Stature can be considered one of the "big four" parameters to be ascertained within the biological profile in cases of forensic anthropology. However, the most reliable available methods for stature estimation require the preservation of the long bones, but since this is very often not the case, the development of alternative methods, based on distinct bones, is mandatory. Therefore, in the present work the reliability of the first two metatarsal bones in reconstructing stature is tested. The data consist of length measurements taken from the first two metatarsals removed from documented cadavers of known stature. The sample for this study consists of 220 metatarsals, namely 110 first metatarsals and 110 second metatarsals collected during the autopsies carried out in the National Institute of Legal Medicine in Portugal. The aim was to propose regression equations for the Portuguese population and test the formulae proposed by other authors to determine adult stature using metatarsal bones. We found that when estimating stature from measurement of the metatarsals, the best correlation was that obtained from the relationship with the maximum length of the 2nd metatarsal. The corresponding regression equation is as follows: S=790.041+11.689M2.
The efficiency of immunohistochemical techniques for the diagnosis of vitality of wounds decreases for lesions occurring fairly close to death. We analyzed the expression of fibronectin (FN) and tenascin (TN) in wounds inflicted in abdominal skin of 12 adult rats. An incised injury was made at 5, 10 or 15 min before death and another at 5 min after sacrifice, and collected after 45 min. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from a total of 36 samples (mean 1.5 per wound) were immunostained following the streptABC technique. Microscopic examination revealed a reticular pattern staining in 18 out of 20 vital samples for FN, 16 out of 20 for TN, 2 out of 16 postmortem samples for FN and 3 out of 16 for TN. Intracellular staining of muscle fibres was observed in 7 out of 20 vital and 5 out of 16 postmortem samples. FN and TN were detected in most of the vital injuries but they are not completely specific. Postmortem staining occurred in a few cases probably related to a passive extravasation of these molecules from damaged blood vessels. Reactivity of muscle fibres occurs both in vital and postmortem lesions, and is not useful in the diagnosis of vitality.
Abstract Attitudes toward physician-assisted death among medical students differ between populations. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes towards euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide among Spanish university students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by asking undergraduate students (Medicine, Nursing and Law) of the University of Santiago de Compostela to complete an anonymous 17-item questionnaire. Most participants exhibited a positive attitude towards physician-assisted suicide (54%) and euthanasia (75%), as well as towards their legalization. Attitudes were consistent with the underlying ethical reasoning, with no differences in terms of age, gender or academic degree. In addition, consistency was found between attitudes and willingness to participate in physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, should they be legal. The results showed that the attitudes of medical students towards euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide were positive and similar to non-medical students.
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