Lyniece Lewis M.S.  Angi M. Christensen Ph.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(2):439-441

Burned skeletal material is often very fragile and at high risk for fragmentation during packaging and transportation. One method that has been suggested to protect bones in these cases is to carefully wrap them in aluminum foil. Traces of aluminum, however, are known to transfer from foil packaging materials to food products. If such transfer occurs between aluminum foil and bones, it could interfere with subsequent chemical, elemental and isotopic analyses, which are becoming more common in forensic anthropological investigations. This study examined aluminum levels in bones prior to and following the use of aluminum foil packaging and storage for a 6‐week period. Results indicate no significant change in the detected levels of aluminum (p > 0.05), even when packaged in compromised foil and exposed to elevated temperatures. Aluminum foil can therefore continue to be recommended as a packaging medium without affecting subsequent chemical examinations.  相似文献   

    

Anna Leonard Ph.D.  Robert Vink Ph.D.  Roger W. Byard M.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(3):671-673

Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were euthanized and placed in a horizontal or vertical (head‐down) position at room temperature, after which brain fluid content was measured by a moisture analysis technique at variable time points. No significant difference in brain fluid content was observed between horizontal and vertical postmortem positions. A significant increase in brain fluid content was demonstrated 3, 6, and 24 h after death, with maximal fluid content observed at 24 h. Specifically, the brain fluid content of control animals was 77.79 ± 0.36%, increasing to 80.05 ± 0.22% at 24 h (p < 0.0001). This study has demonstrated no significant differences in brain fluid content related to postmortem position, suggesting that a head‐down position is not associated with increased brain fluid content or swelling. However, significant temporal increases in brain fluid content after death, most likely related to cerebral liquefaction, occur.  相似文献   

    

Pavlos Pavlidis M.D.  Ph.D.  Valeria Karakasi M.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(3):656-660

Until 2008, the easternmost land borders of the European Union (Greek‐Turkish land zone) were planted with minefields spanning 11 km. Therefore, numerous fatalities occurred in peacetime as migrants attempted to avoid Greek border checks. Numerous fatal incidents (51) were detected inside the Greek minefields between 1997 and 2008. Determination of age, sex, time of death, and nationality were evaluated in every case. The injuries’ anatomical dispersion, their severity, and the mechanism of death were examined in relation to the victims’ position at the moment of the explosion. Data research indicated that all victims were male, aged 18–30 in their majority, crossing border minefields mainly during the night. Their distance and position in relation to the point of detonation was a key factor in the trauma localization and severity. This review highlights the devastating consequences of the residual mines during peacetime, a situation that continues to be a persistent international problem.  相似文献   

    

Michael C. Taylor Ph.D.  Terry L. Laber B.S.  Paul E. Kish M.Sc.  Glynn Owens Ph.D.  Nikola K. P. Osborne Ph.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(4):922-927

This study was designed to produce the first baseline measure of reliability in bloodstain pattern classification. A panel of experienced bloodstain pattern analysts examined over 400 spatter patterns on three rigid non‐absorbent surfaces. The patterns varied in spatter type and extent. A case summary accompanied each pattern that either contained neutral information, information to suggest the correct pattern (i.e., was positively biasing), or information to suggest an incorrect pattern (i.e., was negatively biasing). Across the variables under examination, 13% of classifications were erroneous. Generally speaking, where the pattern was more difficult to recognize (e.g., limited staining extent or a patterned substrate), analysts became more conservative in their judgment, opting to be inconclusive. Incorrect classifications increased as a function of the negatively biasing contextual information. The implications of the findings for practice are discussed.  相似文献   

    

Pavla Zednikova Mala M.Sc.  Jana Veleminska Ph.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(4):1046-1054

This study examined several methods used to estimate oral fissure position, lip margin position, and lip thickness recommended by Angel, George, Lebedinskaya, Taylor, Wilkinson et al., Balueva and Veselovskaya. A sample of 86 lateral head cephalograms of adult subjects from central Europe were measured and the actual and predicted dimensions were compared. The best estimation for oral fissure position was “opposite the lower ¾ mark of maxillary incisors” (error of 1.3 mm). Upper lip margin was predicted best by “upper ¼ mark of maxillary incisors” (error of 1.7 mm), and lower lip margin by “cementum‐enamel junction of mandibular incisors” (error of 2.3 mm). The regression equations of Wilkinson et al. displayed least error (1.3 mm and 1.8 mm, respectively) for upper and lower lip thickness, and method of George (error of 3.4 mm) for total lip thickness.  相似文献   

    

Sabrina Mauf M.D.  Thorsten Jentzsch M.D.  Patrick J. Laberke M.D.  Michael J. Thali M.D.  eM.B.A.  Christine Bartsch M.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(4):988-992

The prevalence of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) is increasing. However, postmortem analysis of CIEDs is not performed routinely. Fourteen consecutive CIEDs were analyzed. The indication for and date of implantation, technical data, CIED reprogramming, heart rhythm disturbances, patient demographics and medical consultations were investigated. Death during the first year after implantation was seen in 54%, whereof 71% consulted a physician within 10 days before death. The time of death was attributed to a particular day in 29%. There was a relationship between CIEDs and cause/manner of death in 50%. Although limited by a small sample size, this study advocates the routine postmortem CIED analysis for forensic and clinical purposes in selected cases. Patients with CIEDs seem to show an increased risk of death during the first year after implantation. The analysis of CIEDs can be helpful in evaluating the time/cause/manner of death.  相似文献   

    

Hyunwoo Jung M.A.  Eun Jin Woo Ph.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(4):1029-1033

Conventional methods for evaluating the mastoid as a sex indicator cannot determine whether mastoid shape is an independent and reliable sex indicator. Here, shape differences between the mastoids of 100 male and 100 female modern white Americans were statistically analyzed and visualized using the geometric morphometric method. Discriminant analysis was performed on mastoid size and shape. The relation between size and shape was analyzed to examine the effect of size on shape. In the results, mastoid size and shape were statistically significant sex indicators, while size factor explained 87.3% of the total variance of the shape variables. Nevertheless, females had relatively broader and shorter mastoid shape than males regardless of size, reflecting 12.7% of the total variance of the shape variables. In conclusion, mastoid size and shape were statistically significant sex indicators, while size may matter more in the mastoid than in other cranial parts in terms of sexual dimorphism.  相似文献   

    

Roger W. Byard M.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(4):979-983

The corpus callosum is a large central white matter tract that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres. It permits placental mammals to have a more sophisticated interhemispheric integration of sensory cortices and allows communication between cortical and subcortical neurons. Search of the literature and the pathology archives at The University of Adelaide was undertaken to identify lesions and injuries within the corpus callosum that may have forensic significance. These include developmental/congenital lesions with agenesis/dysgenesis, vascular malformations, and lipomas; inherited syndromes such as neurofibromatosis; and acquired lesions involving trauma, neoplasia, demyelination, vascular conditions, infections, fat embolism, aging/dementia, and the effects of toxins. The finding of lesions within the corpus callosum should initiate careful examination of the adjacent brain and other organ systems for related phenomena as this may shed some light on the nature of the underlying condition, and also help to determine whether there are any forensic implications.  相似文献   

    

Melissa Thompson M.B.B.S.  Stephen Wills F.R.C.P.A.  Roger W. Byard M.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(5):1261-1265

Diaphragmatic defects are a relatively common and benign finding in adults which may be congenital or secondarily acquired. The case files at Forensic Sciences South Australia were reviewed over a 10‐year period from July 2005 to June 2015 for all adult (>17 years) cases in which diaphragmatic hernias were identified at postmortem examination that had either caused or contributed to death. Five cases were found: age range 49–90 years (average 67.2 years); male:female ratio 2:3. Herniated organs included the stomach (N = 3), small (N = 3) and large intestines (N = 2). Mechanisms of death involved lung compression with respiratory failure and/or mediastinal shift, and vascular compromise with gastric or intestinal infarction and/or perforation. Diaphragmatic hernias may not be identified until the time of autopsy and may be quite complex entities to evaluate due to a lack of clinical history and to difficulties in determining their origin and possible contributions to mechanisms of death.  相似文献   

    

Siren Helen Flaagøy M.D.  Inge Morild Ph.D.  Bjørn Ove Mæhle Ph.D.  Peer Kaare Lilleng Ph.D. 《Journal of forensic sciences》2016,61(5):1266-1269

Petechiae in conjunctivae and in the palpebrae/skin of the eyelids are of particular interest for the forensic pathologist, because of their association with pressure on the neck. They have been described in the eyelids of intoxicated persons both in case reports and in text books of forensic pathology. We studied 590 deaths caused by intoxication, and 75 had petechiae either in the conjunctivae, the eyelids, or in both locations. We examined the influence of drugs and ethanol on the location of the petechial hemorrhages in these deaths. Deaths with ethanol in blood and in urine/vitreous humor more often had petechiae in both locations than those without. This association was statistically significant, independent of body position and livor mortis. No association between the location of petechiae, medicinal drugs, or narcotics was found. These results suggest that ethanol may contribute to the development of petechial hemorrhages in deaths from intoxication.  相似文献