Hospitalists and intensivists in the medical ICU: a prospective observational study comparing mortality and length of stay between two staffing models.

Background: A shortage of critical care specialists or intensivists, coupled with expanding United States critical care needs, mandates identification of alternate qualified physicians for intensive care unit (ICU) staffing.

Objective: To compare mortality and length of stay (LOS) of medical ICU patients cared for by a hospitalist or an intensivist-led team.

Design: Prospective observational study.

[Some problems in identification of an unidentified corpse].

Presents data on the number of unidentified corpses sent to the morgue of Bureau of Forensic Medical Expert Evaluations of the Rostov region and discusses the shortcomings in organization of medical criminalistic personality identification. Discusses some scientific problems investigated at Department of Forensic Medicine of Rostov State Medical University.

[Modern concepts of adipocere formation mechanisms].

Biochemical parameters of transformation of fresh subcutaneous fat into adipocere have been studied in experiment. Activation of lipid peroxidation is a significant component of the mechanism of adipocere transformation, which is proven by a drastic increase in the level of Schiff's bases in adipocere in comparison with subcutaneous fat. The concentrations of myristic, palmitic, and stearic fatty acids increase during the formation of adipocere, while the content of linoleic acid decreases in comparison with the unchanged human subcutaneous fat.