International Journal of Legal Medicine This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Prediction of Age Older than 18 Years in Sub-adults by MRI Segmentation of 1st and 2nd Molars
ConclusionMRI segmentation of the lower right 1st and 2nd molar might prove useful in the prediction of age older than 18 years in sub-adults. We provided a statistical framework to combine the information from two molars. (Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine)
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - July 4, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Metabolomics investigation of post-mortem human pericardial fluid
ConclusionThe present study, although preliminary, shows that PF samples collected from a real forensic scenario represent a biofluid of interest for post-mortem metabolomics, with particular regard to the estimation of the time since death. (Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine)
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - July 4, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Effects of solvent-based adhesive removal on the subsequent dual analysis of fingerprint and DNA
AbstractThe combined approach of classical fingerprinting and DNA profiling is a powerful tool in forensic investigations of latent “touch” traces. However, little attention has been paid to the organic solvents frequently used in dactyloscopic laboratories to facilitate the separation of adhesive evidence prior to fingerprint development and downstream effects on subsequent DNA profiling. In the present study, we tested a s election of adhesive removers (n = 9) and assessed their potential impact on DNA recovery and amplification by PCR. Thereby, we identified and characterized novel PCR inhibitors. All investigated c...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - July 4, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

The impact of anatomy variation on temperature based time of death estimation
AbstractTemperature-based time of death estimation using simulation methods such as the finite element method promise higher accuracy and broader applicability in nonstandard cooling scenarios than established phenomenological methods. Their accuracy depends crucially on the simulation model to capture the actual situation, which in turn hinges on the representation of the corpse ’s anatomy in form of computational meshes as well as on the thermodynamic parameters. While inaccuracies in anatomy representation due to coarse mesh resolution are known to have a minor impact on the estimated time of death, the sensitivity wi...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - July 3, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

3D printed skulls in court  — a benefit to stakeholders?
AbstractForensic pathologists may use 3D prints as demonstrative aids when providing expert testimony in court of law, but the effects remain unclear despite many assumed benefits. In this qualitative study, the effects of using a 3D print, demonstrating a blunt force skull fracture, in court were explored by thematic analysis of interviews with judges, prosecutors, defence counsels, and forensic pathologists with the aim of improving the expert testimony. Five semi-structured focus groups and eight one-to-one interviews with a total of 29 stakeholders were transcribedad verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. The s...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - July 1, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Postmortem concentrations of ropivacaine, bupivacaine, and lidocaine in femoral venous blood after hip fracture surgery
AbstractPain relief in hip fracture patients may be sought by injecting local anesthetic such as ropivacaine, bupivacaine, and lidocaine to the femoral area. As femoral veins are a routine sampling site for postmortem blood, this short report aimed to describe the levels of local anesthetics in ipsilateral (i.e., side of surgery) and contralateral (i.e., opposite side) femoral blood in ten medico-legal autopsy cases that had undergone a hip fracture surgery within 7  days before death. Postmortem blood samples were systematically collected from the ipsilateral and contralateral femoral veins, and toxicological analysis wa...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

“Spice”-related deaths in and around Munich, Germany: A retrospective look at the role of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists in our post-mortem cases over a seven-year period (2014–2020)
Abstract Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs, “Spice”) are a diverse group of recreational drugs, with their structural and pharmacological variability still evolving. Forensic toxicologists often rely on previous reports to assess their role in intoxication cases. This work provides detailed information on the “Spice”-related fatalitie s around Munich, Germany, from 2014 to 2020. All cases underwent an autopsy. Pharmaceutical and illicit drugs were detected and quantified in post-mortem peripheral blood or liver by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Based on circumstantial e...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Optimization of InnoXtract ™ extraction and purification system for DNA extraction from skeletal samples
AbstractThe InnoXtract ™ extraction and purification system is a purification method designed for DNA extraction from low-template samples, specifically rootless hair shafts. Its ability to successfully capture highly fragmented DNA suggests its suitability for use with other challenging sample types, including skeletal remains. However, the lysis and digestion parameters required modifications to successfully optimize the method for this sample type. A two-part digestion was developed utilizing a homebrew digestion buffer (0.5 M EDTA, 0.05% Tween 20, and 100 mM NaCl) and a supplemental lysis with the Hair Diges tion B...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Insights in opiates toxicity: impairment of human vascular mesenchymal stromal cells
AbstractThe most common pulmonary findings in opiate-related fatalities are congestion and oedema, as well as acute and/or chronic alveolar haemorrhage, the cause of which is thought to be a damage to the capillary endothelium related to ischemia. Human vascular mesenchymal stromal cells (vMSCs) play a fundamental role in tissue regeneration and repair after endothelial cell injury, and they express opioid receptors. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of in vitro morphine exposure on the physiological activity and maintenance of human vMSCs. vMSCs were obtained from abdominal aorta fragments collected during su...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Water-related atmospheric agents and solubility: two parameters of validation in toxicological screening on clothing worn by skeletal remains
In conclusion, when toxicological analyses are carried out on unconventional matrices as textiles worn by corpses exposed to different environmental conditions, it is of great importance, in using such substrates as evidence for the presence of molecules o f toxicological interest, to evaluate chemical-physical characteristics of each analyte under investigation in order to correctly interpret the toxicological data obtained. (Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine)
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Can the size of the contact area body-ground influence the presence of acute pulmonary emphysema in cases of incomplete hanging?
AbstractIn a recently published study, we showed that acute pulmonary emphysema (APE) was present in cases of death by incomplete hanging and absent in cases of complete hanging. This result suggested a possible role of the hanging position on the respiratory distress of these victims. To further investigate this hypothesis, in the present study, we compared cases of incomplete hanging with a small contact area between body and ground (group A) to cases of incomplete hanging with a large contact area (group B). As positive and negative control group, we investigated cases of freshwater drowning (group C) and acute external...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Letter to the Editor regarding the article “Mummification in a forensic context: an observational study of taphonomic changes and the post‑mortem interval in an indoor setting”
(Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine)
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 8, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Collection techniques of touch DNA deposited on human skin following a strangulation scenario
AbstractTrace DNA is a significant type of evidence for its ability to be collected from touched items or surfaces at crime scenes to link suspects to their crimes. In cases of violent crimes like assault, sexual offences, or even homicide, often touch DNA is collected from the victim ’s skin. However, the collection of touch DNA from the victim’s skin can be complex because of the mixture of DNA present, as there is likely to be a small quantity of the offender’s DNA compared to the victim’s DNA. Validating different collection methods or techniques can improve touch DNA sampling; therefore, this study investigate...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 6, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Effects of population variations and temperature on Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) development: implications for estimating the postmortem interval
AbstractForensic entomology requires knowledge of the developmental rates of the species that colonize a body after death to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI). These developmental rates may vary depending not only on the species but also on the geographic location due to population differences. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to determine the developmental duration of the forensically important flyChrysomya megacephala under constant controlled and field condition temperatures and to compare these results, through a meta-analysis, with data reported by other authors on populations from different localities...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 5, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research

Post-mortem detection of neuronal and astroglial biochemical markers in serum and urine for diagnostics of traumatic brain injury
AbstractCurrently available epidemiological data shows that traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents one of the leading causes of death that is associated with medico-legal practice, including forensic autopsy, criminological investigation, and neuropathological examination. Attention focused on TBI research is needed to advance its diagnostics in ante- and post-mortem cases with regard to identification and validation of novel biomarkers. Recently, several markers of neuronal, astroglial, and axonal injury have been explored in various biofluids to assess the clinical origin, progression, severity, and prognosis of TBI. De...
Source: International Journal of Legal Medicine - June 5, 2023 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research