Insomnia, nightmare frequency, and nightmare distress in victims of sexual abuse: the role of perceived social support and abuse characteristics

In this study of victims of sexual abuse, the aim was to investigate the role of perceived social support and abuse characteristics in self-reported insomnia, nightmare frequency, and nightmare distress. Four hundred sixty Norwegian victims of sexual abuse completed a questionnaire assessing perceived social support, abuse characteristics, insomnia, nightmare frequency, and nightmare distress. Results show that higher levels of perceived social support were related to lower scores on all symptom outcome measures. Abuse involving oral, genital, or anal penetration was related to more insomnia symptoms. Longer duration of abuse and threatening conducted by the perpetrator were related to higher nightmare frequency, while threats and abuse involving penetration were related to higher degrees of distress associated with nightmares. In conclusion, the present study provides preliminary data indicating that perceived social support may affect the nature of sleep difficulties in sexual abuse victims. Also, more severe forms of sexual abuse are related to higher levels of sleep difficulties.     

Rechtzeitigkeit einer Berufung per E-Mail ohne Betreff

Eine Berufung ist iSd § 63 Abs 5 AVG dann eingebracht, wenn sie bei der Beh?rde tats?chlich eingelangt ist, was bei einer E-Mail-Sendung dann der Fall ist, wenn sie von einem Server, den die Beh?rde für die Empfangnahme von an sie gerichteten E-Mail-Sendungen gew?hlt hat, empfangen wurde und sich damit im "elektronischen Verfügungsbereich" der Beh?rde befindet. Wurde ein E-Mail vom Beh?rdenserver empfangen und gelangte es somit in den "elektronischen Verfügungsbereich" der Beh?rde, dann kann der Hinweis in der Antwort der Beh?rde, E-Mails ohne Betreff würden nicht entgegengenommen, an der Rechtzeitigkeit der Berufung nichts mehr ?ndern.     

Toxicological and pathological findings in a series of buprenorphine related deaths. Possible risk factors for fatal outcome

Buprenorphine is considered to have little respiratory side effects at therapeutic doses and the partial agonistic properties should produce a "ceiling effect" for respiratory depression at higher doses. Still, there are several reports on buprenorphine related deaths. Most deaths involve drug users and the co-administration of other CNS depressant drugs as well as reduced tolerance have been suggested to be risk factors. The primary aims were to investigate if lack of tolerance and/or co-ingestion of other psychotropic drugs are significant risk factors in buprenorphine fatalities. From July 2005 to September 2009, all autopsy cases where buprenorphine or norbuprenorphine had been detected in femoral blood and where analysis of buprenorphine had been performed in urine were selected. Results from the postmortem examination and toxicology were compiled. Postmortem toxicology was performed using the routine methodology at the laboratory. In total, 97 subjects were included in the study. These were divided into four groups; Intoxication with buprenorphine (N=41), Possible intoxication with buprenorphine (N=24), Control cases where buprenorphine was not the cause of death (N=14), and Unclear (N=18). The metabolite to parent compound ratios in both blood and urine in the Intoxication group were significantly different from those in the Control and Unclear groups. An extensive poly-drug use was seen in all groups with several additional opioids in the Possible group (54%) and in the Unclear group (78%) and hypnotics or sedatives in more than 75% of the Intoxication, Possible, and Unclear cases. Illicit drugs were present in all groups but not to a great extent with amphetamine and tetrahydrocannabinol as the main findings. Interestingly, 4 cases in the Intoxication group presented with no other significant drugs in blood other than buprenorphine. We conclude that a lethal concentration of buprenorphine in blood cannot be defined. Instead the analysis of blood as well as urine can be an important tool to show that the drug was taken shortly before death and to rule out a continuous use of buprenorphine supporting the notion that abstinence is an important risk factor. The presence of alprazolam in more than 40% of the Intoxications and the presence of hypnotics and sedatives in 75% of the Intoxications suggests that these drugs interact with buprenorphine producing toxic effects that buprenorphine alone would not have produced. Still, in 10% of the Intoxications no other drugs were found indicating that under certain circumstances buprenorphine alone may produce respiratory depression resulting in death.     

Sudden cardiac death in young adults: environmental risk factors and genetic aspects of premature atherosclerosis

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder that may lead to premature coronary heart disease (CHD) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Mutations in the LDLR or APOB genes cause FH. We have screened the LDLR and the ligand-binding region of APOB genes in 52 cases of SCD. Deceased patients were younger than 40 years of age and were suspected of having FH. The LDLR and APOB genes were examined via PCR, high-resolution melting, and DNA sequencing. Therein, it was observed that 7.7% of the screened patients exhibited a rare sequence variant in the LDLR gene, with 5.7% suspected of being pathogenic mutations. Lipid profiles and genetic testing for FH could be considered when autopsy reveals significant atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries in young adults. First-degree family members are advised to seek medical advice and testing to determine their own risks of atherosclerosis to prevent premature CHD and SCD.     

Suicidal decapitation using a tractor loader: a case report and review of the literature

In forensic practice, decapitated bodies are predominantly associated with decapitation by wheels of trains or with postmortem dismemberment following homicide. In the suicidal context, decapitation accounts for less than 1% of total suicide. Apart from decapitation by trains, other encountered methods involve suicidal hanging and vehicle-assisted ligature suicide. Reported here is a unique case of suicidal decapitation in a 45-year-old man using a tractor loader at the foot of a silo, on his farm. The head was recovered in the loader and there were several impact spots from the loader as well as blood on the silo wall. The autopsy revealed a complete decapitation wound with the severance plane located between the third and fourth cervical vertebra. A 1.5 cm wide abrasion on the anterior part of the neck and abrasions under the chin were noted. This very unique case of intentional suicidal decapitation is the first reported case of a planned system intended to create decapitation outside the unique case of homemade guillotine and the more common decapitation by train.     

Planned and unplanned complex suicides: a 5-year retrospective study

The notion of planned and unplanned complex suicides first appeared in 1974 by Marcinkowski and, since then, no systematic study of complex suicides has been published in the English forensic literature. Here, the authors present a 5-year retrospective study of complex suicides. Nineteen complex suicides were reviewed: five unplanned and 14 planned, including the first case of an unplanned complex suicide in a woman. All cases were analyzed in terms of gender, age, methods of suicide, the presence of a suicide note, and past suicide attempts, and statistically compared with a 50-case sample of simple suicides. A further comparison was established with compiled data from the literature. Similarities were revealed regarding incidence of complex suicides, male gender predominance, and types of methods used. In contrast, results showed a higher average age for planned complex suicide victims. Finally, the authors discuss the application of the complex suicide definition.     

Complex autoerotic death with full body wrapping in a plastic body bag

Autoerotic deaths are normally classified as accidental deaths occurring during individual, and usually solitary, sexual activity in which a device, apparatus, or prop used to enhance sexual stimulation of the deceased somehow causes unintended death. The most common methods of autoerotic practices are asphyxia by hanging, ligature, plastic bag, chemical substances, or a mixture of these. However, atypical methods such as overdressing/body wrapping have also been reported. In fact, overdressing/body wrapping is so rare that it is implicated in only 1.5% of published cases. Although plastic bags are often implicated in autoerotic deaths, there has been only one previous case that involved a plastic covering the victim's body from head to toe. We here report the case of a 34-year-old man who died due to asphyxia, secondary to body wrapping in the largest and most complex plastic bag ever involved in a published case of autoerotic death.     

Islamic State Nasheeds As Messaging Tools

Although jihadi nasheeds play an important role in the Islamic State's propaganda, there is scant literature on the topic. This article is an exploratory study on seventeen Islamic State nasheeds released between December 2013 and March 2015. The main argument is that Islamic State nasheeds are effective messaging tools because they focus on a limited number of themes that have broad appeal among Muslims. The nasheeds differ from other Islamic State propaganda in their almost exclusive focus on war and fighting, rather than on the softer sides of life in the Islamic State.     

Civil society and political protest in India—The case of Coca-Cola in Kerala

The Indian economic and political systems have recently opened up for increased foreign investments, which has resulted also in new forms of popular resistance. This article analyzes the campaign launched against the Coca-Cola-Company in Plachimada, Kerala, India, which in 2004 resulted in the closure of its bottling factory after accusations of water depletion and pollution. The analysis in the article is based on the theoretical concept “political opportunity” and concludes that the decision to close the plant was the result of an efficiently run popular campaign based on a tightly knit group of local activists, held together by a tribal identity. Vital for the success was also the help the group attracted by national and international civil society support groups and media, as well as the link between both media and civil society towards the political parties and the state.