Browsing by Author "Mihailovic, Zoran (6508333902)"

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of "décollement," traumatic lesions of subcutaneous soft tissue, among victims fatally injured because of falls from different heights. Three hundred seventy-five cases of fatalities due to injuries acquired when falling from various heights onto a solid, flat surface, in which the complete forensic autopsy was performed, were analyzed. Décollement was noted in 125 (33%) of the cases. Comparative analysis of groups with and without décollement and observed factors has shown that the height of fall and the manner of death have statistically significant influence on décollement appearance. With regard to suicidal, accidental, or undefined origin of death décollement is statistically more common in accidental deaths. Décollement provides important clues for forensic reconstruction and could be a significant indicator of the body's position at primary impact and the height from which the victim has either jumped or fallen. © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

As acute alcohol intake can trigger suicidal ideas and attempts in people already at risk, and self-aggression is more intense after alcohol consumption, the aim of this study is to assess the relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the lethality of suicide methods. A number of different socio-demographic and clinical predictors related to selection of high lethality methods were evaluated. This retrospective autopsy study covers an 11-year period of autopsies performed in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Belgrade. It included 308 subjects with confirmed BAC above 0‰ who committed suicide. The suicide methods were dichotomized in terms of lethality–low lethality methods (LLM–drug/chemical overdose or use of a sharp object, n = 20) and high lethality methods (HLM–hanging, firearms and explosives, drowning, jumping from a height and immolation, n = 288). Our study did not reveal a statistically significant relationship between alcohol concentration and HLM. There is an obvious trend of HLM in rising BAC categories, but without any statistical significance. Of all tested predictors, only the male gender has significant correlation with HLM (p = 0.036). Despite the absence of correlation between BAC and HLM, the rising trend in BAC in our study showed, along with opposing literature data, that we can conclude this interconnection is highly complex. © 2020 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Vitreous humour (VH) is a useful medium for postmortem analysis. During the supravital period, anaerobic glycolysis that occurs results in the increased lactate concentration (L) in cytosol. We analysed the concentration of lactic acid in 567 samples of VH from 63 autopsy cases by a repetitive withdrawal of VH from the same corpse, while the outside temperature remained constant. The samples were taken from the same eye in Intervals of three hours for the period of 24 hours. The subjects were divided into two groups: group 1 included individuals who died during winter and were kept for analysis at 4 °C, while group 2 consisted of those who died during spring and autumn (continental climate) and were stored at 20°C Only the cases of a sudden traumatic death of previously healthy Individuals were included in the study. Statistically significant correlation of L against postmortem interval (PMI) was observed in the group 1 experiment (r = 0.675; P < 0.01), but the effect of hypothermia made the estimation of PMI practically impossible. A much stronger correlation of L against PMI was observed in group 2 (r = 0.866, P < 0.01); a functional relationship between PMI and L were demonstrated using the formula PMI = 1.696 x L - 10.562, which enabled more accurate prediction of the PMI.

Vitreous humour (VH) is a useful medium for postmortem analysis. During the supravital period, anaerobic glycolysis that occurs results in the increased lactate concentration (L) in cytosol. We analysed the concentration of lactic acid in 567 samples of VH from 63 autopsy cases by a repetitive withdrawal of VH from the same corpse, while the outside temperature remained constant. The samples were taken from the same eye in Intervals of three hours for the period of 24 hours. The subjects were divided into two groups: group 1 included individuals who died during winter and were kept for analysis at 4 °C, while group 2 consisted of those who died during spring and autumn (continental climate) and were stored at 20°C Only the cases of a sudden traumatic death of previously healthy Individuals were included in the study. Statistically significant correlation of L against postmortem interval (PMI) was observed in the group 1 experiment (r = 0.675; P < 0.01), but the effect of hypothermia made the estimation of PMI practically impossible. A much stronger correlation of L against PMI was observed in group 2 (r = 0.866, P < 0.01); a functional relationship between PMI and L were demonstrated using the formula PMI = 1.696 x L - 10.562, which enabled more accurate prediction of the PMI.

[No abstract available]

The relationship between the postmortem interval and the potassium concentration in the vitreous humor has been described by different authors. A limitation of most previous studies might be that all of the vitreous humor has been extracted in 1 sample from different subjects and that the sample was therefore inhomogeneous. In 32 traumatic deaths with known postmortem intervals, small quantities of vitreous humor have been sampled repetitively in 3-hour interval. The bodies were stored at 20°C. The average concentrations of potassium in relation to the postmortem interval were 6.11 to 14.46 mmol/L. An equation that allows accurate prediction of the postmortem interval was established: postmortem interval (h) = 2.749 × [K] - 11.978. Copyright © 2012 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

An interesting case of firearm suicide carried out using an unusual type of handmade weapon and a peculiar combination of tandem missiles is presented. A nail and a screw were placed in the rifle barrel ahead of a bullet, and all 3 were simultaneously discharged. The inflicted injury began with 1 common channel, which later split in 2 separate channels, both directed backwards and upwards; one was caused by the screw, ending in the epistropheal body, and the other, caused by the bullet and the nail, penetrated into the cranial cavity, where it bifurcated in 2 branches, one from the bullet, ending in the cerebellar tissue, and the other from the nail, penetrated through the brain stem. The established site of the entrance suicidal wound, the appearance of the weapon, and the unusual missiles are discussed with regard to the available references dealing with different types of nail injuries to the head. Copyright © 2007 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

We tried to explain the mechanisms of the aortic blunt ruptures in fatally injured drivers and front passengers, unrestrained by seatbelts, by analyzing the frequencies of both aortic ruptures and concomitant injuries to 12 organs and body regions. The sample consisted of 393 subjects: 251 drivers and 142 front passengers (325 male and 68 female passengers, the mean age 41.0 ± 15.5). The total number of the complete blunt aortic ruptures in the sample was 116 (80 in the drivers and 36 in the front passengers). The weakest part of the aorta seems to be the isthmus (47 isthmus ruptures in the drivers and 27 in the front passengers). The statistically significant concomitant injured organs and body regions with the aortic ruptures were the liver, the sternum, and the diaphragm in the car drivers and the head and the neck in the front passengers. According to these results, the mechanisms of thoracic aorta rupture are different for fatally injured drivers and front passengers. For car drivers, they are associated and simultaneous with both thoracic and abdominal compression due to deceleration of the body at the moment when the driver's body slides forward and flexes across and against the steering wheel. For the front passengers, the mechanism is the caudorostral hyperextension of the thoracic aorta at the moment when the body is stopped by a dashboard, but the head continues forward with great velocity: the carotid vessels pull the aortic arch forward at the same time as the intercostal arteries fix the thoracic part of the aorta and pull it downwards. © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Air travel as a risk factor for pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is rarely described in forensic literature. Two cases of PTE after air travel are presented in this report. Each flight was intercontinental and lasted for more than 10. h, resulting in typical " traveler's thrombosis" within 2. weeks. In both cases, the risk factors were age, duration of flight and also peripheral circulation problems caused by heart (hypertension, arrhythmia), and varicose veins failures. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms of thrombus formation in these cases were blood flow stasis from prolonged recumbence, reduced function of the lower leg muscle pump, dehydration, and hypobaric hypoxia. Legal aspects of death due to PTE after air travel and possible responsibility of air companies are discussed. © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The use of magnesium as a parameter to estimate the time of death is controversial. In 32 traumatic deaths with known postmortem intervals (PMIs), small quantities of vitreous humor (VH) were sampled repetitively every 3 h until 24 h postmortem. The bodies were kept at the constant ambient temperature of 20°C (68°F). The concentrations of magnesium were in the range of 0.47-1.15 mM. A statistically significant correlation of the concentration of magnesium with the PMI was observed (r = 0.453, p < 0.01), but with small predictive value-coefficient of variation for regression was 45.5%; the average of the paired differences between the estimated and actual PMIs was 5.24 + 3.19 h. Although useful results might be expected due to the large transmembrane gradient for magnesium, the results of this study strongly disprove the usefulness of measuring magnesium in VH to estimate the time of death. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The use of magnesium as a parameter to estimate the time of death is controversial. In 32 traumatic deaths with known postmortem intervals (PMIs), small quantities of vitreous humor (VH) were sampled repetitively every 3 h until 24 h postmortem. The bodies were kept at the constant ambient temperature of 20°C (68°F). The concentrations of magnesium were in the range of 0.47-1.15 mM. A statistically significant correlation of the concentration of magnesium with the PMI was observed (r = 0.453, p < 0.01), but with small predictive value-coefficient of variation for regression was 45.5%; the average of the paired differences between the estimated and actual PMIs was 5.24 + 3.19 h. Although useful results might be expected due to the large transmembrane gradient for magnesium, the results of this study strongly disprove the usefulness of measuring magnesium in VH to estimate the time of death. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Background/aim To assess and compare measured ventilatory volumes (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1), peak expirium flow (PEF) and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV)), ventilatory function capacities (forced vital capacity (FVC) and vital capacity (VC)) and FEV 1 /VC ratio in a sample of power and endurance elite athletes and their age-matched and sex-matched sedentary control group. Methods A cross-sectional study was applied on male elite athletes (n=470) who were classified according to the type of the predominantly performed exercise in the following way: group 1: endurance group (EG=270), group 2: power athletes group (SG=200) and group 3: sedentary control group (CG=100). The lung VC, FVC, FEV 1, FEV 1 /FVC ratio, PEF and MVV were measured in all of the observed subjects, who were also classified with regard to body mass index (BMI) and the percentage of the body fat (BF%). Results The CG had the highest BF% value, while the endurance group had the lowest BMI and BF% value, which is significantly different from the other two groups (p<0.05). The observed values of VC, FVC and FEV 1 in the EG were significantly higher than those from the other two groups (p<0.05). There were no differences concerning the observed FEV 1 /FVC ratio. Conclusions A continued endurance physical activity leads to adaptive changes in spirometric parameters (VC, FVC and FEV 1), highlighting the fact that there is a need for specific consideration of different respiratory pattern' development in different types of sport, which also has to be further evaluated. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Background/aim To assess and compare measured ventilatory volumes (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1), peak expirium flow (PEF) and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV)), ventilatory function capacities (forced vital capacity (FVC) and vital capacity (VC)) and FEV 1 /VC ratio in a sample of power and endurance elite athletes and their age-matched and sex-matched sedentary control group. Methods A cross-sectional study was applied on male elite athletes (n=470) who were classified according to the type of the predominantly performed exercise in the following way: group 1: endurance group (EG=270), group 2: power athletes group (SG=200) and group 3: sedentary control group (CG=100). The lung VC, FVC, FEV 1, FEV 1 /FVC ratio, PEF and MVV were measured in all of the observed subjects, who were also classified with regard to body mass index (BMI) and the percentage of the body fat (BF%). Results The CG had the highest BF% value, while the endurance group had the lowest BMI and BF% value, which is significantly different from the other two groups (p<0.05). The observed values of VC, FVC and FEV 1 in the EG were significantly higher than those from the other two groups (p<0.05). There were no differences concerning the observed FEV 1 /FVC ratio. Conclusions A continued endurance physical activity leads to adaptive changes in spirometric parameters (VC, FVC and FEV 1), highlighting the fact that there is a need for specific consideration of different respiratory pattern' development in different types of sport, which also has to be further evaluated. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

�External bevelling of an entrance gunshot wound to the skull is a known, but rare entity. We present two cases of a combined external and internal bevelling of cranial entries. In the first case, a 35-year-old woman had two entrance wounds in the right half of the forehead, made by a 10.2 mm calibre bullet. Second case presents a 48-year-old man with an entry wound in the middle of the occiput, made by a 7.62 mm calibre bullet. All the entry wounds on the skin had stellate appearance. The corresponding wounds to the skull were of roughly round shape. Both the inner and the outer plates of the bone were bevelled for 2-4 mm. Bony edges of all entrance wounds were covered in soot, as a definite sign of an entry. In this case study, we underline the importance of recognizing this phenomenon in order to avoid misinterpretation of entry vs. exit wounds. © 2018 Romanian Society of Legal Medicine.