Processes involved in the development of latent fingerprints using the cyanoacrylate fuming method

Chemical processes involved in the development of latent fingerprints using the cyanoacrylate fuming method have been studied. Two major types of latent prints have been investigated-clean and oily prints. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used as a tool for determining the morphology of the polymer developed separately on clean and oily prints after cyanoacrylate fuming. A correlation between the chemical composition of an aged latent fingerprint, prior to development, and the quality of a developed fingerprint has been observed in the morphology. The moisture in the print prior to fuming has been found to be more important than the moisture in the air during fuming for the development of a useful latent print. In addition, the amount of time required to develop a high quality latent print has been found to be within 2 min. The cyanoacrylate polymerization process is extremely rapid. When heat is used to accelerate the fuming process, typically a period of 2 min is required to develop the print. The optimum development time depends upon the concentration of cyanoacrylate vapors within the enclosure.     

Glycine toxicity and unexpected intra-operative death

A rare complication of the use of glycine irrigation fluid during prostatic surgery in a 69-year-old man is described. Following cystolithopexy and transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatomegaly, abdominal distension developed with increasing ventilatory pressures. Despite retroperitoneal fluid evacuation at subsequent urgent laparotomy, cardiac arrest occurred that was not amenable to resuscitation. At autopsy a traumatic defect in the posterior bladder wall filled with calculus debris was confirmed that did not communicate with the peritoneal cavity. Hyponatremia with markedly elevated levels of blood, urine, and body fluid glycine were demonstrated. Death was, therefore, attributed to glycine toxicity following tracking of glycine through a surgical defect in the posterior bladder wall. Careful dissection of surgical sites is required in such cases to demonstrate any additional trauma that may be associated with the fatal episode. Analysis of body fluids for glycine and electrolytes is also necessary to assist in the determination of possible mechanisms of death.     

Clinico-morphological parameters of heroin abuse and pathology connected with it

Morphological manifestations of narcomania in heroin users are described. Diseases associated with heroin narcomania and causes of death of heroin users are presented. Morphological manifestations at the site of injections and inflammatory reactions in parenchymatous organs are characterized. The authors pay special attention to the productive inflammation which can serve as one of the signs that confirm narcomania in cases with parenteral injections of crude heroin. The authors refer the granulomas to toxic allergic form of granulomatous hypersensitive inflammation.     

Sex determination and estimation of stature from the long bones of the arm

The determination of sex and the estimation of stature from bones play an important role in identifying unknown bodies, parts of bodies or skeletal remains. In medico-legal practice statements on the probable sex of a decomposed body or part of a body are often expected even during autopsy. The present study was, therefore, restricted to few easily accessible dimensions from bones which were prepared only by mechanically removing soft tissues, tendons and ligaments. The specimens came from the Anatomical Institutes in Munich and Cologne from the years 1994-1998 including a total of 143 individuals (64 males and 79 females). The mean age was 79 years (46-108), the mean body height 161cm (134-189). The following measurements were taken: maximum humeral length (mean: 33.4cm in males; 30.7cm in females), vertical humeral head diameter (mean: 5.0cm in males, 4.4cm in females), humeral epicondylar width (mean: 6.6cm in males; 5.8cm in females), maximum ulnar length (mean: 26.5cm in males, 23.8cm in females), proximal ulnar width (mean: 3.4cm in males, 2.9cm in females), distal ulnar width (mean: 2.2cm in males; 1.8cm in females), maximum radial length (mean: 24.6cm in males; 22.0cm in females), radial head diameter (mean: 2.6cm in males, 2.2cm in females) and distal radial width (mean: 3.6cm in males; 3.2cm in females). The differences between the means in males and females were significant (P<0.0005). A discriminant analysis was carried out with good results. A percentage of 94.93% of cases were correctly classified when all measures of the radius were applied jointly, followed by humerus (93.15%) and ulna (90.58%). Applied singly, the humeral head diameter allowed the best distinction (90.41% correctly grouped cases), followed by the radial length (89.13%), the radial head diameter (88.57%) and the humeral epicondylar width (88.49%). The linear regression analysis for quantifying the correlation between the bone lengths and the stature led to unsatifactory results with large 95%-confidence intervals for the coefficients and high standard errors of estimate.     

Blood carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide concentrations in the fatalities of fire and non-fire associated civil aviation accidents, 1991-1998

To evaluate pathophysiological significance of post-mortem urinary myoglobin levels in determining the cause of death, we investigated 210 forensic autopsy cases, partially in comparison with serum levels. Post-mortem serum myoglobin levels were extraordinary high in most cases possibly due to post-mortem change. Urinary myoglobin levels did not correlate with the serum levels, showing possible post-mortem elevation in cases of a prolonged post-mortem period over 48h. A high (>1000 ng/ml), moderate (100-1000 ng/ml), slight (50-100 ng/ml) and not significant (<50 ng/ml) elevation of urinary myoglobin were observed in 26, 43, 31 and 110 cases, respectively. Half the highly elevated cases were those with a survival time over 24h. In cases of minor muscle injury such as head trauma, elevation of urinary myoglobin level was closely related to longer survival. In acute/subacute deaths with a post-mortem interval within 48h, a significant difference was observed in relation to the blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels of fire victims: myoglobinuria over 100 ng/ml was more frequently and markedly observed in cases with COHb below 60% than over 60%, suggesting muscle damage in fatal burns. Similar elevation was observed in heat stroke victims, and also in some cases of acute and subacute death from polytrauma, asphyxiation, drowning, electricity and spontaneous cerebral bleeding, but not in myocardial infarction. Thus, it was suggested that high post-mortem urinary myoglobin levels in acute and subacute death cases may be a possible indicator of antemortem massive skeletal muscle damage as well as exertional muscle hyperactivity or convulsive disorders associated with hypoxia.