Jörg Subke

Delimitation of the time of death by immunohistochemical detection of insulin in pancreatic β-cells

To improve the possibilities to delimitate the time of death after longer laytime, it was examined if this is possible by immunohistochemical insulin detection. The results show that in our examination material, the pancreatic beta-cells of up to 12-day-old corpses produce a positive immunoreaction towards insulin in all cases, whereas none of the corpses older than 30 days show such a reaction. This means that in case of a negative immunoreaction, the time of death can be assumed to lie more than 12 days before the autopsy. The fact that a negative immunoreaction occurs consistently after 30 days leads to the conclusion that when insulin has been stained in a specimen, the death of the respective person must lie a maximum of 29 days earlier, whereby these time-limits may change in considerably different surrounding conditions.

Delimitation of the time of death by immunohistochemical detection of thyroglobulin

To improve the possibilities to delimit the time of death after longer laytime it was examined if this is possible by immunohistochemical detection of thyroglobulin. The results show that in our examination material the colloid and the follicular cells of the thyroid glands of up to 5-day-old corpses produce a positive immunoreaction towards thyroglobulin in all cases whereas none of the corpses older than 13 days show such a reaction. This means that in case of a negative immunoreaction the time of death can be assumed to lie more than 6 days before the autopsy. The fact that a negative immunoreaction occurs consistently after 13 days leads to the conclusion that when thyroglobulin has been stained in a specimen, the death of the respective person must lie a maximum of 12 days earlier, whereby these time-limits may change in considerably different surrounding conditions.

Delimitation of the time of death by immunohistochemical detection of calcitonin

To improve the possibilities of delimitating the time of death after longer laytime it was examined if this is possible by immunohistochemical detection of calcitonin. The results show that in our examination material the c-cells of the thyroid glands of up to 4-day-old corpses produce a positive immunoreaction towards calcitonin in all cases whereas none of the corpses older than 13 days show such a reaction. This means that in the case of a negative immunoreaction the time of death can be assumed to lie >4 days before the autopsy. The fact that a negative immunoreaction occurred consistently after 13 days leads to the conclusion that when calcitonin has been stained in a specimen, the death of the respective person must lie a maximum of 12 days earlier, whereby these time-limits may change in considerably different surrounding conditions.

Immunohistochemical detection of methadone in the human brain

To develop a method of detecting methadone in the human brain by immunohistochemistry, brain tissue of frontal cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, basal ganglions and brain stem from victims of a lethal methadone overdose was examined. The staining was performed with a monoclonal anti-methadone antibody from the mouse, originally developed for immunochemichal purposes (ELISA). With the help of the DAKO((R)) Catalyzed Signal Amplification (CSA) System, a specific positive immunoreaction was obtained in the neurons of the frontal cortex and hippocampus, as compared with specimen from deaths without exposition to methadone. Thus, along with metamphetamine, phenobarbital, morphine and insulin, immunohistochemical detection is also possible for methadone and the intake of this medicament can now be proven morphologically.

Demonstration of morphine in ganglion cells of the hippocampus from victims of heroin overdose by means of anti-morphine antiserum

Abstract To investigate the topography of morphine distribution in the human brain, a method has been developed to detect morphine immunohistochemically. In this study hippocampus tissue from victims of heroin overdose (blood morphine concentrations 220 ng/g–1500 ng/g; 6-MAM positive urine sample), known for its high concentration of μ-opiate receptors was used. The immunohistochemical staining was performed with an anti-morphine antiserum originally developed for radio-immuno-assays. In comparison with control specimens from cases of sudden death without morphine exposition or a history of heroin abuse, the brains from victims of heroin overdose showed selectively stained ganglion cells, axons and dendrites, suggesting a massive concentration of morphine in the neuronal structures.

Computer aided shot reconstructions by means of individualized animated three-dimensional victim models

In cases of lethal firearm injuries with indefinite indications concerning self-versus third-party infliction a computer enhanced reconstruction with the aim of an anatomical feasibility study can provide significant clues concerning the course of the traumatic event. To this end an exact three-dimensional geometrical model of the victim including all relevant anatomical data as well as the careful documentation of the injuries and a three-dimensional model of the characteristic outlines of the weapon true to scale is generated with the help of an animation program (POSER Version 4, Meta Creation, Egisys AG). With this animated digital three-dimensional model of the victim and the weapon a series of simulation sequences is created by variation of the body positions and the grasp of the weapon. Anatomically impossible positions in view of the physical characteristics of the victim and the site and direction of the bullet path are automatically excluded from the reconstruction. An exact match of the simulation sequence and the real injuries is a statement for a possible self-infliction of the gunshot wound.

Kinematics and dynamics for computer animation

In the first phase of computer animation the traditional techniques of animation were brought to the computer resulting in computer animated films where the keyframes were linked by image-based and parametric interpolation. Especially when trying to compute aesthetic human movement it soon became obvious that a more realistic computer animation has to take into account the basic physical properties of the objects and the fundamental physical principles that govern their movement. In algorithmic animation the evolution of the state of a system of objects is not determined by interpolation, but by physical laws given either as algebraic formulae in the simple case or more complicated as set of coupled nonlinear differential equations. In kinematic animation the objects are moved according to a set of given equations for the velocities or the accelerations at certain points of the objects. This procedure results in a realistic animation only if the prescribed velocities and accelerations were derived from a complete dynamic physical model. Therefore, the most general approach for generating physically correct animation sequences is to perform a full dynamical simulation of the given model taking into account all external and internal forces and torques.

Interactive control of biomechanical animation

Physics-based animation can be generated by performing a complete dynamical simulation of multibody systems. This leads to the solving of a complex system of differential equations in which biomechanical results for the physics of impacts are incorporated. Motion control is achieved by interactively modifying the internal torques. Realtime response requires the distribution of the workload of the computation between a high-speed compute server and the graphics workstation by means of a remote-procedure call mechanism.

Interactive control of biomechanical animation : contribution to the GI Workshop: Visualisierung - Rolle von Interaktivitat und Echtzeit, GMD, Sankt Augustin, 2.-3. Juni 1992

Physical based animation can be generated by performing a complete dynamical simulation of multi-body systems. This leads to a complex system of differential equations which has to be solved incorporating biomechanical results for the physics of impacts. hlfotion control is achieved by interactively modifying the internal torques . Realtime response requires the distribution of the workload of the computation between a highspeed compute server and the graprucs workstation by means of a remote procedure call mechanism .