Mandatory certification of forensic science practitioners in the United States: A supportive perspective.

The article presented is supportive of mandatory certification of forensic scientists and believes that such a mandate can help establish a threshold for competency in the profession, provide a universal standard for ethical professional conduct, and enhance the credibility of forensic science in users of the profession and the general societal public. After examining the history of professional certification in the United States across a spectrum of professions including forensic science, results of surveys sent to forensic science practitioners to gauge their views on mandatory certification is discussed. Seventy-three surveys were received with most surveyors being in support of mandatory certification related to their discipline.

Friday: Fish Day.

A 78-year-old man presented with diffuse abdominal pain, localized peritonitis and raised inflammatory markers. CT revealed an mesentery abcess with a linear high density structure in continuity with the adjacent small bowel lumen. Laparoscopy showed a perforation by a fish bone.

Carcinoid heart disease: typical findings on echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance.

Carcinoid syndrome is often complicated by carcinoid heart disease. Deposition of carcinoid plaques on the endocardium of the tricuspid and pulmonary valves causes the typical echocardiographic iconography with thickening of the leaflets and valvular insufficiency and/or stenosis leading to right heart failure. Additionally, the fibrous plaques can be visualized with cardiac magnetic resonance using delayed enhancement sequences.

Incidental radiological finding of a renal tumour leading to the diagnosis of Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome.

Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant condition characterised by benign tumours of the hair follicle, renal cancer, pulmonary cysts and spontaneous pneumothorax. We report the diagnosis of a BHD syndrome achieved after incidental radiological finding of a renal tumour in a 24-year old man. The patient also displayed recurrent pneumothoraces and showed to have cysts in the basis of both lungs.

A dural craniocervical fistula in a patient with progressive cervical myelopathy.

A 47-year-old male patient with a dural craniocervical fistula is presented. One year after a car accident the man was admitted to the emergency department with severe nausea and progressive paralysis of the lower legs. MRI examination of the brain and cervical spine discovered cervical myelopathy and tortuous blood vessels anterior to the pons and cervical medulla.

Sulfasalazine-associated encephalopathy in a patient with Crohn's disease.

We report a case of acute encephalopathy in a patient with Crohn's disease who had taken sulfasalazine for 1 month. The development of toxic hepatitis and dermatitis prompted interruption of the drug. Four days later, neurologic symptoms became evident.

Sulfasalazine-associated encephalopathy in a patient with Crohn's disease.

We report a case of acute encephalopathy in a patient with Crohn's disease who had taken sulfasalazine for 1 month. The development of a toxic hepatitis and dermatitis prompted interruption of the drug. Four days later, neurological symptoms became evident.

Computed tomography of the stomach with water as an oral contrast agent: technique and preliminary results.

Computed tomography of the gastric wall after ingestion of 500-700 ml of pure tap water, followed by rapid intravenous injection of contrast medium, was performed on 24 patients with known gastric tumors. Computed tomography detected the wall abnormality in 22 of 24 cases (91%). Local gastric involvement was correctly predicted in 20 of these patients.