-transparent.png){kind=logo}
A method for the estimation of time of death (TOD), was evaluated by measuring the melatonin (MT) content of pineal bodies (PBs), sera and urine samples from 85 cadavers. A total of 44 cadavers were investigated in Sapporo (geographical coordinates N 43 degrees 4', E 141 degrees 21') and 41 in Tokyo (N 35 degrees 39', E 139 degrees 44'). MT contents were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 75 PBs, 27 sera and 14 urine samples. Exponential differences of pineal MT content were recognized between peaks in nighttime and nadirs in daytime, ranging from 0.099 to 63.2 ng/PB. Circadian rhythms were also observed for the concentrations of MT in serum (11-205 pg/ml), and in urine (7.5-137.5 pg/ml). Consequently, criteria for the TOD estimation are proposed as follows. 1) Pineal MT contents--(1) 0-0.2 ng/PB: TOD 1100-1700 hours, (2) 0.2-0.3 ng/PB: TOD 0700-2000 hours, (3) 0.3-1 ng/PB: inconclusive, (4) 1-4 ng/PB: TOD 1600-1000 hours, (5) 4-8 ng/PB: TOD 2000-0800 hours, (6) over 8 ng/PB: TOD 2000-0500 hours, 2) Serum MT concentration--(1) 0-100 pg/ml: inconclusive, (2) over 100 pg/ml: TOD 2200-0100 hours, and 3) Urinary MT concentration--(1) 0-35 pg/ml: inconclusive, (2) over 35 pg/ml: TOD 1800-0600 hours. The range of the estimation can be limited by a combination of these 3 criteria. The present method can be combined with other methods for estimating the TOD to decrease the range.
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
May 1993,
[Hokkaido igaku zasshi] The Hokkaido journal of medical science,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
May 1977,
Zeitschrift fur Rechtsmedizin. Journal of legal medicine,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
September 1987,
The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
January 1984,
Zeitschrift fur Rechtsmedizin. Journal of legal medicine,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
May 1973,
Forensic science,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
November 1966,
Medico-legal bulletin,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
January 1988,
Sudebno-meditsinskaia ekspertiza,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
December 2004,
The Journal of forensic odonto-stomatology,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
June 2019,
microPublication biology,
H Mikami, and
K Terazawa, and
T Takatori, and
S Tokudome, and
T Tsukamoto, and
K Haga
October 2010,
Fa yi xue za zhi,
