Effects of heat on cut mark characteristics
The analysis of cut marks is instrumental for interpreting the manner, and potentially, the cause of sharp force trauma in forensics and archaeological contexts. Furthermore, it allows drawing conclusions about the implement used and can help to characterise the tool class, and in certain cases even the identification of specific, individual tools. This is helpful to match the weapon used with the wounds on the victim in crime investigations. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 20, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Lukas Waltenberger, Holger Schutkowski Source Type: research
Evaluation of direct and indirect ethanol biomarkers using a likelihood ratio approach to identify chronic alcohol abusers for forensic purposes
Alcohol is the most widely abused legal drug in many western countries. Health care expenditures, business and criminal justice costs associated to alcohol-related problems amount to hundreds of billions of dollars yearly, and even a greater economic burden is sustained when alcohol addictive behaviours remain untreated. Over the last decade, numerous scientific studies focused on improving the diagnosis of chronic excessive alcohol consumption to efficiently identify individuals in need of recovery programs, health care, therapeutic monitoring, etc. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 20, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Eugenio Alladio, Agnieszka Martyna, Alberto Salomone, Valentina Pirro, Marco Vincenti, Grzegorz Zadora Source Type: research
Technical note: a preliminary comparative study between classical and interventional radiological approaches for Multi-phase post-mortem CT angiography.
Multi-phase post-mortem computed tomography angiography (MPMCTA) is a recent technique used for forensic and scientific purposes [1]. Its usefulness and performance have been proved and actively investigated in several centres around the world [2 –4]. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 18, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Fatima-Zohra Mokrane, Frederic Savall, Laurent Dercle, Eric Crubezy, Norbert Telmon, Herv é Rousseau, Fabrice Dedouit Tags: Technical Note Source Type: research
Determination of ethyl glucuronide in human hair samples: A multivariate analysis of the impact of extraction conditions on quantitative results
Since its introduction more than 15 years ago, hair ethyl glucuronide (hEtG) has become an applied state marker of alcohol consumption. Interpretative cut-offs for both abstinence control (7pg/mg) and the detection of excessive chronic alcohol consumption (30pg/mg) are established1 and numerous analytical methods including validation data are described in literature (for a comprehensive review refer to Crunelle et al[2]). Due to the low concentrations of hEtG, mass spectrometry based techniques (LC/MS/MS, GC/MS, GC/MS/MS) are common in hEtG testing. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 18, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Alexander Mueller, Hilke Jungen, Stefanie Iwersen-Bergmann, Lars Raduenz, Susanne Lezius, Hilke Andresen-Streichert Source Type: research
Corrigendum to “Sexual dimorphism of the scapula and the clavicle in a contemporary Greek population: Applications in forensic identification” [Forensic Sci. Int. 217 (2012) 231.e1–231.e7]
The authors regret that in Section 3.5.2 there is an error in the following equation: (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 15, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Vasiliki A. Papaioannou, Elena F. Kranioti, Perrine Joveneaux, Despoina Nathena, Manolis Michalodimitrakis Tags: Corrigendum Source Type: research
Detection of the antipsychotic drug quetiapine in the blood, urine and hair samples of the victim of a drug-facilitated sexual assault
In recent years, drug-facilitated sexual assaults (DFSAs) have become a growing concern. DFSAs occur mainly as a consequence of voluntary ingestion of ethanol; nevertheless, involuntary ingestion alone or in combination with voluntary exposure has been observed with benzodiazepines and Z-hypnotics such as zolpidem. Typically, in DFSA cases, the time span between the incident and its report is long, as the victims are without any clear memory of the event and unaware of being raped. Even in cases where the victims have suspicions, they are poor witnesses since these drugs cause disordered mental states [1,2]. (Source: Foren...
Source: Forensic Science International - December 14, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Sys Stybe Johansen Tags: Case report Source Type: research
1,2-Indanedione — A winning ticket for developing fingermarks: A validation study
In 1997, Joulli é and co-workers first studied 1,2-indanedione as a potential ninhydrin-analogue for the visualization of latent fingermarks [1,2]. The new reagent reacted with amino acids to produce a fluorescent, pink-colored product, which was later named Joullié’s pink [3]. The significant advantage over ni nhydrin was its ability to fluoresce with no further treatment. Studies by various research groups have shown that 1,2-indanedione, as a fingerprint reagent, can potentially exceed both ninhydrin and DFO [4,5]. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 13, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Michal Levin-Elad, Yakir Liptz, Karni L. Bar-Or, Joseph Almog Source Type: research
Indanedione − a winning ticket for developing fingermarks: A validation study
In 1997, Joulli é and co-workers first studied 1,2-indanedione as a potential ninhydrin-analogue for the visualization of latent fingermarks [1,2]. The new reagent reacted with amino acids to produce a fluorescent, pink-colored product, which was later named Joullié's pink [3]. The significant advantage over ninh ydrin was its ability to fluoresce with no further treatment. Studies by various research groups have shown that 1,2-indanedione, as a fingerprint reagent, can potentially exceed both ninhydrin and DFO [4,5]. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 13, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Michal Levin-Elad, Yakir Liptz, Karni L. Bar-Or, Joseph Almog Source Type: research
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Journals inevitably change Editors. We inherit, as previous Associate Editors, Forensic Science International from the exceptional hands of Pekka Saukko, who turned FSI into one of the top forensic science journals through 25 years of selfless work on manuscripts, administrative issues and strategic decision making. For this and for countless other reasons he has our deepest gratitude and appreciation. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 11, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Cristina Cattaneo, Christian Jackowski Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
Microbial soil community analyses for forensic science: Application to a blind test
Soil adheres to and can persist on footwear, tires, tools, clothing etc. which makes it a particularly valuable trace material in forensic investigations to yield clues as to the origin of an unknown sample, or to compare samples from a suspect with those from a crime scene [1 –3]. Apart from palynology, the organic (plant and animal derived) components found in soil have been given much less attention than the comparison of soil inorganic (i.e. mineral and elemental values) components to differentiate between samples [4–6]. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 8, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Sandrine Deman èche, Leif Schauser, Lorna Dawson, Laure Franqueville, Pascal Simonet Source Type: research
A novel variant in RyR2 causes familiar Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a rare potentially fatal disease responsible for syncope or sudden cardiac death (SCD). CPVT is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. It usually presents in the context of exercise, stress and emotion. The disease usually causes bidirectional ventricular tachyarrhythmias in the absence of either structural heart disease or prolonged QT interval [1]. A family history of syncope or SCD is present in about one-third of cases. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 8, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Cristina Bosch, Oscar Campuzano, Georgia Sarquella-Brugada, Sergi Cesar, Alexandra Perez-Serra, Monica Coll, Irene Mademont, Jesus Mates, Bernat del Olmo, Anna Iglesias, Josep Brugada, Volker Petersen, Ramon Brugada Tags: Original Research Article Source Type: research
Association between cerebrospinal fluid dopamine concentrations and catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphisms in forensic autopsy cases of methamphetamine abusers
Autopsy evaluations of drug concentrations and forensic toxicology are hampered by varying chemical compositions, pharmacological actions, and abuse patterns. Methamphetamine (MA) elevates the synaptic concentrations of monoamine neurotransmitters such as catecholamines (adrenaline (Adr), noradrenaline (Ndr), and dopamine (DA)) [1]. We previously measured catecholamine concentrations in the serum, pericardial fluid (PCF), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and urine of various forensic cases. Postmortem serum and urine catecholamine concentrations were markedly higher than clinical concentrations [2,3]; however, clinical PCF and C...
Source: Forensic Science International - December 8, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Aya Matsusue, Takaki Ishikawa, Tomomi Michiue, Brian Waters, Kenji Hara, Masayuki Kashiwagi, Mio Takayama, Natsuki Ikematsu, Shin-ichi Kubo Tags: Original Research Article Source Type: research
Microbial Soil Community Analyses for Forensic Science: Application to a Blind Test.
Soil adheres to and can persist on footwear, tires, tools, clothing etc. which makes it a particularly valuable trace material in forensic investigations to yield clues as to the origin of an unknown sample, or to compare samples from a suspect with those from a crime scene [1 –3]. Apart from palynology, the organic (plant and animal derived) components found in soil have been given much less attention than the comparison of soil inorganic (i.e. mineral and elemental values) components to differentiate between samples [4–6]. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 8, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Sandrine Deman èche, Leif Schauser, Lorna Dawson, Laure Franqueville, Pascal Simonet Source Type: research
An insertion/deletion polymorphism within 3 ′UTR of RYR2 modulates sudden unexplained death risk in Chinese populations
Sudden death has long been a threat to the life security of people of all ages, especially the young. Due to the absence of emergency medical response in most area of the world and racial difference, an estimate of its incidence worldwide is currently not available. So far, sudden cardiac death (SCD) is considered to be the major cause of overall sudden death and accounts for at least 10% of the natural mortality in the general population [1,2]. It may attribute to a broad spectrum of cardiac pathologies. (Source: Forensic Science International)
Source: Forensic Science International - December 8, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Shouyu Wang, Zhixiang Zhang, Ya Yang, Chaoqun Wang, Ruiyang Tao, Shuxiang Hu, Zhixia Yin, Qing Zhang, Lijuan Li, Yan He, Shaohua Zhu, Chengtao Li, Suhua Zhang, Jianhua Zhang, Lihui Sheng, Fangyu Wu, Bin Luo, Yuzhen Gao Source Type: research
GJA1 gene variations in sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome in the Chinese Han population
Sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome, first described as the term of “SUNDS” among South Asian immigrants in the USA [1], is characterized by sudden unexplained death occurred during sleep in ostensibly healthy people, most of whom are young males in age 20-50 years old [2]. Standard forensic autopsy, histopathology examination, toxicological analysis, and death- scene investigation show no identifiable morphological changes to explain the underlying cause of death. SUNDS is prevalent predominantly in Thailand, Philipines, Japan, and southern China of southeast Asia [2–4], and was called with different synonym...
Source: Forensic Science International - December 8, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Qiuping Wu, Yeda Wu, Liyong Zhang, Jinxiang Zheng, Shuangbo Tang, Jianding Cheng Source Type: research
