A case of intoxication with a mixture of synthetic cannabinoids EAM-2201, AB-PINACA and AB-FUBINACA, and a synthetic cathinone α-PVP
New psychoactive substances (NPS), such as synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, are mostly used without the knowledge of their potential toxicities and pharmacokinetic properties, and hence many fatalities have been reported. After the application via inhalation of JWH-018 at 50 μg/kg, its serum concentration reached to the maximum 5 min post-smoking and rapidly dropped to values below 10 % of the maximum concentration within 3 h [1]. The rapid degradation may be one of the reasons that make the estimation of fatal serum/blood concentrations of NPS quite difficult. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - August 6, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Itaru Yamagishi, Kayoko Minakata, Hideki Nozawa, Koutaro Hasegawa, Masako Suzuki, Takuya Kitamoto, Osamu Suzuki, Kanako Watanabe Source Type: research
Diagnostic meaning of blood p-cresol concentration in forensic autopsy cases
Cresols from manufactured products are a mixture of 3 isomers: p-, m-, and o-cresol. In the absence of external exposure, only p-cresol is produced in vivo. p-Cresol (4-methylphenol), with a molecular weight of 108.1 Da, is a volatile phenol and a precursor of uremic retention solutes. It is a product of the metabolism of tyrosine and phenylalanine by intestinal anaerobic bacteria [1 –6]. During passage through the colonic mucosa and liver, p-cresol is conjugated to mostly p-cresylsulfate and less to p-cresylglucuronide [6–12], which are then excreted in the urine. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - August 6, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Natsuki Ikematsu, Masayuki Kashiwagi, Kenji Hara, Brian Waters, Aya Matsusue, Mio Takayama, Shin-ichi Kubo Source Type: research
Population genetic data for 16 STR loci in Slovakia
Slovakia has approximately 5,430,000 inhabitants according to the population census in 2015 [1]. About 81.25% of the population is reported to be of the Slovak nationality. Of the other historically traditional nationalities, the second most prevalent is Hungarian (8.40%), residing mostly in the south of Slovakia, and Rusin (Ruthenian) nationality (0.58%), present mostly in the northeastern parts of the country. Other historically traditional nationalities are Czechs and Moravians, Germans, Poles, Croatians, Serbs, Bulgarians, Russians, Jews and Romanians. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - August 6, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Zdenko Červenák, Milan Mikula, Ján Matúšek, Vladimír Ferák, Andrej Choma Source Type: research
Discriminating Power of Rapidly Mutating Y-STRs in deep rooted endogamous pedigrees from Sindhi population of Pakistan
Y chromosome is widely used in human population study[1], paternity testing, investigation of sexual offences, and missing persons[2], because it shows male inheritance and substantial structuring in human populations[3]. For these applications, the currently available Y-STR panels (AmpF ℓSTR® Yfiler™ kit& PowerPlex ® Y23 System) have proven to be effective tools with numerous case reports. Without any doubt, currently used Y-STR markers are very potential for the reconstruction of human population history[4–6], including estimation of demographic parameters[7], as well as for genealogical relationships[8– 10] an...
Source: Legal Medicine - August 3, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Allah Rakha, Yu Na Oh, Hwan Young Lee, Safdar Hussain, Ali Muhammad Waryah, Atif Adnan, Kyoung-Jin Shin Source Type: research
Estimation of stature and body weight in Slovak adults using static footprints: A preliminary study
The body height and body weight are the basic characteristics often used to describe another person and they are part of a biological profile. Together with the sex and age, if estimated correctly, may aid a personal identification. Multiple publications exploring mainly the stature estimation from a dimension of the various body parts can be found, among which the lower extremities show high correlations [1,2,3]. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - July 25, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Zuzana Caplova, Petra Švábová, Mária Fuchsová, Soňa Masnicová, Eva Neščáková, Silvia Bodoriková, Michaela Dörnhöferová, Radoslav Beňuš Source Type: research
Estimation of stature and sex from sacrum and coccyx measurements by multidetector computed tomography in Chinese
Individual identification is one of the most challenging aspects of forensic science. The four main attributes of biological identity that forensic investigators try to determine are ancestry, sex, age and stature [1]. What is more, estimation of sex is a fundamental step for establishing the biological profile of an individual [2], as subsequent methods for stature estimation and age at death are sex dependent [3,4]. While the skull and pelvis are widely acknowledged as the most useful skeletal regions for sex estimation [5,6], they may be unable to be used in some forensic contexts when human remains are disarticulated o...
Source: Legal Medicine - July 25, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Meng-jun Zhan, Fei Fan, Li-rong Qiu, Zhao Peng, Kui Zhang, Zhen-hua Deng Source Type: research
Diagnostic Value of Multiphase Postmortem Computed Tomography Angiography in Selected Cases of Blunt Traumatic Deaths
Recently, postmortem computed tomography [PMCT] has been applied routinely in several forensic centres, especially for the examination and documentation of traumatic deaths. PMCT is a fast, easy, relatively low-cost technique that does not affect or damage the basic forensic evidence [1 –3]. However, PMCT showed some limitations in the assessment of vascular and parenchymal pathologic abnormalities [4]. To overcome these limitations, injection of a contrast material is suggested to enhance the visualisation in a minimally invasive manner [5,6]. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - July 12, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Dina Ali Shokry, Maged Nabil Hussein, Fatma Mohamed Hassan, Axel Heinemann, Herman Vogel, Klaus Pueschel Source Type: research
Editorial Board
(Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - July 1, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Source Type: research
Editorial Board (Issue 1)
(Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - July 1, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Source Type: research
Sudden death in a female child doe to undiagnosed pleuropulmonary blastoma – An autopsy case and review of literature
We present for the first time an autopsy case of PPB in an infant that had not been diagnosed antemortem. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - June 18, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Rie Nishikata, Naho Kato, Miwako Suto, Mami Rinnou, Nohito Kuroda, Yuko Hashimoto Source Type: research
The study of protection of operators and surrounding workers at the time of using portable intraoral X-ray unit.
Many mass disasters, including the Great East Japan Earthquake and Kumamoto Earthquake, have occurred recently. There may be many victims in mass disasters, and it is necessary to identify individuals. In such situations, it is difficult to identify individuals based on the physical features of the entire body. On the other hand, as teeth are the hardest tissue in the human body and are more likely to remain and retain their original form in different environments, they are useful for identification. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - June 11, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Atsushi Iwawaki, Yusei Otaka, Ruri Asami, Tomonori Ozawa, Maki Izawa, Hideki Saka Source Type: research
Low-template methods yield limited extra information for PowerPlex ® Fusion 6C profiling
Forensic casework samples often contain low amounts of DNA for which standard methods for short tandem repeat (STR) typing may fail to produce a useful DNA profile. As a rule of thumb, we regard the DNA contribution of a donor to a sample low-template (LT) when the allele calls are below the established stochastic threshold. According to this view, a mixed DNA profile can have both high-template and low-template contributors. In these cases, one may consider to sensitize DNA profiling by, for example, using more amplification cycles or higher capillary electrophoresis (CE) injection settings [1 –12]. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - June 1, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Francisca Duijs, Linda van de Merwe, Titia Sijen, Corina C.G. Benschop Source Type: research
Low-template methods yield limited extra information for PowerPlex ®Fusion 6C profiling
Forensic casework samples often contain low amounts of DNA for which standard methods for short tandem repeat (STR) typing may fail to produce a useful DNA profile. As a rule of thumb, we regard the DNA contribution of a donor to a sample low-template (LT) when the allele calls are below the established stochastic threshold. According to this view, a mixed DNA profile can have both high –template and low-template contributors. In these cases, one may consider to sensitize DNA profiling by, for example, using more amplification cycles or higher capillary electrophoresis (CE) injection settings [1-12]. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - June 1, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Francisca Duijs, Linda van de Merwe, Titia Sijen, Corina C.G. Benschop Source Type: research
The third molars for indicating legal adult age in Montenegro
Age estimation of individuals in the legal medicine is necessary for both the dead and the living [1]. The age estimation of the dead is usually used to help in the identification and creation of the biological profile which can be compared with those of missing persons [2]. For the living, there is an increasing need for the forensic expertise in cases of continued escalation of the criminal activities [3]. The reality of the present time is the massive population migration. The most common reasons for migration are low economic status, political instability, and ongoing armed conflicts [4]. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - May 28, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Marija Antunovi ća, Ivan Galić, Ksenija Zelić, Nenad Nedeljković, Emira Lazić, Marija Djuric, Roberto Cameriere Source Type: research
Applying 3D Prints to Reconstructing Postmortem Craniofacial Features Damaged by Devastating Head Injuries
Facial features convey important information about a person ’s identity which is evident a prima vista and easy to assess with minimum technical demands [1,2]. Hence, facial identification, particularly if performed by law-enforcement authorities or family and next-of-kin ranks among the first identification techniques to be used on a dead body in forensic setting [3,4]. However, it is generally acknowledged that postmortem facial identification is extremely dependent on the decedent’s state of preservation. (Source: Legal Medicine)
Source: Legal Medicine - May 21, 2018 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Petra Urbanov á, Tomáš Vojtíšek, Jan Frišhons, Ondřej Šandor, Mikoláš Jurda, Jan Krajsa Source Type: research
