The theory of postmortem rigidity: the history and an original concept

The original theory of postmortem rigidity has been developed and substantiated based on the concept of postmortem muscular contracture. It is postulated that the unrestricted growth of Ca2+ concentration in myoplasm of contractile cells during the immediate postmortal period brings the actin-myosine complex to the force generation state without subsequent relaxation.     

Dynamics of morphological changes in the central nervous system as a criteria for lifetime thermal trauma

An attempt was made in the present study to specify the signs of a lifetime thermal trauma (TT) by examining the dynamics of ultrasound changes in the central nervous system (CNS). Derangements of interneuronic bonds and of interrelations between the neurons and capillaries are typical for changes in the brain at thermal trauma. The former is documented by changes in the synaptic apparatus, and the latter--by an edema of the glia cell processes, which account for the transportation of substances from the blood flow into neurons. Such changes can be regarded as the signs of a lifetime TT, which makes it possible to recommend to use the photo-optic and electron-microscopic examinations of the cerebral tissues in the forensic medicine for the differential diagnosis of lifetime and postmortem TTs.     

The tissue survival problem in using current methods of morphological study]

Time course of ultrastructural changes and RNA production in human brain and myocardial cells during the period between clinical and biological death is studied. Changes in the cytoplasm of brain neurons develop 4 hours after death, and 8 h post mortem the destructive changes in the cytoplasm and nuclei progress. During the period of 4-13 h post mortem the endotheliocyte nuclei are capable of producing RNA. Active production of RNA is on-going in the myocyte nuclei 4 h after death; the synthetic activity decreases by 8 h and by 13 h the synthetic activity in autopsy material is over.     

Diagnosing death from burn shock

Morphological changes were studied in the organs of 28 victims dead from burn shock at the age of 20-65 years and in rabbits in which burn shock was induced. Histological sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Sudan III, by Regaud's method; brain sections were stained by Nissl's and Brachet's methods and examined by electron microscopy. Morphological criteria of burn shock were determined, underlying the specific features of thermal injury.