Side Arm Homicide in the Italian Province of Trieste between 1953 and 2002

The authors present a complete overview of the phenomenon of side arm homicide, basing the study on the data collected at the Forensic Pathology Unit of the University Of Trieste School Of Medicine. Side arms are the most frequently used homicidal method in the town and province of Trieste in a considered study period of 50 years from 1953 to 2002. The analysis of the collected data shows that the town and province of Trieste are communities still very well disjoined from a reality in which crimes against life are yet very uncommon occurrences. This conclusion is well supported by the fact that it has not been possible to define a category of potential victims, which is on the contrary quite easy among societies where organized crime is consistent and widespread. The popularity of side arm as homicide method in our province supports the hypothesis that these crimes are often not aforethought murders, perpetrated by subjects often afflicted by recorded mental health problems, acting during an insanity raptus. Knives are not only actually the easiest weapons to obtain in a household, but are very easily used as well, even by the subjects not accustomed to handle weapons

The Diagnosis of Mesothelioma in Forensic Pathology

5nonenoneGONGOLO F; BROLLO A; RIZZARDI C; COSTANTINIDES F; MELATO M.Gongolo, F; Brollo, A; Rizzardi, Clara; Costantinides, Fulvio; Melato, Maur

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography for deep vein thrombosis

Background Ultrasound (US) has largely replaced contrast venography as the definitive diagnostic test for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). We aimed to derive a definitive estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of US for clinically suspected DVT and identify study-level factors that might predict accuracy. Methods We undertook a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of diagnostic cohort studies that compared US to contrast venography in patients with suspected DVT. We searched Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Database of Reviews of Effectiveness, the ACP Journal Club, and citation lists (1966 to April 2004). Random effects meta-analysis was used to derive pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity. Random effects meta-regression was used to identify study-level covariates that predicted diagnostic performance. Results We identified 100 cohorts comparing US to venography in patients with suspected DVT. Overall sensitivity for proximal DVT (95% confidence interval) was 94.2% (93.2 to 95.0), for distal DVT was 63.5% (59.8 to 67.0), and specificity was 93.8% (93.1 to 94.4). Duplex US had pooled sensitivity of 96.5% (95.1 to 97.6) for proximal DVT, 71.2% (64.6 to 77.2) for distal DVT and specificity of 94.0% (92.8 to 95.1). Triplex US had pooled sensitivity of 96.4% (94.4 to 97.1%) for proximal DVT, 75.2% (67.7 to 81.6) for distal DVT and specificity of 94.3% (92.5 to 95.8). Compression US alone had pooled sensitivity of 93.8 % (92.0 to 95.3%) for proximal DVT, 56.8% (49.0 to 66.4) for distal DVT and specificity of 97.8% (97.0 to 98.4). Sensitivity was higher in more recently published studies and in cohorts with higher prevalence of DVT and more proximal DVT, and was lower in cohorts that reported interpretation by a radiologist. Specificity was higher in cohorts that excluded patients with previous DVT. No studies were identified that compared repeat US to venography in all patients. Repeat US appears to have a positive yield of 1.3%, with 89% of these being confirmed by venography. Conclusion Combined colour-doppler US techniques have optimal sensitivity, while compression US has optimal specificity for DVT. However, all estimates are subject to substantial unexplained heterogeneity. The role of repeat scanning is very uncertain and based upon limited data