It is therefore reasonable to conclude that determination of cTnT by a highly sensitive assay in pericardial fluid can provide forensic pathologists with a complementary test to the diagnosis of cause of death.

The aim of this work was to shed light on hypoxic and ischemic processes in the heart that may lead to irreversible or lethal myocardial injury. We determined malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in human cardiac tissues from 45 medico-legal autopsies of persons who died from different causes. Samples were taken from three different areas of myocardium: the anterior and posterior walls of the left ventricle, and the interventricular septum. We used light microscopy to examine the heart sections (hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichromic stains), and studied the K+(Na+ ratio and pericardial fluid. A decrease in GSH-Px activity was found in cases with severe atherosclerosis of the coronary artery in comparison with the group with slight or moderate atherosclerosis. Postmortem activities of GSH-Px and SOD were significantly different in the three myocardial zones studied. An increase in GSH-Px activity in the interventricular septum was noted in cases of cardiac deaths. Antioxidant-related enzymes such as GSH-Px and SOD can therefore be regarded as new biochemical markers indicative of myocardial hypoxia. The possible applications to the postmortem diagnosis of the cause of death are discussed.

Based on these findings, it is suggested that nurse managers should introduce strategies to set conditions for a better work environment in public and private hospitals.

No abstract

Thallium poisoning seldom occurs in Spain. This article reports 5 cases of thallium poisoning, of which 4 of the patients belonged to the same family. The cases occurred in or near Granada between 1985 and 1987. The symptoms were initially gastrointestinal (vomiting, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, etc.) in the case of the family poisoning, and a sensitive-motor polyneuritis in the fifth case. The diagnosis was established by analysis carried out in the authors' laboratory; urinary thallium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with graphite furnace and monovalent hollow cathode lamp. Each case was followed up to confirm the efficacy of the treatment; recovery from the poisoning was complete in all cases after 3 to 9 weeks.