Forensic Sciences Research最新文献

{"title":"Application and implications of radiocarbon dating in forensic case work: when medico-legal significance meets archaeological relevance.","authors":"Benoit Bertrand, Thibault Clauzel, Pascale Richardin, Anne Bécart, Philippe Morbidelli, Valery Hédouin, Carina Marques","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae046","DOIUrl":"10.1093/fsr/owae046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The estimation of the postmortem interval for skeletal remains is a crucial aspect of forensic anthropology. This paper illustrates the importance of radiocarbon analysis for establishing medico-legal significance and supporting forensic identification, through the analysis of three case studies for which the years of both birth and death were investigated. In Audresselles, Northern France, a partial skull was discovered with no contextual information or identity. Radiocarbon dating yielded an average calibrated calendar age of 4232 BCE (92.5% probability), indicating significant archaeological value but no forensic relevance. In the second case, skeletal remains were found in the flooded underground of a historical fort at Wimereux, Northern France, also with no identity. Radiocarbon dating based on the bomb-pulse curve indicated a calibrated date of death in 1962 CE (37.3% probability) or 1974-1975 CE (58.1% probability), both surpassing the French statute of limitations. Lastly, a skeleton with a suspected identity was discovered near Valenciennes, Northern France, and various biological tissues underwent radiocarbon dating. A bone sample suggested a calibrated date of death of 1998-2002 CE (84.6% probability), differing from a hair sample (2013-2018 CE, 83.3% probability) because of the slower bone tissue remodeling process. DNA analysis confirmed the person's identity, reported missing a decade prior to the discovery of the remains, following the alignment of the radiocarbon results with the individual's year of birth based on dental tissues and year of death. These case studies reveal that traditional radiocarbon dating and bomb-pulse dating are essential tools for estimating the postmortem interval, providing mutual benefits for archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, and the criminal justice system.</p><p><strong>Key points: </strong>Traditional radiocarbon dating and bomb-pulse dating are essential tools to establish the archaeological relevance or medico-legal significance of human skeletal remains.Bomb-pulse dating enables assessment of an individual's years of birth and death.Bomb-pulse dating helps to narrow down the pool of candidates for identification.Radiocarbon analysis provides mutual benefits for archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, and the criminal justice system.</p>","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491528/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477315","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 interdisciplinary forensic approach in a mummified child with evidence of abuse and neglect.","authors":"Norbert Moravanský, Soňa Masnicová, Petra Švábová, Roman Kuruc, Branislav Gális, Radoslav Beňuš","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae049","DOIUrl":"10.1093/fsr/owae049","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mummification of corpses with partial skeletonization is not an uncommon occurrence in daily forensic work. Cooperation between different forensic fields is important in these cases in terms of obtaining the most accurate and forensically relevant results, especially when child abuse and neglect is suspected. In Central Europe, up to 21% of children are exposed to physical and psychological harm, which is mostly perpetrated by family members. This report describes a case of subadult female mummified remains in which interdisciplinary forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, and entomology input was needed to obtain legally relevant results. Entomological analysis of the fly and beetle species present served primarily to estimate the postmortem interval. External examination confirmed advanced postmortem decomposition of the body. The anthropological findings based on radiographs and analysis of selected bones confirmed various antemortem fractures and post-traumatic changes involving the ribs, the distal portion of the humerus, the nasal bones, and the anterior portions of the maxilla and mandible. Furthermore, non-specific findings of growth arrest (Harris) lines in the distal metaphysis of the right tibia indicated growth retardation and, overall, child neglect. The autopsy findings confirmed subdural blood coagulum, part of which formed a clearly moulded plaster mass that had originally been attached to the cranial vault up to the internal lamina. The findings indicated a post-traumatic condition as the underlying cause of death in this child. Interdisciplinary forensic analyses confirmed that the child had been repeatedly exposed to violent assaults throughout her lifetime.</p><p><strong>Key points: </strong>If mummified remains with partial skeletonization of a subadult are found, collaboration among forensic experts is requiredIn this case, dried subdural blood coagulum indicated post-traumatic, non-spontaneous subdural haemorrhagePeriosteal reaction present on the facial bones and distal portion of the humerus was a suspicious findingAnalyses of female subadult remains based on an interdisciplinary approach revealed a syndrome of child abuse and neglect.</p>","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11464239/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142401588","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 case study on the endeavour to identify the \"unidentifiable\" fallen soldiers of WWI on the Italian front.","authors":"Daniel Gaudio, Andrea Betto","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>If there is a category of war victims for whom the identification process has been and still remains an extremely challenging issue, it is the soldiers of World War One. There are various reasons for this, including unreliable identity tags, the unprecedented number of casualties, and the level of destruction caused by the massive use of \"new\" weapons. In Italy, this phenomenon was so severe and well-known that a monument was erected in Rome specifically in memory of those unknown soldiers (\"Tomba del Milite Ignoto\"). However, modern techniques in forensic archaeology and anthropology can facilitate identification even in this extreme context. In the casework described here, the presence of human remains was reported to the judicial authorities, which were subsequently located and excavated in a remote region of the Italian Alps using a range of techniques, including drone imagery, GPR, and micromorphological surveying. During the archaeological excavation of the human remains, a World War One zinc identification tag in very poor condition was found adjacent to the body. The biological profile was estimated (male, 20-30 years old, 166 cm±3.27 cm), and a trauma survey was performed. Thanks to the restoration of the ID tag, parts of the name and enrolment number were found and cross-referenced with the anthropological data of the subject, matching the information in the available military records. The victim had no siblings or offspring, making it impossible to identify descendants. However, the operation led to a contextual/presumptive identification of the soldier and the discovery of his story. He was a native of Tuscany, who died during the \"Punitive Expedition\" (1916) and was buried, probably by his comrades, in a small flat area hidden from enemy lines. In investigations like this, the involvement of local communities, whether groups or individuals, is crucial. In this case report, it will be shown how multidisciplinary approaches and collective actions can play a pivotal role in resolving highly intricate scenarios, such as those pertaining to armed conflicts.</p>","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11403625/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298232","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":"Still waters run deep: A unique case of mummification under extreme conditions","authors":"Despoina E Flouri, Efstratios Kougios, Efthimios Fasoulakis, K. Spanakis, E. Kranioti, Antonios Papadomanolakis","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae040","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 A mummified body was discovered inside a screw-top plastic barrel next to a dry riverbed in rural Crete, Greece. Local authorities conducted a field investigation along with a forensic pathologist, and the body was transferred inside the barrel to the Forensic Medicine Unit of the University of Crete for further investigation. Forensic examination included radiographs taken using a portable X-ray machine in situ followed by extraction of the remains, a full-body postmortem computed tomography scan, autopsy, DNA extraction, tissue and biofluid sampling, and histological and toxicological analyses. Two butane camping gases were recovered from inside the barrel. The remains were determined to belong to a middle-aged adult male. The postmortem interval was estimated to be over 4 months. DNA comparison revealed that the body belonged to a 58-year-old man who was reported missing 28 months prior to discovery. Examinations showed no evidence of skeletal or other trauma, and death was attributed to asphyxia due to oxygen deprivation. Careful examination of the barrel, which bore several peculiar modifications, in conjunction with contextual information pertaining to the deceased’s personal life, led to a successful case resolution.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141806693","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":"Applying multidisciplinary methods to forensic casework in North Carolina","authors":"Nicole Long, Kimberly A. Sheets, Erin Kennedy Thornton, Ann H Ross","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae038","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 A multidisciplinary approach in the investigation of unidentified decedents (UIDs) employs the use of a variety of scientific approaches. This approach is applied in casework in North Carolina, USA and has led to successful identifications using anthropological analysis and population affinity estimation using 3D-ID, IGG, and isotopic analyses. Results from one scientific approach can help to inform the others, providing more information about the decedent, and thus enhancing the investigation. This case report outlines three cases from North Carolina that combine each of these scientific approaches and serve as examples of collaboration in a multidisciplinary approach.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141813263","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":"Identification investigations: a collaborative approach to the resolution of long-term unidentified persons cases at the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner","authors":"Angela Soler, Justin Z Goldstein, Aden Naka, Stephanie Santiago","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae039","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (NYC OCME) investigates approximately 9000–10 000 deaths every year, each of which necessitates a formal identification. Although standard identification protocols resolve the majority of these cases, there are still a substantial number of long-term unidentified persons cases that require a targeted investigation. This process involves not only the comprehensive review of all available postmortem data (e.g., scene findings, personal effects, autopsy findings, toxicology results, forensic anthropology reports, dental findings, fingerprints, forensic biology), but also the collection of antemortem data through focused informant interviews, analyzing casefiles and/or archival records, reviewing public missing person postings (e.g., NamUs), and collaborating with law enforcement and other agencies. This holistic approach to identification investigations is systematic yet flexible, allowing for the needs of each unidentified person and/or missing person case to be thoroughly assessed and efficiently addressed. These efforts have proven successful at NYC OCME, resulting in over 80 long-term unidentified persons identifications confirmed in the last 7 years, dating as far back as 1969. This paper provides a detailed breakdown of the NYC OCME framework for long-term unidentified persons investigations, citing multiple case studies to underscore how investigators utilize multiple lines of evidence to generate potential leads. Although each jurisdiction faces a unique set of demands and limitations, sharing these investigative strategies and perspectives may benefit practitioners contending with long-term unidentified persons cases and their inherent complexities.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141820269","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":"A review of methods of age estimation based on postmortem computed tomography","authors":"Marta Barszcz, K. Woźniak","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae036","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Age at death is one of the key elements of the ‘biological profile’ prepared when analysing unidentified human remains. Biological age is determined according to physiological indicators and developmental stage, which can be determined by bone assessment. It is worth remembering that the researcher must interpret each case individually and in accordance with the current state of knowledge. One of the most developed tools for analysing human remains is postmortem computed tomography. This allows for the visualisation not only of bones without maceration but also of the entire body under various altered states, including corpses in advanced stages of decomposition and burnt bodies. The aim of this review is to present the current methods for age estimation based on postmortem computed tomography evaluation, comparing the results presented in 18 research projects published between 2013 and 2023 on foetuses, children, and adults from contemporary populations. Recent literature includes assessment of bones and characteristics such as skulls, teeth, vertebrae, pelvises, and long bones to estimate age at death. We cover the methods used in this recent literature, including machine learning, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of them.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141827910","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":"Moving from the unknown to the known: a multidisciplinary approach to the identification of skeletal remains from Sandy Point, Australia.","authors":"Soren Blau, Dadna Hartman, April Stock, Fiona Leahy, Jodie Leditschke, Lyndall Smythe, Noel Woodford, Samantha Rowbotham","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>When human remains are inadvertently located, case-related circumstantial information is used to generate an identification hypothesis, and the preservation of the remains typically informs which identification methods may then be used to validate that hypothesis. What happens, however, when there is no contextual information to generate an identification hypothesis? This paper presents the case of a near-complete human skeleton discovered at Sandy Point in Victoria, Australia. The circumstances of the case did not facilitate an identification hypothesis, and with no hypothesis to triage the identification process, all possible identification methods were employed. Preservation of the individual meant neither a visual nor a fingerprint identification was possible, and the lack of an identification hypothesis meant there was no antemortem reference data to compare with the postmortem DNA or dental information. Consequently, in addition to historical research, novel methods, such as radiocarbon dating and genetic intelligence, were utilized to complement information provided by the forensic anthropology and odontology analyses, which ultimately resulted in the identification. This example highlights the complexity of cases of unidentified skeletal remains and emphasizes the fact that identification is a process that necessarily requires a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach.</p><p><strong>Key points: </strong>Human skeletal remains were recovered from Sandy Point, Victoria.The absence of circumstantial information and the poor preservation (i.e. skeletonized) of the remains precluded the formation of an identification hypothesis, rendering the identification process complex.Only through the integration of anthropology, odontology, molecular biology, radiocarbon dating, historical research, and genealogy were the remains able to be identified as Mr. Christopher Luke Moore, who drowned in 1928.Human identification is a process that necessarily requires a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11409877/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298233","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":"Validation and forensic application of a new 36 X-STR loci multiplex system","authors":"Kaiqin Chen, R. Tao, Y. Qu, Junnan Lu, Yuan Ping, Yilun Zhang, Pengyu Chen, Chengtao Li","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae029","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (X-STRs) are indispensable in specific cases, distinct from autosomal and Y chromosome genetic markers. SureID® X37 is an innovative six-color fluorescence multiplex detection system that can simultaneously amplify 36 X-STR loci (including DXS6795, DXS7132, DXS8378, DXS10101, DXS10103, DXS10079, DXS10134, GATA172D05, HPRTB, DXS6810, DXS10135, DXS6797, DXS10074, DXS7424, DXS9902, DXS7423, DXS10148, DXS10162, DXS6809, GATA31E08, DXS6803, DXS10075, DXS6807, DXS10164, DXS6789, DXS10146, DXS981, DXS9895, DXS101, DXS6800 DXS907, and DXS8377) and the Amelogenin locus. In this study, we validated its suitability for forensic identification per SWGDAM (Scientific Working Group on DNA analysis methods) guidelines, including PCR conditions, precision, accuracy, case-type samples, sensitivity, repeatability, reproducibility, species specificity, stability, stutter calculation, and DNA mixtures. Additionally, 577 Han Chinese individuals were used to investigate the utility of the system in forensic population genetics. The results indicated that the system is sensitive, stable, and reliable, and is suitable for typical forensic case. Subsequent population investigations confirmed that it serves as a potent supplementary tool in forensic applications.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140668687","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":"Human costal cartilage, tooth cavities, and femur nutrient canals—new niches for insects used in forensic entomology","authors":"M. Tomsia, A. Grzywacz, Krzysztof Szpila, K. Walczak, Karolina Mahlerová, Daniel Vaněk, S. Matuszewski","doi":"10.1093/fsr/owae028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae028","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The study aimed to analyze the entomological material collected during 13 autopsies performed on the unidentified cadavers revealed at different stages of decay in the Upper Silesia Region (Poland) over 2016–2022. During the preparation of human tissues for genetic identification, we revealed larvae, puparia, and adult insects in previously undescribed locations: costal cartilage, femur nutrient canals (foramen nutrients), and tooth cavities. The taxonomical assessment was done using morphological examination or DNA barcoding, where necessary. Based on our observations, we conclude that the apical constriction, foramen, and cavities may serve as migration paths inside teeth, and the femur nutrient canals to the bone marrow. The study also revealed that Necrobia ruficollis (Fabricius, 1775) and Pyralidae Latreille, 1802 (Phycitinae) moths can form pupal chambers inside the costal cartilage, indicating that these insects can complete their life cycle inside this cache. We believe that the newly reported locations of carrion insects in human remains may be relevant to forensic entomology, as they provide new opportunities to collect insect evidence.","PeriodicalId":45852,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Sciences Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140670843","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}