College Students’ Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence: a Comparative Study of China and the U.S.

Although attitudes toward intimate partner violence (IPV) have been the subject of many studies, little research has been conducted to comparatively assess public definitions of IPV in Western and non-Western countries. Drawing upon survey data collected from approximately 500 Chinese and American college students, this study compared and contrasted Chinese and American college students in their beliefs about what constitute IPV. Chinese students were found to be less likely to define abusive acts as IPV than their U.S. counterparts. Gender-role attitudes, such as beliefs of male dominance and IPV as crime, were among the most prominent predictors of students’ definitions of IPV. Chinese and American college students’ attitudes differed not only in what was defined as IPV, but also in what were the factors that shaped such attitudes. Directions for future research and policy were discussed.     

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.     

Fatal rupture of hepatic adenomatosis: Autopsy case and review of the literature

Hepatic adenomatosis is a rare disease consisting of multiple adenomas in otherwise-normal liver parenchyma. Though the discovery of this entity goes back several years, its diagnosis is still challenging in terms of its definition and pathophysiology. Clinically, patients may be completely asymptomatic and the diagnosis is only made incidentally through imaging tests. The discovery could be made when complications occur such as intraperitoneal hemorrhage with hypovolemic shock due to the rupture of an adenoma. We report a fatal case of a ruptured adenoma in a case of hepatic adenomatosis discovered at autopsy. In order to achieve a better view of this disease, we conducted a literature review on this subject describing the pathogenesis, manifestations, and autopsy contribution to addressing this entity.     

Homicidal electrocution disguised as an accidental death

Deaths due to electrocution are mostly accidental. Homicide by electrocution is rarely reported in the literature. However, the location and pattern of the electrocution wound can raise concern for a possible homicidal manner of death. We are reporting an unusual case wherein the dead body of a middle-aged man was found lying in a suspicious condition on the roadside of desolated area. There were circumferential, grooved electrocution lesions over the left and right second toes with oval electrocution lesions on the medial aspects of both the left and right third toes. There were split lacerations over the right high parietal region, right pinna, and forehead. There was avulsion of the nail of the left thumb. Pressure abrasion was consistent with a ligature mark on the lower part of the left leg. The locations and pattern of these injuries raised the possibility of torture infliction. Death was attributed to electrocution, which was confirmed by histopathology. Autopsy findings and possible inferences were furnished to the police. This case highlights the careful observation of different characterizations and locations of the wounds and deducing inferences about the possible manner of death. This information can be useful to investigating agencies.     

Modification of the Marmarou and Foda model of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) improves percentage survival of rats at 24 h and increases the amount of DAI identified

More than two decades ago, Marmarou published a valid model for producing diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in rats. Since then, both mild and severe injuries have been obtained by researchers using the original method and a weight of 450 g. However, the diffuse brain injuries produced in rats were only similar to those seen in humans when the rats sustained severe brain injuries. In these cases, rat mortality in the original article was around 50%, and the cause of death was prolonged apnea post-impact. Rat survival after impact is critical for studying the progression of DAI. In order to explain the cause of death in human victims with cranial trauma who do not show gross brain injury, testing for the presence of DAI is essential. Thus, in order to minimize local and cervical injuries to increase rat survival, attention should be paid to the following aspects: a wider head protector disc should be used, the head of the rat should be elevated at the time of impact, and the foam bed should be soft enough to allow the movement caused by acceleration. With our modified method, rat survival increased by 30% compared to the original model (80% versus 50%). Moreover, 85.7% of rats demonstrated DAI after 24 h of survival. With these modifications, injuries appear in the same locations as in humans; thus, the method is suitable for the study of traumatic DAI in humans.     

The utility of histology in assessing the cause of death in medico-legal autopsies in selected trauma deaths: Suspension-, immersion-, fire-, and traffic-related

The goal of a medico-legal autopsy is primarily to determine the cause and manner of death. To this end, the pathologist often uses auxiliary analyses, including histology. However, the utility of routine histology in all medico-legal autopsies is unknown. Earlier studies on the utility of routine histology have shown inconsistent effects, with some studies recommending it and others rejecting it. To study the degree to which histology informs on the underlying cause of death, we sent autopsy reports from suspension-, immersion-, fire-, and traffic-related deaths to senior board-certified forensic pathologists and had them assess the cause of death, first without knowledge of the histological findings and then with knowledge thereof. Fifty cases were identified in each of four subgroups: fire-, immersion-, suspension-, and traffic-related deaths. The autopsy reports were anonymized, and the histological findings and conclusions were removed. Two board-certified forensic pathologists independently reviewed the reports in each subgroup and assessed the manner and underlying cause of death (including their certainty of this assessment on a five-level scale) with and without access to histological findings. The probability of changing the underlying cause of death posthistology was low in all study groups. There was a slight increase in the degree of certainty posthistology in cases where the underlying cause of death was not changed, but only when the antehistology certainty was low. Our results suggest that histology does not meaningfully inform on the underlying cause of death in suspension-, immersion-, fire-, and traffic-related deaths except when antehistology certainty is low.     

Detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in fabric urine stains older than five years

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is used in clinical medicine as a particularly important indicator to determine pregnancy. In this study, it was necessary to determine whether the urine spots on car seat fabric from a murder 5 years previously were from a pregnant woman. The HCG in the dried urine spot on a car seat was detected using an immunochromatography kit. It was found that the HCG in urine can be detected for much longer periods of time than the previously reported period of approximately 6 months.     

Fragrance transfer between fabrics for forensic reconstruction applications

Sexual assault is a serious crime that often has low conviction rates. Recent literature has demonstrated that there is potential for fragrances to be valuable in forensic reconstructions where there has been contact between individuals. However, developing appropriate evidence bases for understanding the nature of fragrance transfer in these contexts is needed. This article presents three experiments that address the transfer process of fragrances that have been transferred from a primary piece of fabric onto a secondary piece of fabric, in a manner that could occur during an assault. The three variables studied were the ageing time of the fragrances on the first fabric prior to transfer, the contact time between the two fabrics, and lastly the fabric type (of the primary material and the recipient material). The transfer was evaluated using a validated solid phase micro-extraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME GC–MS) method. The findings demonstrated that all three variables had an impact on the transfer of fragrances between clothing fabrics. Generally, lower volatility compounds were transferred and recovered in larger amounts than higher volatility compounds. All fragrance compounds were successfully recovered from a secondary piece of fabric even when the contact time was as short as 10 s, and even when the perfume was aged on the primary fabric for as long as 48 h. The nature of the fragrance transfer also depended on the fabric type, so that a clear discrimination was observed between the fragrance transfer that occurred onto a natural fabric (cotton) and onto a synthetic fabric (polyester).