Correlations between blood volatile hydrocarbon concentrations in different types of fire-related deaths.

Analysis of volatile hydrocarbons in blood from fire-related deaths provides useful information such as whether the victim inhaled smoke from the fire before death or whether an accelerant was used in the fire. In this study, we used headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify volatile hydrocarbons in post-mortem heart blood from 121 fire victims. The cases were classified into the following four groups according to the detected volatile hydrocarbons: construction fires without accelerants, kerosene fires, gasoline fires, and a group with no fire-related hydrocarbons detected (other fires).

High blood mirtazapine concentration in a newborn - A case of suspected postpartum infanticide.

We report a sudden death of an infant due to mirtazapine poisoning. A 15-day-old newborn boy was found dead when he was sleeping beside his mother who had suffered from panic disorder for approximately 1 year. After giving birth, she complained of palpitations and shaky hands, and was prescribed mirtazapine.

Effects of arterial hemorrhage speed on the blood coagulation/fibrinolysis system and hemodynamics in rats.

: The effects of rapid hemorrhage on coagulopathy have been reported. However, the effects of different hemorrhage speeds on the blood coagulation/fibrinolysis system have not been investigated. This study aimed to compare different hemorrhage speeds for clarifying their effects on the coagulation/fibrinolysis system and circulation disorders in rats.

Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter levels and central nervous system depression in a rat drug overdose model.

A neuropsychiatric drug overdose impairs physiological function central nervous system (CNS) depression. In drug-related deaths, only the drug concentration can currently provide information regarding CNS depression in victims. In this study, using a drug overdose model, we investigated the ability of neurotransmitters in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to serve as biomarkers for CNS depression.

Development of a fluvoxamine detection system using a Quenchbody, a novel fluorescent biosensor.

The misuse of psychotropic drugs intended for medical treatment represents a recent worldwide public health concern. Quenchbody (Q-body) is a novel fluoroimmunosensor that can detect an antigen immediately without additional reagents or washing steps. Here, we describe creating Q-bodies for the detection of the antidepressant fluvoxamine (FLV) and determining optimal conditions to achieve the highest fluorescence intensity (FI).

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection of benzalkonium chloride (BZK) in a forensic autopsy case with survival for 18 days post BZK ingestion.

We report a forensic autopsy case of an elderly man who ingested unknown amount of germicidal disinfectant containing 50% benzalkonium chloride (BZK). He survived for 18 days after BZK ingestion and then died because of pneumonia. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was used to detect three BZK compounds (C-BZK, C-BZK and C-BZK) in the blood.

A fatal poisoning case by intravenous injection of "bath salts" containing acetyl fentanyl and 4-methoxy PV8.

A man in his 30's was found at home, not breathing. He was admitted to an emergency hospital and the doctor confirmed his death. He had a history of methamphetamine abuse spanning several years, and while fresh needle marks were visible on his arm, the only other autopsy findings indicated an acute death.

Quantitative determination of n-butane metabolites in three cases of butane sniffing death.

Butane is an addictive volatile substance like toluene. We report three forensic autopsy cases of sudden death that occurred while sniffing n-butane and isobutane from portable gas cartridges. n-Butane and isobutane were detected in all three cases.

Postmortem serum tenascin-C (TN-C) concentrations in forensic autopsy cases: A pilot study.

In forensic investigations, autopsy findings offer major clues for the diagnosis of the cause of death. Thus, various clinical biochemical markers are now being tested to complement conventional investigation in the field of forensic medicine. In this study, we focused on tenascin-C (TN-C), a glycoprotein present in the extracellular matrix and expressed in pathological states.

Quantitative evaluation of volatile hydrocarbons in post-mortem blood in forensic autopsy cases of fire-related deaths.

Volatile hydrocarbons in post-mortem blood from victims of fires were analyzed quantitatively by headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The benzene and styrene concentrations in the blood were positively correlated with the carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) concentration, which is evidence that the deceased inhaled the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide simultaneously. By contrast, the concentrations of toluene and CO-Hb in the blood were not significantly correlated.

Vertebral arterial injury due to fatal dog bites.

Dog bite-related injuries and fatalities are major public health problem worldwide. The authors present a case of a Japanese Tosa-dog bite-related fatality in an old woman who died from a vertebral arterial laceration with the C5 vertebral fracture. This was an uncommon type of injury that dog bites injured the vertebral artery only without damage to carotid artery.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of the distribution of chloroquine (CQ) and its metabolites in CQ-poisoned mice.

Chloroquine (CQ) distribution in tissues of acutely poisoned mice was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry using anti-CQ polyclonal antibodies (PAC). PAC recognized 4-amino-7-chloro-quinoline structure and sufficiently reacted with CQ and CQ's metabolite bisdesethyl-chloroquine. In the brain, CQ and its metabolites (CQs) localized in the region of the choroids plexus, indicating an important role in the blood-cerebrospinal barrier system.

An accidental death due to Freon 22 (monochlorodifluoromethane) inhalation in a fishing vessel.

A case of accidental Freon 22 (monochlorodifluoromethane) poisoning in a fishing vessel is reported. Forensic autopsy revealed severe pulmonary edema and congestion (left lung; 576 g, right lung; 740 g). GC-MS analysis clearly showed that the deceased inhaled Freon 22 gas prior to his death.

Estimation of early postmortem intervals by a multiple regression analysis using rectal temperature and non-temperature based postmortem changes.

Five general methods based on rectal temperature and a multiple regression analysis using rectal temperature and non-temperature based postmortem changes were applied to 212 postmortem cases of within 24h postmortem (PM) intervals. Non-temperature based postmortem changes of rigidity, hypostasis and corneal turbidity were numerically categorized and used with rectal temperatures as four statistical variables in the multiple regression analysis. The correlation coefficient values between true and calculated postmortem intervals were 0.

HPLC analysis of anti-malaria agent, chloroquine in blood and tissue from forensic autopsy cases in Tanzania.

HPLC analysis of anti-malaria agent, chloroquine (CQ) in blood and tissues with a simple HCl back extraction method was applied to three forensic autopsy cases in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. CQ concentrations in femoral vein blood were 8.5, 48.

Fatal intussusception in infancy: an experience in forensic autopsy.

Intussusception, although a common cause of pediatric surgical emergencies, is a rarely fatal condition. A 7-month-old infant who was discovered in her cot was unresponsive and pronounced dead after 2 h of uneventful cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an emergency hospital. Forensic autopsy which was performed in order to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death revealed intussusceptions at two sites of the ileum.

Neuropathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in forensic autopsy of elderly persons with fatal accident.

Cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease may lead to accidental deaths in the elderly. Neuropathological diagnosis of the disease is, therefore, an important issue in forensic autopsy to determine the causal relation to accidents. To evaluate the suitability of the current histopathological diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease by Khachaturian and Mirra et al.

A simple dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for ABO blood typing of biological fluid and stains: effects of heating samples.

A simple dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot-ELISA) using commercially available monoclonal anti-A and anti-B antibodies and biotinylated anti-H lectin was developed for ABO blood typing of biological fluid and stains. Its application to forensic practice was examined with 117 saliva samples and their stains, and practical case samples of 8 seminal, 6 vaginal and 45 aged salivary stains. In the simple Dot-ELISA, a new step to heat biological samples was introduced in the system in order to block unfavorable non-specific reactions of the samples with secondary enzyme conjugate.

Inhibitory activity of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) in paraquat-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation--a mechanism of protective effects of EGCg against paraquat toxicity.

Recently we have reported that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), a major component of Japanese green tea, significantly increased the survival rate of paraquat (Pq) poisoned mice. This paper describes two biochemical activities of EGCg, which relate to its protective effects against Pq toxicity. EGCg inhibited Pq-induced microsomal malondialdehyde (MDA) productions in rat liver microsome system containing 40 microM FeSO(4).

[Ethanol concentrations in multi-site sampling blood in forensic autopsy cases--a retrospective analysis over a period of six years (1994-1999) in Kumamoto University].

Ethanol and n-propanol concentrations in forensic autopsy cases determined in Department of Forensic Medicine, Kumamoto University School of Medicine were reviewed retrospectively. Out of 388 autopsies in 6 years (1994-1999), ethanol was positive in 88 (22.7%) cases.