International journal of legal medicine
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To better characterize the morphologic changes in electrocution, morphologic changes in the hearts of 21 subjects, who died instantaneously of electrocution, were compared to the hearts of decedents with different types of death. Sixteen myocardial samples per heart were processed for histological examination, and sections were prepared with a variety of specific stains. ⋯ The frequency of MFB was maximal in cases of electrocution (90%). The findings show that MFB is an ante-mortem change and may be a distinct finding in electrocution.
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Commotio cordis is a recognised cause of sudden death in which an apparently minor blow to the chest causes ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest. It is best known for causing death during games of youth baseball in the United States, but individual cases have been recorded as a result of a wide range of activities, principally sporting. ⋯ However, there are few reported cases where commotio cordis is implicated as the cause of death in homicide cases. We present three cases from the north-east of England where an assault caused death by this mechanism.
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A case of a 25-year-old male with a deep knife stab injury in the back is reported. The stab wound penetrated the left thorax and the left lung was injured, a thoracotomy was performed and the patient survived. The injured man could not remember what had happened, his bag was missing and the incident was therefore considered to be due to a robbery. Further results of the police investigations and the forensic pathology inspection revealed an extremely unusual accident constellation.
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A semi-quantitative LC-MS method was developed for the detection of the pseudo alkaloids of Taxus baccata (yew) from human body fluids and tissue samples. This method was used to examine the cause of death of a 43-year-old man who died several hours after he drank a decoction of taxus leaves. Autopsy and histology demonstrated early signs of myocardial hypoxia. ⋯ In the stomach content, the kidneys, the liver and a heart blood sample of the deceased, alkaloids of Taxus baccata, predominantly taxine B and iso-taxine B, were identified. The semi-quantitative evaluation of the heart blood revealed a taxine concentration of 11 micro g taxine/g. As far as we know this is the first case in which a semi-quantitative analysis of taxine alkaloids has been performed.
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This case report describes a suicidal gunshot to the head using a solid hollow-point bullet (Quick Defense). There was an irregular skin defect measuring 16 x 6 cm on the right side of the head and a bone defect of 9 x 6 cm while a 1.2 x 0.7 cm skin defect was located at the left temple. ⋯ In addition, extensive backspatter consisting of brain tissue, bone fragments and blood had been expelled from the huge entrance wound and had travelled up to a distance of 4.6 m. The extraordinary entrance wound cannot be fully explained by special anatomical or ballistic features such as a muzzle velocity of 420 m/s or the solid hollow-point design of the bullet.