The ability to distinguish between viable and post-mortem lesions is crucial in forensic medicine, especially in cases of advanced decomposition. Glycophorin A (GPA) is one of the most studied immunohistochemical markers for assessing lesion viability, with persistence in putrefied tissues up to 6 months. However, its sensitivity decreases beyond 15 days. Other markers such as tryptase, IL-15, CD15, CD45 and matrix metalloproteinases have been tested in decomposition contexts, but the results are inconclusive. This mini review article explores the main studies on immunohistochemical markers, discussing their utility and limitations in forensic investigations of decomposed bodies.
{"title":"Immunohistochemical markers in the determination of lesion viability in decomposed bodies: A mini literature review","authors":"Cecilia Salzillo , Liliana Innamorato , Alessia Leggio , Andrea Marzullo","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ability to distinguish between viable and post-mortem lesions is crucial in forensic medicine, especially in cases of advanced decomposition. Glycophorin A (GPA) is one of the most studied immunohistochemical markers for assessing lesion viability, with persistence in putrefied tissues up to 6 months. However, its sensitivity decreases beyond 15 days. Other markers such as tryptase, IL-15, CD15, CD45 and matrix metalloproteinases have been tested in decomposition contexts, but the results are inconclusive. This mini review article explores the main studies on immunohistochemical markers, discussing their utility and limitations in forensic investigations of decomposed bodies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112289"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142617198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112280
D. Errickson , L. Lawrence , L. Indra , T.J.U. Thompson
Animal scavenging on human remains presents a major challenge at a forensic scene. These lasting changes can influence the interpretation of a post-mortem interval, the overall state of the remains and any associated evidence, impacting the integrity of the scene. Therefore, identifying taphonomic related changes due to animal scavenging is important to understand the post-deposition sequence of events. However, knowing where to look is challenging and animal scavenging studies are difficult to create. Therefore, this study worked in collaboration with zoological institutes in the UK to capture the scavenging changes to horse bone, focussing on the locations of scavenging on bone and the characteristics left. This study focused on large felid (cheetah, lion, tiger, leopard) scavenging, which is less documented in comparison to canine scavenging. This research demonstrated the distribution patterns of tooth activity associated with large felid scavenging is consistent with those reported in the taphonomic literature on lions. Specifically, pits, punctures, scalloping and furrowing were found and characteristics were frequently noted at the borders and flat regions of bones. This study adds to the forensic discussion of scavenging. While focussing on large cats, the work demonstrates anatomical regions that may be affected by scavenging and the visual cues that may help identify animal interaction over human.
{"title":"Felid scavenging in forensic taphonomic research: An experimental approach","authors":"D. Errickson , L. Lawrence , L. Indra , T.J.U. Thompson","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Animal scavenging on human remains presents a major challenge at a forensic scene. These lasting changes can influence the interpretation of a post-mortem interval, the overall state of the remains and any associated evidence, impacting the integrity of the scene. Therefore, identifying taphonomic related changes due to animal scavenging is important to understand the post-deposition sequence of events. However, knowing where to look is challenging and animal scavenging studies are difficult to create. Therefore, this study worked in collaboration with zoological institutes in the UK to capture the scavenging changes to horse bone, focussing on the locations of scavenging on bone and the characteristics left. This study focused on large felid (cheetah, lion, tiger, leopard) scavenging, which is less documented in comparison to canine scavenging. This research demonstrated the distribution patterns of tooth activity associated with large felid scavenging is consistent with those reported in the taphonomic literature on lions. Specifically, pits, punctures, scalloping and furrowing were found and characteristics were frequently noted at the borders and flat regions of bones. This study adds to the forensic discussion of scavenging. While focussing on large cats, the work demonstrates anatomical regions that may be affected by scavenging and the visual cues that may help identify animal interaction over human.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112280"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142617197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112287
R. Austin Hicklin , Connie L. Parks , Kensley M. Dunagan , Brandi L. Emerick , Nicole Richetelli , William J. Chapman , Melissa Taylor , Robert M. Thompson
Few previous studies have assessed the accuracy and reproducibility of bullet comparison decisions by firearms examiners, and none have evaluated accuracy of examiners’ decisions when comparing damaged bullets, comparisons of questioned bullets, or the effects on decision rates of using jacketed hollow-point vs. full metal jacket bullets. In this study, 49 practicing forensic firearms examiners conducted 3156 comparisons of bullets, including bullets ranging in quality, bullets from different types of ammunition, and bullets fired from various makes/models of firearms. The study evaluated two scenarios commonly used in casework: questioned-questioned (QQ) comparisons of two bullets from unknown sources, and known-questioned (KQ) comparisons in which a bullet from an unknown source is compared to three known exemplars from a single firearm. Key findings: after controlling for other factors, QQ vs. KQ comparisons had relatively limited effects on decision rates; rates of inconclusive responses were inversely related to bullet quality; bullets fired from polygonally-rifled pistols resulted in more inconclusive or unsuitable responses than conventional rifling; on nonmated comparison sets, the rate of (true) exclusions was particularly high when comparing different caliber bullets, and was higher on comparisons of different makes/models of firearms vs. the same model of firearm; comparisons in which different types of ammunition were fired from the same firearm had a high rate of erroneous exclusions; decision rates differed notably by firearm model; decision rates varied notably among the participants. Because the measured rates vary dramatically due to these various factors, we recommend against using overall decision rates to summarize the results of this study.
Significance statement
Comparisons of bullets by forensic firearms examiners are a critical part of the criminal justice system, seeking to determine whether recovered bullets from crime scenes can be attributed to specific firearms. This paper reports the results of a research study designed to assess the accuracy and reliability of forensic bullet comparison decisions, which is important to assess scientific validity for admissibility in court. Few studies have been conducted assessing the accuracy of forensic bullet comparison decisions, and no previous studies have evaluated the accuracy and reproducibility of decisions made by practicing forensic firearms examiners when comparing bullets of varying quality or bullets of different types, or when making comparisons of questioned bullets.
{"title":"Accuracy and reproducibility of bullet comparison decisions by forensic examiners","authors":"R. Austin Hicklin , Connie L. Parks , Kensley M. Dunagan , Brandi L. Emerick , Nicole Richetelli , William J. Chapman , Melissa Taylor , Robert M. Thompson","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Few previous studies have assessed the accuracy and reproducibility of bullet comparison decisions by firearms examiners, and none have evaluated accuracy of examiners’ decisions when comparing damaged bullets, comparisons of questioned bullets, or the effects on decision rates of using jacketed hollow-point vs. full metal jacket bullets. In this study, 49 practicing forensic firearms examiners conducted 3156 comparisons of bullets, including bullets ranging in quality, bullets from different types of ammunition, and bullets fired from various makes/models of firearms. The study evaluated two scenarios commonly used in casework: questioned-questioned (QQ) comparisons of two bullets from unknown sources, and known-questioned (KQ) comparisons in which a bullet from an unknown source is compared to three known exemplars from a single firearm. Key findings: after controlling for other factors, QQ vs. KQ comparisons had relatively limited effects on decision rates; rates of inconclusive responses were inversely related to bullet quality; bullets fired from polygonally-rifled pistols resulted in more inconclusive or unsuitable responses than conventional rifling; on nonmated comparison sets, the rate of (true) exclusions was particularly high when comparing different caliber bullets, and was higher on comparisons of different makes/models of firearms vs. the same model of firearm; comparisons in which different types of ammunition were fired from the same firearm had a high rate of erroneous exclusions; decision rates differed notably by firearm model; decision rates varied notably among the participants. Because the measured rates vary dramatically due to these various factors, we recommend against using overall decision rates to summarize the results of this study.</div></div><div><h3>Significance statement</h3><div>Comparisons of bullets by forensic firearms examiners are a critical part of the criminal justice system, seeking to determine whether recovered bullets from crime scenes can be attributed to specific firearms. This paper reports the results of a research study designed to assess the accuracy and reliability of forensic bullet comparison decisions, which is important to assess scientific validity for admissibility in court. Few studies have been conducted assessing the accuracy of forensic bullet comparison decisions, and no previous studies have evaluated the accuracy and reproducibility of decisions made by practicing forensic firearms examiners when comparing bullets of varying quality or bullets of different types, or when making comparisons of questioned bullets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112287"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142638579","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 : 2024-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112288
Massimiliano Esposito , Monica Salerno , Mario Giuseppe Chisari , Francesco Sessa , Venerando Rapisarda , Cristoforo Pomara
The phenomenon of migration is an international issue that mainly concerns Europe. In Italy, because of its close proximity to Africa, there are many migrant landings, especially on the islands of Lampedusa and Sicily. Migrants and asylum seekers suffer torture on their journey to their destination country, however, most of the time the signs are not always recognizable. In the present study, a scene investigation was carried out in a reception center for level II immigrants in Sicily, in order to evaluate the hygiene conditions of the migrants and asylum seekers inside this center. Subsequently 26 migrants and asylum seekers, all minors and males, were examined in a clinic of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the University of Catania, with the help of a native speaker interpreter and applying the Istanbul Protocol. The scene investigation demonstrated the poor clinical conditions of the reception center and the failure to comply with emergency regulations. The physical examination of the migrants and asylum seekers demonstrated that all the torture reported had taken place in Libya. However, only 4 migrants and asylum seekers showed signs of violence consistent with torture, compatible with the Istanbul Protocol. Nine migrants and asylum seekers (34.6 %) reported having pathologies and asked to undergo a medical examination in a hospital but were not listened to by the reception center staff. Two migrants and asylum seekers reported having worn the same clothes for several weeks to the reception center staff. In particular, all the migrants and asylum seekers reported having suffered torture using blunt instruments, especially beatings with truncheons. One migrant and asylum seeker reported being detained for days without food, instead 1 migrants and asylum seekers reported being kidnapped-blindfolded-stripped naked for days, and 1 migrants and asylum seekers reported having contracted infections, including scabies, with electrical and thermal trauma. Despite the international commitment to the phenomenon of migration, migrants and asylum seekers continue to receive abuse and torture. Furthermore, most migrants and asylum seekers studies primarily involve surveys, and few have applied the Istanbul Protocol to a sizable sample. An original aim of the study is the use of forensic tools to assess the sanitary and hygienic conditions of a migrant reception center, with the secondary aim of assessing alleged cases of torture.
{"title":"Analysis of the health conditions of migrants and asylum seekers in reception centers: From scene investigation to the evaluation of signs of torture","authors":"Massimiliano Esposito , Monica Salerno , Mario Giuseppe Chisari , Francesco Sessa , Venerando Rapisarda , Cristoforo Pomara","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The phenomenon of migration is an international issue that mainly concerns Europe. In Italy, because of its close proximity to Africa, there are many migrant landings, especially on the islands of Lampedusa and Sicily. Migrants and asylum seekers suffer torture on their journey to their destination country, however, most of the time the signs are not always recognizable. In the present study, a scene investigation was carried out in a reception center for level II immigrants in Sicily, in order to evaluate the hygiene conditions of the migrants and asylum seekers inside this center. Subsequently 26 migrants and asylum seekers, all minors and males, were examined in a clinic of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the University of Catania, with the help of a native speaker interpreter and applying the Istanbul Protocol. The scene investigation demonstrated the poor clinical conditions of the reception center and the failure to comply with emergency regulations. The physical examination of the migrants and asylum seekers demonstrated that all the torture reported had taken place in Libya. However, only 4 migrants and asylum seekers showed signs of violence consistent with torture, compatible with the Istanbul Protocol. Nine migrants and asylum seekers (34.6 %) reported having pathologies and asked to undergo a medical examination in a hospital but were not listened to by the reception center staff. Two migrants and asylum seekers reported having worn the same clothes for several weeks to the reception center staff. In particular, all the migrants and asylum seekers reported having suffered torture using blunt instruments, especially beatings with truncheons. One migrant and asylum seeker reported being detained for days without food, instead 1 migrants and asylum seekers reported being kidnapped-blindfolded-stripped naked for days, and 1 migrants and asylum seekers reported having contracted infections, including scabies, with electrical and thermal trauma. Despite the international commitment to the phenomenon of migration, migrants and asylum seekers continue to receive abuse and torture. Furthermore, most migrants and asylum seekers studies primarily involve surveys, and few have applied the Istanbul Protocol to a sizable sample. An original aim of the study is the use of forensic tools to assess the sanitary and hygienic conditions of a migrant reception center, with the secondary aim of assessing alleged cases of torture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112288"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142590222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112286
Lambert K. Sørensen, Kathrine B. Faldborg, Charlotte U. Andersen, Jørgen B. Hasselstrøm
Two challenges in detecting γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) intake are its endogenous presence and in vitro production after sampling. This study developed an LC–MS/MS method for selective GHB determination in human antemortem blood, urine, and oral fluid at endogenous concentrations. Furthermore, the stability of GHB in blood samples and its endogenous concentrations in samples taken under controlled circumstances were investigated. Samples were extracted in methanol/acetonitrile and processed by anion exchange solid-phase extraction. GHB was separated from structural isomers using a reversed–phase LC column with anion properties. The validated limit of quantification was 0.005 µg/mL in blood and 0.010 µg/mL in urine and oral fluid, at which the relative reproducibility standard deviation and bias were <15 %. The mean extraction recovery was ≥90 %. The average GHB concentration increased by 1.2 µg/mL in fluoride/citrate- preserved blood after 28 days of storage at 4°C; however, in fluoride/oxalate (FX)-preserved blood, the mean concentration increased by only 0.055 µg/mL. No change was observed at −20°C. In 105 randomly selected samples of FX-preserved blood collected for forensic antemortem toxicological analysis, all concentrations were <0.066 µg/mL, even after long-term storage at −20°C. In blood, urine, and oral fluid samples from a clinical study of GHB intake, endogenous baseline levels from 30 participants ranged from 0.0069–0.050, 0.024–0.38, and 0.034–0.93 µg/mL, respectively. These results demonstrate that the current cut-off level of 5 µg/mL for discriminating between endogenous and exogenous GHB in antemortem blood could be considerably lower for FX-preserved blood stored at −20°C.
{"title":"Determination of endogenous GHB in ante-mortem whole blood, urine, and oral fluid by LC–MS/MS: The effect of different additives and storage conditions on the stability of GHB in blood","authors":"Lambert K. Sørensen, Kathrine B. Faldborg, Charlotte U. Andersen, Jørgen B. Hasselstrøm","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two challenges in detecting γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) intake are its endogenous presence and <em>in vitro</em> production after sampling. This study developed an LC–MS/MS method for selective GHB determination in human antemortem blood, urine, and oral fluid at endogenous concentrations. Furthermore, the stability of GHB in blood samples and its endogenous concentrations in samples taken under controlled circumstances were investigated. Samples were extracted in methanol/acetonitrile and processed by anion exchange solid-phase extraction. GHB was separated from structural isomers using a reversed–phase LC column with anion properties. The validated limit of quantification was 0.005 µg/mL in blood and 0.010 µg/mL in urine and oral fluid, at which the relative reproducibility standard deviation and bias were <15 %. The mean extraction recovery was ≥90 %. The average GHB concentration increased by 1.2 µg/mL in fluoride/citrate- preserved blood after 28 days of storage at 4°C; however, in fluoride/oxalate (FX)-preserved blood, the mean concentration increased by only 0.055 µg/mL. No change was observed at −20°C. In 105 randomly selected samples of FX-preserved blood collected for forensic antemortem toxicological analysis, all concentrations were <0.066 µg/mL, even after long-term storage at −20°C. In blood, urine, and oral fluid samples from a clinical study of GHB intake, endogenous baseline levels from 30 participants ranged from 0.0069–0.050, 0.024–0.38, and 0.034–0.93 µg/mL, respectively. These results demonstrate that the current cut-off level of 5 µg/mL for discriminating between endogenous and exogenous GHB in antemortem blood could be considerably lower for FX-preserved blood stored at −20°C.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112286"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142593615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-31DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112275
Wei Wang , Bichun Zhao , Hanyu Zhang , Zhaowei Jie , Can Hu , Hongling Guo , Ping Wang , Yajun Li , Jun Zhu , Hongcheng Mei , Jian Ye
Bacterial traceability refers to the use of a range of techniques to trace the origins and transmission pathways of bacteria. It is crucial in controlling the spread of diseases, analyzing bioterrorism incidents, and advancing microbial forensics. In recent years, the frequency and scope of bacterial outbreaks have continued to escalate, exerting significant impacts on global biosecurity, public health, and other areas. Consequently, it is required to process traceability of bacteria timely and accurately around the globe. The rapid development of biological and physicochemical traceability techniques provides convenience for tracing bacteria. These techniques not only surpass traditional methods in terms of sensitivity, traceability and throughput, but also find more extensive applications in elucidating bacterial growth mechanisms, transmission routes, and geographical origins. This paper systematically reviews the latest research progress and applications of technologies of bacterial traceability, highlighting key advancements and projecting future trends, with the intent of providing a valuable reference for researchers, facilitating further studies and innovations in this field.
{"title":"Research progress and application of bacterial traceability technology","authors":"Wei Wang , Bichun Zhao , Hanyu Zhang , Zhaowei Jie , Can Hu , Hongling Guo , Ping Wang , Yajun Li , Jun Zhu , Hongcheng Mei , Jian Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bacterial traceability refers to the use of a range of techniques to trace the origins and transmission pathways of bacteria. It is crucial in controlling the spread of diseases, analyzing bioterrorism incidents, and advancing microbial forensics. In recent years, the frequency and scope of bacterial outbreaks have continued to escalate, exerting significant impacts on global biosecurity, public health, and other areas. Consequently, it is required to process traceability of bacteria timely and accurately around the globe. The rapid development of biological and physicochemical traceability techniques provides convenience for tracing bacteria. These techniques not only surpass traditional methods in terms of sensitivity, traceability and throughput, but also find more extensive applications in elucidating bacterial growth mechanisms, transmission routes, and geographical origins. This paper systematically reviews the latest research progress and applications of technologies of bacterial traceability, highlighting key advancements and projecting future trends, with the intent of providing a valuable reference for researchers, facilitating further studies and innovations in this field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112275"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142567374","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}
Bloodstains found at a crime scene can help estimate the events that occurred during the crime. Reconstructing the crime scene by analyzing the bloodstain pattern contributes to understanding the bloody event. Therefore, it is essential to classify bloodstains through bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) and accurately estimate the actions that took place at that time. In this study, we investigate the potential of using machine learning and deep learning to determine an action related to bloodstain data through the accessment of the corresponding bloodstain type by creating a prototype classification model. There are 14 types of bloodstain according to the classification system based on appearance. In this study, we test the classification potential of each bloodstain data for three bloodstain patterns such as Swing, Cessation, and Impact. Through experiments, it is shown that our prototype classification model for the selected bloodstains is developed and the accuracy of the resulting model is evaluated to be 80 %.
{"title":"A first step towards a machine learning-based framework for bloodstain classification in forensic science","authors":"Hyeonah Jung , Yeon-Soo Jo , Yoseop (Joseph) Ahn , Jaehoon (Paul) Jeong , Si-Keun Lim","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bloodstains found at a crime scene can help estimate the events that occurred during the crime. Reconstructing the crime scene by analyzing the bloodstain pattern contributes to understanding the bloody event. Therefore, it is essential to classify bloodstains through bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) and accurately estimate the actions that took place at that time. In this study, we investigate the potential of using machine learning and deep learning to determine an action related to bloodstain data through the accessment of the corresponding bloodstain type by creating a prototype classification model. There are 14 types of bloodstain according to the classification system based on appearance. In this study, we test the classification potential of each bloodstain data for three bloodstain patterns such as Swing, Cessation, and Impact. Through experiments, it is shown that our prototype classification model for the selected bloodstains is developed and the accuracy of the resulting model is evaluated to be 80 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112278"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142586086","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 : 2024-10-31DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112269
Andreas Bourantanis , Konstantinos Katsos , Alexandros Samolis , Dimitrios Vlachodimitropoulos , George Troupis , Emmanouil I. Sakelliadis , Weijie W. Wang
Background
The analysis of circumstantial elements in post-mortem examinations is crucial for identifying perpetrators in unarmed close-range homicides. This study explores the forensic analysis of head trauma fatalities related to combat sports, blunt force trauma homicides, and traditional martial arts (TMA), aiming to bridge the gap between historical martial arts documentation and modern forensic pathology.
Materials and methods
Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature review and interdisciplinary analysis combining traditional forensic methods with the study of TMA manuscripts and consultations with martial arts experts.
Results
The research uncovered a high incidence of head injuries in combat sports and identified distinct injury patterns in blunt-force trauma homicides. In martial arts, lethal techniques targeting the cranial region were pinpointed. An algorithm was developed to differentiate between injuries from various sources effectively.
Conclusion
This study offers a framework to distinguish injuries from combat sports, homicides, and martial arts, improving diagnostic accuracy in forensic pathology. It advocates for a detailed protocol that considers the technical aspects of TMA and their forensic implications, enhancing the evaluation of head trauma cases in forensic investigations.
{"title":"Forensic investigation into head trauma in combat sports, blunt force homicides, and traditional martial arts","authors":"Andreas Bourantanis , Konstantinos Katsos , Alexandros Samolis , Dimitrios Vlachodimitropoulos , George Troupis , Emmanouil I. Sakelliadis , Weijie W. Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112269","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The analysis of circumstantial elements in post-mortem examinations is crucial for identifying perpetrators in unarmed close-range homicides. This study explores the forensic analysis of head trauma fatalities related to combat sports, blunt force trauma homicides, and traditional martial arts (TMA), aiming to bridge the gap between historical martial arts documentation and modern forensic pathology.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature review and interdisciplinary analysis combining traditional forensic methods with the study of TMA manuscripts and consultations with martial arts experts.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The research uncovered a high incidence of head injuries in combat sports and identified distinct injury patterns in blunt-force trauma homicides. In martial arts, lethal techniques targeting the cranial region were pinpointed. An algorithm was developed to differentiate between injuries from various sources effectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study offers a framework to distinguish injuries from combat sports, homicides, and martial arts, improving diagnostic accuracy in forensic pathology. It advocates for a detailed protocol that considers the technical aspects of TMA and their forensic implications, enhancing the evaluation of head trauma cases in forensic investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"365 ","pages":"Article 112269"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142578384","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 : 2024-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112281
Emma Zahra , Shane Darke , Julia Lappin , Johan Duflou , Michael Farrell
In Australia, the therapeutic indication of baclofen (oral tablets) is for the treatment of muscle spasm. Deaths related to baclofen have been reported, as well as misuse, dependence and self-poisoning. This national retrospective study aimed to investigate the number, characteristics, circumstances, and toxicology of baclofen-related deaths in Australia, 2000–2022. We identified 102 baclofen-related deaths, with a mean age of 45.6 years and 51 % being male. Circumstances of death were: intentional toxicity (54.9 %), unintentional toxicity (30.4 %), unintentional toxicity/disease (9.8 %), and accidental injury (4.9 %). Multiple sclerosis or spinal injury was documented in 15.7 % of cases, substance use problems in 43.1 % and specifically alcohol use problems in 38.2 %. Mental health problems were documented in 73.5 %, a previous self-harm or suicide attempt in 30.4 %, and chronic pain in 37.3 %. The median baclofen blood concentration for all cases was 3.10 mg/L (25th 0.70, 75th 8.10, range 0.04–110.00), unintentional toxicity 1.95 mg/L (25th 0.70, 75th 4.35, range 0.04–24.0), intentional toxicity 6.00 mg/L (25th 1.10, 75th 13.0, range 0.05–110.0). Concomitant substance use was seen in 93.8 %, with antidepressants (69.8 %) and benzodiazepines (64.6 %) most frequently detected. In conclusion, the ‘typical’ case was middle-aged, most dying due to intentional toxicity, and likely to have a history of mental health and substance use problems. We suggest caution is needed in prescribing baclofen given its potential to be used in intentional and non-intentional overdose.
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