Estimation of body exposure to explosion

An ordnance-disposal expert was killed while disposing of a cache of explosives. The likely position of the body was reconstructed by modeling the explosion as an omnidirectional emission of particles from a model of the explosion site and noting the distribution of particles on a model of a human. The applications and limitations of this method in reconstructing the events and correlation with the injuries noted at autopsy are discussed.     

Fatal salmonella aortitis with mycotic aneurysm rupture

Salmonellae most commonly cause uncomplicated cases of gastroenteritis but have a predilection for damaged blood vessels, especially those damaged by atherosclerosis. The abdominal aorta is most frequently affected. The most serious complication of aortitis is mycotic aneurysm formation with subsequent rupture. The authors present the case of a 61-year-old man who was found unresponsive at home 3 days after discharge from the hospital for treatment of gastroenteritis with bacteremia. Postmortem examination revealed a ruptured mycotic aneurysm with a large retroperitoneal hematoma. Numerous gram-negative rods were embedded in the wall of the aorta and surrounding inflammatory infiltrate, compatible with the patient's previously isolated. Whereas abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture is most commonly associated with atherosclerosis, the isolation of from blood cultures, coupled with radiographic evidence of gas surrounding the aorta, should raise the suspicion of infectious aortitis. Whereas fatal rupture of an aortic aneurysm secondary to atherosclerosis alone or in conjunction with aortitis will not have an impact on the manner of death, infections are reportable and thus have public health implications.     

Death resulting from ruptured cerebral artery aneurysm: 219 cases

To characterize the demographics of ruptured cerebral artery aneurysm as a cause of death and to examine the effect of improved diagnostic and therapeutic techniques on the incidence of sudden death associated with the condition, the authors reviewed 219 autopsies performed at the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office between 1977 and 1997 in which the cause of death was ruptured cerebral artery aneurysm. Ruptured cerebral artery aneurysms accounted for 1.5% of 15,033 natural deaths and 0.4% of all deaths (45,492) followed by autopsy during this period. The majority (56%) of cases occurred in females, with Caucasian females composing the largest group (38%). Seventy-seven percent of cases occurred in individuals between the ages of 31 and 70 years, with the highest concentration in the 41- to 50-year decade (29%). The most common location for ruptured aneurysms was the middle cerebral artery distribution (39%). Multiple aneurysms occurred in 22 (9.1%) cases. Other factors, such as medical history, coexisting disease, symptoms, activity at onset of symptoms, survival time, and toxicology results are also presented. Compared with literature reports before 1980, when ruptured cerebral artery aneurysms were reported as the cause of death in approximately 4% to 5% of sudden natural deaths, the results of this study suggest that despite improved diagnostic and therapeutic techniques during the past two decades, morbidity and mortality from ruptured aneurysms remain a significant health problem.     

Struggling through the web of impunity—The Jorge Carpio Nicolle case

Through the lens of Guatemala’s Jorge Carpio Nicolle case I analyze the mechanisms that preserve impunity in Latin American nations struggling to emerge from violent conflict and embrace, the rule of law. I reveal how the infective influence of parallel powers, the ineffectiveness of the judicial process, and obstructive legal doctrine destroy domestic efforts to prosecute those responsible for human rights violations. The Carpio case exposes the role of international courts in providing justice when domestic courts fail to do so, and it demonstrates the importance of human rights groups in pursuing this justice. The author would like to thank Roxanna Altholz, Adriana Beltran, and Soraya Long for their invaluable assitance in conducting this research.