Head Trauma and Alcohol: A Lethal Combination.

There has been much recent attention regarding "concussions" and the role they may play in death. As most medical professionals are aware, concussions exist on a spectrum ranging from minimal or no loss of consciousness with no residual sequelae to diffuse axonal injury and sudden death. The location on the spectrum depends not only on the nature of the impact or blow but also on the state of the individual impacted.

Normal Organ Weights in Women: Part I-The Heart.

Cardiac enlargement is a well-known independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death, though the definition of what constitutes cardiac enlargement is not universally established. A previous study was undertaken to establish a normal range for male hearts to address this issue; the present study was designed to address the issue and to determine normal cardiac weights in adult human females. A prospective study was undertaken of healthy females dying from sudden, traumatic deaths aged 18 to 35 years.

Normal Organ Weights in Women: Part II-The Brain, Lungs, Liver, Spleen, and Kidneys.

Organomegaly can be a sign of disease and pathology, although standard tables defining organomegaly have yet to be established and universally accepted. This study was designed to address the issue and to determine a normal weight for the major organs in adult human females. A prospective study was undertaken of healthy females who had sudden, traumatic deaths at age 18 to 35 years.

Gunshot wounds: a review of firearm type, range, and location as pertaining to manner of death.

Many studies have examined the characteristics of gunshot wounds by manner of death; however, no published study has directly compared these characteristics for the different types of firearms. This study was designed to address that deficiency. Existing data sets of nonaccidental deaths by handguns, shotguns, and rifles were reviewed.

Handgun wounds: a review of range and location as pertaining to manner of death.

Citizens of the United States own more firearms than those in any other country, and the majority of the firearms owned are handguns. Given such prevalence, surprisingly few studies have been published describing the characteristics of deaths due to handguns. To address this gap, nonaccidental handgun deaths examined at the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed.

Normal organ weights in men: part II-the brain, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys.

Organomegaly can be a sign of disease and pathologic abnormality, although standard tables defining organomegaly have yet to be established and universally accepted. This study was designed to address the issue and to determine a normal weight for the major organs in adult human males. A prospective study of healthy men aged 18 to 35 years who died of sudden, traumatic deaths was undertaken.

Normal organ weights in men: part I-the heart.

It has been shown that cardiac enlargement, whether hypertrophic or dilated, is an independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death, although the definition of what constitutes cardiac enlargement is not universally established. This study was designed to address this issue and to determine normal cardiac weights in adult men. A prospective study was undertaken of healthy men dying from sudden traumatic deaths aged 18 to 35 years.

Use of flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser in the treatment of superficial vascular malformations and ulcerated hemangiomas.

A retrospective study of 502 patients treated with tunable flashlamp pulsed dye laser for superficial vascular malformations (433), ulcerated hemangiomas (65) and postinvolutional redness (4) is presented. Patients were treated in the period from June 1997 to March 2006, with follow-up ranging from six months to four years. The age of the patients ranged from three months to 80 years.

The timing of histologic changes in liver lacerations.

Microscopic examination was performed on 55 cases of traumatic liver lacerations incurred from fatal motor vehicle accidents. None of the deaths was due to the liver injury. In 38 of 55 cases, the decedent was pronounced dead at the scene.

The sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) scans in detecting trauma: are CT scans reliable enough for courtroom testimony?

Background: Rapid and accurate recognition of traumatic injuries is extremely important in emergency room and surgical settings. Emergency departments depend on computed tomography (CT) scans to provide rapid, accurate injury assessment. We conducted an analysis of all traumatic deaths autopsied at the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office in which perimortem medical imaging (CT scan) was performed to assess the reliability of the CT scan in detecting trauma with sufficient accuracy for courtroom testimony.

The reliability of immunoassay for determining the presence of opiates in the forensic setting.

Urine immunoassays are commonly used as a rapid screen for drugs of abuse in emergency room, hospital, clinic, and forensic settings. The authors were concerned whether or not a negative screen of the urine for opiates was of significance and indicative that analysis of blood for opiates was not necessary. Specifically, we wished to determine whether a negative test for opiates by immunoassay absolutely rules out an acute overdose, and if not, what percentage of cases with negative results have opiates in the blood.

Heterotopic ossification in unidentified skeletal remains.

Heterotopic ossification is a benign, ectopic bone growth that develops in muscle and other soft tissue. The exact cause is poorly understood, but it is a rarely serious complication of soft tissue trauma. Its most common form, myositis ossifications traumatica, occurs as a secondary complication of direct muscle injury.

Fatal hyperthermia in hot baths in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

The authors report the case of a 47-year-old black man with a history of multiple sclerosis who was found dead in a bathtub, head above water, with a body temperature of 105.7 F. Results of a complete autopsy and toxicologic screen were negative.

Homicidal asphyxia.

Homicides due to asphyxia are relatively uncommon. To better understand the presentation of such cases, the files of the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office were reviewed from January 1, 1985, through December 31, 1998, for all such homicides. A total of 133 cases were found.

Death due to concussion and alcohol.

We encountered 5 deaths following blunt trauma to the face and head in which the injuries were predominantly soft tissue in nature with absence of skull fractures, intracranial bleeding, or detectable injury to the brain. All individuals were intoxicated, with blood ethanol levels ranging from 0.22 to 0.

Suggested guidelines for platform presentations.

A platform presentation at an academic meeting requires preparation, practice, and self-discipline. Our observations and discussions of presentations made at national meetings of forensic scientists over the past several years compelled us to review the essentials of public speaking in the academic arena. We translated this review into a compilation of recommendations for the prospective presenter.