Cutaneous wound metallic residues pattern analysis with SEM-EDX in a forensic case of overkill

2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-159
Author(s):  
Guendalina Gentile ◽  
Michele Boracchi ◽  
Mirella Gherardi ◽  
Francesca Maciocco ◽  
Enrico Muccino ◽  
...  

The term overkill identifies the infliction of massive injuries that greatly exceed those needed to kill the victim both in number and intensity. We present the case of a Peruvian transsexual, who was choked and hit by 11 sharp-force wounds all in the facial area. The scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion X-ray analysis carried out on the skin of the facial wounds proved crucial in proving that two different point-and-edge weapons were used, following the finding of metallic micro-traces of heterogeneous composition. This discovery and the autopsy highlighted the use of two distinct types of injury (mechanical asphyxia and sharp-force trauma) showed that this murder amounted to o verkill.

Author(s):  
R. E. Herfert

Studies of the nature of a surface, either metallic or nonmetallic, in the past, have been limited to the instrumentation available for these measurements. In the past, optical microscopy, replica transmission electron microscopy, electron or X-ray diffraction and optical or X-ray spectroscopy have provided the means of surface characterization. Actually, some of these techniques are not purely surface; the depth of penetration may be a few thousands of an inch. Within the last five years, instrumentation has been made available which now makes it practical for use to study the outer few 100A of layers and characterize it completely from a chemical, physical, and crystallographic standpoint. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) provides a means of viewing the surface of a material in situ to magnifications as high as 250,000X.


Author(s):  
Ann Chidester Van Orden ◽  
John L. Chidester ◽  
Anna C. Fraker ◽  
Pei Sung

The influence of small variations in the composition on the corrosion behavior of Co-Cr-Mo alloys has been studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), and electrochemical measurements. SEM and EDX data were correlated with data from in vitro corrosion measurements involving repassivation and also potentiostatic anodic polarization measurements. Specimens studied included the four alloys shown in Table 1. Corrosion tests were conducted in Hanks' physiological saline solution which has a pH of 7.4 and was held at a temperature of 37°C. Specimens were mechanically polished to a surface finish with 0.05 µm A1203, then exposed to the solution and anodically polarized at a rate of 0.006 v/min. All voltages were measured vs. the saturated calomel electrode (s.c.e.).. Specimens had breakdown potentials near 0.47V vs. s.c.e.


Author(s):  
V. V. Damiano ◽  
R. P. Daniele ◽  
H. T. Tucker ◽  
J. H. Dauber

An important example of intracellular particles is encountered in silicosis where alveolar macrophages ingest inspired silica particles. The quantitation of the silica uptake by these cells may be a potentially useful method for monitoring silica exposure. Accurate quantitative analysis of ingested silica by phagocytic cells is difficult because the particles are frequently small, irregularly shaped and cannot be visualized within the cells. Semiquantitative methods which make use of particles of known size, shape and composition as calibration standards may be the most direct and simplest approach to undertake. The present paper describes an empirical method in which glass microspheres were used as a model to show how the ratio of the silicon Kα peak X-ray intensity from the microspheres to that of a bulk sample of the same composition correlated to the mass of the microsphere contained within the cell. Irregular shaped silica particles were also analyzed and a calibration curve was generated from these data.


Author(s):  
Vicki L. Baliga ◽  
Mary Ellen Counts

Calcium is an important element in the growth and development of plants and one form of calcium is calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate has been found in leaf seed, stem material plant tissue culture, fungi and lichen using one or more of the following methods—polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction.Two methods are presented here for qualitatively estimating calcium oxalate in dried or fixed tobacco (Nicotiana) leaf from different stalk positions using PLM. SEM, coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS), and powder x-ray diffraction were used to verify that the crystals observed in the dried leaf with PLM were calcium oxalate.


Author(s):  
William P. Wergin ◽  
P. F. Bell ◽  
Rufus L. Chaney

In dicotyledons, Fe3+ must be reduced to Fe2+ before uptake and transport of this essential macronutrient can occur. Ambler et al demonstrated that reduction along the root could be observed by the formation of a stain, Prussian blue (PB), Fe4 [Fe(CN)6]3 n H2O (where n = 14-16). This stain, which is an insoluble precipitate, forms at the reduction site when the nutrient solution contains Fe3+ and ferricyanide. In 1972, Chaney et al proposed a model which suggested that the Fe3+ reduction site occurred outside the cell membrane; however, no physical evidence to support the model was presented at that time. A more recent study using the PB stain indicates that rapid reduction of Fe3+ occurs in a region of the root containing young root hairs. Furthermore the most pronounced activity occurs in plants that are deficient in Fe. To more precisely localize the site of Fe3+ reduction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to examine the distribution of the PB precipitate that was induced to form in roots.


Author(s):  
R. J. Narconis ◽  
G. L. Johnson

Analysis of the constituents of renal and biliary calculi may be of help in the management of patients with calculous disease. Several methods of analysis are available for identifying these constituents. Most common are chemical methods, optical crystallography, x-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. The application of a SEM with x-ray analysis capabilities should be considered as an additional alternative.A scanning electron microscope equipped with an x-ray “mapping” attachment offers an additional dimension in its ability to locate elemental constituents geographically, and thus, provide a clue in determination of possible metabolic etiology in calculus formation. The ability of this method to give an undisturbed view of adjacent layers of elements in their natural state is of advantage in determining the sequence of formation of subsequent layers of chemical constituents.


Author(s):  
M. L. Zimny ◽  
A. C. Haller

During hibernation the ground squirrel is immobile, body temperature reduced and metabolism depressed. Hibernation has been shown to affect dental tissues varying degrees, although not much work has been done in this area. In limited studies, it has been shown that hibernation results in (1) mobilization of bone minerals; (2) deficient dentinogenesis and degeneration of alveolar bone; (3) presence of calculus and tears in the cementum; and (4) aggrevation of caries and pulpal and apical tooth abscesses. The purpose of this investigation was to study the effects of hibernation on dental tissues employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and related x-ray analyses.


Author(s):  
W. Brünger

Reconstructive tomography is a new technique in diagnostic radiology for imaging cross-sectional planes of the human body /1/. A collimated beam of X-rays is scanned through a thin slice of the body and the transmitted intensity is recorded by a detector giving a linear shadow graph or projection (see fig. 1). Many of these projections at different angles are used to reconstruct the body-layer, usually with the aid of a computer. The picture element size of present tomographic scanners is approximately 1.1 mm2.Micro tomography can be realized using the very fine X-ray source generated by the focused electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (see fig. 2). The translation of the X-ray source is done by a line scan of the electron beam on a polished target surface /2/. Projections at different angles are produced by rotating the object.During the registration of a single scan the electron beam is deflected in one direction only, while both deflections are operating in the display tube.


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