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Intra-vesicular Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) immuno-therapy is a cornerstone in the treatment of superficial bladder carcinoma. However, it can rarely cause BCG-osis, a systemic infection, potentially fatal. A case of a 73 year old man, diagnosed with superficial urothelial bladder carcinoma five months ago, who died with clinical features of septic shock one day after BCG therapeutic maintenance infusion, is presented. The cause of death, BCG-osis, was revealed during autopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex estimation based on measurements of unidentified skeletal remains recovered in crime and death scenes can be accomplished with accuracy. In mass disasters, however, the remains are often fleshed, burned, and/or commingled. As a result, osteometric methods are difficult to apply. In such cases, radiography can be of great use during the examination process. A total of 101 (53 males and 48 females) adult humeri were radiographed using digital equipment (Technix TCA 4R PLUS). Specific measurements were taken on the radiographs and then analyzed. Multivariate discriminant function analysis was applied, and the results showed up to 89.1% classification accuracy. Single variables performed equally well for both epiphyses reaching 86.1% correct group membership. The method proposed here is successful, offering an alternative sex estimation technique applicable to the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are semi-fleshed, burned, mutilated, or otherwise unrecognizable. Specifically, this method is extremely useful when maceration of the remains is not an option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first advanced Bronze Age civilization of Europe was established by the Minoans about 5,000 years before present. Since Sir Arthur Evans exposed the Minoan civic centre of Knossos, archaeologists have speculated on the origin of the founders of the civilization. Evans proposed a North African origin; Cycladic, Balkan, Anatolian and Middle Eastern origins have also been proposed. Here we address the question of the origin of the Minoans by analysing mitochondrial DNA from Minoan osseous remains from a cave ossuary in the Lassithi plateau of Crete dated 4,400-3,700 years before present. Shared haplotypes, principal component and pairwise distance analyses refute the Evans North African hypothesis. Minoans show the strongest relationships with Neolithic and modern European populations and with the modern inhabitants of the Lassithi plateau. Our data are compatible with the hypothesis of an autochthonous development of the Minoan civilization by the descendants of the Neolithic settlers of the island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]