ABSTRACT
Death from general hypothermia is one of the leading causes in the structure of violent death in the Russian Federation. OBJECTIVE: To clarify and supplement the complex of differential diagnostic macro- and microscopic signs of a fatal acute general cold trauma received when person is in the air and water. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The conclusions of forensic medical experts on the bodies of people who died from hypothermia in the air and in water (by 150 observations) were analyzed. Methods of descriptive statistics, calculation of the frequency ratio of signs' occurrence were used. RESULTS: The article provides quantitative assessment of occurrence (detection) rate of diagnostically significant signs established with the help of traditional methods of expert examination. A new classification of diagnostic death signs from hypothermia taking into account their differential diagnostic significance and reflecting the conditions of a person's stay in the air and water in the pre-mortem and post-mortem periods, as well as terminal period mechanisms is proposed. CONCLUSION: The established complexes of signs provide an objective basis for determining death cause in non-obvious conditions when cold exposure is expected to be one of the most damaging factors.
Subject(s)
Hypothermia , Humans , Hypothermia/diagnosis , Hypothermia/mortality , Cause of Death , Russia/epidemiology , Forensic Pathology/methods , Expert Testimony/methods , Autopsy/methods , Cold Temperature , Diagnosis, Differential , Forensic Medicine/methods , Air/analysis , WaterABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To find a way and form of presenting impedance metrics data to clarify prescription of death coming in a comprehensive assessment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The impedance of biological objects was measured depending on prescription of death coming in standardized conditions (air temperature +4 °C, humidity 45%). The main examined postmortem period was 1 months. Measurements were made on 3 diagnostic zones of biological object and for 5 current frequency of the study. A total of 2100 readings were taken. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The studies performed in standardized conditions have showed that using impedance metrics method to diagnose prescription of death coming is possible. The analysis of only absolute impedance values is not sufficient to clarify prescription of death coming due to its undulating changes. The additional use of relative coefficients, characterizing impedance dispersion, is suggested. The study of possible using the impedance indicators of corpse's tissues to determine prescription of death coming should be performed with consideration to pathomorphology of degradation. Further study of impedance dynamics when corpse is under different conditions is necessary for development of a working algorithm to determine prescription of death coming based on tissue impedance.
Subject(s)
Postmortem Changes , Humans , Electric Impedance , Cadaver , TemperatureABSTRACT
The authors' idea of the "scientific school" concept is presented. The evolution of the forensic school formation is shown, starting from the student years, through professional specialization and scientific analysis of forensic practice to independent thesis. The basic principles of training military forensic experts in the Military Medical Academy are demonstrated. A summary of 40 candidates and doctoral theses performed under the scientific supervision and with the scientific advice of Professor V.L. Popov is presented as well.
Subject(s)
Forensic Medicine , Humans , Forensic Medicine/historyABSTRACT
Recently in the Russian Federation there has been a significant increase in the number of commissions of forensic medical examinations on «medical cases¼ associated with inappropriate provision of medical care to the population. The problem of investigating such crimes is one of the most difficult tasks facing law enforcement agencies. A special place among them is occupied by examinations related to maternal mortality. Bleeding is one of the main causes of maternal mortality, the share of which in Russia in 2019 was 14.5%. An illustrative example of conditionally preventable death is the case of an unfavorable outcome of a pathological pregnancy in patient A., 25 years old, which ended in a sudden spontaneous rupture of the rudimentary horn of the uterus with massive intra-abdominal bleeding. The underestimation of the results of MRI and ultrasound diagnostics led to a medical error in establishing the variant of an anomaly in the development of the uterus in patient A. and entailed the wrong tactics for managing her pregnancy under observation in a private medical organization.
Subject(s)
Pregnancy, Ectopic , Uterus , Adult , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy, Ectopic/diagnosis , Uterus/abnormalitiesABSTRACT
Through experimental reproduction of the decomposition process using the cadaver of rabbit Oryctolagus sp., the dynamics of cadaver microflora was studied; the dominant bacterial taxa were isolated in pure culture and identified; their ecological and trophic profiles and biodiversity were described based on the values of Simpson and Menchinic ecological indices. The dependence of cadaver rotting and skeletonization rate on the taxonomic profile of microorganisms, decomposition period, and abiotic environmental factors (temperature, acidity, soil moisture) was demonstrated. The data obtained contribute to justifying the use of microbiological methods in forensic practice. To establish objective causality patterns of microbial transformation of organic matter in nature, further targeted study of ecological patterns of cadaveric microflora is necessary.
Subject(s)
Microbiota , Postmortem Changes , Animals , Bacteria , Cadaver , Forensic Medicine , RabbitsABSTRACT
Forensic examination of a gunshot injury is the most difficult problem of domestic and foreign forensic medicine. A large amount of knowledge and practical observations on damage from standard samples of handguns has been accumulated. The emergence of new unique samples of special-purpose weapons requires forensic physicians and forensic experts to conduct a complex of morphological, spectral, forensic chemical, medico-forensic, radiological and other special laboratory studies of damage caused by such weapons. The article presents a case of forensic medical examination commission with the issue solution of differential diagnosis of causing a mortal fire wound injuries by a specific sample of special-purpose handgun.
Subject(s)
Firearms , Wounds, Gunshot , Diagnosis, Differential , Forensic Ballistics , Forensic Medicine , Humans , Radiography , Wounds, Gunshot/diagnosisABSTRACT
Issues related to the beginning of teaching forensic medicine in Russia, the date of foundation of the first department and the emergence of the first professors of forensic medicine are considered. We studied publications on forensic medicine of the 18th-19th centuries, the work of authoritative researchers in the history of medicine of this period. Study methods: systemic, comparative historical, analytical. An original periodization of the formation of the teaching of forensic medicine in Russia is proposed. The first period (since 1707) is the universal period of hospital schools; without isolation of forensic medicine as a separate medical discipline. The second period (from 1765) is the course period; the one of primary university education and hospital schools, or the initial isolation of forensic medicine. The third period (1798-1805) - the departmental period; the one of academic and university education, or the completion of the separation of forensic medicine. The names of the first domestic forensic professors who taught it as a separate medical discipline are established: Francis Keresturi, Johann Conradi, Johann Ringebroig, the first adjunct professors: Gabriel Popov Grigory Sukharev. It was confirmed that the first department of forensic medicine in Russia was the Department of Matter of Medicine and Forensic Medical Science of the St. Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy, formed in 1798. The first head of the department was Professor Johann Ringebroig.
Subject(s)
Forensic Medicine/education , Schools, Medical/history , Universities , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , Russia , TeachingABSTRACT
Two current approaches to the ergometric evaluation of the impact strength that lead to skull fracture are described. Within each of them, the features of particular techniques, typical expert errors, ways and means of preventing them are analyzed. Quantitative data on the contribution of various initial parameters (fracture type, age, bone thickness, skull radius of curvature, body weight, height, etc.) to the result of computational diagnostics are presented.
Subject(s)
Skull Fractures/diagnosis , Biomechanical Phenomena , Forensic Medicine , Humans , Skull , Skull Fractures/pathologyABSTRACT
Analysis of the scientific literature demonstrated that the study of the dynamic of post-mortem changes is one of the actual problems of the forensic thanatology. The establishment of patterns occurring in the post-mortem period is directly related to the determination of the duration of this period and, accordingly, the post-mortem interval. This is especially difficult in cases where the object of study is in a state of putrefactive changes or in the form of skeletonized remains with a minimal amount of soft tissue. The terms of the post-mortem transformation of the body due to putrefactive processes, the destruction of corpse tissue by insects and vertebral scavengers, its skeletonization and fragmentation are very variable. In this regard, it seems relevant to comprehensively compare the results of traditional methods for studying a corpse and studying the effects of microflora, entomofauna and vertebral scavengers. The data obtained will allow experts to more accurately and objectively reconstruct the conditions of the post-mortem period using forensic-zoological and microbial-entomological criteria.
Subject(s)
Cadaver , Forensic Entomology , Postmortem Changes , Autopsy , HumansABSTRACT
A rare case of a lethal outcome due to iatrogenic damage to the intercostal vessel, a collateral branch of the posterior intercostal artery, is described. The little-known features of the topography of this vessel (location on the upper edge of the underlying rib), which requires further study in the context of variable anatomy, are given. The risks associated with deviations from the traditionally recommended sites of pleural puncture (below the eighth intercostal space to the scapular line) are substantiated. An analysis of the characteristics of bleeding arising from the intercostal vessels (from two ends, under high pressure, etc.) is given, which implies the extreme importance of a timely diagnosis. Differing points of view on the legal assessment of malpractice when care is delivered by a series of doctors, and the legal necessity of determining the 'point of no return' (the latest moment after the onset of bleeding, in which medical aid can still prevent an unfavorable outcome), are considered. An opinion is expressed on the need for the active participation (initiative) of an expert in the provision of expertise.
Subject(s)
Iatrogenic Disease , Pleura , Punctures , Humans , Pleura/injuriesABSTRACT
The authors report two cases of extended amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) associated with the birth-giving process with the analysis of their causes and the discussion of the possible pathways through which the amniotic fluid penetrates into maternal blood. A rare cause of amniotic fluid embolism due to the rupture of placental membranes as a result of submembranous hemorrhage is described. The changes in the lungs associated with extended AFE are apparent in the presence of macroscopic emboli formed from the particles of the amniotic fluid. The article describes for the first time in the Russian-language literature the macroscopically visible emboli composed of the particles of the amniotic fluid present in the pulmonary blood vessels. It is also the first report of the rupture of the placental membranes resulting from subamniotic hemorrhage as a cause of the appearance of the amniotic fluid in the maternal circulation.
Subject(s)
Embolism, Amniotic Fluid/diagnosis , Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Lung/pathology , Placenta/pathology , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
The clinical observation reported in the present article is of special interest for the forensic medical experts taking into consideration the rare occurrence of infarction of the spleen in the medical legal practice. More comprehensive detailed information about such cases is needed for their thorough in-depth investigation and systematization of the differential diagnostic signs and clinical manifestations of the injury (rupture of the spleen) and pathology of the organ (infarction) for the purpose of the more reliable differentiation between these conditions, creation of the relevant diagnostic database, formulation of more conclusive recommendations, and their better substantiation.
Subject(s)
Spleen/pathology , Splenectomy/methods , Splenic Infarction , Splenic Rupture , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Forensic Pathology/methods , Humans , Male , Splenic Infarction/diagnosis , Splenic Infarction/pathology , Splenic Rupture/diagnosis , Splenic Rupture/pathology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
This review of the literature covers the major articles published during the past 40 years that treat the problem of forensic medical expertise of the injuries to human organs inflicted by the power saws with high-speed reciprocating motion of the blade (power jigsaws and sabre saws.) The authors analyze the current state-of-the-art in this field and the available possibilities for the forensic medical expertise to evaluate the injuries inflicted by the sawing devices.
Subject(s)
Industry/instrumentation , Wounds and Injuries , Wounds, Penetrating , Biomechanical Phenomena , Equipment Design , Forensic Pathology/methods , Humans , Wounds and Injuries/etiology , Wounds and Injuries/pathology , Wounds, Penetrating/diagnosis , Wounds, Penetrating/etiologyABSTRACT
In connection with the variability and as a consequence of the poor diagnostic value of the external (planimetric) parameters of the palm traces, the new system of absolute and relative dimensional attributes based on the stable palmoglyphic reference points is considered. The purpose of the present study was the search for the new biological markers of biological age. The material for the study consisted of the palm prints obtained from 180 men and 120 women of the Caucasoid stock at the age from 16 to 80 years. The use of the descriptive statistics methods yielded the basic statistical characteristics of the traits being investigated and revealed the limits of their variability in the groups of men and women belonging to the age groups from 16 to 29 and from 30 to 80 years. The method of threshold values made it possible to identify 13 attributes the excess of which allows, with the probability of no less than 0.95, to perform diagnostics of the age group of an unknown subject.
Subject(s)
Aging/pathology , Biometric Identification , Dermatoglyphics , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Biometric Identification/methods , Biometric Identification/standards , Female , Forensic Pathology/methods , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
This article was designed to consider the congenital age-specific features of palm dermatoglyphics in the adults subjects (including the type of the papillary patterns, axial tri-radii, the termini of palmar main lines, the rudiments of palmar lines, the dermatoglyphic ridge count between the stable anatomical structures). The objective of the study was to look for the new diagnostic markers of the biological age. It included the identification of the palm prints obtained from 180 Caucasoid men and 120 women at the age varying from 16 to 80 years. The results of the mathematical and statistical analysis provided the basis for drawing up the list of 18 attributes of palm dermatoglyphics significantly (p<0.05) differing in the frequency of occurrence between the representatives of individual age groups. The methods are proposed allowing to use these findings for the expert evaluation of the age of unknown subjects.
Subject(s)
Dermatoglyphics/classification , Hand/pathology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Female , Forensic Pathology/methods , Forensic Pathology/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
This paper reports a case of forensic medical expertise of an unintentional (accidental) injury inflicted by an electric circular saw with the high-speed reciprocating motion of the blade (jigsaw) under conditions of human operational activities.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Occupational , Hand Injuries , Occupational Injuries , Adult , Expert Testimony , Forensic Pathology/methods , Hand Injuries/diagnosis , Hand Injuries/etiology , Humans , Male , Occupational Injuries/diagnosis , Occupational Injuries/etiologyABSTRACT
The objective of the present work was to elucidate the characteristic morphological features of the injuries inflicted to the human skin by a power jigsaw depending on the sawing velocity. The study has demonstrated the possibility of mathematical analysis of the sawing velocity based on the morphological peculiarities of the injury to the skin. The data obtained indicate that forensic medical expertise of the injuries inflicted by a power jigsaw can be based on the study of the width of the abraded edges of the wound in order to determine the sawing velocity.
Subject(s)
Skin , Weapons , Wounds, Penetrating , Forensic Pathology/methods , Humans , Models, Biological , Models, Theoretical , Skin/injuries , Skin/pathology , Wounds, Penetrating/diagnosis , Wounds, Penetrating/etiologyABSTRACT
The professional activity of professor V.L. Popov is considered with special reference to the major achievements of himself and his disciples in the field of forensic medical ballistics. The essence of provisions formulated by V.L. Popov on the mechanisms of formation and extent of gunshot injuries is discussed with regard to their importance for the determination of the large shooting distance. V.L. Popov is the founder of the scientific and pedagogical school that was justifiably regarded as the largest in this country and remains as such. The main achievements of this school have been obtained in studies of gunshot injuries.
Subject(s)
Blast Injuries/history , Forensic Ballistics/history , Forensic Medicine/history , Wounds, Gunshot/history , Blast Injuries/etiology , Blast Injuries/pathology , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , Russia , Wounds, Gunshot/etiology , Wounds, Gunshot/pathologyABSTRACT
The main aspects of investigations devoted to forensic medical characteristic of sawed injuries inflicted to the long tubular bones by a power jigsaw are considered. The mathematical model has been developed making it possible to determine the frequency of backward and forward movements of the jigsaw blade from the morphological features of the injuries to long tubular bones of man and to estimate the sawing rate for the further identification of the instrument of crime.
