Forensic science international最新文献

{"title":"Association of commingled human skeletal remains by their elemental profile using handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy","authors":"Kelsi Kuehn ,&nbsp;Kristen M. Livingston ,&nbsp;Jonathan D. Bethard ,&nbsp;Matthieu Baudelet","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When multiple sets of skeletonized human remains exist in the same context, they can become commingled due to multifactorial circumstances that affect the postmortem environment. Numerous techniques exist for reassociating commingled skeletal remains (e.g., visual pair-matching, and osteometric pair-matching); however, the scale of commingled skeletal assemblages influences the effectiveness of these approaches. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has recently been proposed as a rapid technique for obtaining elemental signatures from skeletal elements of multiple individuals and then reassociating those elements with their correct individual. This study evaluates the potential of portable LIBS as a useful tool for reassociating commingled human skeletal remains in forensic contexts. In this study six skeletons drawn from the donated skeletal collection at the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science, at the University of South Florida, were used to assess whether LIBS data could be used to reassociate multiple skeletal elements from the same individual. LIBS data were collected at 206 anatomical locations from 28 individual bones across each skeleton in the sample. LIBS data were reassigned to their individual with an accuracy of 91 % using quadratic discriminant analysis of dimensionally reduced data (via principal component analysis). The study demonstrates that portable LIBS has potential for reassociating commingled human skeletal remains from forensic contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112312"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142791488","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":"Identification and discrimination of human keratinized tissues using ATR-FTIR and chemometrics","authors":"Arathy NV ,&nbsp;Mebin Wilson Thomas ,&nbsp;Hana Fathima ,&nbsp;Drisya Dinesh ,&nbsp;Suchita Rawat","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112356","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112356","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In forensic investigations, human keratinized tissues like skin and nails are commonly encountered as trace evidence, yet the use of vibrational spectroscopy for their identification and differentiation has been underexplored. This research utilized ATR-FTIR to distinguish between human nails and skin samples collected from a group of 50 participants, employing advanced chemometric analysis techniques. The spectral signatures of human keratinized tissues, such as nails and skin, exhibit similarities consistent with previous studies. Chemometric analysis aimed at distinguishing these tissues showed that the PLS-DA model achieved an overall accuracy of 67 % with an AUC score of 0.65, while the SVM model had an overall accuracy of 56 % with an AUC score of 0.71. For sex identification, the PLS-DA model demonstrated an overall accuracy of 83 % with an AUC value of 1, whereas the SVM model achieved an overall accuracy of 100 % with an AUC score of 1. The study underscores the potential of ATR-FTIR coupled with chemometrics in the precise identification and differentiation of human keratinized tissue, thereby enhancing the capabilities of forensic investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112356"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947092","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":"Investigating 3-CMC metabolism: Insights from liver microsomes and postmortem biological matrix","authors":"Catherine Feliu ,&nbsp;Elodie Hattat ,&nbsp;Yannick Tholance ,&nbsp;Sophie Hodin ,&nbsp;Julia Pipet ,&nbsp;Tania Panther ,&nbsp;Carolyne Bidat ,&nbsp;Xavier Delavenne","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112364","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112364","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>3-Chloromethcathinone (3-CMC) is a synthetic cathinone that has been identified as a new psychoactive substance (NPS) by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Despite its increasing prevalence in the recreational drug market since 2014, scientific literature on 3-CMC remains limited.</div><div>This study employed a multi-step approach to investigate 3-CMC metabolism. First, an in-silico prediction was conducted to compile a list of potential metabolites. Then, <em>in vitro</em> assays were performed using human liver microsomes at two concentrations of 3-CMC. Samples were analyzed using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography system coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometer. Chromatographic separation was obtained with an Acquity UPLC HSS C18 1.8 µm, 2.1 × 150 mm column on an Ultimate 3000 system chromatography coupled with a QExactivePlus mass spectrometer). Finally, data mining for metabolite identification was conducted using Compound Discoverer software.</div><div>The combined <em>in silico</em> and <em>in vitro</em> approaches identified four primary metabolites of 3-CMC in HLM assays:1) hydroxylation of the aliphatic group to give M1 2) followed by reduction of the β-keto group, yielding M4; 3) N-demethylation, affording M2; and 4) Reduction of the β-keto group, yielding M3.</div><div>Subsequent analysis of biological samples from two postmortem cases revealed that urine was the most informative matrix for detecting 3-CMC and its metabolites. The M3 metabolite, was identified as the third abundant metabolite in human liver microsome but was identified as the predominant metabolite in human postmortem samples. Identifying these key metabolites is crucial for improving the accuracy of forensic investigations and extending the detection window beyond the parent compound.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112364"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947095","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":"Perspectives and opportunities in forensic human, animal, and plant integrative genomics in the Pangenome era","authors":"Guanglin He ,&nbsp;Chao Liu ,&nbsp;Mengge Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112370","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112370","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, the Chinese Pangenome Consortium, and other plant and animal pangenome projects have announced the completion of pilot work aimed at constructing high-quality, haplotype-resolved reference graph genomes representative of global ethno-linguistically different populations or different plant and animal species. These graph-based, gapless pangenome references, which are enriched in terms of genomic diversity, completeness, and contiguity, have the potential for enhancing long-read sequencing (LRS)-based genomic research, as well as improving mappability and variant genotyping on traditional short-read sequencing platforms. We comprehensively discuss the advancements in pangenome-based genomic integrative genomic discoveries across forensic-related species (humans, animals, and plants) and summarize their applications in variant identification and forensic genomics, epigenetics, transcriptomics, and microbiome research. Recent developments in multiplexed array sequencing have introduced a highly efficient and programmable technique to overcome the limitations of short forensic marker lengths in LRS platforms. This technique enables the concatenation of short RNA transcripts and DNA fragments into LRS-optimal molecules for sequencing, assembly, and genotyping. The integration of new pangenome reference coordinates and corresponding computational algorithms will benefit forensic integrative genomics by facilitating new marker identification, accurate genotyping, high-resolution panel development, and the updating of statistical algorithms. This review highlights the necessity of integrating LRS-based platforms, pangenome-based study designs, and graph-based pangenome references in short-read mapping and LRS-based innovations to achieve precision forensic science.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112370"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002742","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 insect exclusion and microbial perturbation on piglet mass loss and total body score","authors":"Donna B. McIntyre ,&nbsp;Benjamin M. Long ,&nbsp;Blake M. Dawson ,&nbsp;Philip S. Barton","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent conceptual and empirical developments in decomposition research have highlighted the intricate dynamics within necrobiome communities and the roles of various decay drivers. Yet the interactions between these factors and their regulatory mechanisms remain relatively unexplored. A comprehensive understanding of this facet of decomposition science is important, given its broad applicability across ecological and forensic disciplines, and current lack of research which investigates the inter-dependencies between two critical components of the necrobiome (the microbiome and insect activity), and the consequences of this interdependency on mass loss and total body score. Here we investigated the relationships among these key aspects of the decay process. We experimentally manipulated these variables by physically excluding insects and chemically perturbing the external microbiome of piglet (<em>Sus scrofa</em>) carcasses and quantified the effects on mass loss and total body score, as well as insect pre-appearance interval and colonisation. We found that piglets in the insect excluded and microbially perturbed treatment groups exhibited a significant delay in reaching 50 + % of mass loss compared with control piglets with insect access and intact microbiome. However, only remains with insects excluded displayed a significantly slower rate of total mass loss throughout the majority of the experiment <em>and</em> remained a significantly higher mass at the endpoint of 11,000 accumulative degree hours. Additionally, all insect excluded and microbially perturbed treatment groups displayed significantly lower total body scores compared to control piglets at corresponding time points. We also observed a significant delay in insect pre-appearance interval and colonisation for piglets with perturbed microbiomes compared to control piglets. Our findings demonstrate the significance of interacting components of the necrobiome, and the power of manipulative experiments in revealing causal relationships between biota and decomposition rates. These considerations are paramount for developing accurate post-mortem interval estimations and a comprehensive understanding of ecological processes during decomposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112336"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142791489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heavy metal levels in postmortem blood samples: Unraveling links to suicide and neurological impacts","authors":"Fatma Tuğba Erkman ,&nbsp;Mahmut Şerif Yıldırım ,&nbsp;Suna Sabuncuoğlu ,&nbsp;Canan Demi̇r ,&nbsp;Bülent Deği̇rmenci̇ ,&nbsp;Gözde Gi̇rgi̇n ,&nbsp;Nevriye Tezer ,&nbsp;Merve Çapacı ,&nbsp;Ali Rıza Tümer ,&nbsp;Ramazan Akcan","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112390","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112390","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study investigates the relationship between heavy metal exposure and suicidal behavior. Specifically, it examines whether postmortem blood levels of heavy metals and trace elements can serve as distinguishing factors in suicide cases.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 108 postmortem cases were examined, consisting of 70 suicide cases and 38 non-suicidal control cases. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Cadmium (Cd), Antimony (Sb), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), Molybdenum (Mo), Cobalt (Co), Arsenic (As), Nickel (Ni), and Mercury (Hg) using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney U tests and multivariate linear regression, were performed to assess differences between the groups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant differences in the levels of Cu, Zn, Mo, Co, and As were observed between the suicide and control groups. Individuals residing in urban areas showed higher levels of Cd and Hg compared to those in rural areas. Elevated concentrations of heavy metals and trace elements, particularly Cd, Hg, Cu, Zn, and As, were associated with suicide cases.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The study suggests that heavy metal exposure, especially in urban environments, may play a significant role in suicidal behavior. The findings highlight the potential of certain heavy metal and trace element levels in postmortem blood samples as distinctive markers for suicide cases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112390"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074289","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":"Radiocarbon and bomb pulse dating in the forensic context: A systematic review","authors":"Chantal Milani ,&nbsp;Luca Tomassini ,&nbsp;Cristiana Gambelunghe ,&nbsp;Niccolò Pini ,&nbsp;Lucio Calcagnile ,&nbsp;Gianluca Quarta ,&nbsp;Marisa D’Elia ,&nbsp;Roberto Scendoni ,&nbsp;Piergiorgio Fedeli ,&nbsp;Massimo Lancia","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112367","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112367","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Radiocarbon analysis in bones, particularly through Bomb Pulse dating, is an essential tool in forensic investigations for estimating the postmortem interval of human remains. However, there are some limitations related to the interpretation of laboratory data, since this can differ from the Post Mortem Interval by many years, depending on the anatomical district and the bone part sampled, as well as the age of the individual and other parameters, since these elements influence bone turnover. In recent years, many studies have been conducted, but with non-standardized data and on limited samples. Therefore there is a need (experienced by the authors themselves in daily forensic practice when only bones are available) to summarize in a single work the data spread in the literature and try to standardize data, as much as possible, with limitation to forensic case only, in a review that is not only critical, but also systematic, in order to have specific and ready to use information for the interpretation of laboratory results. This work, therefore, not only aims to highlight the complexity and the need for standardized methodologies on multiple types of tissue for future research, but also to be an immediate help to refine the interpretation of the results provided by radiocorabion in order to have a Post Mortem Interval as reliable as possible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112367"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Technical note: A silenced hybrid 3D-printed self-loading pistol of the YEET family","authors":"Pieter De Schutter,&nbsp;Elise Heymans","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112365","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since the release of the first 3D-printed firearm, \"The Liberator,\" the occurrence of 3D-printed firearms in criminal activities has increased, highlighting the need for forensic research on these weapons. This study presents a technical examination of a 3D-printed firearm received by the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC), focusing on its design, ballistic performance, and its potential for microscopic comparative analysis. The firearm, resembling a 3D-printed pistol Yeet22, is primarily constructed from polymer parts, with the exception of the firing pin, barrel, and various springs and screws. Notably, this firearm includes a previously undescribed sound suppressor. Velocity tests revealed that the bullet velocity was lower than that of a standard .22 LR firearm, yet still high enough to be lethal at its maximum speed. Forensic examination of the fired cartridge cases showed distinguishable chamber marks, facilitating comparative analysis. Comparisons of the striation marks on the reference bullets was also possible although only for bullets fired in close sequence to each other. However, the reliability of this 3D-printed firearm was found to be significantly lower than conventional firearms. These observations underline the challenges and importance of forensic investigations of 3D-printed firearms, as they become more prevalent in criminal contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112365"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142970328","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":"Corrigendum to “The Doppelgänger effect? A comparative study of forensic facial depiction methods”[Forensic Sci. Int. 356 (2024) 111935]","authors":"Kathryn Smith ,&nbsp;Caroline Wilkinson","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112229","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142282809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the protein modification and degradation under the influence of petrol and kerosene","authors":"Jennifer Johnson ,&nbsp;Satish Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During any crime scene investigation, forensic experts gather a variety of evidence in various forms, often degraded, contaminated, or fragmentary in nature. Arson-associated suicide or homicidal cases often result in partial or complete burning of this evidence, making the acquisition of crucial information more challenging. Proteins found in biological samples serve as crucial sources of evidence in criminal investigations due to their abundance within the body and greater stability than another biological macromolecule. Protein based technologies are gaining momentum for investigating wide range of forensic cases. In the present study, we probed different modifications in chicken protein subjecting after burning with petrol and kerosene individually. Structural changes and modifications in burnt chicken meat protein samples were analyzed by various biophysical techniques, such as absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Gel-based method such as electrophoresis was performed which showed different degradation patterns under the influence of petrol and kerosene. Our results showed that petrol-exposed meat sample caused higher rate of protein degradation than kerosene exposed samples, over a period of 12 days. Prevalent oxidative modifications, including increased carbonylation and decreased thiol levels were observed in both petrol and kerosene treated sample attributing oxidative stress environment caused by burning. Present study highlights that petrol is more potent in causing damage and protein modification than kerosene. Furthermore, this study elucidates the application of protein-based methods in forensic science, which can serve as a corroborative approach in ascertaining the cause of death in cases of burning, particularly where fuel has been utilized.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112379"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143046179","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}