1,721,023 research outputs found
A narrative review of peculiar forensic-pathological applications of scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX)
No full textThe application of scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) to the main types of
injuries from a forensic point of view, such as blunt force trauma, ligature strangulation, electricity, sharp force trauma,
gunshot wounds, and chemical injuries, is a well-known topic that has been extensively discussed in the literature. However, the use of SEM-EDX is not limited to the above-mentioned cases, and its extreme versatility leads to the successful
application of this technique in other forensic contexts. For this reason, all of the particular applications that have been
reported in the literature to date are presented and discussed in this narrative review. Indeed, there are several underresearched forensic areas and unusual pathological scenarios in which this technique can be used and could prove to be
crucial. Therefore, our goal is twofold: to highlight the versatility of SEM-EDX analysis in the forensic field and to provide the scientific community with a unique document reporting all possible forensic pathological applications that have
been investigated to date, including unusual and solitary ones, in order to provide a procedural vademecum when needed
Acute vertical deceleration injury: A case of cranial impalement
Full text linkIn forensic science and in modern times, impalement is a rare event. When this occurrence involves the head, it is even more unusual since this region is very small compared to the rest of the body. Although impalements are rare, they represent scenarios that must be treated with great care by forensic pathologists. They may involve a mixture of blunt and penetrating wounds, and the injuries observed at autopsy must be interpreted correctly. For this reason, if possible, the interconnection between the body and the impaling object should be maintained until the autopsy table. In this report, it is presented a case of cranial penetrating trauma that occurred after a suicidal fall from a great height with impact on the railing below, by reporting both the on-site scene inspection and autopsy data. The critical forensic issues that may arise in the practical management of such cases are discussed, starting from the fact that there is still no clear and unambiguous definition of impalement
Paradoxal dyeing affinity's inversion of the connective tissue at Goldner's Masson trichrome staining as a peculiar characteristic of compressed and exsiccated cadaveric skin
No full textThe microscopic examination of a hanging cutaneous furrow, stained with Goldner's Masson trichrome staining, highlighted an abnormal dyeing inversion affinity of the connective tissue - red instead of green - located in the region of maximal cutaneous compression and exsiccation. To identify if this different stainability could be considered as an intrinsic characteristic of all biological tissues compressed and exsiccated, we have assessed different cadaveric skin samples that underwent traumatic detrimental phenomena that can produce such effects. We collected skin fragments from 24 corpses deceased because of gunshot injuries, electrocution, hanging, and heat-induced lesions, sampling the areas directly involved, as well as skin specimens to use as a control. The slides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and two different protocols of Goldner's Masson trichrome staining (one homemade and one commercial kit). The inversion of the staining affinity of the connective tissue was observed in 83% of the cutaneous samples, using both the Goldner's Masson trichrome staining protocols. This phenomenon was not observed in any of the control cases. Therefore, the inversion of the staining affinity of the connective tissue dyed with Goldner's Masson trichrome staining may represent a histomorphological aspect that must be expected when the skin has been affected by specific detrimental modalities able of producing compression and exsiccation
Sudden perinatal death due to rupture of congenital cardiac diverticulum. Pathological findings and medico-legal investigations in malpractice charge
No full textCongenital diverticula of the left ventricle, very rare malformations, are determined by an abnormal embryonic
development of the ventricular wall and can be isolated or associated to other cardiac anomalies. In most of the
cases, these pathologies are not symptomatic and in some patients can be associated to ventricular arrhythmia,
cardiac rupture with tamponade and sudden death.
Authors are presenting the case of a sudden death in an 8-weeks-old newborn due to rupture of a cardiac
congenital diverticulum of the left ventricle, discovered only at the moment of the autopsic examination. The
parents of the victim pressed charges against the medical staff that was appointed to the cares, blaming them
with malpractice.
The missed diagnosis of a cardiac congenital diverticulum of the left ventricle, a rare pathology, reflects the
trickiness of the medical management that can lead to medico-legal controversies and, even though such rare
conditions must be always taken into consideration when investigating possible dysfunction causing the death,
diagnostic difficulties, in the case in exam, justify the missed diagnosis intra-vitam of cardiac ventricular diverticulum
Colorimetric Barium Detection of Gunshot Residues on Cadaveric Human Skin: A Pilot Application for Forensic Purposes
No full textIn this study we microscopically investigated, for the first time ever, the colorimetric detectability of barium of gunshot
residues (GSR) on cadaveric human skin with gunshot wounds. Methods: For this purpose we used two different colorimetric techniques
known in the literature, namely 0.2% sodium rhodizonate (Na-R-Ba 0.2%) and sodium rhodizonate in alcoholic environment (Na-R-Ba OH
0.2%). At the same time, we have also coupled it with scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis and
the colorimetric study for the detection of lead of GSR. These techniques were applied to 16 victims who died from gunshot injuries, as well
as to a control group. Results: SEM/EDX demonstrated the presence of lead in all cases and barium in 11 of the 16 cases. The subsequent
colorimetric technique with Na-R-Ba 0.2% did not show the barium of GSR in any case, unlike the Na-R-Ba OH 0.2% technique. This
latter, in fact, has demonstrated the presence of this metal in 2 cases (18%). No microscopic case of false positive was recorded.
Conclusion: The evidence obtained with Na-R-Ba OH 0.2% makes this method, applied here for the first time ever, worthy of further study.
Meanwhile, although this technique can certainly be applied, it cannot be separated from the contextual colorimetric investigation for lead
and the use of more sophisticated techniques
Macroscopic and microscopic features in a fatal case of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy after myectomy
Full text linkGoing Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Post-Mortem Diagnosis of a Rare Case of Massive Nodular Pulmonary Amyloidosis in a Forensic Setting
No full textL'utilizzo della tecnologia ASE come metodica innovativa di estrazione e purificazione delle matrici biologiche di origine cadaverica
No full textIntroduzione
In ambito chimico-analitico, la purificazione della matrice riveste un ruolo di fondamentale importanza per una corretta esecuzione delle analisi tossicologiche. La metodica estrattiva più comunemente utilizzata per il trattamento dei campioni di provenienza cadaverica (sangue, urina, bile, contenuto gastrico e visceri) è rappresentata dalla Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) [1], tecnica caratterizzata da un'alta efficienza ma con evidenti limiti legati all'abilità dell'operatore, al limitato numero dei campioni processabili simultaneamente ed agli elevati costi [2].
L'Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) si propone come una procedura alternativa automatizzata per l'estrazione e la purificazione delle sostanze xenobiotiche da matrici biologiche, in grado di operare con un protocollo operatore-indipendente, bassi costi d'esercizio e la possibilità di processare un maggior numero di campioni in sequenza [3].
Scopo del lavoro è confrontare la capacità estrattiva delle due differenti tecniche e valutare il loro outcome con finalità tossicologico-forensi.
Materiali e metodi
Reperti autoptici appartenenti a 10 soggetti, preventivamente addizionati di opportune quantità dei più comuni analiti di interesse tossicologico, sono stati separatamente sottoposti ad entrambe le tecniche estrattive utilizzando colonnine SPE Bond Elut Certify da 130mg (Varian) ed un sistema DionexTM ASETM 350 Accelerated Solvent Extractor (Thermo ScientificTM), con celle da 10 ml e filtri in cellulosa Restek 20mm. Gli eluati ottenuti, portati a secchezza in evaporatore rotante sottovuoto e ricostituiti con 100 μl di metanolo sono stati sottoposti ad analisi con Q ExactiveTM OrbitrapTM Mass Spectrometer e GC/MS TSQ 9000 Triple Quad.
Risultati
Le risultanze analitiche evidenziano una maggior pulizia dei tracciati ottenuti con estrazione ASE rispetto a quelli prodotti con la tecnica SPE, seppur la capacità estrattiva delle due metodiche sia risultata sovrapponibile. Per alcune sostanze di natura acida, si è ottenuto un recupero migliore con la metodica ASE rispetto alla consolidata SPE.
Conclusioni
Lo studio condotto sulle differenti metodiche purificative ha evidenziato una sovrapponibile capacità estrattiva delle due tecniche. Rispetto alla più consolidata SPE, i tracciati ottenuti con la tecnica ASE risultano più puliti, mantenendo invariate le percentuali di recupero. È possibile pertanto considerare la tecnologia ASE come un’efficiente alternativa alla tecnica SPE, nella purificazione delle matrici biologiche di interesse tossicologico.
Bibliografia
1. Humbert L. Extraction en phase solide (SPE): théorie et applications. Ann Toxicol Anal (2010); 22:61-68.
2. Tsakelidou E, Virgiliou C, Valianou L et al. Sample Preparation Strategies for the Effectìve Quantitation of Hidrophilìc Metabolites in Serum by Multi-Targeted HILIC-MS/MS. Metabolites (2017); 7:13.
3. Richter HE, Jones BA, Ezzel J, Porter NL. Accelerated Solvent Extraction: A Technique far Sample Preparation. Anal Chem (1996); 68:1033-1039
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