Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology最新文献

The aim of our study was to demonstrate the histopathological changes in the dental pulp of rats drowned in water. In our study, 48 rats (eight rats per group) were used. Death of the rats in the control group was induced with high-dose anesthesia. The remaining groups, except for the control group, were placed in containers filled with water after dissociative anesthesia. Rats that died due to drowning were dissected after 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. In all groups, samples taken from both lung tissues were stained with H&E and analyzed for findings supporting drowning. After decalcification, molar tooth samples of the rats were stained with H&E and examined under a light microscope. Pulpal stromal edema, cytoplasmic enlargement, vascular enlargement, perivascular edema, and separation of the odontoblast cell group from the dentin layer were evaluated using four grades. Chi-Square test was used for comparison between groups. P was set than 0.05. In our study, statistically significant differences were found between the control group and Group 2 (PM 0th hour) for some of the evaluated parameters. Statistically significant parameters were observed between Group 2 and some groups maintained in water at different time intervals. It is seen that the changes in the dental pulp are promising to support the diagnosis of drowning. It is thought that this will be useful to support other studies to be conducted in the future.

Purpose: The lack of specific autopsy findings for carbon dioxide (CO₂) intoxication hinders the determination of cause of death based on autopsy findings alone. In addition, when death occurs in a space is filled with CO₂ or other gases, the cause of death must be distinguished between intoxication and asphyxia due to oxygen deficiency, which also has no specific autopsy findings. In this study, we aimed to identify diagnostic markers of mRNA expression in the brainstem that indicate cause of death in cases of suspected CO₂ intoxication.

Methods: Mouse models of CO₂ intoxication (composition of ambient gases at 70% CO₂, 20% O₂, and 10% N₂) and asphyxia due to oxygen deficiency (5% O₂, 95% N₂) were used to identify mRNA markers specific to intoxication or asphyxia.

Results: Using RNA-Sequence analysis, we identified 7 candidate genes for qRT-PCR analysis: Acid-sensing ion channel 4 (Asic4), Early growth response protein 1 (Egr1), Neurogranin (Nrgn), Opioid receptor delta 1 (Oprd1), Semaphorin 3f (Sema3f), Transthyretin (Ttr), and Tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2). We observed a significant increase of Nrgn mRNA expression in the brainstem of CO₂ intoxication and a significant increase of Ttr mRNA expression in the brainstem of asphyxia due to oxygen deficiency.

Conclusion: Assays for the expression of Nrgn and Ttr in the human brainstem may assist in the diagnosis/differential diagnosis of CO₂ intoxication and asphyxia due to oxygen deficiency, respectively.

Aim: The aim was to provide normative data on dental age estimation in the Kosovar population, to evaluate the relationship between customized maturity scores and the original Demirjian method, and to assess the accuracy of these scores in a sample of Kosovar children and adolescents.

Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 1106 digital panoramic radiographs randomly selected from 6- to 16-year-old patients treated at the University Dentistry Clinical Center of Kosovo. Only those images that were diagnostically acceptable, thus showing at least the left mandibular teeth, were included in the study to assess the developmental stage accurately.

Results: Dental age estimates derived from the Kosovar normative tables were comparable to those based on maturity scores for the French-Canadian population. In girls aged 7.5-13 years and boys aged 7.5-12 years, dental maturity correlated strongly. However, the French-Canadian model overestimated age significantly compared to the Kosovar sample, where dental maturity started at about 6 years and peaked at 7 years. The Spearman's rho of the relationship between dental ages determined by Demirjian's method and maturity scores obtained from both populations was 0.997 for girls and 0.988 for boys. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the need for population-specific adaptations of the Demirjian method and proves that modification of the method provides more reliable results when compared to the Kosovar population. The results indicate the possibility of further refinement of the Demirjian method for specific populations in order to improve the applicability and precision of the most commonly used method for age estimation.

We herein report a case of sudden death from massive mucinous cystadenoma of the ovary. A female in her 70s was found dead with an enlarged abdomen. Forensic autopsy was performed to identify the cause of death. Postmortem computed tomography showed a large amount of intra-abdominal fluid pushing against intraperitoneal organs. The deceased was 152 cm in height and weighed 85 kg. The abdomen was enlarged with a girth of 133 cm. A left ovarian cyst was detected and contained 32 L of a dark brown fluid. The uterus and ovaries weighed 1200 g. The heart weighed 400 g, and atherosclerosis was noted in the left coronary artery and aorta. The pathophysiological mechanisms leading to death were considered to be multifactorial. The massive ovarian cyst increased intra-abdominal pressure and produced a cephalic shift in the diaphragm. This may have had a negative impact on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems by (a) increasing the heart rate, (b) decreasing lung compliance, (c) increasing the respiratory rate, (d) increasing maximum inspiratory pressure, (e) increasing mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance, (f) reducing femoral venous return, (g) compressing the inferior vena cava, and (h) decreasing venous return. This, in turn, increased susceptibility to hypoxia in addition to the underlying ischemic heart disease. We diagnosed the cause of death as acute circulation failure due to myocardial ischemia based on intra-abdominal hypertension as a result of the massive ovarian cyst.

Purpose: Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) are widely used for pest control; however, their accessibility has led to significant misuse, contributing to self-poisoning, morbidity, and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Accurate detection of OPPs in biological samples is critical for forensic investigations of poisoning cases. This systematic review evaluates recent advancements in extraction and analytical methods for the detection of OPPs in biological matrices, focusing on diagnostic accuracy and forensic applicability.

Materials and methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar for studies published between January 2014 and July 2024. Predefined search terms were used in various Boolean combinations. Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework. Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2), and the risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane diagnostic test accuracy tool.

Results: Twenty-one eligible studies were included, reporting a variety of extraction and detection methods for OPPs across multiple biological matrices such as blood, urine, hair, and viscera. Techniques including Gas chromatography-tandem- tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity. Innovations in extraction, such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and microwave-assisted extraction, provided rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional methods.

Conclusions: Significant progress has improved OPP detection in forensic toxicology, though challenges like matrix effects, lab standardization, and broader applicability persist. Continued research and method optimization are essential to improve reliability and routine forensic implementation.

Firearm-related injuries, particularly those involving the cranio-cervical region, pose significant challenges in forensic pathology due to the anatomical complexity and the concentration of vital structures. This case report describes a fatal hunting accident involving a close-range shot with a large-caliber slug bullet, resulting in a high-energy transfer wound with an atypical exit site on the right side of the neck. Autopsy findings, supported by digital imaging, revealed deviation of the projectile's trajectory due to impact with the C6 vertebral body, consistent with bullet destabilization and subsequent overturning. The atypical morphology of the exit wound-initially suggestive of soot deposition or thermal alteration-was reinterpreted as a postmortem dehydration artifact, linked to prolonged refrigeration or freezing in the mortuary. Notably, other wounds covered by clothing did not exhibit similar changes, suggesting a role of postmortem environmental exposure in modifying wound appearance. Reconstruction of the ballistic event required a multidisciplinary approach integrating wound ballistics, rigid body dynamics, postmortem artifact analysis, and garment lesion evaluation. Although limitations in textile analysis precluded definitive conclusions regarding garment damage interpretation, the overall trajectory analysis strongly supported a left-to-right bullet path. This case highlights the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in the forensic reconstruction of complex firearm injuries and underscores the potential for interpretive error when postmortem changes and ballistic deviations are not fully considered. The application of falsifiability criteria further strengthens the proposed reconstruction and excludes alternative hypotheses lacking empirical support.

A 74-year-old man underwent both a mitral valve replacement and ascending aorta replacement because of the presence of a critical aneurysm. Postoperatory CT angiography revealed both a periprosthetic hematoma of about 40 mm located at the distal prosthetic graft and a modest effusion at the base of the pericardium. 12 days after the surgery the patient suddenly died. Autopsy showed a cardiac tamponade due to ascending aorta rupture secondary to penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU). This paper highlights the key gross and microscopic findings of this rare lesion, emphasizing its forensic pathology relevance.