[Lethal intravenous infusion of a wound antiseptic containing polyhexanide].

Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) is considered to be highly histocompatible and is one of the most frequently used wound antiseptics. Only one case of intoxication has been reported so far. The present case of a lethal intoxication is the first fatal incident described where causality is substantiated by a temporal coincidence between application and ascertainable organ damage.

[Sudden death in the presence of systemic mastocytosis and urticaria pigmentosa].

Systemic mastocytosis is an extremely rare disease characterised by abnormal mast cell production and accumulation of mast cells in the bone marrow or organs, and to some extent also in the skin (urticaria pigmentosa). To date there have been no descriptions of death caused by systemic mastocytosis. The present first description of such a fatality is based upon a case of anaphylactic histamine shock, probably caused by the consumption of peanuts.

Immunocytochemical examinations of biological traces on expanding bullets (QD-PEP).

When a crime victim has been injured with several different objects, it is of central importance for the forensic investigation to be able to show which object caused which injury, especially if one of the injuries was lethal. In cases of bullet penetration wounds it is often not possible to find such evidence. However, immunocytochemical investigations can accurately match a victim's injury to a particular bullet path through the body.

[Immunohistochemical proof of amelogenin in teeth--a contribution to the evaluation of the age in the identification of unknown corpses].

When a corpse is found that cannot be identified, one of the forensic tasks is to determine how old the person was when she or he died. To solve this frequently asked question in forensic practice, the enamel protein amelogenin was marked immunohistochemically in 249 extracted teeth. Amelogenin is already produced during prenatal development and is gradually used up throughout life into old age.

[Visualization of biological traces on evidence by ninhydrin].

Because of possible contamination of samples with PCR inhibitors and to avoid the typing of mixed profiles the source material for forensic DNA investigations should be collected as directly and securely as possible from the evidence. This approach requires a detectability of the source material which is often not given. The procedure introduced here using selected cases enables visualization of DNA-containing materials on evidence and hence controlled analysis.

[Immunocytochemical examination of biological traces on knife blades].

In cases of penetrating stab wounds by different knives it is highly relevant to prove which knife caused which injury, especially if one of the injuries was lethal. This is possible by immunocytochemical examination of cellular material remaining on the injuring blade because some organs have organ-specific antigen determinants such as alpha-l-fetoprotein in the liver cells or cardiac troponin I in the heart muscle cells, to which antibodies can bind. Even when penetrations occur through several layers of clothing, enough cells from the injured organ remain on the blade of a knife to allow immunohistochemical examination.

[Quantification of human DNA from forensic samples via real time PCR by the help of a telomerase assay].

Quantitative data concerning the content of human DNA and the effect of PCR inhibitors in a sample would provide very important information within a forensic DNA analysis. With the help of real-time PCR it is possible to test DNA samples for these influencing factors. However, the amplified DNA segments detected by means of usual TaqMan DNA probes are longer than most of the short tandem repeats to be investigated.

[An already archived latent fingerprint as a DNA source for STR typing in a murder case].

Former studies have shown that even a single skin contact, resulting in a latent fingerprint, can transfer enough DNA for genetic analysis. However, up to now latent fingerprints have usually not been used for DNA typing. In the present case the smeared trace of a hand was found in the suspect's car and archived.