The variant of forensic-medical examination of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal system in cases of death due to a mechanical trauma

The authors propose the method of total isolation of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal system for more effective study of causes of death in craniocerebral injury and pathology in expert practice. The method can be also applied for making an anatomic preparation of the brain and hypophysis in teaching anatomy.     

Detection of reladorm and donormil in forensic-medical examination of cadavers

A method was suggested for identifying reladorm and donormil in pharmaceutical drugs and biological objects. The above substances are isolated by 96% ethanol or by mixture of chloroform and isopropanol. 7 color reactions, 3 microcrystalloscopic reactions and chromatography in thin sorbent layer are suggested for identification.     

The importance of biochemical studies for practical forensic-medical expert examination

Sudden death along with differential diagnosis of deaths from coronary heart disease and alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a challenging problem in practical forensic medicine. Relevant investigations demonstrated the possibility to address it using a battery of biochemical methods, such as measurement of blood glucose level in heart cavities, lactate dehydrogenase activity in myocardium, etc.     

Establishing the cause of death in finding a corpse on a flight of stairs

A total of 793 forensic medical conclusions concerning corpses found in vestibules are analyzed. The circumstances of death were unknown in the majority of cases. Causes other than injuries were responsible for the majority (72.4%) of deaths: coronary diseases, hanging, alcohol intoxication, or general hypothermia. Strikes with blunt objects and falling on the staircase or floor rank second among causes of death. Injuries caused by falling from staircase and cases with this cause suspected were responsible for 9.6% deaths. Murders with acute objects and guns were recorded in 6% cases. For facilitating differential diagnosis, a list of signs and injuries occurring as a result of falling from staircase and main causes of death in such injuries, made with consideration for the place where the corpses are found, is offered.     

Significance of changes in the myocardium for the forensic-medical diagnosis of death as a result of alcoholic cardiomyopathy

Significance, of the weight and dimensions of heart as well as of fat dystrophy of cardiomyocytes and of the related detection methods is demonstrated for the diagnosis of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACMP). When such patients die in a state of alcoholic intoxication, the diagnosis should be death of acute alcoholic intoxication. Lethality of ACMP can be diagnosed only in those who die in the sober condition or with an insignificant level of alcohol.     

A complex forensic-medical molecular-genetic examination of the victims of terroristic bombing in Moscow underground

The authors emphasize the need in coordination when conducting expert examinations in investigation of accidents with a great number of victims. Coordination is of special importance for combined application of molecular-genetic technologies and standard forensic medical investigations. The experience in experts cooperation in investigation of terroristic bombing in Moscow underground on February 6, 2004, according to algorithm of combined use of conventional forensic medical methods and innovating techniques of molecular-genetic identification for personal identification of dead bodies in accidents with a great number of victims is demonstrated.     

尸体腐败程度与死亡经过时间的实验研究

为了找出推测死亡经过时间的客观依据,应用健康的苏白猪为实验模型,进行尸体腐败程度与死亡经过时间研究,将模型分别放置在室内、室外及地下三个环境中,让尸体在自然的环境中发生腐败,详细记录尸体腐败所表现的现象,特别是腐败气体所产生的张力。实验发现,尸体腐败至软组织与骨骼全部分离、以及腐败残留物质的完全消失,与温度、湿度、降雨量、尸体与地面倾斜度、昆虫的寄生等有明显的关系。所得数据,为死亡经过时间的推测,积累了重要的参考依据。     

Police surgeons and organization of forensic-medical examination in Sankt-Petersburg prior to the establishment of the city medical department

The author presents documents illustrating one of the stages in the organization of forensic-medical service that provided the basis for the establishment of the city medical administration in 1873.     

中毒致死者体内芬氟拉明的GC/NPD,GC/MS法测定

建立了生物检材中芬氟拉明的定性定量分析方法。体液及脏器组织经有机溶剂提取后 ,用GC/MS法进行药物筛选、定性 ,生物检材中的芬氟拉明浓度用4 -苯丁胺作内标、GC/NPD法测定。测得芬氟拉明中毒致死者的血液、尿液、肝等组织中浓度分别为7.8μg/ml、64.2μg/ml、31.3μg/g。并对尸体解剖所见及方法可行性进行讨论     

The forensic-medical expertise in craniofacial trauma

Archive materials of the recent 6 years, including 14720 death cases of victims, were analyzed for the purpose of detecting the general regularities of injuries within the craniofacial trauma (CFT). The diversity of CFT with injuries to skull bones and medullary substance was found not to interfere with establishing an actual type and mechanism of trauma provided all injuries are thoroughly and comprehensively examined. The trauma specificity must be evaluated with respect to a location and direction of traumatic force in order to define an actual impact that caused death. CFT is special variation of craniocerebral trauma, whose onset mechanism needs more research. The efficiency of forensic-medical examination of CFT cadavers directly depends on the coordination and logic of measure undertaken by expert as well as on his technical outfit and knowledge of such trauma. The diversity of variations of damage to anatomic head structures requires an interdisciplinary approach with the need to isolate a predominant chain that affects the course and outcome of trauma.     

The propriety of establishing the fact of neonatality based on the examination of the child's corpse

It is shown based on the historical and legal analysis that the designation of the child's status as a newborn infant throughout the period of its neonatal life till violent death "at or immediately after births" is the exclusive prerogative of the law-enforcement authorities. An original approach has been developed and recommended for the introduction into the expert practice. According to this proposal facts and arguments in the "Expert conclusions" should be formulated so as to avoid mentioning the child as newborn and to indicate only the duration of its extrauterine life. Such an approach leaves it to the law-enforcement authorities to decide in each concrete case whether the child should be designated as a newborn infant or not.     

Sarcoidosis and mechanisms of unexpected death

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of uncertain etiology characterized by multifocal areas of discrete and confluent granulomatous inflammation that may rarely be responsible for sudden and unexpected death. Two cases are reported to demonstrate disparate pathological features in fatal cases, one involving cardiac sarcoidosis, and the other neurosarcoidosis with hypothalamic infiltration. Sarcoidosis in individuals dying suddenly may be completely unrelated to the death, contributory or causal. Cardiovascular causes of sudden death in sarcoidosis include arrhythmias associated with cardiomyopathy and ischemia, ventricular rupture, and cor pulmonale due to pulmonary hypertension; respiratory causes include hemorrhage and upper airway obstruction; central nervous system causes include arrhythmias from infiltration of autonomic centers, epilepsy, and obstructive hydrocephalus from brainstem involvement; and gastrointestinal deaths may be due to hemorrhage from esophageal varices associated with portal hypertension. The diagnosis relies on the demonstration of typical noncaseating granulomas and the exclusion of other infective and environmental diseases with similar histopathological findings.     

The case of a corpse found in a fox's den--forensic and criminological aspects

Whenever foul play is suspected in a death, the forensic pathologist is required to examine the corpse where it is found. In the case described here, the unusual location of the corpse initially led investigators to suspect a crime was involved. A thorough examination of the site and the autopsy results ultimately pointed to a not-violent manner of death, although the advanced state of decomposition made it impossible to determine the exact cause of death. The fact that the victim crawled into a fox's den to die can be interpreted as a primitive reaction in a case of death due to hypothermia. Criminological aspects of the case are also discussed.     

Some aspects of forensic-medical studies of dog bite injuries

The incidence of dog attacks of humans has increased, but no publications or methodological recommendations on this problem appeared. The history of the problem and statistical data reflecting distribution of injuries with regard to sex and age, location of injuries, and time of the day are presented. Signs which help differentiate injuries inflicted by dog and human teeth or injuries with blunt objects are defined. Further investigation of the problem is needed.