Background: The blowflies of Chrysomya albiceps are of medical and forensic importance because larvae of C. albiceps are the insects that are most commonly associated with corpses. Tramadol is a widely abused opioid with increased cases of overdose. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of tramadol on C. albiceps larvae and to determine tramadol level in the third larval stages of C. albiceps reared on tissue containing tramadol. Methods: C. albiceps was reared on rabbit tissues administered tramadol (30.8 mg/kg dissolved in distilled water) by intraperitoneal injection twice daily for one week. The control group was reared on rabbits injected with distilled water. The third larval instar of C. albiceps was studied using scanning electron microscope. Biomorphic data (weight, length, and width) of larvae were documented and compared to those of the control group. Tramadol concentrations in postmortem livers, kidneys, and muscles from both treated and control groups were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) immediately after scarification of rabbits. Results: Significant differences in the means of larval weights, lengths, and widths of tramadol and control group were observed. Ultrastructure changes were also detected in the tramadol reared group in the form of a dense compressed irregular shape larval body and deformed anterior and posterior ends. The concentration of tramadol in the third larval stage was 29.62 µg/g, a level that was comparable to postmortem tissue concentration. Conclusions: The study established the effect of tramadol on the morphology of third larval instar of C. albiceps. These results indicate that tramadol retards larval development, thus interpretation and application of insects' data should be used with caution in forensic entomology when tramadol is suspected as a cause of death.

Background: Medico-legal autopsies are done on request by the police for investigating sudden, suspicious and unnatural deaths. It is done to establish a cause and manner of death. Manner of death could be classified according to the circumstances of death to; unnatural manners e.g. (homicidal, accidental, suicidal), naturally or unidentified. Objective: To identify the epidemiological profile and characteristics of death in medico-legal autopsies in Qena, Luxor and Aswan governorates. Methodology: A retrospective descriptive statistical analysis of the medico-legal autopsies conducted at Qena, Luxor and Aswan governorates, during the period from 2008 to 2011. Results: Total number of medico-legal autopsies performed during the study period was 511 cases. Homicidal cases were 57.34%, accidental cases were 16.83%, 12.72% were suicidal, 4.89% were natural deaths, and manner of death was not identified in 8.22% of autopsies. Most of the homicidal victims were males representing 79.9% of homicidal deaths, 73.3% of accidental deaths and 47.7% of suicidal deaths. Age groups of 21-30 year and 31-40 years accounted for 26.62% and 21.72% of the deaths respectively. Firearm, blunt and stab injuries were the main recorded injuries representing 34.44%, 13.31%, and 12.72% respectively. The Chest was the target of firearm and stab wounds while the head was the target of blunt trauma. Asphyxial deaths represented 8.61 % of all deaths. drowning represented 34.1% of asphyxial deaths. Poisoning was the cause of death in 12.13% of autopsies and 80.65% of poisoning deaths were caused by hair dye. Conclusion: High incidence of homicidal firearm mortality in these districts. High incidence of homicidal death was recorded in males and it was mainly due to firearm, stab and blunt trauma while suicide showed a higher incidence in females ,especially using hair dyes. Males committed suicide by more violent methods; hanging, ligature strangulation and firearms.

Background: Burns are not uncommon in Egypt, for successful prevention of such accidents it is essential to analyze the medicolegal aspects of these cases. The present study was conducted in Assiut university hospitals. Burn cases that were admitted to the emergency units during years of 2015 and 2016 were retrospectively analyzed from the available records. Purpose: to investigate medicolegal aspects and demography of burn cases presented in emergency units at Assiut University Hospitals during years 2015 and 2016 to identify vulnerable personnel, and to evaluate their outcomes. Methods: A retrospectives study analyzing data from the records between 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2016. Data regarding age, gender, type of burn, percentage of body surface area involved in burn, hospital stay of victims, fate of cases, and survival period of deceased victims was collected and analyzed using SPSS. Results: The study revealed male predominance, 258 (75.26%) male victims out of total 380 victims. The mean age for victims was 15.57 years with most of the victims (52.89%) of burn were between the ages of 0 to 10 years, the minim age was 2 months while the maximum age was 73 years. Hot liquids and flame were the commonest causes of burn. 77.11% of burns in children age less than 11 years were due to hot liquids. The highest percentage of cases of burn was found in winter (29.2%). 32.89% of victims were students. The mean of hospital stay was 8.29 days. 17.63 % of burn victims admitted during these two years died. Conclusions: Male victims represent most burn patients with children being more vulnerable. Preventive measures against burns should be taken in order to prevent burns particularly in children.

The market of illicit erection/potency enhancers has grown significantly in the last decade. Some of those products lack any data about active ingredients, have dosage mislabeling or claim to contain only natural substances. The aim of this study is to elucidate the various contents and concentration of sildenafil in a cheap illicit erection enhancer tablets available in local markets and to evaluate its potential toxic effects on the liver. An illicit oral preparation (tablet form), sold in local market as an erection enhancer and claim to contain 130 mg of sildenafil citrate/ tablet, was analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The same preparation was dissolved in distilled water and administered per oral route in two doses (8.13 mg/Kg/ day and 50 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks to male mice to investigate its effects on hepatic tissue. A control group was given distilled water only. Analysis of the tablets demonstrated several ingredients including the potential hepatotoxic 1-Bromo-2,4-dimethoxyanthrquinone, and N-Trichloroacetyl-tryptamine with no traces for sildenafil citrate. The study showed that the preparation caused dose dependent histopathologic changes in liver of mice. These changes included lobular inflammation, kupffer cell hyperplasia, nuclear alterations (nuclear vesiculation, anisonucleosis, binucleation), hydropic degeneration and large areas of necrosis. Vascular congestion and fibrosis were also observed. The study has confirmed the phenomenon of counterfeit preparation for treatment of erectile dysfunction as the investigated product has been shown to lack active sildenafil despite being marketed as a sildenafil product. In addition, the study has pointed out the potential hepatotoxicity of anthraquinone derivatives.

Background: Substance abuse is a major challenge in Egypt due to changing pattern of abuse and its threating to health, social and economic build of the community. Aim of the work: the present work aims to demonstrate the pattern of substance abuse in Assiut governorate.Also to study the liver, kidney functions and electrocardiographic changes among addicted patients admitted to Addiction