Articles

Subungual exostosis (SUE) is a benign phalangeal tumor of an osteocartilaginous nature [1]. SUE is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults; most of these lesions are located in the big toe, although they can occur (albeit infrequently) in other toes. We report five observations of SUE described in young children under 10 years and discuss the particularities of this pathology in the pediatric population.

Forensic analysts are more than ever facing challenges upon conducting their deep investigative analysis on digital devices due to the technological progression. Of these are the difficulties present upon analyzing web browser artefacts as this became more complicated when web browser companies introduced private browsing mode, a feature aiming to protect users’ data upon opening a private browsing session, by leaving no traces of data on the local device used. Aiming to investigate whether the claims of web browser companies are true concerning the protection private browsing provides to the users and whether it really doesn’t leave any browsing data behind, the most popular desktop browsers in Windows were analyzed after surfing them regularly and privately. The results shown in this paper suggest that the privacy provided varies among different companies since evidence might be recovered from some of the browsers but not from others.

Death due to road traffic accident (RTA) was one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in India. In the present cross-sectional study, only the victim using two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and pedestrians were included for comparison to determine the pattern of injuries in these victims of the road traffic accident. There was a predominance of males in all three types of victims of RTA with a peak age of incidence seen in 21-30 years in two-wheeler victims, 41-50 years in four-wheeler victims, and 51-60 years in pedestrian victims. Four-wheeler (HMV/LMV) was the commonest type of offending vehicle involved in all types of victims with collision/ dash as the commonest manner of an accident. Head was the commonest region involved in pedestrian and two-wheeler victims as compared to the thorax in four-wheeler victims of accidents. Abrasion was the commonest surface injury in two-wheeler victims and pedestrians. The laceration was more common in two-wheeler victims as compared to crushed injury in pedestrian victims of road traffic accidents. The brain was the commonest organ involved in two-wheeler and pedestrian as compared to lungs in four-wheeler victims. The liver and spleen were more commonly involved in two-wheeler victims as compared to kidneys and bladder in pedestrian.

Objective: The main aim of the study was to compare outcomes based on diabetic control for patients undergoing formation of a new upper limb arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Research design and methods: A prospective cohort study was performed where we obtained baseline HbA1c in 65 patients before undergoing AV fistula formation. Patients were followed up at our clinic 6 weeks after creation to assess fistula maturity. Results: Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the association between HbA1c status and maturity of AVF at 6 weeks after controlling for possible confounding factors such as age, sex, presence of hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Those with HbA1c less than 6.5 were 22 times likely to have maturity of AVF at 6 weeks as compared to those with HbA1c 6.5 or more (AOR = 22.65, p < 0.005) Conclusion: Good diabetes control, reflected by an HbA1c of less than 6.5, is associated with a very high possibility of AVF maturity at 6 weeks post creation.

This study provides an update to a previous study exploring time to restoration of adjudicative competence within an Outpatient Competence Restoration Program (OCRP). Authors examined the probability of restoration for individuals referred for outpatient competence restoration in the U.S. capital, and revisited the requirements of American Law, taking a closer look at how programmatic changes improve restoration and encourage adherence. Competence to stand trial remains a critical screening function of the judicial system to ensure that defendants have a basic understanding of courtroom procedures. Competency restoration is therefore an attempt to protect both the integrity of the system and the rights of defendants. Aggregate data from the OCRP’s previous four years of competence restoration efforts were reviewed for demographic characteristics, restoration rates, and time to restoration. Poisson regression modeling identified probability differences in restoration between sequential restoration periods. Since our initial analysis, the DC OCRP has been successful in restoring 97 of 345 participants (28.1%), with referral rates increasing from year to year. 39.2% are now restored after the 3rd round of competency restoration. Poisson regression modeling of individuals attaining competence during six successive restoration periods showed that differences for the first five rounds of restoration were not statistically significant (p = 0.418). In the 6th round, however, the difference in percentage of restored participants was statistically significant compared to previous rounds (irr = 0.32; p = 0.0001). We discuss the policy implications, especially those that suggest that the DC OCRP has improved its ability to restore competence beyond the 1st round of restoration.

Pieces of evidence have continued to emerge, demonstrating the extensive efficiency and effectiveness of the DNA database in assisting criminal investigations around the world. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the awareness level on the prominent role of Forensic DNA Database on Crime Investigation in Nigeria: a case study of Benin City. In conducting this research, a total of 458 questionnaires were distributed around Benin City between the periods of 12th January 2020 to 21st March 2020, with a particular focus on security agents and students. The questionnaire comprised of three main categories: Socio-demographic characteristics, Information about the National Forensic DNA Database, and Information about DNA evidence, and Nigeria Criminal Justice system. For the analysis of data collected; the statistical tool used was also Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 22 for windows. Responses were compared using chi-square and presented as counts and percentages. In determining the level of awareness, the following responses were obtained. Of the total population: 53.28% had no idea about forensics, 19.21% were uncertain and 27.54% knew about forensics. The same trend was observed with Forensic DNA profiling, 42.14% did not know, 22.27% were uncertain and 35.59% demonstrated good knowledge of Forensic DNA profiling. On the knowledge about the National Forensic DNA Database, 48.47% had no knowledge, 22.27% were uncertain and 29.26% were knowledgeable about it. The result of the present study revealed that the awareness level of the forensic DNA Database was found to be inadequate.

We report a case of pulmonary embolism complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis. A 48-year-old woman suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis more than 6 years without formal treatment. Recently, she went to hospital because of “chest tightness and dyspnea”, and died in the process of admission to hospital. Pulmonary embolism was found by autopsy and histological examination. We analyzed the relationship between pulmonary tuberculosis and pulmonary thromboembolism and the problems we should pay attention to in forensic pathology.

What is called “idiopathic biliary duct system dilatation” or better to name it “un-explained biliary dilatation” is mostly following surgical procedures related to upper gastrointestinal and hepato-bilio-pancreatic systems. Having such situation, adaptive physiology of the biliary duct system has to be considered and rational has to be explained. The vast multimodal progress in techniques of investigations that has been applied on studying the hepato-bilio-pancreatic system has been utilized to clear the clinical ambiguity of biliary duct system dilatation for no logic reason but missing the correlation between both fields; the technical and the clinical ones. This clinical review is trying to fill this gap and introduce a comprehensive discussion of the subject. Mechanical, biochemical and immune causes constitute a wide diversity of etiology related to biliary system dilatation that in some situations is really difficult to verify clinically. On the least, even we could not verify the etiology we need to identify that reaching a closed road is different than postulating suspicions that never exist. This review is a trial collecting all subject-related data that might be related to etiology mechanisms and utilize to find a correlation rationale. At some point verification of such correlation is really a far target that might be even impossible clinically with availing technical tools and hope in the future could be achieved.

There is evidence that complement components induce cell migration in mesenchymal stem cells and regulate cytokine production in osteoblastic cells thus playing a regulatory role in normal bone formation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of complement system in the differentiation of bone marrow cells in complement-depleted model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Arthritis was induced by intraarticular injection of zymosan in cobra venom factor (CVF)-treated mice depleted of functional complement. The expression of different markers by bone marrow [1], on fibroblasts (CD29), mesenchymal cells (CD105), dendritic cells (CD14, CD86), osteoclasts (CD265), cells expressing Dectin1 (CD369) and megakaryocytes (CD62P) was determined by flowcytometry. The lack of functional complement activity at the point of arthritis initiation (day 3) lead to an increase of fibroblast and megakaryocyte populations, to a decrease of mature and dectin1 positive populations, while the number of mesenchymal cells was not changed, all compared to arthritic mice. Immunohistochemical staining showed that low complement activity diminished arthritis-induced generation of megakaryocytes and platelets in BM. Chronic inflammation during erosive conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, leads to dysregulated differentiation and prolifеration of bone cells, inflammation of synovial membrane and bone marrow, and degradation of cartilage and bone. Present results point that the lack of functional complement changed the ratio between different cell populations that can be used for determining the development and stage of rheumatoid arthritis and can help finding of new therapeutic approaches.

Sojourn to high altitude may affect various human systems if proper acclimatization not followed. If acclimatization failed, sojourners may suffer with high altitude sickness such as acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Although a sojourner’s tolerance to high altitude hypoxia varies according to differences in physiology and physical conditioning. Acute mountain sickness may cause headache, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. While HACE is more serious stage where brain swelling occurs and it is potentially fatal. A sojourner with HACE may experience confusion, amnesia, delusions, and loss of consciousness. Staying in high altitude (above 9000 feet) environment poses low oxygen supply (hypobaric hypoxia) to the different body organs including brain.