Forensic science international最新文献

{"title":"Nondestructive identification of emeralds using inclusion morphology and chemical composition analyses.","authors":"Risa Utsumi, Daisuke Kozaki, Mai Sakaguchi, Hitomi Nakano, Shintaro Komatani, Yasuo Seto, Yoshinori Nishiwaki","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.113169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.113169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Emeralds are crucial evidentiary materials in cases such as gem fraud, and highly accurate, nondestructive methods for gemstone discrimination are therefore in high demand in forensic investigations. In this study, we aimed to establish a nondestructive authentication protocol based on the inclusion morphology and chemical composition of natural and flux-synthesized emeralds. As a fundamental examination, imaging analyses using micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy, together with localized synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction analysis, were conducted on thin-sectioned samples. Inclusions observed under an optical microscope were classified into six types, and most of the constituent components, including biotite, SiO₂, Be₂SiO₄, MoO₃, and polycrystalline emerald, were identified and correlated with their morphological features. Based on the findings obtained from the fundamental examinations, practical nondestructive examinations were performed using portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and optical microscopy. To minimize subjectivity, as the first step of the discrimination protocol, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were performed using the matrix X-ray intensity ratios of Al/Si, Cr/Al, and Cr/Si. By applying a four-step approach consisting of (1) exploratory PCA and HCA, (2) comparison of matrix X-ray intensity ratios, (3) comparison of inclusion- and flux-derived elements, and (4) classification of inclusion morphology, reliable discrimination was achieved. This study advances forensic analysis of gemstone-related trace evidence and extends to the forensic discrimination and authentication of gemstones beyond emeralds.</p>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"390 ","pages":"113169"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Injuries following accidental low height-falls sustained by children under 1 year of age - A systematic review.","authors":"Léo Guillemin, Stéphane Malbranque, Benoît Delorme, Nathalie Jousset","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.113160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.113160","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Low-height falls are a recurrent cause of accidental trauma in young children. They also represent the most commonly reported history provided by perpetrators of abuse. The study of traumatic injuries resulting from low-height falls is essential to provide the forensic expert with the necessary data to better distinguish accidental falls from cases of inflicted violence. Previously published clinical studies are sometimes contradictory, and systematic reviews on this topic remain scarce.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To describe the traumatic injuries resulting from accidental falls of less than 150 cm in children under 1 year of age, based on data from published clinical studies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a systematic review of the literature published on PubMed in accordance with PRISMA-P guidelines. The risk of bias was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Tools of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven studies met our eligibility criteria, encompassing a total of 2400 children under 1 year of age. Clinically significant injuries were reported in almost 10% of infants, approximately half of which were skull fractures. Outcomes were benign in the vast majority of cases, and no deaths were reported. The included studies were generally of low methodological quality. The reporting of results and the methods used to exclude potential cases of abuse were inconsistent.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Accidental low-height falls in children under 1 year of age are very rarely associated with severe traumatic injuries. Additional clinical studies with more robust methodologies are needed to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"390 ","pages":"113160"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149215342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Striking energy achieved by knee strikes, elbow blows, head butts and fist punches","authors":"Rahel N. Stadler,&nbsp;Wolf Schweitzer,&nbsp;Nicolas Herr,&nbsp;Michael J. Thali,&nbsp;Stephan A. Bolliger","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several studies have examined the force achieved by elite or professional fighters by fist punches and knee strikes, but only a few studies investigated the performance of average young persons without martial arts or boxing experience. Ten healthy men and ten healthy women were required to strike a padded force-measuring plate at a right angle ten times as hard as possible with head butts, fist punches, elbow blows, and knee strikes. Age, sex, body size, and mass were compared to the impact forces generated by the different striking modes. The highest striking force was achieved with knee strikes for both men and women; interestingly, women tended to achieve higher impact forces with knee strikes than men (maximum 2560 N vs 2521 N). Women displayed similar results with fist punches and elbow blows (approx. 500–550 N), whereas men performed best in elbow blows (median 922 N), followed by fist punches (median 721 N), and head butts (median 652 N), with the latter surpassing the women’s median head butt striking force of 372 N. Men achieved higher striking forces than women with head butts, fist punches and, elbow blows but not with knee strikes. Striking force increased with body mass. The average striking force of head butts, fist punches, and elbow blows was below the mean fracture threshold of approximately 1350 N as stated in the literature, knee strikes, on the other hand, easily surpassed the proposed fracture threshold.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"383 ","pages":"Article 112889"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of bone grinding on the quantity and quality of DNA obtained from aged trabecular bones","authors":"Eva Zupan ,&nbsp;Živa Zidarn ,&nbsp;Tamara Leskovar ,&nbsp;Tomaž Zupanc ,&nbsp;Irena Zupanič Pajnič","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112884","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112884","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The process of grinding bone into fine powder is widely used to improve DNA recovery from skeletal material. However, mechanical and thermal stresses generated during grinding may contribute to DNA degradation. To evaluate the effect of bone grinding on the quality and quantity of DNA obtained from aged skeletal remains, 59 paired trabecular-rich metacarpal epiphyses recovered from the post-Second World War mass grave were processed using two extraction approaches: one employing powdered bone and the other intact bone fragments. DNA quantity and quality were evaluated by qPCR PowerQuant analyses, and autosomal STRs were typed to assess genotyping success. Our results revealed significantly higher DNA yield in bone powder than in bone fragments. The degradation index (Auto/Deg ratio) and allele drop-outs were greater in fragment samples, indicating higher DNA degradation. STR typing confirmed that powdered samples produced more complete profiles compared to fragments. These findings suggest that mechanical grinding, when performed under controlled conditions with liquid nitrogen cooling, does not impair DNA integrity and enhances recovery efficiency for the tested bone type and methods used. Therefore, despite the simplicity of fragment processing, we recommend grinding for optimal DNA recovery and reliable genetic identification from aged bones when trabecular bones are processed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"383 ","pages":"Article 112884"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Machine learning in forensic toxicology: Concepts, applications and challenges in bioanalysis, ADME, and toxicodynamics","authors":"Katharina Elisabeth Grafinger ,&nbsp;Wolfgang Weinmann ,&nbsp;Daniel Pasin ,&nbsp;Henrik Gréen ,&nbsp;Christophe P. Stove ,&nbsp;Verena Schöning ,&nbsp;Felix Hammann","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112883","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112883","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forensic toxicology focuses on the detection, quantification, and interpretation of medicinal and recreational drugs, other chemicals or poisons, and their metabolites in biological matrices. Chromatography, combined with mass spectrometry (MS), is the most widely used analytical technique. However, forensic toxicology faces increasing analytical challenges due to a continuously changing drug landscape. In particular, the emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has driven the development of more complex analytical methods (e.g., high-resolution mass spectrometry), novel markers (e.g., metabolomics), or innovative screening approaches (e.g., activity-based), which collectively generate vast amounts of data. These challenges include rapid market dynamics with the constant emergence of new chemical scaffolds and modifications, complex fragmentation and metabolic behavior, and limited or delayed access to reference materials- These developments are not limited to NPS alone. Consequently, machine learning (ML) algorithms have increasingly found their way into forensic toxicology. This review discusses various applications of ML methods related to bioanalysis, metabolomics, and toxicodynamics in the context of forensic toxicology. Currently, a major limitation is the compilation of sufficiently large and suitable datasets, which is often constrained by limited availability of real case data, inhomogeneous analytical data, <em>in vivo</em> study designs with small group size (&lt; 10 animals per group), or a low number of included substances. Ultimately, the quality of an ML model relies not only on data quality but also on a thorough understanding of analytical chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, medical case history, and ML design, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in these studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"383 ","pages":"Article 112883"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A proof-of-concept study of the challenges of assessing the impact of crime scene units’ accreditation: Lessons from a difference-in-differences analysis on police finalisation rates in Australia","authors":"Vincent Mousseau ,&nbsp;Marie Morelato ,&nbsp;Claude Roux","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112881","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112881","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since the 1980s, quality management mechanisms gradually emerged in forensic science as a response to the challenges faced by the discipline across the globe. However, in recent years, there has been debates about whether current quality assurance and accreditation frameworks are fit-for-purpose, in particular regarding crime scene examination. Therefore, this proof-of-concept study aims to provide some preliminary empirical insights into this question and explore some of the challenges associated with the assessment of the impact of accreditation of crime scene units under both ISO/IEC 17025 and the AS 5388 quality standards. To do so, open-sourced data drawn from the <em>Report on Government Services</em> (RoGS) were analysed using an exploratory difference-in-difference framework and multiple linear regression models to compare pre- and post-accreditation finalisation rates for various offences, in unaccredited and accredited Australian law enforcement agencies. The findings suggest that, based on the data available and within the methodological limitations of this study, accreditation under the ISO/IEC 17025 quality standard had mostly no significant improvement or decline in finalisation rates. In contrast, accreditation under the AS 5388 quality standard was consistently associated with significantly higher finalisation rates among accredited agencies compared to their non-accredited counterparts. While these results echo ongoing debates and uncertainties regarding the positive and/or negative impacts of accreditation and quality assurance in forensic science (if any), above all, they underscore the challenges of defining clear objectives, developing appropriate metrics, and designing robust methodological approaches for a more comprehensive empirical assessment of their effects. Although finalisation rates alone provide a limited indicator, this study represents a valuable first step toward a systematic evaluation of the impact of quality assurance and accreditation in forensic science.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"382 ","pages":"Article 112881"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146164804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incorrect formula for calculation of likelihood ratios used in forensic anthropology: Comments on Scott & Rogers (2026)","authors":"Geoffrey Stewart Morrison","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scott &amp; Rogers (2026) <span><span>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112673</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> promotes the use of the likelihood-ratio framework in forensic anthropology. This is welcome. Unfortunately, Scott &amp; Rogers (2026) uses an incorrect formula for the calculation of likelihood ratios. This incorrect formula did not originate in Scott &amp; Rogers (2026). It has, for some time, been used in the forensic anthropology literature; an earlier occurrence appears in Steadman et al. (2006) <span><span>https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.20393</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>. Scott &amp; Rogers (2026) also uses confusing language and mathematical notation that are non-standard compared to the norms of the forensic-inference-and-statistics literature. This letter to the editor is offered in the hope that it will help prevent repetition of these problems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"382 ","pages":"Article 112859"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146141642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Possible adverse effects of mining activity on the neurocognitive development of children in the area of Cerro de Pasco (Perú)","authors":"Elton Carreiro-DaCunha ,&nbsp;Lucía Ordóñez-Mayán ,&nbsp;Flaviano Bianchini ,&nbsp;José Ignacio Muñoz-Barús","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the last 10 years there have been a number of studies examining the effects of exposure to environmental metal pollution on the population of the area of Cerro de Pasco (Peru). These have documented the prolonged pollution of the area caused by mining activity and recorded its pathological effects on the exposed population. The present work reports associations between the concentrations of metals in the hair of the area's children and their cognitive development, investigates the neurocognitive effects of exposure, and examines the change in environmental metal concentrations over time. Significant differences in hair metal concentrations were detected between exposed (case) and non-exposed (control) populations; in the former, the mean arsenic concentration was three times that of the latter, the cadmium concentration was double, and that of lead six times that of the latter. The mean total IQ of the exposed children was 12.3 points lower than those who were not exposed. Significant correlations were detected between the lead, cadmium, arsenic, manganese and antimony concentrations of the children's (combined exposed and non-exposed) hair and TIQ. In the exposed population, marked increases in hair metal concentrations were recorded between 2016 and 2018 (200 %), later falling by 2021 (though still exceeding the 2016 concentrations). Multivariate analyses involving big data are required to determine the covariables that influence the development of TIQ in exposed children, and to determine whether high toxic metal concentrations are an independent risk factor for cognitive deficit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"382 ","pages":"Article 112861"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146141594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wischnewsky spots relate to ketosis/ketoacidosis regardless of the cause of death – A systematic autopsy study","authors":"Lasse Pakanen ,&nbsp;Kie Horioka ,&nbsp;Raimo Ketola ,&nbsp;Pirkko Kriikku ,&nbsp;Katja Porvari","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wischnewsky spots are considered strongly associated with postmortem diagnosis of hypothermia with an unclear pathophysiology. Recent studies have suggested an association between Wischnewsky spots and diabetic ketoacidosis, yet no systematic data exist about Wischnewsky spots in other ketotic states besides hypothermia. To elucidate the pathogenesis of Wischnewsky spots, we studied their presence in relation to ketosis/ketoacidosis, glucose, urine catecholamines, and toxicological factors.</div><div>We included all medicolegal autopsies (n = 1903) with an ancillary glucose metabolism assay in the database of Forensic Medicine Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland in 2019–2023. Cases were divided into hypothermia deaths, diabetes-related deaths, alcohol-related deaths, and other causes of death. The presence and extent of Wischnewsky spots were estimated from the autopsy reports. Concentrations of β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB), glucose, ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline, and the presence of cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitors were assessed.</div><div>Mean BHB concentrations were higher with sparse, moderate, or extensive Wischnewsky spots compared with those with no Wischnewsky spots documented. Odds ratios for Wischnewsky spots were 3.7 with BHB concentration ≥ 0.5 mmol/L, 3.6 with BHB concentration &gt; 2.5 mmol/L, 4.8 with positive blood acetone, 3.6 with positive urine acetone, and 2.2 with adrenaline-noradrenaline ratio &gt; 0.1876.</div><div>Our findings showed a clear, concentration-dependent association between BHB concentration and the presence of Wischnewsky spots irrespective of the underlying cause of death. Our results indicate that Wischnewsky spots are linked to disturbances in glucose metabolism, not exclusively to hypothermia, highlighting the diagnostic importance of postmortem BHB measurement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"382 ","pages":"Article 112870"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Less lethal projectile wound pattern identification using synthetic skin","authors":"Geoffrey T. Desmoulin ,&nbsp;Marc-André Nolette ,&nbsp;Theodore E. Milner","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112862","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112862","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Less lethal munitions are frequently used for crowd control during protests and riots. The injuries inflicted by impacts from less lethal projectiles can range from minor contusions to severe head trauma. Two common types of less lethal projectiles are beanbag rounds and foam rounds. Both have been frequently deployed in crowd control scenarios and have been occasionally responsible for severe head injuries (Rajaram et al., 2022). Forensic investigations may be required to determine the type of less lethal projectile responsible for an injury. In an effort to develop a reliable, cost-effective approach to address this issue, we have conducted preliminary tests in which less lethal projectiles were fired at targets covered with synthetic skin. The objective of the study was to determine whether the defect patterns created by the less lethal projectile impacts could provide a means of distinguishing between scalp wounds created by beanbag rounds and foam rounds. Our preliminary tests were able to identify several features of the defect patterns which indicate the utility of synthetic skin as substrate for differentiating between scalp wounds due to impacts between these two types of less lethal projectiles. In particular, we found that the size of the defect, the extent of the penetration, the likelihood of laceration and the presence of stippling were features that distinguished beanbag round impacts from foam round impacts</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"382 ","pages":"Article 112862"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146156714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}