Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology最新文献

{"title":"A unique case of suicide by crossbow with indirect triggering and cranial injury: forensic issues and literature review.","authors":"Tambuzzi Stefano, Gentile Guendalina, Primavera Riccardo, Zoja Riccardo","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00833-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00833-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Currently, crossbows are involved in some deaths, including suicides. These are rare events for which an accurate study of the body discovery site and reconstruction of the triggering mechanism of the crossbow represent crucial medicolegal elements. In this report, a unique case of suicide by crossbow is presented, in which the male victim constructed an elaborate scenario. He arranged two tripod stands to hold the crossbow at the height of his head, and a third to support a hollow tube positioned in front of the muzzle of the crossbow to direct the bolt. After positioning the center of the forehead in front of the hollow tube, the trigger was activated from a distance using a hooked metal rod. The methods used prompted a literature review on suicide by crossbow, which revealed only 14 reports from 1993 to 2023. The head and chest were the main target areas, and in almost all cases, the victims directly pulled the trigger with their finger. Only one case of indirect triggering was found, with the chest as the target. Therefore, in this scenario, the case presented stands as a unique report, due to the elaborate system devised to carry out the suicide and accurately strike the predetermined target.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"325-331"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11953166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141160922","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":"Analysis of MiR-20b, MIR-197 markers for differentiation between forensic body fluids encountered in sexual assault cases.","authors":"Shimaa Ahmed Alsaeed, Noha Maher Elrewieny, Rabab Abdulmoez Amin Eltokhy, Mohamed Shokr Mohamed, Wagdy K B Khalil, Aziza B Shalby, Hoda F Booles, Heba Mohamed Aboubakr","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00831-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00831-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Identifying body fluids can be a critical clue that aids in reconstructing the crime scene. Semen and vaginal fluid identification is crucial, especially in cases of sexual assault. The majority of forensic studies focused on identifying normal body fluids and neglected the expression variation of semen in pathology. To differentiate between vaginal fluids, fertile and infertile semen samples (oligospermia and azoospermia) using miR 20b and miR197. A total of 48 body fluid samples, divided as 16 vaginal fluids, 16 fertile semen, and 16 infertile semen samples (8 with oligospermia and 8 with azoospermia), were collected, and the expression levels of miR-20b and miR-197 were detected by the SYBR Green real-time quantitative PCR technique. Our results showed significant different expression of these miRNAs in normal semen compared to vaginal and infertile semen. Moreover, we designed a model based on Fisher's discriminant function to forecast the group affiliations of unidentified samples. With three novel equations, we were able to accurately distinguish between semen and vaginal fluid, fertile and infertile semen, and oligospermia and azoospermia semen samples with validation accuracy of 81.3%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. MiR-20b and miR-197 expression levels are efficient and appropriate markers to distinguish semen from vaginal fluid and to differentiate between fertile and infertile semen samples. However, the present study is a preliminary study based on clinical samples, and the potential role of these markers in differentiating real crime scene samples is still unknown, so we recommend further research to investigate these markers expression while using forensic samples.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"56-62"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11953183/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141295900","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 role of a digital twin in supporting criminal investigations - a case report about a possible abuse.","authors":"Sven Becker, Tim Hanjo Fritzsch, Dirk Labudde","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00857-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00857-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As part of a comprehensive analysis, this case report presents a possible case of child maltreatment that can serve as a basis for forensic and medical examiner investigations. This case concerns the death of an infant who was approximately two months old. During a routine examination by the pediatrician at the end of May 2021, the child was found to have a normal head circumference of 31 cm. No other abnormalities were noted. On June 19, 2021, the child died, and an autopsy revealed a head circumference of 44 cm and a subdural hematoma as the cause of death. Questions arose as to who might have abused the child and when. The only evidence was a low-quality cell phone video taken by the child's parents on June 13, 2021, six days before the child's death, in which the child could be seen lying on a pillow. It was necessary to determine whether the child in this video already had an unnatural head circumference. This study presents a novel workflow that demonstrates how to analyze and deal with low quality video to answer questions like the above. The workflow demonstrates the creation of 3D scenes from digital image and video material. These 3D scenes can be used for object measurement and to support forensic and medical investigations. In the present case, where only low quality smartphone images were available, the presented workflow was used to create a 3D scene of the child lying on the pillow. In this 3D scene, it was possible to determine the child's head circumference. These measurements support the findings of the medical examiner (dated June 24, 2021) and confirm the suspicion that possible child abuse had already taken place on June 13, 2021. The innovative approach makes it possible to identify evidence of possible abuse based on a specific point in time, in this case the child's private footage. It also demonstrates the potential of 3D scene reconstruction in complex forensic and medical scenarios.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"245-254"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11953143/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141633140","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":"Corpse or not? Two peculiar cases of misidentification.","authors":"S Plenzig, J Helmus, M Weber, M A Verhoff, V Hachmann","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00799-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00799-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Irrespective of whether they are intended for collectors or for the fetish market, dolls are being produced to look more and more realistic with such a degree of life-like detail that they can be mistaken for a real person. This paper reports two cases of misidentification due to this increasing similarity: In the first case, a sex doll was mistaken for a corpse; in the second case, a corpse was mistaken for a doll. While in the latter case, only medical laypersons were at the discovery site, in the first case, an emergency doctor had issued a medical certificate of death for the purported corpse. The medicolegal examiner who was subsequently called to the scene could still rectify the misconception on-site. Mistakes of this nature are likely rare phenomena. It, however, remains to be seen if the increasingly life-like appearance of dolls on the one hand, and the increasingly doll-like appearance of some people, e.g., through cosmetic surgery, will lead to a rise in such cases. To avoid misidentification as in the first reported case, it is essential to prepare medical students well for the task of performing a primary external postmortem examination; it is equally important that fully-trained doctors regularly refresh their expertise in this respect.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"314-318"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11953104/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140131129","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":"Dental color measurement to estimate age in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Jaime Martín-Martín, Ignacio Santos, María J Gaitán-Arroyo, Juan Suarez, Leticia Rubio, Stella Martín-de-Las-Heras","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00798-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00798-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Age estimation is a major challenge in anthropology and forensic odontology laboratories, as well as in judicial settings, as one of the tools used in human identification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of age estimation methods based on the accurate measurement of tooth color changes. A systematic review was carried out following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and in compliance with Cochrane criteria recommendations (PROSPERO registration number CRD 42022343371). An electronic search was performed in the following databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, Medline, Current Contents Connect, SciELO, KCI-Korean Journal Database, Derwent Innovations Index and Russian Citation Index. The search strategy yielded a total of 18 articles. A randomized meta-analysis model of the results for the CIE L*a*b* color variables stratified by age (less than 30 years, 30-60 years, 60 years and older) was performed with 9 of the 18 studies included in this systematic review. According to our results, sex and location of color measurement are the most influential factors in color estimation. All studies were carried out in healthy anterior teeth by spectrophotometry as the most commonly used method for color measurement, with CIE L*a*b* being the most commonly analyzed parameters. Studies based on age as a dependent variable showed R² values between 0.28 and 0.56, being higher in ex vivo teeth. Studies based on age as an independent variable showed R² values ranging from 0.10 to 0.48. The random model showed high heterogeneity for the L*, a* and b* parameters in all age groups, which is explained by discrepancies in age range and non-standardized conditions for color measurement. This systematic review highlights the need to protocolize age estimation studies that measure tooth color, in order to apply this method in different forensic settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"382-400"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11953101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140065121","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":"Added value of postmortem mri in sudden unexpected infant death cases.","authors":"Alexia Van Goethem, Kshitij Mankad, Sniya Sudhakar, Günther De Temmerman, Astrid Van Hoyweghen, Wim Volders, Peter Bracke, Vidija Soerdjbalie-Maikoe, Diona D'Hondt, Babette Van Rafelghem, Werner Jacobs","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00850-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00850-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We aimed to investigate the potential added value of postmortem MRI (PMMRI) in sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) cases referred to our center between September 2020 and June 2023. Ultimately, 19 SUID cases underwent PMMRI alongside standard autopsy procedures, which included technical examinations such as postmortem CT (PMCT). Four radiologists, two with prior PMMRI experience, provided structured reports following consensus. For each case, the responsible forensic medicine specialist documented the cause of death before and after reviewing the PMMRI report. Additionally, they assessed the overall impact of the PMMRI report and had the opportunity to provide written comments. The results of our study indicate that none of the PMMRI reports altered the prior determined cause of death, which included cases of infection, asphyxia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, we observed a moderate impact in one case and a low impact in 10 cases. The moderate impact arose from the PMMRI report identifying hypoxic-ischemic changes, where histologic examination of the brain was perceived as normal. Conversely, in the 10 cases with a low impact, the PMMRI reports supported the autopsy findings, specifically indicating brain injury and intra-alveolar cellular infiltrates. In conclusion, our study suggests that while PMMRI may not be pivotal in determining the cause of death in SUID cases, it could aid in detecting hypoxic-ischemic changes and reinforcing brain and lung observations. However, distinguishing genuine lung pathology from postmortem changes using PMMRI remains challenging. Further research is warranted to clarify the role of PMMRI in forensic SUID investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"210-218"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141418528","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":"Estimation of Time-Since-Deposition of bloodstains on different surfaces using ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics.","authors":"Deepthi Nagesh, B Nagarajamurthy","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00849-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00849-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Blood is commonly discovered at crime scenes in various forms, including stains, dried residue, pools, and fingerprints on assorted surfaces. Estimating the age of bloodstains is a crucial aspect of reconstructing crime scenes. This research aimed to investigate how the nature of different surfaces affects the estimation of bloodstain age, utilizing a reliable and non-destructive approach. The study employed ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in conjunction with Chemometric techniques such as PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and OPLSR (Orthogonal Signal Correction Partial Least Square Regression Analysis) to analyze spectral data and develop regression models for estimating bloodstain age on cement, metal, and wooden surfaces for up to eleven days. The chemometric models for bloodstains on all three substrates demonstrated strong performance, with predictive Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values ranging from 1.1 to 1.43 and R² values from 0.84 to 0.89. Notably, the model developed for metal surfaces was found to be the most accurate with minimal prediction error. The findings of the study showed that the porosity of the substrates upon which bloodstains were found had a discernible influence on the age-related transformations observed in bloodstains; the majority of which occured within the spectral range of 2800 cm^- 1 to 3500 cm^- 1.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"123-137"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141633139","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":"Characterization of a novel SCN5A mutation associated with long QT syndrome and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in a family.","authors":"Rui Li, Da Zheng, Chunxi Lin, Yili Chen, Yang Bai, Nan Zhou, Qianhao Zhao, Wenzhao Wei, Qiuping Wu, Jiacheng Deng, Shuquan Zhao, Hui Yao, Shuangbo Tang, Bin Luo, Shuiping Liu, Li Quan, Xiaoshan Liu, Jianding Cheng, Erwen Huang","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00863-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00863-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sudden cardiac death represents a significant diagnostic challenge for forensic pathologists, particularly in inherited arrhythmia syndromes or cardiomyopathies resulting from genetic defects. Molecular autopsies can reveal the underlying molecular etiology in such cases. In this study, we investigated a family with a history of sudden cardiac death to elucidate the molecular basis responsible for sudden cardiac death. The proband underwent a comprehensive forensic examination. Family members received thorough clinical evaluations, including electrocardiogram, Holter monitoring, echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic imaging. Whole exome sequencing and genetic analysis were performed on the deceased and her parents. In addition, Western blotting and patch-clamp recordings were employed to evaluate the expression and function of the mutant protein in vitro. Forensic examination diagnosed arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) as the cause of sudden death. Genetic analysis identified a novel missense mutation in SCN5A (p.V1323L), which was assessed as likely pathogenic by the ACMG guideline. Another family member carrying the mutation manifested long QT syndrome and mild cardiac fibrosis. The cellular electrophysiological study demonstrated that the mutation resulted in an enhanced late sodium current, suggesting it was a gain-of-function mutation. This study characterizes a novel SCN5A mutation that putatively causes long QT syndrome and may contribute to the development of ARVC. Our work expands the pathogenic spectrum of SCN5A variants and underscores the importance of molecular autopsy in sudden death cases, especially in those with suspected genetic disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"33-41"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141916532","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":"Estimation of the postmortem interval from histological changes in the lingual tissue: Need for further exploration.","authors":"Pulagura Siva Sai Kumar, Vikas Meshram, Raghvendra Singh Shekhawat, Tanuj Kanchan","doi":"10.1007/s12024-023-00773-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-023-00773-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"509"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139086563","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":"Self-mutilation: a systematic review.","authors":"Matheus Medeiros Nunes, Caio Rodrigues Maia, Paulo Roberto de Andrade Santos, Antônio de Lisboa Lopes Costa, Sérgio Adriane Bezerra de Moura, Pedro Paulo de Andrade Santos","doi":"10.1007/s12024-024-00809-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12024-024-00809-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Self-mutilation lesions can represent a clinical diagnosis challenge for healthcare professionals, as patients do not admit to self-mutilation. This leads to failed diagnoses due to the similarity of this condition to other diseases. Searches on the subject were carried out at the PubMed, Periódicos Capes, Scopus, Science Direct and WoS databases, according to the following inclusion criteria: articles in English, Portuguese or Spanish, published from 2018 to June 2023, encompassing case reports, case series and literature reviews. Men are slight more affected by self-mutilation injuries, also presenting the most serious lesions. Self-mutilation injuries are reported globally, mostly in the Asian and American continents. Clinical presentations are varied, but morphology is, in most cases, associated to the form/instrument used for self-mutilation. Greater evidence of diagnosed mental disorders in women and underreporting of these cases in men due to low demands for specialized treatment are noted. A higher prevalence of self-mutilation lesions was verified for men, affecting a wide age range, with the highest number of cases in the USA. The most affected body areas are arms and external genitalia, mostly due to knife use. An association between self-mutilation injuries and mental disorders is clear, with most cases being previously undiagnosed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12449,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"430-442"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140853688","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}