A combined cowhide/gelatine soft tissue simulant for ballistic studies.

The ballistic resistance of a combined soft tissue simulant was studied, consisting of gelatine as a simulant for human muscle tissue and tanned cowhide (leather) as a simulant for human skin. The simulant was manufactured by applying cowhide to liquid ballistic gelatine, as the gelatine solidified in its mould. Combining a skin and muscle tissue simulant in this adhered way opens the possibility to produce purpose-built proxies for human body parts in ballistic studies or for forensic shooting incident reconstructions.

The prevalence of non-accidental trauma among children with polytrauma: A nationwide level-I trauma centre study.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of non-accidental trauma (NAT) in children with polytrauma treated at level-I trauma centres (TC).

Summary Of Background: Data 6-10% Of children who present at the emergency department with injuries, sustain polytrauma. Polytrauma may result from either accidental (AT) or NAT, i.

Qualitative and semi-quantitative screening of selected psychoactive drugs in blood: Usefulness of liquid chromatography - triple quadrupole and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry in routine toxicological analyses.

Routine toxicological analysis requires broad screening for a large number of therapeutically prescribed and other compounds, and/or their metabolites. This article specifically focuses on three classes of psychoactive substances: antidepressants (ADs), antipsychotics (APs) and benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (BZDs). Two screening methods were compared for their ease-of-use in a routine setting, based upon the analysis of 105 medico-legal case samples.

The histopathological spectrum of myocardial inflammation in relation to circumstance of death: a retrospective cohort study in clinical and forensic autopsies.

Interpreting a myocardial inflammation as causal, contributory or as of no significance at all in the cause of death can be challenging, especially in cases where other pathologic and/or medico-legal findings are also present. To further evaluate the significance of myocardial inflammation as a cause of death we performed a retrospective cohort study of forensic and clinical autopsy cases. We revised the spectrum of histological inflammatory parameters in the myocardium of 79 adult autopsy cases and related these to the reported cause of death.

Postmortem computed tomography plus forensic autopsy for determining the cause of death in child fatalities.

Background: Postmortem computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging have been gradually introduced to forensic pathology centres over the past two decades, with varying results in comparison to autopsy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of postmortem CT in determining a cause of death in children who died of unnatural causes.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective recruitment of 30 children (< 18 years) who underwent postmortem CT and a forensic autopsy.

The evidential strength of a combination of corresponding class features in tire examination.

Tire marks are an important type of forensic evidence as they are frequently encountered at crime scenes. When the tires of a suspect's car are compared, the evidence can be very strong if so-called 'acquired features' are observed to correspond. When only 'class characteristics' such as parts of the tire pattern are observed to correspond, it is obvious that many other tires will exist that also correspond, and so this evidence is usually considered very weak or is simply ignored.

Development and validation of a fast and automated DNA identification line.

The importance of DNA evidence for gaining investigative leads demands a fast workflow for forensic DNA profiling performed in large volumes. Therefore, we developed software solutions for automated DNA profile analysis, contamination check, major donor inference, DNA database (DDB) comparison and reporting of the conclusions. This represents the Fast DNA IDentification Line (FIDL) and this study describes its development, validation and implementation in criminal casework at the authors' institute.

A strawman with machine learning for a brain: A response to Biedermann (2022) the strange persistence of (source) "identification" claims in forensic literature.

We agree wholeheartedly with Biedermann (2022) FSI Synergy article 100222 in its criticism of research publications that treat forensic inference in source attribution as an "identification" or "individualization" task. We disagree, however, with its criticism of the use of machine learning for forensic inference. The argument it makes is a strawman argument.

Prevalence of inflicted and neglectful femur shaft fractures in young children in national level I trauma centers.

Background: The prevalence of inflicted femur fractures in young children varies (1.5-35.2%), but these data are based on small retrospective studies with high heterogeneity.

Characterization and comparison of smokeless powders by on-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography.

Smokeless powders (SPs) are one of the most commonly used propellants for ammunition but can also be abused as energetic material in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) such as pipe bombs. After a shooting or explosion, unburnt or partially burnt particulates may be observed which can be used for forensic investigation. SPs comprise mainly nitrocellulose (NC) and additives.

Objectifying evidence evaluation for gunshot residue comparisons using machine learning on criminal case data.

Comparative gunshot residue analysis addresses relevant forensic questions such as 'did suspect X fire shot Y?'. More formally, it weighs the evidence for hypotheses of the form H: gunshot residue particles found on suspect's hands are from the same source as the gunshot residue particles found on the crime scene and H: two sets of particles are from different sources. Currently, experts perform this analysis by evaluating the elemental composition of the particles using their knowledge and experience.

Real-time electrochemical screening of cocaine in lab and field settings with automatic result generation.

This work presents the results of a novel application for the fast on-site screening of cocaine and its main cutting agents in suspicious and confiscated samples. The methodology behind the novel application consists of portable electrochemical detection coupled with a peak recognition algorithm for automated result output generation, validated both in laboratory and field settings. Currently used field tests, predominantly colorimetric tests, are lacking accuracy, often giving false positive or negative results.

Gunshot trauma in human long bones: towards practical diagnostic guidance for forensic anthropologists.

In contrast to cranial gunshot trauma, diagnosis and interpretation of gunshot trauma to long bones remains difficult and controversial. The aim of this study is to review the published literature on fracture patterns resulting from gunshot trauma in human long bones, and to use the described characteristics to provide practical guidance for the forensic anthropologist. In order to achieve this, medical and forensic publications on this topic were reviewed.

Calibration of score based likelihood ratio estimation in automated forensic facial image comparison.

Forensic facial image comparison lacks a methodological standardization and empirical validation. We aim to address this problem by assessing the potential of machine learning to support the human expert in the courtroom. To yield valid evidence in court, decision making systems for facial image comparison should not only be accurate, they should also provide a calibrated confidence measure.

Impurity profiling of methamphetamine synthesized from methyl α-acetylphenylacetate.

The group of P2P precursors including α-phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN), α-phenylacetoamide (APAA) and methyl α-acetylphenylacetate (MAPA) has become increasingly popular in Europe and other parts of the world in the last decade. Previous investigations have reported the use of APAAN in the synthesis of amphetamine and methamphetamine and identified a range of characteristic impurities. This research has expanded upon the current literature by investigating the use of MAPA in the synthesis of methamphetamine.

Use of Bayesian networks in forensic soil casework.

Forensic soil comparisons can be of high evidential value in a forensic case, but become complex when multiple methods and factors are considered. Bayesian networks are well suited to support forensic practitioners in complex casework. This study discusses the structure of a Bayesian network, elaborates on the in- and output data and evaluates two examples, one using source level propositions and one using activity level propositions.

Surface Analysis Techniques in Forensic Science: Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities for Operational Deployment.

Surface analysis techniques have rapidly evolved in the last decade. Some of these are already routinely used in forensics, such as for the detection of gunshot residue or for glass analysis. Some surface analysis approaches are attractive for their portability to the crime scene.

Evidential value of duct tape comparison using loopbreaking patterns.

A new method for the evaluation of duct tape ends is proposed. This method is based on the breaks of the loops in the warp yarns, when duct tape with a scrim of chain-stitched warp yarns and weft-insertion is torn. After tearing, the loop at the end of each warp yarn can be in one of four states: open, closed, complex or missing.

Evaluation of the VISAGE basic tool for appearance and ancestry inference using ForenSeq® chemistry on the MiSeq FGx® system.

The possibility of providing investigative leads when conventional DNA identification methods fail to solve a case can be of extreme relevance to law enforcement. Therefore, the forensic genetics community has focused research towards the broadened use of DNA, particularly for prediction of appearance traits, bio-geographical ancestry and age. The VISible Attributes through GEnomics (VISAGE) Consortium expanded the use of DNA phenotyping by developing new molecular and statistical tools for appearance, age and ancestry prediction.

From facial images of different quality to score based LR.

A simple method is proposed to assess the quality of a trace facial image in the context of the facial recognition system used using the similarity scores with low quality different-source facial images, defined as the Confusion Score (CS). Methods are proposed to calculate the probability of finding the correct facial image in a database using low quality images for investigational purposes using the CS, as well as calculation of the Likelihood Ratio (LR) for comparison of low quality trace facial images with good quality reference facial images, based on the assessed CS of the trace image. Improvement of performance of an LR-system using training datasets stratified on CS over the use of pooled data is demonstrated.

Screening for pediatric abusive head trauma: Are three variables enough?

Background: The PediBIRN 4-variable clinical decision rule (CDR) detects abusive head trauma (AHT) with 96% sensitivity in pediatric intensive care (PICU) settings. Preliminary analysis of its performance in Pediatric Emergency Department settings found that elimination of its fourth predictor variable enhanced screening accuracy.

Objective: To compare the AHT screening performances of the "PediBIRN-4" CDR vs.

Variability and specificity of bone cutting mark properties in cases involving stabbing with knives.

Sharp force traumas are frequently encountered in stabbing crime victims. During an examination, the properties of cutting marks in bones are compared with the properties of suspect tools, particularly knives. Therefore, the variation and specificity of knife and cutting mark properties must be known.