A delayed drowning death with histological findings of shock

A delayed drowning death case with histological findings of shock was described. The person was sustained by continuous positive-pressure respiration and died 2 days after resuscitation from drowning. The histological findings were intravascular microthrombi, hyaline bodies and fibrin thrombi in the brain, multiple megakaryocytes in the pulmonary capillaries, hyaline membranes of the lung, multiple small hyaline bodies in the liver sinusoids, and erosion of the mucous membrane of the stomach as well as histological findings of shock kidney. Drowning and systemic hypotension during resuscitation seemed to cause irreversible oxygen debt of the organs and the tissues to lead to shock.     

Scanning electron microscopy of incinerated teeth

The aim of the present scanning electron microscopy study was to document the nature of morphologic changes occurring in human enamel and dentin subjected in vitro to temperatures in the range of 200-1,000 degrees C for variable times. The results of the investigation confirm that human enamel and dentin remain microscopically identifiable after incineration at 1000 degrees C. Furthermore, these tissues remain identifiable after incineration at 1,000 degrees C for periods greater than 3 h. No consistent or reliable differences in morphology could be detected in enamel or mineralized dentin incinerated in the temperature range 200-600 degrees C. Temperature-dependent changes involving the predentin zone were observed. Following incineration at 800 degrees C for over 3 h and at 1,000 degrees C for 3 h, a metamorphosis of enamel and dentin into a globular form was observed.     

Brain changes in parathion poisoning: observations in 42 cases

A total of 42 cases were examined neuropathologically to determine possible toxic changes occurring in the brain after parathion intoxication. Sporadic anoxic alterations were observed in 7% of 41 cases in which the cause of death was acute intoxication. Nearly all cases (93%), however, showed marked hyperemia, often coupled with small reactionsless, periventricular hemorrhages which occurred in 40% of the cases. In one third of the cases (33%) there was moderate swelling of the oligodendroglia. Whereas histological evidence of edema was found in nearly one third of the cases (30%), comparison of the brain weights in these subjects with those of a large comparative collective showed definite pathologic brain weights in only five cases (12%) with 95% confidence limits. It is true that in 18 cases (42%) the brain weight was above the normal value if the confidence limit is ignored. Pronounced anoxic alterations were observed in only one case in which the individual survived the acute intoxication for 4 weeks after initial respiratory arrest. Predominantly toxic changes, however, could not be detected in any of the cases examined. This negative morphologic finding does not agree with the physiologic alterations reported by other investigators using animal models; they considered the cause of death in cases of parathion intoxication to be the result of toxic paralysis of the respiratory center. The literature was discussed.     

Histopathological lung changes in immune complex mediated anaphylactic shock in humans elicited by dextran

Severe dextran-induced anaphylactic reaction (DIAR) is being recognized as a form of immediate IgG mediated immune complex reaction. Support for this pathogenesis is found in the correlation between the titer of dextran-reactive antibodies of IgG class and the severity of the reaction. Autopsy records were reviewed in 27 certified cases of fatal DIAR. The most frequent macroscopic findings were dilatation of the right side of the heart and acute pulmonary stasis. Autopsy lung specimens were collected from 17 of these patients. In 15 of the 17 lung specimens pulmonary microemboli were found. The microemboli had the appearance of hyaline eosinophilic globules, and the lung vasculature also contained leukocytes, platelets and disintegrated erythrocytes. These findings show similarity to the findings in a monkey model of known IgG mediated anaphylaxis, and give further support to the proposed pathogenesis of severe DIAR.     

Observations and 3D Analysis of Controlled Cast-Off Stains

Cast-off stains are common patterns found at crime scenes involving blood shedding events. However, the analysis and interpretation of cast-off patterns remains an area lacking tools for crime scene investigators. Analyzing cast-off patterns may allow investigators to interpret the area from where an object may have been swung and thus determine the approximate location of a suspect or victim. This study looked at the position and distribution of cast-off patterns and area of origin as a starting point for the development of a method to analyze cast-off patterns. Through a series of tests using a controlled cast-off rig (n = 10), it was observed that a Path Volume Envelope (PVE) may be identified where the swinging path is contained in a volume along with an area of exclusion. The calculated center, linear position of the PVE was found to have an average error of just over 3.2 cm when compared to the known object swing path position. The maximum deviation of the PVE to the known swing path was found to be 5.0 cm with a standard deviation of 1.4 cm. Additional studies are required to investigate the effects of partial cast-off stains, wielded object velocity, direction of swing, distance from the projected surface, and other factors. The observations and analysis from this study were seen to be predictable and repeatable and may provide a possible new method for investigators to interpret cast-off stains.     

Effects of individual dental factors on genomic DNA analysis

The use in forensic medicine of methods pertaining to molecular biology has made it possible to identify human remains through the analysis of polymorphic profiles of human DNA. Voluntary, accidental, or natural postmortem degradation, as well as environmental conditions, influences the preservation state of the corpse, making it sometimes difficult to obtain biologic material suitable for genetic analysis (e.g., hair, soft and/or hard tissue). According to their anatomic/morphologic characteristics, dental formations are particularly resistant to external insults and are thus suitable for this kind of research. The purpose of this work, conducted on nonselected dental findings (presenting intrinsic characteristics similar to those usually found in forensic cases) that were homogeneous with regard to environmental factors, was to determine an operative protocol that will enable combination of the maximum availability of genomic DNA with the preservation of the morphologic characteristics of the tooth for classic anthropologic evaluations.     

Ancillary studies in amniotic fluid embolism: a case report and review of the literature

The incidence of amniotic fluid embolism during pregnancy is approximately 1/50,000 and has a mortality rate in excess of 80%. The postmortem diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism can be challenging for forensic investigators and pathologists. At autopsy, usually signs of disseminated intravascular coagulation suggest an amniotic fluid embolism. A definitive diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism cannot be made until ancillary studies are performed on the decedent's tissues. We report a case of a 37-year-old G3P2 white female who was 36 weeks gestation when her membranes spontaneously ruptured. She suddenly became breathless, went into cardiogenic shock, and died. The autopsy revealed gross and microscopic findings of amniotic fluid embolism, which was confirmed with ancillary studies consisting of special stains, immunohistochemistry, and a serum tryptase level. The authors hope this case report, including gross and microscopic autopsy findings with procedural and ancillary studies, and review of the literature will help investigators and pathologists in the diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism.     

Corruption,interest rates and business cycles: comparison of emerging economies

We examine the hypothesis that corruption in a country negatively influences the macroeconomy through an increase in the country-specific interest rate (interest rate shock). An empirical study estimated the contribution of the interest rate shocks to the variance in output growth at 5.1% in Mexico within the framework of stochastic growth models for small open economies. We replicate this study with the same dataset and investigate which parameters affect the contribution of the interest rate shocks to business cycles. Then, we estimate the same model for different emerging economies to investigate the relationship between the corruption level and macroeconomic contribution of the interest rate shocks. For this purpose, we use Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) to measure the corruption level. Finally, we investigate the correlation between the CPI and the estimated series of the interest rate shock. Our findings are as follows. First, the average size of the interest rate shocks is positively associated with the contribution of these shocks to the variability of output growth. Second, the average size of the interest rate shocks is also positively associated with the corruption level. Third, the estimated interest rate shock and the corruption level are positively correlated with each other. As we treat the corruption level as an exogenous variable in the model, these findings lead us to accept the hypothesis. The “Appendix” further clarifies a well-known hypothesis that the cycle is the trend in an emerging economy.     

Forensic medical assessment of hemorrhages in hyaline cartilages of the larynx

The diagnostic value of hemorrhages to hyaline cartilages of the larynx (CL), which is a sign of a trauma in the neck, were investigated. The application of term "hemorrhage" in respect to foci of reddish (brownish) coloring of the CL tissue was shown to be not always justifiable. Thus, genuine hemorrhages to the CL tissue are not altogether possible in children and teenagers owing to the original avascularity of their hyaline cartilage tissue; as for women, they are possible only in the dorsal CL sections. The reddish coloring results often from the imbibition of the CL tissue by hemoglobin at the places of contact of the cartilage surface with blood. Such false "hemorrhages" can occur not only in trauma but also in nonviolent death and also as artifacts of sectional examinations. It was established experimentally that 10 to 12 minutes are sufficient for postmortal hemorrhage to set on. The differential diagnosis should be made with due respect to the anatomic-and-physiological peculiarities of the dead and by applying the hyaline method.     

Immunohistochemistry of pulmonary surfactant apoprotein A in forensic autopsy: reassessment in relation to the causes of death

To reassess the immunohistochemical distribution of pulmonary surfactant apoprotein A (SP-A) in relation to the causes of death, 282 forensic autopsy cases were reviewed. The most intense and dense granular immunostaining of intra-alveolar SP-A was observed in the hyaline membrane syndrome from various traumas, protracted death from drowning, and perinatal aspiration of amniotic fluid. Similar granular staining pattern was found in fatal poisoning by a muscle relaxant and organophosphate pesticides. An evident increase of intra-alveolar granular staining was noted in most fatalities from mechanical asphyxia and drowning, and some cases of fire death. SP-A staining was usually very weak or sparse in alcohol intoxication, poisoning by hypnotics and also carbon monoxide poisoning. These findings suggest that the amount of intra-alveolar granular SP-A staining may be a possible indicator of severity and duration of respiratory distress (agony) from peripheral (non-central nervous system) origin and alveolar damage.     

Incidental findings in human subjects research: what do investigators owe research participants?

The use of brain imaging technology as a common tool of research has spawned concern and debate over how investigators should respond to incidental findings discovered in the course of research. In this article, we argue that investigators have an obligation to respond to incidental findings in view of their entering into a professional relationship with research participants in which they are granted privileged access to private information with potential relevance to participants' health. We discuss the scope and limits of this professional obligation to respond to incidental findings, bearing in mind that the relationship between investigators and research participants differs fundamentally from the doctor-patient relationship.     

多发性软组织挫伤后成人呼吸窘迫综合征──组织学及免疫组织化学研究

本研究应用组织学Ｈ·Ｅ、Ｍａｌｌｏｒｙ、ＰＴＡＨ以及免疫组织化学染色方法对６例多发性软组织挫伤后成人呼吸窘迫综合征者肺组织改变进行了深入探讨。结果表明，所有外伤性呼吸窘迫综合征者肺组织均呈急性充血、出血及水肿改变，且免疫组织化学染色证明，水肿液中含有纤维蛋白（原）成份。在６例中２例可见肺组织局灶性出血坏死，３例有散在性血管内纤维蛋白柱形成及肺泡内透明膜形成。这些改变均属成人呼呼吸窘迫综合征的早期肺损伤。对多发软组织挫伤后呼吸窘迫综合征的形成机理进行阐述。     

Bridging philosophical and practical implications of incidental findings in brain research

Empirical studies and ethical-legal analyses have demonstrated that incidental findings in the brain, most commonly vascular in origin, must be addressed in the current era of imaging research. The challenges, however, are substantial. The discovery and management of incidental findings vary, at minimum, by institutional setting, professional background of investigators, and the inherent differences between research and clinical protocols. In the context of human subjects protections, the challenges of disclosure of unexpected and potentially meaningful clinical information concern privacy and confidentiality, communication, and responsibility for follow-up. Risks, including a blurring of boundaries between research and clinical practice, must be weighed against the possible benefit to subjects and a moral duty to inform. Identification and examination of these challenges have been met by scientific interest and a robust, interdisciplinary response resulting in the pragmatic recommendations discussed here.     

Management knowledge and the organization of team science in university research centers

Increasingly, principal investigators are tasked by funding agencies not only to expand knowledge in a particular field of inquiry, but also to manage and coordinate sets of diverse actors, including researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds and with different institutional affiliations. This paper addresses how principal investigators organize and manage sets of diverse researchers in university research centers. The premise of the paper is that centers possessing “management knowledge”—as embodied in principal investigators themselves and in colleagues and subordinates (e.g. past experiences in centers, industry, formal management training and professional experience)—will demonstrate different structural and managerial characteristics when compared to centers without management knowledge. Based on interviews and documents for a purposive sample of centers established by the US National Science Foundation, the study investigates the organization and management of centers as a function of the presence and type of management knowledge of the center directors across multiple cases. Implications for addressing common challenges to team science in university research centers and comparable arrangements are discussed.     

怀疑原发性脑干损伤早期死亡脑干纤维联结蛋白的免疫组化研究

在本研究的１３个案例中，怀疑原发性脑干伤死亡的５例，明确死因的８例，其中严重闭合性颅脑损伤２例；缢死１例，失血性休克１例，电击２例，海洛因中毒２例。用ＬＳＡＢ法对１３例脑干的中脑、脑桥、延髓各部ＦＮ进行检测。结果显示５例怀疑为原发性脑干伤、２例严重颅脑损伤、２例海洛因中毒死者的脑千部位的神经元内均可见ＦＮ的异常沉积，其它各例未见ＦＮ的异常沉积。结果表明；ＬＳＡＢ－ＦＮ法是诊断原发性脑干伤早期死亡灵敏但非特异的形态学指标。     

EXPERTISE AND DECISION‐MAKING IN THE LINKING OF CAR CRIME SERIES

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether experienced car crime investigators have special expertise in the linking of car crime and what characterises effective decision‐making in this context. Groups of experienced car crime investigators, experienced other investigators, novice participants, and naive participants attempted to link 10 series of three car crimes while thinking aloud. The results showed that experience had an effect on actual and self‐assessed linking accuracy but not on processing speed. Linking accuracy was also related to the use of a limited subset of case characteristics. Characteristics used in successful linking were included in a multidimensional scaling analysis which showed that these characteristics could be used to link the cases together also automatically. The implications of the findings for car crime investigation and for the creation of automated decision‐support systems were discussed.     

Evidentiary value of the contents of hollow-point bullets

The fortuitous recovery of material trapped within the cavity of a hollow-point bullet at autopsy was demonstrated to be of evidentiary value. Analysis of this material, as well as that from hollow-point bullets from test-firings, showed that the contents, especially if in multiple layers, could be correlated with the series of intermediate targets perforated. In the case presented, this aided investigators in determining how many bullets actually struck the victim. Frequently displaced, especially if distortion of the hollow point has occurred, this tidbit of trace evidence is worth recovering and analyzing.     

The use of fluorescent microscopy for the detection of blood effusion in putrescent material

The present article was designed to demonstrate the efficiency of application of fluorescent microscopy for histological studies of preparations of putrescent material suspected to contain effused blood. This method makes it possible to detect haematoporphirin, a product of haemoglobin degradation, the presence of which gives reliable evidence of the presence of effused blood in the study material.     

Scanning electron microscopy as an auxiliary method in the study of exhumed bones

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used in forensic science in many ways. The reports of cases in which SEM has been used as an auxiliary method in the investigation of exhumed bones are rare. In this article, we report an exhumation that was made to determine if a seized weapon could have been used in a homicide. We used SEM to analyze a fracture in the interior of the skull of the victim. The findings described in this article showed us that it is possible to develop new researches in this field.     

Investigators' and judges' opinions about civil commitment

As part of our work with the Oregon Task Force on Civil Commitment, we surveyed the judges and commitment investigators involved in the state's involuntary treatment program. In Oregon the investigators recommend whether or not a commitment hearing should be held. These mental health professionals indicated that current confidentiality laws restrict their access to important information. The investigators also expressed concern about the lack of resources with which to divert clients out of the commitment system. Judges too felt that relaxing the rules of evidence would improve the quality of commitment hearings. Regarding changes in the system, investigators and judges indicated that outpatient treatment (including compliance with medications) should be required of committed patients. These professionals noted that involuntary outpatient treatment could only be enforced if the system included a mechanism for hospitalizing patients who were noncompliant. Although the investigators believed commitment criteria should be broadened so that their clients could receive treatment before becoming dangerous, judges did not generally endorse this view. We discuss the implications of these findings for new civil commitment legislation.