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Biomedical subjects

W Schweitzer

Publications and source records attributed to W Schweitzer.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

[Examination of victims of sexual violence--the problem of false reports].

Some people claim to be victims of sexual violence and abuse the judicial system by filing a false police report. Generally, motivation for such behaviour is assumed to be that the self-proclaimed victims try to avoid taking responsibility for a sexual act in which they have been an active, willing participant. Concise motivations include attempts to mask a sexual affair from a partner, or to mask a first sexual intercourse by pretending to be the victim of an act of violence. By the nature of many judicial systems that are abused for such purposes, clinical forensic specialists are confronted with such cases far more often than clinical doctors not serving judicial authorities. In adults, history, injuries and other findings often show patterns that can be recognized as evidence of deception or as signs for self-inflicted injury for the trained specialist. This is far less often the case in infants and children.

Crime Victims↗

Into the decomposed body-forensic digital autopsy using multislice-computed tomography.

It is impossible to obtain a representative anatomical documentation of an entire body using classical X-ray methods, they subsume three-dimensional bodies into a two-dimensional level. We used the novel multislice-computed tomography (MSCT) technique in order to evaluate a case of homicide with putrefaction of the corpse before performing a classical forensic autopsy. This non-invasive method showed gaseous distension of the decomposing organs and tissues in detail as well as a complex fracture of the calvarium. MSCT also proved useful in screening for foreign matter in decomposing bodies, and full-body scanning took only a few minutes. In conclusion, we believe postmortem MSCT imaging is an excellent vizualisation tool with great potential for forensic documentation and evaluation of decomposed bodies.

Autopsy↗

Weekly patterns of drug treatment attendance.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined weekly patterns of drug treatment attendance in relation to date of welfare payment receipt and reason for treatment absence. METHODS: Treatment attendance by Medicaid-eligible pregnant women who were drug dependent was examined by calendar week over a 29-month period. RESULTS: Time series analyses showed that attendance was lower during week 1 than week 4. Drug use was the most frequently reported reason for treatment absence during week 1 (25%) but was not reported as a reason during week 3. CONCLUSIONS: Drug-dependent outpatients had increased absences associated with illicit drug use during the first week of the month when welfare payments were received. The generalizability of the findings is unknown.

Adult↗

Digital 3D image reconstruction of ventriculocapillary communication as revealed in one case after transmyocardial laser revascularization.

TMR (Transmyocardial Laserrevascularization) was performed on the partially dyskinetic left ventricular anterior wall with stenotic coronary blood supply in a 61 year old woman with a history of angina and myocardial infarction. As an ischemic aneurysm developed in the anteroapical region of the TMR treated area, it became clear that TMR did not provide a substitute for coronary blood supply in this very heart region. The aneurysm was removed surgically 7 months after TMR and showed histopathologic features of an acute aneurysm. Three-dimensional image analysis helped prove the presence of linear tracks through several serial sections which were not easily visible in routine histology sections. Also, three-dimensional vessel reconstruction showed a connection between a small endocardial pit on one serial section with the capillary network in the adjacent serial sections. The results should not be generalized, as currently aneurysmectomy is an end point not reached by the majority of TMR-treated patients.

Capillaries↗

[Transmyocardial laser revascularization. Histopathology of laser channels in 10 postoperatively deceased patients 1 to 18 days after treatment with a CO2 laser].

TMLR (Transmyocardial laser revascularization) is a disputed cardiosurgical technique available in Europe since 1994 that aims to deliver additional blood flow to ischemic myocardium from the left heart chamber. Goal of our study is morphological examination of laser channels in human hearts to answer the questions: Are there patent laser channels with communication to the left chamber and to intramural vessels? We examined hearts of 10 patients who died during the first 18 days after TMLR. Channels were examined in histological serial sections under the light microscope. Laser channels in the first days postoperatively have a lumen diameter of about 1 mm and are surrounded by coagulation necrosis about 500 microns thick. Despite phagocytic removal of necrotic tissue the lumen diameter decreases during the following two weeks. Open intramyocardial channels can be shown in all patients. These channels communicate with intramural vessels, but in no instance with chamber lumen. Our results suggest that clinical benefits are based on improved distribution of coronary blood. Additional blood is not delivered from left chamber lumen to the myocardium. However, our patients represent the small subgroup of the decreased. If similar observations can be made in the majority of patients living symptom free after TMLR remains open.

Angina Pectoris↗

[Corrosion anatomical and scanning electron microscopic studies of the blood vessels in the digital end organ of the hindlimb of cattle].

By aid of modern corrosion anatomical methods the afferent and efferent blood vessels as well as the microvasculature of the corium of the pelvic limb digit were investigated. The longest papillae are to be found in the perioptic corium. In the coronary corium the length decreases from proximal to distal. In the caudal section of the digital cushion the papillae show a typical, regular wavy form, whorl formation is rare.

Animals↗

[Scanning electron microscopic studies of the kidney glomerulus of Pudu pudu (Molina, 1782), and a comparison with that of cattle, goats, sheep and angora rabbits].

The kidney's microvascularization of the Pudu pudu is mostly similar to that of domestic animals. The renal parenchymatous arteries do not give off capsular branches. The majority of the Pudu pudu's glomerula shows spherical shape. Glomerula next to the medulla have a diameter which is an average of 25 microns larger than the diameter of those situated more peripherally. Their volume is comparable to that of the angora rabbit. The capillaries form anastomosis in the inner and outer part of the glomerulus.

Animals↗