The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Dec 2009
Case ReportsThree cases of death caused by shots from blank cartridge.
The authors describe 3 cases of lethal injuries caused by 7.62 mm blank cartridge shots from military automatic rifle of domestic origin (AK 47, 7.62 mm). In 1 case, the cartridge was fired from a weapon that had been leaned on the head, with subsequent destruction of brain, and in other 2 cases, the weapon had been leaned on the chests, which led to destruction of heart parts. The injuries were caused by the action of striking wave of gunpowder explosion, the air blast type. The cases demonstrate that the gas pressure from the exploding propellant of blank cartridge is powerful enough to penetrate the thoracic wall and the skull.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Dec 2009
Comparative StudyHead motions while riding roller coasters: implications for brain injury.
The risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) while riding roller coasters has received substantial attention. Case reports of TBI around the time of riding roller coasters have led many medical professionals to assert that the high gravitational forces (G-forces) induced by roller coasters pose a significant TBI risk. Head injury research, however, has shown that G-forces alone cannot predict TBI. ⋯ An 8.05 m/s car crash lead to the largest head injury criterion measure of 28.1 and head impact power of 3.41, over 6 times larger than the roller coaster rides of 4.1 and 0.36. Notably, the linear and rotational components of head acceleration during roller coaster rides were milder than those induced by many common activities. As such, there appears to be an extremely low risk of TBI due to the head motions induced by roller coaster rides.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Dec 2009
Survey of sudden death from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in cadavers referred to Legal Medicine Organization of Tehran, 2001-2005.
Some cases with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) never reach the medical centre alive and they are not included in most studies of SAH. To explain the clinical profile of sudden death from aneurysmal SAH, we examined the epidemiology and clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with aneurysmal SAH who never reached medical attention or died within first 24 hours of the onset of first symptoms. ⋯ In our population, the frequency of sudden death from aneurysmal SAH has not changed during the last 5 years. The typical clinical profile of sudden death in SAH includes intraventricular hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, and a ruptured posterior circulation aneurysm. Intracerebral hemorrhage is rarely connected to sudden death from aneurysmal SAH.
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Although it was predicted that there would be an increase in the use of black powder guns due to their greater ease of procurement with less government control on sales, this does not seem to have been the general experience. To determine the rate of use of black powder handguns in shooting deaths in Berlin, Germany, review of the files of the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin was conducted over a 10-year period from 1997 to 2006. Out of total 85 gunshot deaths, there were only 3 where black powder handguns were used (3.5%). ⋯ Wounds were characterized by excessive soot and propellant soiling and tattooing. The low number of fatalities involving black powder guns in a large forensic institution in Berlin, Germany, suggests that limiting access to such weapons would have little effect on total numbers of gunshot deaths. Simple loading mechanisms and reliability appear to be more important features influencing the choice of a handgun, rather than mere availability.