Artefact in forensic medicine: scrotal mummification

Misinterpretation of postmortem artefacts in forensic medical practice may result in a misdiagnosis of criminal activity. Forensic physicians at the scene can liaise with forensic pathologists and visit the mortuary in the company of the crime scene investigators or scenes-of-crime officers to ensure all relevant facts are identified. In this case a postmortem change created by partial dessication of the scrotal skin was misinterpreted as a suspicious injury.     

DNase I: structure,function, and use in medicine and forensic science

In this review, available structural data of deoxyribonucleases I (DNases I) from several mammalian species, hen, snake and frog are summarized. Comparative studies on enzymatic and immunological properties and glycosylation are discussed, and several evolutionary conclusions are presented. Over the past decade, the availability of new investigative tools, including sensitive methods of electrophoresis, detection and determination, and genetically modified DNase I models has resulted in a clearer understanding of the molecular mechanisms that connect the function and usefulness of DNase I in medicine and forensic science.     

DNA fingerprints: The importance in forensic medicine

Summary Investigation of genomic polymorphisms detected by a minisatellite named tentatively Myo, which is expected to correspond to the minisatellite in human myoglobin gene of Jeffreys et al., gives distinct and different aspects of chorionic villus and the decidual membrane in the same placenta. The chorionic villus, which is regarded as the extraembryonal tissue, represents the essential embryonal DNA fingerprint pattern, while the decidual membrane reveals the maternal one. A comparison between the DNA fingerprints from the chorion villus and from the blood sample of the suspected father provides the possibility of setting a paternity determination which can be achieved during the first trimester of a pregnancy.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Otto Prokop who retires in 1987 from the chairmanship of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Humboldt University     

Artefact in forensic medicine: non-missile penetrating injury

Gunshot wounds are well characterised in forensic textbooks and atypical or unusual ballistic characteristics feature regularly in forensic literature. Forensic practitioners receive continuing education in recognising a variety of gunshot wounds which are created by bullet missiles. Awareness of a non-missile penetrating injury mimicking a gunshot wound is also relevant to forensic medical examiners or others who are likely to attend a scene of death. In this case, which involved self-stabbing with a metal nail, a homicidal firearm death investigation was instigated because of a misinterpretation by crime scene investigators.     

Artefact in forensic medicine: pseudo-scalloped gunshot wound

The forensic pathologist uses a well known rule of thumb for estimating the range or distance between the discharged firearm and the target from entry wound characteristics. In this case, the range was overestimated because pseudo-scalloping of a shotgun entry wound was misdiagnosed as lacerations caused by pellet scatter. An unrecognised postmortem artefact which resembles a gunshot injury may be mistaken for a genuine wound feature.     

History of forensic medicine in Turkey

Turkey has a short history of forensic medicine compared to the developed countries. Sultan Mahmud II established the first medical school of the Ottoman Empire named as Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Şahane to provide health services to the army in 1839 [Gok S. Tomorrow, today and yesterday of the forensic medicine. 1st ed. Istanbul: Temel printing office; 1995]. It is also accepted as an important milestone of both medical education and forensic medicine in Turkey [Gok S and Ozen C. History and organization of forensic. 1st ed. Istanbul: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School Publications; 1982]. The first lecturer of forensic medicine at Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Şahane was Dr. Charles Ambroise Bernard (C.A.). and he was also the first to perform autopsy in the history of Ottoman Empire [Gok, 1995]. Approximately 40 years after the first forensic medicine lecture in 1879, the Department of Medical Jurisprudence was established as a division of Zabıta Tababet-i Adliye (Law Enforcement Office) in Istanbul [Sehsuvaroğlu and Ozen. History and development of forensic medicine in the world and in our country. Mag Istanbul Univ Med Fac 1974;36(60)]. This paper documents the first two cases of autopsies performed in Turkey with the original papers from the National Library.     

Development of forensic medicine in Rwanda- past,present, and future perspectives

The Republic of Rwanda is a landlocked country with more than 12.6 million people. Similar to other nations in Africa, Rwanda is still developing its forensic medicine capabilities. This paper attempts to provide a concise history of forensic medicine in Rwanda, as well as a critique of the current state of affairs and recommendations for reform. The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) investigates any suspicious or unexplained deaths in the country, after which the body is sent to the nearest public hospital for medico-legal autopsy. Except for the Rwanda Forensic Laboratory, which has forensic practitioners with minimal training in forensic medicine, the majority of medical practitioners engaged in medicolegal activities in Rwanda lack forensic medicine training. To standardize medico-legal practices and forensic medicine education in the country, a competent medico-legal authority must be established to host frequent seminars, conferences, and various training programs for both forensic and non-forensic medicine experts.     

Origin and development of forensic medicine in Egypt

Egyptians are one of the first civilisations to practice the removal and examination of internal organs of humans. Their practices ranged from embalming to faith healing to surgery and autopsy. Modern radiological studies, together with various forensic techniques, allowed scientists unique glimpses of the state of health in Egypt 4000 years ago and discovered one of the earliest applications of autopsy, the main element of forensic medicine practice today. The Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority handles a relatively large number of cases annually and depends on different assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology unit, DNA laboratory, forensic chemistry laboratory) as well as the Counterfeiting and Forgery unit. Crime scene investigations are performed mainly through the criminal laboratory related to the Ministry of Interior. Forensic Medicine is studied thoroughly in the faculty of medicine (undergraduates), as well as by forensic medical examiners at postgraduate level (diploma, master's and doctorate). This review recommends more scientific cooperation with universities in the field of forensic medicine and related sciences to solve various crimes with meticulous detail.     

Single-cell transcriptome study in forensic medicine: prospective applications

International Journal of Legal Medicine - Next-generation sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies have advanced rapidly in recent years. scRNA-seq reveals the unique gene...     

Assessment of knowledge about,attitudes toward,and awareness of a forensic medicine course among medical students at the University of Dammam

AimThis study assesses the knowledge about, awareness of, and attitudes toward forensic medicine and the forensic medicine undergraduate course among medical students at the University of Dammam in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.MethodWe conducted a cross-sectional study of 143 fourth-year students. We used a structured, self-administered questionnaire containing 10 items relating to forensic medicine to assess the knowledge about, awareness of, and attitudes toward forensic medicine and the forensic medicine undergraduate course.ResultsThe results showed inadequate knowledge about, poor attitudes toward, and limited awareness of the importance of the forensic medicine course among medical students. Media had an effect on the students as they are a major source of forensic science information among medical students.ConclusionThe forensic medicine undergraduate course is important for medical students. We recommended that it be taught at the undergraduate level because it is the only academic source for forensic medicine that physicians may encounter in their careers. Teaching how to conduct an autopsy is important and has a positive role in medical education, and the forensic medicine curriculum must include instruction on autopsies, both from theoretical and practical perspectives. Medical institutes must take responsibility to increase awareness about the effect of media on medical education.     

Dutch and Scottish clinical forensic medicine: a comparison

In the light of moves towards European union, we have greater opportunities to benefit from the experiences of our European colleagues and to formulate a 'best practice' policy as a result of the sharing of ideas. This paper compares the work of clinical forensic examiners in Scotland and in the Netherlands. It highlights the lessons learnt from observing Dutch practice and concludes by identifying the ones that could usefully be adopted in Scotland.     

Atmosphere of departure in forensic medicine?

Forensic medicine aims for the documentation of medical and other forensic findings in living and deceased persons for the police and the judiciary system. While in forensic genetics and forensic toxicology, high technology procedures are part of the daily work, forensic pathology is still using the old established techniques from former centuries. New methods like 3D-surface scanning and modern radiology procedures like computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are becoming more and more part of scientific research in forensic sciences and are today part of the routine workflow in a some institutes of legal medicine. As a sign of this increasing interest the first Virtopsy basic course was held in September 2006 at the Center for Forensic Imaging/Virtopsy in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bern, Switzerland. Participants from Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA took part in this first hands-on course in forensic radiology and surface scanning.