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At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Influence of personal armor on distribution of entry wounds: lessons learned from urban-setting warfare fatalities.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to examine the distribution of entry wounds resulting from firearms and shrapnel in soldiers wearing military personal armor systems (MPAS) in low-intensity urban combat conditions. METHODS: Data were collected for a retrospective analysis on all combat fatalities sustained by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) between March 30, 2002, and April 22, 2002, during Defensive Shield Operation in the West Bank. Twenty-six of the 30 fatalities were evaluated in the Israeli National Center of Forensic Medicine. RESULTS: A total of 149 entrance wounds were divided into shrapnel and bullet groups. The "face-neck" region had the highest density rate compared with other body regions in both shrapnel and bullet groups (2.97 and 2.41, respectively; p < 0.0001). In both groups, the overall prevalence of anterior injuries was significantly higher than posterior ones (78.9% vs. 21.1% in the shrapnel group and 68.5% vs. 31.5% in the bullet group, p < 0.001). However, anterior and posterior chest injuries had a reverse yet more even distribution (43.8% and 56.2% in the bullet group and 40% and 60% in the shrapnel group, respectively; p < 0.001). The difference in the average diameters of entry wounds in the covered versus uncovered regions (0.79 +/- 0.42 cm vs. 0.73 +/- 0.29 cm, respectively) was not statistically significant (p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: The use of MPAS turned the face-neck region into the most vulnerable body part, as shown by its prominent density rate, especially in the shrapnel group. MPAS designed for urban setting warfare should provide maximal shielding both to the anterior and posterior chest regions. The diameter of entrance wounds in the covered versus the uncovered areas was not statistically significant, suggesting that only a minor deformation of the bullet takes place while traversing the Kevlar vest.

Forensic Ballistics↗
PubMed2005

Determination of significant parameters for eye injury risk from projectiles.

BACKGROUND: Eye injuries affect a large proportion of the population and are expensive to treat. This article presents a parametric analysis of experimental data to determine the most significant factors for predicting ocular injuries or tissue lesions. METHODS: Using logistic regression, statistical values were generated to determine significant projectile characteristics for predicting ocular injury in published studies. Projectiles included BBs, metal rods, and foam particles with velocities ranging from 2 m/s to 122 m/s. RESULTS: A normalized energy (energy per projected area) value was found as the best predictor for ocular injury. Using this predictor, a 50% injury risk of corneal abrasion, lens dislocation, hyphema, retinal damage, and globe rupture was found to be 1,503 kg/s(2), 19,194 kg/s(2), 20,188 kg/s(2), 30,351 kg/s(2), and 23,771 kg/s(2), respectively. CONCLUSION: Normalized energy was the most significant predictor of injury type and tissue lesion. This finding is of great value for history-taking management triaging and as a design aid to minimize the risk of ocular injury for consumer products.

Confidence Intervals↗
PubMed2006

Quantitative measures of air-gun pulses recorded on sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using acoustic tags during controlled exposure experiments.

The widespread use of powerful, low-frequency air-gun pulses for seismic seabed exploration has raised concern about their potential negative effects on marine wildlife. Here, we quantify the sound exposure levels recorded on acoustic tags attached to eight sperm whales at ranges between 1.4 and 12.6 km from controlled air-gun array sources operated in the Gulf of Mexico. Due to multipath propagation, the animals were exposed to multiple sound pulses during each firing of the array with received levels of analyzed pulses falling between 131-167 dB re. 1 microPa (pp) [111-147 dB re. 1 microPa (rms) and 100-135 dB re. 1 microPa2 s] after compensation for hearing sensitivity using the M-weighting. Received levels varied widely with range and depth of the exposed animal precluding reliable estimation of exposure zones based on simple geometric spreading laws. When whales were close to the surface, the first arrivals of air-gun pulses contained most energy between 0.3 and 3 kHz, a frequency range well beyond the normal frequencies of interest in seismic exploration. Therefore air-gun arrays can generate significant sound energy at frequencies many octaves higher than the frequencies of interest for seismic exploration, which increases concern of the potential impact on odontocetes with poor low frequency hearing.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed2006

Ball bearing (BB) guns, ease of purchase and potential for significant injury.

INTRODUCTION: Ball bearing guns are used in the UK for war games, but they have the potential to cause severe injury if used incorrectly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search was made for availability of these weapons, the ease of purchase and the potential for tissue damage. RESULTS: These weapons are widely available on the Internet and are easy to purchase with no security checks. Once fully charged, an electric BB gun is capable of penetrating a cadaveric animal model at distances up to 5 m (1 m = 25 mm penetration, 3 m = 20 mm penetration, 5 m = 15 mm penetration). CONCLUSIONS: BB guns are not toys and have a significant potential to cause injury.

Firearms↗
PubMed2006

Seed dispersal and spatial pattern in tropical trees.

Theories of tropical tree diversity emphasize dispersal limitation as a potential mechanism for separating species in space and reducing competitive exclusion. We compared the dispersal morphologies, fruit sizes, and spatial distributions of 561 tree species within a fully mapped, 50-hectare plot of primary tropical forest in peninsular Malaysia. We demonstrate here that the extent and scale of conspecific spatial aggregation is correlated with the mode of seed dispersal. This relationship holds for saplings as well as for mature trees. Phylogenetically independent contrasts confirm that the relationship between dispersal and spatial pattern is significant even after controlling for common ancestry among species. We found the same qualitative results for a 50-hectare tropical forest plot in Panama. Our results provide broad empirical evidence for the importance of dispersal mode in establishing the long-term community structure of tropical forests.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Determination of gunshot residues with image analysis: an experimental study.

In firearm injuries, assessment of the firing range and determination of entrance and exit wounds are important. For this reason, evaluation of the amount and distribution of gunshot residues (GSRs) is necessary. Several methods and techniques for GSR analysis have been developed. Although these methods are relatively sensitive and specific, they may require expensive dedicated equipment. Therefore, a simple, easily applicable, more convenient method is needed. A total of 40 experimental shots were made to calf skin from distances of 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 cm. Eighty samples were taken from the right and left sides of the wounds, and Alizarin Red S dye staining was performed. The amounts of GSR particles were measured with image analysis. GSRs were detected in all shots. The mean size of the distribution area of barium and lead elements around the wound had a significant negative correlation with increasing shooting distance (r = -0.97, p < 0.001). As the distance increased, the amount of GSR decreased, and this decrease rate was nonlinear. Variance analysis suggested significant differences between data groups depending on range (p < 0.001). The image analysis method may solve some of the standardization problems for evaluation of GSRs. GSR detection with the image analysis method does not require experienced personnel and may be a suitable method for scientific studies and for routine purposes.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Bilateral fractures of the coronoid processes: differential diagnosis of intra-oral gunshot trauma and scavenging using a sheep crania model.

Approximately half of the skeleton of an adult male (minus the cranium) was found in a forested part of Greater Vancouver, Canada, in August 2000 by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Authorities ruled the death as suicide. The only compelling signs of perimortem trauma were symmetrically fractured coronoid processes of the mandible, which can be attributed to a gunshot in the mouth. However, the remains had also been scavenged by canids, raising a problem in differential diagnosis. Could canid scavenging produce bilateral fracturing of the mandible indistinguishable from gunshot wounds to the mouth? We found that canid scavengers could not mimic the type of damage to the mandible caused by intra-oral gunshot wounding using a sheep model (n = 20). Bilateral fracturing of the coronoid processes was found to be characteristic of intra-oral gunshot wounding, while canid scavengers typically ignore this region of the mandible.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

A new method for collection and identification of gunshot residues from the hands of shooters.

This work presents a novel collection method for gunshot residues (GSR) using a sampling procedure based on ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution as a complexing agent on moistened swabs. Detection was via a sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HRICP-MS). The proposed collection and analytical method allowed detection of antimony (Sb), barium (Ba) and lead (Pb) after .38 shot tests. at detection limits of less than 1 microg L(-1) in four different areas of the hands of volunteers. This paper includes a discussion concerning hand areas near the thumb and forefinger as being more suitable for GSR collection as well as a comparison between differences observed using 2% diluted EDTA. 2% nitric acid solution, and simple deionized water as collecting solutions, proving the superior efficiency of EDTA in GSR recoveries.

Antimony↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Enforcement of type M 20 cal. 4 mm cartridges].

The aim of the paper was to investigate and compare the speed and energy of a bullet from 4 mm cal. cartridges of central ignition type M20, both original and transformed by addition of different kinds of propellants. Original cartridges are characterized by an average speed of the bullet of 144 m/s and average energy of 4.8 J. After transformation by the addition of on an average 31.3 mg of smokeless powder from a cartridge type LR'22, a maximum bullet speed of 299 m/s (average) and maximum energy of 21.2 joule (average) were reached. Our test showed that shots using transformed ammunition type M 20 cal. 4 mm can be dangerous for both health and life. Multiple M20 shot wounds may be very similar to single shot wounds caused by a shotshell cartridge fired from a shotgun weapon.

Firearms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Some issues concerning the use of firearms with Flobert cartridges].

The aim of the work is to analyze and evaluate legal, criminalistic and criminological problematic issues appearing in Lithuania due to circulation of firearms designed for the Flobert cartridge. The purpose of guns with the Flobert cartridge is shooting training in closed areas. Provided the kinetic energy of Flobert cartridge is not bigger that 7.5 J. the guns meant for those bullets have been classified to unlimited circulation of guns since 1999 in Lithuania. Now these firearms can be purchased by anyone over 18. Due to this reason the demand for these firearms has increased. The sale of these firearms amounts to several thousands (the population of Lithuania is more than 3.5 million). The analyses of the authors show that these firearms are not used in accordance with their purpose. Experimental practice and experimental research proved that these firearms can cause serious bodily injuries. The latter fact allowed the authors to formulate propositions regarding legal regulation of circulation of these firearms.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Suicidal single intraoral shooting by a shotgun--risk of misinterpretation at the crime scene].

The authors presented two cases of suicidal single intraoral shooting by a shotgun. The first case relates to a victim found near the peak of Swinica in the Tatra mountains. When the circumstances could have suggested fatal fall from a height and minute, insignificant external injuries were found, the pistol found at the scene has been the most important indicator leading to the actual cause of death. The second case relates to a 38-year-old male found in this family house in a village. Severe internal cranial injury (bone fragmentation) was diagnosed at the scene. A self-made weapon was previously removed and hidden from the scene by a relative of the victim. Before regular forensic autopsy X-ray examination was conducted which revealed multiple intracranial foreign bodies of a shape of a shot. After the results of the autopsy the relative of the deceased indicated the location of the weapon.

Adult↗