An unusual complex suicide involving a chainsaw and a hanging: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Suicides or suicidal attempts with power tools such as band or circular saws are rarely encountered in forensic medicine practice; in the forensic literature, only a few cases have been reported. We present the case of a "combined suicide" (self-injurious actions using different methods and involving various bodily sites) carried out with uncommon deadly methods: chainsaw and hanging. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old Caucasian man was found dead by his wife, hanging from the basement ceiling of the cellar in which he lived. During the investigation of the crime scene, external examination revealed a wide incised wound in the umbilical area showing the muscular and adipose tissues below. On inspection of the garden around the courtyard, the police found a chainsaw with blood spatter on both the blade and the handle. The blade appeared to be compatible with the abdominal injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Since the corpse presented this incised wound, it was crucial to establish the manner and the causes of death, as well as to exclude any third-party involvement. In this case, the presence of multiple injuries, potentially lethal, required a differential diagnosis between suicide or homicide. A detailed post-mortem examination, in association with a precise study of the circumstantial data, led the authors to assume that they were dealing with a "complex suicide."

Genetic analysis of suicide: a sample study in Tuscany (Central Italy).

Many studies have examined the genetic contribution to suicide. However, data on suicide in the Italian population are scarce. We therefore aimed to address this gap by investigating a cohort of 111 Italians for whom a verdict of suicide had been declared in court in Florence, Italy between 2007 and 2017. This cohort included 86 men and 25 women. DNA samples were obtained from tissues or blood, and 22 genes from multiple neurobiological pathways previously shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of suicide were analysed. Next-generation sequencing was used to compare these gene sequences with those from a large, normal population. In this study, we identified 19 gene variants that were present at significantly lower frequencies in our Italian cohort than in the general population. In addition, four missense mutations were identified in four different genes: Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA), 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 2 A (HTR2A), Sodium Voltage-Gated Channel Alpha Subunit 8 (SCN8A), and Nitric Oxide Synthase 3 (NOS3). Our study identified several potential genetic links with suicide in a cohort of Italians and supports a relationship between specific genetic variants and suicidal behaviour in this population.

Assessment of Recidivism Risk in Sex Offenders: A Pilot Study in Central Italy.

Knowing the risk factors of recidivism in sex offenders is important in order to prepare effective preventative interventions and treatment in custody. In this regard, the following paper shows the results of a pilot study carried out in the prisons of central Italy in which 44 sex offenders participated. These participants were given the following tests: Historical Clinical Risk Management-20-version 3 (HCR20v3), Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and Personal Inventory Dimensional (PID-5). The results show a high positivity in the factors of the sub-scales H (historical factors) and C (clinical factors) of HCR20v3; the average total score of the PCR-L is 16.47, with five subjects who are in the "high psychopathy" range (X ≥ 30); with regard to PID-5, the most positive domain is negative affectivity (56.10%).

Acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism due to acute intoxication by duloxetine: a case report.

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is a potent serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor used for the management of major depression and pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Cymbalta delayed-release capsules contain Duloxetine HCl equivalent to 20, 30, 60 mg of Duloxetine. The ingestion of high quantities of Duloxetine may have serious outcomes such as venous thrombosis, causing cardiac respiratory arrest. The Authors outline a case report of an elderly woman, suffering from depression, found dead in her apartment. The cause of death was attributed to acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism due to acute intoxication of Duloxetine bought the day before. The thesis supported by the authors and confirmed by the data from other studies is that a massive intake of Duloxetine drug increases considerably the medication's side effects such as somnolence, dry mouth, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, constipation, considerable increases in recumbent systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and a small decrease in heart rate.