Some problems in identification of an unidentified corpse

Presents data on the number of unidentified corpses sent to the morgue of Bureau of Forensic Medical Expert Evaluations of the Rostov region and discusses the shortcomings in organization of medical criminalistic personality identification. Discusses some scientific problems investigated at Department of Forensic Medicine of Rostov State Medical University.     

Method of determining methemoglobin in cadaver blood

Poisoning with methemoglobin toxins are not rare in forensic medical practice, but there is still no reliable method for measuring methemoglobin in cadaveric biological fluids and tissues. The author investigated factors affecting evaluation of natural amounts of methemoglobin in the blood, compared several methods for methemoglobin measurements, and developed qualitative characteristics indicating the presence of methemoglobin in cadaveric blood. A rational method for measuring methemoglobin in the blood, blood clots, and tissues is offered for forensic chemical and biochemical evaluations.     

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.     

An estimation of the post-mortem interval in human skeletal remains: a radionuclide and trace element approach

Estimation of the post-mortem interval remains a contentious issue, with forensic pathologists often relying upon the recognition of morphological changes.A radionuclide approach has often been suggested in the literature, although limitations have prevented its application, most notably those of diagenesis. Within this pilot study, we show for the first time that there is a correlation between certain radionuclide content and time since death.A larger study is proposed to confirm these findings and possibly provide a calibration against which bones uncovered can be dated.     

Analysis of gastrocnemius compound muscle action potential in rat after death: significance for the estimation of early postmortem interval

The estimation of postmortem interval is of great importance in forensic medicine. Changes in the properties of excitable tissue provide another possible means by which the time of death can be estimated. This paper reports the monitorization of the compound action potentials recorded from gastrocnemius muscle by means of sciatic nerve stimulation in rats before and after death. The sciatic nerve was stimulated using rectangular impulses of 0.1ms duration and intensities ranged between 1 and 100mA while the rat was alive. Subsequently, the rat was killed by cervical dislocation. The similar measurement procedure was performed at the moment of death and every 5min after sequentially. There was a progressive decline in amplitude values that began 10min after death. The decrease in the amplitude of the compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) was most prominent especially when elicited with lower stimulus intensities. The mean area of the CMAPs also began to decrease beginning from 15min after death. Fifteen minutes after death, the motor latencies began to prolong. Thirty-five minutes after death, the decline in amplitude and area of mean CMAP was most prominent as the mean motor latency. At the 40th minute, most of the CMAPs were unelicitable. During the early postmortem interval, these amplitude, area and motor latency alterations decrease in the amplitude and area, prolongation of motor latency seems to be well correlated with each other and this was statistically significant. These findings are discussed as possible basis of a forensic method for postmortem interval estimation.     

Simultaneous screening and quantitation of 18 antihistamine drugs in blood by liquid chromatography ionspray tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method is presented for the simultaneous screening and quantitation of 18 antihistamine drugs in blood samples. Sample pretreatment involved liquid-liquid extraction of the basic antihistamines followed by a second extraction of the acidic antihistamines. The recoveries were 43-113% for basic drugs and 23-66% for acidic drugs. The combined extracts were run by LC on C(18) reversed phase column using acetonitrile-ammonium acetate mobile phase at pH 3.2. The mass spectrometric analysis was performed with a triple stage quadrupole mass analyzer. Screening was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and any compounds tentatively identified as antihistamine drugs were then automatedly verified by their Product Ion Spectra in a subsequent MS/MS run.Quantitation was based on the MRM data from the screening step. In validation tests, the method showed good linearity at the relevant concentrations. The attained limits of quantitation varied between 0.0005 and 0.01mg/l in blood and were lower than the therapeutic concentrations (C(max)). The limits for identification by Product Ion Spectra were also lower than C(max), except for clemastine, which has exceptionally low concentrations in blood. The intra-assay relative standard deviations were better than 10% and the inaccuracy varied between 39% for levocabastine and 5% for cyclizine, the majority of the values being <20%.     

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva: report of two cases.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left sinus of Valsalva (LSV) is rare and has only recently been recognized as a cause of sudden cardiac death in otherwise healthy individuals. In this report, we describe two cases of anomalous origin of the RCA from the LSV. In the first case, a previously healthy 11-year-old girl died suddenly and unexpectedly. An autopsy revealed no abnormalities, except for anomalous origin of the RCA from the LSV. In the second case, a 21-year-old woman died by drowning in a bath, probably after an episode of syncope brought about by anomalous origin of the RCA from the LSV.     

Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in three major population groups in Bulgaria.

A total of 280 unrelated males from the three largest population groups in Bulgaria: Bulgarians, Bulgarian Turks and Gypsies, were analyzed for seven Y-chromosome STRs (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392 and DYS393). Comparison of the allele frequency distributions revealed significant differences between the three ethnic groups which were confirmed with haplotype analysis. This permits us to suggest that population differentiation should be taken into account in forensic case analysis and paternity testing in Bulgaria.