Fatal parvovirus B19 myocarditis in an 8-year-old boy

A report is given on an 8-year-old boy who suddenly and unexpected died. Autopsy findings point to acute heart failure. Microscopic examination of the heart showed increased interstitial and perivasal fibrosis and myocarditis with macrophage infiltration. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for parvovirus B19 was positive in heart samples and in the spleen. Immunostaining for parvoviral surface antigens was negative. Although the virus does not appear to have infected the cardiomyocytes, we speculate that myocarditis arose from immunological cross-reaction to epitopes shared between the virus and the myocardium.     

Molecular characterization and Austrian Caucasian population data of the multi-copy Y-chromosomal STR DYS464

DYS464 is a multi-copy STR system with four positions on the Y-chromosome (DYS464a, b, c, and d) which was recently identified and characterized [Forensic Sci. Int. 130 (2002) 97]. The aims of our study were to perform a population study, to estimate the mutation rate and an extensive sequence analysis in order to confirm the nomenclature. Fourteen different alleles were found in an Austrian population sample with an allele length varying from 9 to 19 repeats. All alleles were cloned and sequenced. Alleles 9-19 showed the general repeat structure (CCTT)n...(CCTT)2...(CCTT)3...(CCTT)4...(CCTT)2...(CCTT)2. The nomenclature is based on the number of repeated units of the variable (CCTT)n-stretch only. In 13% of the samples intermediate alleles, namely 14.3A, 14.3B and 15.3 were detected. In these alleles the variable repeat block is interrupted by a CTT motif (14.3A: (CCTT)3CTT(CCTT)11; 14.3B and 15.3: (CCTT)7CTT(CCTT)7/8). A comparison with GenBank entries revealed the existence of a length variant due to a deletion of one cytosine in the 5' flanking region of the first repeat block. We designed an alternative forward primer to circumvent possible ambiguities in the allele designation. A total of 54 different genotypes were identified in 135 men corresponding to a discrimination capacity (DC) of 40% and a gene diversity (GD) of 0.97. These values are much higher than those of other Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs). DYS464 has the same haplotype diversity (HD) as the combination of the five Y-STR loci with the lowest gene diversities of the Y-STR core set. On the other hand, a combination of the three most diverse loci (DYS464, DYS385 and DYS390) has the same capacity to distinguish between paternal lineages than the complete minimal haplotype (minHT) consisting of eight Y-STR loci. In our population sample the addition of DYS464 to the minHT increases the number of different haplotypes from 110 to 122. The mutation-rate estimate based on the 70 meioses analyzed amounts to 2.86 x 10(-2) (95% confidence interval 3.5 x 10(-3) to 9.95 x 10(-2)). This value is approximately 10 times higher than the average mutation-rate estimate for Y-STRs.     

Cadaver dismemberment by chain saw

It is reported about the dismembering of a 57-years-old man by means of a chain saw, allegedly without participation in the very assault. The victim died after heavy violence to this throat and bleeding from stab wounds. Afterwards his trunk was divided horizontally, his thorax, skull and upper arm were sewn into without cutting through. The closer circumstances of the crime and localization of the saw injuries lead to the assumption of a participation in the assault. Technical details of chain saws and typical findings as to injuries are described.     

Hallucinogenic mushrooms on the German market - simple instructions for examination and identification

'Magic mushrooms' is the name most commonly given to psychoactive fungi containing the hallucinogenic components psilocybin and psilocin. Material confiscated by local authorities was examined using morphologic, microscopic, microchemical, and toxicological methods. Psilocybe cubensis was the most popular mushroom in the sample collective, followed by Psilocybe semilanceata, Panaeolus cyanescens and Psilocybe tampanensis. The alkaloid content was determined with <0.003-1.15% of psilocybin and 0.01-0.90% psilocin. Panaeolus cyanescens was the mushroom with highest levels of psilocybin and psilocin.     

Pathogenesis of heroin-associated glomerulonephritis. Correlation between the inflammatory activity and renal deposits of immunoglobulin and complement?

Renal specimens from 19 autopsies of persons known to be intravenous heroin-addicts and with severe lympho-monocytic glomerulonephritis were investigated to correlate the inflammatory activity and deposits of immunoglobulin and complement. In all sections, there were 10 or more LCA-positive cells/glomerulum, counted in 20 glomerula but only up to 3 LCA-positive cells in a control-group of 10 autopsied persons without drug addiction and any renal diseases. In some cases diffuse granular deposits of immunoglobulin were found together with deposits of Clq. Although these changes cannot be demonstrated in all cases, deposits of Clq point to an activation of the classical way of the complement binding system in heroin-associated glomerulonephritis. The underlying process, activation of the complement binding system by heroin/morphin itself and adulterants or by hepatitis B and C infection, which are frequent in heroin-addicts, is still unclear.     

大学如何管理学术事务和行政工作亚琛工业大学的经验

本文对德国高等教育 ,特别是德国亚琛大学在学术事务管理和行政管理方面的情况做了详细的介绍。内容包括 :德国高等教育的概况 ,亚琛大学概况 ,亚琛大学的行政和学术组织结构 ,决策模式 ,大学与企业界的合作 ,学科教育 ,学生服务 ,教师队伍建设 ,教授聘任 ,大学经费管理 ,预算外资金来源 ,国际交流等。     

Comparison of wound morphology following gunshots by machine guns and sub-machine guns

Automatic weapons such as machine guns and submachine guns are found in the German-speaking region only in special army and police units and appear accordingly rarely in homicides, suicides and accidents. In the following, the findings in two cases of death with the use of machine and submachine guns are presented. The first case was a fatal accident during shooting on a training area (current machine gun of the German army, calibre 7.62 x 51 mm), the second case was a killing during a physical conflict (submachine gun MP 40 from World War II, calibre 9 x 19 mm). In the case with the machine gun autopsy disclosed typical entry holes corresponding to the calibre, but unusually large exit wounds with tissue bridges in the wound ground, measuring 4 x 2.5 cm in diameter. By contrast, the second case (submachine gun) showed "normal" entry and exit wounds. The differences are mainly caused by deviating ballistic data of the ammunition used. They are discussed against the background of literature on wound ballistics.     

Fatal child neglect in West Germany 1 January 1985 to 2 October 1990. Results of a multicenter study]

Up to now reliable data were available on cases of lethal child neglect in the area of the Federal Republic of Germany prior to reunification (the former West Germany). In a multicenter study we therefore examined the police and court records for such cases occurring in the period from 1 January 1985 to 2 October 1990 in nearly the entire area of Federal Republic of Germany. RESULTS: The study center received information on 19 cases of lethal child neglect. Extrapolated to all institutes of legal medicine, this corresponds to 20 cases and thus 3.5 cases a year in the whole of West Germany in the period studied. There is to be added a dark-field which cannot be limited more precisely. However, the cases of fatal child neglect might have occurred much more seldom than fatal child abuse caused by use of physical violence. Slightly more than half the victims were younger than 1 year, the oldest one was 7 10/12 years old. Most frequently the children died of starvation and thirst. Mostly the mothers/nursing mothers killed the child alone or together with the victim's father/stepfather. In the majority of the cases there was not a close affection between parents and child. Nearly 30% female/male perpetrators suffered from chronic alcohol abuse. Only 15 (= 56%) of 27 female/male perpetrators were sentenced to imprisonment (period between 7 months on probation and 10 years). Mitigation circumstances existed for nearly half the persons sentenced to imprisonment. It is true that child neglect is a rarer crime, but the experts of legal medicine always have to indicate errors made during the external inspection of the corpse (among others failures to see indications of neglect).     

Detection of methamphetamine in mouse femurs exposed to high temperature

Bone samples are valuable for examining the cause of death and circumstance leading up to death when body fluids are not available for forensic toxicological analysis. Examined were heat-induced changes in methamphetamine and amphetamine concentrations in femurs removed from methamphetamine-injected mice to determine if the burned bones could be used for toxicology testing. The femurs were heated at 100°C, 300°C, or 500°C for 10 or 30 min. The tissue structure of the heated femurs was preserved at 100°C for 30 min but was destructed at higher temperatures. Methamphetamine and amphetamine were detected in femurs heated at 100°C for 10 min, 100°C for 30 min, and 300°C for 10 min (with methamphetamine and amphetamine concentrations ranging from 0.36 to 35 μg/g and 0.54 to 47 μg/g, respectively). Methamphetamine and amphetamine were detectable when heated above their decomposition temperature as a result of limited heat transfer do to protection provide by the femoral muscle. Thus, the bone could be a useful analytical sample in cases of burn-related deaths, where it is difficult to collect body fluids.