Histologic thyroid gland findings in the newborn infant and infant, with special reference to sudden infant death

The morphological picture of the thyroid gland, the only endocrine organ with a follicle structure, allows a limited conclusion to be drawn with respect to the functional state in spite of any physiological variability. The thyroid of the newborn shows total colloid release and collapse of the follicles. The regular structure of the thyroid will be rebuilt within several weeks after birth. Total colloid absorption can be found in cases of stress-activated thyroids as well as in cases of death due to freezing. A histological examination was done on 88 thyroids of fetuses, newborns and infants. About 70% of the results on 27 cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) may be interpreted as a morphological correlate of a premortal chronic or recurrent stress reaction. The value of these results is discussed.     

A method for investigating specialised accidents with special reference to diving

This paper describes a format for the investigation of complicated accidents which result in diving deaths. It emphasises the necessity for communication between technical, medical and legal personnel to arrive at a reasoned appreciation of factors leading to an accident. Properly applied this can result in a meaningful accumulation of data, which can be periodically analysed and be used in formulating Regulations for prevention of further accidents.     

Homicide with special reference to alcoholic intoxication and relation to time of day

112 cases of homicide (around 4%) are presented from material of approximately 3000 psychiatric expert-opinions for criminal proceedings. The data of 107 committers were usable and could be evaluated statistically. 63% of the homicides were executed, 37% were attempted. 14% of the committers were considered to be psychopaths. The circumstances surrounding the crimes were further subdivided in imitation of Rasch and especially tested for daytime linkage. 53% of the males but only a very small percentage of the female committers were alcoholized. Neither alcoholization nor personality had influence upon the success of the crime. For most of the psychotic committers the attempt failed to succeed. There was a tendency that some of the assaults were performed during night-time. This was more pronounced in alcoholized than in sober committers. No linkage to the night hours could be found neither for criminal actions of psychotics or child murder, nor for murder or robbery. In conclusion we assume that certain forms of human aggression underlie a diurnal rhythm.     

Postmortem investigation of serum myoglobin levels with special reference to electrical fatalities

The serum myoglobin levels of 58 fatalities were investigated with special reference to correlations of the myoglobin-concentrations with the postmortem interval, the site of blood sampling and the cause of death (especially concerning death caused by electric current). An increase of the myoglobin values with the passage of postmortem time is obvious. The topographical sampling site plays an important role; the highest concentrations are found adjacent to striated muscles (i.e. in blood from the heart or the femoral vein). There was no significant correlation of myoglobin values and death by electric current.     

Offender characteristics in lethal violence with special reference to antisocial and autistic personality traits

The objective of the study is to assess the relationships between personality traits, lifetime psychosocial functioning, and crime scene behavior. Thirty-five male offenders referred for forensic psychiatric assessment in Sweden (1996-2001) and assigned a main diagnosis of either antisocial personality disorder (APD) or autism spectrum disorder (AUT) were retrospectively studied. APD were subcategorized into impulsive (APDi) and controlled (APDc). Those in the AUT group were less intoxicated at the time of the crime and did not often use knives or guns compared to the APD group. Males in the APDi group were older and had a higher proportion of abuse of alcohol and drugs in biological parents, physical abuse during childhood, psychiatric contacts, and suicide attempts compared to the APDc group. In the APDi group, knives were used in the homicide compared to the use of guns in the APDc group. The results suggest differences in psychosocial functioning and crime scene characteristics related to personality traits.     

Determination of total hemoglobin in forensic blood samples with special reference to carboxyhemoglobin analysis

For the determination of total hemoglobin (Hb) in blood containing elevated carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), a newly developed reagent containing a 100-fold concentration of ferricyanide (20 g/l) and a 2-fold concentration of Sterox SE was compared with a standard reagent (0.2 g/l ferricyanide), the reagent of van Kampen and Zijlstra, using forensic blood samples and experimentally heated blood samples. There were no significant differences between the spectra of hemiglobincyanide (HiCN) solution produced with our reagent and the van Kampen and Zijlstra reagent using experimentally heated blood samples. Although the spectra of HiCN changed gradually with increased heating time and with the passage of time after mixing, the absorbance at 540 nm (A540) did not change until at least 120 min for both the reagents. When forensic blood samples containing elevated COHb were mixed with the van Kampen and Zijlstra reagent, total-Hb concentrations determined 5 min after mixing were 10-20% higher than those determined after 180 min. The overestimates of total Hb determined after 5 min resulted in comparable underestimates of percentage saturation of COHb (COHb%) when COHb% was obtained from the ratio of COHb content, determined by gas chromatogrpahy, to total-Hb concentration in blood. However, there was an extremely good correlation between the values of total Hb in forensic blood samples determined with the van Kampen and Zijlstra reagent after 180 min and those determined with our reagent after 5 min. From the results obtained, our reagent proved to be suitable for the determination of total Hb in forensic science practice.     

Measurement of kinetic energy dissipation with gelatine fissure formation with special reference to gelatine validation

Various methods for calculating the amount of kinetic energy dissipated by a bullet into ballistic gelatine have been suggested in literature. These methods were compared using the results of thirteen 9 mmx19 mm pistol and five 7.62 mmx 39 mm rifle bullets shot into 10% ballistic gelatine. The Wound Profile Method gave the highest correlation, 0.89, with the measured amounts of dissipated kinetic energy. The Fissure surface area and total crack length method gained 0.51 and 0.52, respectively. The experimental results were also compared with those from pig tests with the same bullet types. Using the z-test at 95% level of confidence no difference between impact velocity normalized bullet decelerations could be determined for the 9 mm bullet used. The same test showed significant difference for 7.62 mm bullets. That, however, can be considered to be the result of the bullet's tendency to tumble in non-homogenous living tissue causing significant dispersion of observed deceleration values. The results add further evidence supporting the validity of 10% gelatine at +4 degrees C as wound ballistic tissue simulant. The study also introduces the use of an elastic "shroud" to hold the gelatine in place, to some extent reduce the effects of asymmetric expansion of the gelatine and to simulate the expansion suppression effect of surrounding tissues.     

Racial identification from the midfacial skeleton with special reference to American Indians and whites

Successful approaches to race determination of unidentified human remains have been developed by anatomists and physical anthropologists, but few quantitative methods are available for distinguishing American Indian crania from those of whites. The leading method in use today is particularly ineffective in its placement of American Indian skulls from the western regions of the United States. Recent development and testing of a new metric method suggests a much more effective technique. The method involves six breadth and projection measurements of the midfacial skeleton, the calculation of three indices, and a simple direct reading of results. The method has the additional advantage of use in the autopsy room with minimal dissection of soft tissue required. Based upon a less extensive test of East Asian and Arctic Mongoloid crania, the method appears to be even more effective in separating them from the sharp featured whites. Larger samples of American blacks and Polynesians are presently under study and these also appear to separate quite readily from whites using the same or similar sectioning values.     

Significance and testimonial value of hemo-genetic legal identification with special reference to DNA analysis

175 hemogenetic expertises on the identity of ostensibly jumbled blood samples were analysed. In 4.5% of the cases a genetically qualified non-identity was found, although an erronous mixing-up of samples could be excluded. A major problem may arise when the expert witness has to find out whether a non-identity is due to either genetic or to artificial reasons. A battery of conventional blood group systems as well as highly informative DNA polymorphisms is a powerful tool in discriminating between both reasons and enables the expert to reach a decision.     

Human-type blood group activities on chimpanzee erythrocytes with special reference to M and N

Human-type blood group activities on the red blood cells (RBCs) of three chimpanzees were individually examined with commercial mouse monoclonal antibodies (anti-A, -B, -H, -M, -N, -Lea, and -Leb) as well as lectins (UEA-I and VGA) and conventional polyclonal antisera for the systems ABO, MN, Lewis, Rh-Hr, P, Kell, Kidd, Duffy, and Lutheran. For further analysis of the MN antigens, treatment of the RBCs with sialidase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin were employed. The activities recognized among the three chimpanzees were A, H, M, N, Leb, c, S, k, and Jka. The RBCs of the three individuals possessed the A antigen which showed the same serologic activity as the human A1. Those chimpanzee RBCs showed higher H-activity than the human A1 RBCs. The Lewis b activity was revealed by the absorption-elution method. The RBCs of the three individuals showed a reactivity to the polyclonal anti-M reagents, which was affected by both the sialidase and trypsin treatment. The RBCs of two individuals were agglutinated with the monoclonal anti-N. The receptor was sensitive to sialidase and chymotrypsin. The RBCs of the three individuals, however, did not react with the monoclonal anti-M or with one of the polyclonal anti-N. These results indicate structural differences in the glycophorins and MN antigens between the human and chimpanzee.     

Evaluation of sudden death in psychiatric patients with special reference to phenothiazine therapy: forensic pathology

The investigation of sudden unexpected death in psychiatric patients and the ensuing litigation has brought to our attention many unusual features important in the evaluation of such deaths. Certain pathophysiologic mechanisms of death, rarely encountered in routine forensic science practice, may be important in determining the cause of death in psychiatric patients, especially in cases where the autopsy is unrevealing. Of particular concern is a tendency in the current literature to implicate phenothiazines as a cause of death when the death investigation and the autopsies are incomplete. Thus, based on our experience and on a review of the current literature, we have set forth factors that the forensic pathologist should consider when faced with a sudden psychiatric death. A case report illustrates these unique aspects of scene investigation and analysis of terminal events and autopsy findings.     

Examples for use of the STR systems in stain assessment with special reference to Y chromosome systems

The authors describe 3 cases where Y-chromosomal systems were used for typing the biological traces. In the first case, a murder, for the major amount of cell material found on a dish towel (and analysed two years after the crime) female persons were excluded for the system amelogenin and Y-chromosomal systems. A brother of the victim could not be excluded for autosomal STR-systems. Upon confrontation with the results of the DNA-analysis (among other things), this brother confessed the murder of his sister some days later. He was found guilty by the court. In the second case described, a rape of two girls, many traces were analysed parallely with Y-chromosomal and autosomal PCR-systems. The objects where male DNA matching the suspect were found (a paper tissue, a sweat shirt and the knickers of the girls), also showed small amounts of alleles matching with the suspect for autosomal systems, while the major part in these systems was from the girls. The suspect was sentenced to many years imprisonment. In the third case, a possible rape of a young woman, a stained microscope slide of a vaginal swab had to be examined. Microscopically a few sperm heads could be seen in a surplus of leucocytes. The male proportion could be analysed only in the Y-chromosomal systems, not in the autosomal ones. For the frequency calculation of the Y-chromosomal allele combination the haplotype data bank of the Institute for Legal Medicine of the Humboldt university in Berlin was indispensable.     

Fatal intoxications in the Nordic countries. A forensic toxicological study with special reference to young drug addicts

Fatal intoxications in the 15-34 age group in the five Nordic countries during the years 1984 and 1985 (Sweden only in 1984) were investigated. The known drug addicts were studied separately. The highest incidence of intoxications, calculated per 10(5) population, was found in Finland (11.3), followed by Denmark (10.3), Sweden (8.5), Iceland (7.2) and Norway (6.6). The percentage of intoxications caused by drugs was 92 in Denmark, 71 in Norway, 66 in Sweden, 50 in Finland and 17 in Iceland. Ethanol intoxications were seen 5-7 and 2-3 times as frequently in Finland and in Iceland, respectively, than in the other three countries. Carbon monoxide intoxications accounted for two-thirds of all fatal intoxications in Iceland. Drug addicts accounted for 62% of all fatal intoxications in the Danish material. The corresponding figures were 33% in the Norwegian, 16% in the Swedish and 5% in the Finnish material. No deaths in drug addicts were found in Iceland. Most drug addicts in Denmark, Norway and Sweden died of hard drugs and most in Norway and Sweden, from heroin or morphine, whereas in Denmark other strong analgesics, such as methadone, dextropropoxyphene and ketobemidone, accounted for 40% of all hard-drug-related fatal intoxications. To a certain extent the results reflect differences in the legal autopsy routines in the various Nordic countries. However, the ascertainment of drug addicts is assumed to be near-complete in each country.