Diagnostic criteria in acute ethanol intoxication as cause of death

There are described, in the paper, morphological, chemical and biochemical signs in acute alcoholic intoxication. A complex approach is suggested to diagnosing an acute alcoholic intoxication as death reason.     

Differentiation of spermatic antigens and vaginal discharge in mixed spots

The technique of differentiation of ABO antigens in a mixed spot of sperm and vaginal discharge based on higher electrophoretic mobility of spermatic protein compared to that of vaginal secretion is proposed.     

Analysis of explosive damage in metals using orientation imaging microscopy

The goal of this project was to determine whether quantitative information concerning the size and nature of an explosive blast could be determined using Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) to analyze the texture of blast-affected metal. Selected 1018 steel and 2024 aluminum samples were subjected to various explosive blasts chosen to simulate a wide range of possible pressure waves. The explosives used were PBX 9404, Comp-C4, Gelmax, and Bullseye. The explosive tests were carried out at Sandia National Laboratory, and the OIM analysis was conducted at Ames Laboratory. It was discovered that while suitable patterns could be obtained from the steel samples, the oxide layer present on the surface of the aluminum samples prevented these samples from being studied. The results of the OIM studies on the steel samples indicate that damage can be tracked using OIM imaging and that Comp-C4 seems to produce patterns significantly different than the other explosives.     

Drawbacks and new methodological approaches to forensic medical examination of sexual conditions

Drawbacks of forensic-medical examination of sexual conditions are due to problems of management and diagnosis. Updating expertise of sexual conditions means standardization, application of modern examination tools and devices, making more than one examinations, skills in examination of the man in suspected erectile dysfunction, purposeful search for sperma.     

Postmortem assessment of fetal diaphyseal femoral length: validation of a radiographic methodology

Depending on the general condition of fetal remains, forensic specialists might face difficulties concerning age estimation. Reference tables and regression equations are helpful devices in this task, although they are generally applied for complete fetuses or fetal remains including soft tissues. However, the problem of age estimation stays for osseous remains, both for entire bones and ossified parts, since most of the reference tables come from ultrasonographic measurements, which are not easily reproducible on fetal osseous remains. Furthermore, the ultrasonographic measurements contain slight errors in comparison to the real anatomical ones. This study describes a radiographic protocol and a measurement technique that facilitate and improve bone measurements, and therefore, facilitate age estimation, too. A qualitative criterion, namely a clear-cut bony endplate, was defined and tested. Its reliability (repeatability and reproducibility) turned out to be good, showing nonsignificative differences to the threshold of 0.05, with average errors of 0.26 and 0.44 mm respectively. Moreover, concerning the test of eventual size differences between the right and left femurs showed a P value < 0.0001. The test of the qualitative criterion was based on the comparison of the radiographic in situ femur measurements and the radiographic measurements of the same bones after dissection. The results were satisfactory, since an average error of 0.58 mm was obtained, which did not give any significant differences to the threshold of 0.05. It was concluded that this methodology provides an easy and precise new measurement tool for forensic practice, and can allow us to establish some nonultrasonographic tables, which fit our population.     

Morphological study of the corpus striatum in forensic medical diagnosis of chronic opiate abuse

Morphological analysis of the corpus striatum in morphine intoxication was carried out on experimental and autopsy specimens. The resultant morphometrical data characterize various stages of opium narcomania and abstinence. The severity of involvement of neuronal structures and specific features of the glial reaction are described, which can be used in forensic medical diagnosis of such intoxications.     

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in a case of suspected chronic heavy metal poisoning

We describe a patient who died of suspected heavy metal poisoning after a nine-month history of rapidly worsening dementia. Autopsy at a forensic-pathological institute established the postmortem diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) based on demonstration of the proteinase-resistant prion protein (PrPsSc) in Western-Blot on native brain tissue. Microscopic examination of the macroscopically largely inconspicuous brain revealed marked spongiform changes in the gray matter--mainly affecting the cerebral cortex, nucleus caudatus, and putamen--with confluent vacuoles. Patchy or perivacuolar deposits of PrPSc were found as well as granular PrPsc deposits. The cerebellum contained focal PrPsc deposits. There was an astrogliosis in the white matter and a proliferation of microglia in the gray matter with a simultaneous clear reduction in neuronal elements. The differential diagnosis is discussed, as is the potential risk to those performing autopsy on forensic cases with a clinical picture of rapidly progressing dementia, especially in cases where a prion disease is not initially suspected.     

Analysis of forensic-medical expert conclusions on rap and concealed rape (data from anonymous questionnaires)

Specific features of modern cases of raping are analyzed on the basis of the data of forensic medical obstetrical and gynecological expert evaluations carried out in the Primorye territory. Age and risk groups are defined, health status of victims is characterized, and specific injuries of the body and genitals are described. Specific features of concealed sexual violations in Vladivostok are defined and the need in creation of rehabilitation centers for victims of raping is discussed.