No abstract

One in ten non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) is located in the pons with chronic arterial hypertension as the leading etiology. In the forensic context, deaths related to a pontine hemorrhage (PH) are usually encountered in situations of drug abuse, excited delirium, trauma, as well as in sudden natural deaths where some hypertensive catastrophe is the usual underlying mechanism. The clinical presentation of PH may be variable, causing a failure in timely diagnosis that, if presents with unexplainable circumstances, may become the subject of medicolegal concern. The present case relates to a middle-aged man with a long history of hypertension and presents during an afternoon with an abrupt onset of deleterious symptoms. The patient was managed conservatively but succumbed to his illness and expires during treatment. A questionable diagnosis and the case circumstances, however, directed the doctors to inform the police. A medicolegal autopsy was therefore carried out that leads to the discovery of a lethal pontine hemorrhage rupturing into the fourth ventricle and involving the adjacent cerebellar tissues as well. Severe atherosclerosis of the basal arteries constituting Circle of Willis and Vertebrobasilar system was seen along with their hallmark effects that became evident during brain sectioning. Pathological stigmata of well established hypertension were found in the heart and kidneys. A clinic pathological correlation of the physical characteristics and topography of the hematoma to its severity was also carried out, based upon the known CT and autopsy findings. The possibility of a drug related or traumatic and secondary brainstem/Duret hemorrhage was ruled out.

Background: COVID-19 has emerged as a pandemic and it has had unprecedented negative impact on elderly population. A lack of awareness and poor understanding of the disease may result in rapid transmission of the disease. This study aimed to investigate the awareness and attitude toward COVID-19 among elderly population in West Bengal, India. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with the help of an online questionnaire and sent to elderly population of West Bengal. The study comprised a series of questions regarding demography, family composition, awareness, attitudes, and practices as precautionary measures from COVID-19. Results: A total of 212 elderly respondents participated in this study comprising 55.66% of males and 44.34% are females. Overall 75.58 ± 3.21 respondents showed good knowledge and awareness about COVID-19. Avoiding social gathering (84.43%), preference to stay in home (76.89%), and wearing mask (74.06%) were the most common preventive measures taken by respondents that were followed using sanitizing (58.96%) and avoiding traveling (24.64%). Significantly more educated and employed respondents showed more considerable knowledge of the disease awareness. Conclusion: The study respondents showed adequate basic knowledge and awareness of COVID-19. There is a strong need to implement periodic educational interventions and training programs on infection control practices.

Dermatoglyphic characteristics for identification of sex play an important role in forensic and medico-legal purposes. Hence, it considered to be the most precise and reliable indicators for personal and gender identification. Such types of information on Bengali speaking Hindu population are very scanty. This was tempted the present authors to assess the sex-wise variation of digital dermatoglyphic traits in a sample from West Bengal, India. A total 168 participants were recruited to obtain basic information and fingertip impression of the participants. Impressions were taken by using Ink method (Calcutta Ink) and examined with hand-lens. The mean age for male participants was 31.30 ±16.13 and for females it was 32.11±13.30. The loop pattern is observed more frequent (46.13%) compared to whorl (36.25%), arch (10.89%) and composite (6.72%). Females have a more loop (47.84%) and arch (12.26%) patterns than males (43.48% and 8.79% respectively. The whorl (39.85%) and composite (7.88%) patterns are observed more frequently in males as compared to females (33.92% and 5.98% respectively). Furuhata’s Index is more frequent in males (91.64) than females (70.9) but both the Dankmeijer’s and Poll’s Index are higher in females (36.13 and 25.61 respectively) than males (22.05 and 20.21 respectively). However, in case of Pattern Intensity Index there is slightly a sex difference for males and females (12.32 and 11.57 respectively). It was concluded that differences in the finger print pattern, combinations and indices can be used as an important tool for the determination of sex in medico-legal and forensic purposes.