Characterisation of the weapon used in a patricide by SEM/EDS analysis of a microscopic trace from the object
This article presents a case of patricide. The murder was characterised by multiple blunt traumas and asphyxia. A mass of contused wounds was localised to the head and neck, and included the complete avulsion of the left eye (by an unknown tool), which was recovered near the cadaver. This case is of interest due to the possibility of identifying microscopic traces of the object that was used for the homicide by examining the skin margins around the ocular injury. The analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX). Analysis of the skin margins allowed micro...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Muccino, E., Giovanetti, G. F., Crudele, G. D. L., Gentile, G., Marchesi, M., Rancati, A., Zoja, R. Tags: Case reports Source Type: research
Cardiac rupture delayed for a week in an asymptomatic child following blunt trauma
A two-year-old child was hit by a car outside his home and was immediately taken to hospital. There were no external injuries present over the body except two small abrasions on the occipital region of head. A computed tomography scan of the head was performed which revealed no cranio-cerebral injury. He was discharged from the hospital within few hours apparently well. The child was absolutely asymptomatic for a week, after which he suddenly died while playing at home. Autopsy revealed left ventricular free wall rupture and pericardial haematoma. This case report discusses the rare incidence of delayed cardiac rupture due...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Pooniya, S., Behera, C., Mridha, A. R., Swain, R. Tags: Case reports Source Type: research
An unusual case of impalement injury
Impalement injuries result when a hard elongated object penetrates the body cavity or any body part and remains in place. A rare and unusual case of impalement by a bamboo stick in the thoracic cavity through the oropharynx is described. Injury resulted when a man tried to pole-vault with a bamboo stick, which slipped and entered his mouth. Impalement injury through the natural orifice of the oropharynx is discussed, along with the mechanism of the trauma and subsequent death. (Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Yadav, J., Badkur, D. Tags: Case reports Source Type: research
An incest case with three biological brothers as alleged fathers: Even 22 autosomal STR loci analysis would not suffice without the mother
Here, we report an incest paternity case involving three biological brothers as alleged fathers (AFs), their biological sister and her child that was investigated using the Investigator ESSplex Plus, AmpFLSTR Identifiler Plus/Investigator IDplex Plus and PowerPlex 16 kits. Initial duo paternity investigations using 15-loci autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) analyses failed to exclude any of the AFs. Despite the fact that one of the brothers, AF1, had a mismatch with the child at a single locus (D2S1338), the possibility of a single-step mutation could not be ruled out. When the number of autosomal STR loci analysed was in...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Canturk, K. M., Emre, R., Gurkan, C., Komur, I., Muslumanoglu, O., Dogan, M. Tags: Case reports Source Type: research
The relationship between the prescription of pyschotropic drugs and suicide rates in adults in England and Wales
Discussion
The findings may be due to methodological errors. Should the findings be accurate, then the following approaches require consideration to reduce suicide rates further: (i) development of strategies to ensure continued prescription of psychotropic drugs at the current level; (ii) development of strategies to improve non-pharmacological measures, including improved mental health services provision for adults, improved assessment of suicide risk, increased availability of psychosocial interventions and restricting the availability of methods of suicide; and (iii) development of strategies to implement improvement i...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Zhinchin, G., Zarate-Escudero, S., Somyaji, M., Shah, A. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Morphologic variations of lip-print patterns in a Central Indian population: A preliminary study
Lip prints can provide vital information that may be useful for the purposes of forensic investigations. The current study was undertaken with the aims of determining the distribution and predominant lip-print patterns in a Central Indian (Marathi) population and evaluating whether any sex differences exist. The study subjects were 400 healthy consenting volunteers – 200 males and 200 females – aged 18–25 years, from the Marathi community. A simpler and more convenient method of data collection – digital photography – was used. The central (most motile) 1 cm2 portion of both upper and lower li...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Badiye, A., Kapoor, N. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Exploring the applicability of equine blood to bloodstain pattern analysis
In this study, equine blood was investigated, using two different anti-clotting methods, where blood impacts were explored over a typical range of varying impact velocities upon a selection of commonly encountered surfaces. Key BPA parameters, such as the diameters of the resulting bloodstains, number of spines and area of origin were measured, which were subsequently applied into previously derived BPA equations.
We find that defibrinated equine blood is a suitable alternative and offers the same conclusive outcomes to human blood. This gives bloodstain pattern investigators and researchers an additional choice of blood w...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Larkin, B. A. J., Banks, C. E. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Engineering evidence for carbon monoxide toxicity cases
Unintentional carbon monoxide poisonings and fatalities lead to many toxicity cases. Given the unusual physical properties of carbon monoxide—in that the gas is odorless and invisible—unorganized and erroneous methods in obtaining engineering evidence as required during the discovery process often occurs. Such evidence gathering spans domains that include building construction, appliance installation, industrial hygiene, mechanical engineering, combustion and physics. In this paper, we attempt to place a systematic framework that is relevant to key aspects in engineering evidence gathering for unintentional car...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Galatsis, K. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Assessment of patients awareness of their rights in teaching hospitals in Iran
Conclusion
Health-care professionals can provide care based on patients’ rights, and their knowledge of patients’ rights needs to be evaluated. Educational programmes, leaflets, booklets and posters can be helpful in this regard. In addition, professional organisations and the Ministry of Health need to be more sensitive to this issue. (Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Bazmi, S., Kiani, M., Hashemi Nazari, S. S., Kakavand, M., Mahmoodzade, R. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Appeals against detention in excessive security (outcomes of appeals against detention in conditions of excessive security in Scotland)
In this study we compare them with the next cohort of 110 patients to lodge an appeal, finding, contrary to expectations, no change in patient characteristics or the outcome of their appeals. The clinical, legal and demographic features of successful and unsuccessful appellants, who made up 38% and 27% of the 110 patients, respectively, were also compared. Those patients with the support of their responsible medical officer and those already included on a transfer list had a significantly better chance of success (p = 0.00). It was also found that a history of excessive alcohol consumption was associated with successful ap...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Slater, A., Bennett, D. M., Vojt, G., Thomson, L. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
A forensic hypothesis for the mystery of al-Hasans death in the 7th century: Mercury(I) chloride intoxication
The puzzle of a mysterious death in the Middle Ages has been hypothesized in terms of contemporary forensic legal and scientific methods. That al-Hasan ibn-‘Ali died in 669 aged just 45 has been forensically analyzed based on written sources that dictate eyewitness accounts of historical events. The report of the contemporaneous poisoning of another individual who resided under the same household as al-Hasan’s and experienced similar, yet non-lethal, symptoms has served as the beginning of the analysis. In light of ancient (medieval) documents and through using mineralogical, medical, and chemical facts, it has...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Burke, N., Golas, M., Raafat, C. L., Mousavi, A. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Undergraduate teaching of forensic medicine in Saudi Arabia
Medico-legal tasks are not exclusive to forensic medical experts –any physician may face medico-legal issues in his career. Hence, the practice of medicine requires education in legal issues. In Saudi Arabia, there are 30 universities with medical colleges, but we do not know how they teach undergraduate forensic medicine and medico-legal issues. The aim of this study was to discover undergraduate training courses in forensic medicine in Saudi universities. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving all colleges of medicine in Saudi Arabia. A structured, self-administered questionnaire containing 13 items relatin...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 25, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Madadin, M., Al-Saif, D. M., Khamis, A. H., Taha, A. Z., Kharoshah, M. A., Alsayyah, A., Alfehaid, S., Yaghmour, K., Hakami, A. Y., Bamousa, M. S., Menezes, R. G., Almadani, O. M. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Thanks to Reviewers
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - April 3, 2016 Category: Medical Law Tags: Thanks to Reviewers Source Type: research
Different aspects of driving under the influence of benzodiazepines
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - April 3, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Papoutsis, I., Nikolaou, P., Spiliopoulou, C., Athanaselis, S. Tags: Letters to the Editor Source Type: research
The case for abandoning the OCTET, and not community treatment orders
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - April 3, 2016 Category: Medical Law Authors: Ali Mustafa, F. Tags: Letters to the Editor Source Type: research
