Forensic Science International: Reports最新文献

There is currently a lack of clear guidance setting out ethical best practice in 3D forensic science broadly, and for 3D printing human remains specifically. This paper presents nine ethical principles identified by Carew et al. [4,7] that provide a foundation for establishing ethical practice. The relevance of the nine key normative ethics principles (justice transparency, proportionality, beneficence, context, non-maleficence, anonymity, consent, and autonomy) is outlined, and a hierarchical ethics framework is presented that sets out a synthesis of these nine principles at societal, case, and task levels. This framework sets out key principles to be considered at different stages in the forensic science process and in operational planning, as well as identifying the accountability of key decision makers at each stage. The hierarchical ethics framework provides an adaptive tool that forensic actors can use in practice, to take each ethical principle into consideration and develop best ethical practice, that ensures 3D printed human remains are created and used in an ethical manner.

Carbon dioxide embolism is a rare complication of laparoscopic surgery resulting from direct intravascular carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation usually due to accidental organ or vessel injury during surgery. Clinical presentation depends on the characteristics of embolized gas (speed and volume) as well as patient’s underlying medical condition. In particular, patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been found to be associated with higher risk of intraoperative entry of gas into the venous system resulting in cerebral carbon dioxide embolism (CCDE). We present two cases of fatal CCDE in patients with PFO and their medico-legal implications in terms of medical professional liability. An accurate patient’s informed consent subscription, a detailed surgical report and proper diagnostic-therapeutic management of CO2 embolism play a crucial role in clinical management and medico-legal evaluation in cases of CCDE.

The high use rate for methamphetamine in Australia has led to the emergence of local clandestine production. Contamination of the properties being used for methamphetamine production or consumption poses adverse health risks to occupants, and thus remediation is highly desirable to protect them. However, the residue level and removal efficiency of methamphetamine is not well documented yet in the literature. This study examined the level of methamphetamine residue on the surfaces of different materials in different rooms before and after remediation in Queensland with 561 swab samples taken from 47 properties suspected of methamphetamine production or consumption. Results indicated that kitchens and bathrooms usually had the highest levels of methamphetamine detected in surface wipe samples of all room types, while laminated and painted surfaces had higher methamphetamine contamination than the surfaces of other materials. Our results also indicated that properties with high residue levels and in certain situations might require multiple clean-ups, probably due to the low effectiveness of the remediation methods and the release of methamphetamine from within the matrix for porous materials. Efforts should be spent in the future to improve removal efficiency by using advanced technologies. This will inform methamphetamine contamination management guidance.

The present study tests the accuracy of commonly adopted age-at-death estimation markers based on the morphology of the pubic symphysis, iliac auricular surface and cranial sutures on a contemporary documented skeletal collection from Greece (81 males and 59 females). Machine learning techniques are used to assess whether a) machine learning classification models can correctly classify skeletons into their correct age group and b) machine learning regression models can predict the correct age to a satisfactory degree. The constructed models are used in a web application (AgeEst), where users can easily employ them to make predictions for their own skeletal assemblages. The results show that the use of machine learning improves age predictions in terms of bias and inaccuracy compared to the direct application of the original methods. However, there is a strong misclassification of middle-aged individuals, stressing the inherent biases both of the skeletal markers traditionally used in age-at-death prediction and of machine learning methods that, in our case, tend to classify most individuals to one of the two extremes (young or old). We would like to invite colleagues to share with us raw data from other skeletal collections to expand the training dataset to address to some extent issues of age mimicry, while the notebook used for the analysis as well as the code used to construct the web application are openly available to promote the further development of this or similar applications by other scholars.

3D printed human remains offer an alternative presentation format to traditional photographs, that could be more effective and less emotive. However, the perception of the public regarding key questions, such as the use, ownership, and disposal of 3D printed remains in courts of law has not yet been established.

This study explored whether the creation of 3D printed human remains could be considered as an ethical practice by members of the public. A survey comprised of 36 questions was designed to gather responses from members of the public (n = 400) about their attitudes to the creation and use of 3D printed human remains. A majority of respondents believed it was ethical to use 3D prints in courtroom demonstrations (more than 90%) and that this may help jurors to better understand expert testimony over photographs. Respondents also indicated that the context of the case and whether consent had been received from next of kin were important considerations.

The results of this study indicate that there is a recognition that there is a direct connection between 3D printed remains and the individual from whom a print derives, and that there is a clear public interest in ensuring that prints are used ethically and responsibly. Yet there are currently no guidelines for what constitutes best ethical practice for the creation and utilisation of 3D prints. As we look forward, there is a need to identify how best to treat 3D printed remains with dignity and respect in casework in a manner that is also contextually appropriate.