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Comparison of the accuracy and bias of Demirjian’s method for East Asian children and development of Japanese population-specific age estimation formulae Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-09-14 Sang-Seob Lee, Akiko Kumagai
Despite the increased global mobility owing to the development of the international community, there remains a need for population-specific methods to estimate children’s ages. Therefore, this study aimed to substantiate the necessity for a Japanese-specific age estimation method by contrasting the formerly reported age estimation accuracy and bias using Demirjian’s method for Chinese, Taiwanese, South
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Assessing head injury risks in electric scooter accidents: A multi-body simulation study with insights into sex differences Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-09-12 André Salgado, Daniel Wdowicz, Fábio Fernandes, Mariusz Ptak, Ricardo Alves de Sousa
E-scooters have become increasingly popular for short-distance travel in urban areas, but this rise in usage also brings about an increased risk of accidents. Studies have shown that approximately 40% of electric scooter accident victims admitted to hospitals suffer head injuries. Therefore, it is crucial to implement safety measures and improve safety systems and equipment to mitigate these risks
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Expanding bullets and ballistic gelatin – A restricted expansion experiment Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-09-06 Juho-Antti Junno, Mikael Brix, Eveliina Lammentausta, Timo Liimatainen, Alina Junno, Juha Kiljunen, Jaakko Niinimäki, Petteri Oura
Ballistic gelatin has gained a status as standard method for terminal ballistic testing and experimenting. Variation considering the recipe and manufacturing of the blocks exists. The golden standard has been a cuboid gelatin block, dimensions varying according to the type and kinetic energy of the ammunition.
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Fatal acute lemborexant Poisoning: An autopsy case report Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-09-05 Gentaro Yamasaki, Yasuhiro Ueno, Motonori Takahashi, Takeshi Kondo
A 50-year-old male was found dead in a park. Postmortem analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry revealed lemborexant concentrations of 1.651 μg/mL in blood from the right heart, 0.236 μg/mL in the urine, and 58.642 μg/mL in the stomach contents. Based on the autopsy findings and postmortem analyses, the cause of death was identified as acute lemborexant poisoning due to an overdose
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The brain and systemic oxidative stress and memory changes induced by inhaled paraquat in rat improved by Crocus sativus Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-09-03 Sima Beigoli, Ali Asghar Hajizadeh, Mohammad Ehsan Taghavizadeh Yazdi, Hossin Zarei, Farzaneh Vafaee, Mohammad Hossein Boskabady
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of (Cs) on paraquat (PQ)-induced learning and memory deficits as well as brain and lung oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, and oxidative stress in rats.
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The forensic significance of core temperature in identifying primary and secondary hypothermia as a cause of death: A pilot study on Wistar rats Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-30 Emina Dervišević, Džan Ahmed Jesenković, Ema Avdić, Aida Bešić, Nedim Šuta, Aida Selmanagić
Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below 35 °C and can be caused by internal or external stress. Primary hypothermia is caused by excessive exposure to low environmental temperature without any medical conditions prior to that. Secondary hypothermia is caused by alteration in thermoregulation by disease, trauma, surgery, drugs, or infections. The aim of the research is to investigate
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Fatal pregabalin poisoning in Japan: A case report Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-26 Kaori Shintani-Ishida, Masataka Kawamoto, Hiroki Kondo, Tomonori Onoe, Hiroshi Ikegaya
Pregabalin is a new drug used for treating neuropathic pain, epilepsy, and anxiety disorders. Since 2010, the number of pregabalin prescriptions has dramatically increased in many countries. Although pregabalin has been considered to have a low potential for abuse and toxicity, fatal cases associated with pregabalin misuse or abuse have been increasing with an increased number of prescriptions. In
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“Shock kidney-like Appearance”: Objective evaluation of renal color changes in hemorrhagic shock deaths Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-23 Shogo Shimbashi, Motoo Yoshimiya, Akiko Tashiro, Sakon Noriki, Hideki Hyodoh
Severe bleeding due to various traumatic injuries can cause hemorrhagic shock, which is difficult to diagnose using forensic medicine. Therefore, we defined the difference in color between the renal cortex and medulla observed in hemorrhagic shock deaths as “shock kidney-like appearance (SKLA)” and digitally analyzed the color difference with a digital camera and color analysis software. The aim of
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Neonatal chemical burns and child neglect Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-13 Stefania Sica, Valerio Mastroianni, Paola Ciamarra, Pasquale Giugliano, Carlo Pietro Campobasso
Differential diagnosis of agents of chemical burns can be challenging in neonates, especially in absence of a clear history of the event. A wide variety of chemical agents, from acids to basics, can be involved. Massive chemical burns over 21% of the body surface of a four-day-old male neonate were observed. At the physical examination, lower chest, abdomen, genital area and upper limbs showed full-thickness
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Unveiling human DNase II: Molecular characterizations, gene insights and functional implications Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-12 Sultana Razia, Haruo Takeshita, Ken Inoue, Reiko Iida, Misuzu Ueki, Toshihiro Yasuda
This review comprehensively explores the molecular characterization, genetic insights, and functional implications of human DNase II, an enzyme crucial for DNA hydrolysis under acidic conditions. We discuss its purification, identification, and characterization, emphasizing the importance of highly purified samples for accurate analyses as well as for understanding the biochemical properties. The discovery
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Population genetic data for 23 STR loci (PowerPlex Fusion 6C™ kit) genetic markers in the Lenca ethnic group in Honduras Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-08 Antonieta Zuniga, Yolly Molina, Patricia Soriano, Zintia Moya, Yessica Pinto, Digna Pineda, Karen Amaya, Leonel Cruz, Ismael Raudales, Elvis Herrera, Isaac Zablah, Marcio Madrid, Salvador Diaz, Carlos Agudelo-Santos, Oscar Garcia, Marco T. Medina
We have studied the allele frequencies for 23 STR autosomal loci (CSF1PO, FGA, TH01, vWA, D1S1656, D2S1338, D2S441, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D10S1248, D12S391, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11; with the purpose to increase the power of discrimination, the markers Penta D, Penta E, D22S1045, TPOX and SE33 were included), from a sample of 100 unrelated individuals of Lenca ethnic group
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HIF-1α expression by immunohistochemistry and mRNA-210 levels by real time polymerase chain reaction in post-mortem cardiac tissues: A pilot study Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-08 Rossana Cecchi, Jessika Camatti, Maria Paola Bonasoni, Ginevra Maria Clemente, Simona Nicolì, Nicoletta Campanini, Paola Mozzoni
The postmortem diagnosis of acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) represents a challenging issue in forensic practice. Immunohistochemical studies and gene expression studies are becoming a promising field of research in forensic pathology. The present study aims to evaluate HIF-1α expression through immunohistochemistry (IHC), and mRNA-210 level using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in order
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Balancing acts: The dual faces of fentanyl in medicine and public health Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-08 Hena Khatoon, Siti Munirah Mohd Faudzi
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid widely used in medicine for its effective analgesic properties, particularly in surgical procedures and in the treatment of severe, chronic pain. In recent decades, however, there has been a worrying increase in the illicit use of fentanyl, particularly in North America. This rise in illicit use is concerning because fentanyl is associated with polydrug abuse,
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Educating Japanese elementary students on proper smartphone use and social media risks: Reflecting on post-COVID-19 crime trends Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-06 Ken Inoue, Sultana Razia, Masato Nakano, Yuri Murayama, Masanori Kamura, Yasuyuki Fujita, Haruo Takeshita
Smartphone ownership and social media use are increasing worldwide, and children are not exempt from these trends. Past studies on this issue have mainly focused on educational campaigns to prevent the prolonged use of smartphones, social media, and video games. Recently, harm to children from engagement with bad actors through social media has become a major problem in Japan, and preventive measures
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Assessment of differences in mechanical properties and thickness of temporal and occipital bones and correlation with age in Japanese forensic samples Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-04 Suguru Torimitsu, Yoshifumi Nishida, Daisuke Yajima, Go Inokuchi, Ayumi Motomura, Fumiko Chiba, Rutsuko Yamaguchi, Yumi Hoshioka, Shigeki Tsuneya, Hirotaro Iwase, Yohsuke Makino
The mechanical properties and thickness of adult temporal and occipital bones were examined in modern Japanese forensic samples. Cranial bones were obtained from 293 Japanese corpses (179 men and 114 women). During autopsy, left temporal (LT), right temporal (RT), and occipital (O) bone samples were extracted from each skull. Sample thickness (ST) was measured using multidetector computed tomographic
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Prevalence of secondary brain injuries and association with trauma circumstances in neuropathologically examined medico-legal autopsy cases with primary head trauma Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-08-02 Johannes Laaksonen, Hilla Mäkinen, Petteri Oura
Primary head injury is often followed by secondary brain damage. However, the association between injury circumstances and the prevalence of secondary injuries remains unclear. We report the prevalence and association of secondary brain injuries with the circumstances in which a head injury was sustained. The sample comprised 76 neuropathologically examined medico-legal autopsy cases with an acute
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Salivary markers of aggression − The possible alterations in salivary hormones levels to identify perpetrators of aggression-related violence Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-26 Szymon Rzepczyk, Kacper Nijakowski, Jakub Jankowski, Filip Nowicki, Czesław Żaba
Aggression, understood as intentional actions aimed at causing harm, remains in a direct relation with the phenomenon of interpersonal violence, especially its physical form. Creating an objective marker of aggression would be an important tool for preventing, protecting the victims and maintaining control over suspects. There have been attempts to link aggression with shifts in hormone levels, including
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Sex estimation using post-mortem computed tomographic images of the clavicle in a Malaysian population Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-24 Salina Hisham, Poh Soon Lai, Mohamad Azaini Ibrahim, Khairul Anuar Zainun
Forensic practitioners need contemporary anthropological data for the identification of human remains. The clavicle possesses a high degree of variability in its anatomical, biomechanical, and morphological features that are sex-dependent albeit population specific. The aim of this study was to develop sex estimation models for Malaysian individuals using post-mortem computed tomographic images of
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Non-Fatal accidental strangulation in a stroke patient Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-22 Giorgia Franchetti, Dominik Schuldis, Wolf-Dirk Niesen, Stefan Pollak, Giovanni Cecchetto, Annette Thierauf-Emberger
Non-fatal strangulation poses a significant concern in clinical forensic medicine. Indeed, surviving victims often present a diverse array of signs and symptoms. In rare instances, acute pathological events that manifest with symptoms similar to those secondary to neck compression (e.g., stroke with subsequent neurological symptoms, etc.) can lead to loss of consciousness, inadvertently resulting in
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Towards an integrative approach to the biological profile Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-22 Lucie Biehler-Gomez, Gaia Giordano, Francesco Sardanelli, Domenico Di Candia, Cristina Cattaneo
One of the most important tasks in forensic anthropology is the construction of the biological profile, classically defined as a set of four basic biological descriptors: biological sex, age-at-death, ancestry, and stature. Yet, our empirical and technological abilities in reconstructing the life experiences and health from skeletal remains far exceed these four parameters and forensic anthropology
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Autopsy doesn’t always tell all: The importance of exhuming skeletal remains of cemetery unidentified decedents Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-22 Annalisa D’Apuzzo, Debora Mazzarelli, Giulia Caccia, Andrea Palamenghi, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Pasquale Poppa, Danilo De Angelis, Cristina Cattaneo
The process of personal identification differs according to the state of preservation of the corpse, becoming more complicated when dealing with remains altered by taphonomic variables. Since 2015, the staff of the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology (LABANOF) of the University of Milan has been engaged in recovering the skeletons of 36 unknown people from the cemeteries of the city
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The influence of fixing condition on myoglobin stainability of striated muscle as a tool for forensic diagnosis Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-20 Chie Kobayashi, Masanobu Miura, Yukie Yamasaki, Kaori Taniguchi, Satoru Miyaishi
It is reported that immunostaining of Myoglobin (Mb) is useful for forensic diagnosis. In this study, we investigated the condition of fixation of striated muscle in 10 % neutral-buffered formalin to obtain appropriate stationarity of Mb in immunostaining. Firstly, criteria for staining intensity and definition of the stainability of examined were determined for sheep muscle tissue. Sheep myocardial
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Background characteristics and neuropathology findings of medico-legal autopsy cases with and without β-amyloid precursor protein positive diffuse traumatic axonal injury Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-18 Ville Viitasalo, Essi Laakko, Antti J. Hakkarainen, Petteri Oura
The postmortem diagnosis of diffuse traumatic axonal injury (dTAI) relies on β-amyloid precursor protein (β-APP) immunohistochemistry. Most reports of factors associating with dTAI are decades old. We compared background characteristics and neuropathology findings of today’s Finnish medico-legal autopsy cases with and without β-APP-positive dTAI (dTAI+ and dTAI–, respectively). The cases had suffered
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Characteristics of indoor and outdoor fatal hypothermia cases in Chiba, Japan Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-15 Toki Toi, Shigeki Tsuneya, Go Inokuchi, Fumiko Chiba, Yumi Hoshioka, Sayaka Nagasawa, Maiko Yoshida, Rutsuko Yamaguchi, Suguru Torimitsu, Hiroyuki Inoue, Ayumi Motomura, Daisuke Yajima, Yohsuke Makino, Hirotaro Iwase
In forensic medicine, hypothermia is a frequently encountered cause of death, and this characteristic provides public health information to prevent similar deaths in the future. Previous studies revealed regional differences in hypothermia occurrence (indoors or outdoors). However, to our knowledge, no recent studies in Japan have directly compared the characteristics of indoor- and outdoor-onset cases
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Fetal movement during delivery can lead to damage to the umbilical vessels and endanger the life of the fetus Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-14 Weicheng Zhang, Tengfei Yang, Fu Zhang, Xinbiao Liao, Jiangwei Kong, Caixiu Mai, Dongri Li
Fetal umbilical cord hematoma has a low incidence but high mortality, and its cause during delivery is often unclear. We report an autopsy case in which it was concluded that umbilical cord hematoma resulted from fetal movements during childbirth. A 27-year-old primigravida at 39 + 2 weeks gestation with normal antenatal visits suffered a fetal heart rate decrease during active labor. Bedside ultrasound
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When fire burns the evidence – Lesson 1: It is not always what it seems Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-09 Dario Raniero, Michela Schiraldi, Francesco Ausania, Stefania Turrina, Domenico De Leo
When a charred corpse is found, a primary unavoidable phase of the subject’s identification is performed. Then, the medico-legal investigation must clarify whether the charring occurred before or after death, and so establish a differential diagnosis between accidental, homicidal, or suicidal modality.
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An autopsy case of intoxication caused by drug interaction with multiple psychotropic drugs, fluvoxamine, levomepromazine, and trihexyphenidyl Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-07-01 Sella Takei, Hiroshi Kinoshita, Mostofa Jamal, Tadayoshi Yamashita, Etsuko Tanaka, Sachiko Kawahara, Hiroko Abe, Kunihiko Tsutsui, Takehiko Murase
A case of death due to combined use of multiple drugs is reported, and the pharmacokinetic interactions are discussed. A woman in her thirties was found dead in her home. A medico-legal autopsy found no findings suggestive of injury or natural disease.
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Population specific dental age estimation model for South Indian children based on normalized open apices method: A cross sectional study Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-30 Rachana Prabhu, Laxmikanth Chatra, Prashanth Shenoy, K. Yashaswini, Vishnudas Prabhu
Age estimation plays significant role in forensic science especially when there is unavailability of the information concerned to the deceased. Use of population specific models of age estimation results in questionable evidence legally when tried on Indian children. The present study was designed to assess the accuracy of Cameriere’s Italian and Balwant Rai Indian model on South Indian children and
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Massive bleeding from an infected pseudoaneurysm in an arteriovenous graft that resulted in death: A case report Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-26 Akiko Tashiro, Shogo Shimbashi, Motoo Yoshimiya, Sakon Noriki, Hideki Hyodoh
We report an autopsy of a death due to a ruptured infected pseudoaneurysm; a man in his 70s was found dead with massive bleeding from the shunt of his right arm. Autopsy and pathological examination revealed that the cause of death was hemorrhagic shock due to rupture of an infected pseudoaneurysm. Ruptured aneurysms and pseudoaneurysm are a complication of dialysis, and death is rare because they
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Relationship between N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide concentration and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein in postmortem urine Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-26 Shojiro Takasu, Sari Matsumoto, Yuko Kanto, Kyoko Iwadate, Kimiharu Iwadate
The clinical use of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and blood concentrations of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (HFABP) is well-established in diagnosing heart conditions. However, their applicability in forensics is controversial due to postmortem changes. NT-proBNP and HFABP are excreted in the urine due to their small molecular weights and may be found in postmortem urine
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Review of the lethal mechanism of insulin poisoning and the characteristic of forensic identification Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-24 Zhonghao Yu, Yuhao Yuan, Jiaxin Zhang, Yiling Li, Zhaoxuan Wang, Yubei Wang, Yijie Duan, Yiwu Zhou
Insulin, as the only hypoglycemic hormone in the body, plays a key role in blood sugar control. However, excessive insulin intake can lead to insulin poisoning and even death, which often occurs in clinical and forensic work. At present, some researches on insulin poisoning have been carried out at home and abroad, however, it seems that the mechanism and forensic characteristics of insulin poisoning
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Postmortem changes in the eye on computed tomography images Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-24 Motoo Yoshimiya, Shogo Shimbashi, Hideki Hyodoh
Ocular tension decreases with increasing postmortem interval (PMI) and eyes collapse with extreme progression of postmortem change; however, time-related changes in postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) findings have not been clarified. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the vitreous volume and CT values of the vitreous body to clarify time-related changes in PMCT. We retrospectively reviewed
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β stimulator induces upregulation of miR-27a in the rat heart one hour after the injection Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-24 Tadashi Hosoya, Kazuki Harada, Jun Kanetake
MicroRNAs (miRs) are non-coding small RNA containing 18 to 22 nucleotides, that post-transcriptionally regulates mRNA expression. Chronic injection of β stimulator is known to induce cardiac injury and change of miRs expression level in the heart with some pathological changes such as fibrosis, heart failure, myocardial infarction. We investigated the changes in the expression level of miRs in the
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Deep learning in sex estimation from photographed human mandible using the Human Osteological Research Collection Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-23 Anniina Kuha, Jan Ackermann, Juho-Antti Junno, Anna Oettlé, Petteri Oura
Sex estimation is a necessary part of forensic and osteological analyses of skeletal human remains in the construction of a biological profile. Several skeletal traits are sexually dimorphic and used for skeletal sex estimation. The human mandible and morphological traits therein have been long used for sex estimation, but the validity of using the mandible in this purpose has become a concern. In
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Iron contact burns and the path to the diagnosis of child abuse Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-17 Alberto Amadasi, Saskia Etzold
Burns are a common injury in both abused and non-abused children, and the accurate diagnosis of abusive burns is important to ensure protection. In the particular case of a three year old child with a second degree burn on her face and neck caused by an alleged contact with a hot iron, the correct analysis of the injury and the dynamics of what was reported as a domestic accident allowed the recognition
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Population genetics for 18 short tandem repeat loci (Canine GenotypesTM Panel 2.1 Kit) of 150 unrelated dogs from three pure-bred groups in Japan Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-15 Fubuki Kunita, Chihiro Udagawa, Takeshi Inagaki, Hideto Suzuki, Makoto Bonkobara, Toshinori Omi
Similar to that in Europe and the United States, the need for forensic DNA identification in dogs is increasing in Japan. As few studies have used commercial genotyping kits, the effectiveness of the Canine Genotypes Panel 2.1 Kit for individual DNA identification in dogs bred in Japan was examined. We genotyped 150 unrelated dogs (50 Golden Retrievers, 50 Miniature Dachshunds, and 50 Shiba Inu) at
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Facial morphological analysis for the development of a representative atlas of the brazilian population Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-15 Tainá Nascimento Falcão, Laíse Nascimento Correia Lima, Lucas Faria Porto, Carlos Eduardo Palhares Machado, Bianca Marques Santiago
The objective of this study was to propose categories of morphological classification for the face and its anatomical structures, as well as to propose illustrations to support the development of an atlas that facilitates facial morphological analysis of adult Brazilians. It was a descriptive study based on the analysis of the frequency and distribution of 13 photoanthropometric facial ratios (RFAs)
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An autopsy case of a young man with a single overdose of dextromethorphan Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-11 Kyoko Hasuwa, Noboru Inoue, Shuhei Tamura, Ikuko Terazawa, Katsuya Yuui, Risa Kudo, Shogo Kasuda
Dextromethorphan (DXM) is an over-the-counter antitussive that is commonly used worldwide. Recently, DXM has become popular among young individuals because of its euphoric, hallucinogenic, and dissociative properties. Despite an increasing number of patients with DXM addiction, fatal cases of DXM poisoning are rare, and patients with fatalities often ingest DXM along with other drugs. Here, we report
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Pediatric skeletal injuries in emergency department; an alarm of child maltreatment in Egypt: A cross-sectional study Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-10 Asmaa Mohammad Moawad, Eman Mohamed Ibraheim Moawad, Mohamed Ali Mohamed Mahrous, Marwa M. Zein, Amal Salama Mahmoud Mahmoud
Child physical abuse, a type of child maltreatment (CM), poses a significant global public health concern. Nonaccidental fractures and soft tissue injuries, which encompass any action that directly or indirectly harms a child, are the primary indicators of physical abuse in children. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of accidental and nonaccidental skeletal
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Association between serum catecholamine levels and VNTR polymorphism in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A gene in forensic autopsy cases Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-06 Aya Matsusue, Mio Takayama, Naoto Tani, Brian Waters, Masayuki Kashiwagi, Shin-ichi Kubo, Takaki Ishikawa
Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) catalyzes oxidative deamination of catecholamines. A functional variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in the promoter region of the gene has been previously reported. In the present study, we measured serum adrenaline (Adr), noradrenaline (Nad), and dopamine (DA) levels in 90 male and 34 female Japanese autopsy cases in which amphetamines or psychotropic drugs
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Unexpected death in alcohol addiction requires extensive post-mortem assessment Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-05 Josef Finsterer
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Atypical suicide by single incising cut to the throat without hesitation marks: Case report and review of the literature Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-05 V. Cirielli, G. Cecchetto, M. Narayanasamy, A. Eccher, S. Gobbo, M. Brunelli, N. Pigaiani
Several studies have been performed to recognize the main features in homicide and suicide sharp wound-related death, revealing that a single cutting wound to the neck is an infrequent event in suicide cases, and several hesitation marks near the fatal injury are usually present.
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Importance of repeated computed tomography on pediatric traumatic acute posterior fossa subdural hematoma: A case study Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-04 Shuheng Wen, Yohsuke Makino, Motoki Inaji, Nobutaka Arai, Kana Unuma
Traumatic acute posterior fossa subdural hematoma (PFSDH) is a rare and potentially fatal condition in which the progressed hematoma compresses the brainstem or causes secondary hydrocephalus. Hence, vigilant monitoring of clinical and radiological findings is crucial to detect the typical sudden deterioration, which can occur in the early stages. However, managing pediatric PFSDHs poses additional
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Traumatic axonal injury: Clinic, forensic and biomechanics perspectives Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-02 Clémence Delteil, Thais Manlius, Nicolas Bailly, Yves Godio-Raboutet, Marie-Dominique Piercecchi-Marti, Lucile Tuchtan, Jean-Francois Hak, Lionel Velly, Pierre Simeone, Lionel Thollon
Identification of Traumatic axonal injury (TAI) is critical in clinical practice, particularly in terms of long-term prognosis, but also for medico-legal issues, to verify whether the death or the after-effects were attributable to trauma. Multidisciplinary approaches are an undeniable asset when it comes to solving these problems. The aim of this work is therefore to list the different techniques
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Suicidal decapitation by hanging: A systematic review of the literature and comparison with case reports Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-06-01 Luca Tomassini, Cristiana Gambelunghe, Piergiorgio Fedeli, Roberto Scendoni, Anna Claudia Caruso, Eleonora Mezzetti, Anna Maria Manta, Massimo Lancia
Suicidal hanging resulting in decapitation is rarely documented. This discussion involves a case of a 35-year-old man found decapitated in his residence's garden. A systematic literature review on hanging-induced decapitation was conducted to comprehensively investigate and compare the case to existing literature. The study aims to identify frequently described post-mortem findings in cases of suicidal
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Construction of 13-locus X-STR multiplex PCR system that reinforces Argus X-12 kit discrimination capacity: Application to the Malay population Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-27 Kiyoshi Minaguchi, Michinaga Samejima, Phrabhakaran Nambiar, Yu Kaneko, Eriko Ochiai, Yu Kakimoto, Motoki Osawa
Closely linked groups of markers on the X chromosome are very useful for testing complex kinship relationships involving X-STR transmission. The Argus X-12 kit, a unique commercially available kit, can obtain haplotypes of 4 linkage groups (LGs) consisting of 3 markers. Although many population data have been reported for forensic purposes, differences in discrimination ability exist between LG1 and
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The relevance of taurodontism in forensic dental age estimation Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-27 Maximilian Timme, Chané Smit, Liam Robinson, Herman Bernitz, Yu-Cheng Guo, Andreas Schmeling
Taurodontism is a dental morphological anomaly characterized by enlarged pulp cavities repositioned towards the apical region of the tooth, coupled with shortened root structures. Molars are commonly affected by this alteration. Certain populations exhibit up to 48% prevalences for this dental alteration, underscoring its significance in dental age estimation (DAE). In the field of DAE, an individual’s
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Investigating the pathogenesis of vitreous in postmortem COVID patients via untargeted metabolomics based bioinformatics model Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-16 Elif Kesmen, Ahmet Nezih Kök, Orhan Ateş, Onur Şenol
SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a worldwide pandemic causing millions of death. This severe disaster lead to a immense panic and stress all over the world. Several studies were dedicated to understand its mechanism, pathogenesis and spreading characteristics. By this way, scientists try to develop different therapy and diagnose strategies. For these reasons, several metabolomics, proteomics and genomics
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Boar hunt or Manhunt? fatality during a wild boar hunting expedition. Need for a multidisciplinary forensic approach Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-11 Naomi Iacoponi, Valentina Bugelli, Rosario Fico, Claudia Giaconi, Rita Lorenzini, Paride Minervini, Marco Di Paolo
Hunting is commonly regarded as a prevalent leisure activity in many Western countries. Moreover, hunting-related shooting injuries and fatalities are an important issue in the forensic world. However, there is limited research investigating the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to provide a thorough analysis of these deaths. Being able to distinguish between homicide and accidental death is
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N-acetylcysteine alleviates arsenic trioxide-induced reductions in hepatic catalase gene expression both in vitro and in vivo Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-11 Shutaro Nagano, Kana Unuma, Toshihiko Aki, Koichi Uemura
Arsenic trioxide (ATO), one of the oldest and most frequently used poisons, is well-known in forensic science for inducing hepatotoxicity. The regulation of peroxisomal antioxidative enzyme catalase (CAT) involves intricate mechanisms at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of CAT gene expression in hepatic cells remain elusive
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A case of lacosamide and mirtazapine self-poisoning Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-10 Tadashi Nishio, Yoko Toukairin, Tomoaki Hoshi, Tomomi Arai, Makoto Nogami
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The relationship between a comprehensive index of prosperity and suicide rates in former Soviet countries, including a comparison with European and Asian countries: Discussion from a new perspective Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-10 Ken Inoue, Madina Apbassova, Nursultan Seksenbayev, Elaman Toleuov, Kamila Akkuzinova, Zhanna Karimova, Timur Moldagaliyev, Nargul Ospanova, Saulesh Apbassova, Nailya Chaizhunusova, Dariya Shabdarbayeva, Altay Dyussupov, Haruo Takeshita, Noriyuki Kawano
Investigations of suicide in countries of the former Soviet Union, which broke into 15 different countries in the early 1990s, require examinations of a combination of economic, social, and health factors. It is important to address these factors individually and to examine the various composite indicators for each. Moreover, it would be worthwhile to explore the potential applicability of a comprehensive
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Evaluatıon of forensic medical aspects of medical interventions and damages caused by unauthorized persons Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-27 Talip Vural, Melike Erbaş, Yasemin Balcı, İbrahim Baysal
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Mandibular torus thickness associated with age: Postmortem computed tomographic analysis Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Satomi Mizuno, Sachiko Ono, Yohsuke Makino, Susumu Kobayashi, Suguru Torimitsu, Rutsuko Yamaguchi, Fumiko Chiba, Shigeki Tsuneya, Hirotaro Iwase
Age estimation is an essential step in identifying human corpses. Several mandibular landmarks have been highlighted as skeletal sites for age estimation since aging causes morphological changes. Reports suggest that mandibular torus size may be associated with aging; however, thorough investigation has not been performed owing to the difficulty in measuring it. Therefore, this study aimed to determine
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Postmortem contrast-enhanced computed tomography via direct large-vessel puncture Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Shogo Shimbashi, Akiko Takeuchi, Motoo Yoshimiya, Shigeki Jin, Kotaro Matoba, Hideki Hyodoh
The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of postmortem contrast-enhanced CT (PMeCT) performed via direct large-vessel puncture when routine postmortem CT suggests a vascular lesion as the cause of death. PMeCT was performed in 9 cases (4 male, 5 female) with a mean age of 76 years (range 52–92) at the time of death. The mean time elapsed since death was 29.1 h (12.0–72.0). The location of
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Mutational analysis of 23 autosomal short tandem repeats based on trio paternity testing in the Korean population Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Dong Gyu Lee, Eun Jin Kim, Yoo Hee Kim, Woo-Cheol Cho, Yoonjung Cho, Ji Yeon Han, Su Jin Kim, Ji Hwan Park, Jinmyung Lee, Eungsoo Kim, Ju Yeon Jung
This study aimed to estimate A-STR mutation rates in 2,317 Korean parent–child trios by examining 20 Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) core loci (D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D21S11, CSF1PO, FGA, TH01, TPOX, vWA, D1S1656, D2S441, D2S1338, D10S1248, D12S391, D19S433, and D22S1045) and three non-CODIS loci (Penta E, Penta D, and SE33). Locus-specific mutation rate estimates
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Age estimation using postmortem computed tomography-based Hounsfield unit values of the palate and mandibular condyle and the Eichner classification Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Shoken Suzuki, Maki Ohtani, Yuhei Matsuo, Masayuki Fukuda, Sohtaro Mimasaka
Age estimation is important in forensic investigations of unidentified human remains. This study assessed the correlation between age and Hounsfield unit (HU) values of the palate and mandibular condyle based on postmortem computed tomography (CT) and analyzed the influence of occlusal support in developing an age estimation method for Japanese individuals, including older adults.
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Musket ball injuries to the head – Experimental CT-study Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Juho-Antti Junno, Jaakko Niinimäki, Markku Niskanen, Alina Junno, Heli Maijanen, Petteri Oura
A smoothbore musket firing a round ball was the primary weapon of the infantry from the 16th to mid 19th century. Musket ball injuries are thus relatively common when archaeological remains of battlefield victims from that period are studied.
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Development of a deep-learning algorithm for age estimation on CT images of the vertebral column Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-07 Ikuo Kawashita, Wataru Fukumoto, Hidenori Mitani, Keigo Narita, Keigo Chosa, Yuko Nakamura, Masataka Nagao, Kazuo Awai
The accurate age estimation of cadavers is essential for their identification. However, conventional methods fail to yield adequate age estimation especially in elderly cadavers. We developed a deep learning algorithm for age estimation on CT images of the vertebral column and checked its accuracy. For the development of our deep learning algorithm, we included 1,120 CT data of the vertebral column
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Determining the effects of genetic linkage when using a combination of STR and SNP loci for kinship testing Leg. Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-04 Da Yang, Sheng Xuan Ma, Guo Liang Zhao, Ao Gao, Zhao Kun Xu
The pedigree likelihood ratio (LR) can be used for determining kinship in the forensic kinship testing. LR can be obtained by analyzing the DNA data of Short tandem repeat (STR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. With the advancement of biotechnology, increasing number of genetic markers have been identified, thereby expanding the pedigree range of kinship testing. Moreover, some of the