[The structure of the fatal mechanical injury in Russia (the analysis of the materials for the period from 2003 to 2017)]. / Struktura smertel'noi mekhanicheskoi travmy v Rossii (po materialam 2003-2017 gg.).

The objective of the present work was to analyze the results and efficiency of forensic medical expertises and investigations of the cases of the fatal mechanical injury in Russia carried out during the period from 2003 to 2017. The analysis included the data on the structure and personnel scheduling charts of the departments of forensic medical expertise of the corpses in the state-governed forensic medical expertise institutions. It was shown that the structure of the fatal mechanical injury differs in different regions of the country: some of them are characterized by the predominance of blunt traumas whereas road traffic injuries prevail in others. In addition, the analysis of the regional distribution of the gunshot injuries was carried out.

[Forensic medical expertises and the studies of material evidence of biological origin in Russia (based on the materials collected during the period from 2003 till 2017)]. / Sudebno-meditsinskie ékspertizy i issledovaniia veshchestvennykh dokazatel'stv biologicheskogo proiskhozhdeniia v Rossii (po materialam 2003-2017 gg.).

The objective of the present study was the analysis of expert activities of the forensic biological, forensic cytological, and molecular genetic divisions and laboratories of the state agencies carrying out forensic medical expertise in the Russian Federation during the past 15 year period (2003-2017). We scrutinized the data on the organizational structure and the personnel scheduling chart of the aforementioned units. The study has demonstrated the progressive decrease in the number of forensic biological and forensic cytological investigations versus enhanced activities of the molecular genetic laboratories. The volume of work done by the forensic biological department was reduced by 42% during 2017 in comparison with 2003 whereas that of molecular genetic expertises and investigations increased by 6.9 times within the same period. Simultaneously, the structure of the molecular genetic expertises and investigations underwent appreciable changes. The relative amount of blood studies decreased while that of hair, teeth, bones, and other biological tissues increased. The time spent for the performance of expertises and investigations in the respective departments and laboratories decreased in comparison with 2003.

[The coroner's autopsies in the Great Britain: the problems related to the quality of the studies, standardization, auditing, financial support and the approaches to their solution]. / Koronerskaia autopsiia v Velikobritanii: problemy kachestva issledovanii, standartizatsii, audita, finansirovaniia i puti ikh resheniia.

This article continues the series of previous publications of the authors based on the analysis of the detailed report of the experts of the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death program (NCEPOD) designed to evaluate the quality of autopsies carried out by the coroners in the Great Britain. It was shown that only in 13 to 55% of the 1,691 case the operators had an opportunity to refer the necropsy materials for the pathological study. The problems encountered in association with histological and toxicological analysis arose from the misunderstanding between the coroners and the pathologists as regard the organizational aspects of autopsy studies as swell as the financial and economic considerations. The Coroner Rules that had been adopted in 1984 and remained in force in the country until 2005 needed to be radically revised, corrected, and amended to facilitate the solution of a number of problems and eliminate the formal organizational and technical contradictions that hampered the further improvement of the quality of autopsies that must be performed by the corners at the national rather than the local level. The maximum number of the unacceptable results were revealed in the protocols of autopsires carried out by the forensic medical experts. All pathologists in the Great Britain are recommended to pay special attention to all cases of sudden death of the adult subjects and the deceased epileptic patients. The detailed investigations are mandatory in all cases of death following medical manipulations, such as surgical interventions, and complications.

[The coroner's autopsies in the Great Britain: the problems related to the quality of the studies, standardization, auditing, financial support and the approaches to their solution (part 2)]. / Koronerskaia autopsiia v Velikobritanii: problemy kachestva issledovanii, standartizatsii, audita, finansirovaniia i puti ikh resheniia (chast' 2).

This article extends the previous publication of the authors based on the analysis of the detailed report of the experts of the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death program (NCEPOD) issued in the Great Britain in 2006. The analysis has demonstrated that all autopsy studies should invariably involve measurement of the corpse length and weight (including body mass index) as well as the detailed description of all injuries to the body (or references to their absence). All autopsy studies should be carried out only by a medical professional (e.g. a pathologist, histologist, forensic medical expert, etc.). The thorough examination of the cadaver is mandatory prior to evisceration. The maximum scope of the examination of all body cavities with the comprehensive description of all internal organs and systems is compulsory. Putrefaction and decomposition of the corpse can not be regarded as a justification for its perfunctory ('restricted') inspection; on the contrary, these dictate the necessity of a more careful examination with the compulsory description of all organs and body systems as well as harvesting biological fluids and tissues for the laboratory analyses (including histological, toxicological, and other relevant studies).

[The analysis of the theses for the scientific degree in "forensic medicine" and related medical disciplines defended during the period from 2010 till 2014].

The objective of the present study was to analyze the results of research reported in the theses for the degree in "forensic medicine" defended in different dissertation committees during the 5 year period (from 2010 till 2014) and to summarize and compartmentalize the main research areas in which the authors carried out their study and thereby make the data obtained more readily available for the wide circles of readers. A total of 55 theses for the scientific degree in "forensic medicine" (14.03.05) were defended during the period from 2010 till 2014 including 18 (32.7%) ones for the degree in two disciplines, the second being either "pathological anatomy" (n=6) or "stomatology" (n=4). Despite the great variety of the problems resolved in the studies conducted during the five year period, the subject matter of most research was on the whole consistent with the main lines of activities of the institutions with which the degree-seeking workers were affiliated. The same refers to the choice of the tutors and scientific advisers. the authors emphasize the necessity of centralized planning of research in compliance with the list of priority investigations having practical significance and coordination of cooperative studies carried out based on the state bureau of forensic medical expertise (SBFME) and departments of forensic medical expertise of medical universities.

[The foreign experience with the application of the modern radiodiagnostic methods for the estimation of prescription of death coming and time of infliction of injury].

We undertook the analysis of the foreign publications concerning the application of the modern radiodiagnostic methods (including MSCT- and MRI-visualization) with reference to the solution of the traditional problems facing forensic medical expertise, such as the estimation of prescription of death coming and time of infliction of injury in the dead bodies. Both advantages and disadvantages of postmortem visualization of the corpses of adult subjects are discussed taking into consideration the period of time that elapsed between the death and the onset of the study as well as the character of the injuries. It was shown that the examination of the corpses using the up-to-date methods of radiodiagnostics prior to autopsy makes it possible for morphologists, jointly with radiologists, to identify, to see in the new light, and to evaluate the number of charges in the dead body, such as the alteration of the blood cell sedimentation rate, the formation of postmortem hypostases in the internal organs, the hardening of the walls of aorta and major blood vessels, right heart dilatation, gradual smoothing of the borderline between grey and white matter of the brain. Virtual autopsy can be useful , even for the study of such long-term processes in the corpses as putrefaction, saponification, mummification, and peat tanning. Moreover, this technique may be instrumental in the elucidation of the specific features of topographic-anatomical relationships between individual 'tissues and organs, detection of the concealed lesions, and a variety of pathological changes. Postmortem visualization allows for the quantitative evaluation of the severity of these transformations and the preliminary estimation of prescription of death coming. Also, radiodiagnostic methods can be employed to reliably visualize and measure various hemorrhagic events (from the density of such ones as liquid and clotted blood) in the tissues surrounding the fractures, in body cavities, and internal organs as well as to establish the facts of inter-vital aspiration of blood, alimentary masses, liquid and solid foreign bodies penetrating into the upper sections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts as the consequence f an injury. It is concluded that the postmortem visualization techniques employed to estimate prescription of death coming and time of infliction of injury as well as other complicated problems facing forensic medical expertize need the further scientifically based development.

[The application of osteoscintigraphy in forensic medical practice for the detection and differentiation of bone fractures in the living human].

This paper is designed to present an example from the domestic expert practice with the successful application of the radionuclide technique to visualize the bone lesions in a victim of a traffic accident having concomitant pathology of the osseous-articular apparatus (Scheuermann-Mau disease). The use of the osteoscintigraphic method made it possible not only to confirm the injury to the spinal column and the sternum but also to ensure its differential diagnostics from the concurrent pathology. Also, the method allowed to detect the exact location of the fractures. Moreover, it proved possible to comprehensively characterize the mechanism underlying the bone fracture resulting from the car accident.

[The possibility of using immunoenzyme analysis for establishing the organ-tissue classification of objects in forensic medical expertise]. / O vozmozhnosti ispol'zovaniia immunofermentnogo analiza dlia ustanovleniia organotkanevoi prinadlezhnosti ob''ektov sudebno-meditsinskoi ékspertizy.

The possibility of using enzyme immunoassay for the detection of liver and kidney antigens in forensic medical investigations was demonstrated. For this purpose, it is necessary to carry out preliminary measurements of protein concentrations in a sample and to select working dilutions of antisera used in the test.

[The possibility of detecting soluble HLA antigens in traces of blood and excretions]. / Vozmozhnost' vyiavleniia rastvorimykh antigenov sistemy HLA v sledakh krovi i vydelenii.

A modified lymphocytolysis inhibition test revealed that specific results may be attained in 50-60% of examinations of blood, spermatic, and salivary spots if highly specific HLA sera are used. HLA antigens were found to be present in spermatic and salivary spots for a year (follow-up period). Recommendations were developed for practical use of HLA antigens in examinations of blood, spermatic, and salivary spots by lymphocytolysis inhibition test in forensic medical expert evaluation.

[The serological determination of myoglobin for forensic medical purposes]. / Serologicheskoe opredelenie mioglobina dlia sudebno-meditsinskikh tselei.

Possibility of using diagnosticum for myoglobin detection in passive hemagglutination reaction during evaluation of medicolegal objects is shown.

[Human organ and tissue antigens]. / Organnye i tkanevye antigeny cheloveka.

Necessity of a new trend in detection of organ and tissue traces on trauma instruments by serological methods using present-day literary data is stressed.