Experimental sharp force injuries to ribs: Multimodal morphological and geometric morphometric analyses using micro-CT, macro photography and SEM.

Tool marks on bones induced by knife blades can be analysed morphometrically in order to enable an allocation of the suspected "inflicting weapon" to the particular morphology of the bone lesions. Until now, geometric morphometrics has not been used to analyse the morphology of knife lesions on fleshed bones in detail. By using twelve experimental knives and a drop weight tower, stab/cut injuries were inflicted on untreated pig ribs.

Pathomorphologic findings in left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction of adults in relation to neuromuscular disorders.

Background: Aim of this study was to assess pathomorphologic findings (PATHO) in patients with echocardiographically (ECHO) diagnosed left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction.

Methods: ECHO-criteria for LVHT were: >3 trabeculations, moving synchronously with the compacted myocardium, and forming the noncompacted part of a two-layered myocardium. At autopsy, the hearts were investigated according to the pathologists' preferences.

Noncompaction in mitochondrial myopathy: visible on microscopy but absent on macroscopic inspection.

Objectives: Disappearance of left ventricular hypertrabeculation (LVHT) over time has been occasionally recognized, but absence on echocardiography and autopsy and presence on histological examination after autopsy has not been reported.

Methods: Routine investigations such as chocardiography, cardiac MRI and coronary angiography were applied. Autopsy studies included macroscopic inspection and dissection but also histological work-up.

Acute type A aortic dissection and pregnancy: a population-based study.

Objective: Pregnancy has been reported to be an independent risk factor for 50% of acute aortic dissections recorded in women younger than 45 years of age. The present epidemiologic study aimed to identify whether this putative association of pregnancy and acute type A dissection could be an artifact of selective reporting.

Methods: This population-based study was conducted in the City of Vienna, Austria, Europe, in an average female population of 34,1381 women in the age range of 15-45 years who were followed up between 1994 and 2004 (total of 3755.

Comparison of surface cooling and invasive cooling for rapid induction of mild therapeutic hypothermia in pigs--effectiveness of two different devices.

Aim Of The Study: The effectiveness and safety of non-invasive surface cooling was compared to invasive endovascular cooling in an animal model.

Methods: Eight healthy pigs (29-38 kg) were cooled twice, starting in the first 4 pigs with unique surface cooling pads followed by endovascular cooling. In the second 4 pigs the order was reversed.

Feasibility and efficacy of a new non-invasive surface cooling device in post-resuscitation intensive care medicine.

Aim Of The Study: There is sufficient evidence that therapeutic hypothermia after non-traumatic cardiac arrest improves neurological outcome and reduces mortality. Many different invasive and non-invasive cooling devices are currently available. Our purpose was to show the efficacy, safety and feasibility using a non-invasive cooling device to control patient temperature within a range of 33-37 degrees C.

Ichthyotherapy as alternative treatment for patients with psoriasis: a pilot study.

Ichthyotherapy (therapy with the so-called 'Doctorfish of Kangal', Garra rufa) has been shown to be effective in patients with psoriasis in the Kangal hot springs in Turkey. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of ichthyotherapy in combination with short-term ultraviolet A sunbed radiation in the treatment of psoriasis under controlled conditions. We retrospectively analyzed 67 patients diagnosed with psoriasis who underwent 3 weeks of ichthyotherapy at an outpatient treatment facility in Lower Austria between 2002 and 2004.

Evaluation of a novel tagging and tissue preservation system for potential use in forensic sample collection.

The authors describe a new, easy-to-use barcode-based tissue collection, preservation and body tracking system, which might prove instrumental in the containment of mass fatalities such as aircraft accidents, war related accidents, environmental disasters (e.g. earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods) terrorist bombings or mass murders.

[Wound healing by steril fly larvas: basic mechanical, biochemical and microbiological principles].

Recently an old treatment for refractory wounds, the so-called "Maggot-Therapy", once again received attention in medical literature. It seems, that the biggest obstacle for a broad clinical use of fly larvae of the species Lucilia sericata in wound treatment is the lack of knowledge about the biology of these animals and the underlying mechanisms with respect to wound therapy. In this review, the known and possible mechanisms of action of Maggot-Therapy are presented and opportunities for further research are discussed.

The blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as a new forensic indicator in Central Europe.

During the summer months of the year 2001, six forensic cases (one is reported in the present paper), a pig carrion study in the city of Vienna (latitude 48 degrees 12'N, longitude 16 degrees 22'E) and several liver-baited traps north of Vienna, yielded large numbers of maggots of the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Apart from some records from France, reports of C. albiceps from the palearctic region north of the Alps (i.

Effect of temperature on development of Liopygia (= Sarcophaga) argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and its forensic implications.

The temperature-dependent development of the forensically important flesh fly Liopygia (Thomsonea) argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy) (=Sarcophaga argyrostoma) was studied at six constant temperature regimes in the laboratory. Total developmental time of L. argyrostoma from larviposition to adult emergence was 54.

Effect of temperature on development of the forensically important holarctic blow fly Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

Immature development times of the blow fly Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830) were studied in the laboratory at five different constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 degrees C). The minimal duration of development from oviposition to adult emergence was inversely related to temperature, ranging from 9.19+/-0.