Journal of Forensic Research

We here report two autopsy cases of men with an intellectual disability who died from water intoxication.
(Case 1) A 22-year-old man was found dead in a prone position in his room. Autopsy and histological findings revealed the edema of brain and lung. The serum Na value was 108 mEq/L. (Case 2) A 23-year-old man suddenly fell and was found unconscious. Autopsy and histological findings revealed the edema of brain and lung. In lung tissue, deposition of fibrin around the vessels, was found. The serum Na value was <100 mEq/L. On the basis of these findings, we concluded that they were died from water intoxication and hyponatremia as a result of massive drinking. We also discuss new autopsy findings that support the diagnosis of water intoxication and we investigate the serum Na value of autopsy cases (N=17) in order to analyses the postmortem change of serum Na value.

Background: Palatal rugae (PR) routinely used for forensic identification of individuals, have limited use in orthodontics as a stable reference for cast superimpositions. PR shape gets established early in intra-uterine life and remains stable thereafter, thus its correlation with different occlusal relations may aid in early interception and prevention of malocclusions. Aims: Identification of characteristic features of PR in different classes of malocclusion (Angle’s Class I, II and III) and to explore its potential as an adjunctive aid for categorizing malocclusions. Objective: To explore the potential of PR as an adjunctive aid for categorizing malocclusions. Materials and methods: PR in pre-treatment study casts of 66 patients (age 12-26 years) demonstrating Class I (type1 and type2), Class II div1, Class II div2 and Class III malocclusions were traced. The number, pattern, orientation and strength of rugae both on left and right side of mid-palatal raphe were determined and statistically analysed with non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test for different categories of malocclusions. Results: Class II div2 patients showed largest number of primary, secondary and fragmentary rugae, although it was not statistically significant. PR in all malocclusions showed a predominantly curvy pattern but in Class I and Class III patients on left side, forking-diverging type was mainly seen. Horizontal orientation of PR was characteristically absent in Class II div1 patients. Strength of rugae became strong to weak from first to third primary rugae. Conclusion: This pilot study provides evidence of a distinct pattern of PR in Class I and Class III patients and largest number in Class II div2 cases but to ascertain its statistical significance, further research may be conducted with a larger sample size.

Age estimation from primary teeth is an important matter for forensic odontology, which can be found by the application of direct or indirect age estimation methods that are functions of tooth measurements. The most distinctive teeth among these are the upper central incisors, because of their early development. The aim of this study is to determine the age of fetuses or infants by measuring the tooth development directly from tooth surfaces or from indirect measurements obtained from the tooth structures on the computerized tomography digital images. The data of all measurements were statistically processed by regression analysis and regression formulas were derived.

The results revealed that age could be estimated from various tooth dimensions within an accuracy of ±0-2 weeks for both methods and therefore indirect method -which was proposed as Virtual Dental Identification (VirDent-ID) by the authors PS. Aka and N. Canturk- could be a matter of choice instead of traditional direct oral autopsy methods. The best measurements for age estimation can be obtained from the longest vertical dimension, which is the tooth height, and the best age estimation formula was also generated from the tooth height. In conclusion, age formulas derived from direct or indirect measurements of fetus or infant tooth development stages may be used as an aid for dental identification, until the completion of upper central primary tooth development.

The Boston Marathon Bombing is a terrorizing international reminder of the intertwined domestic and Homeland Security scene management demands confronted by police officers. Protests following the death of three black males indicate that police must exercise integrity and maintain public trust despite boundary intrusions from their surging personal life stressors. The post-Ferguson psychological screening, training, retention, and supervision of police officers are nonetheless challenging. The Boston Marathon Bombings, Homeland Security issues and Ferguson, Missouri incident all point to the relevance that psychological evaluations play as a critical tool in shaping how departments make  decisions about applicants and incumbent officers. Police departments have mandated
psychological evaluations for applicants and have implemented fitness-for-duty triggering mechanisms for those desiring to remain police officers after some perceived misconduct. Litigation alleging negligent hire or retention factors tends to reinforce the need for a suitability operational standard of “rule out” for police psychological evaluations. The decisions from these evaluations lead to appeal situations as individuals may disagree with what they view as unfavorable psychological findings and recommendations. This article examines forensic issues related to the appeal process, with considerable attention devoted to preparation factors associated with a psychologist’s sworn testimony often provided at appellant hearings.

Aim: In previous studies, other authors have proposed the Gender Identity Disorder as a subtype of Borderline Personality Disorder. Our research hypothesis expected that the Primary transsexuals (TSS) group would show statistically significant differences in psychological scoring as compared to the TSP group, especially in the areas of object relations and reality testing. The aim of this study is to evaluate if the clinically observed differences between the TSPs and the TSSs are psychometrically measureable using the Exner CS Rorschach.

Materials and methods: 47 subjects with the diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder were classified as either primary (TSP) or secondary (TSS) transsexuals according to the criteria put forth by H. Benjamin.

Results: The results have demonstrated that TSSs appear to be more vulnerable in the area of stress control and showed greater difficulty in adaptation, along with a higher tendency toward disorganization, impulsivity, and behavioral disorders with respect to TSPs. TSSs suffered much more from states of situational and chronic stress with alterations in the stream of voluntary thought. Analysis of the ideational section of the test reveals a higher frequency of thought disorders in the TSS group, in particular, cognitive mismanagement, ideational disorganization, pessimistic thought, and a higher tendency toward aggression. The quality of interpersonal relationships of TSSs is qualitatively lower and less adaptive, and a greater tendency toward establishing relationships connoted by dependence is more evident.

Conclusions: It would therefore seem that classification, according to Benjamin’s criteria, could prove useful both in clinical and research settings. Moreover, the Rorschach Test appears to be a valid psychometric instrument in assisting the clinician in the differential diagnosis and evaluation of the suitability of patients for sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

Teeth are the components of the body that often survive severe fires because of their high resistant composition and also because they are protected by the soft and hard tissues of the face. The damage caused by heat can make medico legal identification of human remains difficult in mass disasters associated with fire. The morphologic and radiographic evaluation of dental remains represents a significant aspect in the forensic identification process, particularly after an exposure to fire.

Aim: The aim of this ''in vitro'' study was to evaluate the morphologic and radiographic features of teeth after exposure to an experimental range of high temperatures.

Methods: A total of 60 extracted permanent teeth were exposed to heat in an Unident digital muffle furnace at five different temperatures (100, 300, 500, 700 and 1000°C). Before and after each exposure, periapical radiographs of all the teeth were taken. The morphologic and radiographic appearances of all the teeth before and after exposure to heat were evaluated and the differences were recorded.

Results: The general progression of the colour change from lower temperature to higher was typical light yellow colour, yellowish brown, greyish brown, bluish grey and neutral white. In radiographic evaluation we observed intact teeth at 100°C, a progressive formation of fissures at 300°C and fractures between enamel and dentin at 700°C, large fractures spreading through the dentin and crown crushing at 1000°C. Longitudinal and transverse cracks of root were observed at 1000°C.

Conclusion: Morphologic and radiographic alterations caused by incineration may provide useful information about the temperature and duration of exposure to fire. It can also aid in understanding the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Rapid DNA Technology (RDNA) holds the key to the elimination of a significant number of sentinel events. Sentinel events in the criminal justice system may best be explained through the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations’ (JACHO) definition as “an unexpected occurrence involving death or severe physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof”. The most notable sentinel event in the criminal justice system today is a wrongful conviction – which exposes all attendant parties to significant personal and institutional liabilities. The International Association of Chiefs of Police/U.S. Department of Justice released its August report on the Wrongful
Convictions Summit. In the report, there were thirty recommendations to reduce sentinel events in the criminal justice system. Sentinel events are likely the result of compound errors. The recommendations of the Summit Advisory Group focused on preventing the compounding of errors (racial profiling, investigative biases, aggressive interviewing, faulty line-up protocols, false testimony and eyewitness errors) to which Doyle refers. Currently, the public safety community seems to be virtually silent on the use of RDNA as a sentinel event prophylactic in fulfilling the criminal justice system’s goal to protect the blameless while holding the blameworthy accountable. The injection of RDNA at the earliest opportunity in the pre-charging phase of the criminal process may provide relief from the seemingly endless rise of sentinel events in the criminal justice system.