Suicide by ligature strangulation and/or hanging inside a motor vehicle: a comprehensive review.

Suicide by ligature strangulation/hanging inside vehicles is uncommon, and only few cases have been reported in the literature. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review of reported cases of suicide by ligature strangulation/hanging inside vehicles, analyzing the features of the death scene, of the ligature and furrow, autopsy findings, and causes of death. The comprehensive review was performed following the PRISMA guidelines by using the most common scientific databases. According to inclusion criteria, a total of 20 cases of vehicle-assisted strangulation/hanging were reviewed: 13 cases were assessed as ligature strangulation resulting in 7 complete decapitations and 7 other cases as hanging. All victims were young or adult males, except for one 48-year-old female. Death was assessed as suicide in all cases, except for a possible accidental autoerotic death. In 8 cases, a history of depression or other psychiatric disorders was reported. Toxicological analysis were positive in 7 cases. Hard ligature materials (nylon, steel, plastic, hemp ropes) were used in most cases, but only 13 cases had a well-demarcated furrow. In 2 cases, no internal findings of asphyxia were found. An additional case of ligature strangulation inside a motor vehicle off is also presented, where no autopsy findings of asphyxia were observed, except for a broad pale furrow and monolateral conjunctival petechiae. This study highlights the challenges in classifying suicidal hanging and ligature strangulation in motor vehicles.

Atypical Postmortem "Incaprettamento" After an Honor Homicide.

ABSTRACT: Honor killing is a murder carried out to protect the family's reputation by actions that are perceived as shameful. Usually, honor killing occurs to preserve family's honor, which has been violated by adulteries, premarital pregnancies, or inappropriate relationships. In Southern Italy, the culture of honor is quite strong especially among the local criminal organizations. Honor crimes by Italian Mafia are intended to have an admonitory significance, and they can be carried out following a macabre ritual of "incaprettamento." The aim is to humiliate the victim treating him like an animal, a bonded young goat where the victim is secured by a rope passing behind the back from the upper to lower extremities. In this case study, the honor homicide was perpetrated against the lover of a butcher's wife by sharp weapon, followed by a postmortem atypical incaprettamento of the corpse. The wrists and ankles were tied together by ropes, and the extremities were fixed to the abdomen with a string. The body was also wrapped in a plastic tape after penile amputation. According to killer's confession, the mutilation and the incaprettamento were expressions of revenge and contempt for the victim to restore the honor lost.

Colorectal Cancer: 35 Cases in Asbestos-Exposed Workers.

BACKGROUND: Asbestos is considered one of the major global work-related carcinogens. Some studies suggest a potential causal relationship between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of asbestos in CRC carcinogenesis is still controversial. METHODS: 35 claims of occupational CRC among asbestos-exposed workers were reviewed. All claims were rejected by the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents (INAIL) due to the "lack of scientific evidence in the causality" between asbestos exposure and CRC; causality was finally assessed in civil trials. All cases were categorized by age, gender, industry type, task, exposure and latency periods, anatomical location, and histopathological characteristics of CRC and concomitant respiratory diseases. RESULTS: Most workers were males aged 60 years or more and employed in occupational activities with extensive use of asbestos for over 20 years. In 31 out of 35 cases, CRC was diagnosed over 39 years after employment. Right-sided colic adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in nine cases; rectum was involved in eight cases. Respiratory comorbidities were observed in 22 workers. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides some interesting points in the assessment of the causal relationship between asbestos exposure and CRC.

Semi-computational approach for assessing the damage to human soft tissues: the case of FMJRN versus HP-XTP 9 mm bullet penetration in ballistic soap.

Ballistic soap blocks are used in wound ballistics to assess the potential damage of the ammunition employed, allowing observation of the energy transfer occurred along the wound channel. The density and viscosity of ballistic soap (also called tissue simulant) simulate, to a good degree of approximation, the effect resulting from the interaction of penetrating bullets with living human soft tissue. Ballistic soap has a "plastic reaction" to bullet penetration, and therefore, unlike ballistic gelatin, the expansion of temporary cavity remains imprinted in the tissue simulant. When the soap blocks are sectioned or divided with nondestructive instrumental techniques (e.g., Compton's scattering tomography), it's possible, therefore, to observe the temporary cavity determined by the penetration of the bullet. This study provides insight into the severity of injuries originated from two different types of bullets of the same caliber by employing ballistic soap as a tissue simulant. In addition, it provides guidance to forensic practitioners on the proper use of ballistic soap for simulating gunshot wounds. The semi-computational approach employed, based on the results obtained from the firing tests, allowed the authors to understand that there is likely a threshold value of projectile energy density, close to 1 J/mm2, beyond which its penetration into the ballistic soap ceases.

Gunshot injuries in Campania (Italy): A retrospective thirty-years (1981-2011) study.

From 1981 to 2011, 200 firearm deaths were autopsied in Naples, at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli". 188 cases were homicides and most of them (116) were related to the local organized crime. The majority of victims were young Italian males in the 20-39 age fired in outdoor environments. The reason for choosing outdoor environments can be related to the opportunity for the killer run from the crime scene immediately after the murder. Only 11 of the bodies autopsied were suicide victims, mostly older individuals, over 50 years -old with history of mental illness. All the suicides occurred in indoor environments in order to protect their domestic intimacy. Only two female victims were accounted in this historical series which is quite impressive if compared to recent phenomenon of feminicides occurring mostly in domestic environments. A total of 772 entry wounds were observed: 658 fired from single-charge handguns and 114 from multiple-charge firearms. 9x21 pistol cartridge was the most common ammo used, followed by the 7.65 Parabellum. The head was the most common anatomical site injured (in 81.8% of the suicides cases and in 68.6% of homicides). Most of the victims of homicide died before arriving at an Emergency Service. Only a minority of victims lived from few hours up to less than a week, after being shot, and very few victims remained alive up to a couple of months.

A Clue on the Skin: A Systematic Review on Immunohistochemical Analyses of the Ligature Mark.

BACKGROUND: A ligature mark is a common injury in cases of hanging or strangulation. Estimation of age and vitality of the ligature mark can be crucial for differentiating antemortem and postmortem wounds and to distinguish between simulated suicidal hanging or accidental strangulation to conceal a crime and not simulated events. The immunohistochemistry has been recommended by several Authors as a reliable tool to determine whether an injury was sustained during life or not. Unfortunately, no general agreement on the immunohistochemical markers to be used has been found among the scientific community. The aim of the study was to detect the type and function of the immunohistochemical markers useful in the assessment of the vitality and age of the ligature marks for routine diagnostics. METHODS: Papers available on Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science were reviewed according to the PRISMA statement. RESULTS: Only eight papers satisfied all the following inclusion criteria: full texts in English dealing with human ligature marks and immunohistochemistry published on impacted or indexed scientific journals. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment of the vitality of a ligature mark is still a challenging topic in forensic science. Under ideal conditions and in compliance with autopsy protocols, the diagnosis of death by hanging or strangulation on fresh bodies can be better supported by autopsy findings other than a ligature mark. The validation of immunohistochemical markers on large series could be of help in doubtful cases and differential diagnoses.