Vol 9, No 3 (2023)

On August 25, 2023, forensic medicine in Russia suffered an irreparable loss: our colleague and friend, the editor-in-chief of the journal “Russian Journal of Forensic Medicine”, Professor Vladimir A. Klevno, passed away.

The article provides information about the life and creative path of a prominent figure of Russian forensic medicine, MD, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor Vladimir A. Klevno — health care organiser, head of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Faculty of Forensic Medicine of the Vladimirsky Moscow Medical Institute, certified doctor in forensic medicine and health care organisation, academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, member of the Council of the National Medical Chamber, president of the Association of Forensic Medicine and editor-in-chief Russian Journal of Forensiс Medicine.

BACKGROUND: Concrete structures utilized in protective buildings such as ammunition depots and bunkers are susceptible to missile impacts, necessitating a comprehensive ballistic assessment involving penetration and perforation mechanics. Most of the empirical and analytical models for projectile penetration in concrete primarily focus on determining the penetration depth, scabbing, and perforation thicknesses. Concrete structures subjected to firearm attacks exhibit distinct fracture modes that can aid in identifying the firearm used and potential firing locations.

AIM: This study aims to comprehend the effects of the angular firing of a 9 mm full metal jacketed projectile on aerated concrete blocks, fired from a 5 m range. The goal is to generate hypotheses and conclusions based solely on the observable damage resulting from bullet impacts. A meticulous analysis of the incurred damages can unveil a range of possibilities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 12 aerated concrete blocks, each subject to 9×19 mm bullets fired from four different angles: 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°. The relationship between impact angle and entry hole dimensions was established using the best-fit ellipse method.

RESULTS: Examination of the fracture pattern revealed significant damage at both entry and exit holes for a 0° impact angle. As the impact angle increased, the exit hole diameter progressively decreased, culminating in no perforation at a 45° angle. This trend correlated with fracture patterns near entry and exit holes, along with energy dissipation at the impact site corresponding to the impact angle.

CONCLUSION: A trend was observed between projectile energy loss upon impact and resultant damage to aerated concrete block surfaces. Analysis of aerated concrete block components deposited on the bullets, including rifling details, can help link them to the gunshot openings and firearms recovered at crime scenes.

BACKGROUND: Issues of identity identification are relevant among the tasks solved when using these video surveillance and recording cameras. If it is impossible to carry out the identification by face, the identification by gait becomes relevant.

AIM: To define the step cycle as one of the gait personality identification parameters

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study design: a single- and single-point (per population) observational study, with results registered in the Database of Step Cycle Characteristics (certificate of state registration no. 2022623085). The primary end-point of the study was the determination of the dependence of step periods on the movement speed of individuals, the assessment was carried out by a nonparametric criterion for Spearman correlation.

RESULTS: Comparative analysis of the obtained data revealed a decreasing pattern in all step periods separately (period of the first and second double supports and period of the first and second transfers) with an increase in the movement speed of the individual.

CONCLUSION: The obtained data make it possible to identify the possibility of using the step-cycle characteristics to identify individuals by gait when walking at different speeds. This stage can serve to further develop an algorithm for identifying a person by gait, as one of the parameters.

This review discusses the legal aspects on the use of mathematical statistics and machine learning (hereinafter referred to as artificial intelligence) in forensic activities to identify both expert errors and fake expert opinions.

An attempt has been made to establish the criteria for evaluating conclusions of forensic examinations by determining their relevance, admissibility, reliability, and objectivity, as well as the objective possibility of distinguishing expert errors from deliberately false and fake expert opinions.

A SWOT analysis on the use of artificial intelligence was carried out to solve the issue of its application in the field under consideration, which revealed its advantages, and disadvantages.

The use of mathematical statistics and machine learning methods is not a universal method to identify fakes in expert opinions. However, given that this method can give both false-positive and false-negative results, its outcomes should be verified by independent experts. In addition, to effectively prevent the facts of falsification, comprehensive measures should be taken, including not only the detection of manipulations but also the prevention of the possibility of their occurrence, as well as the punishment of the perpetrators. Thus, this review proposed several amendments and additions to the current legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Explosives such as tetryl and picric acid, which were common in the past, now have lost their combat relevance. However, they are often used for peaceful purposes individually and in combination with other trinitroaromatic compounds (e.g., trinitrotoluene). As a result of their use, environmental pollution occurs, followed by intoxication of plants, animals, and people. Cases of explosive poisoning during their production are also described.

The symptoms of poisoning include both of general disorders and specific phenomena such as skin staining, impaired physiological efficiency of NADPh-dependent enzymes, genotoxicity, and immunotoxicity.

Previous scientific studies established a trend toward the development of chemical-analytical probes. Various options for the sensor surface of the device and methods for detecting compounds are considered. To determine the explosives, ion mobility spectrometry is widely used, which is very rare for the chemical–toxicological analysis of other groups of compounds.

Simultaneously, methods commonly used in the analysis of narcotic and psychotropic substances (gas chromatography/ combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry methods) are also applicable to determine trinitroaromatic explosives. However, the presence of nitro groups in their structure complicates such an analysis. This problem can be resolved by injecting cold samples directly to the column.

Despite the availability of various developed techniques and methods, the possibility of their application to study biological matrices remains insufficient.

Therefore, further studies of the chemical–toxicological nature should be conducted to establish the optimal conditions for extracting the substances in question, the parameters of instrumental analysis, and the possibility of storing samples and for solving other problems of forensic medical examination.

Electric scooters are one of the most popular means of individual mobility. The active use of this two-wheeled transport on sidewalks and public roads is naturally reflected in the number of road incidents, including fatal ones. No information has been provided about the damage received by pedestrians as a result of the collision of electric scooters, and the question of the most traumatic parts of the human body with such injuries today remains to be elucidated.

This case report describes a 75-year-old patient from practice that demonstrates the mechanism, type, and nature of injury sustained at a pedestrian when an electric scooter hits him. Citizen A sustained a head injury during the fall and was hospitalized in a medical institution, where he subsequently died. During autopsy, changes were found about the exact mechanism of their formation in a scooter injury.

According to the literature, injuries associated with the collision of electric scooters mainly occur during the fall with the formation of bone fractures in the upper and lower extremities. Torso injury, according to various authors, is extremely rare, and the nature of the damage and the category of victims in these studies are generally not detailed. This case confirms the possibility of the formation of primary and secondary contact injuries in various parts of the body of a pedestrian. In addition, the case allows the possibility of identifying the means of individual mobility based on the presence of a steering wheel.

This is a case of poisoning with lambda-cyhalothrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, in a family of three (2 deaths). A postmortem examination revealed biochemical and micromorphological markers of lambda-cyhalothrin poisoning. In addition, an experimental model using laboratory animals (rats) was created to confirm the possibility of developing these lesions during the course of synthetic pyrethroid poisoning. Indeed, not only a similar clinical picture but also the same laboratory results were obtained.

The author gives a review of the textbook prepared by the team of authors V.A. Klevno, V.V. Frolov, and I.A. Frolova titled “Forensic medical assessment of traumatic brain injury.”

This textbook serves as a good addition to the textbooks on forensic medicine and contains basic information about various types of traumatic brain injury required by a forensic medical expert in the production of the most common forensic medical examination of corpses and living persons with head injuries.

The publication is intended for residents studying in the specialty “Forensic medical examination” and can also be recommended to teachers of the departments of forensic medicine, practicing forensic medical experts, graduate students, medical specialty students, and a wide range of readers.