摘要:

One hundred and fourteen fatal cases of brain trauma were examined prospectively; in 100 of these cases, death occurred within 48 hours of injury. The methods of injury included motor vehicle accidents (MVA), gunshot wounds, blunt instrument injuries, and falls. All cases showed subarachnoid and parenchymal hemorrhages. Paraffin sections were studied with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain and also with special stains in selected slides. The cases were examined histologically before having exact clinical knowledge of the time of death.Eosinophilic neurons were noted in many cases surviving <1 hour after injury and increased in frequency and severity with time. These were most commonly seen in areas of contusion, the hippocampus, and the arterial boundary zones of the cerebral cortex. Neuronal incrustation was seen from 3 to 48 hours postinjury in areas of contusion. Axonal swelling and spheroids were seen in the white matter in areas of laceration and hemorrhage at 1 hour postinjury in many cases and continuing through all time periods. Glial swelling was seen in the subpial and subependymal regions and around hemorrhages from very early to 48 hours postinjury. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (granulocytes) were present in the tissues at all time periods with increasing frequency over time. They were also found surrounding corpora amylacea in cases with <1 hour survival.Axonal swelling, eosinophilia of neurons, and incrustation of neurons were noted at earlier time periods than previously reported in the literature.Determining the time of injury based on histologic evidence is difficult. We believe that the data reported here will allow more accurate appreciation of timing of the early interval between brain trauma and death.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The initial stages of physical evidence examination are pivotal to the successful resolution of criminal investigations. Recent cases clearly reinforce the notion that methods of evidence collection and preservation will continue to be rigorously scrutinized and challenged in court. This article reviews forensic applications of DNA typing, focusing on the collection and preservation of biological evidence. Topics addressed include physical evidence collection at the crime scene, the forensic laboratory, and the autopsy room. Specific concerns pertaining to different sources of DNA evidence are discussed, as are special collection methods associated with various substrates on which the evidence is deposited.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Infants who die of hypernatremic dehydration usually demonstrate at autopsy an underlying condition or disease process that predisposes to increased water loss. In the absence of such findings, forensic concerns may focus sharply on parental or caretaker neglect as an underlying cause of death. In this case report, we describe unrecognized fatal hypernatremic dehydration in two exclusively breast-fed neonates due solely to failure of maternal lactation. We further describe epidemiologic and etiologic features of such deaths and discuss forensic difficulties encountered in their certification.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

We describe three unusual cases of suicide involving mutiple gunshot wounds, in which all of the victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head, yet none was rendered immediately incapacitated. Injuries were confined to the same area in two of the cases and were located in different areas in the other case. Two of the cases initially appeared to be homicides rather than suidides.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

When a bullet strikes an interposed object before entering a body, the bullet may fragment, or particles from the interposed object may be accelerated. Such secondary missiles may cause multiple entrance wounds if a body is located in line with their flight path. In the unusual case reported here, a silencer acted as an interposed object. The bullet disintegrated completely after impact with the central part of the silencer baffles, which were misaligned. Some bullet fragments were retained inside the silencer, and some exited as a collection of missiles, comparable to shotgun pellets. From a distance of several meters, the fragments wounded the victim at seven different anatomic sites. Use of a silencer should be considered when bullet fragments are recovered from a scene or victim but no other appropriate interposed object is found.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

During the past few decades, violent mass shooting in Sweden has increased rapidly. In the 36 years between 1960 and 1995, fourteen such occasions were recorded, during which 32 people were killed and 57 were wounded. The 14 offenders were men between the ages of 17 and 61 years. In the 20 years from 1960 to 1979, five shootings were committed by five offenders, leaving 10 dead and 13 wounded; in the 16 years between 1980 and 1995, there were nine different shootings committed by nine offenders, with 22 dead and 44 wounded. Seven of the shootings were classified as mass shootings, six as spree shootings, and one as a serial shooting. In all but four of these cases, the firearms used were illegal weapons. The four legal firearms belonged to an unemployed young laborer, an officer, a former United Nations (U.N.) soldier, and a member of the Swedish military volunteer corps. Of those killed, 68.8% were strangers to the offender; among the wounded, the corresponding figure was 89.5%. Profiles of the offenders and of the victims were studied. The psychiatric diagnoses among the offenders and the measures taken to prevent the increase in mass shooting in Sweden are presented.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

A case of florid postmortem extravasation of blood, potentially simulating antemortem bruising, is presented. A 98-year-old woman died in hospital, the cause of death being certified as congestive cardiac failure. After burial, it was apparent that the grave had been disturbed by crowbars and shovels. Exhumation was performed and autopsy revealed considerable apparent facial bruising as well as lacerations and fractures. There was no documentation by the medical or nursing staff of any injuries to the deceased preceding death. There was also no documentation of injury by the funeral directors. Subsequently, two men admitted to removing the body from the grave and mutilating it. Thus, what was apparently facial bruising was, in fact, postmortem extravasation of blood simulating antemortem bruising. The degree of extravasation was considered to be related to the severity of the injuries, loose subcutaneous tissues of the head and neck, and dependent position of the body upon return to the grave. This case demonstrates the degree of postmortem extravasation of blood that may occur in particular circumstances and may simulate antemortem bruising. In other circumstances, the postmortem extravasation of blood may well have led investigators to pursue inquiries regarding homicide.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The time of death can be established by determining the length of the postmortem interval. Many methods have been proposed to achieve this goal. Flow cytometric evaluation of DNA degradation seems to be reliable for the first 72 hours after death. Our study evaluated the correspondence of the corruption process between in vitro and corpse tissues. We chose spleen tissue to perform our investigation because it is rich in nucleated cells. Results showed a precise correspondence between the two kinds of samples in the time period between 24 and 36 hours. The period from 36 to 72 hours is characterized by a much looser correspondence than that found in the first period. After the first 72 hours, DNA denaturation is massive and does not allow useful cytofluorimetric readings. The spleen does not seem to be the most suitable organ for this type of investigation because it tends to colliquate very rapidly. We therefore are evaluating other organs to identify a more suitable tissue source for the investigation of longer postmortem period using flow cytometry.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

A platform presentation at an academic meeting requires preparation, practice, and self-discipline. Our observations and discussions of presentations made at national meetings of forensic scientists over the past several years compelled us to review the essentials of public speaking in the academic arena. We translated this review into a compilation of recommendations for the prospective presenter. Application of these recommendations will result in more informative, efficient, and enjoyable platform presentations.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

This study investigates the relation between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases and reports to public child protection service (CPS) agencies of suspected child abuse or neglect prior to the sudden deaths. SIDS data were collected from the Ventura County Medical Examiner's death investigation records of 1981 through 1995. Names of deceased infants, their parents, and any other caretakers who might have been with the infant near the time of death were submitted to the county CPS, where they were referenced for reports of abuse or neglect. A control population of non-SIDS infants and their caretakers were checked in a similar manner. The 150 infants from the control group were compared with 157 SIDS infants; no significant statistical difference was found between groups in the incidence or type of CPS referrals. These findings suggest that screening CPS records for previous referrals is an ineffective method by which to detect infanticides misdiagnosed as SIDS and may cast unwarranted suspicion on otherwise typical SIDS cases.

ISSN:0195-7910    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1998

数据来源: OVID