Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100441
Paul Musa Obadia , Elodie Lwendela Kalasa , Georges Kalenga Ilunga , Tony Kayembe-Kitenge , O. Inès , Margot De Vis , Jan Tytgat , Daniel Okitundu Luwa E-Andjafono , Célestin Banza Lubaba Nkulu , Benoit Nemery
A man was kidnapped and then drugged during a 5-day captivity. After his release, he exhibited various neurological symptoms (inability to walk independently, drowsiness, difficulties to speak, dizziness, headache and a dry mouth). Toxicological analyses of blood and urine samples obtained 3 days after his release revealed therapeutic levels of carbamazepine and its active metabolite in both blood and urine, along with metronidazole and nicotinamide. Carbamazepine has hitherto not been implicated in drug-related crimes. This case highlights the potential misuse of easily available therapeutic drugs for criminal purposes in low-income countries and illustrates the value of prompt international collaboration to elucidate etiologies in forensic toxicology.
{"title":"Criminal use of carbamazepine: A case of drug-facilitated captivity in Lubumbashi, DR Congo","authors":"Paul Musa Obadia , Elodie Lwendela Kalasa , Georges Kalenga Ilunga , Tony Kayembe-Kitenge , O. Inès , Margot De Vis , Jan Tytgat , Daniel Okitundu Luwa E-Andjafono , Célestin Banza Lubaba Nkulu , Benoit Nemery","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100441","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A man was kidnapped and then drugged during a 5-day captivity. After his release, he exhibited various neurological symptoms (inability to walk independently, drowsiness, difficulties to speak, dizziness, headache and a dry mouth). Toxicological analyses of blood and urine samples obtained 3 days after his release revealed therapeutic levels of carbamazepine and its active metabolite in both blood and urine, along with metronidazole and nicotinamide. Carbamazepine has hitherto not been implicated in drug-related crimes. This case highlights the potential misuse of easily available therapeutic drugs for criminal purposes in low-income countries and illustrates the value of prompt international collaboration to elucidate etiologies in forensic toxicology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100441"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145792049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100455
Yasmeen Abdhool, Lienke Perold
Spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an uncommon cause of sudden death, particularly in non-cirrhotic individuals. We report a 59-year-old male who presented with one week of abdominal pain and died unexpectedly. His clinical history included a prior positive GeneXpert test for tuberculosis (2010) and multiple subsequent TB investigations over 15 years, though no record of anti-TB treatment was documented. At autopsy, a massive haemoperitoneum and hepatomegaly were observed, with a focal rupture of the liver capsule. The lungs demonstrated multiple nodules macroscopically suggestive of miliary tuberculosis in a high TB-burden setting. Post-mortem GeneXpert MTB/RIF testing detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in lung and liver tissue; however, histology revealed no granulomatous inflammation or acid-fast bacilli. Histopathological examination confirmed HCC with regions of both well- and poorly differentiated tumour, vascular invasion, and subcapsular necrosis corresponding to the site of rupture. Pulmonary lesions were consistent with metastatic HCC. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges in high-TB-burden, resource-limited settings, where malignancies may be overlooked due to presumptive attribution of non-specific symptoms to tuberculosis. It underscores the importance of comprehensive differential diagnoses, clinical vigilance, and the value of autopsy in uncovering undiagnosed pathology.
{"title":"When hoofbeats aren’t always horses: Hepatocellular carcinoma rupture in a Tuberculosis‐Endemic Context","authors":"Yasmeen Abdhool, Lienke Perold","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100455","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100455","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an uncommon cause of sudden death, particularly in non-cirrhotic individuals. We report a 59-year-old male who presented with one week of abdominal pain and died unexpectedly. His clinical history included a prior positive GeneXpert test for tuberculosis (2010) and multiple subsequent TB investigations over 15 years, though no record of anti-TB treatment was documented. At autopsy, a massive haemoperitoneum and hepatomegaly were observed, with a focal rupture of the liver capsule. The lungs demonstrated multiple nodules macroscopically suggestive of miliary tuberculosis in a high TB-burden setting. Post-mortem GeneXpert MTB/RIF testing detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in lung and liver tissue; however, histology revealed no granulomatous inflammation or acid-fast bacilli. Histopathological examination confirmed HCC with regions of both well- and poorly differentiated tumour, vascular invasion, and subcapsular necrosis corresponding to the site of rupture. Pulmonary lesions were consistent with metastatic HCC. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges in high-TB-burden, resource-limited settings, where malignancies may be overlooked due to presumptive attribution of non-specific symptoms to tuberculosis. It underscores the importance of comprehensive differential diagnoses, clinical vigilance, and the value of autopsy in uncovering undiagnosed pathology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100455"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100454
Cassandra Creamer , Jolandie Myburgh , Desiré Brits , Brenda Z. De Gama
Forensic taphonomy facilities play an important role in decomposition research by providing controlled environments to investigate decomposition rates, patterns, and the influence of environmental factors on post-mortem interval estimations. Furthermore, establishing such facilities in different geographical locations is important for region-specific research. This paper outlines the experiences and challenges encountered in establishing a forensic taphonomy facility at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, based on guidelines obtained from existing literature. The establishment process involved extensive planning, including securing appropriate land, navigating complex ethical approval processes, obtaining permits, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation. Financial and security measures also added to the aforementioned challenges. This facility was established with the aim of conducting animal decomposition research to investigate the effects of the humid-subtropical climate on post-mortem interval estimations and to contribute to the broader body of forensic decomposition research in South Africa. The experiences documented in this paper provide insights and guidance for future facility development in South Africa, with the potential to expand access to animal or human decomposition research and training opportunities.
{"title":"Establishing a forensic taphonomy facility at the University of KwaZulu-Natal: Experiences and challenges","authors":"Cassandra Creamer , Jolandie Myburgh , Desiré Brits , Brenda Z. De Gama","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forensic taphonomy facilities play an important role in decomposition research by providing controlled environments to investigate decomposition rates, patterns, and the influence of environmental factors on post-mortem interval estimations. Furthermore, establishing such facilities in different geographical locations is important for region-specific research. This paper outlines the experiences and challenges encountered in establishing a forensic taphonomy facility at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, based on guidelines obtained from existing literature. The establishment process involved extensive planning, including securing appropriate land, navigating complex ethical approval processes, obtaining permits, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation. Financial and security measures also added to the aforementioned challenges. This facility was established with the aim of conducting animal decomposition research to investigate the effects of the humid-subtropical climate on post-mortem interval estimations and to contribute to the broader body of forensic decomposition research in South Africa. The experiences documented in this paper provide insights and guidance for future facility development in South Africa, with the potential to expand access to animal or human decomposition research and training opportunities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100454"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100447
Smith Purdum , Justin P. Miller-Schulze
This work introduces a novel application of chemometric-based preprocessing and machine learning for fire debris analysis, which is crucial in origin and cause investigations. The most technically demanding and interpretative aspect of fire debris analysis is the qualitative classification of GC-MS data using pattern matching, which can be performed by artificial intelligence to support human analysts. Three different methods for preprocessing GC-MS data for machine learning, each requiring varying levels of analyst input, were developed using chromatographic software for feature extraction and data export. These methods were evaluated alongside several machine and deep learning models to classify fire debris and liquid samples containing self-heating fatty acids. The dataset comprised 310 samples (153 positive and 157 negative) generated from spontaneous heating experiments, neat exemplars, forensic casework, and pyrolyzed substrates. Models trained on each preprocessing method were evaluated using repeated 2-fold and Monte Carlo cross-validation across multiple training/testing splits. Within the scope of this data set and preprocessing methods, naive bayes, random forest, and gradient boosting performed best across 2-fold evaluations, with mean accuracies of 100 %, 99.90 %, and 99.65 % for the three preprocessing methods. This pilot study demonstrates a novel, chemometric workflow for fatty acid classification and establishes options for extending machine learning to more complicated fire debris tasks such as ignitable liquid residue analysis. The results imply that machine learning has the potential to enhance fire debris analysis by improving accuracy and analytical efficiency by streamlining routine classification tasks, allowing laboratories to allocate expert effort more effectively and reduce turnaround time.
{"title":"Chemometric-based machine learning for the forensic classification of fire debris for the presence of self-heating fatty acids following analysis by ASTM E2881","authors":"Smith Purdum , Justin P. Miller-Schulze","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work introduces a novel application of chemometric-based preprocessing and machine learning for fire debris analysis, which is crucial in origin and cause investigations. The most technically demanding and interpretative aspect of fire debris analysis is the qualitative classification of GC-MS data using pattern matching, which can be performed by artificial intelligence to support human analysts. Three different methods for preprocessing GC-MS data for machine learning, each requiring varying levels of analyst input, were developed using chromatographic software for feature extraction and data export. These methods were evaluated alongside several machine and deep learning models to classify fire debris and liquid samples containing self-heating fatty acids. The dataset comprised 310 samples (153 positive and 157 negative) generated from spontaneous heating experiments, neat exemplars, forensic casework, and pyrolyzed substrates. Models trained on each preprocessing method were evaluated using repeated 2-fold and Monte Carlo cross-validation across multiple training/testing splits. Within the scope of this data set and preprocessing methods, naive bayes, random forest, and gradient boosting performed best across 2-fold evaluations, with mean accuracies of 100 %, 99.90 %, and 99.65 % for the three preprocessing methods. This pilot study demonstrates a novel, chemometric workflow for fatty acid classification and establishes options for extending machine learning to more complicated fire debris tasks such as ignitable liquid residue analysis. The results imply that machine learning has the potential to enhance fire debris analysis by improving accuracy and analytical efficiency by streamlining routine classification tasks, allowing laboratories to allocate expert effort more effectively and reduce turnaround time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100447"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100440
Gabriela Idaline de Freitas , Carlos E. Rodrigues Jr , Daniel Eduardo Visciano de Carvalho , Ricardo Utsunomia , Fabio Porto-Foresti
The rapidly expanding global trade in fish maw (dried swim bladders) necessitates urgent forensic monitoring, as this highly processed commodity is morphologically unidentifiable, directly facilitating the illicit inclusion of vulnerable species in the legal supply chain. This research applied DNA Barcoding (cytochrome oxidase I; COI gene) to 120 fish maw samples seized by Brazilian environmental authorities at a major international airport to provide species-level identification and crucial data on trade practices. We identified eight species, with the overwhelming majority belonging to Amazonian Sciaenids (Cynoscion acoupa and Plagioscion auratus) and the catfish Sciades parkeri. Crucially, the definitive identification of C. acoupa and S. parkeri confirms the direct exploitation of species listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, tracing their flow from multiple Brazilian states to major global consumer hubs, including Hong Kong, the United States, United Kingdom and China. Furthermore, the study exposed a critical methodological constraint: an initial ambiguous species assignment by the BOLD system (94 % match) was only resolved by confirming the correct species, S. parkeri, through the NCBI database (100 % match). This finding demonstrates the essential need for critical evaluation and the utilization of complementary reference libraries to overcome 'code gaps' in forensic analyses. These data underscore the essential role of molecular techniques as an enforcement tool for traceability and provide unequivocal evidence supporting the immediate need for targeted legislation and rigorous regulatory oversight to protect vulnerable Amazonian stocks.
{"title":"DNA barcoding for the identification of swim bladders: An approach to international trade monitoring","authors":"Gabriela Idaline de Freitas , Carlos E. Rodrigues Jr , Daniel Eduardo Visciano de Carvalho , Ricardo Utsunomia , Fabio Porto-Foresti","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapidly expanding global trade in fish maw (dried swim bladders) necessitates urgent forensic monitoring, as this highly processed commodity is morphologically unidentifiable, directly facilitating the illicit inclusion of vulnerable species in the legal supply chain. This research applied DNA Barcoding (cytochrome oxidase I; COI gene) to 120 fish maw samples seized by Brazilian environmental authorities at a major international airport to provide species-level identification and crucial data on trade practices. We identified eight species, with the overwhelming majority belonging to Amazonian Sciaenids (<em>Cynoscion acoupa</em> and <em>Plagioscion auratus)</em> and the catfish <em>Sciades parkeri</em>. Crucially, the definitive identification of <em>C. acoupa</em> and <em>S. parkeri</em> confirms the direct exploitation of species listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, tracing their flow from multiple Brazilian states to major global consumer hubs, including Hong Kong, the United States, United Kingdom and China. Furthermore, the study exposed a critical methodological constraint: an initial ambiguous species assignment by the BOLD system (94 % match) was only resolved by confirming the correct species, <em>S. parkeri</em>, through the NCBI database (100 % match). This finding demonstrates the essential need for critical evaluation and the utilization of complementary reference libraries to overcome 'code gaps' in forensic analyses. These data underscore the essential role of molecular techniques as an enforcement tool for traceability and provide unequivocal evidence supporting the immediate need for targeted legislation and rigorous regulatory oversight to protect vulnerable Amazonian stocks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100440"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145711883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A 47-year-old woman was found her sitting on the street. She was a heavy drinker. She went into cardiopulmonary arrest during emergency transport and died in the hospital approximately 45 min after being found. Post-mortem computed tomography (CT) scan showed massive intra-abdominal fluid retention. At autopsy, 2825 mL of blood was found in the intra-abdominal cavity. The liver showed cirrhosis. The source of bleeding was identified as a ruptured varices in the retroperitoneum at the colo–hepatic curvature. Varices may develop as a result of portal hypertension due to cirrhosis, but they generally occur at the gastroesophageal junction. Varices that develop in other locations are referred to as ectopic varices. And among these, retroperitoneal varices are rare. In the present case, the presence of intra-abdominal hemorrhage could be suspected before autopsy based on post-mortem CT findings, but autopsy was necessary to identify the bleeding source. In conclusion, in cases of intra-abdominal hemorrhage in patients with cirrhosis, ectopic variceal rupture should also be considered.
{"title":"Fatal hemoperitoneum due to rupture of retroperitoneal varices","authors":"Tomoka Yamaguchi, Taiga Nakamura, Shiori Hattori, Keisuke Mizuo, Satoshi Watanabe","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A 47-year-old woman was found her sitting on the street. She was a heavy drinker. She went into cardiopulmonary arrest during emergency transport and died in the hospital approximately 45 min after being found. Post-mortem computed tomography (CT) scan showed massive intra-abdominal fluid retention. At autopsy, 2825 mL of blood was found in the intra-abdominal cavity. The liver showed cirrhosis. The source of bleeding was identified as a ruptured varices in the retroperitoneum at the colo–hepatic curvature. Varices may develop as a result of portal hypertension due to cirrhosis, but they generally occur at the gastroesophageal junction. Varices that develop in other locations are referred to as ectopic varices. And among these, retroperitoneal varices are rare. In the present case, the presence of intra-abdominal hemorrhage could be suspected before autopsy based on post-mortem CT findings, but autopsy was necessary to identify the bleeding source. In conclusion, in cases of intra-abdominal hemorrhage in patients with cirrhosis, ectopic variceal rupture should also be considered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100457"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100452
Yang Chen , Manrui Li , Zhuo Li , Xilong Lin , Yang Xu , Shengqiu Qu , Meili Lv , Miao Liao , Lin Zhang , Qiuyun Yang , Xiameng Chen , Weibo Liang
Accurate determination of the timing and progression of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is critical in forensic pathology, particularly for reconstructing injury events and estimating post-traumatic intervals. However, conventional timing approaches of TBI rely on limited pathological features and often lack sufficient accuracy. To address this limitation, we re-analyzed publicly available single-cell RNA-seq datasets from GEO (GSE269748 and GSE160763) and integrated murine cortical transcriptomes across three post-injury stages—acute (24 h), subacute (7 days), and chronic (6 months)—to characterize time-resolved neuronal molecular changes after TBI. Neuron-focused differential expression and functional enrichment analyses revealed a progression from early stress and inflammatory-response programs toward later synaptic and neurodegeneration-associated alterations. We further curated representative gene sets for 14 regulated cell-death programs and quantified their activity using AUCell-derived AUC scoring, identifying stage-dependent shifts in death-associated transcriptional signatures, with higher necroptosis- and pyroptosis-associated signals in the acute phase and increased ferroptosis- and autophagic cell death–associated signals in the chronic phase, accompanied by transcriptional patterns consistent with altered iron handling and glutathione metabolism. This re-analysis provides a time-resolved, neuron-centered molecular framework that may support forensic estimation of injury timing and offers insight into mechanisms of secondary brain injury.
{"title":"Single-cell transcriptomics reveals time-resolved neuronal death characteristics in traumatic brain injury","authors":"Yang Chen , Manrui Li , Zhuo Li , Xilong Lin , Yang Xu , Shengqiu Qu , Meili Lv , Miao Liao , Lin Zhang , Qiuyun Yang , Xiameng Chen , Weibo Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate determination of the timing and progression of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is critical in forensic pathology, particularly for reconstructing injury events and estimating post-traumatic intervals. However, conventional timing approaches of TBI rely on limited pathological features and often lack sufficient accuracy. To address this limitation, we re-analyzed publicly available single-cell RNA-seq datasets from GEO (GSE269748 and GSE160763) and integrated murine cortical transcriptomes across three post-injury stages—acute (24 h), subacute (7 days), and chronic (6 months)—to characterize time-resolved neuronal molecular changes after TBI. Neuron-focused differential expression and functional enrichment analyses revealed a progression from early stress and inflammatory-response programs toward later synaptic and neurodegeneration-associated alterations. We further curated representative gene sets for 14 regulated cell-death programs and quantified their activity using AUCell-derived AUC scoring, identifying stage-dependent shifts in death-associated transcriptional signatures, with higher necroptosis- and pyroptosis-associated signals in the acute phase and increased ferroptosis- and autophagic cell death–associated signals in the chronic phase, accompanied by transcriptional patterns consistent with altered iron handling and glutathione metabolism. This re-analysis provides a time-resolved, neuron-centered molecular framework that may support forensic estimation of injury timing and offers insight into mechanisms of secondary brain injury.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100452"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cases of fatality caused by a tire explosion are extremely rare, especially during the disassembly process. Tire explosions can occur due to improper techniques during assembly or maintenance; however, serious accidents can also occur during disassembly due to the high-pressure air remaining inside the tire tube, as in this case. We present the case of a man in his 60 s who died after being struck by a tire rim due to a tire explosion during the dismantling of a large wheel and tire set of an airplane passenger boarding bridge. Autopsy revealed complex fractures of the head and chest, fractures of the thoracic vertebrae and upper extremities, and damage to multiple organs. A characteristic feature of this case is thoracic vertebral fracture, which has not been found in previous fatal tire explosion cases, suggesting that the injury resulted from a very large external force. This indicates that discarded tires still contain enough pressurized air to launch the rim, posing a danger equal to or greater than that of tire explosions during assembly or maintenance. This case highlights the importance of safety measures during tire disassembly. Although it is mandatory to use a safety cage to fill the tire with air during maintenance, no such safety measures were undertaken during disassembly. It is necessary to implement safety measures and provide equipment in the workplace to protect the workers.
{"title":"Fatal injury from tire explosion during disassembly: A forensic case report","authors":"Shota Furukawa , Ako Sasao , Yuki Ohtsu , Hiroshi Tsutsumi , Chihiro Kawai , Masashi Miyao , Rie Sano , Yoko Nishitani","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cases of fatality caused by a tire explosion are extremely rare, especially during the disassembly process. Tire explosions can occur due to improper techniques during assembly or maintenance; however, serious accidents can also occur during disassembly due to the high-pressure air remaining inside the tire tube, as in this case. We present the case of a man in his 60 s who died after being struck by a tire rim due to a tire explosion during the dismantling of a large wheel and tire set of an airplane passenger boarding bridge. Autopsy revealed complex fractures of the head and chest, fractures of the thoracic vertebrae and upper extremities, and damage to multiple organs. A characteristic feature of this case is thoracic vertebral fracture, which has not been found in previous fatal tire explosion cases, suggesting that the injury resulted from a very large external force. This indicates that discarded tires still contain enough pressurized air to launch the rim, posing a danger equal to or greater than that of tire explosions during assembly or maintenance. This case highlights the importance of safety measures during tire disassembly. Although it is mandatory to use a safety cage to fill the tire with air during maintenance, no such safety measures were undertaken during disassembly. It is necessary to implement safety measures and provide equipment in the workplace to protect the workers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100445"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100448
Melissa Shear, Jaime Brachold, Prachi Christian, Charles Troup, Rino Radhakrishnan
The Applied Biosystems™ RapidHIT™ ID System1 is a highly automated and simple-to-use instrument that produces trusted laboratory-quality forensic DNA short tandem repeat (STR) profiles in as little as 90 min. The system has been optimized for use in decentralized environments and for processing presumed single-source DNA samples, generating Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)-compatible DNA profiles. The system delivers reliable, reproducible, high-quality electrophoretic data with management software that enables real-time access, review, and control of STR profiles. The RapidHIT™ ID instrument and RapidLINK™ v2.0.1 software validation studies were performed using Applied Biosystems ACE GlobalFiler™ Express sample cartridges with single source reference samples in accordance with the FBI Quality Assurance Standards and guidelines from the Scientific Working Group for DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM). The results from these validation studies are reported here for sensitivity, specificity, inhibitors, size precision, concordance, contamination and carryover, mixtures, and reproducibility and repeatability. In addition, it is demonstrated that multiple RapidHIT ID systems networked with RapidLINK form a highly reliable system for wide-scale deployment in locations such as police booking stations and Ports of Entry, enabling real-time testing of arrestees, potential human trafficking victims and other instances where rapid turnaround is essential.
{"title":"Analytical validation study of the RapidHIT™ ID and RapidLINK™ v2.0.1 system to generate and process profiles with ACE GlobalFiler™ Express cartridge","authors":"Melissa Shear, Jaime Brachold, Prachi Christian, Charles Troup, Rino Radhakrishnan","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100448","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2025.100448","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Applied Biosystems™ RapidHIT™ ID System<span><span><sup>1</sup></span></span> is a highly automated and simple-to-use instrument that produces trusted laboratory-quality forensic DNA short tandem repeat (STR) profiles in as little as 90 min. The system has been optimized for use in decentralized environments and for processing presumed single-source DNA samples, generating Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)-compatible DNA profiles. The system delivers reliable, reproducible, high-quality electrophoretic data with management software that enables real-time access, review, and control of STR profiles. The RapidHIT™ ID instrument and RapidLINK™ v2.0.1 software validation studies were performed using Applied Biosystems ACE GlobalFiler™ Express sample cartridges with single source reference samples in accordance with the FBI Quality Assurance Standards and guidelines from the Scientific Working Group for DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM). The results from these validation studies are reported here for sensitivity, specificity, inhibitors, size precision, concordance, contamination and carryover, mixtures, and reproducibility and repeatability. In addition, it is demonstrated that multiple RapidHIT ID systems networked with RapidLINK form a highly reliable system for wide-scale deployment in locations such as police booking stations and Ports of Entry, enabling real-time testing of arrestees, potential human trafficking victims and other instances where rapid turnaround is essential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100448"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2026.100453
Kang Hua Lee, Thiam Bon Lim
In atypical fire cases where ignitable liquid residues were undetected using traditional fire debris detection methods, analyzing other chemical traces such as the gaseous and volatile organic contents, and liquid and solid components of the debris itself, can shed light on the fire events. The forensic laboratory has broadened the scope of instrumental techniques to analyze the diverse nature of samples from fire scenes. In this paper, we reviewed the laboratory’s analytical findings of fire debris samples submitted from atypical fire incidents in recent years. We demonstrated how multi-instrumental approaches usually employed in chemical unknowns analysis, combined with understanding of the correlation between the detected compounds’ physical and chemical properties and the fire, help trace possible primary ignition sources. In local cases, potential sources of fuel in the initial event of atypical fires were categorized into flammable gases, self-heating materials, reactive mixtures, and combustible substances. However, interpreting analytical results and classifying fuel sources remain challenging as they may be subjected to the scale and complexity of scene debris, altered states, detectability of fuel traces, and the limited comprehension of the laboratory regarding the fire properties and behavior of the detected compounds and parent materials.
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