the study are the first reliable evidence of the postmortem time limit of muscle contraction swelling onset in children of different age groups.

[The theory of postmortem rigidity: the history and an original concept].

The original theory of postmortem rigidity has been developed and substantiated based on the concept of postmortem muscular contracture. It is postulated that the unrestricted growth of Ca2+ concentration in myoplasm of contractile cells during the immediate postmortal period brings the actin-myosine complex to the force generation state without subsequent relaxation.

[Antiproliferative activity of diclofenac at tumor cell cultures].

It is known that for risk group's importance of early diagnostics and prevention of a cancer of a thick section of the intestines. The view was expressed that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prospectively. The article presents the data obtained after the determination of the effect on the domestic drug diclofenac on the ability of the lines of tumor cells of the human colon multiply this antiproliferativoe action on the dose of the drug. Used photometric method for determination antiproliferativoe action. In vitro determined the effect of the national drug diclofenac on the ability of the lines of tumor cells of the human colon multiply, and is set in a dose-dependent effect. It is established that under the action of NSAIDS metabolic activity of cells can both strengthen and weaken that depends on the line of tumor cells and the concentration of the drug.

[The propriety of establishing the fact of neonatality based on the examination of the child's corpse].

It is shown based on the historical and legal analysis that the designation of the child's status as a newborn infant throughout the period of its neonatal life till violent death "at or immediately after births" is the exclusive prerogative of the law-enforcement authorities. An original approach has been developed and recommended for the introduction into the expert practice. According to this proposal facts and arguments in the "Expert conclusions" should be formulated so as to avoid mentioning the child as newborn and to indicate only the duration of its extrauterine life. Such an approach leaves it to the law-enforcement authorities to decide in each concrete case whether the child should be designated as a newborn infant or not.

[The theory of cardiac lesions from blunt chest injury].

The main theories of myocardial lesions associated with a blunt chest injury proposed starting from the XIXth century till the present time are considered based on the overview of the literature data. It is shown that the theory of selective mechanical activation of ATP-dependent K+ channels is most promising for further investigations into the mechanisms of myocardial dysfunction resulting from blunt chest injuries. The authors emphasize the absence of the universally accepted theory explaining the mechanism behind traumatic cardiac troubles and its fatal outcome despite numerous studies of cardiac lesions in patients with a blunt chest injury. It dictates the necessity of further research, both clinical and experimental, for a deeper insight into the problem.

[Forensic-medical assessment of intraocular pressure change for estimation of the time since death].

Based on analyses of 756 intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements in different terms of postmortal period, it was established that decrease in IOP occurred simultaneously with increase in prescription of death coming and had its own pattern, which could be described with mathematical formulas, resulting from fundamental conservation laws.

[Necessity of unified approach to on-site corpse inspection].

The authors give general analysis of the work of 51-th Territorial Bureau of RF Forensic-Medical Expert Examination for on-site corpse inspection and detailed analysis of the work of the Moscow operative investigation group during 2006. The corpse inspection quality and effectiveness depend on timely and complete realization of organizing preparatory measures ensuring optimal conditions for the inspection. Adoption of new and use of existing scientific and technical methods make it possible to increase the reliability of conclusions regarding prescription of death coming.

[Postmortem changes in intraocular pressure as a possible method of estimation of the time since death].

The authors propose a modern approach to determination of intraocular pressure in corpses. The method holds promise for estimation of prescription of death coming.

[Comparative study of results of serological diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoenzyme analysis]. / Sravnitel'noe izuchenie rezul'tatov serologicheskoi diagnostiki Laim-Borrelioza v reaktsii nepriamoi immunofliuorestsentsii i immunofermentnom analize.

A total of 176 sera from 73 patients with verified Lyme borreliosis at different stages of the disease are examined. Serological diagnosis was carried out by 2 methods: indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) with corpuscular B. burgdorferi antigen and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with purified flagellar B. burgdorferi antigen (Dako). EIA with Dako antigen is more sensitive for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis at any period of the disease than IIF. Analysis of correlations between the results of IIF and EIA showed correlation in the levels of IgG but not IgM antibodies. The findings confirmed a previous hypothesis that inadequate antibacterial therapy before investigation decreases the level of antibodies to Borrelia. In patients with a history of Lyme borreliosis, antibodies to B. burgdorferi are detected less frequently by both IIF and EIA. Patients with persistent levels of antibodies to B. burgdorferi, even without clinical signs of infection, are in need of regular check-ups, because the prognostic significance of antibodies to B. burgdorferi is unknown and relapses may occur after months and years.

[The comparative clinico-laboratory characteristics of Lyme arthritis and reactive arthritis]. / Sravnitel'naia kliniko-laboratornaia kharakteristika Laim-artrita i reaktivnogo artrita.

The paper presents comparative clinical and laboratory characteristics of 17 cases of Lyme-arthritis (LA) and 28 cases of reactive arthritis (RA). LA and RA patients differed by age and sex. LA arose after the tick bite followed by erythema migrans or infection symptoms. In RA patients the above symptoms were absent. In LA patients arthritis was associated with typical symptoms of neuroborreliosis. The articular syndrome manifested similarly in LA and RA: arthritis was preceded by arthralgias, low limb joints and periarticular tissues were involved most frequently. The differences were: monoarthritis, elbow and shoulder joints, muscles lesions occurred more frequently in LA; polyarthritis, arthritis of hand and foot joints, talalgia were more common in RA. RA ran more actively, joint syndrome more frequently gave rise to fever. Prevalence of chlamydial infection in LA was close to that in RA. LA may run as RA, is frequently combined with Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

[The diagnostic value of serological studies in the clinical picture of tuberculosis]. / Diagnosticheskaia tsennost' serologicheskikh issledovanii v klinike tuberkuleza.

Circulating antituberculous antibodies in the sera from 89 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 11 patients with tumors and nonspecific inflammation in the lungs were evaluated using indirect hemagglutination and enzyme immunoassay. Specific antibodies were detected in 81.6 and 30% of tuberculous and nontuberculous patients, respectively.

[Frequency of lyme borreliosis and diagnostic titers of antibodies to borrelia burgdorferi in patients with neurological diseases in endemic region of Russia]. / Chastota Laim-borrelioza i diagnosticheskikh titrov antitel k Borrelia burgdorferi u bol'nykh s nevrologicheskimi zabolevaniiami v endemicheskom raione Rossii.

The frequency of diagnostic titers of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in 289 examinees suffering from neurological diseases made up 10.4%, while in the population this figure was under 1.9%. Lyme-borreliosis was detected in 11 (3.8%) patients, 2 of them had mixed infection with tick-borne viral encephalitis. In 10 patients (3.5%) the diagnosis of neuroborreliosis required verification with other techniques. It is thought valid to perform serological screening for neuroborreliosis only in patients with tick-born encephalitis to identify mixed infection.

Nitrous oxide with fentanyl and droperidol minimizes lipid peroxidation in the liver.

We have studied the level of lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats exposed to nitrous oxide plus oxygen or injected with droperidol of fentanyl. The effect of nitrous oxide used in combination with droperidol and fentanyl was also investigated. All the tested anaesthetics caused lipid peroxidation in the rat liver. It seems likely, however, that the mechanism by which droperidol and fentanyl initiate lipid peroxidation differs from that which nitrous oxide uses. Free radical products and/or activated oxygen species are produced during fentanyl and droperidol metabolism in the liver. However, nitrous oxide is not metabolized in the liver and probably undergoes one electron reduction outside the liver thus producing free radical products and/or activated oxygen species which are able to diffuse and initiate lipid peroxidation in the liver. It was also found that the level of lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats injected with droperidol and fentanyl and then exposed to nitrous oxide was low and close to that of the control animals. We suggest that, when used in combination, the products generated outside the liver as a result of nitrous oxide metabolism are transported to the liver and take part in reactions with the products of the metabolism of droperidol and fentanyl, thus decreasing the concentration of the species able to initiate lipid peroxidation.

[The incidence of Lyme arthritis and of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in rheumatology patients in an endemic area]. / Chastota laim-artrita i antitel k Borrelia burgdorferi u bol'nykh revmatologicheskogo profilia v éndemichnom raione.

The examination of 231 rheumatic patients, 159 patients with reactive arthritis and 117 rheumatoid arthritis patients identified diagnostic titers of polyvalent antibodies to Borrelia in 6.6% of all the examinees with rheumatism, 11.9% with reactive arthritis and in 7.7% with RA. Lyme arthritis was diagnosed in 1.3% of reactive arthritis patients. To diagnose Lyme arthritis accurately, it is recommended to rest upon clinical symptoms which must be associated with high titers of IgG antibodies to Borrelia growing still higher in the follow-up period.