Search

In May, 1993, our committee of the Medico-Legal society of Japan published an article entitled "Recommendations for Preventing Transmission of Infection with Biohazard in the Practice of Legal Medicine" in The Japanese Journal of Legal Medicine. Concerning this article, we received a lot of useful comments and opinions from many members of the society, for which we are very grateful. We also received a lot of requests for further information concerning details on the equipment and its practical applications. Since a lot of departments of Legal Medicine at several universities throughout Japan at present are remodelling their facilities in order to be able to perform autopsies, with respect to such circumstances, our committee felt the need to provide information on basic conditions concerning the prevention of transmission of infections with hazards.

In Japan recently there arose a sudden need for special guidelines concerning medicolegal autopsy and the handling of medicolegal materials. In this respect, the Medico-legal Society of Japan, Committee on Expert Opinions has produced a guideline, entitled "Recommendations for Preventing Transmission of Infection with Biohazard in the Practice of Legal Medicine", which was then introduced to all members in Legal Medicine. This guideline contains First: Explanations about the most important types of Biohazard diseases, the dangers and ways of transmission. Second: Explanations concerning preventive measures in medicolegal autopsy, for handling of medicolegal materials and investigation samples, also concerning the equipment and tools within the autopsy room, as well as measures for correct disinfection. These guidelines, form the base on each department of the Medico-Legal Society of Japan, are asked to adjust their own practical manual in order to improve the safety of autopsy conditions.

Despite continuous developments of analytical techniques in terms of sensitivity and accuracy, uncountable increase in number of chemical substances are brought into the field of forensic sciences to be analyzed. Based on the idea that progress in analytical technique to cope with the change of situation is always required, a research team including 10 members was organized to set up the most advanced methods at present to analyze the important drugs and poisons in biological materials for forensic purposes. Stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine and amphetamine were studied on the improvement of extraction procedure prior to mass spectrometric analysis. A conventional solvent extraction method was replaced by an extraction technique using Extrelut column. The technical procedure was simplified and the accuracy of measurement was improved. The changes in CO-Hb concentration in the whole blood in storage was examined with regard to the lapse of time and temperature, where a differential spectrophotometry was used. Useful information could be obtained from practical aspects. Analytical conditions of gas chromatography were revised on volatiles including alcohols, especially as to column conditions. The use of capillary column was recommended for sensitivity and peak separation. The optimum conditions for detecting barbiturates in the blood were examined. The combination of Sep-pak C18 cartridge with a capillary column for gas chromatography using nitrogen phosphorus detection was found preferable. Mass spectrometry of various kinds of local anesthetics was studied. Quantitative analysis of the drugs was examined on gas chromatography with a surface ionization detector. Three types of insecticides including organophosphorus, chlorinated and fluorine compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in order to establish a sensitive and selective method. The detection limits, calibration and reproducibility were examined. Herbicide, paraquat, was examined on the sensitivity, recovery, required time and costs in connection with methods of pretreatment and analytical procedure. A secondary spectrophotometry was found useful practically. Antimony in biological tissues was analyzed, using a flameless atomic absorption spectrometer with carbon tube atomizer. The time for analysis was reduced, and sensitivity was improved. Immunoassay method was examined from general aspects on drugs and hormones. Using antibodies specific to haptens, the dynamics of such antigens as drugs and hormones in the body tissues were observed. Interfering substances at the time of toxicological analysis were checked in order to obtain reliable information. Exact identification was found possible by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. As described above, the research was made from the practical aspects of forensic toxicology, and meaningful results could be obtained from each study.

Alcohol drinking behavior is usually studied from two perspectives, factors leading to drinking behavior and the behavioral effects of alcohol drinking. Many detailed medicolegal, pharmacological and psychiatric studies have been conducted on the behavioral effects of alcohol drinking. Few studies have considered the biological aspects of a desire for alcohol. However, these issues can not be ignored. The role of genetic, environmental and nutritional factors in alcohol preference has extensively debated. Recently, biochemical, physiological and pharmacological studies have also been performed to elucidate the mechanism of the desire for alcohol. In this study, the biological aspects of drinking behavior and alcohol preference have been studied using inbred strains of mice as an animal model on alcoholism. In addition, factors affecting drinking behavior of human beings are discussed based on the results obtained from a medico-legal study of alcohol-related cases. 1. Alcohol preference in several animal species The alcohol preference expressed as a ratio (%) of the volume taken (water and 10% (v/v) alcohol solution), was not constant in several animal species. The preference ratio was observed to be 2.7 +/- 0.7, 3.7 +/- 0.8, 22.0 +/- 19.8 and 39.6 +/- 5.4 in male inbred strains of SAMP2, DBA/2cr, B10.Br/Sg and C57BL/6J mice respectively, and 10.7 +/- 7.6, 15.9 +/- 13.6, 31.3 +/- 22.6 and 32.4 +/- 16.7 in male Donryu, DA, Wistar and Buffalo rats respectively, and 91.3 +/- 9.1 in male Golden hamster, and 2.1 +/- 0.3 in Hartley guinea pigs. Rabbits and Japanese monkeys do not demonstrate high alcohol preference. By comparison, the alcohol preference of a Japanese people was estimated to be approximately 11-35% on the basis of data obtained by questionnaire. 2. Development of alcohol dependence and withdrawal by voluntary alcohol intake in mice Eight strains of male mice, C57BL, C3H, SWM, SW, KK, KSB, KR and DBA, were offered a choice of water or 10% sake solution (sake containing 10% alcohol). Both young (3 months of age) and old (8 months of age) groups were studied simultaneously. The degree of intoxication was measured by recording the drinking behavior on a pulse recorder, by measuring gas-chromatographically the blood alcohol concentration, by taking depth electroencephalogram readings and so on. Intoxication, shown by lack of coordination such as grossly impaired gait, was observed only in the older mice of a strain with a moderate natural alcohol preference such as C3H, SWM, SW, KK and KSB.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)