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Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a powerful toxic gas in workplace incidents, and it poses a threat to colleagues or family members involved in rescues, leading to a "domino effect" of multiple deaths. In this report, we describe three incidents in which 10 people died, and we present the results of the analyses performed in different incidents, including paper pulp pit, sewer, and sewage well. We provide the macroscopic and morphological findings of ten victims, which include conjunctival hemorrhage, corneal erosion, pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hemorrhage. Additionally, we observed large amounts of waste paper pulp or black sludge in the upper and lower respiratory tracts or upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts of six victims. Furthermore, we conducted a toxicological examination of the victims' blood sulfide using an alkylation extraction approach combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The sulfide concentrations in the 10 victims ranged from 0.06 to 6.72 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite various preventative measures, cocaine smuggling is still a major problem worldwide. A recent method of smuggling is the transportation of cocaine with various chemicals or with impregnated materials such as cloth and paper. This study aims to examine the change in the amount of cocaine on the paper surface and attempts to decide the best fingermark development method in the case of smuggling trafficking in the form of impregnated paper with the least effect on the cocaine concentration on the paper. The papers (n = 6 + 1) were prepared for each fingermark development method, including a blank paper, were dipped into a working solution prepared by dissolving 0.38 mg cocaine in 500 mL methanol. Fingermarks were developed by applying various chemicals, including Iodine vapor, 1,2-Indandione, DFO (1,8-diazafluoren-9‐one), ThermaNin, 5-MTN (5-methylthioninhydrin), and silver nitrate chemicals and Ninhydrin, which is the most commonly used reagent for visualizing latent prints, particularly on paper surfaces. Also, the natural fingermarks of four different donors, two women and two men between 20 and 50 years of age, were used to compare with the presence of cocaine. Different from others, this study examined the application of DFO and 1,2-Indandione as alternatives to other chemicals and revealed that it is possible to identify cocaine using these methods. The order of success was Ninhydrin > DFO > 1,2-Indandione > ThermaNin > Iodine vapor = 5-MTN. To the best of our knowledge, the current study is the first to investigate fingermark identification methods along with the amounts of cocaine on cocaine-impregnated papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a paper published in Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology that examines the relationship between excited delirium syndrome (ExDS) and restraint. The authors of the paper argue that there is a causal link between ExDS and death, with aggressive restraint being a significant factor. However, the article criticizes the paper for its flaws, including the use of incorrect references and the failure to recognize the differences between ExDS and agitated delirium syndrome (AgDS). The article concludes that the paper's conclusions are misleading and denies the complexity and variety of cases related to ExDS. [Extracted from the article]

de Boer et al. criticize the conclusions in our 2020 paper on the validity of Excited Delirium Syndrome (ExDS) as "egregiously misleading." Our conclusion was that there "is no existing evidence that indicates that ExDS is inherently lethal in the absence of aggressive restraint." The basis for de Boer and colleague's criticism of our paper is that the ExDS literature does not provide an unbiased view of the lethality of the condition, and therefore the true epidemiologic features of ExDS cannot be determined from what has been published. The criticism is unrelated to the goals or methods of the study, however. Our stated purpose was to investigate "how the term ExDS has evolved in the literature and been endowed with a uniquely lethal quality," and whether there is "evidence for ExDS as a unique cause of a death that would have occurred regardless of restraint, or a label used when a restrained and agitated person dies, and which erroneously directs attention away from the role of restraint in explaining the death." We cannot fathom how de Boer et al. missed this clearly stated description of the study rationale, or why they would endorse a series of fallacious and meaningless claims that gave the appearance that they failed to grasp the basic design of the study. We do acknowledge and thank these authors for pointing out 3 minor citation errors and an equally minor table formatting error (neither of which altered the reported results and conclusions in the slightest), however. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It may also be extraordinarily difficult in papers with large numbers of authors from multiple institutions for the lead authors to keep track of the source and relative significance of the contributions. Certainly, that would be more useful to reviewers of grant or promotion applications than the frequently observed "Author 1, Author 2 .... Author 67, et al." now starting to be used for these papers. [Extracted from the article]

In this report, a pediatric case of bowel obstruction with sepsis complicated by methamphetamine toxicity is described. The decedent, an eleven-year-old female with a clinical history of pica, was found unresponsive in her home and pronounced dead following unsuccessful resuscitative efforts. Radiologic imaging showed multiple radio-opaque foreign objects in the stomach and bowel. Autopsy revealed a green leafy substance, coins and other metallic items, folded paper, and plastic in her stomach and bowels. Postmortem iliac blood and urine tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine. While the decedent's medical history and autopsy findings provided evidence consistent with bowel obstruction with sepsis due to the ingestion of foreign materials, the high methamphetamine concentration was suggestive of concurrent methamphetamine toxicity. Unique complications associated with this case include the phenomenon that methamphetamine toxicity and bowel obstruction can present similarly in children and the reported opinion that accidental drug ingestion is uncommon in children over the age of five. This case emphasizes that the age range for suspected accidental drug ingestion should be expanded for those with pica, as these patients, despite being older, may not be able to differentiate between what they should and should not ingest. Furthermore, when treating a pediatric patient with pica that appears to present with bowel obstruction, unintentional drug ingestion should also be considered, particularly if there is a suspicion that the child lives in a household where drugs are abused, given the prospect that drug toxicity can present similarly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past few decades, Raman spectroscopy has progressed and captivated added attention in the field of science. However, the application of Raman spectroscopy is not limited to the field of forensic science and analytical chemistry; it is one of the emerging spectroscopic techniques, utilized in the field of forensic science which in turn could be a supporting tool in the law and justice system. The advantage of Raman spectroscopy over the other conventional techniques is that it is rapid, reliable, and non-destructive in nature with minimal or no sample preparation. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of evidence from biological and non-biological origins could easily be performed by using Raman spectroscopy. The forensic domain is highly complex with multidisciplinary branches, and therefore a plethora of techniques are utilized for the detection, identification, and differentiation of innumerable pieces of evidence for the purpose of law and justice. Herein, a systematic review is carried out on the application of Raman spectroscopy in the realm of forensic biology and serology considering its usefulness in practical perspectives. This review paper highlights the significance of modern techniques, including micro-Raman spectroscopy, confocal Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and paper-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, in the field of Raman spectroscopy. These techniques have demonstrated notable advancements in terms of their applications and capabilities. Furthermore, to comprehensively capture the progress in the development of Raman spectroscopy, all the published papers which could be retrieved from the available databases from the year 2007 to 2022 were incorporated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Heavily impressed writing impressions in paper and impressions in glossy brochures are often difficult or impossible to develop using the electrostatic detection apparatus (ESDA, manufactured by Foster and Freeman). Oblique and specular reflectance lighting can be used but they are time-consuming techniques and not always very successful. This paper briefly describes a scanning and image-processing method for producing excellent images of such writing impressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer-review of manuscripts submitted to scholarly journals for publication dates back ~ 350 years and this process represents the foundation of scientific publishing. After a manuscript has undergone and survived a rigorous peer-review, this conveys a stamp of approval, because it signifies the work has been checked by independent experts in the scientific discipline concerned. The publication and citation track records of people instructed to appear as expert witness in civil and criminal litigation are important considerations. Using a publically available database, the most highly cited scientists in the discipline legal and forensic medicine were identified. For each scientist, a composite score was calculated based on six different citation metrics; (i) Total number of citations, (ii) H-index, (iii) Hm-index, which modifies the H-index for multi-authored papers, (iv) Citations to single-author papers, (v) Citations to single and first author papers and (vi) citations to single, first and last author papers. The top 100,000 most highly cited scientists from all disciplines were identified along with the top 2% of the most highly cited in each of 176 sub-fields. The latest version of the citation databases, up to the end of 2020, classified 14.163 people as having legal and forensic medicine as their primary research discipline. Of these, there were 29 names listed among the top 100,000 most highly cited in all disciplines and 299 were among the top cited 2% in their particular sub-field. More than 50% of the highly cited forensic practitioners resided in four countries (USA, Germany, UK and Australia). The top-ten most highly cited individuals were the same in all four versions of the database (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) and represented the sub-disciplines of toxicology (n = 3), genetics/DNA/heredity (n = 3), whereas two specialized in pathology/toxicology and two in pathology/genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dried matrix spot (DMS) is a sampling technique, primarily used to analyze blood to diagnose metabolic diseases in newborns. As this technique has several advantages, DMS has started to be employed for other purposes using other biological matrices and increasingly in toxicology over the last decade. The aim of this work was to review the analytical methods using DMS which can be applied to drugs of abuse and which have been published since 2010. Three different databases were searched, using dried, spots, and drugs of abuse as the descriptors and using a snowball search. After applying the exclusion criteria, 39 papers remained. The most common publications were related to the use of blood, which corresponded to 77% of the papers, followed by urine and oral fluid, which corresponded to 13 and 10% of the papers, respectively. The selected studies covered different illicit drugs, sample sizes of 5 to 250 µL and spot sizes ranging from 3 to 18 mm in diameter. This review also examined the extraction techniques and the methods employed to analyze various biological matrices and drugs of abuse, mostly by liquid-extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The benefits of DMS include: a simple sample pretreatment, better stability than liquid matrices, a simple extraction procedure, lower costs, and environmental benefits. DMS appears to be a promising technique in the field of toxicology and provides new perspectives for use in forensic laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response to the letter by Meng-jun Zhan et al. regarding the paper "A technical report from the Italian SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Postmortem sampling and autopsy investigation in cases of suspected or probable COVID-19". Postmortem sampling and autopsy investigation in cases of suspected or probable COVID-19. [Extracted from the article]

The editorial on academic referencing [[1]] resonates strongly with my experience of over 40 years of supporting undergraduate and postgraduate scholars in their endeavors to conduct and report research. If the paper is accepted the investigator would be delighted to the point of delirium to carry out the editorial procedures required to make the paper publication ready. But, save a thought for the young (or not so young) research worker who is putting considerable effort into career development and trying to publish their research work. [Extracted from the article]

I "It is of course very simple to irritate editors into apoplexy by messing up the reference section" i PD Home 1988 [[1]] The paper written by Home over three decades ago should become required reading for authors submitting papers to contemporary journals. One of the particular banes of editors' lives is the paper that does not have references that are correctly cited in the format specified by the journal. The total number of papers with referencing errors was 36, indicating that in more than one third of submissions authors had either not followed or had ignored the Instructions for Authors. [Extracted from the article]

Different taxa of insects have been reported to modify the skeletal remains of vertebrates during feeding or the creation of their larval and pupal chambers. Anecdotal reports on the modification of skeletal remains by ants exist but are rare. In this paper, a case of modification of bone due to the feeding activity of the ant, Crematogaster cf. liengmei (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is reported. In November 2022, a bone was encountered incidentally in the vicinity of the Table Mountain National Park. The bone had been colonized by several individuals of Crematogaster cf. liengmei. Several ants were observed feeding on and removing bone particles and soft tissue remnants. A closer observation revealed striae/furrows on the epiphyseal ends of the bone. A 60-kg pig cadaver used in a winter decomposition trial in the same area was similarly colonized by this ant species, resulting in soft-tissue modification. Due to the similarity in the striae/furrows observed on the bone and the bitemarks inflicted by the ants on the right ear of the pig cadaver in the vicinity, it was concluded that the striae/furrows seen on the bone were created by the ants. Our observations show that Crematogaster cf. liengmei is an important taphonomic bio-agent that can contribute to the modification of skeletal remains in terrestrial environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many known risk factors for the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). However, a recently observed risk factor is prolonged sitting (or immobility) for occupational dispensation. Some occupations, especially electronic information technology (IT) professionals, computer gamers, programmers, etc., are amenable to prolonged sitting periods for their work. Such a trend significantly increased in the corporate world during the covid pandemic restrictions and work-from-home policy of the IT companies. We have reported a case of the sudden death of an IT professional due to DVT and PTE. There is a conspicuous indication of the association between prolonged sitting hours and the development of DVT and PTE. This is also known as e-thrombosis. The prolonged seated immobility thromboembolic syndrome is a recently observed phenomenon in professionals having prolonged seated working styles. This paper is a case-based review of all tenets, i.e., clinical presentation, autopsy pathology, and preventive measures of the prolonged seated immobility thromboembolism associated with a sedentary working style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental age estimation (DAE) is key to establishing an individual's identity, and this is relevant in minors. A widely used method for DAE in children is Cameriere's open apices (CAM). Despite its wide dissemination, there are no clear reports of its use in Latin American populations. A scoping review was conducted using a search strategy in the PubMed/MEDLINE database, Web of Science, and a complementary manual search. Only papers using CAM or its regression equation models for evaluating Latin American populations were included. Ten studies published between 2007 and 2020 responded to the search objective. Brazil was the country with the most studies using CAM (7/10), and the University of Macerata (Italy) was the most declared affiliation (6/10). Seven studies used the original CAM formula in populations from Brazil and Peru, while the European formula (EuCAM) was applied in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. Although the method underestimated the age values with acceptable error margins, the correction factor substantially improved the predictive power of the method. Some limitations of the method are highlighted. CAM and its variants can be useful for validation in Latin American settings, but attention to population structures and terminologies is suggested for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a cervicocerebral dissection syndrome (CDS) is amongst the potential causes of death, investigation of the arteries is required. Whilst the proximal common carotid arteries (CCA) are relatively easy to interrogate at post-mortem (PM), assessment of the vertebral arteries (VA) is more challenging. Post-mortem selective cervical angiography (PM-SCA) provides a method to visualise these arteries to replace or guide further dissection. Our institution does not have dedicated radiological facilities; we are reliant on availability in the general hospital of both equipment and staffing. In addition, there is an expectation of the release of the body within 24 h. Therefore, our methods have to be time-efficient, flexible and suitable for available staff. The current paper aims to describe the indications for the procedure, the method as completed in our institution, imaging findings and problem solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aims to learn if and how it is possible to use the human microbiome to indicate the time elapsed after death. Articles were searched on the PubMed database using predefined data fields and keywords; reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were excluded. The final selection included 14 papers (out of 144). The results indicated that the microorganisms present in the cadaveric island succeed predictably over time, with markers between the stages of decomposition constituting a potential innovative tool for postmortem interval (PMI) estimation. The human microbiome has the potential to be used for PMI estimation and may present advantages as microbes are present in all seasons, in all habitats, including the most extreme ones, and because microbial communities respond predictably to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freediving is a type of diving in which divers rely solely on how long they can hold their breath underwater during their dive, which is why it can also be referred to as 'breath-hold diving'. Unlike scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving, individuals do not require training or licencing to perform freediving and may not be aware of the risks of this activity. This paper presents a case in which coastguards retrieved a free diver's lifeless body from the seafloor. In most cases such as this, the deceased individual's cause of death would be ruled as drowning. With the deceased diver's dive computer, we concluded that a shallow water blackout caused him to drown. Data from the dive computer were extracted, graphed, and analysed to explain how a skilled swimmer and diver drowned on one of his seemingly ordinary diving trips. The dive computer can be the sole witness to a fatal dive event and provide invaluable information to forensic scientists since the diver is almost always alone. To our knowledge of the available literature, dive computers have been used in scuba diving fatality investigations; however, we believe that they have not been used in death investigations of breath-hold divers. Deficient or hasty conclusions are often based solely on autopsy findings without data collected by diving technicians and investigators. It is crucial to wait to draw conclusions until all possible dive information has been gathered and studied. This study discusses the deficiency in presenting a reasonable idea to the grieving family and friends of how their beloved relative could have drowned even though he was known to be a fit and skilled diver and avid swimmer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare and fatal cerebral vasculitis mainly involving the arteriole of the pia mater, cerebral cortex, and spinal cord. It has an insidious onset atypical symptoms. In this paper, we reported an unexpected death due to cerebral hemorrhage caused by PACNS. According to the typical clinical manifestations (headache, dizziness, weakness of the limbs, temporary blurred vision, etc.) and pathological examination (wide degeneration and fibrinoid necrosis of blood vessel walls with inflammatory cell infiltration), as well as hematoxylin–eosin staining, immunohistochemistry for CD15 + and gram staining, we finally determined that the patient died due to cerebral vascular rupture and hemorrhage caused by PACNS. This case illustrates the value and key points of autopsy in evaluating sudden deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "faciesympathique" is a vital sign first described by Etienne Martin in 1899 referring to unilateral miosis, with or without ptosis, at the opposite side from the knot in hanging. This mark is scarcely reported in legal medicine textbooks and scientific papers. Moreover, when cited, it is referred to differently from its original meaning, both as unilateral contraction (miosis) and dilatation (mydriasis) of the pupil depending on the antemortem firmness of the ligature's neck pressure in hanging with little attention to ptosis. Due to the sympathetic nervous pathway supplying the eye, the review of this ocular sign in hanging supports the importance of revitalizing the "facie sympathique" in research on lesion vitality in mechanical asphyxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossbow-related injuries resulting in serious and mortal consequences have increased in recent years, and although significant research exists for both injury and fatality on the human body, limited data exists on the lethality of the bolt and the failure modes of protective materials. This paper concerns itself with the experimental validation of four differing crossbow bolt geometries, their effects on material failure and potentially lethality. During this study, four different types of crossbow bolt geometries were tested against two protection mechanisms that differed in mechanical properties, geometry, mass and size. The results show that at 67 ms−1, ogive, field and combo tips do not provide lethal effect at 10-m range, whilst a broadhead tip will perforate both the para-aramid and a reinforced area of polycarbonate material consisting of two 3-mm plates at 63–66 ms−1. Although perforation was apparent with a more honed tip geometry, the chain mail layering within the para-aramid protection and friction caused by polycarbonate petalling on the arrow body reduced the velocity enough to demonstrate the materials under test are effective at withstanding crossbow attack. Subsequent calculation of the maximum velocity that arrows could achieve if fired from the crossbow within this study shows results close to the overmatch value of each material and therefore a requirement to advance the knowledge in this field to influence the development of more effective armour protection mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forensic museum specimen presented in this paper is the oldest specimen in the collection of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Belgrade. It comprises a jar containing six cervical vertebras connected to a small amount of dry connective tissue. During the autopsy, the cervical part of the spine was completely opened posteriorly: the base of the odontoid process of the axis was crushed, but the transverse and posterior longitudinal ligaments and the spinal cord were intact. Attached to the specimen, there is a partly cored piece of lead which looks like a severely deformed handgun projectile, approximately 12 mm in diameter. The deceased was a 23-year-old man who committed suicide with a gun in a public park. The gun used was most probably a Nagant M1893 revolver, popular in the region until the end of the Second World War. The pathologist, Dr. Eduard Michel, concluded that the immediate cause of death was asphyxiation due to massive blood aspiration caused by an intraoral gunshot wound. Although the revolver model used is a low-velocity firearm, in such cases the shock wave secondary to the impact of the projectile on the second vertebral bone is likely to have been the cause of widespread neuro-axonal damage at the level of the spinal cord, however, Dr. Michel assumed that death was not instantaneous due to massive hemoaspiration. Nevertheless, without examination of all internal organs and the cervical spine, this case could have remained unexplained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a retrospective review of patterns found in cases of homicides by sharp force over a 13-year period at the Department of Forensic Pathology of the Ostrava University Hospital, Czech Republic. The review summarizes all frequently discussed aspects of such cases including the number and localization of injuries, the presence of defensive wounds, the type of the offending weapon, the cause of death, the place of death, victims' and perpetrators' profiles, their relationship, or toxicological findings. Furthermore, special attention was paid to the evaluation of any accompanying blunt force trauma that may be indicative of an escalation of the assault. The set of data was statistically analyzed. Even though most of the results of this review are consistent with available published studies, noteworthy differences have emerged in some aspects such as the sex and age of the victims, the relationship between the number of injuries suffered and the victims' sex, or the severity of alcohol intoxication in victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correctly estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) is essential in forensic practice. In recent decades, the measurement of vitreous humor analyte concentrations — especially of hypoxanthine and potassium — and their correlation with the PMI have returned good results. However, calculating the PMI from the data collected can be quite complex. The present paper describes a web resource (http://modestya.usc.es:3838/Forensic/) that simplifies the procedure. The PMI is determined (with its 95% confidence interval) in a rapid, easy, and reliable manner based on the use of mathematical models, the biochemistry of the vitreous humor, and physical variables such as the ambient temperature, the rectal temperature, and bodyweight. The application is entirely free to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various types of complex biomechanical models have been published in the literature to better understand processes related to inflicted head injury by shaking trauma (IHI-ST) in infants. In this systematic review, a comprehensive overview of these models is provided. A systematic review was performed in MEDLINE and Scopus for articles using physical (e.g. dolls) and mathematical (e.g. computer simulations) biomechanical models for IHI-ST. After deduplication, the studies were independently screened by two researchers using PRISMA methodology and data extracted from the papers is represented in a "7-steps description", addressing the different processes occurring during IHI-ST. Eleven papers on physical models and 23 papers on mathematical models were included after the selection process. In both categories, some models focus on describing gross head kinematics during IHI-ST events, while others address the behavior of internal head- and eye structures in various levels of detail. In virtually all physical and mathematical models analyzed, injury thresholds are derived from scaled non-infant data. Studies focusing on head kinematics often use injury thresholds derived from impact studies. It remains unclear to what extent these thresholds reflect the failure thresholds of infant biological material. Future research should therefore focus on investigating failure thresholds of infant biological material as well as on possible alternative injury mechanism and alternative injury criteria for IHI-ST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite their wide use, the limits of presumptive tests can be poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the specificity and sensitivity of conventional, as well as innovative, presumptive tests for blood, semen and saliva. Methods: We investigated Kastle-Meyer (KM) and leucomalachite green (LMG) tests for blood with regard to their sensitivity and specificity in the presence of oxidizing (hypochlorite) and anti-oxidizing (ascorbic acid) agents. The suitability and specificity of the red starch paper (RSP) test for saliva was assessed. Finally, the inhibitory effect of detergent on the acid phosphatase (AP) test for semen was investigated along with possible cross reactions to tea stains. Results: Our results confirm previous findings of higher sensitivity and specificity of the KM test compared to LMG test for blood. Contrary to previous studies, no statistically significant difference was observed in the sensitivity of the tests between dry and wet stains. The novel RSP test was found to successfully detect saliva. We demonstrated that acid phosphatase (AP) testing for semen is possible on used RSP. A common multipurpose detergent had an inhibitory effect on AP tests. False positive results were obtained from tea stains. Testing different sorts of tea (black, green and herbal teas) revealed that only Camellia varieties produce positive result with the AP test, due to AP being present in the plants. Conclusions: From our results we conclude that specific knowledge of each test, including substances that may affect the test outcome, is imperative to ensure correct interpretation of presumptive test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex determination is one of the fundamental procedures in the forensic investigation during personal identification. Foot dimensions, prints, indices, and angles are assessment tools used by podiatrists and forensic anthropologists. The arch index remains a tool for clinical evaluation of the incidence of pes planus by clinicians. This cross-sectional study was performed to investigate sexual dimorphism and discriminate sex using foot and footprint dimensions, foot angles, and foot indices among the Ebira ethnic group of Nigeria. Bilateral foot outlines and prints were obtained from 317 females and 283 males using a digital Vernier caliper, improvised footpad, and A4 paper. The results revealed that in the right foot and print, the males' bare right foot length (BRFL), bare right foot breadth (BRFB), right arch index (RAI), right Chippaux-Smirak index (RCSI), right footprint angle (RFPA), right ball angle (RBA), and all the measurements of the corresponding toes in the prints are significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the females. The same trend was also observed in the left footprint except for the left ball angle (LBA). The stepwise, binary logistics regression model for sex determination showed that bare left foot breadth (BLFB) and bare right foot length (BRFL) were the single best predictors of sex with an accuracy of 72.5% and 71.7% accuracy. Other foot variables marginally increased the percentage accuracy at each step. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed the sexing potential of the bare left foot breadth and bare right foot length to be 79%. Sexual dimorphism exists in all the foot dimensions, arch indices, Chippaux-Smirak indices, footprint angles, and ball angles, except the left ball angle. The sexual dimorphism in the foot variables forms the basis of sex determination, with left foot breadth and right foot length as the best sex predictors. Therefore, 25 cm can be regarded as the cut-off point for foot length and 9 cm as the cut-off point for foot breadth among this tribe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of secondary ossification centers in the medial clavicular epiphysis, iliac crest apophysis, proximal humeral epiphysis, distal femoral epiphysis, proximal tibial epiphysis, and distal tibial epiphysis. At the same time, we analyzed PMCT scans of the maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. We assessed 203 corpses, whose age ranged from 2 to 30 years, including 156 males and 47 females. The purpose of our study was to compare the processes of secondary ossification center fusion and permanent tooth maturation. Our research hypothesis was that certain stages of skeletal and dental maturation occur along consistent timelines that can be related to the chronological age. Secondary ossification center fusion was evaluated based on Kreitner and also McKern and Steward's classifications. The process of permanent tooth maturation was evaluated with Demirjian's method. Spearman's correlation coefficients (Rho) were positive in all analyses, which indicates that epiphyseal fusion progresses with age. The strongest relationship between the age and the stages of ossification was observed in the proximal tibial epiphysis (p < 0.001; Rho = 0.93) in females and in the medial clavicular epiphysis (p < 0.001; Rho = 0.77) in males. Studies show the importance of concomitant analysis of skeletal and dental maturation with a subsequent comparison of the results to achieve a greater precision in age estimation. A comparison of the results obtained in the study population of Polish children, adolescents, and young adults with the results of other studies in populations of similar ages showed a number of similarities in the time windows of dental and skeletal maturation. These similarities may help in age estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study on the applicability of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected from the spinal canal in the post-mortem determination of ethyl alcohol. The present study reviewed data of autopsy cases (n = 45), in which ethyl alcohol was detected in CSF using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (HS-GC-FID), to investigate ethyl alcohol concentrations in CSF, compared with blood. As a result of statistical analysis of the obtained data, a high positive correlation was found between blood ethanol concentration and cerebrospinal fluid collected from the spinal canal ethanol concentration. The Pearson correlation coefficient was statistically highly significant (p < 0.001) (r = 0.9503). The data obtained allowed us to conclude that cerebrospinal fluid collected from the spinal canal can be collected during an autopsy as an alternative biological specimen to assess the ethanol content. Cerebrospinal fluid collected from the spinal canal can corroborate and lend credibility to the results obtained for blood and, in special cases, when blood is drawn from putrefied bodies and may even be a superior specimen to blood for assessing ethyl alcohol intoxication status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in different postmortem COVID-19 specimens remain unclear despite numerous published studies. This information is essential to improve corpses management related to clinical biosafety and viral transmission in medical staff and the public community. We aim to understand SARS-CoV-2 persistence and infectivity in COVID-19 corpses. We conducted a systematic review according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocols. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Science Direct Scopus, and Google Scholar databases using specific keywords. We critically reviewed the collected studies and selected the articles that met the criteria. We included 33 scientific papers that involved 491 COVID-19 corpses. The persistence rate and maximum postmortem interval (PMI) range of the SARS-CoV-2 findings were reported in the lungs (138/155, 89.0%; 4 months), followed by the vitreous humor (7/37, 18.9%; 3 months), nasopharynx/oropharynx (156/248, 62.9%; 41 days), abdominal organs (67/110, 60.9%; 17 days), skin (14/24, 58.3%; 17 days), brain (14/31, 45.2%; 17 days), bone marrow (2/2, 100%; 12 days), heart (31/69, 44.9%; 6 days), muscle tissues (9/83, 10.8%; 6 days), trachea (9/20, 45.0%; 5 days), and perioral tissues (21/24, 87.5%; 3.5 days). SARS-CoV-2 infectivity rates in viral culture studies were detected in the lungs (9/15, 60%), trachea (2/4, 50%), oropharynx (1/4, 25%), and perioral (1/4, 25%) at a maximum PMI range of 17 days. The SARS-CoV-2 persists in the human body months after death and should be infectious for weeks. This data should be helpful for postmortem COVID-19 management and viral transmission preventive strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the integrity threats of the expanding open access (OA) movement. Topics include the predatory open access journals (POAJs), the publishing threats of hijacked journals and journal phishing, and the ethical implications of hijacked journals. Several charts are also presented which show the similarities and differences between phishing and hijacking, the hijacked journals from Google page ranking, and the metrics for citation level assessment of journals and researchers.

Peer review of submitted manuscripts refers to the process of sending out papers for evaluation by suitably qualified academics/practitioners working in the same area. After their assessments and recommendations have been addressed by submitting authors editors will decide on whether publication is warranted or not. Unfortunately, ‘peer review’ has achieved a high status in courts without a real understanding of the way that the system works. Given that it has been deemed: ‘a flawed process, full of easily identified defects with little evidence that it works’, greater understanding of the nature of peer review is required. The following paper provides an overview of its strengths and weaknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The defence or second postmortem examination is instructed by the defence legal team, per defendant, following an initial postmortem examination performed by a Home Office registered forensic pathologist. The obscure origin of this practice has allowed it to proceed as a matter of routine in English and Welsh culture, in stark contrast to international jurisdictions. The Chief Coroner's Guidance (2019) describes a change in perspective from the Home Office Circular 30 (1999) in which a presumed right to request a second postmortem examination is replaced by a process of heavy scrutiny, favouring a paper-based desktop review of the evidence. The reasons for supporting this seismic change in practice are numerous, from the limited evidential value attained to undue distress experienced by the decedent's family. Whilst it remains imperative for accused persons to examine and test the evidence, this can often be objectively and robustly enacted without a second invasive examination. Any paradigm shift takes time, and may be met with resistance, particularly when the culture is established at all levels of the legal system in which it exists. We discuss the reasons why this shift in practice is necessary to best serve both the defendant and the decedent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the case of an 81-year-old Caucasian female (142 cm tall, weighing 45 kg) who suffered from a multinodular goiter for approximately 40 years. Following the onset of a clinical condition characterized by acute respiratory failure, she was transported to the emergency room by ambulance, where she died within a few hours after admission. A recent cardiac examination showed the absence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, sinus tachycardia with a heart rate of 131 bpm, negative objectivity for signs of cardiocirculatory failure, a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg and modest exertional dyspnea. A recent hemochemical laboratory analysis showed a TSH value of 0.01microUI/mL, FT3 value of 4.76 pg/mL and FT4 value of 2.33 ng/mL, pointing to a pattern of hyperthyroidism, attributable to Basedow's goiter. Autopsy showed some peculiarities, and we came across two extremely rare findings; the thyroid gland had reached a very large size in relation to the patient's body mass (1510 g, in a patient of 142 cm and 45 kg), and the death of the patient was due to the development of a massive intra-thyroid hemorrhage that had caused acute external compression of the trachea. To the best of our knowledge this very rare event has not previously been reported in the international scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal injuries caused by high-pressure air compressors are rare and reported especially among industrial workers. They may appear because of intended or accidental injury. In the present paper, we report a case of colorectal injuries due to air insufflation from a distance towards the anus with the clothes on, as a means of a practical joke. The patient presented one day after the trauma to the Emergency Department with complaints of severe abdominal pain and vomiting. On examination, he had signs of peritonitis. A computed tomography (CT) scan did not show any perforation. Emergency laparotomy was performed with the suspicion of pneumatic pressure-induced lesions. A total resection of the colon was made with enterostomy. The pathologic examination of the resected piece revealed multiple gangrenous areas without perforation associated to signs of peritonitis. Follow up was uneventful. A reversal of the enterostomy was scheduled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many countries now have detailed investigations following sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) but there is no clear evidence as to the most effective way to investigate SUDI. This systematic literature review addresses the following questions: What are the current models of practice for investigating SUDI? What is the evidence to support these investigative models? What are the key factors for effective SUDI investigation? Methods: This was a systematic review of papers from Europe, North America, and Australasia, detailing models of SUDI investigation or the outcomes of SUDI investigations. Results: The review includes data detailing four different models of investigation: police-led, coroner or medical examiner-led, healthcare-led or joint agency approach models. There were 18 different publications providing evidence of effectiveness of these models. All models, with the exception of police-led models, have the potential to reach best practice standards for SUDI investigation. Key factors identified for effective SUDI investigation include the need for mandatory investigation, strong leadership, integration with coronial services, and for investigations to be provided by specialist professionals. Conclusion: Detailed SUDI investigation should lead to greater understanding of why infants die and should help prevent future deaths. The challenge is now to ensure that local SUDI investigative practices are as effective as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes two cases of fatal complications of urolithiasis. The first case discusses the development of fatal urosepsis in a patient with a known mental health issue. The patient had self-introduced a thermometer into her bladder, which led to stone formation around the thermometer and consequently to fatal urosepsis. The second case deals with a motor vehicle accident in which a passenger with pre-existing hydronephrosis suffered a kidney injury leading to fatal bleeding into the surrounding adipose tissue. To provide a wider context, the paper also discusses the fatal complications and origin of urolithiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Another of our traditional beliefs says that a child born with a caul will be followed by good fortune all its life, because it survived a great misfortune at birth - someone removed the caul from its face when it was completely helpless and out of breath [[5]]. We have read with great interest the paper by Byard presenting the specimen from The University of Adelaide Pathology Archive "which consists of a preserved portion of an amniotic sac or caul that had been dried and folded onto a piece of paper" with "minimal accompanying documentation except a note that stated that it was approximately 120 years old when it was donated to the museum at an unspecified date". [Extracted from the article]

In this article the author focuses on scientific writing for periodicals. He states that to further develop data it is important how clearly pathologists and researchers write about their studies. He mentions that cultural differences in expression could be a problem when the language of the periodical doesn't match with that of the researcher. He highlights that some periodicals ask authors to provide key points of their study in a box to help readers know the significant part of their study.

Research on infants who have allegedly succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been of variable quality over the years. Even now peer-reviewed papers are being published on cases termed ‘SIDS’ without autopsies having been performed, despite this being a requirement of the three major definitions for over five decades. Clearly cases used in earlier research studies could not have complied with the requirements of as-yet unpublished definitions/guidelines. For this reason care must be taken in citing initial papers as their results may have been skewed by the presence of non-SIDS cases. This may have particular relevance for meta analyses. Reviewing the literature on substance P and its relationship to SIDS provides an excellent example of how diametrically opposed conclusions were reached at different time points. Early studies on SIDS, and studies that use cases that were classified before the standard NICHD and San Diego definitions, should, therefore, be approached with a degree of scepticism and not cited in contemporary papers or at meetings as they have the potential to confuse rather than clarify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the contributions and current practices of paleoimaging modalities as applied to the bioarchaeological research setting. The paper provides a brief historical perspective regarding imaging approaches in this unique context and a description of various modalities including photography, 3D surface scanning, aerial imaging, LiDAR, GPR, portable radiography, endoscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and advanced medical imaging. The paper presents a review of issues and applications of paleoimaging with an emphasis on specific research questions. A description of the limitations and challenges for paleoimaging within the bioarchaeological construct follows and offers support for the multimodal approach to paleoimaging. Interpretation of imaging data by consensus including paleoimagers, medical scientists and bioarchaeologists is addressed. The paper concludes with a look to the future of paleoimaging from an applications and standards development perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Police dogs are routinely deployed during criminal investigations under a variety of circumstances. In instances where police dogs are involved in apprehension of suspects, contact with a suspect may be observed or may occur out of the line of sight. The interactions between suspect and dog may include the dog biting the suspect, or the suspect touching or exuding bodily fluids onto the dog. In either form of contact, potentially valuable DNA may be left from the suspect on the dog. This paper describes a proof-of-concept study investigating collection of human DNA from the teeth and hair of dogs. It used controlled settings, where the human DNA sources were touch and saliva, and field cases, where the human DNA sources were unknown. The results of sample analysis to identify DNA short tandem repeats (STRs) from each of these scenarios are provided. They highlight the potential and importance of collecting trace DNA from police dogs who may have had contact with suspects during attempted apprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many clinical reports have been published, little is known about the pathological post-mortem findings from people who have died of the novel coronavirus disease. The need for postmortem information is urgent to improve patient management of mild and severe illness, and treatment strategies. The present systematic review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) standards. A systematic literature search and a critical review of the collected studies were conducted. An electronic search of PubMed, Science Direct Scopus, Google Scholar, and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) from database inception to June 2020 was performed. We found 28 scientific papers; the total amount of cases is 341. The major histological feature in the lung is diffuse alveolar damage with hyaline membrane formation, alongside microthrombi in small pulmonary vessels. It appears that there is a high incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism among COVID-19 decedents, suggesting endothelial involvement, but more studies are needed. A uniform COVID-19 post-mortem diagnostic protocol has not yet been developed. In a time in which international collaboration is essential, standardized diagnostic criteria are fundamental requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ibogaine is a psychotropic indole alkaloid extracted from the roots of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub from the Apocynaceae family. Depending on the taken dose, it can lead to stimulant effects, euphoria, visual and auditory hallucinations, along with auditory, olfactory, and gustatory synesthesia. In addition to its historical usage in spiritual rituals of African tribes, these days iboga extract presents a prohibited, alternative drug widely used as a part of addiction treatment. Ibogaine used in opioid withdrawal is associated with serious side effects and sudden deaths. Besides its main use as an anti-addiction medication in alternative medicine, in moderate doses (from 100mg to 1g) ibogaine most commonly causes a "trance-like state". In this paper, we report the case of a heroin addict who died suddenly 5-12 hours after oral ingestion of powder labeled Tabernanthe iboga which had been bought online and used in the process of detoxification during an addiction treatment. The man was found dead in a rented apartment, where he was undergoing the addiction treatment. External examination revealed no lesions other than nonspecific injuries on the legs. The autopsy showed congestion of internal organs and pulmonary edema. Histopathological analysis of the heart showed neither macroscopic nor microscopic abnormalities. The concentration of ibogaine was 3.26mg/L. Moreover, systematic toxicological analyses of biological samples showed the presence of morphine and codeine. These data suggest that death, which occurred unnaturally after initiation of the "treatment", was probably the result of the cardiovascular effects caused by the ibogaine powder. The presented case highlights the worldwide problem of various products being widely available over the internet and the danger associated with consumption thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern technologies enable the exchange of information about the expansion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and the continually increasing number of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases almost in real time. The gravity of a current epidemiological situation is represented by the mortality rates, which are scrupulously updated daily. Performing autopsies on patients with either suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is of high importance since these might not only improve clinical management but also reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection expansion. The following paper aimed to present the most crucial aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection from the point of view of forensic experts and pathologists, recommendations and safety precautions regarding autopsies, autopsy room requirements, possible techniques, examinations used for effective viral detection, recommendations regarding burials, and gross and microscopic pathological findings of the deceased who died due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Autopsies remain the gold standard for determining the cause of death. Therefore, it would be beneficial to perform autopsies on patients with both suspected and confirmed COVID-19, especially those with coexisting comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have read with great interest the paper by Partido Navadijo et al. [[1]] concerning the utility of the sternal synostosis for age-at-death estimation in a Mediterranean population. Even if Haj Salem et al. [[2]] is a radiological study, it can be considered one of the rarest studies that discuss the xiphoid synostosis relevance in age estimation. [Extracted from the article]

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) are metabolites of alcohol that when detected in hair can provide evidence of a person's drinking behavior. The analysis of these compounds in hair has become commonplace in recent years and has been used as evidence in legal proceedings. Despite the routine use of such toxicological analysis, the correct interpretation of alcohol biomarker hair testing can be complex, and there may be debate as to the significance of the data. This paper considers whether the accepted norm of applying interpretative cut-off values to EtG and FAEE concentrations from hair samples is appropriate, and asks whether Bayesian theory, using a likelihood ratio approach may offer greater insight as to the strength of evidence. In addition to the complexity of result interpretation in this field, the sensitivity of alcohol biomarkers in hair to distinguish low level drinking from abstinence also represents a significant challenge. The use of fingernail EtG testing as an alternative to hair analysis is explored in this paper and it is proposed that fingernails may in theory show a higher uptake of EtG than hair, and thus show potential as a useful alternative matrix to document long-term low to moderate alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent paper published in I Forensic Science Medicine and Pathology i by Santurro et al. provided useful details of postmortem investigations and sampling in cases of suspected or probable COVID-19 [[1]]. Postmortem sampling and autopsy investigation in cases of suspected or probable COVID-19. Postmortem sampling and autopsy investigation in cases of suspected or probable COVID-19.". [Extracted from the article]