Journal of Forensic Research

Forensic entomology is the application and study of insects and other arthropod biology to criminal matters. It involves the interaction of arthropods (mainly insects) with legal activity. Successional studies were carried out on 5kg of pork piece used as research model which was clothed with the cotton cloth and buried at a depth of 30cm in the forest area of Ghawaddi village of Ludhiana (Punjab) (India). The pork was exhumed two times, in morning and evening. Whole process of decomposition took sixteen days and divided into four decompositional stages- fresh, bloated, active decay and decay stage. Total 10 beetle species belonging to 6 families i.e. Euspilotus assimilis, Saprinus pensylvanicus, Saprinus sp. (Histeridae), Gonocephalum patruele, Typhaea stercorea, Tenebrio molitor (Tenebrionidae), Dermestes maculatus (Dermestidae), Hybosorus sp. (Scarabidae), Pterostichus melanarius (Carabidae) and Necrobia sp. (Cleridae) were observed. From order Hymenoptera 2 species i.e
Camponotus compressus and Pheidole indica belonging to family Formicidae were observed during different stages of decomposition.

Touch DNA evidence can be defined as DNA resulting from the transfer of epithelial cells from skin to an object. Due to its high success rate in recent years, such as the JonBenet murder case and Waldo rape case, touch DNA evidence has been increasingly studied. Sexual assaults, which generally involve unwanted sexual contact between the victim and the offender commonly go unreported and often the perpetrator cannot be identified because of lack of evidence. This study aimed to determine how touch DNA collected from a victim’s wrist after a simulated sexual assault changed over time. Sexual assaults were simulated with male “assailants” grabbing the left wrists of female “victims” while they struggled to free themselves from the grip. Samples were collected immediately and at 15-minute intervals thereafter for 120 minutes after assault and then quantified using the Quantifiler® Duo DNA Quantification
kit. The maximum amount of male DNA obtained at time 0 was 10 pg/μL, which is below the quantification threshold of the Quantifiler® Duo DNA Quantification kit and detection limit of most commercial human STR identification kits. Although results here were limited by low DNA quantities and assay sensitivity, significant improvements can be made to better assay low template DNA.

Context: Palatal rugae are irregular, transverse palatine folds of the mucous membrane located on the anterior third on the palate. The study of palatal rugae is known as palatal rugoscopy. It has been shown that palatal rugae are unique to every person so they are useful in forensic identification.
Aim: To examine the palatal rugae pattern in dentulous and edentulous individuals.
Settings and design: The total samples of 100 participants were taken divided in two groups consisting of 50 dentulous and 50 edentulous participants.
Methods and material: The Number, length and qualitative characteristics of rugae were recorded on maxillary casts which were delineated using sharp graphite pencil based on the classification proposed by Thomas and Kotze.
Statistical analysis used: Data obtained using these criteria and prepared for statistical analysis using student t-test.
Results: Distribution of rugae and rugae patterns were not symmetrical in both the groups. Total number of rugae were more in dentulous group than edentulous group and the complex rugae patterns were also seen more in dentulous group while edentulous group consisting of more simple form of rugae patterns.
Conclusions: There were significant differences in the size and shape of the rugae pattern between dentulous and edentulous population.

Introduction: The Pacific Island Countries (PICs) consist of 20,000 to 30,000 scattered islands spread across 8.5 million square kilometers of Ocean. There are three ethnogeographic distinct sub-groupings in the Pacific and they are Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. The evolution of the global Medico-Legal Death Investigation (MDI) system has produced the Coroner's, Medical examiner's and the newer European Continental systems. However, the PICs maintain post-colonial mixed medico-legal systems. Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) is an important part of the MDI system.
Objective: To review the MDI systems in the PICs and the recommend measures accordingly to strengthen the
network for DVI in the Pacific.
Methods: This is a qualitative research paper focusing on independent self-governing PICs from Polynesia,
Melanesia and Micronesia.
Discussion: The PICs criminal codes, legal systems and post-colonial adaption of MDI systems are emerging.
There are also many developmental limitations for MDI systems in the PICs. Despite the profound historical
evidence of disasters of varying magnitudes, the Pacific MDI and DVI network exists as an informal one through
personal acquaintance. Therefore, this demands a better and effective MDI system in the PICs particularly with
regards to DVI.
Conclusion: The need to fortify and better the DVI network in the Pacific will depend on good regional indicators.
There is a crucial need for the operatives of the MDI system in the PICs to form a link through intergovernmental
participation and association with other Pacific networks to drive the sustained development of the national and
regional MDI system. Through this collaboration the Pacific DVI network could also be established centrally in a PIC
that has a steady Forensic Science Service. Upcoming Forensic experts could operate out of this central location to
serve the PICs accordingly. This eventually will achieve a standard practice and regionalization of the Pacific MDI
network.

The dentist who graduates to work in a dental clinical practice, finds a new professional branch in Forensic Dentistry. This review article reports the different fields of Forensic Dentistry and shows the importance of this specialty. Furthermore, it presents a review of current literature on different oral methods of human identification (dental arch exams, palatal rugae, and tooth extractions for the posterior examination of the DNA of the dental pulp) that are responsibility of the forensic dentist. The dentist is the only one who has the proper skills to investigate forensic clues found in a cadaver. A vast knowledge is required of the dentist to work in this area, because of the many responsibilities.

Aristolochia ringens is considered as a local stimulant which could influence criminal behavior. In the present investigation, the detailed pharmacognostic study of A. ringens stem is carried out to lay down the standards, which could be useful in future Forensic identification of unknown plant material. The study includes macroscopic, microscopic, prelimimary phytochemical screening and physiochemical evaluation. The objective of this study was to characterize the unknown plant material seized from the scene of crime. In the present study, a TLC-method was described for the identification of A. ringens stem.

Aims and objective: Study comprised of 80 individuals with 20 each in every group with age ranging between 20 to 55 years. Ten linear and angular parameters were measured on lateral cephalometric radiographs. Statistical analysis was carried out for each variable using student‘t’ test.
Result: The results showed that the SN-H line and H angle was found more in skeletal class II males and skeletal convexity was more in skeletal class II female on intergroup comparison.. In the present study Rajasthan population with skeletal class II were observed to have a significantly protruded mandible. When values of Southern Rajasthan population were compared with Hold away norms, skeletal class I in the study reveal that values obtained for SK convexity, ULT, and H angle were more than that of Holdaways norms. This suggests that Southern Rajasthan population have a more convex profile and also protruded mandible with thick upper lip. Conclusion: It has been concluded that Rajasthani population standards for Holdaways analysis was found to be statistically different from other ethnic groups. Considering such standards for the studied population would aid in better diagnosis and treatment planning.

Objective: In our previous study focused on Y-chromosome sequence identification and genotyping we revealed the possibility of male minor fraction identification and genotyping in mixed salivary samples obtained from females 60 and 30 minutes after intense kissing. The aim of this study was to test the applicability of an autosomal STR (aSTR) profiling kit for male fraction detection and genotyping on salivary samples obtained from females 1 – 60 minutes after intense kissing.
Methods: The aSTR typing was performed on DNA samples originated from buccal swab and saliva samples collected from 12 heterosexual pairs before and after 2 minutes of intense kissing, respectively. The success of minor contributor allele identification was quantified as the ratio between Counts of Identified Obligatory Alleles and Counts of Potentially Identifiable Obligatory Alleles. For the estimation of proportion of minor contributor DNA the Y/X Amelogenin peak height ratio was used.
Results: In samples collected immediately after kissing has stopped the Amelogenin Y/X signal ratio varied between 0 and 63%. The ratio was associated with aSTR profiling success as in samples with higher than 7% Y/X ratio more than 80% of minor contributor male alleles were identified. In one sample collected 5 minutes after kissing expected male signal was detected with Y/X ratio reaching 15% and 77% of obligatory male alleles were identified. In comparison of previously and currently utilized methods for minor contributor male DNA detection and identification the concordance in their performance was recorded. Conclusion: We confirmed that in salivary mixtures, female saliva DNA analysis with use of aSTR genotyping kit is possible, but with limited effectiveness. The male admixture was detected with aSTR genotyping kit in salivary samples collected up to 5 minutes after intense kissing.

Introduction: About 30% of the general population manifests periodontal disease (PD). Patients with parents with a compromised periodontal condition may need prosthetic or implantology treatment (PIT), therefore those patients are at increased risk of developing PD during or after dental treatment. Hence the use of a genetic test for identify those most at risk of PD and submit them to very closely oral hygiene protocols, is mandatory. PIT of these patients must be done safely having previously assessed the risk of developing PD. Polymorphisms of IL6 and IL10 constitute risk factors for chronic periodontitis, so the use of a genetic test is fundamental to ensure a correct preventive protocol and plaque control in healthy patients.

Suicide is an important health hazard worldwide. It is no longer a criminal offense in any developed country but continues to be so in many developing countries. We retrospectively analyzed the autopsy records of the Institute of Forensic Medicine during the five-year period between 2008 and 2012 to document the characteristics of fatalities resulting from suicide in Minofiya, Gharbiya and Kafr Elshekh governorates. In this study 55 suicidal cases (26 male, 29 female). Most of cases were between 20 and 50 years. Ingestion of insecticides (70.8%) was the most common pattern of suicidal method used among the cases followed by chemical poisoning (16.36%), hanging (9.9%), jumping from height (1.8%), and firearm (1.8%). A mild seasonal variation was found, however, the rate of suicidal death was influenced by warm temperatures.

We herein present an autopsy case of fatal methemoglobinemia due to suicidal ingestion of sodium nitrite. A man in his 30s who had exhibited mild depression was found dead in his house. A glass containing a white turbid solution and a suicide note were found on the table near the decedent. At autopsy, the lividity of the face and back was greenish gray, and the blood was tinted a chocolate brown color. Toxicological analysis of nitrite and nitrate using a colorimetric method showed that the nitrite concentrations were <0.05 and 0.09 μg/mL and that the nitrate concentrations were 71.69 and 83.48 μg/mL in the heart and femoral blood, respectively. Biochemical analysis after death showed that the level of methemoglobin was 83.4% by spectrophotometry. We conclude that the cause of death was severe methemoglobinemia following acute poisoning induced by sodium nitrite ingestion, although the blood nitrite concentration did not reach the fatal level.

The frequency of ABO blood group was carried out among male inmates in a typical Nigerian prison. This study sought to correlate blood grouping with crime to determine whether a relationship could be established. The results obtained will serve as a platform for instituting awareness to relevant authorities and the public at large. The experiment was carried out at the hospital premises of the Kirikiri medium prison Apapa Lagos Nigeria. A total of 501 male inmates voluntarily provided themselves for this study. Blood was taken by piercing the thumb with a lancet and dropped on the card. The ABO and rhesus blood grouping was determined using felines card method with commercially prepared antisera. The frequency of each blood type was calculated. Among the male inmates charged for various crimes, blood group O+ has the most occurrences, having the highest blood group frequency for stealing, fighting, robbery and rape. Blood group A+ followed, having the highest frequency for inmates charged for fraud and murder. Blood group B+ has the least occurrence, having similar frequency with blood group A for inmates charged for Murder. This study indicates that Blood group O+ had the highest frequency for inmates convicted for the various crimes. Blood type AB+ and AB- had the least frequency. The results obtained were compared with previously published data. Some variations in frequencies were observed. The frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups appeared to be stable and consistent with reports from previous studies in Nigeria.

The aim of the present study was to define a methodological strategy for understanding how post- mortem degradation in bones caused by the environment affects different skeletal parts and for selecting better preserved bone samples, employing rare earth elements (REEs) analysis and multivariate statistics. To test our methodological proposal the samples selected belong to adult and young individuals and were obtained from the Late Roman Necropolis of c/Virgen de la Misericordia located in Valencia city centre (Comunidad Valenciana, Spain). Therefore, a method for the determination of major elements, trace elements and REEs in bone remains has been developed employing Inductively-Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and ICP- Mass Spectrometry (MS). Bone samples, mainly rib and femur, from seventy-four individuals have been studied. Principal
Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to facilitate the interpretation of the taphonomic processes. A multivariate classification model employing Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) was used to identify bones with less soil contamination.parameters show that diet profiles of a population could change depending on the type of bones analyzed. The proposed method could be useful in forensic science investigations to select better preserved samples in different scenarios.

Intimate partner violence is of national concern, resulting in an annual 4.9 million intimate partner physical and sexual assaults occurring in the United States. Due to resulting traumatic injuries, the emergency department is an ideal setting to assess for patients in abusive relationships. Because of this, it is critical that emergency department nurses involved in the screening process have perceptions and attitudes conducive to identification, care, and appropriate referral, to ensure the safety of these patients. Research has shown that nurses are not always effective in screening for intimate partner violence. There is a paucity of research on the attitudes and perceptions of these nurses that may provide a basis for this ineffective screening. The purpose of this research was to determine the
attitudes and perceptions of emergency department nurses in a rural mid-eastern hospital regarding their experiences in referring for and/or administering an instrument that assess a patient’s risk for being murdered by an abusive partner. Results of 9 interviews determined there were three emerging themes: 1) Worthwhile assessment tool 2) Barriers Encountered 3) Solutions to Barriers.

Introduction: The small size of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs), their ubiquitous genome-wide distribution and polymorphic nature enhances their value in human forensic/population genetics applications.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the short tandem repeat variation based on 15 loci in a population from the central region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Allele frequency variation for 15 Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci was examined in 190 unrelated Saudi volunteers. Results: This study summarizes the allele distribution in the Saudi population and compares them to other populations located in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The standard forensic parameters of Observed Hetrozygosity (Ho), Expected Heterozygosity (He) and Gene Diversity Index (GD) were determined for the following 15 STR loci: D8S1179, D21S1, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH0, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S5, D5S818 and FGA. The most frequent alleles in the Saudi population were: 8 repeats (0.558) at TPOX, 12 (0.411) at D13S317, 12 (0.385) at CSF1PO, 11 (0.382) at D16D539 and 10 (0.358) at D7S820. The 15 markers utilized in this study are highly informative as evidenced by their high power of discrimination (PD) values with D2S1338, D19S433 and FGA having the highest PD values. The relationship between the Saudi population and other geographically distributed populations, assessed by a Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) plot, showed that the Saudi population clustered with groups from Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

Conclusion: TPOX, D13S317, CSF1PO, D16D539 and D7S820 markers were found suitable for forensic analysis, paternity testing and can also be used for chimerism study after allogenic bone marrow transplantation for Saudi population. On the other hand, the population admixture with other ethnic origins might explain the variable degree of genetic distances of this population and other Arab-related groups.

A previous study in Lubbock, TX detected the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in wastewater entering the municipal wastewater treatment plant. This work was conducted using chemical derivatization followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) determination. This is a report using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for determination of drug metabolites isolated from wastewater in Lubbock, TX by solid phase extraction (SPE). Using the LC-MS method, chemical derivatization is eliminated and multiple analytes can be determined in a single run. The results obtained showed that several compounds from different drug classes were detected. Compounds observed included cocaine, heroin, tetrahydrocannabinol, amphetamine, and benzodiazepine derivatives.

Estimation of the time after death (TAD) is an important aspect of forensic science. The cornea becomes increasingly opaque with an increase in TAD and corneal opacity is used for TAD estimation. However, previous methods are subjective, and there is a risk of human error. To establish an objective method, we propose a new method for TAD estimation.
\r\nWe applied RGB image analysis to the corneal color of cadavers. We then examined if there was a correlation between these color parameters and actual TAD, age, position at death, and environmental temperature. We found that corneal opacity was affected only by TAD.
\r\nThe method described here is objective and easy to use, and TAD can be estimated within a very short period of time, making this method particularly useful. To further increase the accuracy of TAD estimation, other quantifiable parameters could also be evaluated.
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