Professional liability in dentistry: structure and causes of judicial litigation.

The great advances in diagnostic and therapeutic skills of most sectors of medicine and dentistry have led to an increasingly greater demand from patients for accuracy, attention and diligence by healthcare workers. Dentistry is one of the branches most frequently involved in claims for damages from malpractice, especially in those sectors that are particularly costly and of significant aesthetic value. Aim of the study was to compare data of malpractice claims with those of other Authors to identify similarities and/or differences in the results and to increase epidemiological knowledge in the area of dental malpractice.

The feasibility of the adult age estimation 3D-CBCT method on ancient human remains.

The age estimation of skeletal remains still represents a central issue not only for the reconstruction of the so-called "biological profile," but mostly for the palaeodemographic investigation. This research aims at verifying the feasibility of the adult age estimation method developed on living people by Pinchi et al. (2015 and 2018), for estimating the age at the death of 37 subjects from ancient populations found in two different Italian necropolis of archaeological interest (Mont'e Prama and Florence, X-IX century B.

Proteomics for forensic identification of saliva and vomit in a case of alleged rape.

In crime investigations, the unambiguous identification of biological traces can be decisive for framing the events. In this study, we applied proteomics to analyze scant amounts of biological residues in the context of an alleged rape case, focusing on the detection of traces of vomit. We used high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and two distinct proteomic workflows to identify proteins and possible proteolytic peptides in biological residues from clothing, bedding, and car upholstery from the alleged crime scene.

Burnout and Stress in Forensic Science Jobs: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: Burnout and occupational stress are significant issues among forensic professionals, impacting their well-being and job performance. This systematic review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the occupational stress and burnout experienced by forensic personnel, exploring the profound and multifaceted impact on their physical, mental, professional, and interpersonal well-being.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using Scopus and WOS databases to search for articles published from 1 January 2000 to 31 August 2024.

MiRNA Dysregulation in Brain Injury: An In Silico Study to Clarify the Role of a MiRNA Set.

Background: The identification of specific circulating miRNAs has been proposed as a valuable tool for elucidating the pathophysiology of brain damage or injury and predicting patient outcomes.

Objective: This study aims to apply several bioinformatic tools in order to clarify miRNA interactions with potential genes involved in brain injury, emphasizing the need of using a computational approach to determine the most likely correlations between miRNAs and target genes. Specifically, this study centers on elucidating the roles of miR-34b, miR-34c, miR-135a, miR-200c, and miR-451a.

Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and forensic investigations: Searching for the cause of death.

Congenital Heart Diseases (CHDs) are a group of structural abnormalities or defects of the heart that are present at birth. CHDs could be connected to sudden death (SD), defined by the WHO (World Health Organization) as "death occurring within 24 h after the onset of the symptoms" in an apparently "healthy" subject. These conditions can range from relatively mild defects to severe, life-threatening anomalies.

Respect for bioethical principles and human rights in prisons: a systematic review on the state of the art.

Background: Respect for human rights and bioethical principles in prisons is a crucial aspect of society and is proportional to the well-being of the general population. To date, these ethical principles have been lacking in prisons and prisoners are victims of abuse with strong repercussions on their physical and mental health.

Methods: A systematic review was performed, through a MESH of the following words (bioethics) AND (prison), (ethics) AND (prison), (bioethics) AND (jail), (ethics) AND (jail), (bioethics) AND (penitentiary), (ethics) AND (penitentiary), (prison) AND (human rights).

Vehicular homicide or cardiovascular event? The importance of the autopsy findings.

We present the case of a 61 years old woman who was hit by a car, resulting in fractures of the pubic bone, left ischium-pubis ramus and right femur, with need of hip replacement surgery. In the next days she was affected by two episodes of acute coronary syndrome, treated with coronary angioplasty surgery. After undergoing total hip replacement surgery an episode of asystole caused her death.

The forensic value of the gastric content in head trauma injuries: A case report.

We present the case of a 69 years old man who was hit by a car while crossing the road. A CT scan of the skull and brain showed fracture of the left occipital bone, bilateral hemispheric subarachnoid hemorrhage, right frontal-temporal-parietal subdural hematoma with a shift of midline structures of 18 mm and complete obliteration of the third ventricle. He showed signs of anisocoria, absence of mobility of all 4 limbs and was immediately intubated and admitted to intensive care.

Is there a lesser value type of violence? Older people abuse: "The silence of the lambs".

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes gender violence as a real global health problem with a major impact not only on the victims' physical and mental health, but also on the economics of the National Health System. Gender-based violence has been also extended to all types of subjects defined as fragile: children, elderly, women, men and disabled people. Older people abuse, more frequent in women, is a far less socially debated issue, with many forms: physical, sexual, psychological, abandonment, neglect, economic-financial, pharmaceutical, discriminatory, institutional.

The Identification of Drug Abuse.

Forensic toxicology has played a central role since its development in defining mechanisms of acute intoxication, often with a lethal outcome [...

Child Abuse: Adherence of Clinical Management to Guidelines for Diagnosis of Physical Maltreatment and Neglect in Emergency Settings.

Child maltreatment is a phenomenon of great importance due to the significant socio-health implications related to it. Purpose of the study is assessing compliance child abuse clinical management with guidelines and suggest corrective actions to avoid false negative or false positive judgments. The data come from 34 medical records of child victims of suspected abuse hospitalized in a pediatric clinic.

Medico-Legal Issues in Cremation: Comparative Analysis of International Legislation.

Cremation has seen a constant increase in popularity all around the world. Because of its extensively destructive nature, however, a series of medico-legal issues arise concerning identification, forensic autopsy, external examination, histological, toxicological and genetic exams to be performed not in the immediacy of death. The aim of this study is to compare the international legislation on cremation, seeking the response of various countries to their medico-legal issues.

Illicit drugs seizures in 2013-2018 and characteristics of the illicit market within the Neapolitan area.

The study presents results of toxicological analysis performed on seized material in Neapolitan area in the period from 2013 to 2018. A constancy in THC and heroin percentages is evidenced (%THC ~10% and ~11.5% for marijuana and hashish; heroine: 20-24%), with mean values exceeding the European data.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics for the forensic identification of vomit traces.

Proteomics was exploited to assess the nature of possible traces of vomit found on the scene of an alleged sexual assault. In the case in point, a woman reported to the police to be raped five days before by a cousin of hers in his car. The woman declared she had vomited in the car before fainting definitely, due to alcohol or possible drugs covertly slipped in her drinks.

Environmental and occupational exposure to bisphenol A and endometriosis: urinary and peritoneal fluid concentration levels.

Objectives: The study aimed to give a first data set of bisphenol A (BPA) levels in the peritoneal fluid of patients suffering from endometriosis and to investigate the relationship between BPA exposure and endometriosis.

Methods: A questionnaire investigating the occupational context, life environment, and habits was administered to 68 patients suffering from endometriosis and 60 endometriosis-free subjects (control group). Urine and peritoneal fluids samples were collected and analysed by GC/MSMS for BPA dosage.

Gender differences in drug abuse in the forensic toxicological approach.

Gender differences in substance use/abuse have been the focus of research in the last 15 years. Initiation, use patterns, acceleration of disease course, and help-seeking patterns are known to be influenced by gender differences with regard to biological, psychological, cultural and socioeconomic factors. This paper presents a systematic review of published data on gender differences in the use/abuse of psychoactive and psychotic drugs, focusing on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach.

The cholesterol levels in median nerve and post-mortem interval evaluation.

Cholesterol levels in the median nerve were studied at various post-mortem intervals (PMIs). Single median nerve samples were collected from the wrists of 36 subjects during forensic autopsies of subjects with known circumstances and times of death. Although the absolute values varied, increments in cholesterol concentration were recorded.

Pulmonary macrophages activity in CO intoxication.

The presence of macrophages and their activation on the pulmonary tissues of 21 subjects deceased after CO intoxication has been studied. A notable number of activated macrophages, especially in the interstitial level, have been evidenced, and such phenomenon supports the hypothesis of a possible association between CO intoxication and pulmonary macrophages activity. The highlighted association could be mediated by changes of the surfactant, by impairing of mitochondrial respiration and by release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.