Egyptian journal of forensic sciences最新文献

{"title":"Impact of ante-mortem fluoxetine administration on estimation of post-mortem interval and insect activity in rabbit carcasses","authors":"Fatema M. Saleh, Assem H. Badawy, Rawda M. Badawy, Asmaa Abdel Rahman, Eslam Adly","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00409-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00409-x","url":null,"abstract":"Increasing the number of drug-related deaths has affected medico-legal death investigations. Drugs within a corpse have a great impact on the insects’ development rate which in turn will affect the rate of post-mortem decomposition and the estimation of the post-mortem interval. This explains the importance of the application of forensic entomotoxicology, which studies the impact of drugs and toxins on the development and succession patterns of insects. The current study aimed to determine the impact of fluoxetine, one of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), on post-mortem decomposition, insects’ attraction, and its pattern of succession on carcasses. Sixteen healthy male and female Oryctolagus cuniculus rabbits were chosen to be included in this study. They were divided into a treated group of eight rabbits received oral fluoxetine for 28 days and a control group of eight rabbits received oral distilled water for 28 days. After oral administration of 10 mg/kg/day of fluoxetine and distilled water for 28 days, rabbits were sacrificed, and carcasses were transmitted to the roof of Research and Training Centre on Vectors of Diseases at faculty of Sciences, Ain Shams University, for following up the post-mortem decomposition process and insect’s attraction to carcasses for 60 days. Carcasses were put in two outdoor sites that differ in temperature to assess the effect of temperature on decomposition process. Fluoxetine administration has accelerated the rate of post-mortem decomposition in the treated carcasses by 3–9 days compared to the control ones and affected the numbers and species of attracted insects, while it had no effect on the insects’ succession patterns. Exposure of carcasses to direct sunlight has accelerated the rate of decomposition in comparison to that of carcasses put in shade in the overall period of decomposition by about 14 to 16 days. Fluoxetine has an important and effective role in post-mortem decomposition and estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI) and has a great impact on attracted insects to the treated carcasses. Temperature has a great effect on the rate of decomposition of carcasses. Higher temperature accelerates the rate of post-mortem decomposition.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142253459","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}

{"title":"Sex estimation based on glabella morphology in contemporary Brazilian human skulls","authors":"Júlia Neves de Moura Ferreira Gomes, Marcus Vitor Diniz de Carvalho, André Marquim Nogueira da Fonte Cornélio, Greiciane Miguel de Azevedo Santos, Gabriela Granja Porto Petraki, Evelyne Pessoa Soriano","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00408-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00408-y","url":null,"abstract":"Estimating sex from a dry skull depends on studying validated and specific traits. One such reference area exhibiting sexual dimorphism is the glabella, located on the frontal bone. This anatomical landmark is easily classified and shows promising results in sexual identification due to its magnitude variations between sexes. The present study is methodologically based on Walker’s approach, which visually analyzes cranial traits and scores them according to their morphology. This study aimed to investigate the sex estimation of dry skulls from Brazilian human skeletons for human identification through macroscopic analysis of the glabella. This analytical, quantitative, cross-sectional study utilized a sample of 471 skulls from both sexes, aged 25 years or older, belonging to the contemporary collection of the Center for Studies in Forensic Anthropology at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco (CEAF/FOP/UPE), Brazil. Data were recorded in an Excel spreadsheet and subsequently subjected to statistical analysis using IBM© SPSS (version 22.0). Initial observation of the skeletons excluded 52 (11.0%) due to age below 25 years, absence of a skull, or compromised glabella region, resulting in a final sample of 419 skulls. The mean age was 66.6 years, with a median of 67, a minimum of 25, and a maximum of 109 years. Regarding glabella types, score 2 showed the highest frequency (35.6%), while score 5 had the lowest percentage (7.9%). A statistically significant association was found between female sex and glabella scores 1 and 2. Also, individuals aged over 60 presented more glabella scores 1 and 2. The sex estimation accuracy for the sample was 76.1%, with females having a higher percentage of correct observations than males. The morphology of the glabella provides useful information for estimating sex in the biological profile. However, further studies on this morphological trait in other Brazilian osteological collections are encouraged to establish a national profile and contribute to human identification procedures in the country.\u0000","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142253458","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}

{"title":"Particulate matter in necropsy activities: experience from a health operators’ exposure monitoring campaign","authors":"Matteo Scopetti, Nicola Di Fazio, Martina Padovano, Giuseppe Delogu, Donato Morena, Paola Frati, Carmela Protano, Matteo Vitali, Vittorio Fineschi","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00406-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00406-0","url":null,"abstract":"Operators in the obituary and necropsy sectors are exposed to various environmental hazards during specific tasks. Despite this exposure, occupational risks have often been underestimated, resulting in a lack of substantial evidence. The primary objectives of this study were to identify sources of chemical risk, establish procedures for monitoring and quantifying exposure during necropsy activities, and recommend adjustments to regulatory guidelines to protect the health of the operators. The study was conducted at the Legal Medicine Unit of the Umberto I General Hospital in Rome, focusing on the quantitative measurement of particulate matter (PM) exposure among at-risk operators during necropsy activities. Environmental levels of total suspended particles, PM10, PM4, PM2.5, and PM1 were assessed by evaluating the average, minimum, and maximum instantaneous indoor concentrations using an airborne analyzer. The monitoring activities revealed that the PM concentrations were significantly lower than the recognized reference values. However, bone sawing, body removal, and cleaning were identified as high-risk maneuvers for dust suspension. Our study highlighted specific risks associated with necropsy activities, particularly concerning timing and certain maneuvers. These results may lead to interventions for improving current prevention procedures, implementing good practices, and developing specific guidelines to enhance operator safety.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"62 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142193676","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}

{"title":"Does the distribution of Wormian bone frequencies across different world regions reflect genetic affinity between populations?","authors":"Alla Movsesian","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00405-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00405-1","url":null,"abstract":"Wormian, or sutural bones, are additional, irregularly shaped bone fragments that can occur within cranial sutures. These bones may arise due to various factors, including mechanical pressure on skull bones during early ontogenetic stages, such as during artificial cranial deformations, or due to genetic and environmental influences. This study investigates the potential genetic basis of sutural bones by comparing their frequencies across diverse global regions. It analyzed 33 craniological series, encompassing 2059 crania, to assess the frequency of sutural bones in the coronal, squamous, lambdoid, and occipitomastoid sutures among skeletal populations from regions including Aboriginal Australia, Melanesia, Southeast Asia, Siberia, Europe, and Native America. Biological distances between populations were calculated using Smith’s mean measure of divergence (MMD), with results visualized through multidimensional scaling. The analysis identified distinct clusters of Caucasian and Siberian populations. Siberian aboriginal populations are compactly grouped, consistent with mtDNA data indicating genetic roots dating back to the Neolithic inhabitants of the Lake Baikal region. Further, differentiation within these populations is linked to the founder effect and gene flow. Notably, genetically related groups like the Inuit and Chukchi of Chukotka differ from other Siberian groups. In contrast, southern Siberian populations, such as the Buryats and Mongols, are closely positioned, aligning with genetic data. The differentiation between Southeast Asian and African regions was subtler, with their clusters largely overlapping. Yet, genetic links between populations were observed in some cases. Thus, Australians, Melanesians, and Papua New Guineans were located close to each other on the multidimensional scaling map, as were two African populations. The findings tentatively suggest a potential genetic component in the expression of Wormian bones, although this hypothesis requires further empirical support, particularly through genetic studies. While genetic factors may influence the expression of Wormian bones, environmental conditions and pathological processes also play significant roles. It can be suggested that Wormian bones could potentially serve as an additional tool in kinship analysis within burials; however, their utility significantly depends on the extent of their genetic influence. If future genetic studies confirm a substantial genetic component and its dominance over environmental factors, the use of these bones in anthropological and forensic analyses would receive additional validation.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142193655","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}

{"title":"Knowledge and attitude of university nursing students towards forensic nursing and their influencing factors: a mixed-methods study","authors":"Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00404-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00404-2","url":null,"abstract":"Forensic nursing, which merges healthcare and legal expertise to address trauma and violence, is vital yet often underrepresented in nursing education. Many nursing students lack knowledge in this field, underscoring the need for enhanced education to improve patient care and legal outcomes. This study aimed to assess university nursing students’ knowledge and attitudes towards forensic nursing, as well as identify factors influencing their knowledge. A mixed-methods design was conducted at a Saudi nursing college with a convenience sample of 250 students. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising two parts. The quantitative part included demographic and academic characteristics, knowledge and opinions on forensic nursing, knowledge of forensic evidence, and attitudes towards forensic nursing. The qualitative part consisted of four open-ended questions about factors affecting forensic knowledge. Data analysis involved inferential statistics and content analysis. The study revealed that 80.4% of nursing students lacked prior knowledge of forensic nursing, and only 59.76% had some awareness of forensic evidence. A strong positive relationship was found between attitudes towards forensic nursing and knowledge of forensic evidence (r = 0.817, p < 0.001), indicating that positive attitudes could predict 66.8% of the variance in forensic evidence knowledge. Key barriers included lack of support from upper management, insufficient resources, and concerns about faculty qualifications. Students recommended integrating forensic nursing into the curriculum, offering specialized programs, and promoting research and social media awareness campaigns. These findings underscore significant gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about forensic nursing among participants, emphasizing the critical need for education and awareness in this field. The study highlights the potential implications for integrating forensic nursing concepts into undergraduate curricula, enhancing faculty training, and utilizing diverse teaching modalities. Addressing these gaps will not only improve future nurses’ competency in forensic nursing, but also contribute to better patient care.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142193657","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}

{"title":"Age estimation from the sternal end of left fourth rib in the Nepalese population","authors":"Rijen Shrestha, Kewal Krishan, Tanuj Kanchan","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00403-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00403-3","url":null,"abstract":"Forensic anthropological examinations help in identification of unidentified human remains. This study aims to establish population-specific standards for age estimation from the sternal ends of left fourth ribs in the Nepalese population. A quantitative, observational study was conducted on 387 Nepalese deceased (106 females, 281 males) between November 2021 and March 2023. Left fourth ribs were collected, macerated and examined for the study. The variables examined included pit depth, pit shape, rim and wall configurations and rib phase. Pit depth significantly predicted age, β = 0.642, t(385) = 16.42, p < 0.001. Pit depth also explained a significant proportion of variance in age, R2 = 0.41, F(1, 385) = 269.54, p < 0.001. The age estimates from pit depth stage were 7–36 (stage 0), 7–49 (stage 1), 16–51 (stage 2), 10–58 (stage 3), 22–70 (stage 4) and 32–81 (stage 5). Age estimates for pit shape were 17–20 (stage 0), 13–48 (stage 2), 15–55 (stage 3), 24–68 (stage 4) and 39–82 (stage 5). Age estimates for rim and wall configurations were 17–20 (stage 0), 13–47 (stage 2), 17–53 (stage 3), 24–68 (stage 4) and 40–82 (stage 5). Similarly, age estimates for rib phase were 17–20 (phase 0), 18–20 (phase 1), 13–46 (phase 2), 18–50 (phase 3), 23–60 (phase 4), 32–71 (phase 5), 50–76 (phase 6), 44–81 (phase 7) and 62–85 (phase 8). The study also examined the use of transitional analysis to develop posterior probability distributions for estimation of age using rib phases. This study found significant differences in the age estimates from previous studies and shows the importance of developing population-specific models for use in forensic anthropology.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141769329","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}

{"title":"Sex estimation using Magnetic Resonance Imaging measurements of hand and foot in Egyptian population","authors":"Marwa Abd El-Moniem Amer, Marwa Elsayed Abd Elhamed, Lamiaa Lotfy Elhawy, Amany Mohammed AbdAllah, Nanies Sameeh Mohammad, Manar A. Bessar, Mohamed Nabil Soliman Elgebely, Dena Mohamed Naguib Abdel Moawed","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00393-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00393-2","url":null,"abstract":"The identification of skeletal remains begins with a sex evaluation since other biological profile elements, such as size and age, are sex-specific. The pelvis is the favored element for sex assessment since it is very sexually dimorphic. Delivering hand and foot bones sex estimate criteria for Egyptian population identification was the goal of this work. Eighty-two Egyptian adult subjects (41 males and 41 females) aged ≥ 21 years old were subjected to MRI scan on the right hand and foot to assess 9 measurements: hand length, hand width, four measurements of middle metacarpal bone (length, breadth, head breadth and base breadth), first metatarsal bone length, first metatarsal bone width and (first metatarsal bone length x first metatarsal bone width). All the measured parameters in the right hand and foot were higher in males than females. First metatarsal bone length x first metatarsal bone width in the foot and middle metacarpal bone breadth in the hand were the most sexually dimorphic parameters, with accuracy of 86.6 percent and 84.1 percent, respectively. In stepwise discriminant analysis, three of nine measurements were selected: First metatarsal bone length x first metatarsal bone width, middle metacarpal bone breadth and hand width for the sex prediction equation in the Egyptian population, with a cross-validated sex classification accuracy of 90.2%. Sex can be assessed from hand and foot metric parameters measured by MRI with high accuracy.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141769330","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}

{"title":"Medicolegal assessment of reported female sexual assaults in the Kingdom of Bahrain: record-based descriptive study","authors":"Fatema Abdul-Rahman Alfadhel, Mohammed Nour El-Din Fouda, Mona Mohamed Awny","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00402-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00402-4","url":null,"abstract":"Sexual assault is an important social issue that influences women’s lives. Despite a significant increase in 2018, there is no reliable information available in the Kingdom of Bahrain about female sexual assaults. The aim of this study is to investigate the pattern of reported sexual assaults among living female victims in the Kingdom of Bahrain. All medicolegal reports of sexual assaults in living female victims from 2016 to 2020 were included. Reported cases were studied for sociodemographic data of victims, assailant data, assault circumstances, and medicolegal findings and procedures. The prevalence of female sexual assault allegations was 7%. During the studied period, there were 272 cases of sexual assault overall. Most cases were in the age group 18–30 years (41.2%). In 58.1% of assaults, the assailant was the boyfriend or partner of the victim. The medicolegal examination took place within 2 days after assault in only 32%. Forensic examination of sexual assault victims revealed extragenital injuries in only 30.9% of cases. Sexual assaults involving mixed penetration occurred in 66.9% of victims, followed by vaginal penetration (30.1%), then anal penetration (2.9%). The final medicolegal opinion confirmed positive assault in 38.6% of allegations and negative assault in 32.4% of allegations, while allegations that have no firm medicolegal conclusion were 29%. Despite the efforts made in Bahrain, there is an underestimated problem of sexual violence against females which needs a robust multilevel strategy including the roles of education, law, and non-governmental institutions.","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"79 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141568105","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}

{"title":"Is it time for a guideline on the use of immunohistochemistry in forensic pathology?","authors":"Massimo Lancia, Mauro Bacci","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00401-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00401-5","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;In the field of forensic trauma pathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and specialized staining techniques are crucial to estimate the age of the wound and to identify complications stemming from the trauma. In addition, they are essential to detect unique cases, including those of asphyxia and severe head trauma (Chen et al. 2021).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The use of IHC is also promising for tackling fundamental questions in forensic medicine, such as those related to the age-dating of skin injuries, surpassing the limitations of older techniques based on histochemical techniques (Tomassini et al. 2022; Tomassini et al. 2024).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite its promise, the rate of IHC staining undergoes significant variations over time after death, due to postmortem involutional phenomena affecting tissues and altering their antigen-antibody affinity. This has been demonstrated by studies conducted on populations consisting of medico-legal autopsies (Lesnikova et al. 2018).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is indeed critical, as the practical application of IHC is documented in the literature and proposed in a variety of very complex and sensitive procedural contexts. For example, in homicide cases, where a positive immunohistochemistry result can provide substantial evidence to establish trial truth (Tong et al 2017).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hence, the use of IHC in forensic pathology is an extremely sensitive issue, as the literature in this field has advocated the application of these techniques in a vast variety of cases related to both natural and violent deaths.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Often, these recommendations are based on studies conducted on relatively small cadaveric populations and not always through adequate standardization of the study population. This is surprising considering that, in courts of law, forensic pathologist consultants frequently invoke the negativity or positivity of a particular IHC staining; this raises the question—assuming the character of evidence before a court -: is that technique truly scientifically validated? Are there clear indications from guidelines and/or protocols regarding the use of one technique over another, or under what conditions the use of either technique should be excluded?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At this juncture, there is a compelling need for the issuance of clear guidance indicating when these techniques may be employed and under what conditions. Specifically addressing the time since death within which the technique is valid, its state of preservation, and the susceptibility of the IHC technique to post-mortem modifications. This is necessary to ensure the proper utilization of these techniques and to provide a fruitful incentive for their study and further exploration in various forensic-medical issues that remain largely unresolved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not applicable.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;dl&gt;&lt;dt style=\"min-width:50px;\"&gt;&lt;dfn&gt;IHC:&lt;/dfn&gt;&lt;/dt&gt;&lt;dd&gt;\u0000&lt;p&gt;Immunohistochemistry&lt;/p&gt;\u0000&lt;/dd&gt;&lt;/dl&gt;&lt;ul data-track-component=\"outbound reference\" data-track-context=\"references section\"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chen XS, Chu J, Yang LJ, Wang T, Tao LY (2021) ","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510507","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}

{"title":"Letter to the editor: “Potential applicability of blockchain technology in the maintenance of chain of custody in forensic casework”","authors":"Nishchal Soni","doi":"10.1186/s41935-024-00396-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00396-z","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;The Editor,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I recently had the opportunity to delve into the intriguing review paper titled “Potential applicability of blockchain technology in the maintenance of chain of custody in forensic casework” by Patil et al. (2024). This paper provides a thought-provoking exploration into leveraging blockchain technology for improving the integrity and reliability of the chain of custody in forensic casework, an area of growing importance in our increasingly digital world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I commend the authors for their pioneering efforts to address the complex challenges surrounding digital evidence management in forensic investigations. The initiative to integrate blockchain technology as a solution for enhancing evidence security, transparency, and verifiability is both innovative and timely. It represents a significant step forward in the quest for more rigorous and tamper-proof forensic processes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, upon thorough examination, I believe the paper’s impact and usefulness could be greatly amplified by addressing several key areas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A deeper comparative analysis between the traditional chain of custody mechanisms and the proposed blockchain-based solution is essential. This not only should highlight qualitative differences but also should present quantitative assessments such as efficiency gains, cost implications, and improved security metrics. Demonstrating specific scenarios where blockchain significantly outperforms traditional systems could offer compelling evidence for its adoption (Tripathi et al. 2023).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The methodology section would benefit greatly from detailed implementation specifics, possibly through a case study or prototype demonstration. This could help illustrate the practical application and feasibility of the blockchain solution in real forensic settings. Additionally, a comprehensive security assessment, addressing potential vulnerabilities unique to blockchain technology within the forensic domain, is crucial. An exploration of how the system withstands common cybersecurity threats and blockchain-specific attacks would lend credibility and robustness to the proposed solution.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The inclusion of empirical evidence supporting the theoretical advantages of a blockchain-based chain of custody is necessary to validate the authors’ claims. Data from pilot studies, simulations, or even theoretical models could substantiate the solution’s effectiveness and efficiency. Furthermore, a discussion on scalability, addressing how the system manages increasing volumes of digital evidence and its performance under different operational loads, would enhance the paper’s relevance to large-scale forensic applications.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;An in-depth exploration of the legal and ethical dimensions associated with the adoption of blockchain technology in forensic investigations would be invaluable. This includes examining the admissibility of blockchain-based evidence in courtrooms across different jurisdictions and addressing potential pr","PeriodicalId":11507,"journal":{"name":"Egyptian journal of forensic sciences","volume":"231 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140940221","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}