Sudden death of a young adult with coronary artery vasculitis, coronary aneurysms, parvovirus B19 infection and Kawasaki disease.

We present a case of a 20-year-old man who suffered from Kawasaki disease (KD) associated with a florid parvovirus infection, and who died suddenly from thrombotic occlusion of the coronary arteries. The autopsy revealed several aneurysms of the coronary arteries, a chronic vasculitis and a myofibroblast proliferation leading to focal luminal narrowing. The inflammatory response as well as the detection of the viral particles by PCR in blood and in the lesional tissue demonstrated a possible cause by Parvovirus infection.

Death after misuse of anabolic substances (clenbuterol, stanozolol and metandienone).

A 34-year old male was found breathless and panting at home by his girlfriend three hours after a gym workout. Minutes later, he collapsed and died. Autopsy, histological and chemical analyses were conducted.

Extracellular Distribution of Collagen II and Perifibrillar Adapter Proteins in Healthy and Osteoarthritic Human Knee Joint Cartilage.

Perifibrillar adapter proteins, interconnecting collagen fibrils, and linking the collagen network with the aggrecan matrix seem to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, we examined immunohistochemically the extracellular distribution of collagen II and the main perifibrillar adapter proteins-collagen IX, decorin, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and matrilin-3-in human samples of healthy (n=4) and OA (n=42) knee joint cartilage. Histopathology assessment was performed using an OA score.

Homicidal strangulation by victim's own artificial hair extensions.

A 24-year-old woman was strangulated by her husband using his wife's own 60-cm long artificial head hair integrations. During a domestic conflict, she was strangulated while lying in bed in a prone position. Her husband wrapped her hair around her neck and pulled it with one hand while fixing her head with the other hand.

Does impaction matter in hip resurfacing? A cadaveric study.

Eight pairs of fresh frozen human femora were prepared for hip resurfacing. One side of each pair was impacted gently, the other side vigorously. After implantation procedure, specimens were loaded in a material testing machine to the ultimate fracture load.

[Conceiling the cadaver in masonry and cement].

Encasing with concrete and/or bricks are relatively rare forms of hiding or disposing of a body; criminologically, cases of this kind are often treated as "matters involving a missing person" at first. The article describes the circumstances and findings of 2 cases in which bodies were encased with concrete. Under the aspects of reconstruction it is of importance that bodies may be preserved quite well in concrete, which allows not only identification of the victim but also determination of the cause of death even after a prolonged post-mortem interval, the more so as occasionally tools used for committing the offense are also encased together with the body.

The roughness of the supranasal region--a morphological sex trait.

The supranasal region often attracts attention by a remarkable rough and jagged quality of the bony surface caused by an irregular supranasal suture and additional holes and pores. Some authors point out that there is a positive relation between the supranasal suture, the superciliar arches, and the forehead contour. For this a relation to sex is conceivable.

Measurement of cartilage thickness in the human knee-joint by magnetic resonance imaging using a three-dimensional gradient-echo sequence.

We studied human specimens and compared data on cartilage thickness measurements with magnetic resonance imaging by using an image analysing system with corresponding histological sections in the middle of each sector. The findings are based on 768 measurements in 26 knee joints. Overall, there was very good magnetic resonance/anatomic correlation (r=0.

Induction of alpha1-antitrypsin synthesis in human articular chondrocytes by interleukin-6-type cytokines: evidence for a local acute-phase response in the joint.

Objective: We have previously shown that human articular chondrocytes synthesize large amounts of interleukin-6 (IL-6) upon stimulation with proinflammatory cytokines and that they express the IL-6 receptor. The present study was undertaken to analyze whether different IL-6-type cytokines can induce synthesis of the acute-phase protein alpha1-antitrypsin in human articular chondrocytes.

Methods: Chondrocytes from human articular cartilage, cultured in agarose, were stimulated with IL-6-type cytokines.

Iliac cancellous bone in drug addicts: a histomorphometric study.

Histomorphometry was used to determine structural bone changes in drug addicts. Iliac crest bone biopsies were obtained at autopsy from 28 subjects (21 male, 7 female, aged 18 to 45 years) who had a history of drug abuse and had died due to overdose of illicit drugs. For histomorphometry, undecalcified sections were investigated using the Merz grid.

Applicability of various brands of mixed-phase extraction columns for opiate extraction from blood and serum.

Four commercially available types of mixed-phase solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns (Bond Elut Certify, Isolute Confirm HCX, Chromabond Drug and Bakerbond Narc-2) were examined in order to compare the extraction efficiencies and chromatographic purity of extracts. The absolute recovery of morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine and codeine was examined in blood and serum (ten samples each at two concentration levels), using SPE columns of the same batch. GC-MS (ion trap) and HPLC with amperometric detection were used for quantitation.

Trends in occurrence of drugs of abuse in blood and urine of arrested drivers and drug traffickers in the border region of Aachen.

The region of Aachen is located in a triangle on the German, Dutch and Belgian borders and is heavily exposed to drug traffic, due to the differences in national drug policies. The analysis of toxicological casework in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Aachen was undertaken for the period 1987-1993, i.e.

Iatrogenic fatal outcome of traumatic axillary aneurysm.

Five months after dislocation of the left shoulder a 66-year-old patient noted a swelling in the left axilla. After CT-scan a malignant tumour was suspected and an incisional biopsy was performed. A week later the patient died due to hemorrhaging from the biopsy wound.

Digital radiography versus conventional radiography for the detection of a skull fracture under varying exposure parameters.

Rationale And Objectives: The effect of varying exposure parameters on the detectability of a fracture with digital and conventional radiography were examined.

Methods: A macerated fractured skull was imaged by film-screen radiography (FSR) and digital storage phosphor radiography (DR) with various exposure values. Five radiologists traced the course of a fracture line.

[Limits for recognizing linear fractures of the cranial vault in radiologic diagnosis].

In case of failure to detect a vault fracture in fatal head injury the physician is often accused of medical negligence. The material for the study consisted of a macerated vault with fractures in different widths. In order to detect the threshold of perceptibility it underwent radiographic examination taking pictures under different projections.

[Applications of morphometry in forensic medicine].

Various histomorphometric methods and their use in clinical-pathological and forensic investigations are described. The methods are 1. manual point counting using an integrating eyepiece, 2.