Obtaining fingerprints from mummified fingers: a method for tissue rehydration adapted from the archeological literature

Our laboratory was asked to help with the rehydration of mummified human fingertips that had been removed from a recently deceased, unidentified female. Using a solution that was found in the archeological literature, we were able to successfully rehydrate dermal tissues to the extent that fingerprints could be taken. We believe that this solution, which until now has not been described in the forensic literature, is effective, affordable, and relatively easy to produce and use.     

Pulmonary edema in fatal heroin overdose: immunohistological investigations with IgE, collagen IV and laminin - no increase of defects of alveolar-capillary membranes

Pulmonary edema complicating heroin overdosage is a well recognized entity and regarded as the major mechanism contributing to death in heroin addicts. It's pathogenesis is unknown, several mechanisms are discussed: hypoxia-induced increase of pulmonary capillary permeability, depressed myocardial contractility, centrally induced respiratory depression, primary toxic effects on the alveolar capillaries and acute anaphylactic shock. The present study included opiate-related deaths (n=23) and a control group of sudden cardiovascular deaths (n=12) to verify the hypothesis, that defects of the alveolar capillary membranes and/or an acute anaphylactic reaction leads to pulmonary congestion, edema and hemorrhages. Lung specimens were obtained from these 35 autopsies of persons autopsied in the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, in 1997 and 1998. All specimens were examined with hematoxylin-eosin, prussian blue and investigated with immunohistological methods using primary antibodies against collagen IV, laminin and IgE. Defects of the basal laminae of the alveoli were found, demonstrated by laminin and collagen IV, and the number of IgE-positive cells was counted in both groups. There was an increased but not significant number of IgE-positive cells in the heroin-group and defects of the epithelial and endothelial basal laminae were found in both groups without significant differences.     

Numerical density of delta-opioid receptor expressing neurons in the frontal cortex of drug-related fatalities

In animal experiment and in cell culture, chronic morphine treatment has been followed by a reduction as well as an increase of the delta-opioid receptor (OR) number. The present postmortem morphometric study of morphine-related fatalities of drug addicts (n=12, 22-35 years old, with blood unconjugated morphine levels from 27.1 to 407 ng/ml, m.v. 176.9 ng/ml) versus a non-addicted control group (n=13, 10-44 years old) is intended to examine whether chronic opiate exposure also affects the numerical density of deltaOR expressing neurons in the human neocortex (area 10 according to Brodmann (Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde (1909) Johann Ambrosius Barth, Leipzig)). For the immunohistochemical procedure, vibratome sections (100 microm) were incubated with a monoclonal antibody against the deltaOR diluted 1:100, and immunoreactive sites were visualized using an immunoperoxidase protocol. The numerical densities of OR expressing and Nissl-stained neurons were assessed morphometrically (camera lucida drawings). In both collectives, the anti deltaOR immunoreactivity was predominantly localized in pyramidal neurons of layers (L) II/III and V as well as in round and ovoid neurons of L VI. In the drug-related fatalities, the density of neurons expressing deltaOR protein amounted for 2515+/-240/mm(3), in the control group for 2616+/-204/mm(3), thus displaying no statistically significant difference. These findings go along with the binding behavior of opioid ligands in postmortem brains of heroin addicts revealing similar receptor densities and affinities in the control subjects and addicts.     

Technology transfer at land-grant universities

Improvement in the ability of universities in the United States to transfer technology to the private sector is seen as a factor in strengthening American competitiveness. To better understand the university's role in this process, a survey of formal university programs in technology transfer was performed through personal interviews at four midwestern land-grant universities. There are six basic types of programs in place: technical assistance, affiliate, licensing, business development, incubators and research parks, and information networks. For purposes of classifying these programs, we used the model developed by Janis et al. (1) It was found that, of the six modes of technology transfer, two could be considered active, three semi-active and one passive.     

Cardiac glycosides and metabolites--problems of recovery in tissue extracts. Separation of visible substance spots in the nanogram range (author's transl)]

The recovery measurements in rat tissues performed via i.p. injected radioactive digoxin derivates (3H-digoxin, 125J-digoxin derivative) showed that approximately 50% of the total glycoside content will be extracted. Thus, an addition of digoxin standards to drug-free tissues may lead to false negative determinations. By comparison of the radioactivity before and after extraction the following results were obtained: Recovery from tissues 3H-digoxin 50% 125J-digoxin 40% from serum 3H-digoxin 60% added to drug free tissue homogenates 3H-digoxin 85% After i.p. application of 15 mg/kg of beta-methyldigoxin to BD9 (Berlin)-rats the resulting tissue concentrations were extracted by Amberlite XAD-2. beta-Methyldigoxin and its metabolites digoxin and digoxinbisdigitoxide could be separated and distinguished from artifacts by fluorescence detection on HPTLC-plates with a detection limit of 60 ng/spot. Concentration determined by radioimmunoassay are in satisfactory agreement with HPTLC results.     

Does sexual dimorphism in facial soft tissue depths justify sex distinction in craniofacial identification?

Separation of male and female soft tissue depths into discrete groups for craniofacial identification implies that males and females differ enough from each other, with respect to this application, for this distinction to be useful. In this study, previously published soft tissue depth data were analyzed for sex separation. It was found that the variation within each sex was large while the variation between the sexes was small. Often the value of two standard deviations of the measurement for either sex was larger than the difference displayed between the means of each sex. Furthermore, opposite sex overlap in regions defined to be close to the male or female mean were found to be large and the amount of variance explained by sex was small (less than 6% on average). These results indicate that while male and female means at single craniofacial landmarks may differ slightly, and even at statistically significant levels, individual male and female soft tissue depths are often the same or very similar. On average, soft tissue depths of the face do display some sexual dimorphism but it is not marked and of little practical meaning for craniofacial identification where a single individual must be independently considered. Thus, there is little use in separate reporting of data for males and females and data should be combined to increase sample sizes.     

Forensic case profiling aspects on multiple homicides from the Cologne-Bonn metropolitan area 1985-2000

The medicolegal and subsequent criminologic interpretation of forensic and pathological findings in cases of homicide makes up an important tool of case profiling. In a retrospective study of 26 cases of "multiple homicides" involving 31 perpetrators (30 males, 1 female, mean age 33.5 years) and 73 victims (33 males, 40 females, mean age 36 years, 68 fatalities, 5 survivors), autopsy reports and prosecution authorities' files were investigated with regard to individual characteristics of victims and offenders, circumstances as well as mode of commitment. The major aim of this study was to comprehensively elucidate and characterise relevant forensic and criminologic features, which may gain importance for forensic case profiling. Forty-six victims were found in the close social environment of the perpetrator and 45 homicides were committed either in the victim's, the perpetrator's or the shared domicile. The main motives included concealment of a crime (n=13), personal conflicts/domestic arguments (n=7) and greed (n=12). The relevant injuries with regard to the cause of death were attributable to sharp force (n=13), blunt force (n=7), gunshot wounds (n=24), ligature strangulation (n=3), smothering (n=5), fire/carbon monoxide (n=4) and combined impacts (n=11). In 15 cases, so called defence injuries were found. In 5 victims a post-mortem blood alcohol concentration >1.5 g/l was determined. In six perpetrators, a severe psychiatric impairment of juridical responsibility was ascertained (Section 20 German criminal code, n=2, psychosis; Section 21 German criminal code, n=4, acute alcohol intoxication). As far as conviction data were available, 27 crimes were juridically assessed as murder, 12 as manslaughter and one as bodily harm with fatal consequences.     

Impairment of performance by alcohol and diazepam (author's transl)]

An investigation was carried out on the effect of the intake of diazepam and alcohol on simple performance tests. The combined administration of diazepam and alcohol led to an increase of the plasma diazepam concentration as compared to that obtained after diazepam without alcohol. Furthermore, after combined intake of diazepam and alcohol a decrease of performance was observed, that was significantly higher, than the effects obtained after either alcohol or diazepam alone. This impairment was especially noticeable duirng the first hour of the experiment, i.e. until the plateau of the diazepam plasma concentration was reached, while afterwards a correlation between diazepam plasma concentration and impairment of performance could not be established. The relevance of these findings for the interpretation of diazepam plasma concentrations in relation to the impairment of performance are discussed.