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Forensic Biology > Death Investigation > Flashcards

Death Investigation Flashcards

1
Q

medical examiners

A

a medical doctor that specializes in the nature and cause of disease

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2
Q

forensic pathologist

A

determines the cause and manner of death in unexplained/ unnatural deaths

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3
Q

requirements to be a forensic pathologist

A
  • completed a medical degree
  • completed clinical training in pathology
  • pass an exam
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4
Q

is a coroner required to be a physician?

A

usually, but not required

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5
Q

do coroners investigate death?

A

yes

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6
Q

do coroners perform autopsies?

A

no

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7
Q

do coroners determine COD?

A

yes

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8
Q

do coroners provide death certificates?

A

yes

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9
Q

are coroners elected or appointed?

A

either

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10
Q

are coroners pathologists or forensic path?

A

not required

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11
Q

are medical examiners required to be a physician?

A

almost always

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12
Q

do medical examiners investigate death?

A

yes

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13
Q

do medical examiners preform autopsies?

A

yes

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14
Q

do medical examiners determine COD?

A

yes

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15
Q

do medical examiners provide death certificates?

A

yes

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16
Q

are medical examiners elected or appointed?

A

appointed

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17
Q

are medical examiners pathologists or forensic path?

A

almost always

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18
Q

pathologists assistant

A

provides various services under the direction and supervision of a pathologist

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19
Q

major duties during a death investigation

A
  • confirm/ pronounce death
  • photograph / recognize / collect evidence from body
  • perform external body exam
  • document postmortem changes
  • establish info and alert next of kin
  • ensure security
  • autopsy
20
Q

cause of death

A

medical determination - disease or injury that causes a physiological disruption that results in death

21
Q

manner of death

A
  • government classification
    1. homicide
    2. suicide
    3. accidental
    4. natural death
    5. unknown / undetermined
22
Q

time of death

A

time person die

23
Q

postmortem intervals

A

time elapsed since death

24
Q

taphonomy

A

the study of anything that can happen to a body post death

25
Q

what affects the natural physical / chemical changes postmortem

A

temperature

26
Q

pallor mortis

A
  • paleness of death
  • develops in 15 minutes
  • due to loss of blood circulation
27
Q

algor mortis

A
  • metabolism generates heat
  • upon death the body cools
28
Q

conduction

A

directly warms things through touch

29
Q

convection

A

warm airs around thing

30
Q

steps while using a nomogram

A
  1. draw a line between rectal and ambient temperature
  2. draw a 2nd line from cross hairs to intersection of first line
  3. use the appropriate arched line that represents mass
  4. 2nd live provides PMI
31
Q

factors that can affect rate of heat loss

A
  • clothes
  • water & air conditions
32
Q

livor mortis

A
  • discoloration that occurs as blood pools
  • generally occurs .5-2 hours postmortem
  • can provide info on corpse movement
33
Q

rigor mortis

A
  • stiffening of the body
  • occurs 3-4 hours after death, persists for ~12 hours
  • occurs in all muscles simultaneously but may be noticeable first in small muscles
34
Q

why does rigor mortis happen?

A

after death the sarcoplasmic reticulum becomes leaky

35
Q

why is rigor most noticeable in muscles that were most active before death?

A

ATP build up

36
Q

how / why is rigor broken?

A

proteins start to breakdown so people come out of rigor

37
Q

vitreous humor

A

jelly substance that maintains eye shape / structure that begins to disappear after death

38
Q

PMI estimation from vitreous humor

A
  • is an extracellular fluid with a low K+ content which is maintained in life by pumps
  • after death the pump stops and the membrane is leaky so the K+ moves down its concentration gradient
39
Q

stages of decomposition

A
  1. fresh
  2. bloat
    3-4. decay (active - advanced)
  3. dry remains / skeletonization
40
Q

decomposition stage: bloat

A
  • autolysis
  • increased microbial activity
41
Q

autolysis

A

self digestion after lysosomes break down

42
Q

what do autolysis and increased microbial activity produce?

A

gas

43
Q

another word for decay

A

Putrefaction

44
Q

decomposition stage: decay

A
  • body collapses and gas escapes
  • adipocere can form during breakdown of lipids
45
Q

what happens when adipocere forms?

A

decomposition can be halted

Forensic Biology (17 decks)

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