[Effect of windshield washer fluid on breathalyser results]. / Vliv nemrznoucí náplne ostrikovacu automobil no výsledky merení dechovými analyzátory.

In this test were verify the possibility of the influence of windshield washer fluid containing ethanol on an alcohol breath test. The premise was that anti-freeze washer fluids used in automobiles contain ethanol, and that the use of such fluids results in ethanol vapour permeating the automobile's cabin. Tests were carried out on individuals seated on the front seats of an enclosed automobile cabin. Five different types of anti-freeze washer fluids suited for temperatures between -19 degrees C to -35 degrees C commonly available at a range of different petrol station chains throughout the Czech Republic were used. In total 34 measurements were taken. Not even in one instance could a measurement of zero be obtained within 60 seconds to 4 minutes of the use of ethanol-based washer fluid. The longest positive test lasted for 13 minutes. The highest measured value was 0.71% per hundred. Immediately after exiting the automobile and taking several breaths of fresh outside air tests were negative in all cases. All tests subjects described a clear odour of windscreen washer fluid in the cabin in all instances, which was evident even after breathalyzer tests showed zero values. It is hence verified that using ethanol-based windscreen washer fluid which is commonly accessible on our market to spray the windscreen can skew the results of breathalyzer tests in the sense of generating false positives. Due to the characteristic odour described, drivers should themselves be aware that any test undertaken could not be in his or her favour. To eliminate the apparent presence of alcohol, it is however enough to exit the cabin and to take several (2-3) breaths of fresh air to absolutely guarantee a fair test. A positive test at this stage points to a different underlying reason than ethanol-based windscreen washer fluid being used.

Some possibilities in the diagnosis of early acute ischaemic changes in the heart muscle in sudden death.

INTRODUCTION: Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death in industrialised countries. Sudden death accounts for approximately 2/3 of autopsies in forensic medicine, which is why the accurate diagnosis of IHD and first of all acute myocardial ischaemia is so important. On certain occasions in forensic medical practice it is difficult to diagnose AMI from morphological observation alone. In such cases, complementary diagnostic techniques, such as the determination of biochemical markers of the necrosis of the heart muscle (myoglobin, troponin I and creatine kinase) in cadaver fluids, take on special importance, so we decided to test the diagnostic evaluation of postmortem cTnl, myoglobin and creatine kinase determination in serum and pericardial fluid. Recently, cardiac troponins have gained attention as very specific markers of myocardial cell injury, and the European Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology have suggested that these proteins should be preferred markers for the diagnosis of the necrosis of heart muscle. METHODS: We studied 71 cadavers, which were divided into 2 groups. The first group (38 cases) consisted of people where the acute myocardial infarction was the only cause of death (the myocardial lesion could be easily detected by macroscopic examination or by formazan test, other causes of death were excluded and the constriction or obturation of the coronary arteries was detected). The second group (non-AMI deaths) was formed by 4 cases of cardiac failure, 6 cases of intracerebral haemorrhage, 5 cases of pulmonary embolism, 7 cases of asphyxia (4 hangings, 1 traumatic asphyxia, 2 drownings), 3 cases of brain contusion, 2 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, 1 case of cyanide poisoning, 1 case of alcohol poisoning, 1 case of epilepsy, 1 case of bronchopneumonia, 1 case of hyperglycaemic coma and 1 case of exsanguination. RESULTS: The values of creatine kinase and myoglobin were increased in all cases (100%) of AMI-deaths and non-AMI deaths in blood and pericardial fluid and there was no statistically significant difference between these groups. Troponin I was increased in all cases of both groups in pericardial fluid, and again there was no significant difference in concentration between both groups. In blood, troponin I was increased by 87% in the group of AMI deaths and in 91% of non-AMI deaths. There was no significant statistical difference between the groups and there was no difference in concentration either. CONCLUSION: We did not find a statistically significant difference in pericardial fluid or in serum for cTnl, CK-MB and myoglobin between the group of AMI deaths and the group of non-AMI deaths and we cannot confirm the diagnostic efficacy of these biochemical markers in the postmortem diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

[The correlation of results of breath analysers and laboratory blood examinations of blood-ethanol concentration (Czech and Slovak study)]. / Mezirepubliková Cesko-Slovenská studie korelace výsledku dechových analyzátoru a výsledku laboratorní analýzy pri zjistování hladiny alkoholu v krvi.

The target of this study was to compare the results of breath analysers and "lege artis" laboratory blood examinations when determining alcohol levels. This was then used to determine whether any differences exist between the two methods, and how large these differences are. 610 cases from 11 workplaces in the Czech Republic and Slovakia were analysed. The type of breath analyser was not taken into consideration. All cases had to be in the elimination phase. Difference of time between breath test and blood test were rectified through the use of reverse recomputation. It was detected that only 20.8% of the results of respiratory analyser tests correspond to the detected real alcohol level in blood. The maximum difference when a respiratory analyser measured more than a blood test was 1.34 g x kg(-1). and the maximum difference when the analyse measured less was 1.86 g x kg(-1).

[The comparison of the enzymatic and the acid hydrolyse at the toxicological screening of the small amount of urine]. / Srovnání enzymatické a kyselé hydrolýzy pri toxikologickém screeningu z malého mnozství moce.

The article deals with the toxicological screening directed at the identification and confirmation of the acid, neutral and basic medicaments and drugs in the urine. The efficiency of the hydrolysation using beta-glukuronidase (enzymatic hydrolyses) and using 0.1M hydrochloric acid (acid hydrolyses) from 2 ml of the urine were compared. The solid phase extraction (SPE) and the GC-MS identification were used. The efficiency of the extraction of paracetamol, buprenorphine and morphine is better by means of the enzymatic hydrolyses. Vice-versa the acid hydrolyses appears to be more applicable for benzodiazepines. The acid hydrolyses is faster and cheaper and the extracts contain less of the ballast materials.

[Drugs and traffic accidents]. / Drogy a dopravní nehody.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to map the prevalence of alcohol and other psychotropic substances in deceased participants of traffic accidents in the Czech Republic. METHODS AND RESULTS: The studied sample included persons autopsied in the departments of forensic medicine and forensic toxicology that died during traffic accidents and were toxicologically tested in 2003. Case definition involved alcohol cases with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) 0,2 g/kg and higher, with cannabis, detections of active THC metabolites only were taken into account; in cases where volatile substances (solvents) were detected we included into the definition only cases with substances not produced post mortem or in some physiological or pathological statuses. We identified 554 cases of whom 440 (79.4%) were males and 114 (20.6%) were females. 35.5% were in the age group 20 - 34 years. The sample has been classified into 4 categories (average age, % of males): pedestrians (45.4, 76.2), bicyclists (51.1, 82.0), drivers (36.3, 91.2) and others (36.1, 66.2). Alcohol was tested in 548 cases, 214 (39.1%) of those were found positive. 380 cases were tested for other psychotropic substances than alcohol; samples taken from 25 bodies (6.6%) were found positive for at least for one of these substances. 8 cases were positive both for alcohol and some other psychotropic substance - i.e. 3.7% out of 214 cases positive for alcohol were positive for other substance and 32.0% out of 25 cases positive at least for any other psychotropic substance were alcohol-positive. When focusing our analysis at the active participants of road traffic accidents only - pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers (altogether 397 cases) - we have found alcohol to be tested in 394 cases, out of which 158 (39.1%) were positive; as for other psychotropic substances, 314 cases were tested and 23 (7.3%) were positive at least for one of them. 7 cases were found positive for alcohol and other psychotropic substance simultaneously; this represents 4.4% out of 158 cases positive for alcohol and 30.4% out of 23 cases positive at least for one psychotropic substance other than alcohol. Average BAC in active participants of road traffic accidents positive for alcohol were 1.81%, (1.98%o in pedestrians, 1.78 %o in bicyclists and 1.64 %o in drivers). Prevalence of either alcohol or any other psychotropic substances is the lowest in the category of drivers - with the exception of active cannabinoid compounds. Alcohol was by far the most prevalent psychotropic substance, also cannabis, benzodiazepines and stimulants have been found in not negligible frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms high prevalence of alcohol influence in deceased participants of traffic accidents. Prevalence of other psychotropic substances is lower by order, but it becomes also significant.

[The proportion of drivers with alcohol in blood in common traffic]. / Podíl ridicu osobních automobilu s etanolem v krvi v bezném provozu.

The negative influence of alcohol on the ability of drivers for safe driving of motor vehicles is generally known. In order to determine the relative risk of traffic accident (especially with life consequences) in drivers after alcohol intake in comparison with those who are sober, the occurrence of such drivers in a common traffic is necessary. The authors controlled at random order the presence of alcohol in breath of 6180 drivers of passenger cars in the year 2001. The examinations were negative in 5839 cases, 150 offences were executed at the spot (as the breath test indicated level below 0.3g/l), 36 drivers refused blood sampling, which on the other hand was made in 155 drivers. The concentration o 0.3g/l and more was established in 145 drivers, i.e. 2.35% of all controlled individuals.

Mitochondrial DNA D-loop hypervariable regions: Czech population data.

In order to identify polymorphic sites and to find out their frequencies and the frequency of haplotypes, the complete D-loop of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 93 unrelated Czech Caucasians was sequenced. Sequence comparison showed that 85 haplotypes were found and of these 78 were unique, 6 were observed twice and 1 was observed three times. Genetic diversity (GD) was estimated at 0.999 and the probability of two randomly selected sequences matching (random match probability, RMP) at 1.2%. Additionally these calculations were carried out for hypervariable regions 1, 2 (HV1, HV2), for the area between HV1 and HV2 and for the area of the hypervariable region HV3. The average number of nucleotide differences (ANND) was established to be 10.2 for the complete D-loop. The majority of sequence variations were substitutions, particularly transitions. Deletions were found only in the region where HV3 is situated and insertions in the same place and in poly-C tracts between positions 303 and 315 in HV2. A high degree of length heteroplasmy was found especially in the regions of poly-C tracts between positions 16184 and 16193 in HV1 and between positions 303 and 315 in HV2. Position heteroplasmies were found in two cases.

[Effect of ethanol on ability to drive a motor vehicle]. / Vliv etanolu na schopnost rídit motorové vozidlo.

From laboratory tests ensues a relatively small influence of ethanol on different functions which affect the ability to drive a motor vehicle. Under laboratory conditions ethanol protracts the simple reaction time surprisingly very little, at concentrations of 1 g/kg, 1.28 times (5). Despite this the relative risk of a fatal accident of the driver of a motor car at ethanol concentrations of 0.5-0.9 g/kg is nine times greater as compared with a sober driver (19). The problem behavior theory tries to explain this apparent contradiction (9).

[Use of safety belts by drivers and passengers in private cars in Ceské Budejovice]. / Uzívání bezpecnostních pásu ridici a spolujezdci v osobních automobilech v Ceských Budejovicích.

Correct use of safety belts reduces the risk of injuries and death of the crew of private cars during traffic accidents. The objective of the investigation was to assess the prevalence of use of safety belts by drivers and companions in private cars in Ceské Budejovice by direct observation. A total of 996 cars were observed and it was found that safety belts were used by 46% drivers and 53% companions on the front seats. Safety belts are used more frequently on roads leading out of town than in the centre of the town.

[Determination of amphetamine and methamphetamine in human hair using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry]. / Stanovení amfetaminu a metamfetaminu v lidských vlasech metodou GC/MS.

The authors present a procedure of concurrent identification and quantification of amphetamine and metamphetamine in human hair. The method involves rinsing of the hair (distilled water 55 degrees C, 0.1 M hydrochloric acid, distilled water to neutral reaction, methanol) drying in air, homogenization by cutting (1-2 mm long), alkaline hydrolysis (20 mg hair, 1 ml 1 M sodium hydroxide, 55 degrees C, 120 min.), neutralization with 1 M hydrochloric acid to pH = 7, extracting benzoylation with 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (0.3 ml 1 M sodium hydroxide, 4 ml cyclohexane, 30 ul cyclohexylamine in cyclohexane of a concentration of 20 ng/ul--internal standard, 50 ul aqueous solution of triethylamine hydrochloride concentration of 100 mg/ml--reaction catalyst and 10 ul of derivation agent 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoyl chloride dilution 1:10, shaking for 5 mins. by hand and leaving to stand for 10 mins.), centrifugation (5 mins., 3000 rotations/min.), collection of 2 ml cyclohexane layer, its evaporation at 40 degrees C in nitrogen atmosphere and dilution with 100 ul cyclohexane. The derivated extract was subjected to analysis by the GC-MS method. The procedure was used for segmentation analysis of hair of two subjects abusing metamphetamine for prolonged periods. The revealed concentrations varied within the range of 0.99-5.25 mg/kg metamphetamine and 0.13-0.73 mg/kg amphetamine.

[Overview of the changes in alcohol content of beers produced in the Czech Republic]. / Prehled aktuálních zmen v obsahu alkoholu u piv vyrábených v Ceské republice.

Paper concerns the alcohol contents of beer now produced. The previous and contemporary ways of beer signing as well as a complete list of beer sorts produced in the Czech Republic is presented.

[Internet and forensic medicine]. / Internet a soudní lékarství.

Paper renders basic information about the world computer network Internet, its possibilities as well as needs of facilities for its exploiting, and gives some recommendations. Its explanis some basic terms. Importance of the Internet for forensic medicine is stressed with stimulations to its use.

[Use of personal computers in forensic medicine facilities]. / Moznosti vyuzití PC na soudne-lékarských pracovistích.

The authors present a brief account of possibilities to use computers, type PC, in departments of forensic medicine and discuss basic technical and programme equipment. In the author's opinion the basic reason for using computers is to create an extensive database of post-mortem findings which would make it possible to process them on a large scale and use them for research and prevention. Introduction of computers depends on the management of the department and it is necessary to persuade workers-future users of computers-of the advantages associated with their use.

[Pedestrian traffic injuries]. / Dopravní nehody chodcu.

A group of 101 fatal traffic injuries of pedestrians was analyzed by type of encounter and vehicle, pedestrian's age, impact speed, direction of collision, height of bumper and leg injury. In collisions type A injuries of the spine, pelvis and lower extremities were relatively more frequent, while in collision C there were relatively more injuries of the skull, organs of the thoracic cavity and upper extremities. This difference is, however, significant only in leg injuries. The most threatened group of pedestrians are old people. There is a statistically significant substantially higher ratio of injuries of the thoracic aorta in older pedestrians. Head injuries, fractures of the extremities and pelvis are in cca 80% on the side where the vehicle hit the pedestrian's body. The height of the leg fracture does not correspond with the height of the bumper, neither on the side of the collision nor in contralateral fractures.

[Pedestrian traffic injuries--estimation of the speed of the colliding vehicle based on the extent of injuries in the pedestrian]. / Dopravní nehody chodcu--odhad nárazové rychlosti vozidla na základe kvantity poranení chodce.

The authors assembled and analyzed a group of 101 fatal traffic injuries of pedestrians where the speed of collision was known and where a direct central collision occurred. Using criteria suggested by Fialka (1), the author quantified the injuries of pedestrians. A coefficient was revealed which lowers the score of fractures in old people. The author found a relationship between the quantity of the injury and the momentum of impact and calculated the relationship between the quantity of the injury and the momentum of impact. The author suggests a procedure for assessment of the probable speed of collision of the vehicle based on the injury of the pedestrian (p = 95%).

Development of aminotransferase activities in the serum of young rats born to normal females and to females exposed to intermittent hypoxia during pregnancy.

In the rat, aspartate aminotransferase (GOT) and alanine aminotransferase (GPT) activity increase during early postnatal ontogenesis. The development of these enzyme activities also remains normal in young whose mothers were repeatedly exposed to altitude hypoxia at a simulated altitude of 5 000 m during the whole of pregnancy.

Contribution to the question of relationships between Enterobius vermicularis (L.) and inflammatory processes in the appendix.

We evaluated a bioptic material of appendices from the hospital in Ceské Budejovice, obtained from 1977-1981. Of these, 2173 appendices were removed as cases of a clinical appendicitis, 788 for preventive reasons. In the cases of a clinical appendicitis with the incidence of pin worms in the appendix, the histological picture displayed significantly more chronical, inflammatory changes than in acute cases (test chi 2), while in cases of a clinical appendicitis without the presence of pin worms, we found more acute than chronical forms of inflammations. Our results are supported also by an analysis of preventively removed appendices, where again more chronical, inflammatory changes were found in appendices with pin worms.

[Lactic acid content and total saccharides in postmortem tissues and expressing the degree of probability in interpreting the findings]. / Obsah kyseliny mlécné a sumy sacharidu ve tkáních post mortem a vyjádrení míry pravdepodobnosti prí interpretaci nálezu.

In representative victims of aircraft accidents whose death had occurred under known conditions, a mathematically statistical evaluations of the results of biochemical examinations of the brain, heart, liver and muscular tissue has been performed. The importance of the determination of the lactic acid contents and of those of the sum of the saccharides for the purpose of an anterograde evaluation of the premortal state of the organism, has been demonstrated, and the boundary line levels of the values enabling the expression of probability in the conclusion of an expertise, have been calculated. This method of biochemical examination may be used even in common forensic medical practice, especially for the purpose of examination of cases of violent death.