Since the second half of the XX century, primer mixtures based on mercury fulminate have become a rare occurrence on small ammunition markets in Western Europe and North America. As a consequence, Hg-containing gunshot residue (GSR) particles have not been as deeply investigated as residues from lead-based primer mixtures. As a matter of fact, no mention of GSR particles from mercuric primers is made by the current ASTM standard procedure for gunshot residue analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBallistic soap blocks are used in wound ballistics to assess the potential damage of the ammunition employed, allowing observation of the energy transfer occurred along the wound channel. The density and viscosity of ballistic soap (also called tissue simulant) simulate, to a good degree of approximation, the effect resulting from the interaction of penetrating bullets with living human soft tissue. Ballistic soap has a "plastic reaction" to bullet penetration, and therefore, unlike ballistic gelatin, the expansion of temporary cavity remains imprinted in the tissue simulant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: We investigated prevalence of and factors associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in a group of patients hospitalized with viral bronchiolitis. We retrospectively enrolled 139 children (mean age = 3.2 ± 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe hypothesized that the heart rate (HR) variation in an acute setting compared with HR in wellbeing status could be a good marker of both dehydration and acute kidney injury (AKI). Since HR in wellbeing status is unknown in most cases, we assumed as reliable surrogate the 50th percentile of HR according to age and gender. We evaluated if the estimated percentage of heart rate variation in acute setting compared with 50th percentile of HR (EHRV) could be marker of dehydration and AKI in children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInorganic gunshot residue (GSR) analysis is carried out by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) in many forensic laboratories. Characteristic GSR often consists of lead–barium–antimony, commonly associated with sulfur. The strength of forensic GSR evidence increases when unusual elements are found in residues collected both from the suspect and from the discharged firearm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acute kidney injury (AKI) enhances the risk of later chronic kidney disease. Significant prevalence of AKI is reported in adults with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). We investigated prevalence of and prognostic factors for AKI in children hospitalized for CAP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We aimed to evaluate prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and its risk factors in children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) to identify early predictors of AKI.
Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical and biochemical data of 114 children (57.9% male; mean age 2.
The surfaces of thirty-one gunpowders (GPs) from Winchester, Federal, Hercules, DuPont, and Remington were examined by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Particles and surface coatings on 22 of the GPs had compositions of sulfur/potassium/barium or sulfur/potassium detected. Primer-like particles composed of lead/antimony/barium were found on surfaces of twelve GPs.
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