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Background Short tandem repeat (STR) markers are widely used in forensic DNA analysis due to their ability to provide automated and standardised typing. However, incorrect STR typing can have a significant impact on forensic outcomes.Aim In this study, we detected drop-out alleles at the SE33 locus in a putative father-son pair using the Microreader™ 28 A ID System. This result could lead to a false conclusion of non-paternity.Subjects and methods To investigate the cause of the drop-out alleles, we developed a nest and touch-down PCR program for Sanger sequencing of the SE33 locus. Subsequently, we investigated the mutation frequency in 300 unrelated individuals and reviewed the results of 429 paternity tests.Results The results showed that the frequency of the G > T mutation at this locus was less than 0.01, which is a novel and rare mutation. Our analysis revealed a novel G > T mutation in the primer-binding region of both samples, which was a rare single-nucleotide mutation site in the Chinese population. This variation was found to be responsible for the drop-out alleles observed in the samples.Conclusion Our findings have important implications for optimising primer design and constructing DNA databases for forensic analysis.

Introduction Methods Results and conclusion Multiple insertion‐deletion (multi‐InDel) has greater potential in forensic genetics than InDel, and its efficacy in kinship testing, individual identification, DNA mixture detection and ancestry inference remains to be explored.Consequently, we designed an efficient and robust system consisting of 41 multi‐InDels to evaluate its efficacy in forensic applications in Chinese Hezhou Han (HZH) and Southern Shaanxi Han (SNH) populations and explore the genetic relationships between the SNH, HZH, and 26 reference populations.The obtained results showed that 38 out of the 41 multi‐InDels had fairly high genetic variations. The the cumulative probability of discrimination and exclusion values of the multi‐InDels (except MI38) in HZH and SNH populations both exceeded 1‐e−25 and 1‐e−6, correspondingly. The genetic compositions of HZH and SNH individuals were similar to that of East Asians and the Naive Bayes model could well distinguish East Asians, Africans and Americans. These results indicated that the multi‐InDel systerm can serve as an effective tool to provide important evidence for the development of multi‐InDels in forensic practice and better analyse the genetic background of the Han Chinese populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA analysis plays a crucial role in forensic investigations, helping in criminal cases, missing persons inquiries, and archaeological research. This study focuses on the DNA concentration in different skeletal elements to improve human identification efforts. Ten cases of unidentified skeletal remains brought to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Timisoara, Romania, underwent DNA analysis between 2019 and 2023. The results showed that teeth are the best source for DNA extraction as they contain the highest concentration of genetic material, at 3.68 ng/µL, compared to the petrous temporal bone (0.936 ng/µL) and femur bone (0.633 ng/µL). These findings highlight the significance of teeth in forensic contexts due to their abundant genetic material. Combining anthropological examination with DNA analysis enhances the understanding and precision of identifying human skeletal remains, thus advancing forensic science. Selecting specific skeletal elements, such as the cochlea or teeth, emerges as crucial for reliable genetic analyses, emphasizing the importance of careful consideration in forensic identification procedures. Our study concludes that automated DNA extraction protocols without liquid nitrogen represent a significant advancement in DNA extraction technology, providing a faster, more efficient, and less labor-intensive method for extracting high-quality DNA from damaged bone and tooth samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the tumor genome can result in allelic changes compared to the reference profile of its homogenous body source on genetic markers. This brings a challenge to source identification of tumor samples, such as clinically collected pathological paraffin-embedded tissue and sections. In this study, a probabilistic model was developed for calculating likelihood ratio (LR) to tackle this issue, which utilizes short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping data. The core of the model is to consider tumor tissue as a mixture of normal and tumor cells and introduce the incidence of STR variants (φ) and the percentage of normal cells (Mxn) as a priori parameters when performing calculations. The relationship between LR values and φ or Mxn was also investigated. Analysis of tumor samples and reference blood samples from 17 colorectal cancer patients showed that all samples had Log10(LR) values greater than 1014. In the non-contributor test, 99.9% of the quartiles had Log10(LR) values less than 0. When the defense's hypothesis took into account the possibility that the tumor samples came from the patient's relatives, LR greater than 0 was still obtained. Furthermore, this study revealed that LR values increased with decreasing φ and increasing Mxn. Finally, LR interval value was provided for each tumor sample by considering the confidence interval of Mxn. The probabilistic model proposed in this paper could deal with the possibility of tumor allele variability and offers an evaluation of the strength of evidence for determining tumor origin in clinical practice and forensic identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in forensic anthropology and genetics to identify the victim and the cause of death. The large autopsy samples from persons with traumatic causes of death but without comorbidities also offer possibilities to analyze normal histology with AI. We propose a new deep learning–based method to rapidly count glomerular number and measure glomerular density (GD) and volume in post-mortem kidney samples obtained in a forensic population. We assessed whether this new method detects glomerular differences between men and women without known kidney disease. Autopsies performed between 2009 and 2015 were analyzed if subjects were aged ≥ 18 years and had no known kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, or hypertension. A large biopsy was taken from each kidney, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and scanned. An in-house developed deep learning–based algorithm counted the glomerular density (GD), number, and size. Out of 1165 forensic autopsies, 86 met all inclusion criteria (54 men). Mean (± SD) age was 43.5 ± 14.6; 786 ± 277 glomeruli were analyzed per individual. There was no significant difference in GD between men and women (2.18 ± 0.49 vs. 2.30 ± 0.57 glomeruli/mm2, p = 0.71); glomerular diameter, area, and volume also did not differ. GD correlated inversely with age, kidney weight, and glomerular area. Glomerular area and volume increased significantly with age. In this study, there were no sex differences in glomerular density or size. Considering the size of the kidney samples, the use of the presented deep learning method can help to analyze large renal autopsy biopsies and opens perspectives for the histological study of other organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monozygotic (MZ) twins are theoretically genetically identical. Although they are revealed to accumulate mutations after the zygote splits, discriminating between twin genomes remains a formidable challenge in the field of forensic genetics. Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) are responsible for a substantial portion of genetic variation, thus potentially serving as promising biomarkers for the identification of MZ twins. In this study, we sequenced the whole genome of a pair of female MZ twins when they were 27 and 33 years old to approximately 30 × coverage using peripheral blood on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 Sequencing System. Potentially discordant SNVs supported by whole-genome sequencing were validated extensively by amplicon-based targeted deep sequencing and Sanger sequencing. In total, we found nine bona fide post-twinning SNVs, all of which were identified in the younger genomes and found in the older genomes. None of the SNVs occurred within coding exons, three of which were observed in introns, supported by whole-exome sequencing results. A double-blind test was employed, and the reliability of MZ twin discrimination by discordant SNVs was endorsed. All SNVs were successfully detected when input DNA amounts decreased to 0.25 ng, and reliable detection was limited to seven SNVs below 0.075 ng input. This comprehensive analysis confirms that SNVs could serve as cost-effective biomarkers for MZ twin discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the type of body fluid in crime scene evidence may be crucial, so that the efforts are high to reduce the complexity of these analyses and to minimize time and costs. Reliable immunochromatographic rapid tests for specific and sensitive identification of blood, saliva, urine and sperm secretions are already routinely used in forensic genetics. The recently introduced Seratec® PMB test is said to detect not only hemoglobin, but also differentiate menstrual blood from other secretions containing blood (cells) by detecting D-dimers. In our experimental set-up, menstrual blood could be reliably detected in mock forensic samples. Here, the result was independent of sample age and extraction buffer volume. It was also successfully demonstrated that all secretions without blood cells were negative for both, hemoglobin (P) and D-dimer (M). However, several blood cell–containing secretions/tissues comprising blood (injury), nasal blood, postmortem blood and wound crust also demonstrated positive results for D-dimer (M) and were therefore false positives. For blood (injury) and nasal blood, this result was reproduced for different extraction buffer volumes. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that the Seratec® PMB test is neither useful nor suitable for use in forensic genetics because of the great risk of false positive results which can lead to false conclusions, especially in sexual offense or violent acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying DNA transfer and persistence has become increasingly important over the last decade, due to the impressive sensitivity of modern DNA detection methods in forensic genetics. To improve our understanding of background DNA that could also potentially be transferred, we analyzed the DNA composition on the outside of sleeve cuffs and sampled DNA directly from the hands of four different collaborators upon their arrival at work during 25 working days. Sampling of their hands was repeated after several hours working in our department. The shedder status of the participants, as assumed from previous internal studies, was well re-produced in the study. However, we noticed that the DNA shedding capacity could also change drastically during the day, with one participant showing a more than sixfold increase between hands sampled in the morning and hands sampled in the afternoon. As expected, poor DNA shedders carry more relative amounts of non-self-DNA on their hands than good shedders. Non-self-alleles were detected in 95% of the samples. We also observed potential effects of hand washing and the mode of transport to get to work on the DNA amount. People living with family members occasionally carried their DNA on their hands and more frequently on their sleeve cuffs. Sleeve cuffs, as being close to our hands, have a large potential to transfer DNA from one place to another, yet they have sparsely been studied as DNA transfer intermediates so far. In general, we collected consistently more DNA from the sleeve cuffs than from the hands of the participants, demonstrating their importance as potential transfer vectors. More DNA was recovered from sleeve cuffs made of synthetic fabric than from cuffs made of cotton or leather. In the afternoon, DNA from co-habitant family members could not be detected on the hands anymore and the detection of profiles from colleagues became more frequent. From two out of 100 analyzed sleeve cuffs and two out of 200 sampled hands, we established unknown major DNA profiles that would have been suitable for an entry in the national DNA database. This finding demonstrates the possibility to transfer DNA that has most likely been picked up somewhere in the public space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As massively parallel sequencing is implemented in forensic genetics, an understanding of sequence data must accompany these advancements, that is, accurate modeling of data for proper statistical analysis. Allelic drop-out, a common stochastic effect seen in genetic data, is often modeled in statistical analysis of STR results. This proof-of-concept study sequenced several serial dilutions of a standard sample ranging from 4 ng to 7.82 pg to evaluate allelic drop-out trends on a select panel of autosomal STRs using the ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit, Primer Set A on the Illumina MiSeq FGx. Parameters assessed included locus, profile, and run specific information. A majority of the allelic drop-out occurred in DNA concentrations less than 31.25 pg. Statistical results indicated a need for locus-specific modeling based on STR descriptors, like simple versus compound repeat patterns. No correlation was seen between average read count of scored alleles and allelic drop-out at a locus. A statistical correlation was observed between the amount of allelic drop-out and the starting amount of DNA in a sample, average read count of a sample, and total read count generated on a flow cell. This study supports using common allelic drop-out factors used in fragment length analysis on sequenced STRs while including additional locus, sample, and run specific information. Results demonstrate multiple factors that can be considered when developing probability of allelic drop-out models for sequenced autosomal STRs including locus-specific analysis, total read count of a profile, and total read count sequenced on a flow cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of degradation is crucial for the analysis of human DNA samples isolated from forensic specimens. Forensic quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays can include multiple targets of varying amplicon size that display differential amplification efficiency, and thus different concentrations, in the presence of degradation. The possibility of deriving information on DNA degradation was evaluated in a forensic qPCR assay not specifically designed to detect DNA fragmentation, the Plexor HY (Promega), by calculating the ratio between the estimated concentrations of autosomal (99 bp) and Y-chromosomal (133 bp) targets ("[Auto]/[Y]"). The [Auto]/[Y] ratio measured in 57 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples was compared to a quality score (QS) calculated for corresponding STR profiles using quantitative data (allele peak height). A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between [Auto]/[Y] and QS (R = −0.65, p < 0.001). The [Auto]/[Y] values were highly correlated (R = 0.75, p < 0.001) with the "[Auto]/[D]" values obtained using the PowerQuant (Promega) assay, expressly designed to detect DNA degradation through simultaneous quantification of a short (Auto) and a long (D) autosomal target. These results indicate that it is possible to estimate DNA degradation in male samples through Plexor HY data and suggest an alternative strategy for laboratories lacking the equipment required for the assessment of DNA integrity through dedicated qPCR assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When stroke occurs in pediatric age, it might be mistakenly interpreted as non-accidental head injury (NAHI). In these situations, a multidisciplinary approach is fundamental, including a thorough personal and familial history, along with accurate physical examination and additional investigations. Especially when the clinical picture is uncertain, it is important to remember that certain genetic conditions can cause bleeding inside the brain, which may resemble NAHI. Pediatric strokes occurring around the time of birth can also be an initial sign of undiagnosed genetic disorders. Hence, it is crucial to conduct a thorough evaluation, including genetic testing, when there is a suspicion of NAHI but the symptoms are unclear. In these cases, a characteristic set of symptoms is often observed. This study aims to summarize some of the genetic causes of hemorrhagic stroke in the pediatric population, thus mimicking non-accidental head injury, considering elements that can be useful in characterizing pathologies. A systematic review of genetic disorders that may cause ICH in children was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review (PRISMA) standards. We selected 10 articles regarding the main genetic diseases in stroke; we additionally selected 11 papers concerning patients with pediatric stroke and genetic diseases, or studies outlining the characteristics of stroke in these patients. The disorders we identified were Moyamoya disease (MMD), COL4A1, COL4A2 pathogenic variant, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (E-D), neurofibromatosis type 1 (Nf1), sickle cell disease (SCD), cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM), hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and Marfan syndrome. In conclusion, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic disorders that could be tested in children when there is a suspicion of NAHI but an unclear picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the demographic history of mankind have led to the fact that the indigenous peoples of Dagestan and Siberia are inferior in terms of genetic diversity to the populations of Europe, which affects the level of identification informativeness of standard forensic autosomal markers in these populations. In our study, we evaluated the effectiveness of two standard sets of autosomal STRs (13 CODIS, 20 CODIS, Combined DNA Index System) for the genetic examination of parent–child relationship in four highly inbred populations of the Russian Federation and the Russian population, using two types of reference frequencies. The results of the study confirmed the assumption that the level of identification informativity of standard autosomal markers in highly inbred populations of Siberia and Dagestan is lower than in the Russian population. The total information content of markers of the new CODIS standard exceeds the threshold values required in the order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation (no. 346n). At the same time, the probability of a false positive result increases with an increase in the inbreeding coefficient in the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While traditional woven textiles have been the subject of many forensic investigations, non-woven fabrics have received minimal attention thus far. Given the expansion of commercial applications of non-woven fabrics, a preliminary investigation of household wipes has been carried out to characterize the compositions of these widely available non-woven fabrics. Infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were employed to identify the fibre type and additives of three types of commercial wipes. Polyester and/or viscose fibres were found to be the main components and, along with the identification of binders, enable source types to be differentiated. The predicted different sensitivities of the fibre types to biodeterioration highlights the importance of future environmental studies for the correct characterization of non-woven fabrics in evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous observational studies could not overcome the effects of confounding variables and reverse causality. We aimed to determine whether there is a causal relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and osteoporosis in East Asian and European populations, respectively, by two-sample Mendelian Randomization analysis. We obtained and downloaded data from publicly available genome-wide association study databases and analyses for East Asian and European populations, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), osteoporosis (OP), multisite bone mineral density (BMD), and OP with fracture. After screening for instrumental single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly correlated to SLE, the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used for calculating the ratio and 95% confidence interval, besides utilizing MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode to assess the robustness of the primary outcome. Moreover, multiple analyses, including MR-PRESSO, MR-Egger intercept, Cochran's Q test, as well as "leave-one-out" sensitivity, were used for evaluating horizontal pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and stability. Finally, we exchanged exposure and outcome and performed a reverse MR analysis. IVW (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01–1.09, P = 0.009) indicated a significant positive correlation between genetically predicted SLE and OP in East Asians. Furthermore, neither heterogeneity nor horizontal pleiotropy was observed. In Europe, there was no significant genetically predicted causal relation between SLE and OP. Bi-directional MR analysis showed no reverse causality between SLE and OP. In the East Asian population, genetically predicted SLE may have had a positive causal relationship with OP. In Europe, there is insufficient evidence for a potential causal relation between SLE and OP or BMD and fracture, and the correlations currently observed may be attributed to a variety of confounder variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to evaluate Y chromosome haplotypes obtained from 1353 unrelated Iranian males using the AmpFlSTRTM YfilerTM kit; 1353 out of the 1353 identified haplotypes were unique. The haplotype diversity (HD) and discriminating capacity (DC) values were 1.00000 and 0.997, respectively. Analysis of genetic distance was performed using molecular variance (AMOVA) and multidimensional scaling plots (MDS), revealing a statistically significant difference between the study population and previous data reported for other Iranian populations and other neighboring countries. The present findings are likely to be useful for forensic casework analyses and kinship investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously, a novel multiplex system of 64 loci was constructed based on capillary electrophoresis platform, including 59 autosomal insertion/deletions (A-InDels), two Y-chromosome InDels, two mini short tandem repeats (miniSTRs), and an Amelogenin gene. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiencies of this multiplex system for individual identification, paternity testing and biogeographic ancestry inference in Chinese Hezhou Han (CHH) and Hubei Tujia (CTH) groups, providing valuable insights for forensic anthropology and population genetics research. Results: The cumulative values of power of discrimination (CDP) and probability of exclusion (CPE) for the 59 A-InDels and two miniSTRs were 0.99999999999999999999999999754, 0.99999905; and 0.99999999999999999999999999998, 0.99999898 in CTH and CHH groups, respectively. When the likelihood ratio thresholds were set to 1 or 10, more than 95% of the full sibling pairs could be identified from unrelated individual pairs, and the false positive rates were less than 1.2% in both CTH and CHH groups. Biogeographic ancestry inference models based on 35 populations were constructed with three algorithms: random forest, adaptive boosting and extreme gradient boosting, and then 10-fold cross-validation analyses were applied to test these three models with the average accuracies of 86.59%, 84.22% and 87.80%, respectively. In addition, we also investigated the genetic relationships between the two studied groups with 33 reference populations using population statistical methods of FST, DA, phylogenetic tree, PCA, STRUCTURE and TreeMix analyses. The present results showed that compared to other continental populations, the CTH and CHH groups had closer genetic affinities to East Asian populations. Conclusions: This novel multiplex system has high CDP and CPE in CTH and CHH groups, which can be used as a powerful tool for individual identification and paternity testing. According to various genetic analysis methods, the genetic structures of CTH and CHH groups are relatively similar to the reference East Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife‐related crimes are the second most prevalent lawbreaking offense globally. This illicit trade encompasses hunting, breeding and trafficking. Besides diminishing many species and their habitats and ecosystems, hindering the economic development of local communities that depend on them, undermining the rule of law and financing terrorism, various cross‐species transmissions (zoonoses) of pathogens, including COVID‐19, can be attributed to wildlife crimes. Wildlife forensics applies interdisciplinary scientific analyses to support law enforcement in investigating wildlife crimes. Its main objectives are to identify the taxonomic species in question, determine if a crime has been committed, link a suspect to the crime and support the conviction and prosecution of the perpetrator. This article reviews wildlife crime and its implications, wildlife forensic science investigation, common forms of wildlife biological evidence, including DNA, wildlife DNA techniques and challenges in wildlife forensic genetics. The article also reviews the contributions of genetic markers such as short tandem repeat (STR) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers, which provide the probative genetic data representing the bulk of DNA evidence for solving wildlife crime. This review provides an overview of wildlife DNA databases, which are critical for searching and matching forensic DNA profiles and sequences and establishing how frequent forensic DNA profiles and sequences are in a particular population or geographic region. As such, this review will contain an in‐depth analysis of the current status of wildlife forensic genetics, and it will be of general interest to wildlife and conservation biologists, law enforcement officers, and academics interested in combating crimes against wildlife using animal forensic DNA methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inference of biogeographical ancestry (BGA) can assist in police investigations of serious crime cases and help to identify missing people and victims of mass disasters. In this study, we evaluated the typing performance of 56 ancestry-informative SNPs in 177 samples using the ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit on the MiSeq FGx system. Furthermore, we compared the prediction accuracy of the tools Universal Analysis Software v1.2 (UAS), the FROG-kb, and GenoGeographer when inferring the ancestry of 503 Europeans, 22 non-Europeans, and 5 individuals with co-ancestry. The kit was highly sensitive with complete aiSNP profiles in samples with as low as 250pg input DNA. However, in line with others, we observed low read depth and occasional drop-out in some SNPs. Therefore, we suggest not using less than the recommended 1ng of input DNA. FROG-kb and GenoGeographer accurately predicted both Europeans (99.6% and 91.8% correct, respectively) and non-Europeans (95.4% and 90.9% correct, respectively). The UAS was highly accurate when predicting Europeans (96.0% correct) but performed poorer when predicting non-Europeans (40.9% correct). None of the tools were able to correctly predict individuals with co-ancestry. Our study demonstrates that the use of multiple prediction tools will increase the prediction accuracy of BGA inference in forensic casework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study focuses on digital forensic investigations of the databases used in an instant messenger application. Instant messengers store and manage user data in databases, which can be encrypted for privacy protection. We proposed a method to identify and decrypt an SQLite version 3.40.0 database encrypted using wxSQLite3 version 4.9.1, and then we examined the LINE instant messenger application to validate the proposed method. As a result, we successfully acquired the wxSQLite3 passphrase, which was used to decrypt the database of the LINE messenger application. We also performed artifact analysis to enumerate the data from a digital forensics perspective. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to propose a method to identify and decrypt of wxSQLite3-encrypted database and its applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tandem repeat genetic profiles used in forensic applications varies between populations. Despite the diversity and security issues in the Sahel that require the identification of victims (soldiers and civilians), Burkina Faso (BF) remains understudied. To fill this information gap, 396 unrelated individuals from BF were genotyped using a MICROREADER 21 ID System kit. All 20 short tandem repeat (STR) loci tested passed the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test. The combined powers of exclusion for duos (CPE duos) and trios (CPE trios) for the 20 tested loci were 0.9999998 and 0.9999307, respectively. The probability that two individuals would share the same DNA profiles among the BF population was 9.80898 × 10–26. For the X-chromosome STR analysis, 292 individuals were included in this study using a MICROREADER 19X Direct ID System kit. Among the 19 loci, no significant deviations from HWE test were observed in female samples after Bonferroni correction (p < 0.05/19 = 0.0026), except for loci GATA165B12 and DXS7423. The results showed that the combined power of exclusion (CPE) and the combined power of discrimination in females (CPDF) and males (CPDM) were 0.999999760893, 0.999999999992, and 1, respectively. Comparison with other African sub-populations showed that geographical proximity is a reliable indicator of genetic relatedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short tandem repeats (STRs) are the most widely used genetic markers in forensic genetics. Therefore, it is essential to document genetic population data of new kits designed for human identification purposes to enable laboratories to use these genetic systems to interpret and solve forensic casework. However, in Mexico, there are no studies with the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System, which includes 26 STRs (23 autosomal STRs and 3 Y-STRs). Methods and results: 600 DNA samples from Mexico City were subjected to genotyping using the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System. For autosomal STRs, 312 different alleles were observed. Combined PE and PD were 99.999999809866% and 99.99999999999999999999999818795%, respectively. Genetic distances and AMOVA test showed low but significant differentiation between Mexican populations. Conclusions: The results reported in this work demonstrate the efficacy of this system for human identification purposes in the population studied and justify its possible application in other Mexican Mestizo populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) has emerged as a promising technology for targeting multiple genetic loci simultaneously in forensic genetics. Here, a novel 193-plex panel was designed to target 28 A-STRs, 41 Y-STRs, 21 X-STRs, 3 sex-identified loci, and 100 A-SNPs by employing a single-end 400 bp sequencing strategy on the MGISEQ-2000™ platform. In the present study, a series of validations and sequencing of 1642 population samples were performed to evaluate the overall performance of the MPS-based panel and its practicality in forensic application according to the SWGDAM guidelines. In general, the 193-plex markers in our panel showed good performance in terms of species specificity, stability, and repeatability. Compared to commercial kits, this panel achieved 100% concordance for standard gDNA and 99.87% concordance for 14,560 population genotypes. Moreover, this panel detected 100% of the loci from 0.5 ng of DNA template and all unique alleles at a 1:4 DNA mixture ratio (0.2 ng minor contributor), and the applicability of the proposed approach for tracing and degrading DNA was further supported by case samples. In addition, several forensic parameters of STRs and SNPs were calculated in a population study. High CPE and CPD values greater than 0.9999999 were clearly demonstrated and these results could be useful references for the application of this panel in individual identification and paternity testing. Overall, this 193-plex MPS panel has been shown to be a reliable, repeatable, robust, inexpensive, and powerful tool sufficient for forensic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the fourth and final paper in a series related to the analysis of articles published in this journal during its first 100 years of activity. This article covers the time span from 1990 to 2022. It is important to note that, given the period covered by this analysis, it does not aim to provide a historical overview but rather an examination of the most recent trends in our discipline compared to the past. Between 1990 (Volume 104) and 2022 (Volume 136), 4004 articles were published in the International Journal of Legal Medicine (IJLM) across 33 volumes. This corresponds to 53% of all the articles published since the launch of the journal. When compared to the period from 1970 to 1990, some categories no longer appear to be as relevant (e.g., sexual medicine, 1 article; social medicine, 0 articles; biography, 3 articles; history, 4 articles). Conversely, the most recent period has shown an increasing importance in forensic genetics (1388 articles) and the emergence of new significant topics that merit their own classification, such as age estimation (286 articles), forensic anthropology (189 articles), forensic imaging (150 articles), and forensic entomology (90 articles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing analysis parameters and sample input is crucial in forensic genetics methods to generate reliable results, and even more so when working with muti-copy mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and low-quality samples. This study compared mitotypes based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) results derived from the same samples at two different sequencing library concentrations—30 pM and 0.3 pM. Thirty femur samples from the Second World War were used as a model for poorly preserved DNA. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) method targeting 113 bp long fragment was employed to assess the quantity of mitogenomes. HID Ion Chef™ Instrument with Precision ID mtDNA Control Region Panel was used for library preparation and templating. Sequencing was performed with Ion GeneStudio™ S5 System. Reference haplotypes were determined from sequencing samples at 30 pM library input. Haplotypes were compared between optimal (30 pM) and suboptimal (0.3 pM) library inputs. Often the difference in haplotypes was length heteroplasmy, which in line with other studies shows that this type of variant is not reliable for interpretation in forensics. Excluding length variants at positions 573, 309, and 16,193, 56.7% of the samples matched, and in two samples, no sequence was obtained at suboptimal library input. The rest of the samples differed between optimal and suboptimal library input. To conclude, genotyping and analyzing low-quantity libraries derived from low-quality aged skeletonized human remains therefore must be done with caution in forensic genetics casework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Touch DNA" is a form of trace DNA that is presumed to be deposited when an individual touches something and leaves behind DNA‐containing skin cells, sweat, or other fluids. While touch DNA is often the result of direct contact (i.e., primary transfer), it can also be indirectly transferred between surfaces or individuals (e.g., secondary or tertiary transfer). Even experts cannot distinguish between different types of transfer and do not fully understand which variables affect direct versus indirect transfer or how often each type of transfer occurs. In this study, we utilize an innovative protocol that combines a paired male and female transfer DNA experimental design with an Amelogenin qPCR assay to generate data on primary, secondary, and tertiary DNA transfer. We report frequencies of indirect DNA transfer and also investigate the potential effects of participant age, self‐identified ethnicity, and skin conditions on DNA transfer. Out of 22 experimental trials, we detected primary transfer (male + female) in 71% of trials, secondary DNA transfer in 50% of trials, and tertiary DNA transfer in 27% of trials. No significant associations were found between primary DNA transfer and age, self‐identified ancestry, or skin conditions, however, all individuals with sloughing skin conditions demonstrated primary DNA transfer and we suggest this variable be explored in larger samples. These results contribute to a better understanding of the conditions under which secondary and tertiary DNA transfer occurs and can be used to propose realistic DNA transfer scenarios in court cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the joint recommendations of the project group "Biostatistical DNA Calculations" and the Stain Commission on the Biostatistical Evaluation of Forensic DNA Analytical Findings with Fully Continuous Models (FCM). While the adoption of FCMs in Germany is praised, the authors point out some issues with the recommendations. They discuss the different zones defined by the authors for reporting likelihood ratios (LRs) obtained from FCMs and highlight the need for evaluating the performance and calibration of LR systems. The article emphasizes the importance of analyzing a large set of LRs and comparing their performance rather than directly comparing individual LRs from different systems. The authors argue that the current recommendations do not effectively ensure safe and comparable application of forensic DNA analysis. They highlight the need for proper testing of LR systems to evaluate their performance and increase trust in their output. The authors also emphasize the importance of informing the court about the probabilistic nature of forensic findings without giving an illusion of achieved certainty. They suggest that implementing the current recommendations may result in many impactful forensic results never reaching the courts. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: The duration of pupa development on a cadaver holds the potential for estimating the time of colonization (TOC), which is often correlated with the postmortem interval (PMI) of decomposed bodies. Establishing an objective, precise, and efficient method for inferring pupa age has become paramount in forensic entomology. In this study, we observed temporal variations in the reflection spectrum of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) pupa, detectable through hyperspectral imaging (HSI). Additionally, we proposed that the eXtreme Gradient Boosting Regression (XGBR) model represents an optimal approach for estimating pupa development time based on HSI data. Estimating the age of pupa during the development time of the blow fly Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is of forensic significance as it assists in determining the time of colonization (TOC), which could help to determine the postmortem interval (PMI). However, establishing an objective, accurate, and efficient method for pupa age inference is still a leading matter of concern among forensic entomologists. In this study, we utilized hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology to analyze the reflectance changes of pupa development under different temperatures (15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C). The spectrograms showed a downtrend under all temperatures. We used PCA to reduce the dimensionality of the spectral data, and then machine learning models (RF, SVR-RBF, SVR-POLY, XGBR, and Lasso) were built. RF, SVR with RBF kernel, and XGBR could show promise in accurate developmental time estimation using accumulated degree days. Among these, the XGBR model consistently exhibited the most minor errors, ranging between 3.9156 and 7.3951 (MAE). This study has identified the value of further refinement of HSI in forensic applications involving entomological specimens, and identified the considerable potential of HSI in forensic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human age estimation from trace samples may give important leads early in a police investigation by contributing to the description of the perpetrator. Several molecular biomarkers are available for the estimation of chronological age, and currently, DNA methylation patterns are the most promising. In this study, a QIAGEN age protocol for age estimation was tested by five forensic genetic laboratories. The assay comprised bisulfite treatment of the extracted DNA, amplification of five CpG loci (in the genes of ELOVL2 , C1orf132 , TRIM59 , KLF14 , and FHL2), and sequencing of the amplicons using the PyroMark Q48 platform. Blood samples from 49 individuals with ages ranging from 18 to 64 years as well as negative and methylation controls were analyzed. An existing age estimation model was applied to display a mean absolute deviation of 3.62 years within the reference data set. Key points Age determination as an intelligence tool during investigations can be a powerful tool in forensic genetics. In this study, five laboratories ran 49 samples and obtained a mean absolute deviation of 3.62 years. Five markers were analyzed on a PyroMark Q48 platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term artificial intelligence (AI) was coined in the 1950s and it has successfully made its way into different fields of medicine. Forensic sciences and AI are increasingly intersecting fields that hold tremendous potential for solving complex criminal investigations. Considering the great evolution in the technologies applied to forensic genetics, this literature review aims to explore the existing body of research that investigates the application of AI in the field of forensic genetics. Scopus and Web of Science were searched: after an accurate evaluation, 12 articles were included in the present systematic review. The application of AI in the field of forensic genetics has predominantly focused on two aspects. Firstly, several studies have investigated the use of AI in haplogroup analysis to enhance and expedite the classification process of DNA samples. Secondly, other research groups have utilized AI to analyze short tandem repeat (STR) profiles, thereby minimizing the risk of misinterpretation. While AI has proven to be highly useful in forensic genetics, further improvements are needed before using these applications in real cases. The main challenge lies in the communication gap between forensic experts: as AI continues to advance, the collaboration between forensic sciences and AI presents immense potential for transforming investigative practices, enabling quicker and more precise case resolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic expertise is a judicial procedure and aims to establish DNA, which is a molecule that contains the unique genetic code of each person, and by applying molecular biology techniques, genetic data can be obtained from the reference profile with those highlighted in the unknown genetic profile or with genetic characteristics of another person. The presentation will show the legal provisions in the matter, the method of carrying out the forensic genetic expertise, its probative value, as well as the storage of the genetic profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoamine oxidase (MAO-A) is an enzyme found in the nervous system and plays an important role in the breakdown of monoamine neurotransmitters. This enzyme varies among individuals depending on genetic factors. The monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) gene has been studied by various researchers to understand behavioral differences between individuals and evaluate crime propensity. However, serious ethical and legal problems may arise regarding the use of genetic factors alone in the judicial process. In this context, considering environmental factors as well as the MAO-A gene may contribute to the development of a more comprehensive approach. The role of the MAO-A gene in the judgment process has created an area of research that allows us to understand behavioral differences. The MAO-A gene has been associated with various behavioral traits. It has particular effects on aggressive behavior, antisocial behavior, and emotional reactions. In this context, the MAO-A gene may be an important factor in determining how individuals respond to environmental factors and guide their judgment processes. Some studies show that individuals with low MAO-A activity may be prone to antisocial behavior and crime. Thus, the MAO-A gene can be taken into consideration in determining guilt in legal processes. Assessing individuals' criminal propensity based on genetic factors can make the justice system more effective and fair. For example, harsh childhood conditions or traumatic experiences can trigger genetic predispositions and increase criminal propensity. In this case, it is important to take environmental factors into account when evaluating the genetic profile of the individual during the judicial process. Many ethical and legal issues need to be carefully considered on how to integrate the MAO-A gene into the judicial system. Therefore, research on the usability of the MAO-A gene in the judicial process should be continued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic sciences are a multidisciplinary science that covers all branches of science for justice. Forensic genetics is one of the sub-branches of forensic sciences. It is a branch of science that contributes to establishing a connection between crime and criminal by using all kinds of biological evidence (blood, semen, saliva, urine, vaginal fluid, hair, hair, sweat, saliva, etc.) and reaching the perpetrator with the genetic information obtained. Serological and immunological tests are used in the identification of body fluids found as evidence at the crime scene. The number of serological tests used in the past and today is limited; not all body fluids can be analyzed routinely. Many of the existing tests are not directly specific to the body fluid but are intended to identify intermediate metabolites. One such example is the urine sample. In the identification of urine, the presence of creatinine and amines in the urine is often used. In addition, these tests require the expenditure of separate consumables to identify each body fluid. For this reason, with the development of technology, in recent years, the use of spectroscopic methods that provide cost-free and easy analysis in the identification of body fluids has increased. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is one of the spectroscopic methods used to identify body fluids from biological samples found at the crime scene without loss of quantity and without damaging the sample, quickly and without loss of consumables. This study investigated the identification of urine stains obtained from the crime scene with FTIR spectroscopy without using serological materials. Functional groups, which we can express as identification regions, were determined as 13 different distinguishing points in the relevant molecules and their usability in forensic serological analyses was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific and technological developments experienced by forensic sciences have increased the possibility of human identification. Forensic anthropology has developed worldwide and has made significant progress in Brazil in the last 10 years. This context has allowed forensic medicine institutes to use new techniques to resolve cold cases of human identification. This work aimed to report the methodology, development, and partial results of the LAFOL Identifies Operation, carried out at the Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Dentistry Laboratory (LAFOL) of the Medico-Legal Institute of Porto Velho. We carried out a multidisciplinary expert approach on human skeletal remains archived over the last 20 years to identify these individuals using current scientific methods. Eighty-one cold cases of skeletonized and/or mummified human skeletal remains were reanalyzed; they were archived in the LAFOL Laboratory collection as unidentified. Anthropological analyses showed that the collection is predominantly composed of adult individuals (86.4%), between 21 and 39 years old (55.6%), and males (62.9%). In the human skeletal remains identified, forensic anthropology played a key role in the case screening process. We expected that the results presented in this work will inspire other Medico-Legal Institutes in Brazil and worldwide to establish task forces for the reanalysis of cold cases in their institutes, promoting new forensic dentistry and anthropological comparisons and collecting biological samples to feed the database of genetic profiles of missing persons.

Objective To explore the context and hotspot changes of forensic mixed stain research through bibliometric approach. Methods The literature of forensic mixed stain included in the core collection of Web of Science database from 2011 to 2022 were collected as the study object, and the annual publication number, countrie （region）, institution, journal, keywords, etc. were bibliometrically and visually analyzed using the R-based Bibliometrix 1.1.6 package and VOSviewer 1.6.18 software. Results A total of 732 articles on forensic mixed stain were included from 2011 to 2022, with the annual number of articles published and the annual citation frequency showing a steady increase year by year. Among the 59 countries （regions） with the most published articles, the United States ranked first with 246 articles, followed by China with 153 articles. The literature came from 104 journals, and the total number of articles published in the top 10 journals was 633. FORENSIC SCI INT GENET ranked first with 307 articles. Visual analysis using VOSviewer software showed that keywords could be divided into four research clusters, namely the genetic marker development group （blue）, the mixed stain typing analysis theory group （red）, the sequencing analysis group （yellow）, and the case sample research group （green）. It can be divided into four development stages in terms of different time periods: early development （2011—2013）, middle development （2014—2016）, rapid development （2017—2020） and latest development （2021—2022）. Conclusion The number of publications by domestic and foreign scholars in the study of mixed stain in forensic science is showing a relatively stable trend. Machine learning, next generation sequencing and other research have been the hottest topics that have attracted the most attention in recent years, which is expected to further develop the theory of mixed stain typing and sequencing analysis in forensic mixed stain research.

In recent years， with the continuous progress of DNA extraction and detection technology， cell-free DNA（cfDNA）has been widely used in the life science field， and its potential application value in forensic identification is becoming more and more obvious. This paper reviews the concept， formation mechanism， and classification of cfDNA，etc.， and describes the latest research progress of cfDNA in personal identification of crime scene touch DNA samples and non-invasive prenatal paternity testing （NIPPT）. Meanwhile， this paper summarizes the potential application of cfDNA in injury inference， and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of common cfDNA analysis methods and techniques， and its application prospects， to provide a new idea for the wide application of cfDNA in the field of forensic science.

Biological evidence is relatively common evidence in criminal cases, and it has strong probative power because it carries DNA information for individual identification. At the scene of fire-related cases, the complex thermal environment, the escape of trapped people, the firefighting and rescue operations, and the deliberate destruction of criminal suspects will all affect the biological evidence in the fire scene. Scholars at home and abroad have explored and studied the effectiveness of biological evidence identification in fire scenes, and found that the blood stains, semen stains, bones, etc. are the main biological evidence which can be easily recovered with DNA in fire scenes. In order to analyze the research status and development trend of biological evidence in fire scenes, this paper systematically sorts out the relevant research, mainly including the soot removal technology, appearance method of typical biological evidence, and possibility of identifying other biological evidence. This paper also prospects the next step of research direction, in order to provide reference for the identification of biological evidence and improve the value of biological evidence in fire scenes.

Objective To establish and forensically verify a 42 microhaplotypes （mircohaps, MHs） multiplex assay system based on next-generation sequencing （NGS）, and to explore the application value of this system in the practice of forensic genetics. Methods A total of 42 highly polymorphic MHs were selected from previous studies, and sequenced by the MiSeq FGxTM platform to verify the repeata-bility, sensitivity, specificity, stability, and mixture analysis ability of the detection system. Through population genetic investigation of 102 unrelated Chinese Han individuals in Liyang City, Jiangsu Province, China, the application value of this system in forensic genetics was evaluated. Results The sequencing repeatability of the 42-plex MHs assay was 100% and the sensitivity was as low as 0.062 5 ng. The system had the ability to withstand the interference of indigo （≤2 500 ng/μL）, humic acid （≤9 ng/μL）, hemoglobin（≤20 μmol）, and urea （≤200 ng/μL） and to detect mixtures of 2 people （1∶19）， 3 people （1∶1∶9） and 4 people （1∶1∶1∶9）. Based on 102 individual data, the combined power of discrimination and the combined power of exclusion were 1-3.45×10-30 and 1-3.77×10-11, respectively, and the average effect value of alleles was 2.899. Conclusion The 42-plex MHs assay was successfully established in this study and this system has high repeatability and sensitivity, good anti-jamming ability and mixture analysis ability. The 42 MHs are highly polymorphism and have good application value in individual identification and paternity testing.

Abstract At the Treblinka extermination and forced labor camp only a few SS soldiers and around a hundred watchmen kept guard over thousands of prisoners. Despite their lower rank in the Nazi hierarchy than SS soldiers, watchmen were vital to implementing “Operation Reinhard” in the field. Prisoners in Nazi camps were terrified by their brutality and ruthlessness. The guards were intermediaries between the camp’s inmates and the commanding crew, so in cases of a prisoners’ riot, they were the first target. The historical records mention several incidents where the watchmen died at the hands of the captives. However, little is known regarding how the dead bodies of the guards were treated nor what the funeral customs looked like in the camps. In 2019, a row of individual burials was discovered at the former Treblinka extermination and forced labor camp. Seven of those graves were explored to identify the people buried in such an unusual manner and to find out what had caused their deaths. A thorough multidisciplinary study, combining the forensic disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, medicine, and genetics provided the answer. Considering archaeological findings, it can be deduced that the graves belong to the Treblinka guards. The analysis conducted by an anthropologist indicates that the assessed biological profile aligns with the antemortem data of the Treblinka watchmen. Moreover, a study examining perimortem trauma has unveiled that out of the seven men studied, at least two met a violent demise. These findings are crucial in narrowing down the identification process. The results of our study contribute to a general understanding of the funerary customs prevalent in concentration camps worldwide. Prior to this work, there had never been any analysis or publication of the characteristics of watchmen graves at Nazi camps, making our results unique.

Objective To explore the possibility of using human skin and oral microorganisms to estimate the geographic origin of an individual through the sequencing analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Methods Microbial DNA was extracted from the palm and oral microorganisms of the Han population in Shanghai and Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, and the composition and diversity of the microbiota were analyzed by full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Then, differential species were screened and a geographic location prediction model was constructed. Results The compositions of palm and oral microorganisms between Shanghai and Chifeng samples were both different. The abundance and uniformity of palm side skin microorganisms were higher in Chifeng samples than in Shanghai samples, while there was no significant difference in oral microorganisms. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance （PERMANOVA） confirmed that the β-diversity between the samples from the two places were statistically significant, and the coefficients of determination （R2） for skin and oral samples were 0.129 and 0.102, respectively. Through principal co-ordinates analysis （PCoA）, the samples from the two places could be preliminarily distinguished. The predictive model had the accuracies of 0.90 and 0.83 for the geographic origin using the skin and oral samples, respectively. Conclusion There are differences in the compositions of palm and oral microbiota between Han populations in Shanghai and Chifeng. The prediction model constructed by the random forest algorithm can trace the unknown individuals from the above two places.

Objective To investigate the technical performance of IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） and evaluate its forensic application value. Methods Following the Criterion of Forensic Science Human Fluorescence STR Multiplex Amplification Reagent （GB/T 37226—2018）, IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） was verified in 11 aspects of species specificity, veracity, sensibility, adaptability, inhibitor tolerance, consistency, balance, reaction condition verification, mixed samples, stability and inter batch consistency. The system efficiency of IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） was compared with the PowerPlex® Fusion 6C System, VersaPlex® 27PY System and VeriFilerTM Plus PCR Amplification Kit. The IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） was used to detect the swabs of biological samples in daily cases and the STR performances were observed. Results IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） had good species specificity, veracity, adaptability, inhibitor tolerance and balance. The sensibility was up to 0.062 5 ng. It was able to detect different types of samples, degraded samples and inhibitor mixed samples. Complete DNA typing could be obtained for samples with the mixture ratio less than 4∶1. The system efficiency of IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） was very high, with TDP up to 1-1.08×10-37, CPEtrio and CPEduo up to 1-5.47×10-14 and 1-6.43×10-9, respectively. For the touched biological samples in actual cases, the effective detection rate was 21.05%. The system efficiency of kinship, single parent and full sibling identifications was effectively improved. Conclusion The IDentifier DNA typing kit （YanHuang34） is adaptive to the GB/T 37226—2018 requirements. It can be used for individual identification and paternity identification, and is suitable for application in the field of forensic science.

Age estimation based on tissues or body fluids is an important task in forensic science. The changes of DNA methylation status with age have certain rules, which can be used to estimate the age of the individuals. Therefore, it is of great significance to discover specific DNA methylation sites and develop new age estimation models. At present, statistical models for age estimation have been developed based on the rule that DNA methylation status changes with age. The commonly used models include multiple linear regression model, multiple quantile regression model, support vector machine model, artificial neural network model, random forest model, etc. In addition, there are many factors that affect the level of DNA methylation, such as the tissue specificity of methylation. This paper reviews these modeling methods and influencing factors for age estimation based on DNA methylation, with a view to provide reference for the establishment of age estimation models.

At the Treblinka extermination and forced labor camp only a few SS soldiers and around a hundred watchmen kept guard over thousands of prisoners. Despite their lower rank in the Nazi hierarchy than SS soldiers, watchmen were vital to implementing "Operation Reinhard" in the field. Prisoners in Nazi camps were terrified by their brutality and ruthlessness. The guards were intermediaries between the camp's inmates and the commanding crew, so in cases of a prisoners' riot, they were the first target. The historical records mention several incidents where the watchmen died at the hands of the captives. However, little is known regarding how the dead bodies of the guards were treated nor what the funeral customs looked like in the camps. In 2019, a row of individual burials was discovered at the former Treblinka extermination and forced labor camp. Seven of those graves were explored to identify the people buried in such an unusual manner and to find out what had caused their deaths. A thorough multidisciplinary study, combining the forensic disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, medicine, and genetics provided the answer. Considering archaeological findings, it can be deduced that the graves belong to the Treblinka guards. The analysis conducted by an anthropologist indicates that the assessed biological profile aligns with the antemortem data of the Treblinka watchmen. Moreover, a study examining perimortem trauma has unveiled that out of the seven men studied, at least two met a violent demise. These findings are crucial in narrowing down the identification process. The results of our study contribute to a general understanding of the funerary customs prevalent in concentration camps worldwide. Prior to this work, there had never been any analysis or publication of the characteristics of watchmen graves at Nazi camps, making our results unique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic microbiome research is a field with a wide range of applications and a number of protocols have been developed for its use in this area of research. As individuals host radically different microbiota, the human microbiome is expected to become a new biomarker for forensic identification. To achieve an effective use of this procedure an understanding of factors which can alter the human microbiome and determinations of stable and changing elements will be critical in selecting appropriate targets for investigation. The 16S rRNA gene, which is notable for its conservation and specificity, represents a potentially ideal marker for forensic microbiome identification. Gene sequencing involving 16S rRNA is currently the method of choice for use in investigating microbiomes. While the sequencing involved with microbiome determinations can generate large multidimensional datasets that can be difficult to analyze and interpret, machine learning methods can be useful in surmounting this analytical challenge. In this review, we describe the research methods and related sequencing technologies currently available for application of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and machine learning in the field of forensic identification. In addition, we assess the potential value of 16S rRNA and machine learning in forensic microbiome science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) are highly valuable genetic markers in forensic science. However, the conventional PCR-CE technique has limitations, and the emergence of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology presents new opportunities for STR analysis. Yet, there is limited research on Chinese population diversity using MPS. Methods: In this study, we obtained genotype data for 52 A-STRs and 81 Y-STRs from the Hakka population in Meizhou, Guangdong, China, using the Forensic Analysis System Multiplecues SetB Kit on the MGISEQ-2000 platform. Results: Our findings demonstrate that these 133 STRs are highly efficient for forensic applications within the Meizhou Hakka population. Statistical analysis revealed Hobs values ranging from 0.61306 to 0.91083 and Hexp values ranging from 0.59156 to 0.91497 for A-STRs based on length polymorphism. For sequence polymorphism, Hobs values ranged from 0.61306 to 0.94586, and Hexp values fluctuated between 0.59156 and 0.94487. The CPE values were 1-5.0779620E-21 and 1-3.257436E-24 for length and sequence polymorphism, respectively, while the CPD values were 1-1.727007E-59 and 1-5.517015E-66, respectively. Among the 80 Y-STR loci, the HD values for length and sequence polymorphism were 0.99764282 and 0.99894195, respectively. The HMP values stood at 0.00418102 and 0.00288427, respectively, and the DC values were 0.75502742 and 0.83363803, respectively. For the 52 A-STR loci, we identified 554 and 989 distinct alleles based on length and sequence polymorphisms, respectively. For the 81 Y-STR loci, 464 and 652 unique alleles were detected at the length and sequence level, respectively. Population genetic analysis revealed that the Meizhou Hakka population has a close kinship relationship with the Asian populations THI and KOR based on length polymorphism data of A-STRs. Conversely, based on length polymorphism data of Y-STRs, the Meizhou Hakka population has the closest kinship relationship with the Henan Han population. Discussion: Overall, the variation information of repeat region sequences significantly enhances the forensic identification efficacy of STR genetic markers, providing an essential database for forensic individual and paternity testing in this region. Additionally, the data generated by our study will serve as a vital resource for research into the genetic structure and historical origins of the Meizhou Hakka population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure is an epidemiologically relevant disease because of the aging population and widespread lifestyles that promote it. In addition to the acute event, it is possible for the disease to become chronic with periodic flare-ups. It is essential to study pathology from a diagnostic and prognostic point of view and to identify parameters for effective monitoring. In addition, heart failure is associated with multiple comorbidities, including cognitive impairment, which is monitored clinically but not through specific biomarkers in these patients. The purpose of this review is to gather the most recent scientific evidence on a few possible biomarkers previously identified for monitoring heart failure and associated cognitive impairment. Methods: We surveyed studies inherent to a set of previously identified markers, evaluating English-language articles from the past five years conducted in adult heart failure patient populations. We used the databases PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Cochrane Library for search studies, and we considered articles published in journals with an impact factor greater than five in the publication year. Results: Among the biomarkers evaluated, a concordant indication for serial measurements for heart failure monitoring emerged only for interleukin-6. For the other markers, there is still little evidence available, which is interesting but sometimes conflicting. Interesting studies have also emerged for biomarkers of cognitive decline assessed in patients with heart failure, confirming the hypotheses of the increasingly studied heart-brain correlation. Conclusion: Certainly, further studies in large populations are needed to identify effective biomarkers for monitoring heart failure and associated cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]