Radiological Age estimation from Xiphi-sternal joint in living person.

Age determination is very important. The perfect way to store the age related data is still lacking in developing countries. For age determination, different parts of the skeleton are more useful at different age ranges. The different age ranges include fetal, children, teen age, young adult, and older adult. Age determination is required in both civil as well as criminal cases. So for these cases, forensic experts are entrusted duty to determine the age. Forensic experts rely on radiographs of various bones and joints to determine age. Most of the age determination data available in middle and old adult is from autopsies and not from living population radiographs. Due to lack of this living person radiograph database, Xiphisternal joint is studied to determine the age in middle and old people. Lateral view radiograph of this joint was done in people whose exact date of birth was known and who had a valid proof of date of birth.

Estimation of age from epiphyseal fusion in iliac crest.

Scientific estimation of age of an individual whether living, recently dead person, disintegrated and decomposed dead bodies, skeletal remains or incomplete skeleton or fragmentary remains is a vexing problem for medical jurist, in both civil and criminal cases and is an important part of examination in medico-legal practices. A large number of researchers have studied this process, hoping to understand its origin, evolution and consequences as well as to try to combat it. In the present study 100 individuals are studied between the age group of 16 to 25 years in male and female separately i.e. 50 males and 50 females, whose X- ray examination is done at Rajindra Hospital; Patiala, Punjab. The study is undertaken to know the time of fusion of epiphyses of iliac crest. In this study, every individual’s X-ray pelvis AP view is taken to know fusion of iliac crest epiphyses. SAA

Ultrasonographical age estimation from fetal biparietal diameter.

In a wide variety of circumstances of feticide, fetal age determination is important for identification. This is an important identification feature in postmortem cases. There are many different parameters to determine the age from fetus. But actual problem arises, when the body of fetus is either mutilated or decomposed. The data of femur length and other variables at various gestational ages can be used for age estimation of fetus at autopsy. But at time of autopsy each bone may or may not be present for autopsy. So, this study of ultrasonic fetal biparietal diameter was done to collect data, which can be utilized to ascertain the age of fetus in autopsy cases particularly in the Punjab region. This regional data can also be used to determine gestation age, if exact last menstrual period date is not known in antenatal cases of this region or to develop charts for ultrasound dating of pregnancy based on biparietal diameter and, second, to derive reference curves for normal fetal growth based on bi-parietal diameter.

Age estimation from medial end of clavicle by x- ray examination.

Fixing up of the individuality of a person, no matter if it is new born baby in the hospital or in criminal cases and in civil cases like marriage, inheritance of property, passport, insurance claims, disputed sex and missing persons etc. has got its own importance. In the present study 100 individuals are studied between the age group of 16 to 25 years in male and female (separately), whose X- ray examination is done at Rajindra Hospital ; Patiala, Punjab. Male and female individuals were studied with age interval of two years and ten cases from each age interval were taken. The study is undertaken to know the fusion of medial end of clavicle to know the fusion of epiphysis. In this study, every individual’s X-ray chest AP view is taken to know fusion of epiphysis at medial end of clavicle.

Revenge by the bites.

Bite marks are important evidences, which are most often ignored by the investigating officers in India. Sometimes due to lack of this knowledge, let the culprit go Scot-free. Bite marks help to link the culprit with the crime. It is important scientific evidence, which if properly collected and analyzed can help, in successful prosecution of the case. Analysis of a case of bite marks is presented here by which culprit could be identified.

Prevention of drowning and its societal implications.

Death by drowning is not an uncommon phenomenon when stresses of the modern day life compel the person to end the life. In the regions where water sources are in abundance, e.g. rivers, canals, lakes, ponds and places near sea, these are readily available for such persons to end their lives. Homicides may also effected by pushing a person into well or canal. Accidents do occur when a person is walking or driving along a water source. We have to find out the reasons, by doing proper epidemiological studies, to find out ways to prevent such unnatural deaths. Daily we read some person committing suicide by one mean or other. In this ongoing study conducted in mortuary of Govt. Medical College, Patiala, relation of various factors like marital status, sex, age, etc with drowning were studied.

Athersclerosis in coronaries in Malwa Region of Punjab.

The study involves the gross and microscopic examination of coronary arteries of 200 cases of all age groups brought to mortuary of Rajindra Hospital Patiala for post mortem from Malwa Region of Punjab. The study was carried out to find out prevalence, pattern, frequency and severity of atherosclerotic changes in coronary arteries. The study was conducted in the department of Forensic Medicine and Department of Pathology Government Medical College Patiala.

Age estimation from eruption of permanent teeth.

This study was conducted on 578 individuals and eruption of various permanent teeth was noted in age group from 4 years to 25 years. Correlation of sex with the eruption of teeth was also noted and was found statistically that there was no significant difference in this. Eruption of teeth was compared between the two jaws and also the two sides of the jaws.

Conversion to hijrah (EUNUCH) is it need based or a crime.

Young boys were allegedly kidnapped and kept under illegal custody for months together. After demoralization had set in due to prolonged confinement, surgery was done on their private parts and female hormones were given to the persons. The converted person were made to wear female garments and performed in groups as a female dancers and earned money while in captivity. After a few years the person approached the police that this heinous crime had been done against their will.

Changes in the levels of vitreous potassium with increasing time since death.

This study was done to know the changes in the levels of potassium in the vitreous humour of eye with increasing time since death by flame photometry method. 200 cases brought to the mortuary of Govt. Medical College, Patiala, formed the material of this study. The cases were divided in 2 groups, burn cases (24) and non-burn cases (176). The data thus collected was analyzed statistically. It was found that the vitreous humour potassium concentration was increasing in a linear fashion with increasing time since death and this increase in the level was independent of the factors like age, sex, environmental temperature and humidity.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): The malady and the law.

A study was conducted in 96 females suffering from PMS. Behavioral symptoms appearing during PMS were noticed. It was found that there is a substantial link between PMS and behavior alterations. Depression, aggression, irritability etc. were recognized as extremely common symptoms of the syndrome. Considering at this point, these psychological symptoms associated with PMS might form a plea of insanity for some female offenders.