Journal of forensic sciences最新文献

Unexplained fall and fatal head injury: Forensic implications of neurocysticercosis. 不明原因的跌倒和致命的头部损伤：神经囊虫病的法医意义。

IF 1.8

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70144

Siva Sai Kumar Pulagura, Rahul Panwar, Raghvendra Singh Shekhawat, Vikrant Verma, Divya Aggarwal, Vinay N Gowda

{"title":"Unexplained fall and fatal head injury: Forensic implications of neurocysticercosis.","authors":"Siva Sai Kumar Pulagura, Rahul Panwar, Raghvendra Singh Shekhawat, Vikrant Verma, Divya Aggarwal, Vinay N Gowda","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70144","url":null,"abstract":"Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common parasitic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by the larval stage of Taenia solium. We present a case of an unresponsive 32-year-old man who was found outside a steel manufacturing factory, taken to the emergency department by the police, and then declared dead. There were no external injuries apparent at autopsy; however, internal examination revealed a basilar skull fracture, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and multiple cystic lesions in the brain. NCC was confirmed by histopathological examination, which revealed cysticerci at different stages of development with accompanying inflammation and gliosis. The person may have been predisposed to seizures as a result of these histological abnormalities. The existence of underlying neuropathological disorders, such as neurocysticercosis (NCC), is an important finding in the context of unexplained sudden death, even when the precise mechanism of trauma could not be conclusively proven due to the lack of eyewitnesses and limited available investigation details. This case underscores the forensic relevance of NCC in unexplained deaths, especially among migrants from the endemic areas. A comprehensive postmortem examination, including past clinical history, background of migration, crime scene investigation, and histopathological analysis, is needed in such cases to help evaluate all possible contributions to the cause of death.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144765899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A case of fatal infective endocarditis in uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot with persistent left superior vena cava. 法洛四联症合并持续性左上腔静脉致致致命性感染性心内膜炎1例。

IF 1.8

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-30 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70142

Robert S Richard, Deepu Mathew, Vinod Ashok Chaudhari, Kanwalpreet Kaur

{"title":"A case of fatal infective endocarditis in uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot with persistent left superior vena cava.","authors":"Robert S Richard, Deepu Mathew, Vinod Ashok Chaudhari, Kanwalpreet Kaur","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70142","url":null,"abstract":"Infectious endocarditis is characterized by the inflammation of the endocardium, and individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at a higher risk for developing infective endocarditis (IE), with a predicted risk 100 times that of the general population. We present a rare case of fatal infectious endocarditis in a 39-year-old female with uncorrected Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). Recurrent dental infections and multiple skin infections may have contributed to the development of IE, and the patient's prolonged survival without surgical intervention is unusual. The examination of the heart revealed features of TOF with PLSVC, along with vegetations on the tricuspid valve. The patient developed both cardiac and extra-cardiac complications due to the development of septic emboli, leading to abscess formation in the lungs, kidneys, and spleen. The microbiological examination showed the typical organism, Enterococcus faecalis, in accordance with Duke's criteria. This case underscores the complex association between CHD and IE, with unique gross autopsy and histopathological and microbiological findings that are rarely observed in prolonged cases of dual cardiac anomalies.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144755513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Enhanced image-splicing classification: A resilient and scale-invariant approach utilizing edge-weighted local texture features. 增强图像拼接分类：利用边缘加权局部纹理特征的弹性和尺度不变方法。

IF 1.8

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-30 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70143

Arslan Akram, Muhammad Arfan Jaffar, Javed Rashid, Salah Mahmoud Boulaaras, Muhammad Faheem

{"title":"Enhanced image-splicing classification: A resilient and scale-invariant approach utilizing edge-weighted local texture features.","authors":"Arslan Akram, Muhammad Arfan Jaffar, Javed Rashid, Salah Mahmoud Boulaaras, Muhammad Faheem","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70143","url":null,"abstract":"The spread of image editing tools demonstrates how modern mixed-media technology enables changes in digital images. Such easy access raises severe moral and legal concerns around the potential for malicious image editing. Overcoming this difficulty will need the development of innovative approaches for the quick detection of changes in high-quality photographs. This paper proposes a new way to solve this problem by analyzing chrominance discontinuities in spliced regions, DWT, and unique histograms based on local binary patterns. To start extracting the luminance and chrominance components, we change the input image's color space from RGB to YCBCR. Then, using discrete wavelet transformation, the blue and red chromaticity levels were converted into wavelet bands. We compute histograms using the CB and CR DWT high-frequency bands. The next step is to use feature fusion methods to merge the CB and CR feature vectors from each high-frequency band after we change the histograms into vectors. Finally, we train a Support Vector Machine (SVM) using the combined color characteristics. A binary SVM trained to identify spliced images between original and spliced images has been produced. Improving upon existing methods, the proposed method achieved up to 98.49% accuracy on CASIA v1.0, outperforming existing benchmarks, that is, 97.33% on DVMM and 98.25% on Casiav2.0, thereby enhancing splicing forgery detection. This method contributes to media forensics by providing a reliable tool for detecting tampered images, which holds significant relevance in legal investigations and digital content authentication.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144755514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Solvent-free method for developing latent fingerprints by applying superfine ninhydrin powder. 超细茚三酮粉末无溶剂显影指纹潜影的方法。

IF 1.8

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-30 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70141

Yung-Chien Yu, Hong-Sheng Deng, Li-Ling Cho

{"title":"Solvent-free method for developing latent fingerprints by applying superfine ninhydrin powder.","authors":"Yung-Chien Yu, Hong-Sheng Deng, Li-Ling Cho","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70141","url":null,"abstract":"Ninhydrin is one of the most commonly used reagents for developing latent fingerprints on porous surfaces. Although its working solution is typically pre-prepared, it has several drawbacks: it can dissolve printing ink and handwritten text, and it often causes thermal paper to darken. In light of these drawbacks, this study introduces and evaluates a solvent-free fingerprint development method by applying superfine ninhydrin powder (ASNP). In this approach, finely ground ninhydrin powder is directly applied to paper surfaces, followed by controlled heating and humidification to facilitate the diffusion of ninhydrin molecules into the paper fibers for fingerprint development. Seven types of paper were evaluated, including kraft paper, newspaper, carbonless copy paper, magazine, copying paper, thermal paper, and coated art paper. The ASNP method was compared with the traditional ninhydrin solution under two conditions: 60°C at 40% relative humidity (RH) and 50°C at 65% RH. The condition of 50°C and 65% RH yielded improved fingerprint development, with most ASNP prints becoming visible within 6 h. After 24 h, the performance of the ASNP method was comparable to that of the traditional solution. This ASNP technique offers several advantages: it eliminates the need for a pre-mixed working solution, reduces solvent costs, avoids solvent-induced damage and environmental hazards, and results in only minimal background staining. Moreover, it can be effectively applied to thermal and carbonless copy papers.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144746648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Differentiating homicidal, suicidal, and autoerotic neck compression deaths. 区分他杀，自杀和自恋颈部压迫死亡。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70140

Scotia P Mullin, Rita Hardiman

{"title":"Differentiating homicidal, suicidal, and autoerotic neck compression deaths.","authors":"Scotia P Mullin, Rita Hardiman","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70140","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70140","url":null,"abstract":"Neck compression occurs when a mechanical force is applied to the anterior or anterolateral aspect of the neck. This can occur in various circumstances, including homicide, suicide, and autoerotic accidents. While forensic medical specialties effectively determine the cause of death in such cases, establishing the manner of death remains challenging. Previous research has highlighted a need for differentiation that goes beyond contextual information and autopsy findings. This study employs epidemiological methods to examine injury prevalence and statistical differentiation of neck compression deaths, aiming to quantify the likelihood of injury across various homicidal, suicidal, and accidental neck compression scenarios. Using data from 266 cases across homicidal ligature and manual strangulation, suicidal neck compression, and autoerotic neck compression, the study investigates injury and associated findings, prevalence, patterns, and probabilities across anatomical regions commonly injured due to neck compression. Results indicate that the odds of injury to various regions of the head and neck are influenced by the manner of death, with homicidal intent often presenting a higher prevalence of injury as well as increased odds of injury. Such statistical differentiation could assist in determining the manner of death in cases of masked homicide, when remains are alternatively preserved, or where there are no reliable witnesses. This research highlights the role of epidemiology in complementing forensic medical specialties, offering quantifiable evidence to assist in medico-legal investigations and expert testimony.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144719292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The effect of cone beam computed tomography voxel size on age estimation: A three-dimensional surface area analysis study. 锥束计算机断层扫描体素大小对年龄估计的影响：一个三维表面积分析研究。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-20 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70129

Meghna Gohain, Muhammad Khan Asif, Phrabhakaran Nambiar, Amir Hazwan Abdul Rahim, Nora Sakina Mohd Noor, Norliza Ibrahim

{"title":"The effect of cone beam computed tomography voxel size on age estimation: A three-dimensional surface area analysis study.","authors":"Meghna Gohain, Muhammad Khan Asif, Phrabhakaran Nambiar, Amir Hazwan Abdul Rahim, Nora Sakina Mohd Noor, Norliza Ibrahim","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70129","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70129","url":null,"abstract":"Accurate three-dimensional (3D) age estimation relies on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) image quality. This study investigated the effect of voxel size on age estimation using 3D surface area analysis (3D SAA) of developing tooth apices from different CBCT systems. CBCT scans of 128 developing maxillary second premolars from children aged 7-14 years of Malay and Chinese ethnicities were retrospectively collected using a voxel size of 76 μm. The surface area of the developing apex was measured using the 3D SAA method. A previously developed regression formula, based on 300 μm voxel size data, was applied to calculate the mean absolute error (MAE) for the 76 μm voxel data. A strong negative correlation (r = 0.960) was found between chronological age (CA) and root surface area of apex (RSAA). An MAE value of 0.51 was obtained, demonstrating the high accuracy of the existing regression model. RSAA and root development status significantly contributed to age estimation (p < 0.05), except for sex (p = 0.37) and ethnicity (p = 0.49). No significant differences in the correlation strength between CA and RSAA (p = 0.09), the correlation coefficient (p = 0.08), and the MAE values (p = 0.13) were observed when tested against the previous 300 μm findings. This study demonstrated that the 3D SAA-based age estimation model performs consistently across both voxel sizes. As smaller voxel sizes did not significantly improve accuracy, the use of larger voxel sizes may be preferred to reduce radiation exposure, especially in pediatric populations.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144677079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Selection of microhaplotype loci and development of panel for forensic application. 微单倍型位点的选择及法医用板的研制。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-18 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70139

Jing Zhou, Shuai Zhang, Yan Wang, Zhixi Lu, Zhangsen Shi, Huayan Zheng, Weizhong Gu, Enping Xu

{"title":"Selection of microhaplotype loci and development of panel for forensic application.","authors":"Jing Zhou, Shuai Zhang, Yan Wang, Zhixi Lu, Zhangsen Shi, Huayan Zheng, Weizhong Gu, Enping Xu","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70139","url":null,"abstract":"Microhaplotypes have gained significant attention in forensic genetics research due to their advantageous characteristics, including low mutation rates, absence of stutter products, short fragment lengths, and high polymorphism. These features position them as promising tools for various forensic applications. In this study, using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform, a 29-plex microhaplotype (MH) panel was developed for the Chinese Han population. The panel's forensic utility was systematically evaluated across multiple applications, including paternity testing, individual identification, population analysis, and mixture analysis. In a cohort of 444 Chinese Han individuals, the panel exhibited robust performance: the average effective number of alleles (Ae) was 3.2938, and the total discrimination power (TDP) and the cumulative power of exclusion (CPE) reached 0.9999999999999999999999926 and 0.9999998228, respectively, demonstrating its high informativeness for individual identification and paternity testing. Simulated pairing analysis showed comparable efficacy to traditional STR systems in paternity testing. Excluding six microhaplotypes not included in 1000 Genomes, the remaining 23 microhaplotypes can effectively distinguish the five populations and can be used for population analysis. The observed allele coverage ratios closely matched expected values in artificial mixtures tested, indicating that the panel could play a complementary role in mixture analysis. A consistency rate of 98.5% was observed in paired normal/tumor samples, indicating potential for assisting tumor origin identification. In conclusion, the developed 29-plex microhaplotype panel offers significant value for forensic applications, including individual identification, paternity testing, population analysis, and supplementary roles in mixture/tumor sample analysis. This study establishes a novel and effective tool for forensic genetic practice.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144669180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Forensic analysis of cigarette tipping papers using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics. 利用ATR-FTIR光谱和化学计量学对卷烟纸进行法医分析。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-17 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70138

Nisha Rani, Chongtham Nimi, Rajinder Singh

{"title":"Forensic analysis of cigarette tipping papers using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics.","authors":"Nisha Rani, Chongtham Nimi, Rajinder Singh","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70138","url":null,"abstract":"Cigarettes are addictive in nature and smokers over time develop a preference toward smoking a particular brand. Therefore, identification and discrimination of different brands could be important during forensic investigations. It could serve as corroborative evidence not only in cases of physical and sexual assaults, theft, burglary, and dacoity but also in cases of illegal trading and smuggling of illicit and counterfeit cigarettes. Whenever a cigarette (smoked or unsmoked) is recovered as evidence, the tipping paper would always be present as it is a part of cigarette butts. Thus, in the present study, 21 brands of cigarette tipping paper have been analyzed by conjugating attenuated total reflectance - Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with chemometrics for brand discrimination and determination of geographical origin. Brand discrimination was performed using the support vector machine method and samples were discriminated with 100% training and validation accuracy. External validation was also performed where normal white and brown papers have been differentiated from tipping paper with 100% accuracy. Additionally, the geographical origin of samples was determined through PLS-DA with an R-square value of 0.998. Smoked samples were successfully linked with the unsmoked sample when projected to the already-built SVM model. 100% accuracy was achieved till 1 week; however, the accuracy was reduced to 71.42% after 1 week. This study proposes an alternative approach for analyzing cigarettes in a nondestructive and eco-friendly manner to highlight and amplify the potential of cigarettes as evidence.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144651610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Source discrimination of colchicine based on carbon stable isotope analysis. 基于碳稳定同位素分析的秋水仙碱来源鉴别。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-17 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70134

Hanyang Zheng, Jun Zhu, Zhuotong Cai, Zhaowei Jie, Wei Wang, Hanyu Zhang, Can Hu, Hongling Guo, Hongcheng Mei

{"title":"Source discrimination of colchicine based on carbon stable isotope analysis.","authors":"Hanyang Zheng, Jun Zhu, Zhuotong Cai, Zhaowei Jie, Wei Wang, Hanyu Zhang, Can Hu, Hongling Guo, Hongcheng Mei","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70134","url":null,"abstract":"Colchicine, a highly toxic alkaloid, has been frequently employed as a poisoning agent in criminal cases. Toxicant source tracing represents a critical research direction in forensic science, where the discrimination of colchicine origins holds particular significance for chemical fingerprint identification in poisoning incidents. The stable isotopic signature of colchicine serves as a crucial indicator for source comparison and traceability. However, its complexity of structure and high molecular weight present substantial challenges for precise stable isotope analysis. To enhance traceability capabilities, a method for the analysis of carbon stable isotope of colchicine was established using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). Through systematic optimization of experimental conditions, we resolved incomplete oxidation issues in the combustion reactor caused by inherent chemical properties of colchicine, achieving precise measurements with a standard deviation below 0.3‰. Method validation confirmed that storage conditions and matrix effects exerted no significant impact on carbon stable isotope ratio determinations. Applied to colchicine from three distinct sources, this method demonstrated effective source discrimination through δ13C values. The established analytical protocol proves reliable and robust for colchicine stable carbon isotope analysis, thereby significantly increasing its traceability potential in forensic science.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144651612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Metastatic seminoma: Initial diagnosis at autopsy due to fatal pulmonary thromboembolism. 转移性精原细胞瘤：由于致命的肺血栓栓塞而在尸检中初步诊断。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-07-17 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70137

Nadia Lee, George Paul

引用次数: 0