Standardization in forensic medicine

It is for the first time that an issue is raised on the need to introduce a system of standardization into the forensic medical field. A general scheme is suggested of how to do it.     

Geographic forensic medicine and forensic sciences

The necessity of learning more about the criminality and the culture of persons from overseas is upon us. As forensic scientists, we have to take a lead in presenting information to our colleagues that would facilitate their investigations. In this paper, we look at many of the different cultures that have been presented to American authorities, and the activities of the Milton Helpern International Center for the Forensic Sciences are discussed.     

Clinical forensic medicine

This article discusses the merits of participation by medical examiners in the area of clinical forensic medicine. The present connotation that we deal after the fact should be abandoned with enhanced involvement in assisting the living. The paper focuses on a broad range of categories where forensic scientists by virtue of their training and experience could be most helpful in the application of medical knowledge to the solution of questions of law.     

Myocardial sarcoidosis in forensic medicine

Sudden death is the most common manifestation of myocardial sarcoidosis, which is often clinically silent. The disease is rarely encountered in forensic medicine, but the diagnosis is important because it may change the interpretation of the manner of death and thus have insurance implications. Six cases of myocardial sarcoidosis diagnosed at autopsy are reported, and the significance of the findings is discussed.     

Cigarette burns in forensic medicine

Skin lesions suspected to have been caused by a burning cigarette require thorough diagnostic evaluation as to the mode of infliction. Accidental cigarette burns must be differentiated from injuries due to self-infliction or maltreatment. The typical categories are presented on the basis of the literature and exemplary cases from the authors' own study material. An intentional infliction must be taken into consideration when a body region is involved which does not normally come into contact with a cigarette by chance. Full thickness burns from glowing cigarettes require an exposure time of more than 1s. One should also keep in mind the possibility of confusion with local skin infections or thermal effects by traditional medical practices (e.g. moxibustion). In unclear cases, repeated inspection of the lesion is recommended in order to facilitate its classification as to causation and age. The courses of healing in first- to third-degree cigarette burns are demonstrated by means of continuous photographic documentation. The discussion deals with different kinds of accidental and intentional cigarette burns, e.g. in drug addicts, psychiatric patients, victims of child abuse, maltreatment and torture, but also in persons feigning a criminal offence.     

Case histories in forensic medicine

Case histories make up a great part of publications in forensic medicine, especially forensic pathology, although considered low on the hierarchy of evidence based medicine because of its inherent anecdotal nature. Meanwhile some journals exclude case histories categorically from publication. The boom of case histories in forensic medicine has not only opportunity reasons (easily [even mental] and cheap to do) but also structural reasons: due to its tasks in case work many items of forensic medicine can not be simulated experimentally for ethical reasons (violent death, traumatic injuries, sexual assault, poisonings, influence of alcohol and drugs on driving ability and legal responsibility, medical malpractice, adverse events during medical care). In these fields the role of case histories is mainly the augmentation of experience based knowledge. However, quality aspects have to be considered and case histories should be the basis for systematic or hypothesis based research.     

Pharmacokinetic features in forensic medicine

As a rule, the concentration curves of substances in various body volumes, in particular in plasma and blood volume, can be reproduced by a number of exponentional functions. A compartment system can be isomorphically assigned to such a representation in which a mass exchange takes place between the constituent volumes. In forensic medicine (toxicology), the "central compartment model" is used in which an exchange of substances between the blood space (central compartment) and the peripheral spaces (peripheral compartments) takes place. Characteristic parameters of the compartment models are their volumes and the intercompartmental mass flows or their rate constants. They can be determined from the mathematical representations of the concentration curves. It is possible to obtain knowledge on the properties (e.g. permeability) of the convectional/diffusional transcapillary transport on the basis of these parameters.     

法医学中的性别鉴定

对用形态学、细胞学、性激素检测、 DNA重组技术和聚合酶链式反应（ PCR）等方法进行性别鉴定进行了概述,显示骨骼的性别鉴定以形态学方法为好;对能获得足够量基因组 DNA的人体组织,最好用 PCR检测牙釉基因。而检测性染色质因阳性率较低,检测性激素仅适用于血痕检材, DNA分子杂交技术需要复杂的仪器及放射性同位素标记的探针,这些方法目前已较少应用。     

Tasks of research in forensic medicine - different study types in clinical research and forensic medicine

In the last years the research output of forensic medicine has sometimes been regarded as insufficient and as of poor quality, especially when parameters as impact factors and external funding were taken into account. However, forensic medicine has different tasks compared to clinical medicine. The main difference between basic subjects, clinical and forensic medicine is not a lack of scientific efficiency in forensic medicine but is a result of the questions asked, the available methods and specific aims. In contrast to natural-scientific research, forensic science has furthermore important intersections with arts and socio-scientific disciplines. Etiologic and pathogenetic research is of only limited relevance in forensic medicine. Thus, forensic medicine is excluded from these research fields, which are mainly supported by external funding. In forensic medicine research mainly means applied research regarding findings, the probative value and reconstruction as well as examination at different points of intersection between medicine and law. Clinical types of research such as controlled randomised, prospective cross-sectional, cohort or case-control studies can only rarely be applied in forensic medicine due to the area specific research fields (e.g. thantatology, violent death, vitality, traffic medicine, analytical toxicology, hemogenetics and stain analysis). The types of studies which are successfully established in forensic medicine are comparison of methods, sensitivity studies, validation of methods, kinetic examinations etc. Tasks of research in forensic medicine and study types, which may be applied will be addressed.     

MVR-PCR及其法医学的应用

小卫星可变重复单位作图(MinisatelliteVariantRepeatmapping,MVRmapping)是近十年发展起来的一项DNA分析技术。本综述对该技术的分子学基础、发展过程及其在法医学的应用作了系统的阐述。认为该技术在个人识别与亲子鉴定方面发挥着为其它DNA分析技术所不可替代的作用,正在成为法医学生物检材检验的重要手段之一。     

Gait analysis in forensic medicine*

Recordings from video surveillance systems are used as evidence from crime scenes. It would be useful to perform comparisons between disguised perpetrators and suspects based on their gait. We applied functional anatomical and biomechanical knowledge to analyze the gait of perpetrators, as recorded on surveillance video. Using a structured checklist, which addresses the single body segments during gait, we were able to give a statement concerning the gait patterns. Characteristic parameters were, e.g., varus instability in the knee at heel strike, and larger lateral flexion of the spinal column to one side than the other. Based on these characteristic features, we are able to state with reasonable certainty whether the suspect could be the perpetrator, but it is not possible to identify the perpetrator positively. Nevertheless, we have been involved in several cases where the court has found that this type of gait analysis was a valuable tool.     

环状RNA在法医学中的应用

随着分子生物学性质和功能的日渐深入,RNA在法医学的体液鉴别,血迹形成时间、损伤时间及死亡时间的推断,死亡原因分析等方面的作用受到了广大法医学者的重视,逐渐成为目前法医学应用研究的热点之一。近年来,环状RNA在法医学中表现出广泛的应用前景。本文对环状RNA在法医学中可应用的范围进行综述,并对其未来的前景进行了展望。