Harnessing Thor’s Hammer: Experimentally induced lightning trauma to human bone by high impulse current.

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dc.article.start-page100206en_ZA
dc.citation.doi10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100206en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBacci, Nicholas
dc.contributor.authorAudustine, Tanya N.
dc.contributor.authorHunt, Hugh G. P.
dc.contributor.authorNixon, Ken J.
dc.contributor.authorHoffman, Jakobus
dc.contributor.authorBam, Lunga
dc.contributor.authorde Beer, Frikkie
dc.contributor.authorRandolph-Quinney, Patrick
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-08T12:14:19Z
dc.date.available2022-02-08T12:14:19Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.descriptionCorresponding author: School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND licenseen_ZA
dc.description.abstractLightning fatality identification relies primarily on soft tissue traumatic pattern recognition, prohibiting cause of death identification in cases of full skeletonisation. This study explores the effects of high impulse currents on human bone, simulating lightning-level intensities and characterising electrically induced micro-trauma through conventional thin-section histology and micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (μXCT). An experimental system for high impulse current application was applied to bone extracted from donated cadaveric lower limbs (n = 22). μXCT was undertaken prior to and after current application. Histological sections were subsequently undertaken. μXCT poorly resolved micro-trauma compared to conventional histology which allowed for identification and classification of lightning-specific patterns of micro-trauma. Statistical analyses demonstrated correlation between current intensity, extent and damage typology suggesting a multifaceted mechanism of trauma propagation - a combination of electrically, thermally and pressure induced alterations. This study gives an overview of high impulse current trauma to human bone, providing expanded definitions of associated micro-trauma.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianLTM2022en_ZA
dc.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBacci N, Augustine TN, Hunt HGP, Nixon KJ, Hoffman J, Bam L, et al. Harnessing thor's hammer: Experimentally induced lightning trauma to human bone by high impulse current. Forensic Science International: Synergy. 2021;3:100206. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100206en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/32699
dc.journal.titleForensic Science International: Synergyen_ZA
dc.journal.volume3en_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherElsevier B.V.en_ZA
dc.rightsCreative Commonsen_ZA
dc.schoolSchool of Anatomical Sciencesen_ZA
dc.subjectLightingen_ZA
dc.subjectBone traumaen_ZA
dc.subjectForensic taphnomyen_ZA
dc.subjectHigh currct impulseen_ZA
dc.subjectMicro-focus X-ray computed tamographyen_ZA
dc.subjectHistologyen_ZA
dc.titleHarnessing Thor’s Hammer: Experimentally induced lightning trauma to human bone by high impulse current.en_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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