Pub Date : 2023-11-09DOI: 10.3390/forensicsci3040041
Alexander F. Christensen
This communication reports the relationship between skeletal age estimates based on the sternal rib ends (using the phase method of İşcan and colleagues, later revised by Hartnett) and the chronological age at the death of 221 U.S. military casualties processed by the Scientific Analysis section of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and its predecessor laboratories from 2000 to the present. Previously published age ranges for each phase do not provide accurate estimates for a sufficient proportion of the cases for forensic use; as an example, the age ranges that accompany reference cast sets proved accurate for 55% of CIL cases. Combining the published age ranges of İşcan and Hartnett, on the other hand, proved accurate in 99% of the cases.
{"title":"Sternal Rib Ends as a Method of Age Estimation at the CIL: A Brief Note","authors":"Alexander F. Christensen","doi":"10.3390/forensicsci3040041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci3040041","url":null,"abstract":"This communication reports the relationship between skeletal age estimates based on the sternal rib ends (using the phase method of İşcan and colleagues, later revised by Hartnett) and the chronological age at the death of 221 U.S. military casualties processed by the Scientific Analysis section of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and its predecessor laboratories from 2000 to the present. Previously published age ranges for each phase do not provide accurate estimates for a sufficient proportion of the cases for forensic use; as an example, the age ranges that accompany reference cast sets proved accurate for 55% of CIL cases. Combining the published age ranges of İşcan and Hartnett, on the other hand, proved accurate in 99% of the cases.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":" 39","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135241747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-07DOI: 10.3390/forensicsci3040040
Olen R. Brown
Motor vehicle accidents are a significant consequence of marijuana abuse. Limitations of its roadside detection and the forensic problems with establishing impairment require innovations that are scientifically achievable. Marijuana abuse currently is at an all-time high in the United States and its physiological effects make it a popular recreational drug that is reported to be a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality among the youth in the 18 most affluent nations. The medical benefits of drugs derived from marijuana complicate its forensic regulation. In an extensive 2017 report by The American Academy of Sciences, the evidence for the medical benefits of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (derived from marijuana) were stated to be conclusive or substantial for the treatment of chronic pain in adults, as an antiemetic for treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and for improving patient-reported multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms. The benefits from treatment for many other medical conditions were inconclusive or absent. The evidence is clear that safely driving a motor vehicle is significantly impaired while under the influence of marijuana. However, there is no roadside forensic test that reliably detects impairment, and there is an urgent need for such to protect the public while insuring the legal rights of users. There is strong societal pressure to relax marijuana’s forensic regulation, including removing it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Artificial intelligence (AI) should be implemented with appropriate human control to resolve controversies.
{"title":"Marijuana: Forensics of Abuse, Medical Uses, Controversy, and AI","authors":"Olen R. Brown","doi":"10.3390/forensicsci3040040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci3040040","url":null,"abstract":"Motor vehicle accidents are a significant consequence of marijuana abuse. Limitations of its roadside detection and the forensic problems with establishing impairment require innovations that are scientifically achievable. Marijuana abuse currently is at an all-time high in the United States and its physiological effects make it a popular recreational drug that is reported to be a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality among the youth in the 18 most affluent nations. The medical benefits of drugs derived from marijuana complicate its forensic regulation. In an extensive 2017 report by The American Academy of Sciences, the evidence for the medical benefits of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (derived from marijuana) were stated to be conclusive or substantial for the treatment of chronic pain in adults, as an antiemetic for treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and for improving patient-reported multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms. The benefits from treatment for many other medical conditions were inconclusive or absent. The evidence is clear that safely driving a motor vehicle is significantly impaired while under the influence of marijuana. However, there is no roadside forensic test that reliably detects impairment, and there is an urgent need for such to protect the public while insuring the legal rights of users. There is strong societal pressure to relax marijuana’s forensic regulation, including removing it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Artificial intelligence (AI) should be implemented with appropriate human control to resolve controversies.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"106 S7","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135540384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-02DOI: 10.3390/forensicsci3040039
Edda E. Guareschi, Sara Poggesi, Marco Palmesino, Paola A. Magni
Introduction: Three tiny bones compose the human ossicular chain: malleus, incus and stapes. Also known as auditory ossicles, they are united by joints in the middle ear cavity of the petrous part of the temporal bone. Completely developed two years after birth, the ossicular chain is involved in the physiological process of hearing, by which sound waves from the environment are converted into electrochemical impulses. In the last 500 years, most studies have focused on the morphogenesis, morphological variability and clinical pathology of the ossicular chain, whilst only a few studies have added relevant knowledge to anthropology and forensic science. The auditory ossicles and the enclosing petrous bone are some of the hardest in the human skeleton. This is reflected in a relative resistance to fire and in the possibility of preservation and fossilization in millions of years. Materials and Methods: The literature and four present-day forensic cases were included in studying the postmortem loss of the auditory ossicles in skeletal or decomposing remains. Results indicate that it can be ascribed to their destruction or physical displacement, by either macro-micro-faunal action and/or any other natural or artificial disturbance. Discussion: Physical displacement is closely connected to the depositional environment of the skeletal remains, such as burial, entombment (sarcophagus, coffin, vault…), submersion or exposure to natural elements. Auditory ossicles can be recovered in situ, or very close to their anatomical location, when the skeletal material has been involved in an archaeological excavation. In the case of accessible or disturbed remains, scavengers may remove the tiny ossicles and/or they can slip out of the middle ear cavity following skull movements. Entombment offers effective protection against the displacement of the auditory ossicles, whereas aquatic submersion and aquatic movement almost invariably displace them. Conclusion: the preservation of the human auditory ossicles should be critically considered in the comprehensive context of any forensic investigation on human remains since it can assist the reconstruction of their taphonomic history. Taphonomic histories of remains can add crucial information to forensic investigations (e.g., the Post Mortem Interval, PMI). The aim of this study, limited by scarce relevant literature, is to discuss the potential role of the ossicular chain, detected by postmortem imaging techniques, as a taphonomical indicator in decomposing and/or skeletonized bodies.
{"title":"The Presence of the Human Auditory Ossicles—Detected Postmortem by CT Scan—As a Taphonomic Indicator","authors":"Edda E. Guareschi, Sara Poggesi, Marco Palmesino, Paola A. Magni","doi":"10.3390/forensicsci3040039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci3040039","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Three tiny bones compose the human ossicular chain: malleus, incus and stapes. Also known as auditory ossicles, they are united by joints in the middle ear cavity of the petrous part of the temporal bone. Completely developed two years after birth, the ossicular chain is involved in the physiological process of hearing, by which sound waves from the environment are converted into electrochemical impulses. In the last 500 years, most studies have focused on the morphogenesis, morphological variability and clinical pathology of the ossicular chain, whilst only a few studies have added relevant knowledge to anthropology and forensic science. The auditory ossicles and the enclosing petrous bone are some of the hardest in the human skeleton. This is reflected in a relative resistance to fire and in the possibility of preservation and fossilization in millions of years. Materials and Methods: The literature and four present-day forensic cases were included in studying the postmortem loss of the auditory ossicles in skeletal or decomposing remains. Results indicate that it can be ascribed to their destruction or physical displacement, by either macro-micro-faunal action and/or any other natural or artificial disturbance. Discussion: Physical displacement is closely connected to the depositional environment of the skeletal remains, such as burial, entombment (sarcophagus, coffin, vault…), submersion or exposure to natural elements. Auditory ossicles can be recovered in situ, or very close to their anatomical location, when the skeletal material has been involved in an archaeological excavation. In the case of accessible or disturbed remains, scavengers may remove the tiny ossicles and/or they can slip out of the middle ear cavity following skull movements. Entombment offers effective protection against the displacement of the auditory ossicles, whereas aquatic submersion and aquatic movement almost invariably displace them. Conclusion: the preservation of the human auditory ossicles should be critically considered in the comprehensive context of any forensic investigation on human remains since it can assist the reconstruction of their taphonomic history. Taphonomic histories of remains can add crucial information to forensic investigations (e.g., the Post Mortem Interval, PMI). The aim of this study, limited by scarce relevant literature, is to discuss the potential role of the ossicular chain, detected by postmortem imaging techniques, as a taphonomical indicator in decomposing and/or skeletonized bodies.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"61 7","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135933527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract ChatGPT is a variant of the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) language model that uses large amounts of text-based training data and a transformer architecture to generate human-like text adjusted to the received prompts. ChatGPT presents several advantages in forensic sciences, namely constituting a virtual assistant to aid lawyers, judges, and victims in managing and interpreting forensic expert data. But what would happen if ChatGPT began to be used to produce forensic expertise reports? Despite its potential applications, the use of ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLM) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools in forensic writing also poses ethical and legal concerns, which are discussed in this perspective together with some expected future perspectives.
{"title":"ChatGPT in forensic sciences: a new Pandora’s box with advantages and challenges to pay attention","authors":"Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira, Rui M S Azevedo","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owad039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owad039","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract ChatGPT is a variant of the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) language model that uses large amounts of text-based training data and a transformer architecture to generate human-like text adjusted to the received prompts. ChatGPT presents several advantages in forensic sciences, namely constituting a virtual assistant to aid lawyers, judges, and victims in managing and interpreting forensic expert data. But what would happen if ChatGPT began to be used to produce forensic expertise reports? Despite its potential applications, the use of ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLM) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools in forensic writing also poses ethical and legal concerns, which are discussed in this perspective together with some expected future perspectives.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"2002 7","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135412967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-17DOI: 10.3390/forensicsci3040038
Juliana Curtis, Landon Stitle, Jessica Certain, Madeline Murchland, Charlotte Piszel, Jordan Vest, Claire L. McLeod, Mark P. S. Krekeler
Interpersonal violence is a rising issue in global society and new approaches are being sought to combat the problem. Within this context, expanding forensic techniques to better document violent crime scenes is critical for improving and acquiring legal evidence, such as proving or tracing contact between victims and suspects. This project aims to demonstrate the potential for forensic investigations in the context of interpersonal violence using a field-based reflective spectroscopy approach. For this, a common cosmetic, Wet‘N’Wild “Color Icon” blush in the shade “Pearlescent Pink”, was mineralogically characterized using transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction and subsequently investigated via reflective spectroscopy on a variety of common substrates. Differing amounts of the cosmetic product, ranging from 0.001 g to 0.075 g, were applied to a variety of substrates using a simple push method to simulate forcible contact and material transfer. Substrates included a pine wood block; (calcareous) sand from Tulum, Mexico; Ottawa sand; tile; Pergo wood; linoleum; closet material; carpets; and fabrics. The reflective spectra of cosmetic–substrate combinations were measured via an ASD FieldSpec 4 Hi-Res spectroradiometer. The Wet‘N’Wild cosmetic was reliably detected on various substrates relevant to crime scenes. Minor amounts (as low as 0.02 mg/mm2) could be detected, and average limits of detection of 0.03 mg/mm2) were achieved; however, a calcareous sand (Tulum) had a high level of detection (>0.38 mg/mm2), suggesting that further investigation is needed for more complex sand substrates. The use of the ASD spectroradiometer as a forensic tool within the context of crime scene documentation shows promise. Future work should expand the characterization of cosmetic materials across a broad range of substrates and consider systematic studies of specific population groups. Furthermore, combining this approach with hyperspectral imaging at crime scenes is a promising future direction for crime scene documentation. This work therefore demonstrates a novel method for investigating cosmetics within the context of interpersonal violence and provides a foundation for future laboratory and field work using the ASD FieldSpec 4 and hyperspectral imaging systems.
人际暴力是全球社会中一个日益严重的问题，人们正在寻求新的方法来解决这个问题。在这种情况下，扩大法医技术以更好地记录暴力犯罪现场对于改进和获取法律证据至关重要，例如证明或追踪受害者与嫌疑人之间的接触。该项目旨在展示利用基于现场的反射光谱方法在人际暴力背景下进行法医调查的潜力。为此，一种常见的化妆品，Wet 'N 'Wild“Color Icon”腮红，在“珠光粉色”阴影下，使用透射电子显微镜和粉末x射线衍射进行矿物学表征，随后通过反射光谱在各种常见基材上进行研究。使用简单的推法将不同量的化妆品(从0.001 g到0.075 g)应用于各种基材上，以模拟强制接触和材料转移。基材包括松木块;(钙质)砂来自墨西哥图卢姆;渥太华砂;瓷砖;Pergo木材;油毡;衣柜材料;地毯;和面料。通过ASD fieldspec4高分辨率光谱辐射计测量了化妆品-衬底组合的反射光谱。在与犯罪现场相关的各种基材上可靠地检测到Wet 'N 'Wild化妆品。可以检测到少量(低至0.02 mg/mm2)，平均检测限为0.03 mg/mm2);然而，钙质砂(Tulum)的检测水平很高(>0.38 mg/mm2)，这表明需要对更复杂的砂基质进行进一步研究。在犯罪现场记录的背景下，使用ASD光谱辐射计作为法医工具显示了前景。未来的工作应该扩大化妆品材料在广泛的底物范围内的表征，并考虑对特定人群的系统研究。此外，将这种方法与犯罪现场的高光谱成像相结合，是犯罪现场记录的一个有希望的未来方向。因此，这项工作展示了一种在人际暴力背景下研究化妆品的新方法，并为未来使用ASD fieldspec4和高光谱成像系统的实验室和现场工作奠定了基础。
{"title":"A Reflective Spectroscopy and Mineralogical Investigation of Cosmetic Blush (Wet‘N’Wild) Potentially for Forensic Investigations Related to Interpersonal Violence—An Experimental Feasibility Study","authors":"Juliana Curtis, Landon Stitle, Jessica Certain, Madeline Murchland, Charlotte Piszel, Jordan Vest, Claire L. McLeod, Mark P. S. Krekeler","doi":"10.3390/forensicsci3040038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci3040038","url":null,"abstract":"Interpersonal violence is a rising issue in global society and new approaches are being sought to combat the problem. Within this context, expanding forensic techniques to better document violent crime scenes is critical for improving and acquiring legal evidence, such as proving or tracing contact between victims and suspects. This project aims to demonstrate the potential for forensic investigations in the context of interpersonal violence using a field-based reflective spectroscopy approach. For this, a common cosmetic, Wet‘N’Wild “Color Icon” blush in the shade “Pearlescent Pink”, was mineralogically characterized using transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction and subsequently investigated via reflective spectroscopy on a variety of common substrates. Differing amounts of the cosmetic product, ranging from 0.001 g to 0.075 g, were applied to a variety of substrates using a simple push method to simulate forcible contact and material transfer. Substrates included a pine wood block; (calcareous) sand from Tulum, Mexico; Ottawa sand; tile; Pergo wood; linoleum; closet material; carpets; and fabrics. The reflective spectra of cosmetic–substrate combinations were measured via an ASD FieldSpec 4 Hi-Res spectroradiometer. The Wet‘N’Wild cosmetic was reliably detected on various substrates relevant to crime scenes. Minor amounts (as low as 0.02 mg/mm2) could be detected, and average limits of detection of 0.03 mg/mm2) were achieved; however, a calcareous sand (Tulum) had a high level of detection (>0.38 mg/mm2), suggesting that further investigation is needed for more complex sand substrates. The use of the ASD spectroradiometer as a forensic tool within the context of crime scene documentation shows promise. Future work should expand the characterization of cosmetic materials across a broad range of substrates and consider systematic studies of specific population groups. Furthermore, combining this approach with hyperspectral imaging at crime scenes is a promising future direction for crime scene documentation. This work therefore demonstrates a novel method for investigating cosmetics within the context of interpersonal violence and provides a foundation for future laboratory and field work using the ASD FieldSpec 4 and hyperspectral imaging systems.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136032969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that exert their biological functions as negative regulators of gene expression. They are involved in the skin wound healing process with a dynamic expression pattern and can therefore potentially serve as biomarkers for skin wound age estimation. However, no reports have described any miRNAs as suitable reference genes (RGs) for miRNA quantification in wounded skin or samples with postmortem changes. Here, we aimed to identify specific miRNAs as RGs for miRNA quantification to support further studies of skin wound age estimation. Overall, nine miRNAs stably expressed in mouse skin at certain posttraumatic intervals (PTIs) were preselected by next-generation sequencing as candidate RGs. These nine miRNAs and the commonly used reference genes (comRGs: U6, GAPDH, ACTB,18S, 5S, LC-Ogdh) were quantitatively examined using qRT-PCR at different PTIs during skin wound healing in mice. The stabilities of these genes were evaluated using four independent algorithms: GeNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper, and comparative Delta Ct. Stability was further evaluated in mice with different postmortem intervals (PMIs). Overall, mmu-miR-26a-5p, mmu-miR-30d-5p, and mmu-miR-152-3p were identified as the most stable genes at both different PTIs and PMIs. These three miRNA RGs were additionally validated and compared with the comRGs in human samples. After assessing using one, two, or three miRNAs in combination for stability at different PTIs, PMIs, or in human samples, the set of miR-26a/30d/152 was approved as the best normalizer. In conclusion, our data suggest that the combination of miR-26a/30d/152 is recommended as the normalization strategy for miRNA qRT-PCR quantification in skin wound age estimation.
{"title":"miR-26a/30d/152 are reliable reference genes for miRNA quantification in skin wound age estimation","authors":"Longlong Suo, Jian Cheng, Haomiao Yuan, Zhenf Fei Jiang, Dilichati Tash, Linlin Wang, Hao Cheng, Zhongduo Zhang, Fuyuan Zhang, Miao Zhang, Zhipeng Cao, Rui Zhao, Dawei Guan","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owad037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owad037","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that exert their biological functions as negative regulators of gene expression. They are involved in the skin wound healing process with a dynamic expression pattern and can therefore potentially serve as biomarkers for skin wound age estimation. However, no reports have described any miRNAs as suitable reference genes (RGs) for miRNA quantification in wounded skin or samples with postmortem changes. Here, we aimed to identify specific miRNAs as RGs for miRNA quantification to support further studies of skin wound age estimation. Overall, nine miRNAs stably expressed in mouse skin at certain posttraumatic intervals (PTIs) were preselected by next-generation sequencing as candidate RGs. These nine miRNAs and the commonly used reference genes (comRGs: U6, GAPDH, ACTB,18S, 5S, LC-Ogdh) were quantitatively examined using qRT-PCR at different PTIs during skin wound healing in mice. The stabilities of these genes were evaluated using four independent algorithms: GeNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper, and comparative Delta Ct. Stability was further evaluated in mice with different postmortem intervals (PMIs). Overall, mmu-miR-26a-5p, mmu-miR-30d-5p, and mmu-miR-152-3p were identified as the most stable genes at both different PTIs and PMIs. These three miRNA RGs were additionally validated and compared with the comRGs in human samples. After assessing using one, two, or three miRNAs in combination for stability at different PTIs, PMIs, or in human samples, the set of miR-26a/30d/152 was approved as the best normalizer. In conclusion, our data suggest that the combination of miR-26a/30d/152 is recommended as the normalization strategy for miRNA qRT-PCR quantification in skin wound age estimation.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"35 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135759330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-10DOI: 10.3390/forensicsci3040037
Pier Matteo Barone, Rosa Maria Di Maggio
Forensic geoarchaeology provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to investigating crime scenes. This field combines the techniques and methods of archaeology, geology, geophysics, and remote sensing, to provide a more comprehensive picture of the events that have occurred at a site. Forensic geoarchaeologists can not only provide valuable information about the context of a crime scene but also help reconstruct past events and collect relevant information about missing persons. Moreover, the use of geospatial technologies and the analysis of evidence together with a vast range of scientific methods and techniques help forensic geoarchaeologists provide compelling and reliable evidence before courts and law enforcement agencies. Although some reticence still prevails among Italians about recognizing forensic geoarchaeology as a fundamental discipline vis-a-vis crime scenes, the recognition of its vital significance is growing in Italy, thanks to the decision of the Italian Standards Organization (UNI) to standardize it alongside other fields of criminalistic expertise.
{"title":"Exploring the Growing Importance of Forensic Geoarchaeology in Italy","authors":"Pier Matteo Barone, Rosa Maria Di Maggio","doi":"10.3390/forensicsci3040037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci3040037","url":null,"abstract":"Forensic geoarchaeology provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to investigating crime scenes. This field combines the techniques and methods of archaeology, geology, geophysics, and remote sensing, to provide a more comprehensive picture of the events that have occurred at a site. Forensic geoarchaeologists can not only provide valuable information about the context of a crime scene but also help reconstruct past events and collect relevant information about missing persons. Moreover, the use of geospatial technologies and the analysis of evidence together with a vast range of scientific methods and techniques help forensic geoarchaeologists provide compelling and reliable evidence before courts and law enforcement agencies. Although some reticence still prevails among Italians about recognizing forensic geoarchaeology as a fundamental discipline vis-a-vis crime scenes, the recognition of its vital significance is growing in Italy, thanks to the decision of the Italian Standards Organization (UNI) to standardize it alongside other fields of criminalistic expertise.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136358504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Neuropathology consultations are an essential part of medico-legal cause-of-death investigations. However, there are little data on the rates of neuropathological examinations in medico-legal autopsies. The present nationwide, retrospective, register-based study aimed to report and compare neuropathology consultation rates (i.e., the percentages of medico-legal autopsies with a neuropathology consultation) in five Finnish regions from 2016 to 2021. The dataset comprised 50 547 medico-legal autopsies with 1274 neuropathology consultations. Overall, approximately 1 in 40 autopsies (2.5%) involved a neuropathology consultation. Consultation rates were lowest in the Southern Finland region (1.4%) and highest in the Southwestern Finland and Åland region (6.5%). Throughout the study period, the consultation rates of Southwestern Finland and Åland were 1.5 to 9.4 times those of other regions (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the present nationwide Finnish study identified substantial differences in neuropathology consultation rates between regions, which may indicate regional differences in conventions and policies. However, the ‘optimal’ consultation rate remains unknown. Future studies are required to further understand the differences in autopsy practices within the Finnish context as well as in medico-legal institutions elsewhere.
{"title":"Neuropathology consultation rates in medical-legal autopsies show substantial within-country variation—a nationwide Finnish study","authors":"Petteri Oura, Aki Eklin, Antti Sajantila","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owad027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owad027","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Neuropathology consultations are an essential part of medico-legal cause-of-death investigations. However, there are little data on the rates of neuropathological examinations in medico-legal autopsies. The present nationwide, retrospective, register-based study aimed to report and compare neuropathology consultation rates (i.e., the percentages of medico-legal autopsies with a neuropathology consultation) in five Finnish regions from 2016 to 2021. The dataset comprised 50 547 medico-legal autopsies with 1274 neuropathology consultations. Overall, approximately 1 in 40 autopsies (2.5%) involved a neuropathology consultation. Consultation rates were lowest in the Southern Finland region (1.4%) and highest in the Southwestern Finland and Åland region (6.5%). Throughout the study period, the consultation rates of Southwestern Finland and Åland were 1.5 to 9.4 times those of other regions (P &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, the present nationwide Finnish study identified substantial differences in neuropathology consultation rates between regions, which may indicate regional differences in conventions and policies. However, the ‘optimal’ consultation rate remains unknown. Future studies are required to further understand the differences in autopsy practices within the Finnish context as well as in medico-legal institutions elsewhere.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"52 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136294058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Refusal of autopsy occurs for various reasons, including religious beliefs and the risk of infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019. Dental autopsy involves invasive procedures, including incision and access openings in the oral cavity. Radiographic techniques can be used as an alternative to the conventional autopsy process in the field of forensic odontology, providing a non-invasive approach that does not involve tissue damage. The current study aimed to analyse the current status of the applicability of oral and maxillofacial radiology for virtual forensic odontological autopsy. A systematic review was conducted in accord with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis protocol. The literature search was conducted from December 2021–October 2022 using the Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SAGE Journals databases. Article selection was carried out by eliminating duplication, screening titles and abstracts, and reading the entire content of the article. A thematic analysis method was used to identify themes in the collected data. A total of 15 articles were included, and several uses of oral and maxillofacial radiography in virtual autopsy and forensic odontology were identified. Four techniques were identified that can be used for virtual autopsy in forensic odontology. The use of computed tomography (CT) scanning for virtual autopsy was reported in six articles, cone beam CT was reported in five articles, magnetic resonance imaging was reported in two articles, and multidetector CT was reported in two articles. In the studies included in this review, the identified oral and maxillofacial radiograph techniques that are used as the fundamental methods of virtual autopsy in forensic odontology are CT scanning (including multidetector CT), cone beam CT, and magnetic resonance imaging. The different methods of oral and maxillofacial radiography for virtual autopsy were identified as having advantages as well as limitations in their use in forensic odontology. Most of the included studies indicated that the virtual autopsy approach cannot yet stand alone as an identification method, but provides a useful adjunct for gathering dental evidence.
{"title":"Systematic review: oral and maxillofacial radiology as fundamental methods of virtual autopsy","authors":"Wilma N Azizah, Fahmi Oscandar, Merry A Damayanti","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owad028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owad028","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Refusal of autopsy occurs for various reasons, including religious beliefs and the risk of infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019. Dental autopsy involves invasive procedures, including incision and access openings in the oral cavity. Radiographic techniques can be used as an alternative to the conventional autopsy process in the field of forensic odontology, providing a non-invasive approach that does not involve tissue damage. The current study aimed to analyse the current status of the applicability of oral and maxillofacial radiology for virtual forensic odontological autopsy. A systematic review was conducted in accord with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis protocol. The literature search was conducted from December 2021–October 2022 using the Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SAGE Journals databases. Article selection was carried out by eliminating duplication, screening titles and abstracts, and reading the entire content of the article. A thematic analysis method was used to identify themes in the collected data. A total of 15 articles were included, and several uses of oral and maxillofacial radiography in virtual autopsy and forensic odontology were identified. Four techniques were identified that can be used for virtual autopsy in forensic odontology. The use of computed tomography (CT) scanning for virtual autopsy was reported in six articles, cone beam CT was reported in five articles, magnetic resonance imaging was reported in two articles, and multidetector CT was reported in two articles. In the studies included in this review, the identified oral and maxillofacial radiograph techniques that are used as the fundamental methods of virtual autopsy in forensic odontology are CT scanning (including multidetector CT), cone beam CT, and magnetic resonance imaging. The different methods of oral and maxillofacial radiography for virtual autopsy were identified as having advantages as well as limitations in their use in forensic odontology. Most of the included studies indicated that the virtual autopsy approach cannot yet stand alone as an identification method, but provides a useful adjunct for gathering dental evidence.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"60 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136294019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract There is a large volume of online crimes. The aim of this work is to reflect on virtual crimes that are apparently different but actually have commonalities. In these cases, the corporeal sphere that mediates interpersonal relationships is absent, and perceptions of the real world and emotional regulation may be altered, which poses the risk of destructive behaviours. From this standpoint, self/hetero-directed aggression is the result of a certain type of transition from the real to the virtual world, where the body either is not involved at all or is experienced in an aberrant manner. In this study, we present three cases that clearly illustrate this concept.
{"title":"Crimes without a body: reflections on a case series of online crimes","authors":"Cristiano Barbieri, Ignazio Grattagliano, Roberto Catanesi","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owad035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owad035","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract There is a large volume of online crimes. The aim of this work is to reflect on virtual crimes that are apparently different but actually have commonalities. In these cases, the corporeal sphere that mediates interpersonal relationships is absent, and perceptions of the real world and emotional regulation may be altered, which poses the risk of destructive behaviours. From this standpoint, self/hetero-directed aggression is the result of a certain type of transition from the real to the virtual world, where the body either is not involved at all or is experienced in an aberrant manner. In this study, we present three cases that clearly illustrate this concept.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135645325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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