Geomorphological features of landslides distributed in upper stream of Naka-river, Tokushima, Japan

In this study, Geomorphological features of landslide distributed in the upper stream of Naka-river, Tokushima, are studied with air-photograph interpretation and map reading. The number of landslide in investigation area is 0.29 number/km2 in Chichibu belt, 0.34 number/km2 in Kurosegawa belt, 0.17 number/km2 in Sambosan belt and 0.09 number/km2 in Shimanto belt. The most number of landslide is Kurosegawa belt and the least number of landslide is Shimanto belt. Landslides show tendency to become smaller in equivalent coefficient of friction as a large scale landslide. Direction of landslide in Kurosegawa belt has a lot of trend of NNE to NE and in Chichibu belt has a lot of trend of ENE to E. Some 63% is in under 50 meters of height from river bed to end of landslide body, but some 23% is in over 100 meters. Deepening of river beds proceeds in transverse valley at the Sakasyukito-river in Kurosegawa belt, while ingrown meander grows in the Naka-river that flows in Sambosan belt and Shimanto belt. Distribution of landslides in these areas is related to the effect of deepening and lateral erosion of river

Problems of "death at home" during home care

In Japan, with the progress of aging society, home care will be promoted due to alteration of social security in near future. In these circumstances, increase of "deaths at home" is expected. Thus as "death at home" increase, it is suspected that physicians will have to investigate and diagnose in the case of "death at home" more frequently than the present time. In this review, on the basis of the laws and regulations, we describe the issue of death certificate or postmortem examination of "death at home", and the roles of "family doctors" for home care

テフロクロノロジー ニヨル トクシマケン カミヤマチョウ ノ コウネ ジスベリ ヒガシオオクボ ジスベリ ノ ハッセイ ジキ ノ スイテイ

In this study，tephrochronological ages of the Koune Landslide and the Higashiohkubo Landslide in Kamiyama Town，Tokushima Prefecture，are estimated. The Koune Landslide is divided into two landslides; the Primary Koune Landslide and the Secondary Koune Landslide. The Primary Koune Landslide is cut by main scarp and moving mass of the Secondary Landslide. The Secondary Koune Landslide is overlain by the Kikai-Akahoya Tephra and re-sedimentation of the Aira-Tanzawa Tephra， suggesting that the landslide occurred primarily between 7.3 ka and 26-29 ka. Therefore， the Primary landslide is older than the Secondary one. The Higashiohkubo Landslide is not overlain by the Aira-Tanzawa Tephra，but the Kikai-Akahoya Tepahra, suggesting that the landslide occurred primarily between 7.3 ka and 26-29 ka

One autopsy case of an elderly traffic accident victim with Tetralogy of Fallot

The case of a61-year-old male traffic accident victem with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is reported. The autopsy revealed massive hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue, muscle, and subarachnoidal space. Furthermore, multiple fractures of ribs, sternum and thoracic vertebrae were observed. Histopathological examination revealed changes characteristic of trauma, such as acute lung congestion, acute renal cortical necrosis, and embolization in the lungs and kidney. These autopsy and histological observations indi-cated that traumatic shock was cause of his death. Moreover, histologically, we observed changes due to his congenital heart disease, such as right ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure cells in the lungs, sclerosis of the liver, and hyaline degeneration in the kidney. Furthermore, ischemic changes, shrinkage or loss of neurons, were seen in hippocampus, and swelling of astrocytes in both cortex and hippocampus were also observed. These observations lead us to speculate that a hypoxic episode may have caused his accidental death while driving

トクシマケン アナブキガワ ジョウリュウ コヤダイラ ノ チシツ ト チケイ

The Mikabu and Chichibu belts in the Anabukigawa arre were studied with respect to their composition， boundaries and the relation with landslides. The main body of the Mikabu Greenstones is composed of the MORB-type tholeiite, and the Hawaiian and Polynesian-type alkaline basalts. The greenstones are dominated by dolerite intrusions into bedded-cherts. The coincidence of the chemical composition attributes the Taigo and Nakano greenstone bodies to the Mikabu Greenstones. The limestone phyllite of the Mt. Tsurugi was dated by the occurrence of Late Carboniferous conodonts. The co-occurrence of conodonts and crinoids suggests that the limestone originates from the tropical reef settings.The Fujinoike-dani Valley and the southern slope along the Anabukigawa River are characterized by the frequent occurrence of landslides and collupse of forest road-cuts. Because the faults，that cut the North Chichibu Belt，an d bounds from the Mikabu Greenstone Belt as well as the Kaminirogawa-Akuigawa Fault that obliquely cut them later，are concentrated in the Fujinoike-dani Valley and the southern slope along the Anabukigawa Riiver.The landslides are concentrated along the valley walls of the Anabukigawa River where Mikabu Greenstones and the Sanbagawa green and pelitic schists occur. The distribution of landslides in the area is controlled by the lithology (distribution of greenstone and schists)，the coincidence of their dipping with valley wall, the contents of swelling clay minerals in the weathered materials， and the changes in rock properties of pelitic schists due to weathering

An autopsy case of adrenal insufficiency 20 years after Hypophysectomy:Relation between stress and cause of death

A 63-years-oldman was found dead with the body soaking in water lying face up on a riverbank. Autopsy and diatom examination demonstrated that the cause of death was drowning. He had undergone hypophysectomy 20 years earlier. Autopsy, pathological and endocrinological findings demonstrated secondary and chronic hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, and adrenal in sufficiency. The cadaver had fallen into the river, and received numerous wounds such　as abrasions and subcutaneous hemorrhage. Moreover, it was suspected that he had developed hypothermia before death. Cortisol in the blood and 17-OHCSin urine were within the reference range. We suspect that the adrenocortical hormone was secreted into the blood as a result of various stresses due to wounds and hypothermia. However, it was suspected that sufficient hormone might not be secreted due to chronic adrenal insufficiency. This insufficient cortisol causes the decrease in the stress resistance, and might influence his cause of death. Moreover, as hypothyroidism decreases thermogenesis, he might have fallen into hypothermia easily. In addition, because both adrenocortical insufficiency and hypothyroidism caused the hypoglycemia, he might have fallen into the loss of consciousness. Therefore, it was considered that he had died by drowning, in relation to the adrenocortical insufficiency and panhypopituitarism

トウシ ノ イチボウケンレイ

In 30th April, 72-years-old male was found dead in the grass near a farm road in TokushimaCity. An autopsy revealed that he was very thin, and rectal temperature,22℃, was relativelow against other postmortem changes. Furthermore, the left cardiac blood was brightpink, so there was markedly different between the color of right and left cardiac blood. Thelungs were collapse. From those autopsy findings, his cause of death was diagnosed the fatalhypothermia. Besides cause of death, autopsy also revealed ascites and liver tumor.Histopathologically, adenocarcinoma was observed in liver, pancreas and kidney. His heartwas slackened. Myocardial fibers were thin and intricate, and heart failure cells were observedin lungs, histopathologically. He had been operated stomach cancer, so it seems thatthe cancer has spread to liver and other organs. Those findings suggested that he failed intocachexia with chronic heart failure and metastasis carcinoma. The cachexia strongly contributedhis cause of death, fatal hypothermia

The peroxidative DNA damage and apoptosis in methamphetamine- treated rat brain

In this study, we investigated methamphetamine (METH)- induced peroxidative DNA damage in various regions of the rat brain. We injected METH to rats following 2 protocols. For the single administration experiment (group I), 50 mg/kg (i.p.) of METH was administered to observe the acute influence of METH. For the repeated administration experiment (group II), 10 mg/kg/day (i.p.) of METH was injected for 5 days. Immunohistochemically, peroxidative damage DNA, 8-hydroxy-2’- deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) was observed, and in situ apoptosis was also observed. In group I, immunoreactivity of 8-OH-dG was only enhanced in neurons of the nucleus accumben of METH-treated rats. On in situ apoptosis detection, positive findings were also enhanced in all examined parts compared to those in the control, though there were no significant increases in 8-OH-dG-immunopositive neurons except in the nucleus accumben. In group II, the nucleus accumben also showed enhanced 8-OH-dG immunopositivity compared to that in the control. There was no significant difference in apoptosis between the control and METH groups. Based on our observations, it is considered that METH induces oxidative DNA damage in the brain, especially in the nucleus accumben. However, those DNA damage might be caused differently between acute and chronic administration

Immunohistochemical diagnosis and significance of forensic neuropathological changes

Immunohistochemistry is very useful when investigating the cause of death. Ischemic cell changes in the hippocampal neurons were not obvious in the brains damaged by hypoxic injury. However, it is suggested that even a moderate hypoxia, which may affect the neuronal proteins and metabolism, induced astrocytes is in the CA3 and CA4 regions, and that in patients with a history of hypoxic attacks neuronal damage may be severe even several hours after ischemic injury. Furthermore, hsp70 expression was found in the CA2, CA3 and CA4 regions of long-term survivors after severe hypoxic / ischemic injury. In forensic practice, detailed information about the duration and extent of a hypoxic / ischemic injury is often unavailable, so that immunohistochemical detection of hsp70 and glial cell staining can be of great value in diagnosing not only the hypoxic / ischemic injury during the process of death but also the victim’s past history of hypoxic attacks. In diffuse axonal injury, degeneration of axon and myelin, such as swelling and waving, were observed in survivors of more than 8 hours. Retraction balls appeared in survivors of more than 1 days. In longer term survivors, such as 3 or 5 months, breakdown of myelin and fat-granule cells were observed. In addition, retraction balls were also found. Immunohistochemical staining of 200 kD neurofilament was a very useful method to examine axonal changes, because antisera is specific for degenerative neurofilaments. In our study, all cases which had pathological findings of diffuse axonal injury (DAI)were associated with focal head injuries. From the immunohistochemical staining of neurons in the hippocampus, it was suggested that neurons in the hippocampus were injured by diffuse brain damage. Furthermore, repairing and protective mechanisms occurred especially from CA2 toCA4. It was considered that neuronal damage in diffuse brain injury was elucidated not only morphologically but also functionally. Therefore, in cases of suspected diffuse brain damage, it is recommended to examine the neuronal changes in addition to observing the findings of diffuse axonal injury. Immunohistochemical staining of the carotid body is potentially very useful for necropsy diagnosis, since it provides a method to detect evidence of mechanical asphyxia in suspected cases of manual and/or ligature strangulation