Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology最新文献

{"title":"Forensic considerations in cases of fatal constipation.","authors":"Roger W Byard, Neil E I Langlois, Marianne Tiemensma","doi":"10.1007/s12024-025-00950-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-025-00950-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Constipation is characterized by persistent difficulty in defecating. It is a common disorder in the community particularly affecting the elderly and those with intellectual disabilities and neuropsychiatric disorders. It is also caused by numerous medications including analgesic, antidepressant, antihypertensive and anticholinergic agents. It may be asymptomatic or it may produce abdominal pain/cramps, bloating, nausea and anorexia progressing to urinary incontinence and fecal impaction, or paradoxical diarrhea due to overflow. A wide range of mechanisms associated with constipation may result in death including bowel obstruction, stercoral colitis with ulceration, perforation and peritonitis, respiratory compromise, abdominal compartment syndrome and venous thrombosis with pulmonary thromboembolism. Constipation may exacerbate pre-existing diseases and treatments such as laxative and enemas may be lethal. The autopsy examination of a case with constipation and megacolon should take into account all of the pre-existing conditions, as well as the possibility of underlying disorders such as Hirschprung disease. Review of the decedent's medical and drug history and level of supportive care will be important. Toxicological evaluations may be useful.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1407-1415"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12491092/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143398823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Injury pattern of feet and lower limbs in a feet-first fall from height.","authors":"Larissa Amadasi, Alberto Amadasi, Claas Buschmann, Michael Tsokos","doi":"10.1007/s12024-025-00939-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-025-00939-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In fatalities caused by falls from height, the analysis of the injury pattern, alongside with circumstantial data, is crucial for understanding the dynamics of the incident. In rare cases, even a differentiation between accidental and intentional events might be possible. The injury pattern of the lower limbs is particularly significant in this context. In the present case - fall from height with primary impact on the feet - fractures of the lower limbs were diagnosed, including comminuted fractures in the middle-distal third of the tibiae and bilateral perforation of both feet and shoes by bone fragments. The longitudinal transmission of high kinetic energy caused by the impact could thus be proven. This specific feature allowed to conduct a complete and accurate assessment of injuries resulting from falls from height.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1535-1539"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12491098/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lack of gastric emptying at autopsy eleven days after heat trauma in the sauna- a forensic autopsy case report.","authors":"Susanne R Kerscher, Natascha Kern, Nadezhda Chistiakova, Doreen Verhoff, Marcel A Verhoff","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00931-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00931-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A man in his mid-70s passed out in a public 90-degree sauna and remained unconscious for at least half an hour. He suffered third-degree burns to approximately 50% of his body surface area. Despite immediate transport to a burn center and intensive care therapy, he did not regain consciousness and died eleven days later.When the body was opened, the lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen showed changes consistent with the burns, intensive care therapy, and clinically suspected septic shock. The stomach contained approximately 200 ml of thickened chyme with coarse vegetable components. Such food components were not seen in the duodenum or in the following intestinal segments.Considering the overall circumstances, the stomach contents must have been the last meal the man had eaten before the sauna session. The problem of reduced gastrointestinal motility in burn patients is clinically recognized. Nevertheless, a complete failure of gastric emptying for eleven days after intensive care therapy has not been described before and shows that the use of gastric contents in forensic practice is inappropriate for drawing conclusions about the time interval between last food intake and death and thus for estimating the time of death.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1321-1326"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12491381/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142834967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relics of Jesus and Eucharistic miracles: scientific analysis of shared AB blood type.","authors":"Kelly P Kearse","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00915-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00915-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Various relics ascribed to have been in physical contact with the historical Jesus of Nazareth have been evaluated for the presence of blood, including the Tunic of Argenteuil, the Sudarium of Oviedo, and most famously, the Shroud of Turin. Interestingly, the blood type on all three textiles was found to be AB by serological testing; a similar result was observed for various modern Eucharistic miracles, in which consecrated hosts are reported to change into human cardiac tissue and blood. As AB is a relatively rare blood type, these collective observations have been used in numerous contemporary media outlets to support the idea that all such objects share a common origin. Here, the scientific validity of mutual blood type expression is evaluated. As discussed, AB antigens are not unique to human red blood cells but are also expressed in bacteria, providing a practical connection between such varied objects. Moreover, this article clarifies that the communal presence of specific and unique polymorphic markers would be required to validate that bloodstains associated with such items truly originate from a single source.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1507-1510"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12491371/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142617917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An alternative method to differentiate pleural effusion after leakage of artificial enteral nutrition formula.","authors":"Fabian Picht, Karen Blümke-Anbau, Carolin Richter, Marco Weber","doi":"10.1007/s12024-025-00982-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-025-00982-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This case report highlights a rare but fatal complication of artificial enteral nutrition due to feeding tube misplacement, leading to pleural effusion and respiratory failure. The primary objective was to determine whether enteral nutrition formula leakage contributed to the patient's death and to differentiate the pleural effusion from other possible etiologies, such as chylothorax.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 59-year-old male patient with severe lung disease underwent left-sided partial lung resection and subsequently received enteral nutrition via a nasogastric feeding tube. After suspected feeding tube misplacement and formula leakage into the pleural cavity, autopsy and histological examination were performed. Cytological and chemical analyses, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, were employed to identify nutritional components in pleural effusion and to confirm the presence of enteral nutrition formula.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The autopsy revealed milky, turbid pleural effusion, aspiration pneumonia, and a rupture of the right visceral pleura. Cytological analysis confirmed granulocytic pleural empyema with rod-shaped Congo red-positive material resembling the enteral nutrition formula. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified tricaprylin, a unique marker for enteral nutrition formula, confirming nutritional leakage into the pleural cavity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This case study emphasizes the necessity for radiological confirmation of feeding tube placement and the implementation of comprehensive diagnostic protocols for suspected cases of nutritional fluid leakage. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry proved invaluable in distinguishing nutritional effusions from other potential etiologies by enabling the specific identification of enteral formula components. The high specificity and adaptability of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry render it an essential tool for forensic investigations and clinical diagnostics involving complex fluid analyses, facilitating evidence-based conclusions in critical care and postmortem contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1287-1295"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12491109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143673713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A forensic autopsy case of suicide using baking soda and citric acid in a bathtub.","authors":"Masahiko Yatsushiro, Takuma Nakamae, Midori Katsuyama, Machiko Miyamoto, Takahito Hayashi","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00927-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00927-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A mixture of baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate) and citric acid is used for cleaning purposes, but, in recent years, this mixture has been introduced on the internet as a method for suicide. Here, we report a case in which the two agents were mixed in a bathtub to generate carbon dioxide (CO₂). A man in his early 60s was found dead in his clothes in a bathtub with a lid. Postmortem changes were somewhat progressed, but only pulmonary edema was observed, with no injuries or lesions that could have led to cause of death, and no drug toxicants detected. Empty containers of baking soda (789 g) and citric acid (850 g) were found at the scene. We conducted a reproduction experiment showing that CO₂ reached a lethal concentration (~ 60%) within 12 s, but the O₂ concentration was about 10%, which is not a lethal concentration. Therefore, it is highly likely that the man died of CO₂ intoxication within a short period of time and before he would have suffered asphyxiation due to oxygen deficiency. Normally, this result can only be obtained with the cooperation of an investigative agency and a large-scale reproduction experiment, but we were able to diagnose the cause of his death, including a differential diagnosis of asphyxia due to oxygen deficiency, by means of a reproduction model at 1/35 scale that could easily be performed in the laboratory.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1307-1312"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142791479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forensic odontology in the search of dental evidence at the scene of events with incinerated victims: a scoping review.","authors":"Javiera Neculqueo-Millán, Mogakolodi Boikanyo, Gabriel M Fonseca","doi":"10.1007/s12024-025-00970-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-025-00970-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The scene of events involving incinerated victims presents significant challenges for forensic teams. Dental evidence has been reported as highly valuable to the identification process. However, given its commingling with debris and its fragility in these contexts, the participation of a forensic odontologist (FO) at the scene has been recommended to enhance the identification, recovery, conservation, and transport of this evidence. We present a scoping review of case reports in which the FOs have actively participated at the scene, facilitating or enhancing the identification of human remains in these contexts. The leadership of Norway and Australia has demonstrated that the inclusion of FOs has been deemed crucial to prevent the loss of dental evidence in this type of scene; however, it is essential that FOs possess the appropriate training and preparation for these tasks. The implementation of appropriate protocols, including wrapping and protection of the victim's head and the utilization of stabilization agents for the remains to ensure protected transport to the mortuary, has also been recommended. Nevertheless, these best practices do not appear to be widespread and are likely dependent on circumstances specific to each country; therefore, it has been suggested, at minimum, that first responders should be trained in these skills.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1416-1427"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143413043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-invasive forensic identification of excavated human remains: capturing surface and internal fingerprints using optical coherence tomography.","authors":"Tim N Stölting, Leah S Wilk, Lisa Klok, Maurice C G Aalders","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00923-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00923-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Unidentified human remains are frequently found in missing person cases, necessitating identification for forensic purposes and to inform the next of kin. Traditional postmortem fingerprinting methods depend on intact surface fingerprints, which are often compromised by decomposition. A viable alternative is to use internal fingerprints (a blueprint of the surface fingerprint located just below the epidermis) instead. This study assessed the utility of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) as a means to record internal fingerprints from excavated human fingers. Conducted at the Amsterdam human taphonomic test site, the investigation comprised two longitudinal studies and two in situ burial scenarios. Human fingers were buried, excavated, and scanned using OCT at various time intervals. Internal fingerprints could be recorded up to 7 days longer than surface fingerprints, with a maximum of 10 days post-burial. These internal fingerprints provided higher minutiae counts, suitable for Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) searches. Additionally, in one case, fingerprints were successfully extracted after 13 weeks and 10 months of in situ burial. This demonstrates OCT's potential to enhance postmortem fingerprinting for identifying human remains in forensic investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1069-1080"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trajectory- the unseen realm in a firing event: a novel and scientific approach in the identification of optimal recovery zones for gunshot residue micro traces.","authors":"Sreelakshmi Krishna, Pooja Ahuja","doi":"10.1007/s12024-025-00980-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-025-00980-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gunshot residue (GSR) particles, generated during firearm discharge, disperse in the surrounding environment according to physical laws governing the motion of particles. This study analyzes GSR distribution from 9 × 19 mm ammunition along the trajectory with a fixed target. GSR particle count follows a bell-shaped distribution, influenced by velocity, temperature, and burn rate. Understanding this pattern aids in modeling GSR dispersion based on muzzle-to-target distance, improving forensic analysis of shooting incidents. The kinematic behavior of GSR particles observed in this study facilitated the identification of the region exhibiting the highest deposition. The peak particle deposition was detected along the projectile trajectory, specifically at 100-130 cm from the muzzle end, in the direction of fire. This facilitated the identification of the distance at which the probability of obtaining maximum GSR particles is possible. This aids forensic investigations, providing insights into the trajectory, and identifying the potential region of maximum GSR deposition. A significant influence of distance on the number of GSR particle deposition was observed in the study. The study highlights the necessity of GSR collection along the trajectory, where retrieval probability is higher than at the muzzle or target. A methodology using the Trasoscan Laboratory Imaging System (TLIS) for GSR detection and counting is proposed. TLIS demonstrates potential as a primary imaging tool, with analytical data represented as particle frequency in the shooting vicinity. SEM analysis reveals significant deviations in GSR size distribution across muzzle, trajectory, and target, enhancing accuracy by identifying GSR-dense areas for more precise forensic conclusions. The largest GSR particles were recovered from the target distance (470-500 cm), suggesting surface modifications upon impact, which can be instrumental in estimating the shooting distance. The proposed approach could be implemented in current analytical pipelines or caseworks.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1163-1182"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143614313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Invasive aspergillosis leading to fatal cerebral hemorrhage: a case report and comprehensive literature review.","authors":"Nicole Pasin, Matteo Lorenzoni, Erika Velotta, Giulio Riva, Raffaella Scotto Opipari, Mara Di Pietro, Roberta Tamiozzo, Umberto Nardi","doi":"10.1007/s12024-025-00966-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-025-00966-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aspergillus fumigatus significantly threatens immunocompromised individuals by causing potentially fatal diseases, primarily invasive aspergillosis (IA). IA, mostly affecting the lungs, can disseminate to other organs, including the central nervous system (CNS), leading to high mortality rates. We present the case of an 84-year-old immunocompetent male with a history of significant comorbidities, who developed a lethal subarachnoid and tetraventricular hemorrhage. Initial symptoms included paroxysmal neuralgic pain and ophthalmic manifestations. Despite diagnostic efforts, the infection was confirmed only after a positive Aspergillus galactomannan antigen test on cerebrospinal fluid, post-mortem microbiological culture, and mass spectrometry (MS) authentication. The patient exhibited rapid deterioration and succumbed due to the erosion of a mycotic cerebral aneurysm of the left internal carotid artery. Diagnosing IA, particularly isolated CNS IA in immunocompetent patients, is challenging due to its nonspecific symptoms and difficulty detecting the pathogen in standard diagnostic tests. This article emphasizes the pivotal role of pathological examination to obtain a definitive diagnosis, assess fungal infiltration of brain vessels, and thus clarify the accurate source of fatal brain hemorrhages.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"1256-1266"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143491507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}