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Biomedical subjects

J Hiss

Publications and source records attributed to J Hiss.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Fatal rat bites].

We present a rare case of infant death due to blood loss resulting from multiple rat bites. Domestic dogs and cats cause most animal bites. Bites of a house rat usually cause bacterial infection, successfully treated with antibiotics. There is little information about death due to house rat bites. Since the wounds they cause tend to occur post-mortem, they are usually wedged, clean and without subcutaneous bleeding. An 11-week-old, malnourished infant girl was bitten to death while sleeping in her mother's bed in a rat-infested home. The infant's clothing was covered with blood, parts of her face were missing and marks of gnawing were present on her neck and extremities. There was subcutaneous bleeding around the wounds indicating that they were inflicted while the child was alive. Autopsy findings revealed profound blood loss. We conclude that a combination of low socio-economic status, severe failure to thrive, and poor hygiene in a rat-infested environment contributed to the fatal outcome in this attack.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Cocaine "mules"].

We present 2 cases of "body-packer" syndrome (BPS) in which the "mules" carrying the packages of narcotics arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport presented symptoms of acute cocaine intoxication due to the bursting of packages of narcotics they were transporting within their gastro-intestinal systems. Acute cocaine overdose due to sudden massive release of the drug into the digestive system in BPS, may cause psychosis, convulsions and eventually death. Blood levels of cocaine between 0.25 and 5 mcg/ml are toxic and occasionally lethal. When a package bursts within the digestive tract of a smuggler or blocks the intestines, an immediate laparotomy is necessary to evacuate the "ovules" and the remains of the drug from stomach and intestines. Patients merely suspected of being body packers can be diagnosed by physical examination and by means of various imaging methods. They can be conservatively treated with fluids and mild laxatives and kept under close supervision until the remaining packages are naturally discharged. Sudden onset of psychotic behavior in travelers from South America or other drug-producing countries should raise suspicion of body-packer syndrome. The relevant authorities should therefore be aware of the symptoms and consider their potentially dangerous outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Occupational fatalities in Israel.

Occupational fatal injuries are a worldwide problem. Certain occupations pose a greater risk than others. The purpose of this study was to estimate the death rates from occupational injuries in Israel over a period of 30 months, and to examine the trends in the light of the large numbers of foreign workers who have been brought into the country in the last decade. Two-thirds of the occupational fatalities were in the construction business, mostly owing to falls from a height resulting in death from multiple trauma. About one-third of these victims were foreign workers, even though they comprise only 20% of the work force in this field. Negligible amounts of alcohol were detected in a number of cases. The construction industry is recognized worlwide as a high-risk area claiming many lives each year. The findings in this study suggest that too little attention is given to safety regulations in general, and particularly concerning foreign workers in Israel.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Violent mortality patterns in immigrants in Israel (1990-95).

Since 1989, a large number of immigrants, mostly from the former Soviet Union, have arrived in Israel, increasing the local population (c. 5 million) by 700,000. The morbidity and mortality of this immigrant population have been the concern of many investigations. In the present study we examine the mortality pattern of a sample of 1,000 immigrants, whose deaths occurred during the years 1990-95 and were examined at the L. Greenberg (National) Institute of Forensic Medicine. The sample was divided into two subgroups, natural and unnatural, according to manner of death. Seventy-five per cent of the victims in the violent death subgroup were males with a mean age of 44.6 (SD 17.3) years, while the females of the same category were 52.7 years old on average (SD 19.9). The age distribution of the whole sample showed peaks in the 25-34-year-old group for males and the 35-44-year-old group for females. The most frequent causes of death were accident (44.1%), suicide (12.6%) and homicide (7%). In 5% of cases the cause of death could not be determined. The pattern of mortality from violent causes in the immigrant population differed from that of the country of origin in all parameters. The incidence of unnatural death in immigrants resembled the local pattern in Israel, and was significantly lower than that of their homeland.

Accidents↗
PubMed1999

Forensic radiology.

Imaging techniques are a powerful tool in forensic science. Medical examiners and forensic anthropologists are less versed in the finer points of radiology than radiologists; nevertheless they are required to interpret findings from imaging studies to further medico-legal investigations. The forensic investigator often should call upon the radiologist whose expertise might prove invaluable in forensic consultations. The radiologist should be aware of the importance of storing radiographs over prolonged periods of time and of efficient record keeping methods, because various legal problems may require the radiographs for additional interpretation or for their presentation in court. Some of the main issues that might be encountered in forensic radiology are discussed in this review.

Anthropology↗
PubMed1999

Marine taphonomy: adipocere formation in a series of bodies recovered from a single shipwreck.

Taphonomy of marine environments has been studied mostly from individual cases. The formation of adipocere, or "grave-wax," is an important indicator of the postmortem interval. In the present paper, the conditions and the timing of adipoceric formation are observed in a series of 15 cadavers recovered at different times, over a period of 433 days, from the same contained environment. Initial foci of adipocere on the subcutaneous tissue of the cadavers were detected as early as 38 days from the time of immersion in cold (10-12 degrees C) sea water. The discrepancies between our findings and previous reports on the correlation between time since death and decomposition stages in marine environments are discussed.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1998

Biological behavior and cell properties of new AKR lymphoma malignancy variants.

The AKR lymphoma-leukemia is a T lymphocyte neoplasm, most suitable as a model for human T cell malignancies. We have been interested in the process of tumor progression in the AKR lymphoma system. In the present study, two newly isolated variants, the TAU-42 and TAU-44, were characterized with respect to their biological behavior, by comparing them to a previously studied low-malignancy variant, the TAU-39. While the TAU-44 variant formed large s.c. local tumors, the TAU-42 variant formed only small growths or none at all. The TAU-42 lymphoma was found to have the highest malignant potential: it displayed very marked dissemination to spleen, lymph nodes, liver and lungs. The TAU-44 variant had an intermediate degree of metastatic potential but presented a predilection for spread to lymph nodes and spleen and was sometimes found to metastasize to peculiar organs, such as heart and pancreas. Cells derived from the different lymphoma variants varied in their immunophenotype: the highly malignant variant cells expressed more CD4 antigen than the low-malignancy one. The opposite was observed with regard to CD8. The variant cells also differed in their migrating capacity, the more malignant one exhibiting a higher motile activity. Studies on the tumor progression model of AKR lymphoma might contribute to the elucidation of the features determining the aggressiveness of T lymphocytic malignancies.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Suicide bombers in Israel.

Between 1993 and 1995, 14 suicidal terrorist bombings took place in Israel; 86 victims perished in these attacks, which were carried out by militant Palestinian organizations that oppose peace treaties between the state of Israel and the Palestinian people. The modus operandi of the perpetrators was detonating, in a public area, an explosive device carried on or in close proximity to the terrorist's body. We reviewed the postmortem examinations and identification procedures performed by the medical and law enforcement personnel involved in mass disaster management. The types of injuries sustained by the victims and perpetrators include body disruption, explosive injuries, flying missile injuries, and blast injuries. Blunt trauma directly produced by the explosion and flying missile injuries account for 80.1% of the wounds. The number of fatalities was more closely related to the type of the attack rather than to the amount and type of explosives used. Swift identification of all victims and perpetrators was obtained through collaboration between the different professional teams involved: forensic scientists, law enforcement agencies, and secret service investigators. Based on the analysis of the data obtained from the necroscopic examinations, we observed that most of the wounds sustained fall within the realm of blunt force injuries; emergency medical facilities that might be faced with similar situations should prepare accordingly. Collaboration between the various forensic and law enforcement teams results in swift resolution of disaster management. Prompt identification of the perpetrators allows the authorities to apprehend any accomplices and to prevent similar attacks.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Quantitative assessment of trabecular bone pattern identification.

The results of the research described in this paper demonstrate that the trabecular architecture is unique to each individual and stable enough to be used as a forensic marker for positive identification of human remains. The trabecular bone architecture depicted on radiographs is often used as an individualizing forensic marker for positive identification of human remains. The aim of the present study was to ascertain the reliability of the trabecular pattern in forensic identification. The trabecular pattern is potentially the best radiographic forensic marker since its presence on a radiograph doesn't depend on a previous pathology or traumatic event. A sample of 305 radiographs of the left wrist of 103 postmenopausal women was studied using an image analyzer. The uniqueness and stability over time of the trabecular architecture was examined by creating line maps or "densitographs" of the ultra-distal point of the radius of each roentgenogram. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated for all possible combinations of pairs of radiographs. The correlation coefficient of pairs of radiographs of the same individual, taken at different times (2 to 6 years apart), was always higher than 0.72, while the correlation coefficients of radiographs of different individuals was always below 0.62.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Identification of human remains: forensic radiology.

The identification of human remains is of paramount importance in medicolegal investigations. The comparison of antemortem and postmortem radiographic records is one of the main techniques used to achieve a positive identification. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of the use of roentgenography in forensic medicine with special emphasis on the nature of the radiographic markers often utilized for identification. Clinical radiologists should be aware of the importance of storing radiographs over prolonged periods of time and of efficient record keeping methods to enable prompt retrieval of X-ray films in mass disaster situations. Furthermore, because of his skills in radiographic evaluation, the radiologist's expertise might prove invaluable in forensic consultations.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Apoptosis, cell proliferation and in vivo biological behaviour of primary and metastatic tumour cells of an AKR lymphoma variant.

The possibility that apoptosis and/or cell proliferation have a role in tumour progression in a murine T cell lymphoma was tested. The model consisted of the comparison of primary (PT) and metastatic tumour (MT) cells. The PT cells, but not the MT cells displayed a very pronounced tendency for spontaneous apoptosis. Proliferative capacity of MT cells was lower than that of PT cells, suggesting that it does not contribute to the metastatic phenotype in this system. Release from apoptosis does however, probably, play a role in the aggressiveness of the lymphoma.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Radiographic identification of fragmentary human remains from a mass disaster.

Positive identification of human remains is one of the most important tasks in mass disaster management. Here we report on the use of radiography for positive identification of fragmentary human remains recovered from the scene of a terrorist bombing in the Jewish-Argentine Mutual Association Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994. Radiographic examination of all human remains from mass disaster scenes is recommended for identification purposes. Establishing a computerized data bank of antemortem information on missing persons and postmortem findings in disaster victims greatly facilitates and expedites the identification process.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Forensic medicine in Israel.

We discuss the Israeli medicolegal system, which is rooted in remnants of British jurisprudence. Forensic services for the entire country and the occupied territories (Judea and Samaria), and now the Palestinian Autonomy (Gaza Strip and Jericho), are supplied by one central institute located in Tel Aviv. That organization, the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine, is a department of the Ministry of Health and has academic affiliation with the University of Tel Aviv. About 2,000 necroscopic examinations are performed annually, and the types of cases encountered in the forensic practices in Israel are noted. The academic and research activities of the Institute's staff are described, with emphasis on collaboration with overseas forensic scientists. The modern history of the country is reflected in the chronicle of the evolution of its forensic medicine.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1997

Myocarditis misdiagnosed as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

In a retrospective study spanning five years, the histologic sections of 35 autopsies of infants diagnosed as SIDS victims were reviewed. Based on a recently reported study in which findings on marked basement membrane thickening (BMT) in the true vocal cords was suggested as a pathognomonic marker of SIDS, we expected to find BMT in all these cases. However, in seven of the reviewed autopsies (20%) no BMT was detected. Examination of new histologic sections of all the victims revealed myocarditis in these seven cases. In a control group (n = 18) of children with known cause of death, neither BMT nor myocarditis were found. The incidence of myocardial diseases in infants and young adults (20% and 22% respectively) reported in the literature indicates that myocarditis is not a rare cause of sudden death in infants. Therefore, in SIDS-suspected cases a meticulous post-mortem microscopic examination of the heart should be carried out, especially whenever BMT of the vocal cords is absent.

Basement Membrane↗
PubMed1997

Rubber and plastic ammunition lethal injuries: the Israeli experience.

Rubber and plastic ammunition was used by the Israeli Defence Forces between the years 1987 and 1993 (Intifada) almost exclusively as a deterrent to aggression by the Palestinian civilian population in the occupied territories of Gaza, Judea and Samaria. While designed to avoid the serious wounds and deaths caused by the use of conventional military ammunition, the firing of rubber and plastic bullets has resulted in extensive injuries and more than 20 deaths. The data from the autopsies of 17 of these victims, mostly teenagers, were analysed. Ten of the victims died from injuries inflicted by Improved Rubber Bullets, while the other seven succumbed to injuries caused by Plastic Bullets. In most instances, the cause of death was related to injuries to the brain. Ballistic features of non-conventional bullets are discussed, and suggestions to curtail the serious injuries and fatalities arising from their use are given, with emphasis on firing from a safe range. British and South African experience with this type of ammunition is compared with our observations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Suicidal terrorist bombings in Israel--identification of human remains.

Positive identification of human remains is one of the most important tasks in mass disaster investigations. Religious and jurisdictional demands in Israel, require the identification process to be completed in the shortest possible time. In the 18 suicidal terrorist bombings that took place in Israel between the years 1993-1996, 127 victims and 19 perpetrators were killed, and their severely fragmented bodies were identified within 24 h. The efficient completion of the identification endeavor was enabled by the implementation of a variety of techniques and the close collaboration in the investigation between the different emergency and forensic agencies. This paper presents the mass disaster identification policy and techniques currently used in Israel. The importance of an interdisciplinary approach for the identification of extremely fragmented human remains from mass disasters and the creation of a central data bank of fingerprints and genetic markers is emphasized.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The Abbreviated Injury Scale. A valuable tool for forensic documentation of trauma.

Anatomic trauma scoring systems are fundamental to trauma research. The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and its derivative, the Injury Severity Score (ISS), are the most frequently used scales. We assessed the applicability of the AIS and the ISS systems for postmortem forensic documentation of trauma. In a prospective study, all trauma autopsies performed between January 1 and June 30, 1993, were coded according to the AIS and ISS method. All cases were reviewed by a consultant in forensic medicine and a traumatologist. Cases were grouped in three categories according to ISS values: 0-14, 16-66, and 75. These categories represent minor, major, and incompatible-with-life injuries, respectively. All autopsy findings in which ISS was < or = 14 were peer-reviewed to establish mechanism and cause of death. In the 6-month period, 279 trauma-related autopsies were studied. Age at death averaged 37.1 +/- 18.7 (mean +/- SD). Eighty-six percent of the victims were male. Penetrating trauma was the mechanism of injury in 67%. ISS was 0-14 in 19 cases, 16-66 in 150 cases, and 75 in 110 cases. In conclusion, AIS and ISS scoring systems are applicable to trauma forensic documentation. Using these methods for coding postmortem findings may help in establishing a database for trauma research, and this information could constitute a major part of continuous quality improvement of trauma management. Low ISS values may serve as a warning, sometimes indicating preventable death.

Abbreviated Injury Scale↗