Pub Date : 2024-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112155
Most firearm related homicides involve the deceased being forensically examined within a day or two, however, there are times when bodies have been examined and the fired components removed several days or weeks after death, when the body is in an active or advanced state of decomposition. In these cases, ballistic investigation has been found to be complicated due to the damage to the bullets, however the extent of this is not yet known. To date, there have been no studies investigating the effect of human decomposition and the subsequent analysis of bullets lodged in the body in an Australian context. Herein, seven fired copper jacketed bullets were manually inserted into three specific tissue types; lungs, abdomen and leg muscle (twenty-one bullets in total), of human donors in both cool and warm conditions at the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER). Bullets were removed every three days for a period of twenty-one days, and each bullet underwent manual microscopic examinations by firearms examiners across Australia. Results have indicated that the bullets corrode quickly in warm conditions, compared to bullets exposed to decomposition in cooler conditions. The results of this study will inform investigators and pathologists of the need to remove and examine fired bullets from decomposed bodies as soon as possible, especially in warm conditions to provide firearms examiners with the best opportunity to link fired bullets to a common source.
{"title":"The effect of human decomposition on bullet examination","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112155","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112155","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Most firearm related homicides involve the deceased being forensically examined within a day or two, however, there are times when bodies have been examined and the fired components removed several days or weeks after death, when the body is in an active or advanced state of decomposition. In these cases, ballistic investigation has been found to be complicated due to the damage to the bullets, however the extent of this is not yet known. To date, there have been no studies investigating the effect of human decomposition and the subsequent analysis of bullets lodged in the body in an Australian context. Herein, seven fired copper jacketed bullets were manually inserted into three specific tissue types; lungs, abdomen and leg muscle (twenty-one bullets in total), of human donors in both cool and warm conditions at the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER). Bullets were removed every three days for a period of twenty-one days, and each bullet underwent manual microscopic examinations by firearms examiners across Australia. Results have indicated that the bullets corrode quickly in warm conditions, compared to bullets exposed to decomposition in cooler conditions. The results of this study will inform investigators and pathologists of the need to remove and examine fired bullets from decomposed bodies as soon as possible, especially in warm conditions to provide firearms examiners with the best opportunity to link fired bullets to a common source.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824002366/pdfft?md5=3bbf7950339e2e73c44f4d476100bc5a&pid=1-s2.0-S0379073824002366-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770443","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 : 2024-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112156
Over the last forty years an indeterminate number of persons, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands, have died along the US-Mexico border during migration, fleeing poverty, armed conflict, situations of violence, and disasters. An accurate accounting of migrant deaths along the southern US border is the first step toward an understanding of the extent and the contributing factors of these deaths. In this article, we describe a key aspect of our collaborative work aimed at developing a more representative account of migrant mortality along the southwestern US border: the determination of criteria for inclusion of specific forensic cases as “migrant.” Our intention is not to propose a definition of “what is a migrant death” applicable to all contexts and situations but rather one specific to the US-Mexico border region. Our main impetus is to build and launch a web portal to track and map migrant deaths at the US-Mexico border. The criteria we have identified are based on an examination of death data collected by various agencies in the four border states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) and at the federal level by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). They include a) context of human remains discovery; b) identification media/documentation; c) geographic setting; and d) personal effects. Taken together, these criteria will facilitate our determination, case by case, of the probability that human remains found along the United States side of the border may be from a person in the context of migration.
在过去的四十年中,为逃避贫困、武装冲突、暴力和灾难,有数千人至数万人在美墨边境移民过程中死亡,人数不等。准确统计美国南部边境移民死亡人数是了解这些死亡的程度和原因的第一步。在本文中,我们介绍了我们合作工作的一个重要方面,旨在对美国西南部边境地区的移民死亡情况进行更有代表性的描述:确定将特定法医案例列为 "移民 "的标准。我们的目的并不是要提出一个适用于所有环境和情况的 "什么是移民死亡 "的定义,而是一个专门针对美墨边境地区的定义。我们的主要动力是建立并推出一个门户网站,以跟踪和绘制美墨边境地区的移民死亡事件。我们确定的标准是基于对四个边境州(加利福尼亚州、亚利桑那州、新墨西哥州和得克萨斯州)各机构收集的死亡数据以及国家失踪与身份不明人员系统(NamUs)在联邦层面收集的死亡数据的审查。这些标准包括 a) 遗骸发现的背景;b) 识别媒介/文件;c) 地理环境;d) 个人物品。这些标准结合在一起,将有助于我们逐一确定在边境美国一侧发现的遗骸可能来自移民的可能性。
{"title":"What is a migrant death? An operational definition for a more accurate enumeration of migrant mortality along the US-Mexico border","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112156","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112156","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Over the last forty years an indeterminate number of persons, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands, have died along the US-Mexico border during migration, fleeing poverty, armed conflict, situations of violence, and disasters. An accurate accounting of migrant deaths along the southern US border is the first step toward an understanding of the extent and the contributing factors of these deaths. In this article, we describe a key aspect of our collaborative work aimed at developing a more representative account of migrant mortality along the southwestern US border: the determination of criteria for inclusion of specific forensic cases as “migrant.” Our intention is not to propose a definition of “what is a migrant death” applicable to all contexts and situations but rather one specific to the US-Mexico border region. Our main impetus is to build and launch a web portal to track and map migrant deaths at the US-Mexico border. The criteria we have identified are based on an examination of death data collected by various agencies in the four border states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) and at the federal level by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). They include a) context of human remains discovery; b) identification media/documentation; c) geographic setting; and d) personal effects. Taken together, these criteria will facilitate our determination, case by case, of the probability that human remains found along the United States side of the border may be from a person in the context of migration.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141840519","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 : 2024-07-17DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112147
The identification of biological fluids at crime scenes contributes to crime scene reconstruction and provides investigative leads. Traditional methods for body fluid identification are limited in terms of sensitivity and are mostly presumptive. Emerging methods based on mRNA and DNA methylation require high quality template source. An exploitable characteristic of body fluids is their distinct microbial profiles allowing for the discrimination of body fluids based on microbiome content. Microbial DNA is highly abundant within the body, robust and stable and can persist in the environment long after human DNA has degraded. 16S rRNA sequencing is the gold standard for microbial analysis; however, NGS is costly, and requires intricate workflows and interpretation. Also, species level resolution is not always achievable. Based on the current challenges, the first objective of this study was to develop a multiplex conventional PCR assay to identify vaginal fluid and saliva by targeting species-specific 16S rRNA microbial markers. The second objective was to employ droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) as a novel approach to quantify bacterial species alone and in a mixture of body fluids. Lactobacillus crispatus and Streptococcus salivarius were selected because of high abundance within vaginal fluid and saliva respectively. While Fusobacterium nucleatum and Gardnerella vaginalis, though present in healthy humans, are also frequently found in oral and vaginal infections, respectively. The multiplex PCR assay detected L. crispatus and G. vaginalis in vaginal fluid while F. nucleatum and S. salivarius was detected in saliva. Multiplex PCR detected F. nucleatum, S. salivarius and L. crispatus in mixed body fluid samples while, G. vaginalis was undetected in mixtures containing vaginal fluid. For samples exposed at room temperature for 65 days, L. crispatus and G. vaginalis were detected in vaginal swabs while only S. salivarius was detected in saliva swabs. The limit of detection was 0.06 copies/µl for F. nucleatum (2.5 ×10−9 ng/µl) and S. salivarius (2.5 ×10−6 ng/µl). L. crispatus and G. vaginalis had detection limits of 0.16 copies/µl (2.5 ×10−4 ng/µl) and 0.48 copies/µl (2.5 ×10−7 ng/µl). All 4 bacterial species were detected in mixtures and aged samples by ddPCR. No significant differences were observed in quantity of bacterial markers in saliva and vaginal fluid. The present research reports for the first time the combination of the above four bacterial markers for the detection of saliva and vaginal fluid and highlights the sensitivity of ddPCR for bacterial quantification in pure and mixed body fluids.
{"title":"Development of a multiplex PCR assay and quantification of microbial markers by ddPCR for identification of saliva and vaginal fluid","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112147","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112147","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The identification of biological fluids at crime scenes contributes to crime scene reconstruction and provides investigative leads. Traditional methods for body fluid identification are limited in terms of sensitivity and are mostly presumptive. Emerging methods based on mRNA and DNA methylation require high quality template source. An exploitable characteristic of body fluids is their distinct microbial profiles allowing for the discrimination of body fluids based on microbiome content. Microbial DNA is highly abundant within the body, robust and stable and can persist in the environment long after human DNA has degraded. 16S rRNA sequencing is the gold standard for microbial analysis; however, NGS is costly, and requires intricate workflows and interpretation. Also, species level resolution is not always achievable. Based on the current challenges, the first objective of this study was to develop a multiplex conventional PCR assay to identify vaginal fluid and saliva by targeting species-specific 16S rRNA microbial markers. The second objective was to employ droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) as a novel approach to quantify bacterial species alone and in a mixture of body fluids. <em>Lactobacillus crispatus</em> and <em>Streptococcus salivarius</em> were selected because of high abundance within vaginal fluid and saliva respectively. While <em>Fusobacterium nucleatum</em> and <em>Gardnerella vaginalis</em>, though present in healthy humans, are also frequently found in oral and vaginal infections, respectively. The multiplex PCR assay detected <em>L. crispatus</em> and <em>G. vaginalis</em> in vaginal fluid while <em>F. nucleatum</em> and <em>S. salivarius</em> was detected in saliva. Multiplex PCR detected <em>F. nucleatum</em>, <em>S. salivarius</em> and <em>L. crispatus</em> in mixed body fluid samples while, <em>G. vaginalis</em> was undetected in mixtures containing vaginal fluid. For samples exposed at room temperature for 65 days, <em>L. crispatus</em> and <em>G. vaginalis</em> were detected in vaginal swabs while only <em>S. salivarius</em> was detected in saliva swabs. The limit of detection was 0.06 copies/µl for <em>F. nucleatum</em> (2.5 ×10<sup>−9</sup> ng/µl) and <em>S. salivarius</em> (2.5 ×10<sup>−6</sup> ng/µl). <em>L. crispatus</em> and <em>G. vaginalis</em> had detection limits of 0.16 copies/µl (2.5 ×10<sup>−4</sup> ng/µl) and 0.48 copies/µl (2.5 ×10<sup>−7</sup> ng/µl). All 4 bacterial species were detected in mixtures and aged samples by ddPCR. No significant differences were observed in quantity of bacterial markers in saliva and vaginal fluid. The present research reports for the first time the combination of the above four bacterial markers for the detection of saliva and vaginal fluid and highlights the sensitivity of ddPCR for bacterial quantification in pure and mixed body fluids.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824002287/pdfft?md5=4a7245b2454e68b6332f30293e407744&pid=1-s2.0-S0379073824002287-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770444","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 : 2024-07-16DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112153
This study aimed to identify if biological material could be detected on the opposite side to deposition on fabric by commonly used presumptive and/or secondary tests. Additionally, this study aimed to ascertain if there is a difference in the DNA quantity and quality from samples obtained from both sides of the same substrate: cotton, polyester, denim, or combined viscose and polyester swatches. Blood, semen, or saliva (25 μL) was deposited on one side of 5 replicates of each fabric type and left for 24 h. Blood swatches were tested using Hemastix® and the ABACard® HemaTrace® immunoassay, semen swatches were tested using acid phosphatase (AP) reagent, the ABACard® p30® immunoassay and hematoxylin and eosin staining, and saliva swatches were tested using Phadebas® paper and the RSID-Saliva™ immunoassay. Both sides of each swatch were separately wet/dry swabbed and subjected to DNA analysis. Blood was able to be detected on the underside of all fabrics using both tests. Semen was able to be detected on the underside of swatches using the presumptive AP test but not p30®, and sperm was rarely observed. Saliva was able to be detected by RSID-Saliva™ but not Phadebas® paper when the underside of swatches were tested. Across all biological materials, DNA was able to be recovered from the top side of all 60 swatches. For the underside, DNA was able to be recovered from 54 swatches. Of the 6 swatches that DNA was unable to be recovered from, one sample was from semen and the rest were from saliva. This study has demonstrated that DNA and components of interest in forensically relevant biological material can be recovered from the opposite side to where it was originally deposited, and that observing biological material and/or DNA on one side of fabric does not definitively indicate direct deposition on that side.
本研究旨在通过常用的推定和/或辅助测试,确定能否在织物上沉积物的反面检测到生物材料。此外,本研究还旨在确定从同一基材(棉、涤纶、牛仔布或粘胶和涤纶组合色板)正反两面获得的样本在 DNA 数量和质量上是否存在差异。将血液、精液或唾液(25 μL)涂抹在每种织物的 5 个重复样本的一面,静置 24 小时。血液样本使用 Hemastix® 和 ABACard® HemaTrace® 免疫测定法进行检测;精液样本使用酸性磷酸酶(AP)试剂、ABACard® p30® 免疫测定法和苏木精及伊红染色法进行检测;唾液样本使用 Phadebas® 纸和 RSID-Saliva™ 免疫测定法进行检测。每份唾液样本的两面都分别进行了干/湿拭抹,并进行了 DNA 分析。使用这两种检测方法,所有织物的底面都能检测到血液。使用推定 AP 检验法可在棉样底部检测到精液,但 p30® 检验法检测不到精液,而且很少观察到精子。用 RSID-Saliva™ 检测棉样底面时,能检测到唾液,但不能检测到 Phadebas® 纸。在所有生物材料中,所有 60 块棉样的顶面都能回收 DNA。在底面检测中,有 54 块试样可以提取到 DNA。在无法从 6 个样本中提取 DNA 的样本中,一个样本来自精液,其余来自唾液。这项研究表明,与法医相关的生物材料中的 DNA 和相关成分可以从其最初沉积的反面回收,而且在织物的一面观察到生物材料和/或 DNA 并不能明确表明该面是直接沉积的。
{"title":"The detection of blood, semen and saliva through fabrics: A pilot study","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112153","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112153","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to identify if biological material could be detected on the opposite side to deposition on fabric by commonly used presumptive and/or secondary tests. Additionally, this study aimed to ascertain if there is a difference in the DNA quantity and quality from samples obtained from both sides of the same substrate: cotton, polyester, denim, or combined viscose and polyester swatches. Blood, semen, or saliva (25 μL) was deposited on one side of 5 replicates of each fabric type and left for 24 h. Blood swatches were tested using Hemastix® and the ABACard® HemaTrace® immunoassay, semen swatches were tested using acid phosphatase (AP) reagent, the ABACard® p30® immunoassay and hematoxylin and eosin staining, and saliva swatches were tested using Phadebas® paper and the RSID-Saliva™ immunoassay. Both sides of each swatch were separately wet/dry swabbed and subjected to DNA analysis. Blood was able to be detected on the underside of all fabrics using both tests. Semen was able to be detected on the underside of swatches using the presumptive AP test but not p30®, and sperm was rarely observed. Saliva was able to be detected by RSID-Saliva™ but not Phadebas® paper when the underside of swatches were tested. Across all biological materials, DNA was able to be recovered from the top side of all 60 swatches. For the underside, DNA was able to be recovered from 54 swatches. Of the 6 swatches that DNA was unable to be recovered from, one sample was from semen and the rest were from saliva. This study has demonstrated that DNA and components of interest in forensically relevant biological material can be recovered from the opposite side to where it was originally deposited, and that observing biological material and/or DNA on one side of fabric does not definitively indicate direct deposition on that side.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824002342/pdfft?md5=1a380eab9eb0f7a71f5b73eaea81a060&pid=1-s2.0-S0379073824002342-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141709301","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 : 2024-07-15DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112133
Digital transformation rapidly changes how we live our lives in the post pandemic world. Unfortunately, digital technology is not limited to law abiding organisations and citizens. Criminal organisations and individuals are quick to identify new opportunities with new technologies, and digital transformation is dramatically changing the character of crimes, terror, and other threats. The fast emergence of new crimes is facilitated by possibilities brought by disruptive technologies such as AI, Internet of Things, drones, and cryptocurrencies that can be disastrous tools in the hands of criminals. Consequently, our society needs far better capacity to prevent and investigate criminal acts to protect organisations and citizens. This brings an urgent need to proactively reform digital forensics to significantly increase our capability to meet the strain on society brought by crimes evolving in the digital transformation era. The future of forensic science is already here, characterized by a mix of opportunities and challenges. It is essential to make it harder to effectively use digital technologies for criminal activities, while leveraging the possibilities of digital technologies by those affected, law enforcement agencies, business and organisations. As digital technologies continue to evolve, we need to stay up to date with the latest developments to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes in the digital age. There is an increased reliance on digital evidence, and the amount of heterogeneous digital evidence in criminal cases keep increasing. The forensic science techniques thus become more sophisticated and play an increasingly important role. However, the scientific area is extremely broad, and beyond the capability of most forensic science labs to keep up with the technology forefront development speed. Besides an urgent need to bring up the subject to the political arena, examples of how we can meet the challenges are discussed such as by extending our cooperation, encourage and facilitate cooperation for training and education to handle the extremely broad and rapid development, working out methods for explaining and visualising evidence for the treatment and legal values of digital evidence in prosecution, and cooperation between product developers and crime investigators for swift innovation of digital forensics tools and methodologies for quickly emerging threats. This paper will highlight specific examples where modern digital techniques are used to solve crimes in the physical world as well as crimes committed in the digital domain and discuss how “good AI” can be used to fight “evil AI” and finally touch on the sensitive balance between the increased power of the new digital forensic tools and private integrity.
{"title":"The invisible evidence: Digital forensics as key to solving crimes in the digital age","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Digital transformation rapidly changes how we live our lives in the post pandemic world. Unfortunately, digital technology is not limited to law abiding organisations and citizens. Criminal organisations and individuals are quick to identify new opportunities with new technologies, and digital transformation is dramatically changing the character of crimes, terror, and other threats. The fast emergence of new crimes is facilitated by possibilities brought by disruptive technologies such as AI, Internet of Things, drones, and cryptocurrencies that can be disastrous tools in the hands of criminals. Consequently, our society needs far better capacity to prevent and investigate criminal acts to protect organisations and citizens. This brings an urgent need to proactively reform digital forensics to significantly increase our capability to meet the strain on society brought by crimes evolving in the digital transformation era. The future of forensic science is already here, characterized by a mix of opportunities and challenges. It is essential to make it harder to effectively use digital technologies for criminal activities, while leveraging the possibilities of digital technologies by those affected, law enforcement agencies, business and organisations. As digital technologies continue to evolve, we need to stay up to date with the latest developments to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes in the digital age. There is an increased reliance on digital evidence, and the amount of heterogeneous digital evidence in criminal cases keep increasing. The forensic science techniques thus become more sophisticated and play an increasingly important role. However, the scientific area is extremely broad, and beyond the capability of most forensic science labs to keep up with the technology forefront development speed. Besides an urgent need to bring up the subject to the political arena, examples of how we can meet the challenges are discussed such as by extending our cooperation, encourage and facilitate cooperation for training and education to handle the extremely broad and rapid development, working out methods for explaining and visualising evidence for the treatment and legal values of digital evidence in prosecution, and cooperation between product developers and crime investigators for swift innovation of digital forensics tools and methodologies for quickly emerging threats. This paper will highlight specific examples where modern digital techniques are used to solve crimes in the physical world as well as crimes committed in the digital domain and discuss how “good AI” can be used to fight “evil AI” and finally touch on the sensitive balance between the increased power of the new digital forensic tools and private integrity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824002147/pdfft?md5=081d8a1fce1317a11e591e16f26061e5&pid=1-s2.0-S0379073824002147-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141703324","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 : 2024-07-14DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112148
Recently, RNA markers have been used to identify tissue origins of different kinds of body fluids. Herein, circRNA and miRNA markers were carried out to examine the presence or absence of peripheral blood (PB) in bloodstained samples exposed to different external environmental conditions, which mimicked PB samples left at the crime scenes. PB samples were placed on sterile swabs and then exposed to different high temperatures (37°C, 55°C and 95°C) and ultraviolet light irradiation for 0 d, 0.5 d, 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d, ultra-low and low temperatures (-80°C, −20°C, and 4°C) for 30 d, 180 d and 365 d and different kinds of disinfectants. Total RNA was extracted from bloodstained samples under the above different conditions, and the expressions of target RNAs (including miR16–5p, miR451a, circ0000095, and two reference genes RNU6b and 18 S rRNA) were detected by the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. Results showed that these selected RNA markers could be successfully measured at all observation points with their unique degradation rates, which exhibited relative stability in degraded bloodstained samples exposed to different environmental conditions. This study provides insights into the applications of these studied miRNA and circRNA markers in forensic science.
{"title":"Forensic stability evaluation of selected miRNA and circRNA markers in human bloodstained samples exposed to different environmental conditions","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Recently, RNA markers have been used to identify tissue origins of different kinds of body fluids. Herein, circRNA and miRNA markers were carried out to examine the presence or absence of peripheral blood (PB) in bloodstained samples exposed to different external environmental conditions, which mimicked PB samples left at the crime scenes. PB samples were placed on sterile swabs and then exposed to different high temperatures (37°C, 55°C and 95°C) and ultraviolet light irradiation for 0 d, 0.5 d, 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d, ultra-low and low temperatures (-80°C, −20°C, and 4°C) for 30 d, 180 d and 365 d and different kinds of disinfectants. Total RNA was extracted from bloodstained samples under the above different conditions, and the expressions of target RNAs (including miR16–5p, miR451a, circ0000095, and two reference genes RNU6b and 18 S rRNA) were detected by the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. Results showed that these selected RNA markers could be successfully measured at all observation points with their unique degradation rates, which exhibited relative stability in degraded bloodstained samples exposed to different environmental conditions. This study provides insights into the applications of these studied miRNA and circRNA markers in forensic science.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141705768","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 : 2024-07-14DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112144
The weathering time of empty puparia could be important in predicting the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). As corpse decomposition progresses to the skeletal stage, empty puparia often remain the sole evidence of fly activity at the scene. In this study, we used empty puparia of Sarcophaga peregrina (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) collected at ten different time points between January 2019 and February 2023 as our samples. Initially, we used the scanning electron microscope (SEM) to observe the surface of the empty puparia, but it was challenging to identify significant markers to estimate weathering time. We then utilized attenuated total internal reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to detect the puparia spectrogram. Absorption peaks were observed at 1064 cm−1, 1236 cm−1, 1381 cm−1, 1538 cm−1, 1636 cm−1, 2852 cm−1, 2920 cm−1. Three machine learning models were used to regress the spectral data after dimensionality reduction using principal component analysis (PCA). Among them, eXtreme Gradient Boosting regression (XGBR) showed the best performance in the wavenumber range of 1800–600 cm−1, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.20. This study highlights the value of refining these techniques for forensic applications involving entomological specimens and underscores the considerable potential of combining FTIR and machine learning in forensic practice.
{"title":"Combining spectrum and machine learning algorithms to predict the weathering time of empty puparia of Sarcophaga peregrine (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112144","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112144","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The weathering time of empty puparia could be important in predicting the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). As corpse decomposition progresses to the skeletal stage, empty puparia often remain the sole evidence of fly activity at the scene. In this study, we used empty puparia of <em>Sarcophaga peregrina</em> (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) collected at ten different time points between January 2019 and February 2023 as our samples. Initially, we used the scanning electron microscope (SEM) to observe the surface of the empty puparia, but it was challenging to identify significant markers to estimate weathering time. We then utilized attenuated total internal reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to detect the puparia spectrogram. Absorption peaks were observed at 1064 cm<sup>−1</sup>, 1236 cm<sup>−1</sup>, 1381 cm<sup>−1</sup>, 1538 cm<sup>−1</sup>, 1636 cm<sup>−1</sup>, 2852 cm<sup>−1</sup>, 2920 cm<sup>−1</sup>. Three machine learning models were used to regress the spectral data after dimensionality reduction using principal component analysis (PCA). Among them, eXtreme Gradient Boosting regression (XGBR) showed the best performance in the wavenumber range of 1800–600 cm<sup>−1</sup>, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.20. This study highlights the value of refining these techniques for forensic applications involving entomological specimens and underscores the considerable potential of combining FTIR and machine learning in forensic practice.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141623711","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 : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112146
Some research has identified the prevalence and motivation of using condoms by assailants during sexual assault cases proving the necessity of analyzing condom trace evidence. The majority of the papers published have discussed forensic analysis of lubricants from condoms retrieved at sexual assault scenes but those discussing the identification of semen from condoms are rare. Therefore, the present study aims to provide insight into the detectability of the semen that remained in a condom, to examine the effect of exposure time, environmental conditions, and condom type, and ultimately to determine the capability of the AP test and Microscopic examination for identification of this sample type. In the study, samples were collected from three male donors after being instructed on the proper way of collecting the semen sample. The received samples from the donors were checked first by microscopic examination to observe the sperm to confirm that the sample being handled was semen. After confirmation, samples were transferred to 4 prepared condoms (brands: dkt xxx and Manforce) and kept in conditions i.e. two condoms in a refrigerator maintained from 2 to 10°C and other ones at ambient temperature (weather status: summer season of average 39°C). The samples were analyzed into two batches, the first analysis batch was conducted after the samples were exposed to the conditions within 11–60 days. After analysis from the first batch, the samples were continuously kept in the same condition for the consecutive second batch conducted when the samples reached 40–90 days. This study has determined that semen remaining in a condom can be detected and each test studied is appropriate according to the exposure stage, i.e., time and conditions of exposure. It has been found that nonmotile spermatozoa can be observed when semen remains in the condom for a few days. However, if the sample reaches approximately 25 days at room temperature above 25°C or 54 days below 10°C, the semen may dry out limiting the effectiveness of microscopic examination. Despite this, even semen that remained in a condom for up to 90 days can be identified by Acid Phosphatase. Results on condom type used reveal that condom constituents can crossreact with semen but none of them can limit the semen identification with Acid Phosphatase.
{"title":"Detectability of semen remained in a condom under various conditions","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112146","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112146","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Some research has identified the prevalence and motivation of using condoms by assailants during sexual assault cases proving the necessity of analyzing condom trace evidence. The majority of the papers published have discussed forensic analysis of lubricants from condoms retrieved at sexual assault scenes but those discussing the identification of semen from condoms are rare. Therefore, the present study aims to provide insight into the detectability of the semen that remained in a condom, to examine the effect of exposure time, environmental conditions, and condom type, and ultimately to determine the capability of the AP test and Microscopic examination for identification of this sample type. In the study, samples were collected from three male donors after being instructed on the proper way of collecting the semen sample. The received samples from the donors were checked first by microscopic examination to observe the sperm to confirm that the sample being handled was semen. After confirmation, samples were transferred to 4 prepared condoms (brands: dkt xxx and Manforce) and kept in conditions i.e. two condoms in a refrigerator maintained from 2 to 10°C and other ones at ambient temperature (weather status: summer season of average 39°C). The samples were analyzed into two batches, the first analysis batch was conducted after the samples were exposed to the conditions within 11–60 days. After analysis from the first batch, the samples were continuously kept in the same condition for the consecutive second batch conducted when the samples reached 40–90 days. This study has determined that semen remaining in a condom can be detected and each test studied is appropriate according to the exposure stage, i.e., time and conditions of exposure. It has been found that nonmotile spermatozoa can be observed when semen remains in the condom for a few days. However, if the sample reaches approximately 25 days at room temperature above 25°C or 54 days below 10°C, the semen may dry out limiting the effectiveness of microscopic examination. Despite this, even semen that remained in a condom for up to 90 days can be identified by Acid Phosphatase. Results on condom type used reveal that condom constituents can crossreact with semen but none of them can limit the semen identification with Acid Phosphatase.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141636822","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 : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112145
Caitlyn Norman , Hannes Max Schwelm , Olga Semenova , Robert Reid , Victoria Marland , Niamh Nic Daéid
Drug use is prevalent in prisons with drugs associated with depressant effects found to be more prevalent than stimulants. Synthetic cathinones (SCats; often sold as “bath salts”, “ecstasy”, “molly”, and “monkey dust”) are the second largest category of new psychoactive substances (NPS) currently monitored by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and are commonly used as substitutes for regulated stimulants, such as amphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA. N,N-dimethylpentylone (also known as dimethylpentylone, dipentylone, and bk-DMBDP) was detected for the first time in the Scottish prisons in seven powder samples seized between January and July 2023. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR). Dimethylpentylone was detected alongside other drugs in four samples, including the novel benzodiazepine desalkylgidazepam (bromonordiazepam) and the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) MDMB-INACA and MDMB-4en-PINACA.
{"title":"Detection of the synthetic cathinone N,N-dimethylpentylone in seized samples from prisons","authors":"Caitlyn Norman , Hannes Max Schwelm , Olga Semenova , Robert Reid , Victoria Marland , Niamh Nic Daéid","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112145","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112145","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Drug use is prevalent in prisons with drugs associated with depressant effects found to be more prevalent than stimulants. Synthetic cathinones (SCats; often sold as “bath salts”, “ecstasy”, “molly”, and “monkey dust”) are the second largest category of new psychoactive substances (NPS) currently monitored by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and are commonly used as substitutes for regulated stimulants, such as amphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA. <em>N,N-</em>dimethylpentylone (also known as dimethylpentylone, dipentylone, and bk-DMBDP) was detected for the first time in the Scottish prisons in seven powder samples seized between January and July 2023. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR). Dimethylpentylone was detected alongside other drugs in four samples, including the novel benzodiazepine desalkylgidazepam (bromonordiazepam) and the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) MDMB-INACA and MDMB-4en-PINACA.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824002263/pdfft?md5=e07770a471ee5261409e7b1034787475&pid=1-s2.0-S0379073824002263-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141590094","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 : 2024-07-08DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112143
This study aimed to assess the reliability of predictive models for sex estimation based on permanent canine size. A systematic literature review was performed by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Six electronic databases were searched as the primary source of information. As a secondary source of information, a manual search was performed to identify additional relevant studies not captured in the initial search. After assessing the methodological quality and risk of bias with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Systematic Reviews, the data were subjected to statistical tests for a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy and Higgin’s I2 statistic to evaluate the heterogeneity between the eligible studies. The systematic search resulted in 21 studies for qualitative synthesis, and 13 of them were selected for quantitative analysis. The analysis of 25 univariate predictive models showed an estimated sensitivity of 77.2 % and specificity of 67.1 %. Meta-regression analyses were performed for dental arch, the type of diameter and dental region outcomes for these univariate predictive models. Dental arch (p = 0.029) and the dental region of measurement (p = 0.001) were significant modifiers. The analysis of 25 multivariate predictive models showed an estimated sensitivity of 82.6 % and specificity of 70.1 %. There were significant methodological limitations and substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. Based on the results, there is insufficient high-quality scientific evidence to support the safe use of predictive models based on permanent canine measurements as the exclusive method for sex estimation in forensic settings.
{"title":"Reliability of predictive models based on the mesiodistal and buccolingual diameters of permanent canine teeth for sex estimation in forensic contexts: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to assess the reliability of predictive models for sex estimation based on permanent canine size. A systematic literature review was performed by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Six electronic databases were searched as the primary source of information. As a secondary source of information, a manual search was performed to identify additional relevant studies not captured in the initial search. After assessing the methodological quality and risk of bias with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Systematic Reviews, the data were subjected to statistical tests for a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy and Higgin’s I<sup>2</sup> statistic to evaluate the heterogeneity between the eligible studies. The systematic search resulted in 21 studies for qualitative synthesis, and 13 of them were selected for quantitative analysis. The analysis of 25 univariate predictive models showed an estimated sensitivity of 77.2 % and specificity of 67.1 %. Meta-regression analyses were performed for dental arch, the type of diameter and dental region outcomes for these univariate predictive models. Dental arch (<em>p</em> = 0.029) and the dental region of measurement (<em>p</em> = 0.001) were significant modifiers. The analysis of 25 multivariate predictive models showed an estimated sensitivity of 82.6 % and specificity of 70.1 %. There were significant methodological limitations and substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. Based on the results, there is insufficient high-quality scientific evidence to support the safe use of predictive models based on permanent canine measurements as the exclusive method for sex estimation in forensic settings.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141636819","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}