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Death Cafés are informal events that bring people together for conversations about death and related issues. These events connect strangers from across a range of backgrounds, including healthcare workers, hospice volunteers, and funeral directors, among others. Based on an analysis of focus groups and interviews with Death Café attendees, this paper explores how participants construct and express conceptions of the process of dying and what happens after we die. Ideas about the afterlife have historically been shaped by a religious outlooks and identities. However, nonreligious lifestances have shifted how people understand death and dying. We suggest that notions of continuity of life are not the purview of religious people. Rather, participants in Death Cafés draw simultaneously on many ideas, and reveal ways of conceptualizing life after death—in various forms—without the guidance of religion. Based on conversations with attendees about their outlooks on death (and what may happen after death), our data reveals four main typologies of afterlife imaginaries, which we label cessation, unknown, energy, and transition. Among the diverse perspectives shared, we argue for the emergence of an immanent afterlife outlook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper surveys the published evidence for thermally altered human remains on Cyprus from mortuary contexts dating to the Iron Age (Cypro-Geometric and Cypro-Archaic periods), while outlining new theoretical perspectives and scientific approaches resulting from the development of analytical methods that have expanded the potential for specialists to study such remains on the island through the lens of funerary taphonomy. Most of our current knowledge of ancient fire-related bodily transformations such as cremation comes from regions where thermally altered human remains are frequently found in archaeological contexts. For some geographical regions, however, the use of fire in mortuary contexts remains underexplored, and this is the case with Cyprus, where thermally altered human remains are rarely recovered. I survey previous research on the subject, although the true extent of fire-related mortuary practices on the island is currently unknown. I address current challenges and suggest potential directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses can find pediatric postmortem care to be daunting due to the emotional burden associated with performing the task. There is little education and preparation provided to nurses regarding their own potential emotional reactions and the needs of family members. Postmortem care is extremely emotional for the child's family, but it can help facilitate the grieving process. The act of postmortem care promotes a soothing environment after the trauma of the pronouncement of death. Regardless of the child's age, parents and caregivers are provided with the opportunity to clean the body, making the child look as much like themselves as possible. This promotes dignity and a sense of meaning for those around them. Allowing parents to perform this care in a devoted and familiar way can be instrumental in helping them feel that they gave their child love and care. Caregivers find comfort in performing a bath or dressing a child as they have done since the child was born. Nursing support is valuable in keeping parents physically safe and emotionally supported as they grieve. Nursing is also instrumental in assisting with the care and explaining the expected body changes that will occur. The literature review obtained through CINHAL and PubMed highlighted a lack of content on this topic. Clinical experiences and anecdotes confirmed the impact and clinical implications for pediatric nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective is to report an educational action in health with nursing technicians who work in the Transport sector of a general hospital in relation to work in cases of death and recognition of patient bodies. Six group meetings were held, led by two psychologists, with the participation of fifteen nursing technicians. The professionals talked about their experiences, referring to the difficulties they faced in dealing with the emotional reactions of family members, the attitude of funeral directors and the structure of the funeral. The psychologists listened and accepted demands, as well as developing a health education process about death and mourning. Institutional strategies were also built to welcome family members in cases of death, with interaction between Psychology, Transport and Social Services. Therefore, the importance of interprofessionality and continuing health education for improving humanized health care is recognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Patrimônio e Memória is the property of Centro de Documentacao e Apoio a Pesquisa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología is the property of Fundacion Salud, Ciencia y Tecnologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We conducted a systematic review of the medical, nursing, forensic, and social science literature describing events and processes associated with what happens after a traumatic death in the socio-cultural context of largely Western and high-income societies. These include death notification, why survivors choose to view or not view the body, forensic practices affecting viewing the body, alternatives to viewing, and social and cultural practices following the death. We also describe how elements of these processes may act to increase or lessen some of the negative cognitive and emotional consequences for both survivors and providers. The information presented is applicable to those who may be faced with traumatic deaths, including those who work in medicine, nursing, and law enforcement, as well as first responders, forensic investigators, funeral directors, and the families of the deceased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The profiling of medico-legal cases is imperative in order to avert preventable casualties in the future and to analyze the authentic crime rate within a specific region. Presently, road traffic accidents are the primary cause of casualties, resulting in numerous fatalities. Objective: The objective is to establish a comprehensive profile of deaths caused by either natural or unnatural factors, thereby enabling us to channel rigorous efforts towards mitigating their occurrence. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the mortality cases subjected to medico-legal postmortem examination at the Mortuary, Government Medical College, Kanpur, U.P., India, during the year 2022. Throughout this duration, a total of 2326 autopsy cases were conducted. Results: October had the highest number of autopsy cases. Males accounted for 63.23% of cases, with most falling in the 21-30 age group. Injury-related deaths were the largest proportion (47.36%), followed by natural deaths (19.93%), violent asphyxial deaths (10.48%), thermal injuries (9.89%), and poisoning (9.04%). Conclusion: The analysis reveals that road traffic accidents are the most common cause of death, potentially due to the increased frequency of transportation. Specifically, vehicular accidents resulting in head injuries were the leading cause of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iron Age of highland Pang Mapha, northwestern Thailand, is characterised by a mortuary practice known as Log Coffin culture. Dating between 2300 and 1000 years ago, large coffins carved from individual teak trees have been discovered in over 40 caves and rock shelters. While previous studies focussed on the cultural development of the Log Coffin-associated sites, the origins of the practice, connections with other wooden coffin-using groups in Southeast Asia, and social structure within the region remain understudied. Here, we present genome-wide data from 33 individuals from five Log Coffin culture sites to study genetic ancestry profiles and genetic interconnectedness. The Log Coffin-associated genomes can be modelled as an admixture between Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherer-, Yangtze River farmer-, and Yellow River farmer-related ancestry. This indicates different influence spheres from Bronze and Iron Age individuals from northeastern Thailand as reflected by cultural practices. Our analyses also identify close genetic relationships within the sites and more distant connections between sites in the same and different river valleys. In combination with high mitochondrial haplogroup diversity and genome-wide homogeneity, the Log Coffin-associated groups from northwestern Thailand seem to have been a large, well-connected community, where genetic relatedness played a significant role in the mortuary ritual. Large log coffins placed on stilts in natural caves characterize the Iron Age of northwestern Thailand. Here, the authors conduct archaeogenetic analyses of 33 individuals, identifying a large, well-connected community, where genetic relatedness played a significant role in the mortuary ritual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The authors present a preliminary analysis of caprine remains from 70 burials at Dunping, a burial site associated with Bronze-Age pastoralists in northwestern China and featured by the interment of skulls and hooves of domestic ungulates in burial contexts. The minimal impact of weathering on the skeletal elements and the attachment of atlases in skulls suggest that the caprines chosen for burial may have been slaughtered on-site, and that the inhumation of the caprine skulls and hooves occurred shortly after their death. It is likely that the remaining carcasses of the caprines were consumed by or distributed among funeral participants. The mortality profiles indicate the presence of caprines across various age stages at the site, with individuals aged 6–12 months accounting for the largest proportion. This pattern differed from those observed in contemporaneous pastoral societies in the regions nearby. The late second and first millennium BC witnessed extensive economic, cultural, and political exchanges between pastoralists and sedentary farming states in East Asia. Decades of archaeological fieldwork across northern China have revealed a large number of burial sites associated with pastoralists during the first millennium BC. These sites were characterized by the inhumation of specific animal parts in burials, predominantly the skulls and hooves of sheep, goats, cattle, and horses. However, the selection preference for these animals and how they were integrated into the mortuary contexts of these pastoral societies remain poorly investigated. Here, we report a preliminary analysis of caprine remains from 70 burials at the site of Dunping in the southern Gansu region of northwestern China, dated to approximately the seventh to fourth centuries BC. Based on an examination of species composition, post-depositional effects, traces of human alteration, skeletal element representation, and age at death, we discussed the selection, slaughtering, and inhumation of caprines concerning the mortuary practices at the site. Comparisons between Dunping and several other contemporaneous burial sites in neighboring regions, specifically in terms of the mortality profiles, further highlight distinct patterns in the selection of caprines for mortuary purposes among pastoral societies. These differences suggest varying degrees of emphasis placed on the economic and social significance attributed to caprines. Our findings provide new insights into the roles that caprines played in both ritual performances and subsistence practices among pastoralists in East Asia during the first millennium BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article announces the outstanding achievements of Mount Royal University alumni, highlighting individuals such as Desi Lindstrom, a social worker shaping the curriculum for Indigenous communities, David Root a funeral director, and Tomi Ajele, a community leader amplifying marginalized voices.

Copyright of Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A judicial on-site examination is essential for the correct analysis of a forensic case, particularly when there has been a fatal fire, as heat-related changes to bodies make identification by the forensic pathologist and other specialists difficult along with estimating the post-mortem interval and determining the precise cause and manner of death. We systematically reviewed all relevant articles dating from 2003 to 2022 in the PubMed database with a view to updating recommendations on how best to proceed. Our recommendations highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach involving various forensic specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human identification may be difficult when there is no antemortem data available. A photograph of the deceased may be valuable in such cases. Digital advancement and inclusion in the lives of ordinary people makes it easier to retrieve clear, high-resolution photos from social media accounts and other places. This paper describes three cases of forensic dental identification from a US–Bangla plane crash in Nepal in which a charred body was positively identified from a smiling photograph provided by the deceased's family. Each case is unique and their identification rests on the availability of pre- and post-mortem information. Thus, the number of concordant points may vary from single to multiple; there is no defined criteria for minimum number of concordance for a positive dental identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]