Suicide by electrocution with low-voltage current

Three cases of suicide by electrocution with low-voltage current were observed in five years (1994-1998) by medical clinical forensic examiners of an Emergency Forensic Unit of the Paris suburb among 2,000 external death examinations. The cases involved one woman, aged 72 and two men, aged 38 and 41. In the last two cases, electric burns were retrieved under bared electric wires, placed on the arms or fingers in order to realize a hand-to-hand electric circuit involving the heart muscle. In the other case, the electric circuit between mouth and foot also involved the heart muscle. Household low-voltage current delivered (220 V in France) had a sufficient strength to induce local muscular paralysis and heart fibrillation. In the three cases, blood samples taken have retrieved very high levels of muscular enzymes (CPK, LDH) correlated to the mechanism of electric death. The rareness of suicide by electrocution and its forensic characteristics are detailed in order to help the clinical forensic examiners, prosecutors, and police officers concerned by such death examinations.     

Evaluation of Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of colored fibers: a collaborative study

A collaborative study on Raman spectroscopy was carried out by members of the ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) European Fibres Group (EFG) on three dyed fibers: two red acrylics and one red wool. Raman instruments from six different manufacturers were tested as well as nine different laser wavelengths ranging from blue (lambda = 458 nm) to near infrared-NIR (lambda = 1064 nm). This represents the largest comparison study of Raman analytical parameters carried out on identical fiber samples. For the chosen fiber and dye samples, red lasers (lambda = 633 and 685 nm) gave the poorest spectral quality whereas blue (458 nm), green (514 nm) and near infrared lasers (785, 830 and 1064 nm) provided average results. Blue (488 nm) and green lasers (532 nm) globally gave the best quality spectra. Fluorescence problems were often encountered with some of the excitation wavelengths and therefore a flexible Raman instrument equipped with different lasers can be recommended to measure forensic fiber samples. The instrument should also be equipped with a Raman microscope in order to be able to focus on a single fiber. This study shows that Raman spectroscopy usually enables the identification of the main dye present in a colored fiber; however, minor dye components are much more difficult to detect. SERRS (Surface Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering) techniques give an improvement of the dye's spectral intensity but no spectral improvement was observed for the two red acrylic and red wool fibers tested.     

Irrational Beliefs About Family Violence: A Pilot Study Within Jordanian University Students

This pilot study aimed to explore the irrational beliefs of family violence within Jordanian society. Students in the study included 500 volunteered undergraduate students enrolled in a university requirement course at Hashemite University. A questionnaire was constructed to investigate students’ irrational beliefs of family violence. The results of the study indicated high agreement with most of the irrational beliefs about family and psychological violence. Moreover, the results revealed that females were more agreeable on the irrational beliefs of the family violence than males. The results of the study may reflect lack of awareness of family violence and its consequences on the individual emotional and behavioral system.     

Suicidal incised wound of a fistula for hemodialysis access in an elderly woman: case report

A very rare case of suicide by stab wound of a fistula for hemodialysis access in an elderly woman is reported. The incidence of suicide attempts in people undergoing hemodialysis is well known. Nevertheless, suicide means do not usually include stab wounds of the arteriovenous access. Various pattern differences between homicidal and suicidal stab wounds, characteristics of suicide in the elderly, and approaches to the investigation of such cases are briefly discussed.