Morphometrical investigations into alterations of the wall thickness of small pulmonary arteries after birth and in cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

In 1973 Naeye was the first to demonstrate that, in cases of SIDS, the small pulmonary arteries have more smooth muscle than in controls and suggested that this is a consequence of chronic alveolar hypoxia. Seventy-five cases have been investigated morphometrically in order to obtain quantitative data on the alterations of wall thickness of the small pulmonary arteries after birth and in cases of SIDS. The investigations comprise seven cases of stillbirth, 19 cases of newborn, 33 cases of SIDS and 16 controls. In each case the thickness of the media, the external diameter of the artery and the media area have been measured planimetrically for 90 arteries ranging between 50 μm and 500 μm. A media index was calculated as the ratio of the thickness of the media to the diameter of the artery. Using this index a thickening of the media of the small pulmonary arteries, corresponding to the situation in fetal and neonatal life, has been confirmed for cases of SIDS. The normal postnatal changes in the small pulmonary arteries, media thinning and enlargement of the lumen, could not be observed in SIDS cases in the first year of life.     

Effects of class,race, sex,and educational status on patterns of aggression of lower-class youth

The influence of class, race, sex, and educational status on ways of handling aggression and temper control were studied by means of responses to open- and closed-ended questions. The sample consisted of 1844 inner-city youth in two northern cities. Race was found to be the only important discriminator: blacks were less aggressive and exhibited more temper control than whites, but once aggression occurred blacks were more likely than whites to assault others.Area of specialization is social psychology. Currently working on an interpretation case history of a holocaust episode in a rural German community.Area of specialization is social psychology. In Israel has studied the effects of ethnicity on a number of attitudinal and behavioral variables.     

Distribution patterns and functional relationships of the encephalopathy (author's transl)

"Wernicke's encephalopathy", as one of the sequelae of chronic alcoholism, is discussed with regard to its effects on driving ability. The neurological symptoms are presented with reference to 33 cases and the possible personality defects with thalamic lesions and abortive types of disease are emphasized.     

Heteroplasmy in mtDNA in a set of dizygotic twins

The authors report on a case of a dicygotic female twin pair, one of them containing a T/C heteroplasmy in two (heart and brain) of five analysed organs at position nt204 of the HV2 region. Results and especially the evidence of an unequal distribution of the heteroplasmy are discussed.     

Investigations concerning the threshold value between endogenous and exogenous GHB (liquid ecstasy)

The article describes critical investigations concerning the threshold value between endogenous and exogenous concentrations of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB/"liquid ecstasy") in human blood. The values of GHB in the blood samples of 50 blood donors and 50 postmortem cases were measured with a validated gas-chromatographic/mass-spectrometric procedure according to the guidelines of the GTFCh (Society of Toxicological and Forensic Chemistry). GHB-concentrations were found to range between 0.11 and 1.56 mg/L (mean value 0.54 mg/L/standard deviation 0.37 mg/L/coefficient of variation 68.4 %) in the donors' blood, and between 2.2 and 116 mg/L (mean value 32.4 mg/L/standard deviation 25.6 mg/L/coefficient of variation 79 %) in the postmortem samples, respectively.     

The death of Kaspar Hauser (17 Dec 1833)--assassination, suicide or self-inflicted injury?

The death of Kaspar Hauser is described taking present medicolegal and criminological knowledge into account, the main question being whether the injury was self-inflicted, homicidal or suicidal. In spite of a critical retrospective analysis this question cannot be answered with sufficient certainty even from our modern perspective. It seems unlikely that the stab to the chest was inflicted exclusively for the purpose of self-damage, but both a suicidal stab and a homicidal act (assassination) cannot be definitely ruled out.     

Incidence and forensic value of liver cell hydrops in external asphyxia and sudden infant death

A histological examination was carried out in 108 cases of asphyxia, 28 cases of SIDS, and 33 cases with other causes of death to assess the occurrence of liver-cell hydrops. In almost all cases of violent suffocation of newborns and children up to 10 years of age hydrops of the hepatocytes were found, whereas these results could be verified only exceptionally after violent suffocation of adults. Eighteen cases or 64.3% of SIDS showed a diffuse distribution of liver-cell hydrops over each liver lobule. Liver-cell hydrops seems to represent a frequent morphological equivalent of acute oxygen deficiency in asphyxia in childhood and is a common finding in SIDS.