Postmortem Period Research Articles

Effect of fast pH decline during the early postmortem period on calpain activity and cytoskeletal protein degradation of broiler M. pectoralis major

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of fast pH decline during the early postmortem period on calpain activity and the degradation of cytoskeletal proteins in broilers. Eighty broilers were randomly categorized into two groups: physical restraint (PR) and free struggle (FS). M. pectoralis major (PM) was used for determination of calpain activity, shear value, ultrastructure of myofibrils, and the degradation of desmin, titin, nebulin, and troponin-T. The pH (6.05) of FS group is significantly low than PR group (6.38) at 0.3 h postmortem. Fast pH decline during the early postmortem period led to a decrease of μ/m-calpain activities at 0.3 and 3 h postmortem (P < 0.05), but did not affect the ultimate μ/m-calpain activity. An initial fast decrease in pH increased the degradation of desmin, titin, nebulin, and increased the 30 kDa degradation fragments of troponin-T. Therefore, the fast pH decline during the early postmortem period decreased the μ/m-calpain activity and increased the degradation of cytoskeletal proteins in broiler muscle. It is possible that the fast pH decline experienced an earlier activation of calpains that resulted in earlier protein degradation and ultimately lower shear force.

Expert and diagnostic criteria to identify the time death according to the study Achilles tendons in late postmortem period.

Background. Еestablishment of time of death is a core issue of forensic medicine. To solve this problem was proposed many different methods. They can provide answers regarding the death in the first 1-3 days post-mortem period. But after 3 days, because of of putrefaction corpse, the answer to this question is very difficult. At this time, has not found a precise criteria for the death of a few days postmortem period. Objective . Aim of the study was to determine the biochemical and biophysical parameters Achilles tendon in postmortem period. Methods . The material for the study was Achilles tendons of 22 corpses of people. For laboratory studies selected tendons only corpses of people, with accurately known period of death. Obtaining fluid from the tendon was performed by mechanical compression of the biological object in the press without homogenizing tissues. This fluid was stored at - 6-8 ° C. The liquid dissolved before use sterile isotonic solution in a ratio of 1: 4. Biochemical studies were performed using standard methods. Determined the amount of uric acid, urea, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, cholesterol, ALT, GGT and alkaline phosphatase. Made fixing Glow Discharge obtained from the Achilles tendon liquid. Results: In the liquid obtained from the Achilles tendon tissue, there is a change of the enzyme and other substances above. Individual enzymes increased in the 2-3 and 7-9 days after death. Total protein, urea and uric acid increased greatly to the 9-th day after decreased sharply. There have been analyzed the relationships identified components. They have significant differences that depend on the time of death. graphs of the number of separate components of the liquid and the intensity of the glow it gives can quickly determine which term death, depending on the type of graph belongs separate sample of fluid. Conclusion. Established by biochemical changes in individual components of fluid from connective tissue, can be used to determine the limitations of death. Assessment of the biological object by registering glow can be used to determine the death in late post-mortem period. For comparative analysis should be used graphic images.

Cesedin Ayrışma Durumuna Göre Birikmiş Gün Sıcaklıkları ile Postmortem İnterval Tahmini

Postmortem interval dünyada modern adli bilim uygulamalarında çok önemli yere sahip araştırma konularından birisi olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Postmortem intervalin belirlenmesinde morfolojik, biyokimyasal, adli patolojik, flowsitometrik, mikrobiyolojik, entomolojik, antropolojik, spektroskopik ve ana postmortem değişimler gibi çok sayıda yöntem kullanılmasına karşın tek bir test ya da yöntem ile kesinlik içeren sonuçların verilebilmesi mümkün görülmemektedir. Çünkü, kullanılan parametreleri etkileyen birçok fiziksel, kimyasal ve biyolojik süreç bulunmaktadır. Bu nedenle, postmortem interval hesaplanmasında mümkün olduğunca yeni yönteme ve kullanılagelen yöntemlerin geliştirilmesine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Bu noktada, postmortem interval tahmininde kullanılan tafonomik yöntemlerin de geliştirilmesi, uygulamalı çalışmalarla bölgesel faktörler ve iklim etkisinin ortaya konması gerekmektedir. Özellikle, postmortem sürece etki eden bölgesel faktörlerin belirlenmesi ile ölüm sonrası geçen sürenin tahmininde daha kesin sonuçlara ulaşılabileceği kanaatindeyiz. Bu makalede, cesedin ayrışma durumuna göre birikmiş gün sıcaklıkları ile postmortem interval arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Adli Tafonomi; Postmortem Interval; Adli Antropoloji

Comparison of Muscle Fiber and Meat Quality Characteristics in Different Japanese Quail Lines.

The aim of this study was to compare the growth performance, fiber characteristics of the pectoralis major muscle, and meat quality characteristics in the heavy weight (HW) and random bred control (RBC) quail lines and genders. The HW male exhibited more than two times greater body (245.7 vs 96.1 g, p<0.05) and pectoralis major muscle (PMW; 37.1 vs 11.1 g, p<0.05) weights compared to the RBC female. This growth performance in the HW line was associated with a greater muscle fiber area (1,502 vs 663.0 μm2, p<0.001) compared to the RBC line. Greater muscle mass of the HW male was accompanied by a higher percentage of type IIB fiber compared to the HW female (64.0% vs 51.0%, p<0.05). However, muscle fiber hyperplasia (increase in fiber number) has had a somewhat limited effect on PMW between the two lines. On the other hand, the HW line harboring a higher proportion of type IIB fiber showed rapid pH decline at the early postmortem period (6.23 vs 6.41, p<0.05) and lighter meat surface (53.5 vs 47.3, p<0.05) compared to the RBC line harboring a lower proportion of type IIB fiber. There were no significant differences observed in the measurement of water-holding capacity including drip loss (2.74% vs 3.07%, p>0.05) and cooking loss (21.9% vs 20.4%, p>0.05) between the HW and RBC lines. Therefore, the HW quail line developed by selection from the RBC quail, was slightly different in the meat quality characteristics compared to the RBC line, and a marked difference was found in growth performance between the two quail lines.

Addison Disease: The First Presentation of the Condition May be at Autopsy.

Addison disease is chronic primary adrenal insufficiency, which, in developed countries, is most commonly due to autoimmune destruction of the cortex (termed autoimmune or idiopathic Addison disease). Although the disease process has some classic features, such as increased pigmentation, salt craving, and signs and symptoms related to decreased blood pressure, the initial clinical presentation may be vague and/or insidious. Following an acute stressor such as a gastrointestinal (GI) infection, the patient may experience an adrenal crisis, which can cause sudden death. As such, knowledge of this disease process and the diagnostic criteria in the postmortem period is essential for the practicing forensic pathologist. The diagnosis of autoimmune Addison disease at autopsy is aided by several factors including 1) history, including salt craving, features consistent with orthostatic hypotension, and GI complaints including nausea, vomiting and pain, 2) physical examination findings of increased pigmentation and small or unidentifiable adrenal glands, 3) serologic testing for 21-hydroxylase antibodies, 4) serum cortisol concentrations, and 5) vitreous electrolyte testing. While the listed historical information, the increased pigmentation, decreased serum cortisol concentrations, and evidence of hyponatremia may be found in all forms of Addison disease, small or unidentifiable adrenal glands and 21-hydroxylase antibodies are found exclusively in the autoimmune form of Addison disease. While other causes of Addison disease, such as tuberculosis, metastatic tumor, or other infiltrative processes would have enlarged adrenal glands, these diseases would lack 21-hydroxylase antibodies. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the diagnosis of autoimmune Addison disease.

Postmortem redistribution mechanism of donepezil in the rat

Population aging is rapidly advancing in numerous parts of the world and, accordingly, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is rising. The safety of donepezil (DPZ), which is used for AD treatment, has been established in clinical trials. However, some studies have indicated that DPZ may be associated with severe cardiac side effects, and excessive doses may induce toxicity-related symptoms or death. Therefore, the measurement of blood DPZ levels is important for the postmortem investigation of related causes of death. However, postmortem drug concentrations in the blood may not always reflect those obtained antemortem because of the postmortem redistribution (PMR) of drugs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential PMR of DPZ using a rat model. The DPZ concentration was measured using a validated HPLC/Q-TOF-MS system in cardiac and peripheral blood, and in the brain, lungs, myocardium, liver, and thigh muscle at different postmortem intervals (0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24h). Overall, the DPZ tissue to peripheral blood ratio decreased throughout the postmortem period. Furthermore, the DPZ concentration increased in the peripheral and cardiac blood but decreased in both of the lungs, postmortem. Furthermore, the blood pH was significantly lowered. We used a perfusion approach to examine the rat lung and heart to further investigate the relationship between the pH and DPZ release from the lungs. The outflow concentrations when the inflow pH changed from 7.4 to 5.5 were approximately 2-fold higher than the inflow pH fixed 7.4. These findings suggest that the antemortem accumulated DPZ in the lungs is released into the pulmonary blood owing to postmortem acidification of blood, and subsequently flows into the cardiac blood, leading to the observed increase in concentration. Although we could not determine the underlying mechanism, we confirmed that PMR occurs similarly in the cardiac and peripheral blood.

A rare autopsy case of traumatic rhabdomyolysis associated with intermittent assault

Traumatic rhabdomyolysis generally occurs after severe blunt trauma and is acute in onset, associated with severe disease, and potentially lethal. Accordingly, diagnosis of traumatic rhabdomyolysis in patients without massive subcutaneous or intramuscular hemorrhage is difficult, especially in the postmortem period, which is limited in terms of the availability of biochemical examination tools and accurate history of illness. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports of death from traumatic rhabdomyolysis among individuals who did not pursue medical consultation. A previously healthy man in his early sixties had been punched and kicked several times in the previous 2months, but he had not gone to a hospital. He suddenly lost consciousness at his workplace approximately 5days after the most recent assault, and cardiopulmonary arrest occurred when the emergency service arrived. He died the same day, and a medicolegal autopsy was performed. Although several sites of minor subcutaneous and muscle hemorrhage were observed, the cause of death was unclear upon macroscopic assessment. Immunohistochemical staining revealed acute renal failure caused by rhabdomyolysis. We herein report a rare case of fatal traumatic rhabdomyolysis, seemingly associated with minor and apparently nonlethal muscle injury.

Postmortem Change and its Effect on Evaluation of Fractures.

Postmortem changes can both mask and mimic trauma, impairing interpretation of the injuries. Bones, while capable of surviving the postmortem period relatively intact, are not immune from these effects. Without attached soft tissue to aid an examiner, it can be difficult to determine the time frame of a fracture's occurrence (i.e., before death, at death, or after death). Bones are composed of both organic and inorganic material, each of which contribute to the biomechanical properties of the bones. With the loss of organic material, the biomechanical response of bones to trauma changes; however, the organic material can remain a part of the bone for an extended period after death. Bone with intact organic material is wet bone, and bone without the organic material is dry bone, and because of this difference, fractures of wet bone can appear different than fractures of dry bone. Important in distinguishing the two are differential coloration, various features of the fracture itself (e.g., angle, surface, outline), surrounding flaking of the cortex, and incomplete separation of bone fragments from the fracture. However, the changes are not absolute, and determination of the two types of fractures can be problematic. Although the terms antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem have been used to describe the general time frame of fractures in relation to the time of death of the individual, because of confusion among specialties regarding the definition of "perimortem," its use may best be discontinued in favor of a descriptive approach when fractures are identified in skeletal remains.

Establishing the volatile profile of pig carcasses as analogues for human decomposition during the early postmortem period.

Following a mass disaster, it is important that victims are rapidly located as the chances of survival decrease greatly after approximately 48 h. Urban search and rescue (USAR) teams may use a range of tools to assist their efforts but detector dogs still remain one of the most effective search tools to locate victims of mass disasters. USAR teams can choose to deploy human scent dogs (trained to locate living victims) or human remains detection (HRD) dogs (trained to locate deceased victims). However, little is known about the variation between live human scent and postmortem human remains scent and the timeframe during which one type of scent transitions to the other. The aim of the current study was to measure the change in the scent profile of human decomposition analogues during the first 72 h postmortem by measuring the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that comprise the odour. Three pig carcasses (Sus scrofa domesticus L.) were placed on a soil surface and allowed to decompose under natural conditions. Decomposition odour was sampled frequently up to 75 h postmortem and analysed using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography – time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS). A total of 105 postmortem VOCs were identified during the early postmortem period. The VOC profile during the early postmortem period was highly dynamic, changing both hourly and daily. A transition period was observed after 43 h postmortem, where the VOC profile appeared to shift from a distinct antemortem odour to a more generalised postmortem odour. These findings are important in informing USAR teams and their use of detector dogs for disaster victim recovery.

Heart-type fatty acid binding protein and cardiac troponin I may have a diagnostic value in electrocution: A rat model

Although cardiac injury is known to be the leading cause of death in electrocution, the differential diagnosis can be challenging in forensic practice since the exact mechanism is poorly understood and there is lack of reliable markers. Thus, death due to electrocution may be classified as a negative autopsy. The serum levels of and myocardial immunostaining loss for cardiac troponins and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) are highly sensitive and specific biomarkers of ischemic myocardial damage and may have a diagnostic value in determining the myocardial injury or the cause of death due to electrocution. Due to this reason, a rat model is prepared to investigate these issues. Thirty-two Wistar albino female rats were included and randomly divided into four groups of eight subjects. Group A was the control group, and Group B, C, and D were exposed to electrical current of 110 volt (V), 220 V, and 600 V, respectively. Blood samples and the hearts were collected from the rats for biochemical and immunostaining analyses.It is found that increased serum H-FABP levels were significantly associated with the higher voltage immediately after electrocution. However, serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels did not show significant changes associated with the higher voltage in the early period of electrocution. As for histopathological examinations, the only significant difference in myocardial immunostaining loss was for H-FABP in Group B.Serum H-FABP levels may have a diagnostic value in the early postmortem period immediately after electrocution. Besides, it seems that serum H-FABP levels may be a better indicator than those of cTnI to reflect the myocardial damage in the early period of the electrocution.

Commentary: Mast cells and dendritic cells as a tools to discriminate vital and post mortem lesions

The determination of vitality and wound age is one of the most central research areas in legal medicine, about which a large amount of scientific work has been submitted for many decades up until now. In the first minutes or hours, standard histological examination may not determine whether the wound was inflicted in the pre- or post-mortem period. This commentary is focused on the recent proposal to use mast cells and dendritic cells as cellular tools for the discrimination of vital and post mortem wounds.

Effect of extended postmortem aging and steak location on myofibrillar protein degradation and Warner-Bratzler shear force of beef M. semitendinosus steaks.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of steak location and postmortem aging on cooked meat tenderness and myofibrillar protein degradation of steaks from M. semitendinosus (ST). Following harvest and a 6 d chill period, the left ST was removed from carcasses of crossbred feedlot steers ( = 60, average hot carcass weight 427 ± 24 kg). Each ST was fabricated into ten 2.54-cm thick steaks originating from the proximal to distal end of the muscle. Steaks cut adjacent to each other were paired, vacuum packaged, and randomly assigned to 7, 14, 21, 42, or 70 d of aging at 2 ± 1°C. After aging, within each steak pair, steaks were randomly assigned to Warner-Bratzler shear force or myofibrillar proteolysis analysis (calpain activity and desmin and troponin-T degradation). Muscle fiber type and size were also determined at the 2 ends of the muscle. There was no location × d of aging interaction ( = 0.25) for ST steak WBSF. Steak location affected (quadratic, < 0.01) WBSF. As steaks were fabricated from the proximal to distal end, WBSF values decreased toward the middle of the muscle and then increased toward the distal end. Activity of all calpains and myofibrillar protein proteolysis were unaffected by steak location ( > 0.13). Type I, IIA, and IIX muscle fibers were larger at the proximal end of the muscle than the distal end ( < 0.01). Increasing d of aging improved WBSF (quadratic, < 0.01) for the duration of the 70 d postmortem period. As d of aging increased, intact calpain-1 activity decreased (quadratic, < 0.01) with activity detected through 42 d. Day of aging affected autolyzed calpain-1 (linear, < 0.01) and calpain-2 activity (quadratic, < 0.01). Through d 70 of aging, the intensity of intact 55 kDa desmin band decreased (linear, < 0.01), while there was an increase (linear, < 0.01) in the degraded 38 kDa band. Similarly, d of aging increased troponin-T proteolysis, indicated by a decrease (quadratic, < 0.01) in intensity of the intact 40 kDa band and an increase (linear, < 0.01) in the 30 kDa degraded band. Intramuscular WBSF differences are not due to proteolytic activity or myofibrillar degradation and seem related to muscle fiber size. The improvement of ST steak WBSF through 70 d of aging is partly due to continued degradation of desmin and troponin-T. Calpain proteolytic analysis indicates that autolyzed calpain-1 and calpain-2 may be involved in extended postmortem myofibrillar protein proteolysis.

Postmortem redistribution of olanzapine following intramuscular administration of olanzapine pamoate in dogs

The potential for postmortem redistribution of olanzapine was investigated in beagle dogs. Olanzapine pamoate monohydrate was administered once every 14 days by intramuscular injection for 3 months to fed male dogs (n=15) at a dose of 20mg/kg olanzapine (equivalent to 46mg/kg olanzapine pamoate monohydrate). Blood samples were collected after the fifth (Day 57) and sixth (Day 71) doses to determine olanzapine and N-oxide olanzapine concentrations. On Day 71 at 72h postdose, dogs were euthanized and placed on their backs without additional manipulation and held for postmortem blood, urine, and tissue collection at room temperature for up to 168h postdose (96h after euthanasia). Concentrations of olanzapine and N-oxide olanzapine were determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy (LC–MS/MS). Postmortem olanzapine concentrations in blood increased up to seven-fold compared to the last quantified antemortem blood concentration. Olanzapine concentrations in vein tissue samples (surrogates for peripheral blood) also increased, whereas other tissue concentrations, such as myocardium, lung, liver, and kidney decreased over the postmortem period. An increase in blood concentration of olanzapine after death was observed in all but one animal, suggesting that postmortem redistribution may occur in dogs following biweekly intramuscular administration of olanzapine pamoate monohydrate. The rise in olanzapine concentrations in blood after death in this study may potentially be attributed to diffusion from multiple tissues to blood and, to a lesser extent, reduction of the N-oxide olanzapine metabolite back to olanzapine. However, the generalizability of these results to humans cannot be confirmed by the present study.

Qualité de la viande de dromadaire dans les abattoirs de Ouargla en Algérie. I. Quelques caractéristiques physico-chimiques de la viande au cours de la maturation

Les paramètres physico-chimiques au cours de la maturation de quatre muscles (semitendinosus [ST], rectus femoris [RF], longissimus thoracis [LT] et semimembranosus [SM]), conservés à 4 °C, ont été mesurés chez des dromadaires mâles (10 jeunes de trois à quatre ans et 10 adultes de plus de cinq ans) de race Sahraoui. Une diminution de la température post mortem a atteint une valeur minimale de 5,7 ± 0,20 °C (LT) chez les adultes, alors que la valeur minimale enregistrée chez les jeunes a été plus basse avec 3,9 ± 0,68 °C (ST). Le pH des muscles étudiés a diminué au cours de la période post mortem. Les valeurs minimales enregistrées ont varié de 5,2 ± 1,11 (RF) à 5,7 ± 0,02 (LT) chez les chamelons, et de 5,6 ± 0,05 (SM) à 6,3 ± 0,53 (ST) chez les adultes. La quantité d’eau extractible a augmenté pour les quatre muscles et pour les deux groupes d’âge. Les valeurs maximales obtenues ont été de 0,21 ± 0,040 g par gramme de muscle RF jeune et de 0,21 ± 0,009 g par gramme de muscle RF adulte. Cela signifie que la capacité de rétention d’eau des différents muscles a diminué au cours du temps post mortem. La conductivité électrique n’a pas suivi le même profil pour tous les muscles étudiés. Une légère augmentation de ce paramètre dans le temps a été perceptible pour le muscle LT (117,3 ± 0,30 µS/cm/g) chez les jeunes, et ST (158,3 ± 0,14 µS/cm/g) chez les adultes.

Effect of transportation and pre-slaughter water shower spray with resting on AMP-activated protein kinase, glycolysis and meat quality of broilers during summer.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pre-slaughter transport during summer and subsequent water shower spray on stress, postmortem glycolysis, energy metabolism and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in Pectoralis major (PM) muscle of broilers. Results indicated that transport during high ambient temperature induced the release of plasma corticosterone, which significantly affected stress conditions. Moreover, we found a lower energy status in the early postmortem period compared to the control group. AMPK was activated in this situation, following by the rapid glycolysis and accumulation of lactic acid, leading to a high incidence of pale, soft, exudative (PSE)-like meat. Water shower spray with resting after transport relieved the stress situation, recovered energy homeostasis and lessened the deterioration of meat quality. As a key molecular target for the control of energy status, AMPK has a similar potential in regulating postmortem muscle glycolysis of broilers as in mammals.

İlaçların Postmortem Yeniden Dağılımı Toksikolojik Örnek Alma Veri Değerlendirme ve Yorumlama

Postmortem redistribüsyon ölümden sonra ilaç konsantrasyonlarında meydana gelen değişimleri ifade eder. Akciğer, karaciğer ve miyokard gibi organlardan kan içerisine yeniden dağılımı içerir. Postmortem ilaç konsantrasyonları ilacın karakteristik özelliğine ve örneklemenin alındığı bölgeye dayalı olarak varyasyonlar göstermektedir. Dağılım hacmi, lipofilite ve pKa gibi ilaç özellikleri önemli faktörlerdir. Bazik, lipofilik ve 3 l/kg’dan daha büyük dağılım hacmine sahip ilaçların postmortem yeniden dağılıma uğraması muhtemeldir.Kan örneklemenin yapıldığı anatomik bölge ilaç konsantrasyonunu etkileyebilmektedir. Otopside toplanan kan, önemli bir biyolojik örnektir. Kardiyak ve periferik kandan oluşmaktadır. Kardiyak kan konsantrasyonu genelde periferik kan konsantrasyonundan daha yüksektir. Periferik kandaki postmortem ilaç konsantrasyonunun antemortem ilaç konsantrasyonuna benzer olduğu kaydedilmiştir. Bu yüzden ilaçların analizi ve yorumlanması için periferik bölgeden kanın toplanması önerilir. Pek çok laboratuvar postmortem vakalarda yeniden dağılımı tanımlarken kardiyak:periferik kan (C/P) konsantrasyon oranını kullanır. Bu oran birden daha büyük olduğunda o ilacın postmortem yeniden dağılım göstereceği düşünülür. Postmortem ilaç konsantrasyonu dokularda daha stabil olduğundan dolayı karaciğer: periferik kan (L/P) oranı da postmortem yeniden dağılım belirteci olarak değerlendirilir. Postmortem yeniden dağılımın anımsanmasıyla postmortem kanda tespit edilen ilaç konsantrasyonuna güven azalmakta ve doku analizinin önemi yeniden gündeme gelmektedir.Postmortem dönemde ölçülen ilaç konsantrasyonlarını yorumlamak karışıktır. Bu sebeple çalışmamızda “Postmortem redistribüsyon nedir ve toksikolojik verilerin doğru ve güvenilir değerlendirilmesi için hangi biyolojik örnekler alınmalıdır” sorularına yanıtlar literatür ışığında sunulacaktır.Anahtar Kelimeler: İlaç, Postmortem Yeniden Dağılım, Adli Toksikoloji

Skin wounds vitality markers in forensic pathology: An updated review.

Wound age evaluation is one of the most challenging issues in forensic pathology. In the first minutes or hours, standard histological examination may not determine whether the wound was inflicted in the pre- or post-mortem period. While red blood cell infiltration is classically considered as a sign of vital reaction, several studies have shown that extravasation of blood cells may also occur after death and cannot be used as a reliable marker in the diagnosis of wound vitality. Numerous studies about wound vitality are available in the literature. They have evaluated markers involved in coagulation or inflammation, using various methods such as enzymology, molecular biology or immunohistochemistry. In this update, we first introduce some methodological principles. Then, we review the main studies available in the literature. Immunohistochemistry seems to be the most valuable method, given its easy application and the possibility to analyse the localization of the molecules of interest. Some markers are promising, such as CD15, TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β, TGFα or TGFβ1. Prior to their application in daily practice, these early results need to be confirmed with other studies, conducted by independent teams and integrating multiple controls. Most notably, the antibodies have to be tested in numerous post-mortem wounds. Indeed, a critical risk of overexpression in post-mortem wounds is present. Some promising markers have been later invalidated because of post-mortem false positivity. Finally, optimal sensitivity and specificity values could probably be reached by combining several markers, validated by large groups of pre- and post-mortem wounds.

Post-mortem computed tomography visualised fire related post-mortem changes of the head

As post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) becomes more routinely utilised in day-to-day autopsy practice around the world, it is important that those reporting the images are aware of changes that may not be encountered in clinical radiology that can result in the post-mortem period but resemble antemortem pathology. Two cases are presented to illustrate the PMCT findings of three of the four classical changes that occur to the head after death as a result of the effect of prolonged exposure to heat.

Temperature based forensic death time estimation: The standard model in experimental test

The determination of the time since death is essential to forensic homicide investigations since the time of death represents the presumed time of the offence. Erroneous death time estimates may lead to false acquittal or conviction of suspects. Since its introduction 30years back, the nomogram method by Henßge has been established as the standard procedure of temperature-based death time determination in the early post-mortem period. The present study provides an independent investigation of the validity of its death time estimates and their corresponding 95%-confidence intervals. Comparison to post-mortem cooling curves recorded under controlled conditions of 84 suddenly deceased with known death times yielded the following results: Since in the light of our experiments the validity of the nomogram method seems to be problematic, death time estimates - and particularly their 95%-confidence interval limits - have to be interpreted carefully and should only be restrictively used as court evidence to support or refute alibis. Systematic overestimation of the post-mortem interval in bodies of high mass and large surface area must be taken into account.

Postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in rabbits over 24 h.

The interpretation of postmortem drug levels is complicated by changes in drug blood levels in the postmortem period, a phenomena known as postmortem drug redistribution. We investigated the postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in a rabbit model. Heroin (1 mg/kg) was injected into anesthetised rabbit; after 1 h, an auricular vein blood sample was taken and the rabbit was euthanised. Following death rabbits were placed in a supine position at room temperature and divided into three groups namely (1) immediate autopsy, (2) autopsy after 30 minutes and (3) autopsy 24 h after death. Various samples which included femoral blood, cardiac blood, lung, liver, kidney, vitreous humour, subcutaneous and abdominal fat, liver, bone marrow and skeletal muscle were taken. The samples were analysed with a validated LC-MS/MS method. It was observed that within minutes there was a significant increase in free morphine postmortem femoral blood concentration compared to the antemortem sample (0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.05 ± 0.02 mg/L).Various other changes in free morphine and metabolite concentrations were observed during the course of the experiment in various tissues. Principal component analysis was used to investigate possible correlations between free morphine in the various samples. Some correlations were observed but gave poor predictions (>20 % error) when back calculating. The results suggest that rabbits are a good model for further studies of postmortem redistribution but that further study and understanding of the phenomena is required before accurate predictions of the blood concentration at the time of death are possible.