Journal of forensic sciences最新文献

{"title":"Human tissue oxygen and strontium isotope values in North America: A data compilation and assessment for forensic geolocation.","authors":"Kirsten A Verostick, Alejandro Serna, Chris Stantis, Gabriel J Bowen","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The use of isotopic analysis for human mobility, geolocation, and forensic identification has become common over the past two decades, yet its effectiveness depends on the availability of well-documented reference data. Many reference data exist in the literature, but the suitability of these data for forensic applications has not been critically assessed. Here, we compile oxygen and strontium isotope data for North American human tissues (hair, nails, bone, and tooth enamel). We review the geographic distribution of these data, evaluate their relationship with the predicted geographic variation, and assess potential sources of bias that may limit the comparability of different datasets in the compilation. A substantial number of data are available for some of these substrates and isotope systems, but in most cases, their geographic distribution is patchy with many areas under sampled. Except for hair Sr isotopes, a robust relationship occurs between human tissue values and modeled local environmental values, suggesting theoretically expected relationships between human tissues and local sources of O and Sr are expressed. These relationships are noisy; we identify several methodological differences that produce systematic biases across the compiled data. Based on these findings, we suggest interpreting forensic isotope data using currently published reference data is problematic. We propose the adoption of consistent metadata reporting and standardized laboratory protocols to enhance the utility of data gathered in future research as these practices could lead to measurable improvements in the strength of forensic interpretations derived from human tissue isotope data.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143733772","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}

{"title":"The application of decision trees for estimating osteological sex from common measurements of the skull.","authors":"Morgan J Ferrell, John J Schultz, Donovan M Adams","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skull measurements are commonly evaluated for osteological sex estimation in forensic anthropology, and decision tree-based classification models for the skull may improve accuracy compared to current metric methods. Additionally, decision trees can provide accurate sex classification with a limited number of measurements, which is valuable when analyzing fragmentary remains. Thus, the present study seeks to test the utility of decision trees for generating sex classification models from metric variables of the skull. Twenty-one skull measurements were evaluated for 403 adult males and females. Relative technical error of measurement was used to assess intraobserver error, and two-way ANOVAs and aligned rank transformation were used to examine the effects of sex, population, age, and temporal period on the measurements. The data set was split into 80% training and 20% holdout testing samples to assess the predictive accuracy of each tree. Trees were generated for the skull and cranium, with models for European Americans, African Americans, and the pooled population sample. Overall, the recommended trees for the cranium achieved higher accuracies (85.3-95.0%) compared to the skull trees (84.0-92.5%). Accuracies for the population-inclusive trees ranged from 84.0% to 85.3%, whereas the European American (92.5-95.0%) and African American (90.9%) trees achieved slightly higher accuracies. Improved accuracies were achieved compared to previous decision tree research as well as compared to current metric methods for the skull. These trees provide an additional option for estimating osteological sex, particularly when morphological methods do not yield adequate classification accuracies or cannot be assessed due to damage.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143712417","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}

{"title":"Abuse of gabapentinoids in individuals with substance use disorders.","authors":"İnci Sağlam, Rukiye Aslan, Serap Annette Akgür, Yusuf Kurtulmuş","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The abuse of gabapentinoids has increased rapidly, and death cases have been reported with increasing rates. This study examines the toxicological analysis data of substance abuse cases conducted after legal regulations were implemented in Türkiye. The focus will be on the medicolegal implications of gabapentinoid positivity in these cases. Urine samples collected between July 2021 and July 2022 from individuals (ages 18-45) presenting at Manisa Mental Health and Diseases Hospital with diagnosed or suspected substance use disorders were analyzed for the presence of pregabalin, gabapentin, and other accompanying substances. High-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (Orbitrap) was employed for analysis. The analysis reports and sociodemographic data of 10,300 cases were retrieved from the patient record system and subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 25.0. Gabapentinoid positivity was detected in 21.6% (n = 2224) of these cases (pregabalin (PGB) 18.9% (n = 1943) and gabapentin (GBP) 5.3% (n = 546)). Of the positive cases, 93.9% (n = 2089) were male, with an average age of 28 ± 6.7. Forensic cases (probation and judicial) represented the majority of admitted and positive cases 2.6% (n = 265) of cases tested positive for both pregabalin and gabapentin. While an overall increase in pregabalin and gabapentin positivity rates was observed over time, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was noted between years. Seven substances were detected with gabapentinoids. Methamphetamine was the most common accompanying substance, representing nearly half of the detected substances (46.8%, n = 1040), followed by THC-COOH (26.8%, n = 595). Despite legal regulations, the use of gabapentinoids is increasing rapidly. The study highlights the urgent need to include gabapentinoids in routine screening tests, enforce stricter prescribing guidelines, and actively prevent their illegal use.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143733767","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}

{"title":"Massive intramuscular hemorrhage of the tongue caused by hanging.","authors":"Shojiro Takasu, Sari Matsumoto, Yuko Kanto, Kyoko Iwadate","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intramuscular hemorrhage of the tongue is frequently observed when the neck is compressed. Airway obstruction caused by massive hemorrhagic tongue edema has been reported. Herein, we report an autopsy case of massive intramuscular hemorrhage of the tongue caused by suicide via hanging. A 90-year-old woman was found dead in her living room in the right lateral position with a fabric band around her neck. Unenhanced computed tomography revealed massive intramuscular hemorrhage of the tongue. A ligature mark was observed around the neck. An autopsy revealed prominent swelling of the tongue caused by massive intramuscular hemorrhage. Bilateral ossification of the stylohyoid ligament was observed, and both lungs showed distension. We suspected that the woman fell after attempting suicide via hanging. In this case, the possibility that the lung distension was caused by the swollen tongue could not be ruled out. The direct pressure on the base of the tongue caused by the hyoid bone and the combination of pressure on the base of the tongue and jugular vein caused by ossification of the stylohyoid ligament likely caused the massive intramuscular hemorrhage of the tongue. This mechanism should be considered in survivors of hanging attempts.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143712401","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}

{"title":"Investigation of a Y-chromosome screening approach for sexual assault evidence using the QIAGEN Investigator Casework GO! kit.","authors":"Dan Nana Osei Bonsu, Natasha Mitchell, Claire Jeanes, Julianne Henry","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Following an alleged sexual assault, a victim may undergo a medical examination whereby internal or external bodily swabs may be collected and submitted to a forensic laboratory to be screened for the presence of semen. At Forensic Science SA (FSSA), this involves microscopic examination of a smear prepared from each swab for the presence of sperm. Microscopic detection of sperm is confirmatory for semen, but the process is very time-consuming, especially where very low levels are present. Moreover, microscopy results are not a reliable predictor of the amount of male DNA that might be recovered. SWGDAM recommends a direct-to-DNA approach as an efficient alternative. Therefore, we investigated the Qiagen Casework GO! kit (CWG), in conjunction with the Y-chromosome marker in the Quantifiler Trio DNA quantification kit, for the rapid screening of sexual assault swabs for the presence of male DNA (termed 'Y-screen'). We initially investigated two swab types, the Copan cotton swab (currently used in Forensic Examination Collection Kits (FECK) submitted to FSSA) and the Sarstedt Forensic XL swab (a Forensic DNA grade alternative). The optimal size of the swab cutting and the volume of CWG lysis mix for the Y-screen was determined to be 1/8 and 100 μL, respectively, which ensured cost minimization and sample preservation. The performance of the optimized Y-screen method was compared with conventional microscopy using a series of simulated sexual assault swabs constructed by spiking female buccal swabs with serial dilutions of semen. For Copan cotton swabs, all samples with detectable sperm by microscopy had detectable levels of male DNA using the Y-screen. The Y-screen also showed greater sensitivity than microscopy for this swab type, detecting male DNA in 8% of samples where sperm was not observed. In contrast, 36% of Forensic XL swabs gave undetectable male DNA when sperm was observed by microscopy, which indicated that the Y-screen approach with CWG may not be compatible with all swab types. A casework trial of the Y-screen approach using 46 FECK swabs (Copan cotton swabs) submitted across 29 cases confirmed the higher sensitivity of the Y-screen approach as compared to conventional microscopy. Here, 44% of FECK swabs that had no observable sperm by microscopy had detectable male DNA using the Y-screen. There were no instances where the FECK swabs with observable sperm by microscopy had undetectable male DNA using the Y-screen. Our study confirmed the utility of the Y-screen approach using CWG to expedite the downstream DNA analysis of FECK swab samples in operational casework.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143672125","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}

{"title":"A mathematical model for scientifically defining the class characteristics of the human anterior maxilla-Part 1: The dental arch.","authors":"Kenneth Aschheim, János Vág, Botond Simon","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bitemark recognition reliability in forensics has been criticized for lacking objectivity and empirical support. Despite doubts about classifying these injuries as bitemarks, pattern injuries must still be legally documented and analyzed. Forensic odontology can benefit from aesthetic dentistry by adopting metric analysis methods to define human dentition and objectively assess whether a pattern resembles a dental arch. In addition, past research on the challenges of individualizing bitemarks has inadvertently also defined these class characteristics. Although objectively quantifying these metrics is critical, prospective research must prove their uniqueness to the human species as well as their dependable transference to substrates such as skin. To explore and qualitatively define the mathematical characteristics of variations in the maxillary dental arch, an under-researched aspect of forensic odontology, two scanners collected digital maxilla scans from 100 participants (50% male, 50% female). The arch shape's intercuspal distance and parabolic curvature (y = ax² + bx + c) were defined, recorded, and analyzed. The mean intercuspal distance of maxillary canines was 33.8 mm (SD: 2.25 mm, 29.0-39.6 mm). The mean fitted curve created by Linear Mixed Model (LMM) for Quadratic Regression Analysis was a mean of y-mean_Total = 0.040x² - 0.0008x - 1.581, an upper limit of y-higher_Total = 0.047x² - 0.00039x + 2.593, and a lower limit of y-lower_Total = 0.032x² - 0.0012x - 5.754. In addition, sexual dimorphism using quadratic analysis was not established. Quadratic regression analysis establishes an objective framework for characterizing the maxillary dental arch. Results indicate that the arches of human dentitions share class characteristics within a narrow range, and can also offer a framework for the assessment of dentitions across species.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143674949","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}

{"title":"The grip of crime: Analyzing strangulation and asphyxiation typologies in homicide cases.","authors":"Victor G Petreca, Kalliopi Tzani-Pepelasis, Maria Ioannou, Alice Siggery, Lauren McBride, Elora Barros, Ann W Burgess","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Strangulation-related homicides represent a complex and under-researched form of violent crime, characterized by distinct behavioral and situational elements. The aim of the research was to identify perpetrator typologies in strangulation homicides and to analyze their relationships with victim characteristics and crime scene factors. A retrospective analysis of 200 systematically sampled cases from the Radford/Florida Gulf Coast University Serial Killer Database employed Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) to examine 42 behavioral variables. The analysis revealed four primary typologies: Excessive (characterized by severe violence beyond lethality, including mutilation and torture), intended (marked by premeditation and organizational elements), personal (distinguished by intimate engagement and direct manual methods), and sexual (defined by sexual assault and sadistic behaviors). Statistical analysis demonstrated significant correlations between offender-victim relationships, crime scene characteristics, and degrees of violence within each typological category, with 97% of cases fitting distinctly into one category and 3% showing hybrid characteristics. The findings provide empirically based frameworks for forensic profiling and inform specific investigative strategies aligned with each typological pattern. These results equip law enforcement with targeted investigation and risk assessment approaches, potentially leading to more accurate offender identification and prevention efforts. The research advances the understanding of psychological and situational factors in strangulation-related homicides, contributing to both forensic literature and practical applications in criminal investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143672127","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}

{"title":"Reevaluating skeletal sex estimation practices in forensic anthropology.","authors":"Alexandra R Klales, Kate M Lesciotto","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding practitioner preferences in method selection and reporting for skeletal sex estimation is a necessary step toward the standardization of biological profile estimation within forensic anthropological practice in the United States. To better understand the current state of skeletal sex estimation, an electronic survey was sent via omnichannel distribution methods, targeted to individuals practicing skeletal sex estimation in forensic anthropology. One hundred eighteen individuals responded, answering questions about their educational and training background, case experience, practices, and preferences for skeletal sex estimation, and preferences for future method development. Most respondents use both qualitative and quantitative approaches to estimate skeletal sex (99.0%) and employ multiple methods for casework. The pelvis was preferred for morphological approaches, and the Fordisc program [2005, FORDISC 3: Personal computer forensic discriminate functions] was preferred for metric approaches to skeletal sex estimation. Respondents placed emphasis on the validity and reliability of specific methods, their experience and comfort level with applying specific methods, and utilizing methods that did not require expensive equipment. There was considerable variation in how the final sex estimate was determined and reported, with most either giving preference to the pelvis (36.1%) or reporting all methods but basing the final estimation on experience (39.2%). These results were largely similar to the results from a similar survey conducted in 2012, including a preference for using the pelvis for morphological sex estimation; however, the introduction and adoption of new sex estimation methods since 2012 have changed the landscape of practitioner preferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660138","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}

{"title":"Screening for clandestine graves via the analysis of infrared images and temperature metrics.","authors":"Paige Riley-Carrier, Mindy Greco, Aldo D'Ottavio, Kiersten Schiliro, Christopher A Tipple","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Locating a clandestine grave is a challenging yet crucial step in a criminal investigation and eventual prosecution. Many techniques have been used to locate clandestine graves, including light detection and ranging and ground penetrating radar. Recently, thermal imaging has also been evaluated as a method for this task. However, questions such as the best time of day for use and the technique's longevity still exist. This study served as a means to address these topics. First, six simulated clandestine graves were created in a forested environment. Then, the graves were monitored for two years with long-wave infrared cameras. Temperature probes were also employed to collect surface and subsurface level data. After collection, a visual evaluation of the thermal images was conducted, and then an image processing code was employed to obtain image temperature data. From there, the data were evaluated for possible statistically significant temperature differences. Temperature probe data and camera data were also compared. In addition to the visual differences noted in the images, statistically significant differences were measured between the regions of interest and the controls throughout the experimental time period. Specifically, the location of the grave and time of day influenced the temperature response. For this specific study location, it was determined that image collection between 1700 and 0800 h provided the greatest ability to discern the regions of interest from the surrounding undisturbed areas. The temperature probes presented differences when inter- and intra-comparisons were performed. Differences also existed between the temperature probe and camera data.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660139","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}

{"title":"Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy/laser ablation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LIBS/LA-ICPMS) for the forensic screening and discrimination of lead-free solders.","authors":"Kate Moghadam, Diane Beauchemin, Claude Dalpé","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The tandem LIBS/LA-ICPMS technique is a desirable tool for the multi-elemental determination, characterization, and classification of alloys as forensic evidence. In this study, LIBS/LA-ICPMS is validated for the forensic evaluation of lead-free solder alloys, which form valuable evidence from post-blast crime scenes involving homemade and improvised explosive devices. LIBS/LA-ICPMS is competitive with other spectroscopic-based forensic techniques as it is in situ, analyzes samples directly, and requires minimal destruction of the exhibit. Following a one-standard calibration technique, nine major (alloying metals) and trace elements (impurities or additives) are quantified in lead-free solders. Optimizing laser parameters and using Pb as a naturally occurring internal standard are shown to compensate for mass-dependent drift and matrix effects. The quantitative results of Pb-free certified reference materials align with certificate values and with results from two techniques in a cross-validation comparison, including electrothermal vaporization-inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and neutron activation analysis. Utilizing peak ratios in a model of principal component analysis is presented to identify key compositional differences among solders and provide a visual model for solder discrimination. Outcomes of this approach demonstrate the potential for associating or discriminating lead-free solders, including different solders from the same manufacturer. Together, this technique can establish chemical concordance among known and questioned materials and offers a utilitarian approach for the forensic assessment of trace evidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660187","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}