Pub Date : 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112741
J.R. Waszczuk , S. Bottrill , J. Raymond , C. Roux , S. Chadwick
A common recommendation when undertaking serial number restorations is to prepare the materials surface to a ‘mirror-like’ finish through various means including polishing. However, altered serial numbers are rarely defaced uniformly. Hence there are instances of forensic examiners not able to adequately level (polish) the materials surface without also potentially removing deformation detail that is needed to successfully restore the pre-defaced marking. To assess the importance of polishing in serial number restorations, 118 sample plates were stamped, obliterated, and then chemically etched. 59 plates were left with the coarse grinding marks from the obliteration process then restored, whilst the remaining 59 were treated with Brasso® polish and increasing grit from 120 to 1200 grit sandpaper, prior to restoration. Recovery times and accuracies of participant interpretations were recorded. The polished plates were found to take significantly less time to restore compared to the unpolished, but also appeared to provide no difference with the accuracy of interpretations. This study found that surface preparation (polishing) prior to serial number restoration (chemical etching) did not provide any increase in participant accuracy. This work further provided surface topographies of both polished and unpolished surfaces, which may be of assistance for practitioners undertaking laboratory based serial number restorations.
{"title":"Surface preparation in serial number recovery: Its effect on accuracy and recovery times","authors":"J.R. Waszczuk , S. Bottrill , J. Raymond , C. Roux , S. Chadwick","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A common recommendation when undertaking serial number restorations is to prepare the materials surface to a ‘mirror-like’ finish through various means including polishing. However, altered serial numbers are rarely defaced uniformly. Hence there are instances of forensic examiners not able to adequately level (polish) the materials surface without also potentially removing deformation detail that is needed to successfully restore the pre-defaced marking. To assess the importance of polishing in serial number restorations, 118 sample plates were stamped, obliterated, and then chemically etched. 59 plates were left with the coarse grinding marks from the obliteration process then restored, whilst the remaining 59 were treated with Brasso® polish and increasing grit from 120 to 1200 grit sandpaper, prior to restoration. Recovery times and accuracies of participant interpretations were recorded. The polished plates were found to take significantly less time to restore compared to the unpolished, but also appeared to provide no difference with the accuracy of interpretations. This study found that surface preparation (polishing) prior to serial number restoration (chemical etching) did not provide any increase in participant accuracy. This work further provided surface topographies of both polished and unpolished surfaces, which may be of assistance for practitioners undertaking laboratory based serial number restorations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 112741"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112736
Lin Feng , Chenjie Wei , Xianhe Deng , Yajun Li , Hongcheng Mei , Hongling Guo , Jiwei Qi , Xinghu Qin , Conghe Zhang , Jun Zhu , Can Hu
As an endangered species, the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) faces severe threats to its survival from illegal poaching and cross-border smuggling, which also undermines biodiversity. Traceability detection of Amur tigers is crucial for combating such crimes; however, current traceability efforts primarily rely on witness testimony, lacking scientific and technological support. To address this gap, this study pioneers the application of Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) in the field of forensic science, focusing on Amur tiger hair to develop a traceability technology. Hair samples were collected from 20 Amur tigers across 10 zoos in different regions of China, and their stable isotope abundance values were analyzed. The results showed no significant differences in δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ²H, and δ¹⁸O values among different hair samples from the same individual. For different individuals in the same zoo, the isotope abundance values of their hair were dominated by the feeding conditions, with only minor variations. Additionally, the isotope abundance values of Amur tiger hair from different zoos exhibited characteristic distributions. The reasons for the differences were discussed, and the Amur tiger hairs from different zoos were differentiated. The stable isotope traceability technology for Amur tiger hair established in this study provides key technical support for combating illegal poaching and trade of Amur tigers in the forensic science field. It also offers a reference for the traceability detection of other endangered species.
{"title":"Origin traceability of Amur tiger hair using stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry","authors":"Lin Feng , Chenjie Wei , Xianhe Deng , Yajun Li , Hongcheng Mei , Hongling Guo , Jiwei Qi , Xinghu Qin , Conghe Zhang , Jun Zhu , Can Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As an endangered species, the Amur tiger (<em>Panthera tigris altaica</em>) faces severe threats to its survival from illegal poaching and cross-border smuggling, which also undermines biodiversity. Traceability detection of Amur tigers is crucial for combating such crimes; however, current traceability efforts primarily rely on witness testimony, lacking scientific and technological support. To address this gap, this study pioneers the application of Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) in the field of forensic science, focusing on Amur tiger hair to develop a traceability technology. Hair samples were collected from 20 Amur tigers across 10 zoos in different regions of China, and their stable isotope abundance values were analyzed. The results showed no significant differences in <em>δ</em>¹³C, <em>δ</em>¹⁵N, <em>δ</em>²H, and <em>δ</em>¹⁸O values among different hair samples from the same individual. For different individuals in the same zoo, the isotope abundance values of their hair were dominated by the feeding conditions, with only minor variations. Additionally, the isotope abundance values of Amur tiger hair from different zoos exhibited characteristic distributions. The reasons for the differences were discussed, and the Amur tiger hairs from different zoos were differentiated. The stable isotope traceability technology for Amur tiger hair established in this study provides key technical support for combating illegal poaching and trade of Amur tigers in the forensic science field. It also offers a reference for the traceability detection of other endangered species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 112736"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112743
C. Mein, J.R. Jones, C. Tennick, A. Williams
Considerations on the drivers of bone diagenesis have received a lot of attention, yet there is still more to understand, particularly in relation to chemical changes that can occur post-mortem, and the rate at which these occur. The physicochemical composition of bone is altered during the post-depositional period, leading to a more thermodynamically stable crystal lattice, thus increasing the long-term survivability of the bone. Research has shown the potential for soft tissue trauma to affect the decomposition process, but the effect of bone trauma and fractures on diagenesis has not yet been considered. Most bone diagenesis research uses destructive analytical techniques, resulting in the loss of samples and the inability to perform repeat analyses. Presented here is a study investigating changes in the physicochemical composition of disarticulated Sus scrofa ribs, with and without fractures, using non-destructive analytical techniques. The aim was to explore the timescales in which physicochemical changes occur and to investigate the potential influence of bone fractures. Intact (control) or fractured (blunt-force or sharp-force) bone samples were deposited on a grassy surface for up to 240 days. Physicochemical changes to the bone sections were analysed using scanning electron microscopy – energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance. It was hypothesised that physicochemical changes could be quantified in < 240 days using these techniques, and that the presence of fractures would affect the observed changes. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) losses in Na, K, and Mg and increases in crystallinity were seen over time, as well as significant changes in carbonate content and a significant loss of proteins. Differences physicochemical composition were observed between the undamaged and fractured samples, and the samples with BFT appeared to be the least affected for many elemental and IR parameters indicating BFT could potentially inhibit physicochemical change. The analysis of Na and K showed potential for PMI estimation, as these changed significantly over time, but as these were influenced by the presence of bone fractures, more research is needed fully understand how different variables can affect physicochemical change in bone, particularly the presence of bone fractures/damage.
{"title":"Physicochemical changes to surface deposited decomposing bone over different timescales: Investigating the influence of bone fractures and the use of non-destructive analytical techniques","authors":"C. Mein, J.R. Jones, C. Tennick, A. Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112743","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112743","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Considerations on the drivers of bone diagenesis have received a lot of attention, yet there is still more to understand, particularly in relation to chemical changes that can occur post-mortem, and the rate at which these occur. The physicochemical composition of bone is altered during the post-depositional period, leading to a more thermodynamically stable crystal lattice, thus increasing the long-term survivability of the bone. Research has shown the potential for soft tissue trauma to affect the decomposition process, but the effect of bone trauma and fractures on diagenesis has not yet been considered. Most bone diagenesis research uses destructive analytical techniques, resulting in the loss of samples and the inability to perform repeat analyses. Presented here is a study investigating changes in the physicochemical composition of disarticulated <em>Sus scrofa</em> ribs, with and without fractures, using non-destructive analytical techniques. The aim was to explore the timescales in which physicochemical changes occur and to investigate the potential influence of bone fractures. Intact (control) or fractured (blunt-force or sharp-force) bone samples were deposited on a grassy surface for up to 240 days. Physicochemical changes to the bone sections were analysed using scanning electron microscopy – energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance. It was hypothesised that physicochemical changes could be quantified in < 240 days using these techniques, and that the presence of fractures would affect the observed changes. Statistically significant (<em>p</em> < 0.05) losses in Na, K, and Mg and increases in crystallinity were seen over time, as well as significant changes in carbonate content and a significant loss of proteins. Differences physicochemical composition were observed between the undamaged and fractured samples, and the samples with BFT appeared to be the least affected for many elemental and IR parameters indicating BFT could potentially inhibit physicochemical change. The analysis of Na and K showed potential for PMI estimation, as these changed significantly over time, but as these were influenced by the presence of bone fractures, more research is needed fully understand how different variables can affect physicochemical change in bone, particularly the presence of bone fractures/damage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 112743"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-20DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112735
Yiran Xin, Yunqi Tang, Yaping Luo, Kang Wang
Firearm toolmarks identification has evolved through two major technological paradigms. During the traditional morphology-based phase, investigators relied on two-dimensional microscopic imaging together with the Consecutive Matching Striae method. This approach entailed manually comparing the striated and impressed microscopic marks on bullets and cartridge cases to attribute them to a specific firearm. However, its inherent subjectivity and the lack of statistical quantification drew judicial scrutiny. Recent breakthroughs in three-dimensional microscopic imaging—specifically confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and micro-computed tomography—have prompted a paradigm shift toward probabilistic assessment frameworks grounded in likelihood ratios. This involves extracting 3D topographical features from firearm marks using deep learning and the Congruent Matching Cells method. By constructing probabilistic models under the hypotheses of "same-source" and "different-source" origin using Bayesian statistics, this approach transforms identification conclusions into quantifiable LR values, significantly enhancing objectivity and credibility in court. Current research focuses on developing automated identification systems and improving algorithm interpretability to meet the transparency demands of legal settings. Future directions must address challenges like multimodal data fusion and the identification of non-standardized firearms (e.g., homemade, improvised, or additive manufactured weapons). By integrating 3D topography, material composition, and dynamic behavior data, this aims to solve the attribution difficulties posed by novel criminal tools like 3D-printed weapons, thereby driving the field toward intelligent and standardized development. This paper systematically analyzes the logical progression of this two-phase technological evolution, providing a theoretical foundation for building a verifiable, high-reliability firearm identification system.
{"title":"A review of firearm toolmarks identification: Progress, challenges, and perspectives","authors":"Yiran Xin, Yunqi Tang, Yaping Luo, Kang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112735","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112735","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Firearm toolmarks identification has evolved through two major technological paradigms. During the traditional morphology-based phase, investigators relied on two-dimensional microscopic imaging together with the Consecutive Matching Striae method. This approach entailed manually comparing the striated and impressed microscopic marks on bullets and cartridge cases to attribute them to a specific firearm. However, its inherent subjectivity and the lack of statistical quantification drew judicial scrutiny. Recent breakthroughs in three-dimensional microscopic imaging—specifically confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and micro-computed tomography—have prompted a paradigm shift toward probabilistic assessment frameworks grounded in likelihood ratios. This involves extracting 3D topographical features from firearm marks using deep learning and the Congruent Matching Cells method. By constructing probabilistic models under the hypotheses of \"same-source\" and \"different-source\" origin using Bayesian statistics, this approach transforms identification conclusions into quantifiable LR values, significantly enhancing objectivity and credibility in court. Current research focuses on developing automated identification systems and improving algorithm interpretability to meet the transparency demands of legal settings. Future directions must address challenges like multimodal data fusion and the identification of non-standardized firearms (e.g., homemade, improvised, or additive manufactured weapons). By integrating 3D topography, material composition, and dynamic behavior data, this aims to solve the attribution difficulties posed by novel criminal tools like 3D-printed weapons, thereby driving the field toward intelligent and standardized development. This paper systematically analyzes the logical progression of this two-phase technological evolution, providing a theoretical foundation for building a verifiable, high-reliability firearm identification system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 112735"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145603363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112730
Julia Babigian , Luca Berti , Lars Oesterhelweg , Alberto Amadasi
Petechiae are a key yet inconsistently observed finding following non-fatal strangulation, and their detection is influenced by both anatomical location and time since the event. This variability complicates forensic evaluation. This retrospective cohort study analysed 541 adult cases assessed at the Violence Protection Ambulatory of Charité Berlin between 2017 and 2023. The presence of petechiae was evaluated according to location and time interval to examination. Associations with clinical symptoms and external signs were examined using logistic regression, generalised estimating equations, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Petechiae were observed in 10 % of cases (54/541) and were significantly associated with shorter intervals between the event and examination (mean: 26 h vs. 61 h, p < 0.001), with a cut-off of 41.5 h (AUC 0.73 (95 % CI 0.6739–0.7953)). Early detectability was most common in the conjunctiva, while petechiae in the posterior ear region persisted longer (OR = 27.65). Clinical symptoms such as dyspnoea, hoarseness, and dysphagia were also associated with the presence of petechiae. A two-item risk score combining dyspnoea and absence of external skin findings achieved an AUC of 0.72. These findings suggest that petechiae are both time- and site-dependent and that clinical symptoms and external signs may support early identification. The proposed score provides a practical tool to aid forensic assessment in cases of suspected strangulation.
瘀点是在非致命勒死后观察到的关键但不一致的发现，它们的检测受到解剖位置和事件发生后的时间的影响。这种可变性使法医鉴定复杂化。这项回顾性队列研究分析了2017年至2023年在柏林慈善机构暴力保护门诊评估的541例成人病例。根据检查的位置和时间间隔来评估斑点的存在。使用逻辑回归、广义估计方程和受试者工作特征（ROC）分析来检验与临床症状和外部体征的关联。10 %的病例（54/541）观察到瘀点，并且与事件和检查之间的较短间隔显著相关(平均：26 h对61 h， p
{"title":"Petechiae in non-fatal strangulation: Prevalence, predictors and time-dependent detectability in forensic assessment","authors":"Julia Babigian , Luca Berti , Lars Oesterhelweg , Alberto Amadasi","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Petechiae are a key yet inconsistently observed finding following non-fatal strangulation, and their detection is influenced by both anatomical location and time since the event. This variability complicates forensic evaluation. This retrospective cohort study analysed 541 adult cases assessed at the Violence Protection Ambulatory of Charité Berlin between 2017 and 2023. The presence of petechiae was evaluated according to location and time interval to examination. Associations with clinical symptoms and external signs were examined using logistic regression, generalised estimating equations, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Petechiae were observed in 10 % of cases (54/541) and were significantly associated with shorter intervals between the event and examination (mean: 26 h vs. 61 h, p < 0.001), with a cut-off of 41.5 h (AUC 0.73 (95 % CI 0.6739–0.7953)). Early detectability was most common in the conjunctiva, while petechiae in the posterior ear region persisted longer (OR = 27.65). Clinical symptoms such as dyspnoea, hoarseness, and dysphagia were also associated with the presence of petechiae. A two-item risk score combining dyspnoea and absence of external skin findings achieved an AUC of 0.72. These findings suggest that petechiae are both time- and site-dependent and that clinical symptoms and external signs may support early identification. The proposed score provides a practical tool to aid forensic assessment in cases of suspected strangulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112730"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145573381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
To assess the proportion of suspected pro-active drug facilitated crime (DFC) cases involving GHB through an appropriate toxicological assessment for any adult presenting as a victim of proactive DFC within 10 h at the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM) of Hôtel-Dieu hospital or the emergency departments of Hôtel-Dieu and Cochin hospitals, Paris, France.
Methodology
Adults presenting at the DFM of Hôtel-Dieu hospital or the emergency departments of Hôtel-Dieu and Cochin for suspected proactive DFC were included. Blood and urine samples were sent to the toxicology laboratory of Lariboisière for a toxicological assessment, including GHB measurement and screening using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-HRMS/MS). Cannabinoid’s plasma concentration and urine confirmation were performed using LC-ESI-HRMS/MS. Other compounds were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This study was approved by the AP-HP Centre Research Ethics Committee, registered under IRB #00011928, and listed in the AP-HP general treatment registry
Results
A total of 49 individuals were included in the study. The mean sampling time was 6.0 h. The sex ratio was 0.33, and the median age was 24.11 years. Voluntary consumption of psychoactive substances in the hours before the event were frequently reported by the patients (91.8 % for ethanol, 20.4 % for illicit substances and 12.2 % for medication with potential psychoactive effects). Six patients tested positive for GHB in urine (mean: 576.3 mg/L), and three were also positive in blood (mean: 46 mg/L). Among them, none reported voluntary GHB consumption. Additionally, undeclared PAS were detected in five other patients, including benzodiazepines and non-therapeutic PAS, suggesting cases of proactive DFC. Overall, proactive DFC was probable in 11 cases and opportunistic DFC in 17 cases.
Conclusion
Our results show a significant proportion of probable GHB-related proactive DFC cases, often within a chemsex context. Further studies, in collaboration with emergency services are necessary to better understand this rising phenomenon and GHB might be under detected in DFC cases due to its pharmacokinetic properties.
{"title":"Implication of GHB in proactive drug facilitated crime in Paris, France","authors":"Léo Dubois , Romain Magny , Laurence Labat , Clément Augustin , Tiffany Pinto , Jennifer Truchot , Marc Liautard , Pascal Houzé , Laurène Dufayet","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess the proportion of suspected pro-active drug facilitated crime (DFC) cases involving GHB through an appropriate toxicological assessment for any adult presenting as a victim of proactive DFC within 10 h at the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM) of Hôtel-Dieu hospital or the emergency departments of Hôtel-Dieu and Cochin hospitals, Paris, France.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>Adults presenting at the DFM of Hôtel-Dieu hospital or the emergency departments of Hôtel-Dieu and Cochin for suspected proactive DFC were included. Blood and urine samples were sent to the toxicology laboratory of Lariboisière for a toxicological assessment, including GHB measurement and screening using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-HRMS/MS). Cannabinoid’s plasma concentration and urine confirmation were performed using LC-ESI-HRMS/MS. Other compounds were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This study was approved by the AP-HP Centre Research Ethics Committee, registered under IRB #00011928, and listed in the AP-HP general treatment registry</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 49 individuals were included in the study. The mean sampling time was 6.0 h. The sex ratio was 0.33, and the median age was 24.11 years. Voluntary consumption of psychoactive substances in the hours before the event were frequently reported by the patients (91.8 % for ethanol, 20.4 % for illicit substances and 12.2 % for medication with potential psychoactive effects). Six patients tested positive for GHB in urine (mean: 576.3 mg/L), and three were also positive in blood (mean: 46 mg/L). Among them, none reported voluntary GHB consumption. Additionally, undeclared PAS were detected in five other patients, including benzodiazepines and non-therapeutic PAS, suggesting cases of proactive DFC. Overall, proactive DFC was probable in 11 cases and opportunistic DFC in 17 cases.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our results show a significant proportion of probable GHB-related proactive DFC cases, often within a chemsex context. Further studies, in collaboration with emergency services are necessary to better understand this rising phenomenon and GHB might be under detected in DFC cases due to its pharmacokinetic properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112734"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145573369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-18DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112733
Aaron Dove , Benoit Daoust , Andreas Ruëdiger
Since the early 1970s, forensic vacuum metal deposition (fVMD) has been used in operational casework. It is renowned for its sensitivity and ability to work on aged impressions and difficult substrates. However, the precise mechanism by which this development occurs remains unclear. This article examines the current literature on fVMD to see what is known about the technique, what is unclear, and what are the next steps that should be taken. This review shows that, while the operational utility of the technique is not in question, none of the currently posited theories can explain all the observed phenomena. They are therefore, at best, incomplete, and further research is required.
{"title":"The mechanisms of forensic vacuum metal deposition (fVMD): A literature review","authors":"Aaron Dove , Benoit Daoust , Andreas Ruëdiger","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since the early 1970s, forensic vacuum metal deposition (fVMD) has been used in operational casework. It is renowned for its sensitivity and ability to work on aged impressions and difficult substrates. However, the precise mechanism by which this development occurs remains unclear. This article examines the current literature on fVMD to see what is known about the technique, what is unclear, and what are the next steps that should be taken. This review shows that, while the operational utility of the technique is not in question, none of the currently posited theories can explain all the observed phenomena. They are therefore, at best, incomplete, and further research is required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112733"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145563455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-17DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112732
John M. Butler
This article briefly discusses early pioneers in Europe and the United States involved in forensic science (also known then as criminalistics or police science), as well as a 1929 European tour by Calvin Goddard that would link efforts and raise awareness of activities on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. High profile crimes often propel disciplines in forensic science to make significant progress. The first so-called “Crime of the Century” involved kidnapping the 20-month-old son of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh from his second-story nursery on the evening of March 1, 1932. This set in motion a large investigation that would lead to the “Trial of the Century” almost three years later. Forensic science evidence in the form of handwriting comparisons with 15 ransom notes and analysis of a ladder left at the crime scene would play key roles in the conviction of Bruno Richard Hauptmann. Widespread media attention and publicly available records, some which have only recently come to light, provide opportunities to consider how this investigation and trial contributed to the development and foundations of early forensic science in the United States. Lessons from the study of early forensic science efforts can benefit this field today. In particular, the little-known roles of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) and a physicist named Wilmer Souder in the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case. Today, almost a century later, NBS, now known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), continues to make important advances in forensic science research, standards, and scientific foundation studies.
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Pub Date : 2025-11-16DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112731
Elena Giovannini , Maria Paola Bonasoni , Simone Santelli , Ester Maria Cavalli , Giovanni Dal Lago , Susi Pelotti , Paolo Fais
Sudden infant deaths should be recognized as a public health concern, and understanding their underlying causes is crucial to elucidate this still poorly understood phenomenon. Despite efforts and standardized diagnostic protocols including autopsies and laboratory tests, the causes of sudden infant death often remain unclear in the 75 % of the cases. The aim of this review is to analyze the available data on SUDI associated with myocarditis, offering forensic pathologists a comprehensive overview of this topic, with a particular focus not only on pathophysiological and clinical implications but also on medico-legal aspects. This systematic review included articles concerning SUDI related to myocarditis, in particular etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, consequences and medico-legal implications. The research was carried out on articles written in English published between January 1990 and December 2024. A total of 557 studies were found through the electronic search and 11 studies were included after cross-referenced research on the references of the examined full-text articles. A total of 31 studies were included in this systematic review. The study showed that a definitive diagnosis of myocarditis should only be established when all necessary criteria have been met, given the potential liability implications of asserting a specific cause of death in an infant condition that remains the subject of ongoing debate and research. To optimize this process, the inclusion of expert pediatric pathologists in multidisciplinary teams is strongly recommended to standardize analytical methods and guide autopsy, histological, and genetic examinations based on the unique characteristics of the pediatric population.
{"title":"Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) and myocarditis: State of the art and medico-legal implications. A systematic review","authors":"Elena Giovannini , Maria Paola Bonasoni , Simone Santelli , Ester Maria Cavalli , Giovanni Dal Lago , Susi Pelotti , Paolo Fais","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sudden infant deaths should be recognized as a public health concern, and understanding their underlying causes is crucial to elucidate this still poorly understood phenomenon. Despite efforts and standardized diagnostic protocols including autopsies and laboratory tests, the causes of sudden infant death often remain unclear in the 75 % of the cases. The aim of this review is to analyze the available data on SUDI associated with myocarditis, offering forensic pathologists a comprehensive overview of this topic, with a particular focus not only on pathophysiological and clinical implications but also on medico-legal aspects. This systematic review included articles concerning SUDI related to myocarditis, in particular etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, consequences and medico-legal implications. The research was carried out on articles written in English published between January 1990 and December 2024. A total of 557 studies were found through the electronic search and 11 studies were included after cross-referenced research on the references of the examined full-text articles. A total of 31 studies were included in this systematic review. The study showed that a definitive diagnosis of myocarditis should only be established when all necessary criteria have been met, given the potential liability implications of asserting a specific cause of death in an infant condition that remains the subject of ongoing debate and research. To optimize this process, the inclusion of expert pediatric pathologists in multidisciplinary teams is strongly recommended to standardize analytical methods and guide autopsy, histological, and genetic examinations based on the unique characteristics of the pediatric population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112731"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145576242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-15DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112729
Aileen Sorg , Katja Anslinger , Petra Böhme , Lisa Dierig , Miriam Ender , Melanie Grabmüller , Galina Kulstein , Manuel Pfeifer , Ulrike Schmidt , Iris Schulz , Maria Seidel , Christina Stein , Richard Zehner , Martin Zieger
An increasing number of scientific studies in the field of forensic genetics suggest that questions arising in courtrooms have shifted in recent years from "Whose DNA is it?" to "How did that person's DNA get there?", or, expressed in the terminology of the field, from questions at the sub-source level to questions at the activity level. The increasing number of studies on TPPR (transfer, persistence, prevalence, recovery) of DNA are of great help to answer such questions at the activity level. However, to date, little information is available about the actual numbers of cases in which activity level assessments were of relevance for the court. It must be considered an open question whether this increasing interest in activity level reporting (ALR) in the scientific community is based on an actual increase of requests for reporting in casework, or whether it is currently rather driven by a greater awareness for the complexity of DNA reporting in the academic arena itself. To assess this question for a part of Central Europe, we conducted an online survey in fourteen institutes in the German-speaking region of Switzerland, in Austria and in Germany over three months in spring 2024. Although the participants believe that ALR is useful for the evaluation of DNA evidence, they also report having limited knowledge therein and that it is in fact rarely requested in practice. No significant increase in ALR reporting was noted by the participants we surveyed over the last ten years. In addition to the development of ALR reporting, we also assessed evaluative sub-source level reporting (ESSLR) to monitor the potential effect of the advent of probabilistic genotyping on numbers of likelihood ratio (LR) calculations. It appears that most participating institutions still use binary/semi-continuous calculation software rather than fully continuous models. There has been no significant increase or decrease in LR calculations for single/major profiles, nor for DNA mixtures. The absence of ALR requests together with a constant number of ESSLR calculations thereby strongly suggests that the perceived shift from (sub-)sub-source level reporting to activity level reporting did not (yet) happen in German-speaking countries.
{"title":"Evaluative sub-source and activity level reporting in Austria, Germany and Switzerland","authors":"Aileen Sorg , Katja Anslinger , Petra Böhme , Lisa Dierig , Miriam Ender , Melanie Grabmüller , Galina Kulstein , Manuel Pfeifer , Ulrike Schmidt , Iris Schulz , Maria Seidel , Christina Stein , Richard Zehner , Martin Zieger","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An increasing number of scientific studies in the field of forensic genetics suggest that questions arising in courtrooms have shifted in recent years from \"Whose DNA is it?\" to \"How did that person's DNA get there?\", or, expressed in the terminology of the field, from questions at the sub-source level to questions at the activity level. The increasing number of studies on TPPR (transfer, persistence, prevalence, recovery) of DNA are of great help to answer such questions at the activity level. However, to date, little information is available about the actual numbers of cases in which activity level assessments were of relevance for the court. It must be considered an open question whether this increasing interest in activity level reporting (ALR) in the scientific community is based on an actual increase of requests for reporting in casework, or whether it is currently rather driven by a greater awareness for the complexity of DNA reporting in the academic arena itself. To assess this question for a part of Central Europe, we conducted an online survey in fourteen institutes in the German-speaking region of Switzerland, in Austria and in Germany over three months in spring 2024. Although the participants believe that ALR is useful for the evaluation of DNA evidence, they also report having limited knowledge therein and that it is in fact rarely requested in practice. No significant increase in ALR reporting was noted by the participants we surveyed over the last ten years. In addition to the development of ALR reporting, we also assessed evaluative sub-source level reporting (ESSLR) to monitor the potential effect of the advent of probabilistic genotyping on numbers of likelihood ratio (LR) calculations. It appears that most participating institutions still use binary/semi-continuous calculation software rather than fully continuous models. There has been no significant increase or decrease in LR calculations for single/major profiles, nor for DNA mixtures. The absence of ALR requests together with a constant number of ESSLR calculations thereby strongly suggests that the perceived shift from (sub-)sub-source level reporting to activity level reporting did not (yet) happen in German-speaking countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112729"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145556525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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