Corrosion and wear behavior of Ti-5Cu-xNb biomedical alloy in simulated body fluid for dental implant applications.

The present study examined the corrosion and tribological behavior of novel Ti-5Cu-xNb alloy synthesized via powder metallurgy as a new biomedical material in a simulated bodily fluid (SBF) solution. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) study reveals the formation of two protective layers on the surface of alloys during the test. The alloys spontaneously produce a passivating oxide coating on their surfaces, and the breakdown potential (1.14-1.17 V) and re-passivation current density (2.07-3.04 µAcm-2) were observed during the potentiodynamic polarization test. The highest corrosion resistance was observed for the alloy Ti-5Cu-10Nb (icorr = 21.44 nA-cm-2). The SEM and XPS analysis of the corroded surface showed the formation of oxide on the surfaces of the alloys. The samples were tested at 10 N, 15 N, and 20 N loads against the zirconia counterpart to investigate the effect of loading on friction and wear. The lowest coefficient of friction was obtained for Ti-5Cu-5Nb (0.25-0.41) at 20 N loading, while the maximum for Ti-5Cu-10Nb at 15 N load falls in the range of (0.71-0.25). Additionally, they present the wear rate in the range of (5.3 × 10-8-1.45 × 10-6 mm3/mm), in accordance with the change in microstructure and mechanical properties. However, the wear rate increases with the addition of niobium and reaches the maximum for Ti-5Cu-15Nb at 20 N loading condition, but it is relatively deficient compared to commonly used implant material. Therefore, it is suggested that this ß-type Ti-5Cu-xNb alloy is a promising candidate, more suitable than the commercially used Ti and Ti-6Al-4V for dental applications.

Microstructure, mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and antibacterial behavior of Ti-5Cu-x%Nb biomedical alloy.

Titanium-based biomedical alloys are susceptible as they are used as a substitute for human bone. In this study, titanium alloy, Ti-5Cu-x%Nb (x= 0, 5, 10, 15) (%wt) was developed by powder metallurgy route. The effect of alloying niobium with Ti-5Cu alloy and its effect on the microstructure, mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and antibacterial properties have been evaluated. The results show that the sintered alloy has bothα-Ti and Ti2Cu phases. With increasing niobium content in the alloy,ß-Ti was also detected. Additionally, it was found that the micro-hardness and compressive strength of the studied alloy was better than commercially pure titanium (cpTi), while the Young's modulus was lower than cpTi. These properties are highly favorable for using this alloy to replicate the human cortical bone. The alloy was also tested for anticorrosive property in Ringer's solution. The antibacterial activity was also examined forStaphylococcus aureusandEscherichia colibacteria. The alloy showed promising anticorrosive and antibacterial ability.

Infant death resulting from sharing a cot with a 10-year-old boy.

An infant may die from unintentional suffocation if their exhausted, or inebriated or sedated mothers fall asleep while breast feeding or just sharing a bed and roll over on to them. The mother wakes up to find the baby dead in the morning. Diagnosis is complex due to minuscule autopsy findings and denial by parents about overlaying although it was accidental. Unusually, in this case, the baby was "over layed" by a young male child from the same family. The female baby was found listless next morning by her mother and died after three months of treatment. Death circumstances, non-sudden outcome, and unusual circumstances of overlaying the baby.

Murderer who spread table salt over his victim's corpse unintentionally preserved it from putrefaction.

Adipocere is medico-legally exigent post-mortem change alternative to putrefaction. Sprinkling table salt over corpse to hasten disintegration and keep carnivores and nibblers off is a feature of ritualistic burial. We describe an unusual murder concealment wherein assailant put quantum of table salt over and around dead body while burying in jungle to hasten disintegration. Unexpected adipocere involving table salt preserved the body and firearm injuries. A mystifying thanatological aspect was the basic fact of table salt osmotically drawing even intrinsic body water needed for adipocere in non-damp conditions. It exceptionally formed in a week, and in a shallow grave, its formation in such conditions being very unusual and unreported.

Fatal monocrotophos poisoning by cutaneous absorption while sleeping: A remarkable case study.

Organophosphate poisoning is a continued menace associated with high morbidity and mortality in both resource-crunched developing and developed countries. Cases have been described of deliberate self-poisoning which has higher mortality than accidental exposure. Fatal poisoning by accidental dermal absorption is rarely reported for monocrotophos. Authors detail fatal accidental monocrotophos poisoning in adult female by dermal exposure while sleeping. Pesticide was detected in post-mortem blood and skin by chromatography and spectroscopy. Extraction along with review of literature for monocrotophos poisoning is adjuncted in this study.

Access to Round Window Niche via Posterior Tympanotomy and Impact of Drilling Its Overhangs: A Cadaveric Descriptive Study.

We intended to study the morphological parameters of round window region and assess the gain in exposure achieved by drilling the round window niche overhang. The Exposure of the round window membrane (RWM) is of prime importance to carry out atraumatic electrode insertion for cochlear implantation. The anatomy of round window has been a subject of considerable debate in literature. Fifty-one Formalin preserved adult cadaveric temporal bones were micro-dissected to carry out an 'optimal' posterior tympanotomy to expose the round window region. The bony overhangs of round window niche (RWN) were next drilled to achieve maximal possible exposure the RWM without violating the annulus of the same. The exposure was classified as per St Thomas' Hospital classification. The round window could not be visualized in 3 bones (5.9%). The commonest morphology of RWN was dome shaped, found in 18 (37.5%) and that of the RWM was oval shaped, found in 14 (29.2%) bones. Pre drilling 41 bones had a > 50% exposure of RWM while post drilling > 50% exposure could be achieved in all the bones except the 3 bones in which RWN could not be visualized to begin with. The drilling of the RWN overhangs exposed RWM in entirety in 91.7% of bones with a visible morphology of RWN pre drilling. RWN and RWM exhibit varied morphology. Drilling of the round window niche overhangs can considerably enhance the exposure of RWM.

Homicide concealed strangulation after bobbing reins in sexually sadistic homicide.

This case of sexually motivated homicide combined the perpetrator's obliteration of his victim's identity along with his attempt at concealment of the corpse and sexual gratification following ligature strangulation of a young unidentified female from a minority Indian state. Sexual bondage was evident with characteristic body tying in a typical posture to fuel the killer's sexual arousal and gratification before, during and then after strangling his victim with a scarf. The victim's body was left in a sack packed with vegetables and transported from the crime site and found abandoned in a park.

Homicidal methanol poisoning in filicide-suicide.

Most methanol poisonings are accidental. We present a rare case of filicide-suicide, where a youth was killed by methanol poisoning and his parents then committed suicide by jumping in front of a running train. The father's suicide note explains the crime.

Rare gripping object in electrocution: Cadaveric spasm at its best.

Cadaveric spasm causes instantaneous rigor without preceding post-mortem flaccidity. The precise pathophysiological basis of this phenomenon is still unknown. We report a case of accidental electrocution where the deceased was found dead with a metallic water supply pipe of a motor booster pump firmly gripped in his hand. In this report, we review the literature and consider the mechanisms that may cause this phenomenon.

Suicidal asphyxiation by carbon monoxide within a polythene bag.

Suicide by inhalation of carbon monoxide is not uncommon and usually involves car exhausts or burning charcoal or defective boilers. We report a case of a 25-year-old man, who committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide gas inside a polythene bag in a bathroom. The open carbon monoxide cylinder found inside the polythene bag was purchased online by the deceased a few days earlier. He had stated that the gas would be used for his experiment on the environment. A suicide note recovered from his trouser pocket revealed his intention for a painless death.

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning.

Aluminium phosphide is one of the most common poisons used for suicide in an agricultural country like India. Death is usually due to myocarditis which occurs within few hours of ingestion. There are many late complications reported in medical literature, however toxic effects on the gastrointestinal system, particularly corrosive action leading to massive haemorrhage is rarely reported. A 30 year old male developed upper gastrointestinal bleeding on the second day after consumption of aluminium phosphide. An exploratory laprotomy was done followed by adhesinolysis, gastrostomy closure with feeding jejunostomy and drainage. He died after eight days of ingestion. The autopsy findings of this rarely reported case along with review of literature on corrosive action of Aluminium Phosphide is discussed.

Fatal ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in an anonymous egg donor.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is a rare, but potentially life-threatening iatrogenic disorder arising from ovulation induction or ovarian hyperstimulation for assisted reproduction techniques. We report a case of a 26-year-old multiparous woman, an anonymous egg donor, who died a few hours after undergoing a procedure to donate eggs at an in vitro fertilization clinic. Her husband alleged that medical negligence had led to her death. The autopsy confirmed death due to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. We know of no previous descriptions of fatal ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in an anonymous egg donor in medico-legal literature.

Ingestion of safety razor blade and delayed hanging in a complex suicide.

Ingestion of a foreign body is mostly accidental in children and intentional in prisoners to achieve hospitalization; however, use of this method of suicide is rare. We report a case where the victim first ingested a safety razor blade, but failed to die and then hanged himself, but failed again and finally succumbed to the complications on the sixth day. He had also attempted suicide by inflicting multiple incised wounds on his neck four days before the safety blade ingestion, but none were fatal.

Suicide notes and cadaveric organ donation.

A suicide note is an important tool for medico-legal investigation on the manner and circumstances surrounding the death. It can also act as a facilitator for organ donation when the victim expresses their wish to do so. This article cites four examples, where the victims had specifically mentioned a "last wish" to donate their organs. The importance of such "expressed consent" in suicide notes is discussed. Such observations are not found in available scientific literature and are of importance in countries where there is a long waiting list for organ recipients and a very large number of suicidal deaths.

Sulphuric acid marketed in water bottle in India: A cause for fatal accidental poisoning in an adult.

Corrosive acid ingestion is a rare but serious health hazard with fatal complications. Cases of suicidal and accidental acid ingestion have been documented in the scientific literature. Accidental acid poisoning due to a mistaken identity of the bottle containing sulphuric acid is a matter of grave concern especially in a household set-up. We hereby report a fatal case of accidental sulphuric acid ingestion in an adult, who unsuspectingly swallowed about 50 ml of 'toilet-cleaner' at his residence. The bottle containing the acid was recently purchased from a local vendor and placed with water bottles in the kitchen. The autopsy and toxicological findings of this case are discussed in this paper with discussion of medico-legal issues on the sale and use of such corrosive acids in illegal bottles and its subsequent health hazards in India.

Medico-legal autopsy of abandoned foetuses and newborns in India.

Foeticide and the abandonment of newborns are important, albeit frequently neglected, issues. Concealment of childbirth is often seen in the setting of unwanted pregnancy which has been recognised as one of the most important factors in both cases. This study highlights the medico-legal autopsy findings of 238 abandoned foetuses and newborns over a period of 17 years (1996-2012) from the region of South Delhi, India. There was no sex predilection. The majority of the cases were full term. Nearly 35% of the foetuses were still born, about 29% were live born and the remainder were non-viable. Among the live born, death by homicide was more common than a natural death and most were left by the roadside. The abandoning and killing of newborns needs urgent attention, and strict measures are needed to save thousands of innocent lives.

Cardiac rupture delayed for a week in an asymptomatic child following blunt trauma.

A two-year-old child was hit by a car outside his home and was immediately taken to hospital. There were no external injuries present over the body except two small abrasions on the occipital region of head. A computed tomography scan of the head was performed which revealed no cranio-cerebral injury. He was discharged from the hospital within few hours apparently well. The child was absolutely asymptomatic for a week, after which he suddenly died while playing at home. Autopsy revealed left ventricular free wall rupture and pericardial haematoma. This case report discusses the rare incidence of delayed cardiac rupture due to blunt trauma resulting in haemorrhagic tamponade in an asymptomatic child.

Suicide by injecting lispro insulin with an intravenous cannula.

Suicide by injecting insulin is not uncommon both in diabetic and non-diabetic people. The victim usually uses an insulin syringe or a traditional syringe attached to a needle for the injection of insulin, of either animal or synthetic origin. We report a case of suicide by a non-diabetic physician by injecting lispro insulin through an intravenous cannula. To the best of our knowledge, the use of an intravenous cannula for the injection of insulin for suicide is unusual and is rarely reported in the medico-legal literature.

Effect of nitrogen and cold working on structural and mechanical behavior of Ni-free nitrogen containing austenitic stainless steels for biomedical applications.

This investigation deals with the evaluation of structural and mechanical behavior of deformed (10% and 20% cold work) and annealed (at 1050°C for 15 min followed by water quenching) Ni-free high nitrogen austenitic stainless steels (HNSs). The microstructure was observed by optical micrograph and the mechanical properties were determined by macrohardness and tensile tests. Both stress strain behavior and work hardening behavior were evaluated. HNSs have smaller grain size as compared to low nitrogen steels and no formation of martensite was observed after 20% cold working. Further, it was found that hardness; yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the steels linearly increases and elongation decreased with nitrogen content and degree of cold working. The strength coefficient was observed to be higher for the high nitrogen steels; it decreased to some extent with degree of cold working. The work hardening exponent was also observed to decrease with degree of cold working. Influence of nitrogen on mechanical properties was mainly related to its effect on solid solution strengthening. X-ray diffraction analysis of annealed as well as deformed alloys further confirmed no evidence for formation of martensite or any other secondary phases. SEM fractography of the annealed and deformed samples after tensile tests indicates predominantly ductile fracture in all specimens.

Triple hanging in filicide-suicide: an unusual case report.

Filicide-suicide is a special category of homicide-suicide event where the victim(s) are children and the perpetrator is one of the parents or both. It is not extensively documented or adequately defined in literature. In developed countries, shooting is a common method of homicide and suicide. Uses of knives, blunt objects, strangulation, poisoning and drowning are other methods frequently employed by the perpetrator. Homicide by hanging in filicide-suicide is rarely reported in forensic literature. We present a rare case of filicide-suicide, where the mother killed both her children by hanging them one by one from a ceiling fan in the same room and later committed suicide by hanging in another room.