This study explores and describes the lived experiences of postpartum women of Obstetric Violence (OV) in selected secondary health facilities in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Thoracic aortic aneurysms are considered more dangerous than abdominal aneurysms because they are often silent until rupture and, therefore, are more challenging to diagnose and have a high mortality rate. In addition, a thoracic aneurysm differs from an abdominal one in terms of causes and risk factors: the former is associated with the degeneration of the vessel's middle tunica, while the latter is related to atherosclerosis. We report the case of the sudden death of a 20-year-old man, with no apparent risk factors and suffering only from a persistent cough for a month, in whom the autopsy revealed the rupture of a massive aneurysm of the ascending thoracic aorta. Blood leaked from the wall of the aorta into the pericardial sac, causing cardiac tamponade and the death of the young man. Histology demonstrated cystic medial degeneration with no other relevant features. In this paper we discuss the mechanisms of aneurysm formation and report a review of the literature on similar cases, limited to ruptures of thoracic aortic aneurysms discovered post-mortem.

Accurate post-mortem interval estimation is crucial in forensic investigations, providing essential information for criminal cases. Traditional techniques frequently encounter inaccuracies stemming from environmental and individual variables. The comet assay is a very sensitive technique that detects DNA damage, which has emerged as a promising tool for assessing DNA degradation. This approach can serve as a molecular clock for post-mortem interval estimation, offering a more precise and reliable means of determining the time since death in forensic cases. This systematic review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO-CRD42024554907) and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. An extensive electronic database search, including Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus was conducted to find the studies utilizing the comet assay for DNA degradation measurement in post-mortem interval estimation. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data from eligible studies. The risk of bias tool from the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation was used to evaluate the quality of the research. All six studies fulfilled the inclusion requirements, employing the comet assay on various animal tissues. Studies show a clear relationship between post-mortem interval and degradation of DNA, with varying rates depending on tissue type and environmental factors. The comet assay can detect DNA fragmentation effectively, but difficulties arise from variations in study designs and methodologies. Despite its promise for estimating post-mortem interval, the standardization of protocols is needed to improve reliability and applicability in forensics. Future research should establish standardized methods and explore environmental impacts on DNA degradation.

Suicides in children and adolescents have different characteristics from other age groups because of their unique physical and psychosocial dynamics. Having more information on childhood and adolescent suicides and knowing their characteristics will lead to the development of prevention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate demographic characteristics, suicide methods, and causes of suicides in individuals aged <19 years using 2002 and 2022 data from the Turkish Statistical Institute. Of 1746 suicide cases, 813 (46.6 %) were recorded in male teens and 933 (53.4 %) in female teens aged <15 years. Of 7698 suicide cases, 4041 (52.5 %) were reported in male teens and 3657 (47.5 %) in female teens aged 15-19 years. Family incompatibility was the most common cause of suicides in children and adolescents. The most common suicide method was hanging. Population data show a decreasing trend, particularly in developed and developing countries, among children and adolescents. Therefore, suicide is an important problem in children and adolescents, who constitute a critical dynamic population for the socioeconomic future of societies.

The legality of providing any medical intervention needs to be guarded by the requirement of a conscious and informed consent given by the patient. The legal requirements of granting such a consent in practice should apply not only to typical situations, when the patient is able to manifest his medical decision consciously, but also to more complicated cases where a patient cannot provide such a consent himself by the time the provision of service is given. This implies the need for the doctor to take actions specified by law, such as, but not limited to obtaining the consent of the guardianship court or intervene without the consent. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of the currently in force Polish statutory requirements for legitimizing medical decisions in the relationships between physicians and patients. The study used anonymous surveys designed by the authors for the purpose of this study to test the level of knowledge of legal requirements regarding the principles under which patients provide consent to healthcare services and was conducted in two hospitals in Poland and Polish medical university. The survey results indicated that respondents do not possess sufficient understanding of the legal requirements for legitimizing acts or omissions of the physicians in the diagnostic and therapeutic process.

Nonlethal strangulation occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen because of external compression leading to the occlusion of the neck's blood vessels and/or airway. The current state of strangulation science confines expert testimony to merely describing injuries attributed to strangulation 'based on the expert's experience and training.' Expert testimony that can quantify the likelihood that observed injuries are attributable to strangulation would strengthen the scientific validity of such testimony.

This study aimed to reveal the opinions of emergency room nurses regarding crime victims and the challenges they experience.

Spontaneous splenic rupture is a rare life-threatening finding with a challenging diagnosis which is largely ignored in the literature. Hematological disorders such as afibrinogenemia are reported to cause bleeding disorders mostly cerebral hemorrhage. Despite being a life-threatening condition, data about spontaneous splenic rupture in patients with Afibrinogenemia remain scarce. Such fatal incidents should warrant diligent efforts to establish and adopt prevention measures in this particularly vulnerable population. We report two new cases of spontaneous splenic rupture in two siblings, diagnosed with congenital afibrinogenemia since early childhood. In addition, we report the results of a systematic review of the literature of cases that have reported the occurrence of splenic rupture in afibrinogenemia, with the aim of filling the gap in the clinical course of such an uncommon event.

Psychological autopsy studies are a method to understand the causes of equivocal deaths. Suicides and homicide-suicide are the result of various events. The understanding of an individual's life before their death, by interviewing the next of kin, provides some insight into the causes. The research articles dealing with psychological autopsy studies through case studies of suicide or homicide-suicide instances, obtained from different search engines, shed light on the mental health, Alcohol use disorder (AUD), and Drug use disorders (DUD) of individuals before death. The primary characteristic of suicides in a population of late twenties to early fifties was romantic relationship conflicts. In contrast, suicides in the teenage years and early twenties were characterized primarily by a lack of familial acceptability and, to a lesser extent, self-acceptance. Simultaneously, there was a high risk of suicidal behavior and commission of acts among the DUD patients, getting treatment without psychiatric diagnosis and therapy. Over time, the psychological autopsy technique has shown to be quite helpful in determining the risk factors for suicidal behavior. The study helps to develop multiple rehabilitation and mental awareness that need to be created among various populations so that the suicide and homicide-suicide rates can be reduced.

Kodokushi is a Japanese term where 'a person dies without being cared for by anyone, and whose body is found after a certain period'. These cases have also been called 'lonely deaths'. Few forensic studies exist. Using decomposition as a surrogate marker for social isolation the following study was undertaken. Pathology files from Forensic Science SA (FSSA), Adelaide, South Australia were reviewed for all cases aged ≥60 years where death had occurred at home and where there was moderate to marked decomposition. Two five-year time periods were selected for comparison. There were 27 cases from 2000 to 2004, out of a total of 1673 autopsies (1.6 %), (M:F = 21:6; age range 60-90 years, ave. 72.8; post mortem intervals 3-60 days, mean 10.7 days). The majority of deaths were due to natural causes (N = 22), with 2 suicides and 3 undetermined. There were 67 cases between 2019 and 2023, out of a total of 696 autopsies (9.6 %), (M:F = 52:15; age range 60-91 years, ave. 69.4 years; post mortem intervals 3-240 days, mean 21 days). The majority of deaths were due to natural causes (N = 55), with 3 suicides and 9 undetermined. Comparing the two time periods showed a predominance of males (78 %) dying of ischaemic heart disease in each cohort (67 and 60 % respectively). The average ages were similar (72.8 and 69.4 years respectively). There was a significant increase in the number of cases over the two decades of the study: 27 to 67 (p < 0.001), with an increase in the post mortem interval from 10.7 to 21 days. It appears that increasing numbers of socially isolated elders are occurring in an Australia population. These individuals have higher rates of certain mental and physical disorders and may present unique diagnostic challenges.

Chronic alcohol use is often associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study aimed to compare background characteristics, injury circumstances, primary head injuries, and secondary brain injuries among TBI cases with and without a documented history of chronic alcohol use. The sample comprised neuropathologically examined medico-legal autopsy cases with acute head injuries from Helsinki, Finland, over the years 2016-2022. Data on chronic excessive alcohol use were collected from medical records and police files; other background and circumstantial data were collected from medical records, police files, and cause-of-death investigation documents; and data on primary head injuries and secondary brain injuries were collected from autopsy and neuropathology reports. The dataset comprised 47 cases, of whom 19 had a history of chronic alcohol use (40.4%). Assault was the most common circumstance of injury among chronic alcohol users (47.4%) while falls prevailed among control cases (32.1%); unknown circumstances were common among both groups. There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of primary head injuries or postinjury survival between the groups. As for secondary brain injuries, hypoxic-ischaemic neuronal injury was significantly more common among chronic alcohol users in the frontal cortex (84.2% vs. 28.6%), parietal cortex (84.2% vs. 32.1%), hippocampus (63.2% vs. 25.0%), and lenticular nucleus (73.7% vs. 21.4%). Our findings suggest that chronic alcohol users may not necessarily have more diverse or complex primary injuries, but they may have more extensive secondary injuries. Further research should aim to explore the potential aetiology of hypoxic-ischaemic neuronal injury among chronic alcohol users.

Medical conditions may cause driving impairment and preventable motor vehicle collisions. Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Police detect potentially medically impaired drivers as part of their duties. ACT Police and medical fitness to drive reviewers sought to determine the accuracy of police suspicion of medically impaired drivers for quality assurance and legislative purposes.

The objective of this study was twofold: first, to evaluate the method of sample collection that would enable the measurement of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in forensic samples, and second, to report the prevalence of antibodies in deceased individuals due to traffic accidents, homicides, and suicides who are brought to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Western Regional Office (INMLCF) in Armenia, Manizales and Pereira, cities located in the center andes region of Colombia.

Research shows no convincing evidence to support a causal link between cervical spine manipulation (CSM) and cervical artery dissection (CAD). Researchers have proposed that a belief in a causal link may have significant negative consequences such as numerous episodes of litigation. The objective of this study was to review 10 malpractice cases for evidence of unnecessary litigation due to a belief in a causal link between CSM and CAD. A Google Scholar Case Law search from 1989 to 2024 was conducted to identify the 10 most recent English-language reports of malpractice cases involving an allegation that CSM caused CAD. Although our objective was to review 10 cases, only 9 cases were found. In all cases, causation of CAD by CSM was not supported by the evidence. In 4 out 9 cases reviewed, causation of stroke by CSM was supported by the evidence. In all 9 cases reviewed, failure to diagnose an existing CAD was more likely than not but was not alleged. We conclude that belief in a causal link between CSM and CAD does have negative consequences such as unnecessary litigation. In all 9 cases reviewed, allegations of failure to diagnose an existing CAD would have been more likely to result in a settlement without need for a trial.

The estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is a significant challenge in legal medicine and forensic sciences due to the dynamic and continuous decomposition of organisms after death. Thanatochemistry has emerged as a promising area to estimate PMI by measuring the concentrations of postmortem biochemical markers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize evidence on postmortem biochemical alterations in vitreous humor (VH) and synovial fluid (SF) to estimate early PMI. Comprehensive searches of electronic databases identified studies measuring postmortem biomarker concentrations in both matrices. Our analysis included three meta-analytical approaches: calculating standardized mean differences to assess variations in biochemical parameters, executing correlation meta-analysis (ρ) to explore relationships between these parameters and PMI, and conducting meta-regression to derive a predictive model. Results from five eligible studies indicated no correlation between sodium levels and PMI in both matrices. However, a strong correlation was found between potassium levels and PMI in VH (ρ = 0.69; 95 % CI 0.52 to 0.86) and SF (ρ = 0.81; 95 % CI 0.75 to 0.87), with the meta-regression yielding the optimal predictive equation for SF: [K+] = 6.15 + 0.21 × PMI. These findings support the use of potassium as a reliable biomarker for PMI estimation, particularly in SF.

The number of alcohol-related deaths in Lithuania has fallen by almost one-third in the last decade; however, the number of deaths has been on the rise since 2019. Data on the postmortem investigation of victims between 2018 and 2022 were obtained from the Lithuanian State Forensic Medicine Service database. This study analyzed data from 1200 autopsies. The deceased victims were categorized based on their cause of death and blood alcohol concentration (sober, legally intoxicated, mild, medium, or heavy). The causes of death were diseases (54.17 %, n = 650), suicides (12.08 %, n = 145), homicides (2.5 %, n = 30), and accidents (31.25 %, n = 375). Toxicological tests for alcohol were performed in all cases. Alcohol levels in the blood and urine were measured using gas chromatography. A significant correlation was observed between blood alcohol concentration and age (r = -0.13, p = 0.007). A statistically significant difference was observed in the proportions of men and women who were intoxicated. Among the causes of death, the group of individuals who died because of accidents exhibited the highest average blood alcohol concentration. Alcohol intoxication is undoubtedly a contributing factor to fatalities resulting from accidents and homicides. These findings assist in determining the intoxication level of victims and in assessing any potential links that may contribute to or predispose victims to lethal outcomes in cases of disease, suicide, homicide, or accident.

Brodifacoum, a long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide, exerts inhibitory effects on blood coagulation factor synthesis, leading to abnormal clotting function and potential fatality. Poisoning of accidental exposure to brodifacoum is not rare, but death from brodifacoum poisoning can be largely avoided with timely and long-term effective treatments, consequently, forensic data on fatalities due to brodifacoum poisoning may be limited. This paper presents a case of brodifacoum-induced homicide, detailing the medial records and pathological changes observed in multiple organs. Furthermore, t liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to measure the concentrations of brodifacoum in blood, hydropericardium, and urine 40 days post-poisoning (1 day post-mortem), yielding values of 0.097 μg/mL, 0.089 μg/mL, and 0.007 μg/mL respectively. The aim of this article is to contribute towards forensic identification of fatalities resulting from brodifacoum poisoning while also serving as a reference for clinical diagnosis in similar cases.

When the time since death must be calculated forensic pathologists often consider a calculation based on the Henssge nomogram. This calculation requires an estimated body weight. Previous research has indicated that healthcare workers generally inaccurately guessed patients' body weights. In recent years, weight estimation methods based on anthropometric parameters, such as mid-arm or waist circumference, have been shown to improve estimation accuracy. This study aimed to examine whether anthropometric weight estimation methods could improve weight estimation accuracy compared to visual estimation in forensic pathology. In 199 cases from a Swiss population, we measured the actual body weight, mid-arm circumference, waist circumference, and body height before autopsy. Additionally, two forensic pathologists visually estimated the body weight. We found mid-arm circumferences to correlate the strongest with actual body weight (Pearson 'sr 0.87, 95 % CI 0.83-0.90). However, all mid-arm circumference-based estimation methods performed worse than those previously described. A statistical bias between -12.3 % and -14.5 % indicated a systematic weight underestimation. Combined two-physician visual estimation performed significantly better than anthropometric measurements in our population but showed no difference from anthropometric estimation methods previously described in the literature. Further research is needed on novel body weight estimation methods that are currently not applicable for the global population.

Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP) and RNA binding motif protein 3 (RBM3) are both members of the cold shock protein family expressed in response to low-temperature induction. However, their usefulness in the diagnosis of fatal hypothermia in forensic has not been reported. In this study, we report the case of a female who died of fatal hypothermia. Through detailed case investigation, scene examination, autopsy testing and tissue observation, we ultimately determined that the woman died of hypothermia. We further examined the expression of CIRBP and RBM3 in the postmortem brain, heart, lung and kidney via immunohistochemistry. The high expression of CIRBP and RBM3 in the brain, lungs, and kidneys suggested the possibility of hypothermia. This study may provide new auxiliary diagnostic indicators for the diagnosis of fatal hypothermia in forensic medicine.

The method of dissolving a body to conceal crimes, a practice dating back to ancient times, has recently captured the interest of scientists and the film industry. Real-life cases inspired by media portrayals underscore the importance of understanding this process, which aims to prevent identification or locate the body. Historical and contemporary examples highlight the use of substances like caustic potash and various acids. Although scientific studies on this topic are limited, this scoping review explores the use of corrosive substances for concealing crimes by dissolving remains and aims to provide an overview of the current global extension of this phenomenon, addressing a gap in scholarly literature.