Forensic Science International: Reports最新文献

{"title":"Discriminant function for grouping subjects into legal age of 12 and 14 years using maturity indices of seven mandibular teeth on panoramic radiograph – A cross sectional study","authors":"Rachana Prabhu ,&nbsp;Laxmikanth Chatra ,&nbsp;Yashaswini","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100381","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In forensic science, accurate age estimation becomes crucial, especially in cases where information about the deceased is unavailable. The legal categorization of children into age groups, notably at 12 and 14 years, holds significant importance in various legal and social contexts. Despite the importance of such categorizations, the existing literature lacks ample studies addressing the specific classification of children into these legal age groups. This study aims to identify the key variables that distinguish between the categories of 12 and 14 years of age. Additionally, it seeks to calculate and compare the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of the discriminant function in accurately determining the required age. The oral panoramic radiographs (OPGs) of 3058 children aged between 5 and 16 years from six South Indian states were evaluated. The dataset was divided into train and test data sets. Dental maturity for each individual was estimated by considering the number of fully developed permanent mandibular teeth on the left side and the normalized measurement of the open apices of all seven teeth. Linear discriminant functions for the age groups of 12 and 14 years were computed using the training data. The discriminant functions for the 12-year age group demonstrated an accuracy of, 78.0 %, while those for the 14-year age group achieved an accuracy of .71.2 %. The sensitivity and specificity of the discriminant functions for the 12-year age group were 74.5 % and, 84.6 %, respectively. In the case of the 14-year age group, the sensitivity and specificity were 72.5 % and 70.0 %, respectively. This study concludes that the discriminant functions utilized herein exhibited commendable performance in accurately classifying individuals within the specified age groups of 12 and 14 years.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100381"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000306/pdfft?md5=7be8846e58f6947e036dc8cc9ceda21e&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000306-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141950546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of filling procedure for labial augmentation (FPLA) therapy on the stability of lip print: A longitudinal study","authors":"Asmaa F. Sharif ,&nbsp;Kawther AlShaikh ,&nbsp;Nada AlQuraishi ,&nbsp;Inas I. Abdelgawad","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Lip print identification is one of the forensic identification tools recognized a long time ago. Few studies investigated the stability of lip prints, particularly the changes attributed to time or aging. To our knowledge, no previous studies speculated the changes in lip print following lip augmentation therapy, which has increased over the last few years. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of lip augmentation therapy on lip print stability. The current study was a prospective longitudinal study that enrolled female volunteers who underwent a filling procedure for labial augmentation. A total of 24 volunteers' prints were analyzed using Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification. Participants showed a mean age of 27.5 ± 6.0 years. The current study showed that no two lips exhibited the same pattern. Moreover, although the filling procedure for labial augmentation (FPLA) therapy preserved the predominant groove pattern, it significantly influenced the frequency of lip patterns in all lip quadrants. A significant decline in the number of lip grooves, notably Types I and I' was noticed. However, the predominant groove pattern was preserved. Quadrants A and D were the least affected lip parts. Type I′ was the predominant lip pattern over the study population, representing 83.3 %, followed by Type I, representing 16.7 % before and 12.5 % after augmentation without a statistically significant difference (<em>p =</em> 0.317). On the other side, Type III was the least presented pattern. The upper lip score had decreased significantly after augmentation from 71.5 ± 10.8–65.8 ± 10.2, and the lower lip score had decreased significantly from 67.4 ± 13.7–64.9 ± 13.5. Consequently, the overall lips score had decreased significantly from 139.0 ± 22.9–130.7 ± 21.1 after augmentation (<em>p &lt;</em> 0.001). So, we recommend adopting more than one criterion to report a reliable, repeatable lip print, including the frequency of lip lines besides the predominant pattern. However, we advise giving more attention to the distinguished lip patterns (Types II, III, IV, and V) and considering the FPLA as one of the lip print modifiers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100382"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000318/pdfft?md5=ecd933f3349a7acd6f6f7c577f88e112&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000318-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141637818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Casting light in the shadows: Exploring the influence of biological sex and age-at-death on heat-induced shrinkage in experimentally burned patellae","authors":"Beatriz Mouga Almeida ,&nbsp;Filipa Cortesão Silva ,&nbsp;Ana Luisa Santos","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100380","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100380","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Burned human remains have been studied by both forensic anthropologists and bioarchaeologists to understand how fire impacts and alters bone in different scenarios. Heat-induced changes can occur including differences in colour and shrinkage, where the extent of the latter varies in different studies. The current study aimed to bring information regarding this topic and to observe how the individual’s biological sex and age at death impact shrinkage. The variability of shrinkage was analysed, relating to temperature and duration of burning. The sample comprised of the patellae of 32 individuals (18 [56.3 %] females and 14 [43.8 %] males) with age at death between 60 and 93 (age grouped in decades) from the sub-collection of experimentally burned skeletons, part of the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection (ISC/XXI). The right patellae were subjected to experimental burning at different temperatures and durations using an electric muffle furnace. Both the right and left patellae had three measurements taken, maximum height, maximum thickness and maximum width, with a digital calliper. The shrinkage percentage was higher in males and among the younger individuals (60–79 years old of both sexes). The values of standard deviation were high which indicates high variability. Shrinkage occurred at every temperature with bigger values observed in the patellae that had been subjected to temperatures over 800ºC. However, three patellae showed an increase in size at temperature under 800ºC. These findings align with previous studies where a non-linear correlation between shrinkage and exposure duration was found. It is essential to underscore that the percentage of shrinkage exhibits substantial variability even under identical temperature and duration conditions, highlighting the critical significance of meticulous experimental design and thorough analysis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100380"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266591072400029X/pdfft?md5=315d56d18c86f305abe677313038601e&pid=1-s2.0-S266591072400029X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141715271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Large hole artifacts in the formalin-fixed brain from a drowning case with head lacerations: A forensic autopsy case","authors":"Tadashi Hosoya ,&nbsp;Kazuki Harada ,&nbsp;Jun Kanetake","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100379","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A man in his forties with two lacerations in the occiput was found in a river. A forensic autopsy revealed that the cause of death was drowning, and the blood ethanol concentration was 1.5 mg/mL. The whole brain was fixed with formalin for 15 days using the standard immersion method to evaluate this. The fixed brains showed large holes in the deep white matter as artifacts. Research suggests that formalin-fixed brains from drowning cases tend to have “Swiss cheese-like” holes in the deep white matter. However, this study is the first to report a case that focuses on large holes as artifacts. The holes in the fixed brain may have been caused by postmortem invasion of freshwater indigenous bacteria and gas formation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100379"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000288/pdfft?md5=b6df228aa2a06aeccf32551105653565&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000288-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141595584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidermal ridge sweat pore density: A forensic approach to sex determination","authors":"Jaisleen Kaur,&nbsp;Meenal Dhall","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100378","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100378","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Determining the sex from an unidentified fingerprint recovered from a crime scene can assist in narrowing down the pool of potential suspects. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining sex using fingerprint epidermal ridge sweat pore density among the Indian population. For this purpose, plain prints from both the left and right thumbs were obtained from a total of 396 participants (191 males and 205 females), aged between 18 and 35 years, who were randomly selected for the study. Sweat pores were counted in a region of 3 × 3 mm². Data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Product and Service Solutions) version 26 for Windows and Microsoft Office Excel 365. The likelihood ratio (LR) was calculated to obtain the probability inferences of sex based on the number of sweat pores. Analysis revealed that a fingerprint containing ≤ 45 pores/9 mm² is more likely to be of male origin while one containing ≥ 49 pores/9 mm² is more likely to be of female origin. Moreover, the difference in the number of pores was found to be statistically significant between the two biological sexes. The methodology employed in this study helps demarcate a uniform region in all the samples thereby eliminating variability due to pattern type and recurving ridges.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100378"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000276/pdfft?md5=b3f88bdc307bc0f6d2961b465f17b57e&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000276-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141595583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographical profiling of wood samples via ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms: Application in wood forensics","authors":"Suraj Garg,&nbsp;Akanksha Sharma,&nbsp;Vishal Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100377","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Illegal activities associated with deforestation for the lumber and furniture industries pose significant threats to plant and animal biodiversity, as well as natural resources. Accurate identification of wood sources is vital, yet traditional laboratory techniques often fall short in precisely determining the chemical composition of samples for classification. This study aims to leverage ATR-FTIR spectroscopy alongside machine learning algorithms to construct a robust model for discerning the geographical origins of wood samples from India. By systematically comparing various machine learning classifiers, we address the limitations of subjective visual interpretation and evaluate their accuracy using wood spectral data. Logistic regression emerges as the most effective classifier for distinguishing <em>Eucalyptus</em> (75 % accuracy), <em>Dalbergia</em> (68 % accuracy), and <em>Populus</em> (81.5 % accuracy) species. Through a methodology encompassing data pre-processing, classifier selection, and performance evaluation, this research offers promising tools for combating challenges posed by illegal wood trafficking and transportation. The outcomes hold significant potential for enhancing wildlife crime prevention efforts by facilitating the tracing illicit timber sources, apprehension of perpetrators, and implementation of preventive measures.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100377"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000264/pdfft?md5=26dfecbc023552b2528478c376f4ff33&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000264-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141433781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthetic illicit opioids in Brazil: Nitazenes arrival","authors":"Karen Rafaela Gonçalves de Araújo ,&nbsp;André Luis Fabris ,&nbsp;Luiz Ferreira Neves Junior ,&nbsp;Alexandre Learth Soares ,&nbsp;Jose Luiz Costa ,&nbsp;Mauricio Yonamine","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100375","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>While illicit opioids have not been historically significant in Brazil, these numbers have increased in the last few years. This change in the drug scenario is mainly associated with synthetic opioids, a class of new psychoactive substances (NPS). In this context, the present article describes detailed information about the recent cases of synthetic opioids seized in Brazil, especially the nitazenes group.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>All the analyses were carried out by the Superintendence of the Technical-Scientific Police - Narcotics Control Center (STSP-NCC) in São Paulo, between July 2022 and April 2023. The synthetic opioids were mainly found in herbal fragments.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Nitazenes, were the most frequent drugs detected in the seizures that took place in the State of São Paulo. There was a total of 140 cases of opioids seizures and 95 % out of those belonging to the nitazene group, while only 5 % consisted of other opioids (morphine and fentanyl). Nitazenes were found 28.6 % isolated and 71.4 % mixed with other active compounds, being MDMB-4en-PINACA the most prevalent (30 % of the samples). Non-nitazenes were found 27.1 % mixed and 72.9 % isolated. Nitazenes and non-nitazene opioids were not found in association in any sample.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This is the first consistent report of nitazene opioids apprehensions in Brazil. Also, as far as we know, it is the first report in which nitazenes were detected in the form of herbal fragments. The effect of smoking a potent opioid together with synthetic cannabinoids is unpredictable and most users cannot be aware of what they are using.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100375"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000240/pdfft?md5=a7c5b03c933404fb9b0a5a77194b8d6a&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000240-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141433783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-mortem identification of decomposed and skeletonized human remains in Malawi","authors":"Thom Kaledzera","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100376","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100376","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100376"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000252/pdfft?md5=3f39a9994675693d9a50c1dd4dca93c4&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000252-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141433782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex estimation and sexual dimorphism analysis through hand anthropometry: Insights from a cross-sectional study","authors":"M.O. Suleiman ,&nbsp;B. Danborno ,&nbsp;S.A. Musa ,&nbsp;J.A. Timbuak ,&nbsp;A.O. Yusuf ,&nbsp;H.O. Suleiman","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100374","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100374","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>One crucial aspect of a forensic procedure is sex estimation during individual identification. Hand and its remains are usually among the common body parts found in scenes of mass disasters during forensic investigations. Hand outlines are also important in several biomedical fields such as prosthetics, plastic surgery, and ergonomics. This cross-sectional study was done to investigate sexual dimorphism and discriminate sex using hand and hand print dimensions of 283 male and 317 female subjects who were randomly selected. Bare hand measurement and bilateral hand prints were obtained using Vernier caliper, inked pad, and A4 plain paper. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 IBM. Sexual dimorphism in all the hand dimensions and prints of both hands were observed. The binary logistic regression model showed that in the left hand, bare left-hand breadth (BLHB) was the single best variable to discriminate sex with a percentage accuracy of 69.5 %. Bare right-hand breadth (BRHB) was the best predictor in the right hand with a percentage accuracy of 71.8 %. The predicted probabilities of the binary logistic model (BLR) for the variables that contributed best to the prediction were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. It was observed that the BLHB and BRHB had the highest area under the curve (above 0.5) in the hand and print variables respectively. Sexual dimorphism and sex determination were established in this study using hand dimensions and prints. The BLHB and BRHB were the best sex determinants in this study. Although the accuracies of sex estimation from both hands in this study are low, it does confirm and support previous reports of handbreadth being the best variable for sex estimation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100374"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000239/pdfft?md5=98c8203a29e3b78c9b70d626376f9f8a&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000239-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141390684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SynTissue® as a surrogate material for the human scalp","authors":"Geoffrey T. Desmoulin ,&nbsp;Marc-André Nolette ,&nbsp;Theodore E. Milner","doi":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Synthetic skin produced by SynDaver®, currently used primarily in medical testing and training applications, may be suitable as a surrogate for human skin in forensic investigations. To determine how accurately the company's synthetic skin, SynTissue®, could mimic the mechanical properties of human skin, tests were conducted to measure its elastic modulus and resistance to laceration. Test results were compared to published data acquired from tensile tests conducted on human scalp and impacts with blunt objects on porcine heads. The stress vs strain relation for SynTissue® 8 N corresponded closely to that of the human scalp. Deformations similar to skin lacerations were observed when SynTissue® was subjected to blunt object impacts, at forces in the range of those reported for lacerations of cadaver and porcine heads. However, the published data are insufficient to unequivocally assess the suitability of SynTissue® for forensic investigations of lacerations. Moreover, there are features of the SynTissue® impact deformations that can provide useful information even if the laceration threshold turns out to be lower than that of human skin.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36331,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International: Reports","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100373"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910724000227/pdfft?md5=30832e22840d4fd0a38dca4c69900dee&pid=1-s2.0-S2665910724000227-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141394387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}