Time of closure of cranial sutures in northwest Indian adults

Time of closure of sagittal, coronal and lambdoid sutures was studied at autopsy in 538 male and 127 female adults of known ages belonging to Chandigarh zone of northwest India. The sagittal suture was divided into four segments and each side of the coronal and lambdoid sutures into three segments. Whether a segment was open or closed on either surface was recorded. On analysing the record, the authors came to the conclusions: (1) obliteration of sutures commences earlier in the males than in females, (2) suture obliteration starts earlier on endocranial surface than on the ectocranial and (3) commencement and complete obliteration of a segment or the entire suture is so erratic that it is not useful for estimating the age of a skull.     

颅顶矢状缝形态应用于个体识别初探

目的探讨颅顶缝应用于个体识别的可能性。方法观察和分析30例中国成年人颅骨及颅顶矢状缝。结果中国成年人颅顶矢状缝长度为109-136mm,与年龄、性别无关,顶孔出现率为80％,其中40％呈不对称性分布。结论颅项矢状缝具有个体识别的生物学特征;本文提出的颅顶矢状缝的观测方法简单易行。     

Significance of haemorrhages in central parts of the tongue found in the medicolegal autopsy

The tongue was examined for the presence of haemorrhages in 264 medicolegal autopsy cases. The tongue was sectioned transversely and examined macroscopically and microscopically. Haemorrhages were found in marginal and/or central parts of the tongue in 104 cases. Among them, 28 cases showed haemorrhages in central parts of the tongue. Those haemorrhages in central parts of the tongue were seen only in cases of severe ‘congestive death’. The possibility must therefore be considered of a severe ‘asphyxial death’, if haemorrhages are found in central parts of the tongue during autopsy.     

Cranial suture eccentricities: a case in which precocious closure complicated determination of sex and commingling

The union of the cranial sutures can follow a somewhat erratic course. While it is recognized that this can cause inaccuracies in estimating age at death, deviant closure patterns can influence assessments other than age. Premature or eccentrically fusing sutures can alter cranial growth and, therefore, shape. Such modified growth vectors can significantly influence metric analysis. A case is described in which precocious synostosis of the sagittal suture complicated determination of sex in a set of skeletalized remains. Features of the cranium and post-cranial skeleton indicated the individual was male, while the mandible, both metrically and morphologically, appeared to have come from a female. This led to the question of commingling. Techniques are described which were used to resolve these issues.     

Identification of human skeletal remains by comparison of bony details of the cranium using computerized tomographic (CT) scans

A case is described where a cranium from an unknown individual is identified by comparison of antemortem and postmortem computerized tomographic (CT) images of the bony structure of the skull. While on at least one occasion CT scans of individual cranial landmarks have been used to identify unknown remains, this study is remarkable because positive identification of a deceased individual was accomplished by performing a CT scan on an unidentified cranium and comparing multiple landmarks and images with corresponding features in an antemortem CT scan of a missing man. Bony details of the frontal and sphenoid sinuses, ethmoid and mastoid air cells, sagittal cranial suture, and the torcula (the internal occipital protuberance) were exactly the same on both CT scans, confirming them as the same person.     

Intra-cartilaginous laryngeal haemorrhages and strangulation

A previously unrecognized laryngeal injury in young female victims of manual strangulation is described. Twelve larynges that were retrospectively and prospectively collected at the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (1982–1997) were used for this study. In all instances, the larynges were from cases of strangulation (mean age 27±10 years, range 20–46) with classical postmortem findings of asphyxia and either manual or combined manual and ligature strangulation. None of the larynges had fractures of the lamina of the thyroid cartilage, superior cornua, or cricoid cartilages. However, in 9 of the 12 cases (75%), sagittal sections revealed multifocal acute haemorrhages into the base of the superior cornua of the thyroid cartilage at the point of origin from the laminae. The presence of acute intra-cartilaginous haemorrhage into the larynx likely represents the disruption of small blood vessels due to elastic deformation of the flexible larynx during strangulation. The recognition of this form of laryngeal injuries broadens the pathological findings in cases of asphyxia associated with pressure on the neck.     

Haemorrhages in the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles – an unspecific autopsy finding

Atraumatic haemorrhages in the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscles can be observed for from 1% to 9% of various causes of death. It has been claimed that there is an association between these findings and the cause of death, particularly coronary death. Additionally it has been assumed that haemorrhages in the PCA muscles may be caused by an asphyxial mechanism and it has even been suggested that the haemorrhages may be a “sign” which could be used to differentiate between natural and unnatural death. Because of the differing views we carried out additional research into the course of these haemorrhages. Six characteristic cases out of 2060 autopsies with macroscopically diagnosed haemorrhages in the PCA muscles are presented. The six cases included acute heart failure, death caused by bolus, drowning, trauma of brain and skull, exsanguination from polytrauma and choking after aspiration of vomit. These cases were completely different with regard to all the circumstances of death. On the basis of these findings and in contrast to the literature it cannot be shown that proofs exist for a correlation between the haemorrhages and the causes and the manner of death. As a consequence it must be stated that haemorrhages in the PCA muscles do not have any diagnostic significance.     

Healed Depressed Parasagittal Skull Fractures—A Feature of Archaic Australian Aboriginal Remains

The skeletal remains of eight Australian Aboriginals with healed depressed skull fractures were examined. Male:female ratio 5:3; age range 20‐60 yrs. Burial dates by ¹⁴C dating in three cases were 500 years BP (n = 2) and 1300 BP. There were 13 healed depressed skull fractures manifested by shallow indentations of cortical bone and thinning of diploe, with no significant disturbance of the inner skull tables. Nine (69%) were located within 35 mm of the sagittal suture/midline. These lesions represent another acquired feature that might be helpful in suggesting that a skull is from a tribal Aboriginal individual and may be particularly useful if the remains are represented by only fragments of calvarium. While obviously not a finding specific to this population, these healed injuries would be consistent with the possible results of certain types of conflict behavior reported in traditional Aboriginal groups that involved formalized inflicted blunt head trauma.     

Early and late meningeal reaction to trauma after long-term brain death.

We examined histologically the meninges adherent to traumatic lesions of a patient with brain death sustained for 101 days and observed both early and late reactions of wound healing at the same site of the dura mater. Some parts of the dura mater were thick and histological examinations revealed formation of new vessels and fibrosis with strong positive reaction for iron and fat staining. We also observed fresh haemorrhage and some cell infiltration in the dura and fresh haemorrhage in a small piece of necrotic brain tissue adhered to the dura mater, while other areas of the brain tissue were completely necrotic, enabling the sites of head injury to be localised. These observations suggested that the blood flow in the dura mater fluctuates due to a change of microenvironment, which probably causes repeated secondary petechial haemorrhages in the dura and its adherent necrotic brain tissue, even 101 days after brain death.     

Postmortem analysis of anastomotic suture line disruption following carotid endarterectomy

The tensile strength of a surgical suture is essential in maintaining the integrity of vascular anastomoses. While faulty operative technique and the loading strength of individual sutures have been implicated in spontaneous suture line disruptions, there has, to date, never been a published postmortem analysis of a suture that has known to have failed. We present the case of suture line disruption leading to fatal exsanguination in a 77-year-old man following carotid endarterectomy with a facial vein patch. Using both dissecting and scanning electron microscopy, we determined that surgical technique (an untied knot) was the cause of the suture line disruption. The removal of a broken or untied suture at surgery or at autopsy should not preclude proper analysis of the failed suture, because the results can have both medico-legal and public health implications.     

Simon's bleedings as a vital sign of hanging--a literature review

The intervertebral haemorrhages described by Simon in 1968 as a vital sign of hanging have been verified and endorsed by other authors. They occur in 40-50 % of hanging cases, most frequently in the lumbar spine, in younger age groups, and in cases of free suspension. The haemorrhages are not unique to hanging, but may occur in particular as a result of other traumatic elongation or overextension of the spinal column (e. g. in the course of traffic accidents). In cases of decomposition of the body, "false positive" findings are relatively common. As external findings scarcely provide any reliable vital signs of hanging, there is still a high demand for autopsies. In addition to Simon's bleedings, internal findings which are diagnostically conclusive also include microscopic examinations of the lungs and the neck musculature. More recent findings such as haemorrhages in the back and auxiliary respiratory muscles as well as the intestinal wall, if confirmed, could supplement Simon's bleedings. Frei's fibre sample and evidence of histamine in the ligature mark should not be neglected. Finally, it must be emphasized that the forensic assessment of hanging cases should always be based on a criminological and forensic evaluation of all the circumstances of the offence as well as on post-mortem findings.     

Suicidal hanging in Cardiff--a 15-year retrospective study.

A retrospective study of 84 cases of suicidal hanging was undertaken in which petechial haemorrhages or congestion were seen in 27%, soft tissue haemorrhage in 29% and fracture of the hyoid or laryngeal cartilages in 36%. Fractures were found to be related to increasing age and were not found when a soft ligature had been employed. Petechial haemorrhages and congestion were related to the completeness of suspension. Apart from the lack of fractures in the soft ligature group any of these findings, either singly or in combination, was found to occur without regard to age, suspension type or ligature type. No evidence was found of clustering or seasonality. The findings are compared to other series and discussed with regard to the mechanisms of causation.     

Maxillary suture obliteration: a visual method for estimating skeletal age.

The purpose of this study was to develop a method of estimating the age of an individual based on obliteration of the four maxillary (palatal) sutures. A sample of 186 individuals of known age, race, and sex were examined. It was found that males of both races (black and white) exhibit more suture obliteration than females at the same age. During the early adult years, maxillary suture obliteration progresses at nearly the same rate in both sexes; however, the age of old individuals may be greatly overestimated using this method. Although this method cannot be used for exact estimates of individual age, it is valuable in establishing the age range, sorting commingled remains, and estimating skeletal age when only the maxilla is present.     

Sulfide concentrations in postmortem mammalian tissues

Postmortem changes in sulfide concentrations in body tissues were examined in autopsied rats exposed to hydrogen sulfide concentrations of 550 to 650 ppm, and in nonexposed rats and humans. Analyses were made by gas chromatography, following an extractive alkylation. Sulfide concentrations in the blood, liver, and kidneys of rats increased in both the exposed and nonexposed groups, depending on the lapse of time after death. On the other hand, the lung, brain, and muscle showed little or no change in sulfide concentration with elapse of time after death. The data obtained from human tissues were almost the same as those for rats, except data for blood, in which no or little increase of sulfide was observed.     

颅内外骨缝推断年龄的探讨

本文报告16～92岁的140例颅骨的颅内外冠状缝、矢状缝、人字缝的愈合情况。骨缝愈合的主要影响因素为身长、颅外冠状缝右侧第3部(P相似文献   

Geographic Variation in Zygomaxillary Suture Morphology and its Use in Ancestry Estimation

Angled/curved zygomaxillary suture coding is widely employed in cranial assessments of ancestry. However, the efficacy of this method has not been extensively evaluated across diverse populations. In this study, zygomaxillary suture morphology was assessed on a total of 411 human crania from six populations (European, Native American, African, Asian, Arctic Circle, and Aboriginal Australian) using a novel 3D coordinate landmark method. Our results indicate a predominance of angled sutures among native peoples of the Arctic and North America (85–86%), a prevalence of curved sutures among Africans and Aboriginal Australians (77–81%), and essentially equal proportions of both configurations in Asians and Europeans (50–56%). Statistically, angled/curved coding generally discriminates poorly between groups, except when populations with antithetically high frequencies of the two configurations (e.g., African vs. Native American) are compared. Moreover, comparisons across previous studies reveal conflicting frequencies for many populations, further suggesting limited utility of this trait in ancestry estimation.     

The Use of CT Scans in Estimating Age at Death by Examining the Extent of Ectocranial Suture Closure

We examined the utility of CT scans in the evaluation of degree of ectocranial suture closure. Five cranial points (left and right midcoronal positions, left and right midlambdoidal positions, and the lambda) were evaluated in 231 CT scans using a three‐point scoring system (open, partial closed, and closed). The slice increment and thickness varied between three groups of the scans. The results showed a good correlation between degree of suture closure and increasing age in each group. Young individuals (<40 years) and old individuals (>60 years) could be clearly distinguished from the middle‐aged individuals. ANOVA test revealed no difference between two groups of scans and between left and right sides (p > 0.05). Interobserver agreement was good, especially considering the score by sides. The results of this study create the base for developing a robust and simple method to estimate the age at death using CT scans.     

A test of the effectiveness of the revised maxillary suture obliteration method in estimating adult age at death

The effectiveness of the original maxillary suture method for estimating age at death, introduced in 1987 by Mann and colleagues, has been tested, but their revised maxillary suture method (1991) has not been subject to similar scrutiny. The purpose of this study is to test the accuracy of the revised maxillary suture method in estimating age at death on a genetically diverse skeletal sample of 155 maxillae (96 males, 59 females, aged 26 to 100 years) of known age at death from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Results from a prior study of the original maxillary suture method will be compared. With age category correctly estimated for 83% of this sample, the results of this study indicate that the revised method is more effective in estimating age at death than the original method. The revised method appears to perform best for older individuals and tends to underestimate age for individuals of all age groups. The results suggest that the revised method is useful as a method for age estimation when it is used conjunction with other estimators.     

大鼠脑挫伤后NTE与COX-2表达随时间的变化

目的观察大鼠脑挫伤后脑组织NTE和COX-2的表达变化，并评价其法医学的意义。方法健康SD大鼠48只，随机分成正常对照组、手术对照组、挫伤组（按挫伤后处死时间再分为lh、12h、1d、3d、7d、14d共6个组）每组6只。以自由落体撞击法制作脑挫裂伤模型；应用免疫组化方法检测COX-2和NTE在脑组织中的表达情况；用SPSS13．0软件分析COX-2和NTE的表达情况与脑挫伤后存活时间的相关性。结果正常对照组和假手术绢NTE和COX-2均呈低水平表达，脯挫伤组伤后NTE和COX-2表达逐渐增强，均于1d达到高峰，至14d时COX-2表达降至正常对照组水平，而NTE仍高于正常对照组水平；挫伤各组与正常对照组比较，除1h组灰度值无统计学差异（P〉0．05）外，其余各组均有明显差异（P〈0．01）。结论脑挫伤后脑组织NTE和COX-2的表达均呈现先增强后下降的趋势，其表达规律有望为脑挫伤诊断及损伤时间推断提供参考。     

Histo-morphological findings at the chiasma opticum in cases of craniocerebral trauma (author's transl)]

36 cases with pituitary haemorrhages were found histologically in 52 cases of lethal craniocerebral trauma. Simultaneously we found primary and secondary traumatic changes of chiasma opticum in 10 cases. The genesis and significance of the results are discussed.