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This article presents a series of three complex forensic cases that posed significant challenges for identifying human remains. These include a mass dam disaster, burnt human remains, and extensively decomposed human remains. Positive identification was achieved using a shadow positioning technique with imaging comparisons of medical findings. After establishing the biological profile, medical data were evaluated with digital radiography and computed tomography examinations the human remains. These aimed to replicate the original (intravitam) traits in the same angulation to examine postsurgical characteristics, as well as the anatomical, pathological, and morphological features, which were sufficient to establish a positive scientific identification. Technological advancements tend to reveal additional skeletal details, making medical data comparisons significantly more effective in the context of anthropological identification. These cases demonstrate that the possibility of identification should never be ignored, even in situations with advanced decomposition., Key Points: Conventional identification methods may not always be applicable in forensic anthropology cases.The presented cases include a mass dam disaster, burnt human remains, and extensively decomposed human remains.These three cases involved successful human identification with medical findings comparisons using the shadow position technique.Identification could be established in these cases, despite challenges, such as fire damage, an incomplete body, and extensive decomposition.These cases suggest medical findings should be considered as biological identifiers rather than secondary identifiers., Competing Interests: Eugénia Cunha initial holds the position of Editorial Board Member for Forensic Sciences Research and is blinded from reviewing or making decisions for the manuscript., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by OUP on behalf of the Academy of Forensic Science.)

The suicide phenomenon involves complex interactions between psychological, biological, cultural and socio-environmental factors. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological and toxicological profiles of officially confirmed suicide victims. A retrospective study was performed using autopsy reports, forensic anthropology examinations and police summaries of all suicide cases that underwent toxicological analysis at an Official Forensic Laboratory (Minas Gerais, Brazil) in 1 year. The sample set was composed of 351 suicide victims, predominantly men (70.32%), most of them were adults between 31 and 64 years old (62.11%), with mixed skin colour (48.89%) and low educational level (66.44%). The most common suicide method was hanging (57.79%), followed by intoxication (30.45%). Most victims presented positive toxicological results (56.41%), especially for the presence of medicines (37.6%), illicit drugs (36.3%) and pesticides (26.1%). Our study corroborated previous data that most suicide victims have low educational levels. The most common toxicological findings were medicines, especially prescription drugs, followed by illicit drugs and pesticides. We hope this study contributes to reflections and planning of preventive suicide programmes, considering the described profiles of victims., Competing Interests: The authors report there are no competing interests to declare., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of the Academy of Forensic Science.)

Objectives: The use of illicit drugs is considered a risk factor for victimization by lethal violence and is frequently found in necropsies of homicide victims. This study aimed to evaluate the profile of these victims., Methods and Material: A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed on homicide victims in 2014 with a sample composed of all homicide cases in 2014 for which toxicology had been performed in an Official Forensic Laboratory (Minas Gerais- Brazil)., Results: 1382 homicide victims composed the sample. The group with a positive toxicology test (N = 943) presented higher proportions of men (p = 0.003), black/brown skin (p < 0.001), firearm history (p = 0.007) and a lower mean age (p < 0.001). In 72.2% of the positive tests, cocaine and benzoylecgonine were found; in 67.7%, THC and/or its metabolite was found; and in 43.1%, both illicit drugs were found., Conclusions: The role of illicit drugs in early death goes far beyond intoxication as they are directly associated with age, skin color and gender. Young black/mixed men have an increased risk of homicide. Our findings point to the importance of investing in social actions, public safety and efforts to reduce drug use in this at-risk population., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Background: It has been suggested that obesity is associated with an altered rate of gastric emptying. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the rates of solid and semi-solid gastric emptying differ between morbidly obese patients and lean subjects., Methods: The Gastric-emptying time (GET) of solid and semi-solid meals were compared between lean healthy subjects and morbidly obese patients enrolled in two previously published studies. GET of solid and semi-solid meals was measured using the 13C-octanoic acid breath test and 13C-acetic acid breath test, respectively, in 24 lean and 14 morbidly obese individuals of both sexes. Student t-test was used to compare the mean data between the lean and morbidly obese groups. The influence of sex, gender, BMI and morbid obesity on the GET of solid meals was verified by linear regression analysis., Results: Mean t(1/2) values of solid GET (+/- standard deviation) were 203.6 +/- 76.0 min and 143.5 +/- 19.1 min for lean and obese subjects, respectively (P = 0.0010). Mean t(lag) values of solid GET were 127.3 +/- 42.7 min and 98.4 +/- 13.0 min for lean and obese subjects, respectively (P = -0.0044). No significant difference in semi-solid GET was observed between the lean and morbidly obese groups., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated a significantly enhanced gastric emptying of the solid meal test in morbidly obese patients when compared to lean subjects. This finding is compatible with the hypothesis that rapid gastric emptying in morbidly obese subjects increases caloric intake due to a more rapid loss of satiety.