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Background: Invasive aspergillosis is an extremely rare condition in healthy and immunocompetent individuals, and very few cases have been reported in previously healthy, pregnant, or postpartum women. Method: We describe a case of invasive aspergillosis in a puerperal patient and present literature review results. Case: We present a case of fulminant invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with cerebral, cardiac, and gastric involvement in a young woman, occurring a few days after an elective cesarean section. The patient succumbed after intensive care unit admission, and the diagnosis was made postmortem through autopsy. Conclusion: A total of 20 cases of invasive aspergillosis have been previously reported in pregnant or postpartum women, with high mortality. The risk of opportunistic fungal infections during pregnancy and postpartum should not be underestimated.

Background/Objectives: Surgical site infections are a serious public health concern, representing a significant burden on healthcare systems and society. Their occurrence is influenced by several factors, including patient demographics, healthcare facilities and the specific circumstances surrounding surgery. The use of prophylactic antibiotics in this context carries both potential benefits and risks. The aim of this study is to investigate potential risk factors that may adversely affect the development of SSIs, as well as to assess the appropriateness and adherence to perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Methods: This observational study was conducted from October 2023 to October 2024 at the University Hospital of Messina, Italy, a hospital performing both thoracic and vascular surgery. Data were collected using a questionnaire regarding socio-demographic data, risk factors, clinical and surgical data and details regarding the administration of antibiotics. Results: This study included 117 patients with an average age of 63 ± 12.36 SD years, 70.9% from the Thoracic Surgery Unit and 29.1% from the Vascular Surgery Unit. The most administered antibiotic was cefazolin, and antibiotic administration time was in compliance with the guidelines. Conclusions: Our data show that the implementation of evidence-based guidelines, healthcare professionals’ education and correct antibiotic use can reduce the burden of SSIs by improving patient care.

The multidisciplinary approach has become an almost indispensable requirement in the examination of the scena criminis, especially in complex cases involving different professional profiles within the biomedical and forensic sciences. In recent times, innovative methods have been joined by the possibility of using three-dimensional laser scanners, capable of obtaining virtual reconstructions, very useful in analyzing outdoor or indoor crime scenes. In the present paper, three case studies regarding simulated indoor and outdoor crime scenes were analyzed, applying a virtual reconstruction based on a survey and acquisition of “point clouds” by using a laser scanner Leica BLK360, managed by means of the software Leica Cyclone. Victims were simulated by two hyper-realistic dummies produced by the Lifecast Body Simulation. The first crime scene regarded a suspect homicide case of a man found hanged to a metallic rod indoor, inside a room; the second crime scene regarded a homicide case of a woman, suspected to be victim of sexual assault, found indoor, on the floor of a corridor in a palace; the third scene regarded an outdoor place located in the hills of the Peloritani Mountains, simulating a crime scene where a homicide was committed. The advantages and disadvantages of virtual three-dimensional acquisitions in relation to forensic purposes were finally highlighted. The successful outcome of the scans proved the true-to-life reproducibility of virtual targets, with the possibility of easier interactions, the possibility to measure specific parameters, adequate simulations, and the essential “crystallization” of physical evidence. In the next future, it will be important improving the procedure in order to obtain protocols with high quality standards, able to ensure that the acquired data will be considered valid with evidentiary effect in judicial trials.

The use of non-destructive methods guaranteeing high standards of accuracy, speed, simplicity of use, and low costs may be crucial during judicial inspection aimed to reconstruct the spatial arrangement of crime scenes. Three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning and structured blue light scanning are two modern and advanced technologies widely used in many sectors of the sciences, included forensic sciences. Limiting itself to forensic applications, these technologies may be successfully used for acquiring point clouds in 3D space and reconstruct 3D virtual models of large-, medium-, and small-scale forensic scenarios. These two technologies were applied for reconstructing 3D virtual models from real crime scenes and geological evidence, respectively. Different investigative places and items were investigated and discussed. The research evidenced the advantages of using these modern techniques in order to assist investigators in: i) providing 3D virtual models for reconstructing even complex crime scenes occurred outdoor; ii) reconstructing of the dynamics of events, and iii) individuating possible interactions between the actors of the scene and the surrounding places.

The paper reports the results of training experiences in the field of education in forensic and biomedical sciences carried out during two editions of summer schools. Two simulated serious crimes, involving dummies used as victims, were prepared for practitioners in outdoor places. The scenes simulate a suspect murder case of homicide with staging and a corpse concealment with dismembered human remains found into a clandestine grave, respectively. During the simulations, laser scanning technology was applied to reproduce the outdoor crime scenes in order to verify the capacity of the innovative technique as advantageous tool during educational and forensic training. Judicial inspections conducted during the simulation provided preliminary physical evidence, in the fields of forensic medicine, forensic geology, and engineering, highlighting the importance of the multidisciplinary approach. These experiences, through the use of the laser scanner that allowed for the recreation of virtual environments in which practitioners were able to confront crime scenes, demonstrated how such an approach can be useful in education and training activities.

The need of a minimally invasive approach, especially in cases of cultural or religious oppositions to the internal examination of the body, has led over the years to the introduction of postmortem CT (PMCT) methodologies within forensic investigations for the comprehension of the cause of death in selected cases (e.g., traumatic deaths, acute hemorrhages, etc.), as well as for personal identification. The impossibility to yield clear information concerning the coronary arteries due to the lack of an active circulation to adequately distribute contrast agents has been subsequently overcome by the introduction of coronary-targeted PMCT Angiography (PMCTA), which has revealed useful in the detection of stenoses related to calcifications and/or atherosclerotic plaques, as well as in the suspicion of thrombosis. In parallel, due to the best ability to study the soft tissues, cardiac postmortem MR (PMMR) methodologies have been further implemented, which proved suitable for the detection and aging of infarcted areas, and for cardiomyopathies. Hence, the purpose of the present work to shed light on the state of the art concerning the value of both coronary-targeted PMCTA and PMMR in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and/or myocardial infarction as causes of death, further evaluating their suitability as alternatives or complementary approaches to standard autopsy and histologic investigations.

The recovery of severely altered cadavers (i.e., extensively decomposed, mummified, charred or dismembered) can be a challenge for forensic pathologists due to the difficulties in identification, PMI estimation and manner and cause of death determination. In such cases, integrating routine approaches (autopsy, histology, toxicology) to more specific forensic branches can be fundamental to improving the investigative process. In this paper a systematic review using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases has been performed. The aim was to evaluate the forensic approaches implemented in the management of severely altered bodies due to decomposition, mummification, skeletonization, charring or dismemberment (to which we refer to as “complex”), and the role of each approach in the solution of a case. Then, the literature revision results were used to propose a schematic flowchart summarizing the post mortem activities that can be performed in forensic practice, adaptable in relation to each case.