Forensic science international最新文献

{"title":"Indoor domestic canine scavenging: A literature review","authors":"Elena Giovannini ,&nbsp;Simone Santelli ,&nbsp;Carla Bini ,&nbsp;Mariana Roccaro ,&nbsp;Angelo Peli ,&nbsp;Susi Pelotti ,&nbsp;Paolo Fais","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scavenging occurs whenever a body is accessible to animals which depredate post-mortem, leading to tissue modification and consumption. In forensic investigations, the consequences of indoor scavenging are associated with the capacity of dogs to destroy or scatter body parts, creating post-mortem artefacts that pose challenges for forensic pathologists and veterinarians in determining the cause and dynamics of death and the time of death estimation. The purpose of this study is to provide a literature review on the forensic implications of indoor domestic dog scavenging, in order to discuss victim and dog characteristics, injury patterns, and identification methods. The literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science from January 1950 to March 2024. Eligible studies have investigated issues of interest (forensic veterinary medicine, forensic pathology, forensic genetics). A total of 38 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review and they were organized and discussed by issue of interest (Victim risk factors, assessment of canine behavioral and physical conditions, anatomical distribution of post-mortem injuries, assessment of ante-mortem injuries and setting, identification of scavenging dog). The findings of this systematic review underscore the importance of paying particular attention to the condition of the individuals involved, especially isolated elderly individuals, as well as to the results of physical examinations and autopsies. These may provide crucial information regarding the distribution and vitality of lesions. Additionally, the potential benefits of a multidisciplinary approach are emphasized, based on close cooperation between veterinarians, crime scene personnel, medicolegal experts, and prosecutors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112341"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142817527","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":"Physical injury in men after sexual assault: An analysis of 137 cases","authors":"D. Kane ,&nbsp;R. Daly ,&nbsp;J. Walshe ,&nbsp;N. Maher ,&nbsp;C. Pucllio ,&nbsp;D. Richardson ,&nbsp;K. Flood ,&nbsp;M. Eogan","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Data on the prevalence of physical injury in men who experience sexual assault are under-represented in the literature; the aim of this study is to inform this knowledge gap. It is vital that forensic examiners have access to up-to-date information regarding the prevalence of genito-anal and extra-genital injury, specific to their examination method (i.e. with or without proctoscopy), as well as any associations with injury in order to provide optimal responsive care and accurate testimony in the context of written and oral evidence.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This is a cross-sectional study analysing the attendances of all males who attended the Dublin Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) for a forensic examination between 1/1/2017 and 31/12/2023.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>During the study period there were 2495 attendances. Of these, 199 (8.0 %) were male, with 68.8 % (n = 137/199) undergoing a forensic examination. Within this cohort, genito-anal injury was identified in 19.7 % (n = 27/137). Anal injury was present in 14.6 % (n = 20/137) and genital injury was present in 5.8 % (n = 8/137). For those who disclosed completed anal penetration (either penile-anal, digital-anal penetration or object-anal penetration) and who underwent proctoscopic examination (n = 53) the injury rate was 24.5 % (n = 13/53). Extra-genital injuries were present in 40.1 % (n = 55/137).</div><div>Those who had a genito-anal injury were significantly more likely to have been the victim of a multiple perpetrator assault (OR2.72 CI1.05–6.97 p = 0.03). Those who had extra-genital injuries were significantly more likely to have attended within 24 hours of the incident (OR2.89 CI1.03–4.22 p = 0.03). No other incident detail was found to have an association with the presence of genito-anal or extra-genital injury.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Genital injuries and/or anal injuries were absent in a large proportion of men after sexual assault. Extra-genital injuries were found in a higher proportion of men. It is anticipated that these findings will better inform society, the police and also assist forensic examiners in providing accurate and informed prevalence rates for medico-legal evidence in the criminal justice system. These findings also underscore the importance of comprehensive medical examinations and timely medical intervention for assault victims, highlighting the need for targeted support and care strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112340"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142822072","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":"Field validation of post-mortem interval estimation based on insect development. Part 2: Pre-appearance interval, expert evidence selection and accuracy baseline data","authors":"Szymon Matuszewski ,&nbsp;Anna Mądra-Bielewicz","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This is the second part of the results from the field experiment aimed at validating PMI estimation based on insect evidence. First, we investigated the accuracy gains of PMI after supplementing age estimates with PAI. Second, we compared the impact on PMI of various ways, in which an expert selects insect evidence for the estimation. Third, we provided baseline data regarding the accuracy of PMI as estimated using different methods, insect species and life stages. Insects were sampled from nine pig carcasses exposed in a forest habitat, one carcass every one or two months, with 8–11 samples taken from each carcass using standard techniques. It was found that insect age alone clearly underestimates the true PMI across insect species and life stages. When age estimates were supplemented with PAI, the estimated PMI became generally significantly closer to the true PMI. Averaging PMI across multiple different pieces of evidence yielded more accurate estimates than using single evidence. The best single evidence method tested in this study, i.e. the use of the oldest evidence from the latest colonizing species, yielded the average PMI errors of about 22 % or 25 % (depending on the type of PAI used). For the best multiple evidence method, i.e. averaging PMI for late life stages of early colonizing species and early life stages of late colonizing species, these errors were about 13 % and 16 %. PMI ranges derived using 30 % error rate covered a true PMI in 95 % of cases but only for the best multiple evidence methods. These results demonstrate that the compound entomological method for estimating PMI (including age and PAI estimates), when applied to mock human death cases, is satisfactorily accurate. Moreover, the present findings highlight the importance of PAI and the great benefits of using multiple insect evidence to estimate PMI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112316"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142779765","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":"Automated identification of impact spatters and fly spots with a residual neural network","authors":"Lihong Chen ,&nbsp;Yaoren Zhu ,&nbsp;Chuang Ma ,&nbsp;Zhou Lyu","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In criminal investigations, distinguishing between impact spatters and fly spots presents a challenge due to their morphological similarities. Traditional methods of bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) rely significantly on the expertise of professional examiners, which can result in limitations including low identification efficiency, high misjudgment rates, and susceptibility to external disturbances. To enhance the accuracy and scientific rigor of identifying impact spatters and fly spots, this study employed artificial intelligence techniques in image recognition and transfer learning. Two types of bloodstains obtained from simulation experiments were utilized as datasets, and a pre-trained neural network, ResNet-18, was employed for feature extraction. The original fully connected layer was replaced, and a new fully connected layer with a dimensionality of 2 was introduced to fulfil the task requirements. The results demonstrate that the transfer learning network model, based on ResNet-18, achieved a maximum accuracy of 93 % in morphologically identifying impact spatters and fly spots. The objective is to assist crime scene investigators and BPA analysts to identify bloodstains at homicide scenes conveniently, rapidly and accurately, thereby furnishing scientific evidence for scene reconstruction and advancing BPA toward intelligent practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112354"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142893233","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":"Retrospective review of forensic entomology casework in eastern Australia from 1994 to 2022","authors":"Matt N. Krosch ,&nbsp;Nikolas P. Johnston ,&nbsp;Kirby Law ,&nbsp;James F. Wallman ,&nbsp;Melanie S. Archer","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forensic entomology can be a crucial source of information for medicolegal investigations, with its most well-known application being for estimating minimum post-mortem interval (mPMI) in death investigations. The analysis of entomological evidence requires robust data on insect ecology, life history, behaviour, and taxonomy. In Australia, substantial basic research on forensically relevant insects has focused predominately in the populous southeast and southwest; however, knowledge gaps remain, most importantly for the tropical north. In addition, there are scant casework data available publicly, which limits the ability of practitioners to make connections between fundamental research and real-world casework and hampers refinement of analytical methods and techniques. To address this gap, this project collated and analysed data from expert forensic entomological casework reports for five eastern Australia jurisdictions (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland) for a period spanning nearly thirty years (1994–2022). Relevant data extracted from casework reports included species and life stages collected, various decedent and case characteristics, type of opinion requested and estimated mPMI. These data were used to explore associations between species composition and geographical region, surrounding environment, season, and decedent characteristics (e.g., wounds). Additionally, the accuracy and investigative ‘value’ of mPMI estimates was assessed, which demonstrated that entomology-derived timeframes are largely reliable and highly informative. Finally, we report the first records in Australian casework for several species and highlight several areas that require additional research to fill critical gaps in our knowledge. Overall, this review represents highly practical real-world data that will be of enduring benefit to the forensic community.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112355"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143097942","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":"Carbon and hydrogen isotope analysis of triacetone triperoxide using solid-phase microextraction coupled to GC-IRMS","authors":"Weiya Xie ,&nbsp;Jun Zhu ,&nbsp;Can Hu ,&nbsp;Hongcheng Mei ,&nbsp;Hongling Guo ,&nbsp;Ping Wang ,&nbsp;Yajun Li ,&nbsp;Xianhe Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The source inference of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) is of great significance in the fight against crime. Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is a reliable method for accurately measuring the isotope ratio, and it has been successfully used to differentiate and trace various explosives, including TATP. However, the current studies are not suitable for analyzing trace amounts of TATP in complex matrices. The matrix at the explosion site is complex, with severe interference and low levels of explosive residues, which makes it difficult to extract the explosive residues. Therefore, an effective method for extracting and enriching TATP is necessary before conducting IRMS analysis. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is an efficient extraction technology that combines extraction, concentration and sample injection. In this study, SPME-gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) method based on isoreticular metal-organic framework-8 (IRMOF-8) coated fiber was established for the first time for the analysis of <em>δ</em>¹³C and <em>δ</em>²H signatures of TATP. The limits of detection of <em>δ</em>¹³C and <em>δ</em>²H signatures of TATP were 100 ng and 9 µg, respectively, with measurement errors of 0.36 ‰ and −3.75 ‰. The IRMOF-8-coated fiber exhibited better mechanical stability and a lower limit of detection compared to the commercial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber. Using the established method, six TATP samples from different sources were distinguished accurately. The impact of matrix (soil and tap water) on <em>δ</em>¹³C and <em>δ</em>²H signatures of TATP was also investigated. The established method demonstrated high sensitivity and precision, making it suitable for in-situ extraction and source of trace explosive residues in explosion cases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112391"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143097578","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":"Modeling human decomposition: A Bayesian approach","authors":"D. Hudson Smith ,&nbsp;Noah Nisbet ,&nbsp;Carl Ehrett ,&nbsp;Cristina I. Tica ,&nbsp;Madeline M. Atwell ,&nbsp;Katherine E. Weisensee","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112309","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental and individualistic variables affect the rate of human decomposition in complex ways. These effects complicate the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) based on observed decomposition characteristics. In this work, we develop a generative probabilistic model for decomposing human remains based on PMI and a wide range of environmental and individualistic variables. This model explicitly represents the effect of each variable, including PMI, on the appearance of each decomposition characteristic, allowing for direct interpretation of model effects and enabling the use of the model for PMI inference and optimal experimental design. In addition, the probabilistic nature of the model allows for the integration of expert knowledge in the form of prior distributions. We fit this model to a diverse set of 2529 cases from the GeoFOR dataset. We demonstrate that the model accurately predicts 24 decomposition characteristics with an ROC AUC score of 0.85. Using Bayesian inference techniques, we invert the decomposition model to predict PMI as a function of the observed decomposition characteristics and environmental and individualistic variables, producing an R-squared measure of 71 %. Finally, we demonstrate how to use the fitted model to design future experiments that maximize the expected amount of new information about the mechanisms of decomposition using the Expected Information Gain formalism.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112309"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142784879","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":"A review of predictive modelling and drone remote sensing technologies as a tool for detecting clandestine burials","authors":"Marissa Koopman,&nbsp;Quentin Milliet,&nbsp;Christophe Champod","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The search for missing people is a complex and intensive undertaking. Predictive models (such as RAG mapping and geographic profiling) in combination with drone-mounted technologies can improve these searches by driving down time and monetary costs, gathering new types of data and reducing the need for investigators to expose themselves to dangerous environments. Promising technologies to discover traces of clandestine burials in the landscape are LiDAR, RGB photography, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, as well as infrared/thermal photography. This review covers the existing literature on these techniques and discusses future opportunities and directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112375"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002736","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":"African Forensic Sciences Academy (AFSA): An emerging movement in Africa","authors":"The Interim Executive of AFSA","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forensic science bodies their respective regions and form the foundation for best practice. Until recently, no officially registered body existed that represented all forensic science practitioners across Africa. The African Forensic Sciences Academy (AFSA) was founded in December 2022 for this reason to serve African forensic science practitioners. This article details the progress of AFSA to date, highlights its core values and mission, and outlines the way forward for this newly established Academy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112326"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142853642","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 current state of using post-mortem computed tomography for personal identification beyond odontology – A systematic literature review","authors":"Victoria Prokopowicz,&nbsp;Aleksandra Borowska-Solonynko","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Individual identification of unknown deceased is a vital function carried out by medical professionals, thus many tools have been developed or tested towards its end. One of the tools tested and still being tested is post-mortem computed tomography [PMCT]. This review aims to summarise the current state of using PMCT for personal identification beyond odontology. We found that most medicolegal researchers had a positive view of using PMCT for individual identification or for disaster victim identification. They have shown PMCT scans can be compared with a wide range of AM material – ante-mortem computed tomography [AMCT] scans, AM radiographs, or even textual AM medical history – for a successful identification. The use of textual medical history suggests the potential to create an artificial intelligence model that could quickly highlight areas of comparison. Anatomical body structures, pathological changes, or foreign bodies provide bases of comparison when using PMCT for individual identification. We found most (79 %) researchers have used qualitative methods to compare PMCT with AM material. Likewise, researchers so far have focussed on the axial skeleton (sans pelvis) when testing the viability of comparing specific body structures between AM material and PMCT scans. More body structures remain to be tested for their viability in personal identification, especially using quantitative methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"367 ","pages":"Article 112377"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143037793","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}