{"title":"A three year old girl was removed from her parents because of failure to recognize Mongolian spots","authors":"S. Christoffersen","doi":"10.1515/sjfs-2016-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2016-0002","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A three year old girl was observed to have bluish marks on her back, arms and legs. The social services initiated an examination on the local hospital, but no conclusion regarding the marks was reached. The girl was institutionalized before a forensic examination after three days concluded that the marks were Mongolian spots. The case stresses the importance of being able to distinguish between Mongolian spots and skin hematomas and the need for a genuine clinical forensic examination in cases where child abuse is suspected. A guide for distinguishing between Mongolian spots and skin hematomas is presented.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2016-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83980487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Role of Respiratory Infection in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)","authors":"D. Mage, M. Latorre, A. Jenik, E. Donner","doi":"10.1515/sjfs-2016-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2016-0004","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Introduction: The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is not likely to be explained by a currently measureable presence in all cases and absence in controls, as otherwise it would have been solved already. Indeed, any proposed physiological model for SIDS causation must explain the constant mathematical and statistical properties of SIDS age and gender. We have shown previously that SIDS are characterized by a common 4-parameter lognormal age distribution sparing neonatal infants, by a nominal 50% male excess, and by a higher rate in winter than summer. We test now whether SIDS is closely related to a fulminating prodromal Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) by a common increasing rate with the infants increasing Live Birth Order (LBO), all remaining the same, independent of the change in preferred sleeping positions of the infants, prone or supine. Methods: We use U.S. published infant mortality data from wonder.cdc.gov and other countries (Colombia, U.K., Europe, Australasia) to make comparisons between the two causes of death (ARI and SIDS) to evaluate how closely ARI resembles the characteristics of SIDS. Results: Gender: SIDS male excess 50%, ARI male excess 50%; Ages: SIDS 90% post-neonatal, ARI 96% post-neonatal; Seasonality: SIDS and ARI are higher in winter than summer; Live birth order: SIDS and ARI rates increase with increasing LBO with similar mathematical relationship. Conclusion: Our results show that all SIDS are very likely relatable to a single cause tied to a fulminating prodromal ARI in a physiologically anemic infant who is genetically (X-link recessive) susceptible to cerebral anoxia. An alternative cause of all SIDS death by a collection of subsets of different causes, such as brainstem-related respiratory abnormalities and cardiac QT abnormalities, is not supported because they cannot all have the same age-gender-seasonal-familial-distributions of SIDS, required by Cramér’s Theorem.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2016-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77880963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An explanation of the 25% male excess mortality for all children under 5","authors":"D. Mage, E. Donner","doi":"10.1515/sjfs-2015-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2015-0001","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract BACKGROUND: To demonstrate that an epidemiologic probability model of a hypothesized X-linkage for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) that predicted its 50% male excess, also predicts the 25% male excess of all child mortality for ages under 5 years. METHODS: Neglecting trauma, infants die naturally from either respiratory causes R (breathing stops first) or cardiac causes C (heart stops beating first). An hypothesized dominant X-linked allele with frequency p = 1/3, that is protective against acute anoxic encephalopathy, predicted the 50% male excess of R. Given the ~ 0% male excess for cardiac deaths C, and assuming equal death risk for females by R and C, their average predicts a 25% male excess for equal numbers of infant males and females at risk. Thus, 5 males would die for each 4 females dying from all causes, predicting a male fraction of 5/9 = 0.55556. RESULTS: Vital statistics for gender of children under 5 years at risk of dying and their corresponding mortality are obtained from the U.S.A. and multiple European countries. For 17 data sets from 15 countries, we total over 1.2 Billion child-years at risk and over 2.6 million child deaths. The observed total under 5 year male fraction, correcting for the nominal 5% male livebirth excess, is 0.55633, virtually as predicted. CONCLUSIONS: An X-linked dominant allele protective against respiratory failure, predicts accurately the 5/9 male fraction of all child mortality under 5 years. DNA study of SIDS can identify the candidate X-linked gene locus.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2015-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82200197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. H. Nielsen, S. Mastrigt, R. Otto, Katharina Seewald, C. Ruiter, M. Rettenberger, K. Reeves, Maria Francisca Rebocho, T. Pham, Robyn Mei Yee Ho, M. Grann, Verónica Godoy-Cervera, J. Folino, M. Doyle, Sarah L. Desmarais, Carolina Condemarin, Karin Arbach-Lucioni, J. Singh
{"title":"Violence Risk Assessment Practices in Denmark: A Multidisciplinary National Survey","authors":"L. H. Nielsen, S. Mastrigt, R. Otto, Katharina Seewald, C. Ruiter, M. Rettenberger, K. Reeves, Maria Francisca Rebocho, T. Pham, Robyn Mei Yee Ho, M. Grann, Verónica Godoy-Cervera, J. Folino, M. Doyle, Sarah L. Desmarais, Carolina Condemarin, Karin Arbach-Lucioni, J. Singh","doi":"10.1515/sjfs-2015-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2015-0003","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract With a quadrupling of forensic psychiatric patients in Denmark over the past 20 years, focus on violence risk assessment practices across the country has increased. However, information is lacking regarding Danish risk assessment practice across professional disciplines and clinical settings; little is known about how violence risk assessments are conducted, which instruments are used for what purposes, and how mental health professionals rate their utility and costs. As part of a global survey exploring the application of violence risk assessment across 44 countries, the current study investigated Danish practice across several professional disciplines and settings in which forensic and high-risk mental health patients are assessed and treated. In total, 125 mental health professionals across the country completed the survey. The five instruments that respondents reported most commonly using for risk assessment, risk management planning and risk monitoring were Broset, HCR-20, the START, the PCL-R, and the PCL:SV. Whereas the HCR-20 was rated highest in usefulness for risk assessment, the START was rated most useful for risk management and risk monitoring. No significant differences in utility were observed across professional groups. Unstructured clinical judgments were reported to be faster but more expensive to conduct than using a risk assessment instrument. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2015-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86859621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Series of Nine Cases of Axial Displacement of Distal Tibial and/or Fibular Shafts from Aircraft Crashes with Proposal of Potential Mechanisms","authors":"Stephen L. Richey, K. Richeý","doi":"10.1515/sjfs-2015-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2015-0002","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Previously, a pair of aircraft crash fatalities was reported by Byard and Tsokos involving extreme trauma to the lower legs with avulsion of the musculature and extrusion of the distal tibial shaft through the inferior aspect of the feet and shoes. This report was important to both the forensics and the injury prevention fields because it demonstrates a finding that may help to indicate not only the severity and nature/direction of an impact but also the position of the extremities at the time of collision with the terrain. Thus, here are reported an additional nine cases out of a larger series of 1182 aircraft fatalities (0.7%) with similar findings and discuss the biomechanical origins of such injuries.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2015-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89732700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Can examination of tissue stained with Oil red O be postponed up to three months?","authors":"S. Christoffersen, J. L. Thomsen","doi":"10.2478/sjfs-2014-0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/sjfs-2014-0005","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Introduction: As far as we know, there are no known studies on the durability of frozen tissue stained with Oil Red O. The purpose of this study was to examine if the lipid drops in Oil Red O stained tissue keep the original position and color over time (3 months). Further we examined if storage position of the stained tissue makes a difference. Method: We used ten frozen kidney sections stained with Oil Red O. Half of the samples were stored vertically and the other half horizontally, and photos of the same areas were taken within the first 24 hours after staining, and then after 48 hours, 72 hours, 7 days, 14 days, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months respectively. Results and conclusion: No changes in position of the lipids were observed. The color of the staining faded somewhat over time, but it was still possible to distinguish the positive sites from the negative.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82883565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"First assumptions and overlooking competing causes of death","authors":"Anh Thao N Andersen, P. Leth","doi":"10.2478/SJFS-2014-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/SJFS-2014-0006","url":null,"abstract":"Determining the most probable cause of death is important, and it is sometimes tempting to assume an obvious cause of death, when it readily presents itself, and stop looking for other competing causes of death. The case story presented here illustrates this dilemma. The first assumption of cause of death, which was based on results from bacteriology tests, proved to be wrong when the results from the forensic toxicology testing became available. This case also illustrates how post mortem computed tomography (PMCT) findings of radio opaque material in the stomach alerted the pathologist to the possibility of tablet ingestion.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82984485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
V. Vindenes, A. Enger, K. Nordal, U. Johansen, A. Christophersen, E. Øiestad
{"title":"Very long Detection Times after High and repeated intake of Heroin and Methadone, measured in Oral Fluid","authors":"V. Vindenes, A. Enger, K. Nordal, U. Johansen, A. Christophersen, E. Øiestad","doi":"10.2478/sjfs-2014-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/sjfs-2014-0004","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract When detection times for psychoactive drugs in oral fluid are reported, they are most often based on therapeutic doses administered in clinical studies. Repeated ingestions of high doses, as seen after drug abuse, are however likely to cause positive samples for extended time periods. Findings of drugs of abuse in oral fluid might lead to negative sanctions, and the knowledge of detection times of these drugs are important to ensure correct interpretation. The aim of this study was to investigate the detection times of opioids in oral fluid. 25 patients with a history of heavy drug abuse admitted to a detoxification ward were included. Oral fluid and urine were collected daily and, if the patient gave consent, a blood sample was drawn during the first five days after admission. Morphine, codeine and/or 6-monoacetyl morphine (6-MAM) were found in oral fluid and/or urine from 20 patients. The maximum detection times in oral fluid for codeine, morphine and 6-MAM were 1, 3 and 8 days, respectively. Positive oral fluid samples were interspersed with negative samples, mainly for concentrations around cut off. Elimination curves for methadone in oral fluid were found for two subjects, and the detection times were 5 and 8 days. Oral fluid is likely to become a good method for detection of drug abuse in the future","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87115923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identification of peptide and protein doping related drug compounds confiscated in Denmark between 2007-2013","authors":"Rune Andersen Hartvig, Niels Bjerre Holm, Petur Weihe Dalsgaard, Lotte Ask Reitzel, Irene Breum Müller, K. Linnet","doi":"10.2478/sjfs-2014-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/sjfs-2014-0003","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We present an overview of protein and peptide compounds confiscated in Denmark from late 2007 till late 2013 together with a description of a newly developed HRAM-LC-MS method used for identification. As examples of identification, we present data for the peptides AOD-9604, [D-Ala2, Gln8, Ala15, Leu27]sermorelin and the protein follistatin. It was found that a method with minimum sample preparation could be implemented for all of the confiscated peptides and the protein somatropin. However, for the protein follistatin it was necessary to include trypsin digestion in the sample preparation, which considerably increases the overall analysis time.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79275682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Families coping with the forensic anogenital colposcopic examination","authors":"M. Thastum, M. Beyer, Annie Vesterby Charles","doi":"10.2478/sjfs-2013-0011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/sjfs-2013-0011","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Background: The anogenital colposcopic examination is not a routine procedure in the ordinary examination of children, and knowledge is sparse regarding child and parental anticipation and coping. Methodology: The study included 60 children aged 4 - 15 years of age, examined on grounds of alleged sexual abuse, during a two year period. The physician rated the child using the Procedure Behavioral Rating Scale (PBRS). In addition, the child and parent completed a questionnaire concerning their experience. Principal findings: Mean PBRS score was 1.3. Significant positive correlations were found between the parental expectations to the child’s anxiety regarding the examination, and the children’s anxiety, the experience of the examination being bad/ugly and the experience of pain during the examination. Significantly higher PBRS scores were found in the group with no perpetrator conviction. Conclusions: High levels of parental and child distress emphasizes the need for better preparatory and stress reducing procedures, to avoid possible re-victimization and negative influence of parental anticipatory anxiety on the child. The finding of significantly higher PBRS scores in the group with no conviction could indicate, that lack of behavioral distress might be related to the possibility of sexual abuse.","PeriodicalId":41138,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2014-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80892069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}