0000000000340407
AUTHOR
Letizia Averna
SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED JUVENILE DEATH AND THE ROLE OF MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION: UPDATE ON MOLECULAR AUTOPSY
In the past few years, contributions of molecular biology assays to the investigation of sudden juvenile death have permitted to clarify some of the pathogenetic aspects of sud-den arrhythmic death, opening the way to preventive action on victims’ relatives. We reviewed literature on the genetics of sudden juvenile death, and on molecular biol-ogy assays performed on autoptic samples. Biological investigation permits the detection of genetic mutations underlying the suscep-tibility to sudden cardiac death of individuals with rare inherited forms of arrhythmia (Long QT Syndrome, Brugada Syndrome, Lev’s disease etc.) through the analysis of criti-cal sequences codifying for ion channel subuni…
SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE: UNUSUAL DEATH IN WESTERN COUNTRY. SUICIDE OR HOMICIDE?
This case report describes a particular case of carbonized corpse, found in his burnt-out car in an isolated Palermo’s west suburban zone. The goal of this case report is to describe the shame and the social stigma related with suspicious of pedophilia and how it led a man to suicide by fire, considering that is an unusual way to die in western countries
Penile Enhancement Procedures: Urological And Ethicolegal Issues
Phalloplasty procedures for most men requiring penile augmentation surgery are cos-metic procedures; generally the patients have a normal-sized and fully functional penis but they think that their penis is too small. There are not well defined indications for penile enhancement surgery and, except for the treatment of “micropenis”, there are not established guidelines and the outcome measures for success are still unclear. All penile enhancement techniques often do not reach the expected result and the grade of pa-tient’s satisfaction is frequently poor. Phalloplasty procedures for psychological dys-morfism are not approved by any scientific society and the majority of these procedures are …
VALIDITY AND CREDIBILITY OF A CHILD’S TESTIMONY OF SEXUAL ABUSE: A CASE REPORT
The allegation by a child victim of sexual abuse is, in many cases, the most important evidence of wrongdoing, especially in absence of medical or physical evidence or confes-sions of guilt. The Rorschach inkblot test is a projective personality assessment technique used to evaluate child witnesses. We report a case of three girls allegedly abused by the father, in which the psychometric evaluation with the Rorschach test did not give credibility to the testimony of the chil-dren. When interrogating a minor, it is very difficult to distinguish between a true and a lie. Indeed, many different elements can affect the dialogue, such as the child’s age, the events being discussed, interrogation…