道路交通事故速度重建技术现状

事故车辆行驶速度是道路交通事故调查的重要内容,也是公安交通管理部门进行事故认定,法院进行司法审判的关键技术依据。目前事故车辆行驶速度调查的主要途径是办案单位委托具有专业技术能力的司法鉴定机构进行速度重建,使用的方法主要有基于事故形态的速度重建、基于模拟软件的速度重建、基于车载记录数据的速度重建和基于视频图像的速度重建。通过从速度重建的技术发展、执业类别和能力验证等方面介绍了我国道路交通事故速度重建技术的发展现状。     

论机动车交通事故责任的赔偿主体

不同的归责原则体现不同的责任分配思想和责任承担基础,因此其责任主体的认定标准也不相同。《道路交通安全法》第76条没有采纳单一的归责原则,而是区分不同的责任范围和交通事故类型分别适用不同的归责原则。"运行支配和运行利益"是危险责任原则下保有者或者运行供用者的判断标准,因此将其作为我国机动车交通事故责任主体的判断标准必然与《道路交通安全法》第76条第(一)项所确立的过错责任相冲突。我国未来制定的民法典应当在厘清归责原则与责任主体之间关系的基础上,正确定位机动车交通事故责任的归责原则,并规定与之相适应的责任主体。     

The Linux FAT32 allocator and file creation order reconstruction

The allocation algorithm of the Linux FAT32 file system driver positions files on disk in such a way that their relative positions reveal information on the order in which these files have been created. This provides an opportunity to enrich information from (carved) file fragments with time information, even when such file fragments lack the file system metadata in which time-related information is usually to be found.Through source code analysis and experiments the behaviour of the Linux FAT allocator is examined. How an understanding of this allocator can be applied in practice is demonstrated with a case study involving a TomTom GPS car navigation device. In this case, time information played a crucial role. Large amounts of location records could be carved from this device's flash storage, yielding insight into the locations the device has visited—yet the carved records themselves offered no information on when the device had been at the locations. Still, bounds on the records' time of creation could be inferred when making use of filesystem timestamps related to neighbouring on-disk positions.Finally, we perform experiments which contrast the Linux behaviour with that of Windows 7. We show that the latter differs subtly, breaking the strong relation between creation order and position.     

Determination of average vehicle speed utilizing reverse projection

Reverse projection photogrammetry has long been used to estimate the height of an individual in forensic video examinations. A natural extrapolation would be to apply the same technique on a video to estimate the speed of an object by determining the distance traveled between two points over a set amount of time. To test this theory, five digital video recorders (DVRs) were connected to a single fixed camera to record a vehicle traveling down a track. The vehicle's speed was measured through Doppler radar by a trained operator and the speedometer of the vehicle was also recorded with a video camera. The recorded video was examined and the frames that best depict the beginning and end of the vehicles course were selected. Two reverse projection photogrammetric examinations were performed on the selected frames to establish the position of the vehicle. The distance between the two points was measured, and the time elapsed between the two points was examined. The outcome provided an accurate speed result with a standard degree of uncertainty. This study proves the feasibility of using video data and reverse projection photogrammetry to determine the speed of a vehicle with a limited set of variables. Further research is needed to determine how additional variables would impact the standard degree of uncertainty.     

Forensic Facial Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Nasal Prediction Techniques

Prediction facial features from the skull are recurring theme on the forensic literature. The nose has been investigated since it has a significant role in facial recognition and the literature shows that there is not an universal method for nasal prediction. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to analyze what are the most consistent techniques of nasal reconstruction. Primary studies describing or validating nasal reconstruction techniques in adults and published in journals of Forensic Sciences were included in this review. Tedeschi‐Oliveira's method positioned nasal tip with acceptable accuracy as Gerasimov's method. The Krogman's and Iscan's technique underestimated nasal projection in North Americans. The Prokopec's and Ubelaker's method obtained accuracy in Caucasoid. George's method presented results similar to reference standard in Caucasoid. In a supplementary way, studies are needed to accurately estimate the nasal width.     

Fatal exsanguination following complete transection of femoral vessels due to angle grinder injury in an industrial accident

Angle grinders are one of the most dangerous and frequently used tools in industrial settings. Angle grinder injuries range from superficial cuts to deep penetrating injuries with underlying fracture-dislocation and vascular trauma. The injuries caused by angle grinders mostly involve the head, face, or upper limbs, while the lower limb is an unusual site. The high-speed rotating disc of the angle grinders does not respect anatomical boundaries or structures; therefore, the injuries caused may be disfiguring, permanently incapacitating, or even fatal. We report a fatal case of an angle grinder injury to the lower limb. The victim sustained a sharp cut over the left thigh while woodworking in an industrial setup. The rotating disc of an angle grinder had transected the skin, subcutaneous fat and muscles, and both the femoral vessels of the left side, which led to fatal exsanguination within 10 min of the incident.     

The road home: an examination of the successes and challenges of housing non-profits in New Orleans since Katrina

Hurricane Katrina claimed the lives of nearly 1000 Louisiana residents and damaged about 80% of the building stock in New Orleans. Unequal protection from the hurricane and uneven recovery patterns have left some communities (predominantly low-income and black) with few options to rebuild their homes. These factors have created a high demand for housing non-profits specializing in new construction as well as low-cost home repairs. Drawing from interviews with a number of stakeholders including non-profits completing home repairs and new construction for low-income residents, this article identifies the type, amount and target areas for work done by housing non-profits in post-Katrina New Orleans. Additionally, it identifies the challenges for future work and limitations in the non-profits’ ability to address housing inequity in New Orleans.     

The Influence of Wood Grain on the Bullet's Ricochet Behavior

When a bullet ricochets from wood, various parameters will influence its behavior. In this study, the influence of the wood grain on the ricochet angle (β) and deflection angle (γ) is assessed. Series of five .32 Auto bullets were fired at different angles of incidence (α) on boards of six wood types. The results confirm the previously shown effect that the mean β‐angles usually exceed α and increase when α increases. Overall, the maximum mean γ occurs when the angle of wood grain (ζ), in relation to the plane of impact, lies between 30° and 75° but differs per combination of wood and α. The results show the inclination of γ toward the left or right, depending on the bullets left or right rotation while also showing that the direction of ζ can enhance or counteract this effect considerably, especially when α is close to the critical ricochet angle.     

Skull and Encephalic Injuries Caused by Beach Umbrellas: Case Reports and Review of Literature

This study reports two unusual cases of skull‐encephalic injuries in bathers that were caused by violent impacts with beach umbrellas. The first case concerned a 36‐year‐old man who, while lying on a sun bed, was struck on his left temple by a beach umbrella, which had been blown away by a gust of wind. The second case concerned a six‐year‐old child who was struck on the right temporal region while he was playing on the sand. Both subjects died. A review of the literature was carried out. Various skull and brain injuries caused by several objects were found, but no injuries caused by beach umbrellas were detected. There were only cases of injuries caused by normal umbrellas. These cases showed that several objects can be responsible for traumas causing skull and brain injuries, therefore forensic investigation must be supplemented by circumstantial data.     

多层螺旋CT在交通事故尸检中的应用价值

目的在交通事故死亡者尸检中应用多层螺旋CT进行检查,探讨其应用价值。方法随机数字法选取10名因交通事故死亡者的尸体进行常规CT和多层螺旋CT尸检,进行三维重建图像分析,与尸体解剖尸检结果加以对比分析。结果多层螺旋CT诊断与尸体解剖检查一致性高,较常规CT诊断准确。结论在交通事故死亡者尸检中,应用多层螺旋CT诊断,方法简便易行,与常规尸检结果具有较高的诊断一致性,应用价值极高。