Medicine, Legal

Article Medicine, Legal

Drug-facilitated sexual assault followed by femicidal chloroform poisoning and suffocation: A case-report of criminal responsibility

Jessika Camatti, Ivan Galliani, Antonello Cirnelli, Rossana Cecchi

Summary: This article presents a case study on the evaluation of criminal responsibility of a murderer. The multidisciplinary approach was used to investigate and analyze the case, and through psychological tests and interviews, experts concluded that the accused cannot be exempted from criminal responsibility for the homicide.

LEGAL MEDICINE (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

Detection of diatoms in a case of mud aspiration at a coastal area

Shigeki Tsuneya, Makoto Nakajima, Maiko Yoshida, Yumi Hoshioka, Fumiko Chiba, Go Inokuchi, Suguru Torimitsu, Hirotaro Iwase

Summary: This case report highlights the detection of diatoms in a non-drowned human who had aspirated mud. Careful analysis of diatoms in various samples can help differentiate true drowning from false-positives in non-drowning cases.

LEGAL MEDICINE (2024)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Analysis of 12 X-STRs loci in a population from southeastern Brazil

Fernanda M. Garcia, Raquel S. R. Trabach, Victor S. Stange, Bruno Cancian, Alexia S. S. Zetum, Matheus C. Casotti, Flavia I. V. Errera, Elizeu F. de Carvalho, Debora D. Meira, Iuri D. Louro

Summary: This study found that the population of Espirito Santo, Brazil is genetically closer to the Italian population based on the analysis of STR markers on the X chromosome.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

Postmortem computed tomography imaging of negative pressure pulmonary edema induced by rice cakes: A case report

Nozomi Idota, Ryutaro Takazakura, Hiroshi Ikegaya

Summary: Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) can occur after airway obstruction by foreign bodies or laryngospasms, and even if the obstruction is removed. The CT features of NPPE include diffuse central ground-glass opacities and thickening of the bronchovascular bundles and bronchial walls. Forensic practitioners may not be aware of NPPE, but understanding its mechanisms and CT findings can be useful for them.

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC AND LEGAL MEDICINE (2024)

Review Medicine, Legal

Using expert-reviewed CSAM to train CNNs and its anthropological analysis

Wojciech Oronowicz-Jaskowiak, Tomasz Kozlowski, Marta Polanska, Jerzy Wojciechowski, Piotr Wasilewski, Dominik Slezak, Miros law Kowaluk

Summary: Machine learning methods for identifying child sexual abuse materials have limitations, including the lack of annotated training sets by forensic experts, rare use of models trained on real pornographic content, and absence of detailed justification for classification decisions. This study trained convolution neural networks using expert-labelled CSAM images, achieving high accuracy in classifying CSAM. The study also highlighted the crucial areas for classifying pornographic content involving children and suggested the ResNet-s neural network as a reliable tool for clinical work and supporting expert witnesses in the field of anthropology.

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC AND LEGAL MEDICINE (2024)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Recommendations of the DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) on short tandem repeat sequence nomenclature

Katherine B. Gettings, Martin Bodner, Lisa A. Borsuk, Jonathan L. King, David Ballard, Walther Parson, Corina C. G. Benschop, Claus Borsting, Bruce Budowle, John M. Butler, Kristiaan J. van der Gaag, Peter Gill, Leonor Gusmao, Douglas R. Hares, Jerry Hoogenboom, Jodi Irwin, Lourdes Prieto, Peter M. Schneider, Marielle Vennemann, Christopher Phillips

Summary: The DNA Commission of the ISFG has developed nomenclature recommendations for STR sequences, incorporating research findings and providing guidance for interlaboratory comparisons and the integration of new markers into investigative databases.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

New supporting data to guide the use of evident toxicity in acute oral toxicity studies (OECD TG 420)

Fiona Sewell, Ian Ragan, Graham Horgan, David Andrew, Thomas Holmes, Irene Manou, Boris P. Mueller, Tim Rowan, Barbara G. Schmitt, Marco Corvaro

Summary: There are currently three test guidelines for acute oral toxicity studies, but the subjectivity of one guideline may be hindering its wider use. In order to address this, the NC3Rs and EPAA collaborated to analyze historical data and provide recommendations on the recognition of 'evident toxicity'.

REGULATORY TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY (2024)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Characterization and evaluation of nine Cannabis sativa chloroplast SNP markers for crop type determination and biogeographical origin on European samples

Michele Di Nunzio, Carme Barrot-Feixat, David Gangitano

Summary: This study developed five SNaPshotTM assays for nine chloroplast markers to differentiate between marijuana crop type and hemp crop type. The testing of 122 cannabis samples successfully distinguished between marijuana and hemp, and genetic differences between different groups based on biogeographical origin and crop type were observed. Phylogenetic analysis and principal component analysis provided valuable information about the genetic relationship and differentiation between different cannabis samples.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

The 2022 world health organization reevaluation of human and mammalian toxic equivalency factors for polychlorinated dioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls

Michael DeVito, Bas Bokkers, Majorie B. M. van Duursen, Karin van Ede, Mark Feeley, Elsa Antunes Fernandes Gaspar, Laurie Haws, Sean Kennedy, Richard E. Peterson, Ron Hoogenboom, Keiko Nohara, Kim Petersen, Cynthia Rider, Martin Rose, Stephen Safe, Dieter Schrenk, Matthew W. Wheeler, Daniele S. Wikoff, Bin Zhao, Martin van den Berg

Summary: In October 2022, the World Health Organization reevaluated the toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for chlorinated dioxin-like compounds in a panel convened in Lisbon. This effort utilized an updated database, Bayesian dose response modeling, and meta-analysis to derive Best-Estimate TEFs. Applying these new TEFs may result in lower total toxic equivalents for dioxin-like chemicals.

REGULATORY TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY (2024)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Visualisation and detection of latent DNA deposited by pangolin scales onto plastic packaging materials

Amy H. J. Chan, Michael G. Gardner, Adrian Linacre

Summary: We report the detection and visualisation of latent DNA from pangolin scales using a nucleic acid staining dye, and propose that this method is invaluable in wildlife forensic science.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

Assessing the usefulness of Raman spectroscopy and lipid analysis of decomposed human bones in forensic genetics and molecular taphonomy

Heitor S. D. Correa, Ivano Alessandri, Andrea Verzeletti

Summary: This research assessed the usefulness of Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in analyzing bones. The techniques were found to be useful in molecular taphonomy studies and forensic genetics.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL (2024)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Metatranscriptomic characterization of six types of forensic samples and its potential application to body fluid/tissue identification: A pilot study

Zhiyong Liu, Jiajun Liu, Jiaojiao Geng, Enlin Wu, Jianzhang Zhu, Bin Cong, Riga Wu, Hongyu Sun

Summary: Microorganisms can serve as potential markers for identifying body fluids and tissues in forensic genetics. This study explored the use of metatranscriptomics to characterize common forensic samples and investigated the potential application of metatranscriptomics in forensic science. The results demonstrated high alpha diversity in saliva and skin samples, and the use of machine learning models showed that microbial RNA-based methods could be applied for forensic body fluid/tissue identification. Overall, this study provides insights into the role of metatranscriptomics in forensic science and its potential for microbe-based individual identification.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS (2024)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Selecting mRNA markers in blood for age estimation of the donor of a biological stain

Guro Dorum, Nadescha Viviane Haenggi, Dario Burri, Yael Marti, Regine Banemann, Galina Kulstein, Cornelius Courts, Annica Gosch, Thorsten Hadrys, Cordula Haas, Jacqueline Neubauer

Summary: RNA has gained attention in forensic field for predicting biological age. This study used RNA-Seq data to search for markers associated with age and presented two candidate marker lists.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

The relationship between postmortem interval and protein changes in mice

Wangping Zhang, Kaikai Dong, Jing Sun, Zhiwei Huang, Ping Shi

Summary: Postmortem interval (PMI) estimation is crucial in forensic pathology. This study reveals a negative correlation between total protein content and PMI in mouse liver and spleen, as well as a positive correlation between beta-actin degradation and PMI in the liver. Proteomic techniques were employed to identify protein expression changes related to PMI in the liver, leading to the discovery of four significantly decreased proteins and three unchanged proteins with the increase of PMI. These findings provide potential internal references for more accurate and reliable estimation of the time of death.

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC AND LEGAL MEDICINE (2024)

Article Medicine, Legal

Automated bone age assessment from knee joint by integrating deep learning and MRI-based radiomics

Fei Fan, Han Liu, Xinhua Dai, Guangfeng Liu, Junhong Liu, Xiaodong Deng, Zhao Peng, Chang Wang, Kui Zhang, Hu Chen, Chuangao Yin, Mengjun Zhan, Zhenhua Deng

Summary: This study developed and evaluated a deep learning radiomics method for noninvasive and automatic bone age assessment based on multiparametric knee MRI. The results showed that the 3D CNN model achieved the lowest mean absolute error in age estimation compared to other MRI modalities and traditional machine learning models.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE (2023)

Article Medicine, Legal

The potential of bioacoustics for surveying carrion insects

Elena Gorgeva, James Robertson, Sasha Voss, Jurian Hoogewerff

Summary: Identification of species through wing beat sounds of insects can build local databases and improve PMI estimation. However, challenges exist due to multiple factors influencing wing beat frequency and background noise and multitude of species in the field.

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES (2023)

Article Medicine, Legal

Skull fractures by glass bottles tested on cadaveric heads

Ana I. Lorente, Samuel Maza-Peon, Cesar Hidalgo-Garcia, Carlos Lopez-de-Celis, Jacobo Rodriguez-Sanz, Albert Perez-Bellmunt, Mario Maza-Frechin

Summary: Head trauma caused by the misuse of drinking vessels as weapons is a common occurrence, especially in scenarios involving high alcohol intake. This study aimed to simulate the impact of glass bottle blows to the head, focusing on three specific impact orientations. Results showed that the severity of injury varied depending on the impact orientation, ranging from no injury to severe bone fractures. This research provides valuable insights for forensic analysis of violence involving glassware and highlights the importance of controlled biomechanical studies in understanding injury mechanisms.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE (2023)

Review Medicine, Legal

Penetrating two stab to the throat, survival time and physical mobility: a suicide case and literature review

Cemil Celik, Tuba Akkus Cetinkaya, Ugur Ata, Murat Kamalak, Naile Esra Saka

Summary: This article presents a case of suicide that initially appeared to be a homicide, discussing the nature of sharp neck injuries, survival time, and movement after injury.

EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES (2023)

Article Medicine, Legal

Experimental results on data analysis algorithms for extracting and interpreting edge feature data for duct tape and textile physical fit examinations

Meghan Prusinowski, Pedram Tavadze, Zachary Andrews, Logan Lang, Divyanjali Pulivendhan, Cedric Neumann, Aldo H. Romero, Tatiana Trejos

Summary: Physical fit is a significant observation in forensic analysis of trace evidence, indicating a strong association between two items. To address time-consuming and biased human analysis, a data analysis algorithm incorporating mutual information and decision tree was developed. The algorithm achieved over 90% accuracy and improved true positive rate for most duct tape subsets. However, caution is advised as false positives were observed in certain scenarios. The study also analyzed the accuracy of physical fit identification with partial sample lengths available, showing acceptable results with at least 35% of the sample length present.

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES (2023)

Article Medicine, Legal

Cat and dog scavenging at indoor forensic scenes: strategies for documentation and detection

Lara Indra, Christian Schyma, Sandra Loesch

Summary: Scavenging on human remains by vertebrates is occasionally observed at indoor forensic scenes, especially when pets have access to the body and their deceased owners were socially distanced. Researchers present new cases from Switzerland with cat and/or dog involvement and provide a flowchart guide for systematic data collection in suspected scavenging scenarios.

FORENSIC SCIENCE MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY (2023)