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Background: Three-dimensional (3-D) modelling can be a useful technical aid and we used it to reconstruct a homicide scene to corroborate the statement of an eyewitness. 3-D modelling of the bloodstain was conducted by Micro Smith Poser 11 and Autodesk 3-Ds Max software. The technique was found to be easily understandable by the police and judiciary in the interpretation of the sequence of the events of the crime. It refuted the eye-witness's account of the actions of the accused who was charged with murder and allowed collection, storage and retrieval of the patho-anatomic information about the deceased., Conclusion: The checks on the accuracy of statements given by eye-witnesses that can be provided by 3-D modelling may change the outcome of criminal investigations in future.

The purpose of the study is a theoretical analysis of the available types of contact traces of blood and the establishment of their occurrence at the objects of medical and forensic examinations. Contact marks are formed as a result of the mechanical interaction of two objects, one of which is stained with blood. The literature data allow us to distinguish several types of contact traces of blood: impressions, smears, smearing, «voids», traces in the form of changes in the existing stain from wiping, washing, traces-artifacts from insects. Each type has a mechanism of formation and characteristic features. We analyzed 107 archival medical and forensic examinations. In the examinations in which the material situation of the scene of the incident (5 or more objects) is maximally represented, contact traces were present in 76% of the examinations, which indicates a high occurrence. The following types of contact traces of blood were the most common: smears (29% of all examinations), smearing (22.4%) and «voids» (10.3%). Other types of contact traces were less common.

A historical and medical study of preconditions and circumstances of the forensic anthropology establishment is presented. Official demographic statistics and P.A. Minakov's scientific publication on anthropology and forensic medicine were used. The circumstances of forensic anthropology occurrence (a new scientific direction in forensic medicine) were studied. The precondition of its appearance was a strong migration process, with a prevalent concentration of population in large industrial cities. The fact that studied occurrence took place in Moscow can be explained by the high level of development of the anthropological school at Moscow University, and by the fact that one of its leaders, P.A. Minakov, simultaneously headed the university's department of forensic medicine. The idea of anthropology scientific integration into forensic medicine, which was successfully implemented at the Forensic Medicine Department of the Moscow University, belonged to him.

A fatal accident using an angle grinder is presented. During the forensic medical examination of the corpse, a soft tissue wound of the neck was found, localized in the region of its anterior and right lateral surfaces, with damage to the common carotid artery, internal jugular vein, sternocleidomastoid and sternothyroid muscles, thyroid lobe, incomplete transection of the trachea and esophagus caused by the rotating disc of an angle grinder. This observation supplements the existing ideas about injuries caused by power tools, as well as the possibility of reconstructing an event based on a comprehensive assessment of data from the scene.

The article presents the results of scientometric analysis of theses, defended in the period from 1800 to 2020 yrs. on the «Forensic medicine» specialty, which are devoted to personality identification. Based on the analysis of defended theses for a significant period of time, a change of scientific directions was established and their dynamics, main tendencies and prospects were revealed. This allowed to determine the potential vector of research development on the forensic medical identification of personality. The conducted research can be used as a scientific and theoretical basis for predicting the relevance of future scientific investigations.

The historical analysis and the results of research activities of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Sechenov University on the study of blood stains as important material evidence in forensic medicine and forensic science are presented. The personal contribution to the solution of this problem of outstanding forensic doctors whose life and work was associated with the department was noted.

The aim of the study is to analyze the features of commissioning and conducting the forensic situational studies and expertises and to consider variants for their practical implementation. The importance of a situational analysis when conducting various types of forensic medical expertises is considered. The variants for conducting situational studies and situational expertises in practical work are proposed.

Aim of this study is to determine the influence of the surface irregularities on the presence and pattern of splashing in the area of the blood drop trace.Spraying of a freely falling drop of blood on various surfaces from a height of 10 to 150 cm was studied. It is suggested to distinguish primary and secondary spraying. Primary spraying is the result of the drop falling and its collision with the surface, the secondary spraying is caused by the second and subsequent drops falling into the formed trace, as well as by mechanical affect on the region of not fully dried, liquid blood. Satellite drops splashing should be evaluated separately. We received experimental blood traces from falling of the 40 μl drops on a smooth surface, smooth slightly fibrous surface and rough surface. It is established that when a drop falls on a smooth surface (glass), primary spraying is absent. Signs of spray appear on a flat, slightly fibrous surface (cardboard) when a drop falls from a height of 60 cm, on a rough surface (corrugated vinyl film) - from a height of 20 cm.

The purpose of the work is a brief historical and medical analysis of activities of the Department of Forensic Medicine of First Moscow Medical Institute during the Great Patriotic War. The authors presented the scientific, practical and teaching activities of the department during war years. The staff of the department, headed by prof. V.F. Chervakov conducted research relevant to the current historical period. The system of training medical personnel was modernized several times in accordance with the needs of the time. The department successfully coped with all tasks in a military situation and laid the foundations for further development of domestic forensic medicine.

The aim of this study was to identify the peculiarities of blood droplets on the street in frosty weather on the surfaces of objects with a negative temperature. The effect of negative ambient temperature (-19 °C) on the morphology of blood droplet traces was experimentally established. On cold trace surfaces, the droplet footprint was smaller, relatively flat and with wave-shaped edges; there was no splashing. Such a morphological presentation in frosty weather arises from the rapid cooling of the falling drop of blood which crystallizes in contact with the cold surface. There was no complete spreading of liquid droplets. The data obtained should be taken into account when assessing the traces of blood droplets detected at the scene of the incident on the street in winter, in order to avoid expert errors in determining their mechanism and the height of the blood source.

The aim of this study was the morphological analysis of traces of arterial bleeding, depending on the size of the blood vessel damage. A total of 21 archived medical-criminalistic expert reports related to the establishment of the types and mechanisms of blood trace formations were analysed. In all cases, there was damage to the arteries with external bleeding. The relationship between the size of arterial damage and the morphological characteristics of blood traces was established.

The aim of this study was to develop a detailed applied classification of medical-criminalistic situational examinations. This paper proposes a classification of importance for practice and research of medical-criminalistic expertise on the reconstruction of events. The basic criteria which determine how the classification of situational examinations is performed are considered.

This article is published on the occasion of the 2 nd All-Russian forensic medicine student Olympiad. The Olympiad has been held during three years in succession and attracts attention of the students from different Universities of the Russian Federation and the former Soviet republics. The Olympiad is considered to be a highly efficient form of the intellectual leisure activities of the students; moreover, it facilitates formation of motivation for the self-education and the acquisition of the professional skills and competences envisaged by the state standards for higher education that have not yet been incorporated into the program of modern medical education adopted in the Russian Federation.

The present article was designed to summarize the results of the 20 year scientific, practical, and educational activities of the Department of Forensic Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenovsky University). The main directions of the research work and achievements of the Department's staff are described, and the prospects for its further development are highlighted. The new approaches to and technologies for the teaching and training specialists in forensic medicine are introduced to meet the novel requirements imposed in the framework of the ongoing reform of higher medical education in accordance with the main principles of the Bologna declaration.

This article was designed to report the results of scientific research and practical forensic medical work carried out jointly by the personnel of Department of Forensic Medicine of the Sechenovsky University and the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise of the Moscow Health Department during the last 5 years.

Russia joined the Bologna process in 2003 and since that time has become integrated into the unified European educational space. The key element of the new form of the higher education process is the self-guided unsupervised work of the students. Motivation is needed to promote the involvement of the students in the educational process which implies the necessity of the goal-oriented initiative for the acquisition of professional knowledge and practical experience in the field of forensic medicine. To achieve this goal, the Department of Forensic Medicine of I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University places special emphasis on the experience with carrying out student competitions. Each such competition consists of several contests focused on the solution of a specific problem, e.g. the inspection of the place of occurrence under investigation with a gunshot or punctured-and-incised wound, forensic medical autopsy, problem studies, and intelligence tests. All the contests and problem studies are held in the form of an interactive game. The experience gained in the course of the student competitions gives practical evidence that the interdepartmental intelligence contests contribute to raising the interest of students in forensic medicine. The open competition provides a highly efficient tool for the popularization of scientific knowledge and the promotion of interest in the participation in the forensic medical research activities. Moreover, the student competitions facilitate formation of the earlier professional skills indispensable for team working and the development of abilities for making decisions under the extreme conditions. In addition, the contests teach the participants the art of public appearance. They improve the quality of vocational training in forensic medicine and help to establish the first professional contacts at the interinstitutional (including international) level.

This article presents the materials devoted to the long-term history of collaboration between the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise of the Moscow Health Department and the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Sechenovsky University. Special attention is given to the contribution made by the Department of Forensic Medicine to the scientific and practical activities, methodological and staffing support first of the Moscow forensic medical services and thereafter of the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise operating under the auspices of the Moscow Health Department. Simultaneously, the influence of the work of the Moscow Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise on the development and improvement of the scientific, methodological, and pedagogical activities of the Russia's oldest Department of Forensic Medicine is overviewed. The personal contribution of the most prominent forensic medical experts and physicians of Moscow to medical science and practice is illustrated by concrete examples.

This article is devoted to the life and professional activities of the internationally renowned forensic doctor Ivan Ivanovich Neiding who became widely known in the early youth as the discoverer of the microscopic diagnostic features of the constriction marks formed in association with hanging and strangulation. During more than 22 years (from 1878 till 1900), I.I. Neiding acted as the head of the Department of Forensic medicine at the Moscow University where a large number of investigations on forensic medical ballistics, toxicology, obstetric and gynecological expertise were carried out under his supervision. At the time when I.I. Neiding headed the Department, the academic process was for the first time organized in the form of the specialized studies conducted by concrete specialists. Ivan Ivanovich Neiding himself was actively involved in the practical expert work and participated in the development of the procedural basis of the forensic medical expertise. In the hard times of political reaction, he managed to strengthen the role and position of the Department that was officially redesignated as the research institute.

The modern educational concept for the organization of the teaching and learning activities (continuous, free, and open education) implies the necessity for its implementation the development and introduction of the new approaches to the work with the students. This problem should be addressed based on the use of the up-to-date technologies for education of the adult subjects. Such technologies find the increasingly wider application at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. It markedly contributes to the improvement of the quality of education.

Efrem Osipovich Mukhin, actual state councilor, was a known surgeon, anatomist, physiologist, toxicologist, and hygienist. He is honoured as one of the founders of the Russian school of forensic medical expertise and traumatology. During 22 years, E.O. Mukhin headed the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Forensic Medicine at the Moscow Imperial University where he taught forensic medicine, anatomy, physiology, toxicology, and medical police. He was the first Russian scientist to develop the fundamentals of reflexology and most comprehensively present the problem of integration of the organism and its environment. E.O. Mukhin is considered to be the initiator of anatomo-physiological research in medicine.

P.A. Minakov was the well-known forensic medical expert and anthropologist. He headed the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Moscow State University in 1900--1911, 1917--1931. P.A. Minakov founded the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the Second Moscow Medical Institute and was the founder of forensic medical stomatology in this country.