Soudni Lekarstvi最新文献

Recent methodological approaches of molecular genetics allow isolation of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from negligible forensic samples. Analysis of these molecules may be used not only for individual identification based on DNA profiling but also for the detection of origin of the body fluid which (alone or in mixture with other body fluids) forms the examined biological trace. Such an examination can contribute to the evaluation of procedural, technical and tactical value of the trace. Molecular genetic approaches discussed in the review offer new possibilities in comparison with traditional spectrum of chemical, immunological and spectroscopic tests especially with regard to the interpretation of mixtures of biological fluids and to the confirmatory character of the tests. Approaches based on reverse transcription of tissue specific mRNA and their subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fragmentation analysis are applicable on samples containing minimal amounts of biological material. Methods for body fluid discrimination based on examination of microRNA in samples provided so far confusing results therefore further development in this field is needed. The examination of tissue specific methylation of nucleotides in selected gene sequences seems to represent a promising enrichment of the methodological spectrum. The detection of DNA sequences of tissue related bacteria has been established and it provides satisfactory results mainly in combination with above mentioned methodological approaches.

Unlabelled: In the Czech Republic, forensic medicine is an independent medical field, in which physicians with the appropriate attestation perform expert activities, especially in criminal proceedings, after being formally appointed by a regional court. In order to improve the quality of the activities provided by these experts, the Ministry of Justice is endeavouring to tighten up the general conditions for the appointment of new forensic experts. The individual criteria do not, however, take into account the special nature of forensic medicine as a medical field, the very essence of which involves the specialist qualifications which are necessary for the provision of expert opinions, most frequently to the police. In particular, the introduction of a strict requirement for ten-years of work experience after leaving medical school has hindered and stalled the entrance of young physicians with completed post-graduate studies into the area of forensic medicine. An inquiry sent to the regional courts has discovered that the average length of work experience for newly appointed experts in the period from 2004 to 2013 was 8.2 years, that half of them had work experience of seven years or less and that 75 percent of the newly appointed experts did not meet any set requirements for the length of their work experience at the time of their appointment. The new conditions may have a negative impact on attracting qualified graduates to forensic medicine after the completion of their medical studies and in the long term it may endanger the ability of the field of forensic medicine to provide expert opinions in criminal proceedings. In conclusion, it is the authors opinion that the appointment conditions should be set in cooperation with the professional medical associations and that they should take into account the specific characteristics of the individual medical fields, especially if they are to be set directly by means of a legal regulation within the framework of the recodification of the standing of forensic experts in the Czech Republic.

Keywords: forensic medicine - expertises - criminal procedure.

Color tests are easy, simple and inexpensive methods for the qualitative identification of chemicals. A color test was applied to the stomach contents of a forensic autopsy case. The result of the test, using bromophenol blue reagent, indicated the ingestion of a commercial cleaning product containing a cationic surface activating agent. Our findings suggest that forensic investigators should consider the additives used in commercial chemical products, such as surface activating agents, when determining the cause of death.

Unlabelled: Ethanol is the main psychoactive ingredient of alcoholic beverages. Together with water it makes their major part. The other substances contained in alcoholic beverages are called congeners. Some of them come from the original substance of the beverage, some come from the fermentation or mellowing process. Except giving the drink its specific taste, scent and colour, congeners also have a non-negligible direct influence on the alcohol consumer. Nowadays, methods of identification thousands of alcohol congeners are available. Analyzing chemical compounds of alcoholic beverages have only recently gained its importance, when it helped to estimate the basic chemical composition of the particular alcoholic beverages. Mentioned method is able to identify an exact type of alcoholic beverage which a man consumed before the blood sample necessary for the detection had been taken from him. It becomes irreplaceable especially in forensic assessment of the drunkenness in case an alcoholised person, responsible for any crime, excuses himself that he was drinking only after the act/crime (e.g. traffic accident) had happened. It can also help to aprove/disprove a testimony of an accused person that he/she was unaware of being given alcohol into his/her non-alcoholic beverage. Development of the new chemical methods analyzing alcohol congeners are of a great benefit for any forensic expert-medical doctor dealing with the field of forensic alcohology. However, he/she must be aware that interaction of alcohol congeners with the human organism follows different laws in comparison to alcohol/ethanol itself.

Keywords: alcohol - congener - alcohol congener analysis - forensic alcohology.

In the work we analyze three cases of unusual dyadic deaths when the perpetrator of homicide committed suicide shortly after the murder. In the first case a man stabbed his girlfriend with a knife and subsequently committed a car crash suicide. In the second case an apparent simultaneous hanging of a married couple turned out to be homicide-suicide act. In the last case a man shot his ex-wife while she was on a walk with their dog and in a short time turned the gun against himself.

Stab wounds caused by knives and daggers are usually of different appearances. The knife wound has one edge sharp while the second one is blunt. The wound caused by blow of dagger has both edges sharp. The forensic expert must very often decide whether the knife or dagger was used. The aim of this experimental work was to show how a single-edged knife penetrates the skin and causes the wound typical for the double-edged dagger. The fact was verified. The wound typical for dagger can be found if the knife is used only according to the scheme. The forensic expert can say that a one cutting edge knife was used if the one edge of wound is squared and the other one is sharp. If the both of them are sharp, forensic expert must be very careful in his decision.Key words: stab wounds - knife - dagger - forensic expertise.

Unlabelled: Presented case was a 2-year-old baby girl who had been treated for nearly one year with the indication of multifocal epileptiform anomaly. She was found dead in her bed in morning hours, autopsy was planned after prosecutors investigation. On internal autopsy examination, shrinkage of gyral structures in the frontal, and parietal lobes of the left hemisphere, markedly enlarged sulci, and a hypoplastic appearance were noted. Histopathological examination revealed evidence of pneumonia, brain exposed microgyral formations, disordered cortical stratification, hypercellularity, dysmorphic neuronal structures, balloon cells with diagnosis of cortical dysplasia. Pneumonia was reported as a cause of death. We aimed to discuss in the light of the literature a case with cerebral hypoplasia which is rarely seen at forensic autopsies.

Keywords: cerebral hypoplasia/dysplasia - autopsy - congenital malformation - sudden death.

Introduction: Therapeutic procedures performed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation on patients in cardiac arrest or unconsciousness from any other cause can have serious adverse effects. Scale of injuries scale is very wide - from simple skin lacerations up to serious injuries which can even thwart possibility of successful resuscitation and cause death.

Materials and methods: Comprehensive review of current literature aimed at injuries associated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Results: Authors of this paper offer up-to-date review of possible cardiopulmonary resuscitation associated injuries, which are discussed depending on the method of performed resuscitation - airway management, chest compressions without tools or with automated mechanical devices, and defibrillation. Airway management is frequently associated with subcutaneous hematomas of the neck and head, mucosal membrane lacerations, teeth fractures and airway aspiration. Autopsy findings after cardiac massage are: rib and sternal fractures (very frequent); pleura, lung and cardiac injuries (frequent); cervical spine injuries, pericardial tamponades due to cardiac or aorta rupture, liver, spleen or stomach lacerations (rare). Defibrillation can create skin burns, cardiac or renal injuries due to rhabdomyolysis.

Conclusion: Forensic pathologists as well as clinical practitioners should be aware of the relevance of possible injuries associated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The injuries should be avoided if possible, or distinguished from injuries of other origin if they cannot be prevented.

X-ray is the most common, basic and essential imaging method used in forensic medicine. It serves to display and localize the foreign objects in the body and helps to detect various traumatic and pathological changes. X-ray imaging is valuable in anthropological assessment of an individual. X-ray allows non-invasive evaluation of important findings before the autopsy and thus selection of the optimal strategy for dissection. Basic indications for postmortem X-ray imaging in forensic medicine include gunshot and explosive fatalities (identification and localization of projectiles or other components of ammunition, visualization of secondary missiles), sharp force injuries (air embolism, identification of the weapon) and motor vehicle related deaths. The method is also helpful for complex injury evaluation in abused victims or in persons where abuse is suspected. Finally, X-ray imaging still remains the gold standard method for identification of unknown deceased. With time modern imaging methods, especially computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are more and more applied in forensic medicine. Their application extends possibilities of the visualization the bony structures toward a more detailed imaging of soft tissues and internal organs. The application of modern imaging methods in postmortem body investigation is known as digital or virtual autopsy. At present digital postmortem imaging is considered as a bloodless alternative to the conventional autopsy.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) is characterized by progressive fatty and fibrous replacement. A female in her 70s, suddenly found in cardiopulmonary arrest. The heart weighed 452 g and yellow discoloration was observed. Histological examination revealed the replacement of the right ventricular myocardium by adipose tissue and fibrosis. The cause of death was fatal arrhythmia caused by ARVC/D. Tenascin C staining was useful in evaluating myocardial remodeling.