Look before washing and cleaning: A caveat to pathologists and anthropologists.

Partially or totally skeletonized bodies are undoubtedly the most challenging scenario to deal with for forensic pathologists and anthropologists. Indeed, in such cases, being able to figure out the cause and manner of death is often tricky. Human remains require to be washed and cleaned before a thorough assessment of any signs of trauma.

Distinguishing Atherosclerotic Calcifications in Dry Bone: Implications for Forensic Identification.

Atherosclerotic calcifications, as calcified atheromatous elements, are markers of cardiovascular disease. However, the literature gives little information regarding their morphological aspect, making their identification very rare in skeletonized cases. In this paper, we document the morphological, histological, and SEM aspects of atherosclerotic plaques collected from unclaimed cemeterial skeletal remains from an identified osteological collection and extracted from well-preserved cadavers autopsied at the medico-legal institute of Milan.

"Aged" autopsy gallstones simulating dry bone context: A morphological, histological and SEM-EDS analysis.

Objective: The aim of this paper is to provide information on the morphology and composition of gallstones based on clinical samples in order to assist paleopathologists and bioarchaeologists in recognizing their presence in archaeological contexts.

Materials And Methods: 270 gallstones were extracted and macerated from autopsies conducted at the Istituto di Medicina Legale in Milan (Italy) in order to simulate a dry bone recovered from archaeological contexts. Morphological, histological, and elemental variation was documented.

Dismemberment and disarticulation: A forensic anthropological approach.

The dismemberment of a corpse is fairly rare in forensic medicine. It is usually performed with different types of sharp tools and used as a method of concealing the body and thus erasing proof of murder. In this context, the disarticulation of body parts is an even rarer event.

Splitting hairs: differentiating between entomological activity, taphonomy, and sharp force trauma on hair.

Purpose: The analysis of hair can provide useful information for the correct evaluation of forensic cases, but studies of trauma on hair are extremely rare. Hair may present lesions caused by traumatic events or by animals: in fact, signs of sharp force weapons on hair may provide important information for the reconstruction of the manner of death, and, for example, may suggest fetishist practice. This study stemmed from a judicial case where it was fundamental to distinguish between sharp force lesions and insect activity on hair.

Assets and pitfalls of chemical and microscopic analyses on gunshot residues in skeletonized bodies: a report of five cases.

In case of gunshot wounds, forensic anthropologists and pathologists have many tools at hand, and the assistance that chemical and microscopic investigations can provide in such scenarios is often valuable and crucial. However, the results of such analyses in the search of gunshot residues (GSR) ought not to be acritically considered. We report five cases where chemical (sodium rhodizonate) and microscopic (scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX)) analyses were performed for the search of GSR.

Detection of metal residues on bone using SEM-EDS. Part I: Blunt force injury.

Previous studies have indicated that metal particles remain on bone after sharp force injury or gunshot and that their detection by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) could greatly help in tool identification. However, the presence of metal particles on bone surfaces in the context of blunt force trauma has never been assessed experimentally. For this reason the present paper represents an experimental study of the behaviour of metal residues on bone following blunt force injury.

Gunshot residues on dry bone after decomposition--a pilot study.

Very little literature exists concerning radiochemical and microscopic analyses of gunshot wounds in decomposed material, and even less concerning skeletonized samples; the most advanced technologies may provide useful indications for the diagnosis of suspect lesions, especially if gunshot wounds are no longer recognizable. However, we know very little of the survival of gunshot residues (GSR) in skeletonized samples. This study examined nine gunshot wounds produced on pig heads which then underwent skeletonization for 4 years, and four gunshot entries on human heads from judicial cases which were then macerated to the bone in water; the samples underwent scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analysis.

The survival of metallic residues from gunshot wounds in cremated bone: a SEM-EDX study.

The research and analysis of gunshot residues has a relevant role in the examination of gunshot wounds. Nevertheless, very little literature exists concerning gunshot wounds on charred material. In this study, 16 adult bovine ribs (eight still with soft tissues and eight totally skeletonized) underwent a shooting test with two types of projectiles (9 mm full metal-jacketed bullet and 9 mm unjacketed bullet).

Bacterial communities involved in soil formation and plant establishment triggered by pyrite bioweathering on arctic moraines.

In arctic glacier moraines, bioweathering primed by microbial iron oxidizers creates fertility gradients that accelerate soil development and plant establishment. With the aim of investigating the change of bacterial diversity in a pyrite-weathered gradient, we analyzed the composition of the bacterial communities involved in the process by sequencing 16S rRNA gene libraries from different biological soil crusts (BSC). Bacterial communities in three BSC of different morphology, located within 1 m distance downstream a pyritic conglomerate rock, were significantly diverse.