Forensic science international最新文献

{"title":"Volabolomics' innovative evidence technique could have changed the outcome of the ‘painter murder’ sentence?","authors":"Andrea Mazzatenta ,&nbsp;Tiziana Pietragelo ,&nbsp;Roberto Demontis ,&nbsp;Cristiana Valentini ,&nbsp;Andrea Berti ,&nbsp;Michele Ciulla ,&nbsp;Pietro Di Profio ,&nbsp;Marcello Locatelli ,&nbsp;Cristian d’Ovidio","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the context of forensic science, advances in trace identification are a crucial aspect. A recent advance in the investigation of Volabolomic science highlights the possibility of using Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as evidence. In this paper, we applied experimental research on VOCs to forensic investigations, translating the method to a real murder case. Volabolomic data recordings were made using an electronic nose (e-nose) sensor. We tested, under conditions mimicking the true circumstances of a murder, the emission of VOCs from plastic bags and their permeability to the gases of cadaveric decay, <em>Volaboloma mortis</em>. All types of plastic bags used release VOCs, with slight differences depending on the material and processing method. In addition, all bags allow permeation to VOCs, in a consistent manner, enabling a higher permeation rate between 48 and 72 hours. These results highlight the importance of studying Volabolomic traces, which could enable a breakthrough in crime scene analysis by enriching it with a new set of measurable evidence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"371 ","pages":"Article 112464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143899643","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":"Hide and seek with falsified medicines: Current challenges and physico-chemical and biological approaches for tracing the origin of trafficked products","authors":"Carla Perez-Mon ,&nbsp;Cathrin Hauk ,&nbsp;Alberto Roncone ,&nbsp;Luana Bontempo ,&nbsp;Simon D. Kelly ,&nbsp;Céline Caillet ,&nbsp;Michael Deats ,&nbsp;Rob Ogden ,&nbsp;Paul N. Newton","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The criminal trafficking of falsified medical products is a worldwide, yet still largely overlooked, public health problem. A falsified medicine fraudulently misrepresents its identity, composition and/or source, often being ineffective or toxic for patients. Although techniques have been developed to detect falsified medicines, it remains a challenge to trace where- and by whom- the products are manufactured. We aim to discuss plausible biological and physico-chemical analytical techniques that could reveal information about the origin of medical falsifications. We first provide a brief overview on the prevalence, criminal activities, health impacts and (bio)chemical features of falsified medical products. We then explore diverse laboratory approaches, that are used in food fraud, illicit drug and wildlife trafficking investigations, and discuss how they could be combined and redirected towards tracing falsified medicine origin and hence empowering enforcement to counter this pernicious but neglected global health problem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112474"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843964","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":"X-STR analysis: Allele and haplotype diversity in the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina","authors":"Amela Pilav ,&nbsp;Naris Pojskic ,&nbsp;Belma Jusic ,&nbsp;Mirela Dzehverovic ,&nbsp;Abdurahim Kalajdzic ,&nbsp;Jasmina Cakar","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the aim to improve the present X-STR database regarding the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&amp;H), we report the genetic data from 228 unrelated adults residing in different regions of B&amp;H that were genotyped using the QIAGEN’s Investigator® Argus X-12 kit which detects 12 STR markers distributed over the entire X-chromosome as four distinct linkage groups. Our results indicate that the 12 X-STR loci examined are highly polymorphic in the B&amp;H population. Distribution of allele frequencies, calculated only for female samples, did not show significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p &gt; 0.05). Moreover, PIC values for all analyzed X-STR loci and sample groups proved to be high (PIC≥0.6); the most informative X-STR marker is DXS10135 (for male, female and pooled samples: 0.918647, 0.912071 and 0.918621, respectively) and the most informative linkage group is LG I (PIC = 0.988903076). Also, B&amp;H population was compared to other 14 populations; no significant differences were observed between B&amp;H and neighboring populations of Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia. Contrariwise, the greatest genetic distance was observed in comparison with South African population (0.1449). Overall, this paper is the first report of forensically relevant parameters, allele and haplotype frequencies for the 12 X-STR loci included in the Investigator® Argus X-12 marker system in the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, this study strongly supports the application of X-STR markers for human identification, provides new insights into the genetic structure of contemporary population and contributes to the existing database of B&amp;H population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112472"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143847588","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":"MicroRNA transcriptome analysis for post-mortem interval estimation","authors":"Haneul Lee ,&nbsp;Eun Ju Lee ,&nbsp;Kwangmin Park ,&nbsp;Dong Geon Lee ,&nbsp;Ah Yeoung Kim ,&nbsp;Sunyoung Park ,&nbsp;Jungho Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) is a critical aspect of forensic science; however, current methods often lack precision because of the variability in external and internal factors. This study investigated the potential use of microRNAs (miRNAs) as stable molecular biomarkers for PMI estimation. We analysed the miRNA expression profiles in myocardial tissue from 18 BALB/c mice sampled at six PMIs (0, 12, 24, 36, 48 h, and 6 d) using high-throughput sequencing and qRT-PCR. In total, 154 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were identified, of which 55 were upregulated and 99 were downregulated. Five upregulated (miR-206–3p, miR-200a-3p, miR-205–5p, miR-200b-3p, miR-429–3p) and four downregulated (miR-541–5p, miR-455–3p, miR-30c-5p, and miR-149–5p) apoptosis-related miRNAs were validated through qRT-PCR analysis, indicating their potential as supportive biomarkers in PMI estimation. Gene ontology analysis revealed their involvement in processes such as cardiac muscle cell proliferation, nuclear migration, and miRNA metabolic regulation. Linear regression models demonstrated significant correlations between specific miRNA expression levels and the PMI. These findings provide a molecular basis that may contribute to improving PMI estimation accuracy and supporting forensic methodologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112473"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143839308","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":"Development of a methamphetamine chemical profiling program in Quebec, Canada for use in an intelligence perspective","authors":"Marina Charest ,&nbsp;Martine Lamarche ,&nbsp;Marie-Joëlle Prévost ,&nbsp;Pierre Esseiva","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper describes a new method for the chemical profiling of seized methamphetamine tablets. This method was performed for the first time in Quebec, Canada, at the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale (LSJML, Provincial Forensic Laboratory). The main objective was to provide information related to the production and trafficking of methamphetamine tablets in the province of Quebec. Samples were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and 12 relevant impurities were selected to establish the chemical class. Data were pretreated by the normalization to the sum of peak responses followed by the square roots. The Manhattan distance was then calculated between population of linked samples and unlinked samples. The method proved to efficiently discriminate between the two populations. A comprehensive database containing the profiles of all analyzed samples was established and continues to be updated. The database incorporates information about purity, chemical class, presence of cutting agents and physical characteristics of each specimen. If systematically applied, this methodology should highlight connections between ongoing cases and those stored in the database, as well as facilitate comparisons between preselected cases based on traditional police casework. Integrating the results of methamphetamine tablet chemical profiling with other pertinent law enforcement data will yield valuable tactical and operational intelligence as well as strategic intelligence. This project brings an additional tool to investigators with the differentiation of linked and unlinked methamphetamine specimens. Although further research is required to determine the tool’s capacity to understand methamphetamine production and distribution networks, it shows potential for contributing to efforts against illicit production and trafficking in the province of Quebec, Canada.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112470"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828489","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":"Development, validation and applications of a GC/MS method for the simultaneous determination of 9 amphetamines and 12 NPS analogues in blood and urine","authors":"Christoforos Bouzoukas ,&nbsp;Panagiota Nikolaou ,&nbsp;Sotirios Athanaselis ,&nbsp;Artemisia Dona ,&nbsp;Chara Spiliopoulou ,&nbsp;Ioannis Papoutsis","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112469","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112469","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), synthetic cathinones (SCs) and phenethylamines (PEAs) pose a challenge to toxicology laboratories. Their extensive use and misuse has led to an increase of intoxications and fatal incidents worldwide. So, the need for new analytical methods for their determination in biological samples is crucial for all toxicology laboratories for a better investigation of these cases. The aim of this study was the development and validation of an analytical method for the determination of 9 ATS, 7 SCs and 5 PEAs in whole blood and urine using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The samples were pretreated by solid-phase extraction and derivatized with pentafluoropropionic anhydride. Chromatographic separation of the 21 analytes was achieved in less than 11 min. The method was validated according to international guidelines for selectivity, specificity, linearity, limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs), precision, accuracy and recovery of the method. The LODs of the analytes ranged from 0.70 to 7.0 ng/mL and the values of the LOQs ranged from 2.0 to 20 ng/mL. The linearity of the 21 analytes, according to the group of substances, were 2.0 ng/mL – 0.20 μg/mL, 5.0 ng/mL – 0.50 μg/mL, 10 ng/mL – 0.50 μg/mL and 20 ng/mL – 0.50 μg/mL with R² values &gt; 0.99. Extraction recoveries were &gt; 80 % for all analytes. Intra and inter day accuracy and precision of the method were within accepted limits. The developed method was applied to post-mortem blood and urine samples of 46 forensic cases sent for toxicological investigation to the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The results of the analyses revealed the presence of methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA, MDA, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine or MBDB in 14 cases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112469"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835006","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":"Factors affecting the accuracy of blood alcohol determinations in clinical and forensic laboratories in Italy: Results of a 7-year proficiency testing study","authors":"Luca Zamengo ,&nbsp;Gianpaola Tedeschi ,&nbsp;Giampietro Frison ,&nbsp;Denis Badocco ,&nbsp;Carlo Griffoni ,&nbsp;Diego Ponzin ,&nbsp;Alan Wayne Jones","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The results of a 7-year proficiency study involving Italian laboratories measuring blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are reported. Two blood samples spiked with known amounts of ethanol were sent for analysis twice per year to approximately 50 laboratories across Italy. The blood samples were prepared according to ISO standards, which included optimized transport and storage conditions to ensure ethanol stability. Participants completed an online questionnaire detailing their analytical results along with other analytical details, including the use of GC-FID or GC-MS, storage temperature, time between sample delivery and analysis, reference materials, replicate determinations, and volume of blood aliquot. The participants also confirmed whether or not they were accredited and what the measurement uncertainty was for determination of BAC. The results from analysis of 1171 blood samples (after elimination of outliers) were evaluated by calculating z-scores using robust statistical methods. The inter-laboratory standard deviation (SD) increased with blood alcohol concentration (r = 0.94, p &lt; 0.001). Notably, a significant reduction in robust SD was observed between 2017 and 2023 (p = 0.01). The use of matrix-matched certified reference materials gave more accurate results with mean z-scores closer to zero. The choice of analytical method, storage conditions, time delays, and laboratory accreditation did not significantly influence z-scores. This study revealed that regular participation in inter-laboratory proficiency programs did contribute to improving analytical performance. The choice of certified reference material was the principal determinant of the accuracy of the results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112471"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820719","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":"The persistence of bloodstains on buried fabrics and robustness of the leucomalachite green test in detecting aged bloodstains on buried fabrics","authors":"Cenya Russell,&nbsp;Aaron Opoku Amankwaa","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112463","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112463","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the persistence and detection of bloodstains in different casework scenarios can inform the development of appropriate examination strategies, prioritisation of exhibits for DNA analysis, interpretation of test results, and evidence evaluation. This study investigated how soil burial impacts the persistence and detection of bloodstains on cotton, polyester, and wool fabrics over 9 weeks. Bloodstained fabric samples were buried in topsoil and evaluated weekly using the Leucomalachite Green (LMG) test, rated on a scale from 1 to 5 for colour intensity. Surface-level fabrics were compared to buried fabrics to assess burial effects on persistence of bloodstains and performance of the LMG test. Bloodstains on fabrics showed significant degradation and loss over a 9-week burial period, with wool being the most persistent, followed by polyester and cotton. Kruskal-Wallis H tests revealed significant differences in colour intensity scores by fabric type and burial duration (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Mann-Whitney U tests indicated significant differences between fabric types (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) and notable degradation and loss from week 1 onward (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). These findings are vital as it showed that the LMG test is not robust in detecting aged bloodstains from buried cotton and polyester textiles. Further, in combination with other blood markers (such as DNA or RNA), the persistence pattern observed using the LMG test could potentially inform the estimation of time since deposition of stains. The data generated can inform best practices for the prioritisation of buried exhibits for DNA analysis and storage of recovered buried clothing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112463"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817475","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":"Investigation of iron oxide powders for use in powder suspension formulations in fingermark development","authors":"Margaret Maroon,&nbsp;Lumikki Clover Ree,&nbsp;Scott Chadwick","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A powder suspension (PS) is a fine powder dispersed through a detergent and water solution. It is typically used for treating latent fingermarks on both wetted and dry adhesive, semi or nonporous surfaces. Iron oxide powder suspensions (FePS) are recommended on light non-porous surfaces and adhesive surfaces but is not commercially available. This type of PS is therefore more customisable as different iron oxide powders can be used on a range of surface types. This overall aim was to examine a variety of different iron oxide powders and investigate the impact that variations can have on fingermark development with FePS. This research was divided into two stages to understand the general performance of the iron oxide component in FePS. The first stage of this research examined the iron oxide powder in both its dry form and as a powder suspension. This stage found all iron oxide powders were more effective when applied as a suspension rather than its dry powder form. Microscopically, a clear difference between the powder selectivity of both techniques was visually observed, with the FePS technique producing more selective powder deposition than the dry powder. The optimised FePS formulation from stage 1 was then compared to the current recommended formulation in stage 2. A red iron (III) oxide PS, which has not been previously examined in literature had the best overall results in both stages and was shown to have an increased percentage of identifiable mark quality on all examined substrates, outperforming both old and new recommended FePS powders when mixed with 10 % Tween 20 surfactant. However, the recommended nano FePS was more suitable for the adhesive tape surface due to the iron (III) oxide PS having strong background development. The use of suspensions on wetted fingermarks was also examined in stage 2 and was found to not have a great impact on fingermark quality on the glass and plastic surfaces, and all formulations successfully developed fingermarks up to 1 month old. From these findings it can be stated that the type of iron oxide powder greatly influences the quality of marks that are produced with FePS. Hence, different iron oxide powders for PS do require a closer examination under the new surfactant formulation recommended.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143823218","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":"Age determination in domestic dogs using cementum annuli: Validity and methodology","authors":"Yaren Çetin ,&nbsp;Emine Keskin ,&nbsp;Barış Batur ,&nbsp;Ozan Gündemir ,&nbsp;Özge Özgenç Çınar ,&nbsp;Ahmet Ceylan ,&nbsp;Caner Bakıcı","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Age determination is an important part of forensic investigations and is used for assessment of population dynamics for animals and humans, understanding environmental conditions and so on. Age determinations using cementum annuli have been utilized for wild animals but have never been used for domestic dogs. The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of the method for domestic dogs and demonstrate the presence of cementum annuli. Ten domestic dogs were used for this experiment. The teeth were extracted from skulls via boiling and both mandibular and maxillary teeth were utilized. All teeth were decalcified using 10 % formic acid and 10 % formaldehyde solution. The decalcified teeth were embedded in paraffin and cut in 15 µm thickness. After staining with hematoxylin, the annuli were counted manually. The results obtained from this study suggest that domestic dogs indeed have cementum annuli and the annuli are countable, the number of annuli in teeth is compatible with the ages of animals, and canines of the same dogs show the same results meaning all canine teeth can be used for the age determination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"370 ","pages":"Article 112465"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792826","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}