Establishing a Pan-European, multi-disciplinary taphonomic research Infrastructure: The 'UK-Netherlands decomposition experimental research (UNDER) Group'.

This study unveils the establishment of the United Kingdom-Netherlands Decomposition Experimental Research (UNDER) working group, marking a pioneering initiative in practical Forensic Taphonomy within the UK. Our primary objective was to craft a cohesive multidisciplinary framework, designed to ethically orchestrate, execute, and assess human decomposition. Concurrently, we aimed to amass data through human burials, fostering collaboration among diverse forensic experts across Europe.

Fluorescence of various buried fresh and fresh-frozen-thawed tissue types up until the point of active decay: a human taphonomy study.

Forensic taphonomy is the study of postmortem changes of human remains for the purpose of answering legal investigative questions. Many variables can affect the pattern and rate of decomposition of remains, posing challenges for taphonomic studies and estimation of the postmortem interval. Given the gap in knowledge regarding the suitability of using frozen remains to extrapolate conclusions to fresh material, investigating the effects of freeze-thaw cycles followed by burial on human remains is vital for forensic practice and taphonomic research.

On the glow of cremated remains: long-lived green photo-luminescence of heat-treated human bones.

The long-lived green luminescence of human bone (that has been heated to 600 °C for a short duration) is attributed to a carbon quantum dot material (derived from collagen) encapsulated and protected by an inorganic matrix (derived from bone apatite) and is more intense in dense rigid and crystalline parts of (healthy) human bones. The strong collagen-apatite interaction results (upon decomposition) in a protective inorganic environment of the luminescent centers allowing long-lived triplet-based emission of a carbon (quantum) dot-like material at room temperature, as well as resilience against oxidation between 550 and 650 °C. The graphitic black phase (obtained upon heating around 400 °C) is a precursor to the luminescent carbon-based material, that is strongly interacting with the crystalline inorganic matrix.

Short communications: Exploring temporal fluorescent changes in the composition of human semen stains.

Semen traces are considered important pieces of evidence in forensic investigations, especially those involving sexsual offenses. Recently, our research group developed a fluorescence-based technique to accurately determine the age of semen traces. However, the specific compounds resonsible for the fluoresescent behaviour of ageing semens remain unknown.

Self-perceived functioning, goals and action plans: an evaluation of an ICF-based E-health application in an intervention for people with a combination of mental and physical health conditions.

Purpose: In the BigMove intervention, people with physical and mental health conditions assess their functioning, set goals, and define action plans to achieve their goals recorded in an e-health application using all categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). This study investigates whether data from this application can provide insight into participants' self-perceived functioning, goals and action plans and observe changes over time.

Methods: Data from 446 participants were analysed with descriptive statistics to describe self-perceived functioning and the ICF categories related to the 15 most frequently chosen goals.

Anxiety and depression prior to total knee arthroplasty are associated with worse pain and subjective function: A prospective comparative study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of preoperative anxiety and depression on subjective function, pain and revision rates following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted, including 349 patients undergoing TKA surgery between January 2019 and April 2021. Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire preoperatively, and a set of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) preoperatively and at 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively.

The mind matters: Psychological factors influence subjective outcomes following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty-A prospective study.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate how psychological factors, including pain catastrophizing (PC), anxiety and depression affect preoperative and postoperative subjective outcomes in patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA).

Methods: A prospective comparative study was performed among 150 patients undergoing medial or lateral UKA for isolated unicompartmental osteoarthritis. Patients were categorized based on their preoperative PC and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, stratifying them into groups with PC, anxiety or depression, and those without these psychological factors.

Subminute thermal damage to cell types present in the skin.

Introduction: Psoriasis is characterized by an increase in the proliferation of keratinocytes and nerve fiber activity, contributing to the typical skin lesions. Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) treatment is effective for the treatment of psoriatic lesions but its mechanism remains unclear. One hypothesis is that PDL causes thermal damage by the diffusion of heat to neighboring structures in lesional skin.

Ten-Year Survival Rate of 82% in 262 Cases of Arthroscopic Bone Marrow Stimulation for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus.

Background: The long-term sustainability of arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation (BMS) for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) remains a matter of debate. The primary aim of the present study was to assess the 10-year survival free from revision in ankles that had undergone arthroscopic BMS for an OLT. The secondary aim was to evaluate the influence of baseline patient and lesion characteristics on survival.

The impact of temperature on vascular function in connection with vascular laser treatment.

Pulsed dye lasers are used effectively in the treatment of psoriasis with long remission time and limited side effects. It is, however, not completely understood which biological processes underlie its favorable outcome. Pulsed dye laser treatment at 585-595 nm targets hemoglobin in the blood, inducing local hyperthermia in surrounding blood vessels and adjacent tissues.

Modeling pulsed dye laser treatment of psoriatic plaques by combining numerical methods and image-derived lesion morphologies.

Objectives: Knowledge of the physical effects of pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment of psoriatic lesions is essential in unraveling the remedial mechanisms of this treatment and hence also in maximizing in its disease-modifying potential. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to provide estimates of these physical effects (for laser wavelengths of 585 and 595 nm), with the aim of identifying pathogenic processes that may be affected by these conditions.

Methods: We modeled the laser light propagation and subsequent photothermal heating by numerically solving the transient diffusion and heat equations simultaneously.

Analysis of the fluorescent properties of vaginal fluid upon ageing.

Detection and identification of body fluids are crucial aspects of forensic investigations, aiding in crime scene reconstructions and providing important leads. Although many methods have been developed for these purposes, no method is currently in use in the forensic field that allows rapid, non-contact detection and identification of vaginal fluids directly at the crime scene. The development of such technique is mainly challenged by the complex chemistry of the constituents, which can differ between donors and exhibits changes based on woman's menstrual cycle.

Home-Use Hyaluronic Acid Jet Injectors: Unreliable and Unsafe.

Background: Needle-free hyaluronic acid (HA) jet injectors are gaining popularity for rejuvenation treatment. The devices are widely available online and are used for self-injection or in beauty salons by nonphysicians. However, little is known about their performance and safety.

Towards Onsite Age Estimation of Semen Stains Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy.

The age estimation of biological traces is one of the holy grails in forensic investigations. We developed a method for the age estimation of semen stains using fluorescence spectroscopy in conjunction with a stoichiometric ageing model. The model describes the degradation and generation rate of proteins and fluorescent oxidation products (FOX) over time.

Trauma-induced spontaneous union of a talar osteochondritis dissecans: case report.

We encountered a case of an 18-year-old woman with persisting ankle pain after a healed Weber-B fracture. Additional imaging through a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a fully united fragmentous osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) (17 ​mm ​× ​9 ​mm ​× ​8 ​mm) of the right ankle-as opposed to a non-united OLT when the fracture was diagnosed 19 months prior to the presentation. Our proven hypothesis is that the fragmented OLT was non-symptomatic for many years, based on an osteochondritis dissecans.

Specific fluorescent signatures for body fluid identification using fluorescence spectroscopy.

Non-invasive, rapid, on-site detection and identification of body fluids is highly desired in forensic investigations. The use of fluorescence-based methods for body fluid identification, have so far remain relatively unexplored. As such, the fluorescent properties of semen, serum, urine, saliva and fingermarks over time were investigated, by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, to identify specific fluorescent signatures for body fluid identification.

Comparison of preprocessing techniques to reduce nontissue-related variations in hyperspectral reflectance imaging.

Significance: Hyperspectral reflectance imaging can be used in medicine to identify tissue types, such as tumor tissue. Tissue classification algorithms are developed based on, e.g.

Next-generation time of death estimation: combining surrogate model-based parameter optimization and numerical thermodynamics.

The postmortem interval (PMI), i.e. the time since death, plays a key role in forensic investigations, as it aids in the reconstruction of the timeline of events.

BigMove: A Group Intervention for People with Physical and Mental Health Conditions: Development, Theoretical Frameworks, Essential Elements and Design.

Introduction: This article describes an innovative, integrated care intervention, called BigMove, which aims to improve the functioning, capabilities and quality of life of people with a combination of physical and mental health conditions.

Description: Theoretical frameworks reflected in the intervention are the Capability Approach (CA) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Essential elements of the intervention included to expand participants' behavioural repertoire are motivational interviewing; functional goal setting (using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF); cognitive behavioural therapy; enjoyment; support of the group; and physical activity.

Mechanical or thermal damage: differentiating between underlying mechanisms as a cause of bone fractures.

To investigate the differences between pre- and post-fire fractures, 30 human forearm bones were subjected to either blunt-force impact, burning, or both. Bones, covered in soft tissue and wrapped in clothing, were burned in a reconstructed house fire. The burning context and dynamics led to differential burning, that was equal amongst the three groups.

Separation of overlapping fingerprints by principal component analysis and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares analysis of hyperspectral imaging data.

Overlapping fingerprints are often found at crime scenes, but only individual fingerprints separated from each other are admissible as evidence in court. Fingerprint components differ slightly among individuals, and thus their fluorescence spectra also differ from each other. Therefore, the separation of overlapping fingerprints using the difference of the fluorescence spectrum was performed with a hyperspectral imager.

Late Gadolinium Enhancement Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Assessment of Substrate for Ventricular Tachycardia With Hemodynamic Compromise.

The majority of data regarding tissue substrate for post myocardial infarction (MI) VT has been collected during hemodynamically tolerated VT, which may be distinct from the substrate responsible for VT with hemodynamic compromise (VT-HC). This study aimed to characterize tissue at diastolic locations of VT-HC in a porcine model. Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed in eight pigs with healed antero-septal infarcts.