The use of dive computers in forensic investigations of fatal breath-hold diving accidents: a case study.

Freediving is a type of diving in which divers rely solely on how long they can hold their breath underwater during their dive, which is why it can also be referred to as 'breath-hold diving'. Unlike scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving, individuals do not require training or licencing to perform freediving and may not be aware of the risks of this activity. This paper presents a case in which coastguards retrieved a free diver's lifeless body from the seafloor. In most cases such as this, the deceased individual's cause of death would be ruled as drowning. With the deceased diver's dive computer, we concluded that a shallow water blackout caused him to drown. Data from the dive computer were extracted, graphed, and analysed to explain how a skilled swimmer and diver drowned on one of his seemingly ordinary diving trips. The dive computer can be the sole witness to a fatal dive event and provide invaluable information to forensic scientists since the diver is almost always alone. To our knowledge of the available literature, dive computers have been used in scuba diving fatality investigations; however, we believe that they have not been used in death investigations of breath-hold divers. Deficient or hasty conclusions are often based solely on autopsy findings without data collected by diving technicians and investigators. It is crucial to wait to draw conclusions until all possible dive information has been gathered and studied. This study discusses the deficiency in presenting a reasonable idea to the grieving family and friends of how their beloved relative could have drowned even though he was known to be a fit and skilled diver and avid swimmer.

Environmentally benign hybrid nanocomposite beads for azo dye remediation via synchronized dual degradation mechanisms.

Practically, 12% of used dyes are excluded as waste in the mobile aqueous environment. Methyl orange (MO), an industrial azo dye, is known to be carcinogenic. Accordingly, this work was engaged to fabrication of a high-efficiency visible light photocatalysts based on Ag-Alginate/Chitosan-coated MgO nanocomposite beads. MgO and Ag were prepared via precipitation and γ-radiation reduction technique as a green physical one, respectively. The degradation mechanisms depended on catalytic reduction by means of sodium borohydride/Ag and photooxidative degradation. XRD proved the periclase crystalline form of MgO of size 20 nm and the formation of face-centered cubic silver crystals of size 15 nm. The degradation yield varied directly with time, MgO, and dye concentration until certain limit. Five and twenty minutes were enough to get clear solution of MO (30 and 15 ppm, respectively) while 60 min was required to achieve the same target for 60 ppm MO solution. The catalysts showed high efficiency for MO of high concentration. The incorporation of Ag into catalytic beads could support both mechanisms as it could elevate the degradation efficiency up to 50% and save the time to a great extent. Thus, this carrier fruitfully converted wastewater into an effluent that can be repaid to the water cycle with minimal strike on the ecosystem.

Fatal automobile accident due to airbag misdeployment.

The purpose of this case report was to demonstrate a fatal motor vehicle accident in which a 33-year-old man died at the scene immediately after his car collided with the roadside curbstone at a normal speed. The autopsy of the deceased body revealed a penetrating injury on the neck as he was struck by the deployed airbag. Pathological examination showed the offending material to be a fractured cylinder-shaped metal piece, which had settled within the fourth cervical vertebral body. Further forensic engineering investigation of the airbag unit found that the metal fragment originated from a defective airbag gas generator, which had exploded upon deployment. These findings reflect on the increasing popularity of airbag-associated trauma across the globe in recent years. We suggest an effective management plan for the evaluation and mitigation of the complications associated with airbag-related incidents.