1
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Schmidt VM, Zelger P, Wöss C, Fodor M, Hautz T, Schneeberger S, Huck CW, Arora R, Brunner A, Zelger B, Schirmer M, Pallua JD. Handheld hyperspectral imaging as a tool for the post-mortem interval estimation of human skeletal remains. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25844. [PMID: 38375262 PMCID: PMC10875450 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In forensic medicine, estimating human skeletal remains' post-mortem interval (PMI) can be challenging. Following death, bones undergo a series of chemical and physical transformations due to their interactions with the surrounding environment. Post-mortem changes have been assessed using various methods, but estimating the PMI of skeletal remains could still be improved. We propose a new methodology with handheld hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system based on the first results from 104 human skeletal remains with PMIs ranging between 1 day and 2000 years. To differentiate between forensic and archaeological bone material, the Convolutional Neural Network analyzed 65.000 distinct diagnostic spectra: the classification accuracy was 0.58, 0.62, 0.73, 0.81, and 0.98 for PMIs of 0 week-2 weeks, 2 weeks-6 months, 6 months-1 year, 1 year-10 years, and >100 years, respectively. In conclusion, HSI can be used in forensic medicine to distinguish bone materials >100 years old from those <10 years old with an accuracy of 98%. The model has adequate predictive performance, and handheld HSI could serve as a novel approach to objectively and accurately determine the PMI of human skeletal remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena-Maria Schmidt
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Philipp Zelger
- University Clinic for Hearing, Voice and Speech Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Claudia Wöss
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Margot Fodor
- OrganLifeTM, Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Theresa Hautz
- OrganLifeTM, Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefan Schneeberger
- OrganLifeTM, Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christian Wolfgang Huck
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rohit Arora
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Brunner
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bettina Zelger
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Schirmer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Clinic II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johannes Dominikus Pallua
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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2
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Franceschetti L, Amadasi A, Bugelli V, Bolsi G, Tsokos M. Estimation of Late Postmortem Interval: Where Do We Stand? A Literature Review. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:783. [PMID: 37372068 PMCID: PMC10295266 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Estimating time since death can be challenging for forensic experts, and is one of the most challenging activities concerning the forensic world. Various methods have been assessed to calculate the postmortem interval on dead bodies in different stages of decomposition and are currently widely used. Nowadays, the only well-recognized dating technique is carbon-14 radioisotope measurement, whereas other methods have been tested throughout the years involving different disciplines with different and sometimes not univocal results. Today, there is no precise and secure method to precisely determine time since death, and late postmortem interval estimation remains one of the most debated topics in forensic pathology. Many proposed methods have shown promising results, and it is desirable that with further studies some of them might become acknowledged techniques to resolve such a difficult and important challenge. The present review aims at presenting studies about the different techniques that have been tested in order to find a valuable method for estimating time since death for skeletal remains. By providing a comprehensive overview, the purpose of this work is to offer readers new perspectives on postmortem interval estimation and to improve current practice in the management of skeletal remains and decomposed bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Franceschetti
- Istituto di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Alberto Amadasi
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Turmstr. 21 (Haus M), 10559 Berlin, Germany
| | - Valentina Bugelli
- South-East Tuscany Local Health Unit, Department of Legal Medicine, via Cimabue 109, 58100 Grosseto, Italy;
| | - Giulia Bolsi
- Istituto di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Michael Tsokos
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Turmstr. 21 (Haus M), 10559 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Investigating the Timing and Extent of Juvenile and Fetal Bone Diagenesis in a Temperate Environment. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030403. [PMID: 36979095 PMCID: PMC10044996 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
It is well understood that intrinsic factors of bone contribute to bone diagenesis, including bone porosity, crystallinity, and the ratio of organic to mineral components. However, histological analyses have largely been limited to adult bones, although with some exceptions. Considering that many of these properties are different between juvenile and adult bone, the purpose of this study is to investigate if these differences may result in increased degradation observed histologically in fetal and juvenile bone. Thirty-two fetal (n = 16) and juvenile (n = 16) Sus scrofa domesticus femora subject to different depositions over a period of two years were sectioned for histological observation. Degradation was scored using an adapted tunneling index. Results showed degradation related to microbial activity in both fetal and juvenile remains across depositions as early as three months. Buried juvenile remains consistently showed the greatest degradation over time, while the blanket fetal remains showed more minimal degradation. This is likely related to the buried remains’ greater contact with surrounding soil and groundwater during deposition. Further, most of the degradation was seen in the subendosteal region, followed by the subperiosteal region, which may suggest the initial microbial attack is from endogenous sources.
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4
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Pittner S, Merold V, Anders S, Lohner L, Amendt J, Klinger M, Hausmann R, Kissling S, Monticelli F, Geissenberger J, Zissler A, Steinbacher P. A standard protocol for the analysis of postmortem muscle protein degradation: process optimization and considerations for the application in forensic PMI estimation. Int J Legal Med 2022; 136:1913-1923. [PMID: 35710956 PMCID: PMC9576658 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02849-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of postmortem protein degradation has become of large interest for the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI). Although several techniques have been published in recent years, protein degradation-based techniques still largely did not exceed basic research stages. Reasons include impractical and complex sampling procedures, as well as highly variable protocols in the literature, making it difficult to compare results. Following a three-step procedure, this study aimed to establish an easily replicable standardized procedure for sampling and processing, and further investigated the reliability and limitations for routine application. Initially, sampling and processing were optimized using a rat animal model. In a second step, the possible influences of sample handling and storage on postmortem protein degradation dynamics were assessed on a specifically developed human extracorporeal degradation model. Finally, the practical application was simulated by the collection of tissue in three European forensic institutes and an international transfer to our forensic laboratory, where the samples were processed and analyzed according to the established protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Pittner
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Veronika Merold
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Sven Anders
- Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Larissa Lohner
- Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jens Amendt
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Miriam Klinger
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Roland Hausmann
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St, Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Steffen Kissling
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St, Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Monticelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Janine Geissenberger
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Angela Zissler
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Peter Steinbacher
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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5
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Schmidt VM, Zelger P, Woess C, Pallua AK, Arora R, Degenhart G, Brunner A, Zelger B, Schirmer M, Rabl W, Pallua JD. Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081105. [PMID: 35892961 PMCID: PMC9331256 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
It is challenging to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains within a forensic context. As a result of their interactions with the environment, bones undergo several chemical and physical changes after death. So far, multiple methods have been used to follow up on post-mortem changes. There is, however, no definitive way to estimate the PMI of skeletal remains. This research aimed to propose a methodology capable of estimating the PMI using micro-computed tomography measurements of 104 human skeletal remains with PMIs between one day and 2000 years. The present study indicates that micro-computed tomography could be considered an objective and precise method of PMI evaluation in forensic medicine. The measured parameters show a significant difference regarding the PMI for Cort Porosity p < 0.001, BV/TV p > 0.001, Mean1 p > 0.001 and Mean2 p > 0.005. Using a machine learning approach, the neural network showed an accuracy of 99% for distinguishing between samples with a PMI of less than 100 years and archaeological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena-Maria Schmidt
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (V.-M.S.); (C.W.); (W.R.)
| | - Philipp Zelger
- University Clinic for Hearing, Voice and Speech Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Claudia Woess
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (V.-M.S.); (C.W.); (W.R.)
| | - Anton K. Pallua
- Former Institute for Computed Tomography-Neuro CT, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Rohit Arora
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Gerald Degenhart
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Andrea Brunner
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.B.); (B.Z.)
| | - Bettina Zelger
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.B.); (B.Z.)
| | - Michael Schirmer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Clinic II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Walter Rabl
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (V.-M.S.); (C.W.); (W.R.)
| | - Johannes D. Pallua
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
- Correspondence:
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6
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Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains Estimated with Handheld NIR Spectrometry. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11071020. [PMID: 36101401 PMCID: PMC9312135 DOI: 10.3390/biology11071020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) of human skeletal remains is a critical issue of forensic analysis, with important limitations such as sample preparation and practicability. In this work, NIR spectroscopy (NIRONE® Sensor X; Spectral Engines, 61449, Germany) was applied to estimate the PMI of 104 human bone samples between 1 day and 2000 years. Reflectance data were repeatedly collected from eight independent spectrometers between 1950 and 1550 nm with a spectral resolution of 14 nm and a step size of 2 nm, each from the external and internal bone. An Artificial Neural Network was used to analyze the 66,560 distinct diagnostic spectra, and clearly distinguished between forensic and archaeological bone material: the classification accuracies for PMIs of 0−2 weeks, 2 weeks−6 months, 6 months−1 year, 1 year−10 years, and >100 years were 0.90, 0.94, 0.94, 0.93, and 1.00, respectively. PMI of archaeological bones could be determined with an accuracy of 100%, demonstrating the adequate predictive performance of the model. Applying a handheld NIR spectrometer to estimate the PMI of human skeletal remains is rapid and extends the repertoire of forensic analyses as a distinct, novel approach.
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7
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Systematic Review on Post-Mortem Protein Alterations: Analysis of Experimental Models and Evaluation of Potential Biomarkers of Time of Death. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12061490. [PMID: 35741301 PMCID: PMC9222196 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12061490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) is a very complex issue due to numerous variables that may affect the calculation. Several authors have investigated the quantitative and qualitative variations of protein expression on post-mortem biological samples in certain time intervals, both in animals and in humans. However, the literature data are very numerous and often inhomogeneous, with different models, tissues and proteins evaluated, such that the practical application of these methods is limited to date. The aim of this paper was to offer an organic view of the state of the art about post-mortem protein alterations for the calculation of PMI through the analysis of the various experimental models proposed. The purpose was to investigate the validity of some proteins as “molecular clocks” candidates, focusing on the evidence obtained in the early, intermediate and late post-mortem interval. This study demonstrates how the study of post-mortem protein alterations may be useful for estimating the PMI, although there are still technical limits, especially in the experimental models performed on humans. We suggest a protocol to homogenize the study of future experimental models, with a view to the next concrete application of these methods also at the crime scene.
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8
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Gatti L, Lugli F, Sciutto G, Zangheri M, Prati S, Mirasoli M, Silvestrini S, Benazzi S, Tütken T, Douka K, Collina C, Boschin F, Romandini M, Iacumin P, Guardigli M, Roda A, Mazzeo R. Combining elemental and immunochemical analyses to characterize diagenetic alteration patterns in ancient skeletal remains. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5112. [PMID: 35332214 PMCID: PMC8948219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08979-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bones and teeth are biological archives, but their structure and composition are subjected to alteration overtime due to biological and chemical degradation postmortem, influenced by burial environment and conditions. Nevertheless, organic fraction preservation is mandatory for several archeometric analyses and applications. The mutual protection between biomineral and organic fractions in bones and teeth may lead to a limited diagenetic alteration, promoting a better conservation of the organic fraction. However, the correlation between elemental variations and the presence of organic materials (e.g., collagen) in the same specimen is still unclear. To fill this gap, chemiluminescent (CL) immunochemical imaging analysis has been applied for the first time for collagen localization. Then, Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and CL imaging were combined to investigate the correlation between elemental (i.e., REE, U, Sr, Ba) and collagen distribution. Teeth and bones from various archeological contexts, chronological periods, and characterized by different collagen content were analyzed. Immunochemical analysis revealed a heterogeneous distribution of collagen, especially in highly degraded samples. Subsequently, LA-ICP-MS showed a correlation between the presence of uranium and rare earth elements and areas with low amount of collagen. The innovative integration between the two methods permitted to clarify the mutual relation between elemental variation and collagen preservation overtime, thus contributing to unravel the effects of diagenetic alteration in bones and teeth.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Gatti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via Guaccimanni, 42, 48121, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Federico Lugli
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy.
- Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Sciutto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via Guaccimanni, 42, 48121, Ravenna, Italy.
| | - M Zangheri
- Department of Chemistry, "Giacomo Ciamician" Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Prati
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via Guaccimanni, 42, 48121, Ravenna, Italy
| | - M Mirasoli
- Department of Chemistry, "Giacomo Ciamician" Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Silvestrini
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy
| | - S Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy
| | - T Tütken
- Applied and Analytical Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - K Douka
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - C Collina
- Museo Civico Archeologico Biagio Greco, Mondragone, Caserta, Italy
| | - F Boschin
- Department of Physical Science, Earth and Environment, U.R. Preistoria e Antropologia, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - M Romandini
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy
| | - P Iacumin
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - M Guardigli
- Department of Chemistry, "Giacomo Ciamician" Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - A Roda
- INBB, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Rome, Italy
| | - R Mazzeo
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna-Ravenna Campus, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, "Giacomo Ciamician" Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
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Ortiz-Herrero L, Uribe B, Armas LH, Alonso ML, Sarmiento A, Irurita J, Alonso RM, Maguregui MI, Etxeberria F, Bartolomé L. Estimation of the post-mortem interval of human skeletal remains using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 329:111087. [PMID: 34736052 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
An important demand exists in the field of forensic analysis to objectively determine the post-mortem interval (PMI) when human skeletal remains are discovered. It is widely known that bones undergo different chemical and physical processes after death, mainly due to their interaction with the environment in which they are found, although it is not known exactly what these processes consist of. Multiple techniques have been used so far to follow up these and other post-mortem changes and thus establish the time elapsed since the individual's death, but they present important drawbacks in terms of reliability and accuracy. The aim of this research was to propose an analytical methodology capable of determining the PMI by using non-destructive Raman spectroscopy measurements of human skeletal remains. The recorded Raman spectra provided valuable and potentially useful information from which a multivariate study was performed by means of orthogonal partial least squares regression (OPLSR) in order to correlate the PMI with the detected spectral modifications. A collection of 53 real human skeletal remains with known PMI (15 years ≤ PMI ≤ 87 years) was analysed and used for building and validating the OPLS model. The PMI of 10 out of 14 validation samples could be determined with an accuracy error of less than 30%, demonstrating the adequate predictive performance of the OPLS model even in spite of the large inter-individual variability it handled. This opens up the possibility of applying the OPLS model in combination with non-destructive techniques to the determination of the PMI of human skeletal remains that have been buried in conditions similar or equal to those of cemetery niches and in a geographic location with a Mediterranean climate, which is an important achievement for forensic medicine and anthropology.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ortiz-Herrero
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - B Uribe
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - L Hidalgo Armas
- Advances Research Facilities (SGIker), Martina Casiano Technology Platform, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - M L Alonso
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - A Sarmiento
- Advances Research Facilities (SGIker), Coupled Multispectroscopy Singular Laboratory (Raman-LASPEA), Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - J Irurita
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de la Salud, Av. de la Investigación 11, 18016 Granada, Spain.
| | - R M Alonso
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - M I Maguregui
- Painting Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - F Etxeberria
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Aranzadi Science Society, Zorroagagaina 11, 20014 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain; Department of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Paseo Dr. J. Beguiristain 105, 20014 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
| | - L Bartolomé
- Advances Research Facilities (SGIker), Martina Casiano Technology Platform, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
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10
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Sangwan A, Singh SP, Singh P, Gupta OP, Manas A, Gupta S. Role of molecular techniques in PMI estimation: An update. J Forensic Leg Med 2021; 83:102251. [PMID: 34592482 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2021.102251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The time frames between death and reporting of the cadaver, known as post Mortem interval (PMI), is essential in investigation of homicide deaths, suspicious deaths, or other untimely deaths as well as natural deaths. Such information helps to connect the missing links in homicide or other relevant cases. Over the time several methods are developed which depends upon factors as several methods physiological, biochemical, entomological, and archaeological for the estimation of degradation of body with time. These methods lack precision, require expertise to achieve worthy results or authentic estimate. Although these methods are currently in use but, these evaluations are still unreliable and imprecise. Hence, we still need new methods for better estimation of PMI. Initially, the predictable morphological and chemical changes in cadaver are used as PMI indicators but, as the time since death increases, the above methods become less useful for as they can't pin point the time of death rather give a ballpark idea. With the advent of the field of molecular biology, the estimation of PMI is proposed to be executed by evaluating the degradation pattern of the biological markers (DNA, RNA, and Proteins). It is now proved that the DNA is fairly unwavering over long post-mortem phases, RNA is much more labile in nature, and sensitive to degradation in a tissue-specific manner. Thus, the main purpose (aim, agenda) of this document is to provide review that mainly focuses on potential use of RNA markers in estimation of PMI. For this Critical Review, the systematic evaluation of 47 studies is executed according to the chosen inclusion and exclusion criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amita Sangwan
- Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Saurabh Pratap Singh
- Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Prerna Singh
- Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - O P Gupta
- Department of General Surgery, Career Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Abhigyan Manas
- Department of General Surgery, Career Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Shalini Gupta
- Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.
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Zissler A, Stoiber W, Geissenberger J, Steinbacher P, Monticelli FC, Pittner S. Influencing Factors on Postmortem Protein Degradation for PMI Estimation: A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:1146. [PMID: 34201836 PMCID: PMC8304065 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11071146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The present review provides an overview of the current research status on the effects of influencing factors on postmortem protein degradation used to estimate the PMI (postmortem interval). Focus was set on characteristics of internal and external influencing factors and the respective susceptibility and/or robustness of protein degradation. A systematic literature search up to December 2020 was conducted on the effect of influencing factors investigated in the context of postmortem protein degradation in the tissues of animals and humans using the scientific databases PubMed and Google Scholar, as well as the reference lists of eligible articles. We identified ten studies investigating a total of seven different influencing factors in degrading tissues/organs (n = 7) of humans and animals using six different methodological approaches. Although comparison of study outcomes was impeded by the high variety of investigated factors, and by high risk of bias appraisals, it was evident that the majority of the influencing factors concerned affected protein degradation, thus being able to modulate the precision of protein degradation-based PMI estimation. The results clearly highlight the need for a thorough screening for corresponding factors to enable the introduction of appropriate correction factors and exclusion criteria. This seems especially relevant for the protein degradation-based study of human PMI to increase the reliability and precision of the method and to facilitate a broader applicability in routine forensic casework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Zissler
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (J.G.); (P.S.)
| | - Walter Stoiber
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (J.G.); (P.S.)
| | - Janine Geissenberger
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (J.G.); (P.S.)
| | - Peter Steinbacher
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (J.G.); (P.S.)
| | - Fabio C. Monticelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Stefan Pittner
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
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12
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Zissler A, Stoiber W, Steinbacher P, Geissenberger J, Monticelli FC, Pittner S. Postmortem Protein Degradation as a Tool to Estimate the PMI: A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:E1014. [PMID: 33256203 PMCID: PMC7760775 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10121014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: We provide a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the current research status of protein degradation-based postmortem interval (PMI) estimation. Special attention is paid to the applicability of the proposed approaches/methods in forensic routine practice. Method: A systematic review of the literature on protein degradation in tissues and organs of animals and humans was conducted. Therefore, we searched the scientific databases Pubmed and Ovid for publications until December 2019. Additional searches were performed in Google Scholar and the reference lists of eligible articles. Results: A total of 36 studies were included. This enabled us to consider the degradation pattern of over 130 proteins from 11 different tissues, studied with different methods including well-established and modern approaches. Although comparison between studies is complicated by the heterogeneity of study designs, tissue types, methods, proteins and outcome measurement, there is clear evidence for a high explanatory power of protein degradation analysis in forensic PMI analysis. Conclusions: Although only few approaches have yet exceeded a basic research level, the current research status provides strong evidence in favor of the applicability of a protein degradation-based PMI estimation method in routine forensic practice. Further targeted research effort towards specific aims (also addressing influencing factors and exclusion criteria), especially in human tissue will be required to obtain a robust, reliable laboratory protocol, and collect sufficient data to develop accurate multifactorial mathematical decomposition models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Zissler
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (P.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Walter Stoiber
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (P.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Peter Steinbacher
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (P.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Janine Geissenberger
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (A.Z.); (W.S.); (P.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Fabio C. Monticelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Stefan Pittner
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
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13
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Na JY. Estimation of the post-mortem interval using microRNA in the bones. J Forensic Leg Med 2020; 75:102049. [PMID: 32861958 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.102049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can be useful in forensic science because of their numerous characteristics, especially stability. Post-mortem interval (PMI) is crucial for death scene investigations. However, estimating PMI is challenging in cases involving significantly decomposed or destroyed bodies, such as those involving skeletonized remains. In this study, 71 bones (patella) were collected from the bodies during autopsies (PMI ranging from 1 day to 2 years). As the let-7e and miR-16 miRNAs were used as internal controls for the bone tissue in previous studies, these miRNAs were selected as targets to estimate PMI. The miRNA Ce_miR-39_1 was used as a spike-in internal control to normalize the target miRNA levels. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to correlate the expression levels of let-7e and miR-16 with increasing PMI. A negative correlation was observed between miRNA expression and increasing PMI. The expression of both let-7e and miR-16 was observed to be significantly different between group A and the other PMI groups (group A < 1 month; 1 month < group B < 3 months; 3 months < group C < 6 months; group D > 6 months). In conclusion, these data suggest that the expression level of specific miRNAs (let-7e and miR-16) in the bone tissue could be used to estimate PMI. However, more studies using long-term PMI samples are required to further corroborate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo-Young Na
- Department of Pathology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 20, Geumo-ro, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Sharikova A, Peerzada L, Pisila K, Khoo TC, Cherkinsky A, Khmaladze A. Raman Spectroscopy Allows for the Determination of Elephant Ivory Age. APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY 2020; 74:940-947. [PMID: 32383405 DOI: 10.1177/0003702820930037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Determination of the age of ivory is important for controlling illegal trafficking and the proper identification of ivory artifacts. Radiocarbon dating is the standard method of determining the age of ivories; however, it requires the destruction of a fragment of the sample. Raman spectroscopy is a nondestructive technique, and therefore can be used on artwork. Moreover, Raman measurements can be done using a portable system, and the data analysis can be performed on the spot once the groundwork is done. Ivories contain two primary components: collagen and bioapatite. Raman spectrum of ivory material is mainly a sum of the vibrational bands of these components. As collagen deteriorates with time, its Raman signal decreases; therefore, the ratio of collagen to bioapatite peaks is smaller in the older samples compared to the younger ones, providing a basis for sample dating. We have compared the results of Raman and radiocarbon measurements applied to a set of elephant ivory fragments and have successfully calibrated the Raman data set using radiocarbon measurements. We found that the Raman collagen to bioapatite peak ratios of the samples can be used as a metric to determine their age, providing a nondestructive technique to assess the age of ivory samples. We have also used singular value decomposition (SVD) to analyze the whole Raman spectra. We have observed clear separation between samples of different ages in the SVD component space. The samples also tended to align along the timeline diagonal in the correct order. The changes in multiple collagen and bioapatite peaks contribute to the differences in Raman spectra of ivory samples of different age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sharikova
- Department of Physics, SUNY University at Albany, Albany, USA
| | - Lubna Peerzada
- Department of Physics, SUNY University at Albany, Albany, USA
| | - Kai Pisila
- Department of Physics, SUNY University at Albany, Albany, USA
| | - Tine Chean Khoo
- Department of Physics, SUNY University at Albany, Albany, USA
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15
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Pedrosa M, Curate F, Batista de Carvalho LAE, Marques MPM, Ferreira MT. Beyond metrics and morphology: the potential of FTIR-ATR and chemometrics to estimate age-at-death in human bone. Int J Legal Med 2020; 134:1905-1914. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02310-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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16
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Mizukami H, Hathway B, Procopio N. Aquatic Decomposition of Mammalian Corpses: A Forensic Proteomic Approach. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:2122-2135. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Mizukami
- The Forensic Science Unit, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Ellison Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Bella Hathway
- The Forensic Science Unit, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Ellison Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Noemi Procopio
- The Forensic Science Unit, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Ellison Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K
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17
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Safranin O without fast green is the best staining method for testing the degradation of macromolecules in a cartilage extracellular matrix for the determination of the postmortem interval. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2019; 16:252-258. [PMID: 31820320 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-019-00208-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Methods for the determination of the postmortem interval (PMI) include methods that monitor the postmortem changes of cells and molecules in different tissues. The rate of pathological degradation of macromolecules in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of hyaline cartilage could be verified by assessing the intensity of collagen and proteoglycan (PG) staining. In the presented in vitro pilot study, this methodology was used for the first time to determine PMI. The osteochondral samples of three donors were stored at 11 °C and 35 °C and analyzed on day 1, day 12, and day 36 postmortem. The intensity of staining using Masson's trichrome and Sirius red for collagen, and Alcian blue and Safranin O dyes for PG was estimated ten times according to the modified Bern grading scale. Statistical analysis showed that the Safranin O without Fast green method is the most appropriate (raters agreement 0.5541) for up to 36 days postmortem, and that the influence of time is more important (p = 0.023) than the influence of temperature (p = 0.061) on the degradation of the ECM macromolecules. The described method, which is simple and can be performed in any histological laboratory, should be verified in corpore conditions, on a large number of donors, and using an objective method for assessing the intensity of cartilage macromolecule staining for PMI determination.
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18
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Krap T, Ruijter JM, Nota K, Karel J, Burgers AL, Aalders MCG, Oostra RJ, Duijst W. Colourimetric analysis of thermally altered human bone samples. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8923. [PMID: 31222026 PMCID: PMC6586926 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45420-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
At this moment, no method is available to objectively estimate the temperature to which skeletal remains have been exposed during a fire. Estimating this temperature can provide crucial information in a legal investigation. Exposure of bone to heat results in observable and measurable changes, including a change in colour. To determine the exposure temperature of experimental bone samples, heat related changes in colour were systemically studied by means of image analysis. In total 1138 samples of fresh human long bone diaphysis and epiphysis, varying in size, were subjected to heat ranging from room temperature to 900 °C for various durations and in different media. The samples were scanned with a calibrated flatbed scanner and photographed with a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. Red, Green, Blue values and Lightness, A-, and B-coordinates were collected for statistical analysis. Cluster analysis showed that discriminating thresholds for Lightness and B-coordinate could be defined and used to construct a model of decision rules. This model enables the user to differentiate between seven different temperature clusters with relatively high precision and accuracy. The proposed decision model provides an objective, robust and non-destructive method for estimating the exposure temperature of heated bone samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Krap
- Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, department of Medical Biology, Section Anatomy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Ars Cogniscendi Foundation for Legal and Forensic Medicine, Wezep, The Netherlands. .,Department of Life Sciences and Technology-Biotechnology-Forensic Science, Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan M Ruijter
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, department of Medical Biology, Section Anatomy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin Nota
- Department of Life Sciences and Technology-Biotechnology-Forensic Science, Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Joyce Karel
- Department of Life Sciences and Technology-Biotechnology-Forensic Science, Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - A Lieke Burgers
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maurice C G Aalders
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roelof-Jan Oostra
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, department of Medical Biology, Section Anatomy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilma Duijst
- Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Ars Cogniscendi Foundation for Legal and Forensic Medicine, Wezep, The Netherlands
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19
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Mazzotti MC, Fais P, Palazzo C, Fersini F, Ruggeri A, Falconi M, Pelotti S, Teti G. Determining the time of death by morphological and immunohistochemical evaluation of collagen fibers in postmortem gingival tissues. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2019; 39:1-8. [PMID: 31078972 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The estimation of the post mortem interval (PMI) is still one of the most challenging variables to determine and the different approaches currently used in its estimation generally yield to large post mortem windows. In the present study we combined morphological and immunohistochemical analysis in order to reach a more detailed knowledge on tissue organization and degradation after death. Ultrastructural cellular changes and the extracellular matrix of gingival tissues, collected at different post mortem intervals, were observed by a Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), in combination with the immunohistochemical detection of extracellular matrix proteins (i.e. collagen type I and collagen type III) as potential post mortem biochemical markers. The final goal was to find a correlation between morphological modifications, biomarkers expression and the time of death. Samples of gingival tissues obtained from 10 cadavers at different post mortem intervals (short post mortem interval, 1-3 days; mid post mortem interval, 4-6 days; long post mortem interval, 7-9 days) were processed for light microscopy and TEM and they were also immunostained with anti-collagen type I and type III antibodies. Results showed gradual degradation of extracellular matrix in the suboral connective tissue in relation to the different time of death. Moreover PMI was related to an increase of nuclear chromatin condensation and cytoplasmic vacuolization both in epithelial and connective tissues. In conclusion, in addition to traditional forensic approaches to estimate PMI, the combined analyses of cellular morphology, ultrastructure and immunohistochemical expression of collagen proteins allow to better infer the PMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Mazzotti
- Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - P Fais
- Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - C Palazzo
- Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - F Fersini
- Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - A Ruggeri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Falconi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Pelotti
- Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Teti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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20
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Comment on 'A DNA extraction method for small quantities of bone for high-qualitygenotyping' by Caputo et al. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2019; 40:e243-e244. [PMID: 30770290 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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21
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Collagen degradation as a possibility to determine the post-mortem interval (PMI) of human bones in a forensic context – A survey. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2019; 36:96-102. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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22
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Sabolová V, Brinek A, Sládek V. The effect of hydrochloric acid on microstructure of porcine (Sus scrofa domesticus) cortical bone tissue. Forensic Sci Int 2018; 291:260-271. [PMID: 30268052 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated the degradation of cortical bone tissue by hydrochloric acid (HCl) since intentional bone decalcification in a forensic context has not been studied on a histomorphological level. We used 70 pig metatarsal bones split into subsamples and immersed in one of three concentrations of acidic solutions (0.5M, 1M, 2M HCl) for two and four hours. We analyzed the cortical thicknesses on transversal cross-sections, thicknesses of the three histomorphologically distinct zones present in acid-immersed bones, and number and area of crystals present in one of the zones. Furthermore, we analyzed the ratio of calcium to phosphorus (Ca:P). We observed a division of the cortical bone cross section into three distinctive zones: demineralized matrix (DM) in the periosteal part of bone, middle contact zone (CZ), and mineralized matrix (MM) in the endosteal part of bone. With increasing acid concentration and time of immersion (from 0.5M HCl for 2h to 2M HCl for 4h), the thickness of DM increased by 67%, the thickness of CZ increased by 56%, and the thickness of MM decreased by 32%. The Ca:P ratio in the contact zone of acid-treated samples did not change significantly with changing acid concentration and time of immersion. The Ca:P ratio of the CZ decreased by 10% when compared to the Ca:P ratio of MM in acid-treated samples. Moreover, we observed crystals on the outer periosteal border of the DM zone, in the CZ, and in the MM Haversian/Volkmann's canals. The size and number of the crystals in the CZ of acid-treated bones increased with acid concentration and time of acid immersion. Moreover, we also observed significant differences in all analyzed properties between anatomical regions. Due to varying reactions to acid immersion among anatomical regions, bone micro-degradation should be observed separately for each region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Sabolová
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czechia.
| | - Adam Brinek
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Czechia
| | - Vladimír Sládek
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czechia
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23
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Iqbal MA, Ueland M, Forbes SL. Recent advances in the estimation of post-mortem interval in forensic taphonomy. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2018.1459840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Asif Iqbal
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
| | - Maiken Ueland
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
| | - Shari L. Forbes
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
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24
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Wang Q, Li W, Liu R, Zhang K, Zhang H, Fan S, Wang Z. Human and non-human bone identification using FTIR spectroscopy. Int J Legal Med 2018; 133:269-276. [PMID: 29549421 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-018-1822-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human and non-human identification of unknown skeletal remains is of great importance in forensic and anthropologic contexts. However, the traditional morphological methods for bone species identification are subjective or time-consuming. Here, we utilized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and chemometric methods to determinate the spectral variances between human and non-human (i.e., pig, goat, and cow) bones. To simulate real forensic situations as much as possible, fresh, boiled, and decomposed bones were included in this study. Principal component analysis (PCA) results illustrated pig bones were more sensitive to the environmental and external factors than other species studied in this work. Thus, pig bone might not be a suitable proxy for human bone in the study of postmortem changes. More importantly, score plots of PCA results showed clear separation with a slight overlap between the human and non-human fresh bones, but it failed to distinguish the boiled and decomposed bones. Then, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was employed, and both internal and external validations were conducted to assess its classification ability, which resulted in 99.72 and 99.53% accuracy, respectively. According to the loading plots of PCA and PLS-DA, the spectral diversity was mainly due to the inorganic portion (i.e., carbonates and phosphates), which can remain relatively stable under various conditions. As such, our results illustrate that FTIR spectroscopy could serve as a reliable tool to assist in bone species determination and also has great potential in real forensic cases with natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Public Security Technology, Railway Police College, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ruina Liu
- Department of Forensic Pathology, College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Haohui Zhang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuanliang Fan
- Department of Forensic Pathology, College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Zhenyuan Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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25
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Procopio N, Chamberlain AT, Buckley M. Exploring Biological and Geological Age-related Changes through Variations in Intra- and Intertooth Proteomes of Ancient Dentine. J Proteome Res 2018; 17:1000-1013. [PMID: 29356547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.7b00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Proteomic analyses are becoming more widely used in archeology not only due to the greater preservation of proteins in ancient specimens than DNA but also because they can offer different information, particularly relating to compositional preservation and potentially a means to estimate biological and geological age. However, it remains unclear to what extent different burial environments impact these aspects of proteome decay. Teeth have to date been much less studied than bone but are ideal to explore how proteins decay with time due to the negligible turnover that occurs in dentine relative to bone. We investigated the proteome variability and deamidation levels of different sections of molar teeth from archeological bovine mandibles as well as their mandibular bone. We obtained a greater yield of proteins from the crown of the teeth but did not find differences between the different molars analyzed within each mandible. We also obtained the best variety of protein from a well-preserved mandible that was not the youngest one in terms of chronological age, showing the influence of the preservation conditions on the final proteomic outcome. Intriguingly, we also noticed an increase in abundance levels of fetuin-A in biologically younger mandibles as reported previously, but the opposite trend in tooth dentine. Interestingly, we observed higher glutamine deamidation levels in teeth from the geologically oldest mandible despite it being the biologically youngest specimen, showing that the archeological age strongly impacts on the level of deamidations observed, much more so than biological aging. This indicates that the glutamine deamidation ratio of selected peptides may act as a good predictor of the relative geochronological age of archeological specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Procopio
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester , 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew T Chamberlain
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester , Stopford Building, 99 Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PG, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Buckley
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester , 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
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26
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Estimation of the late postmortem interval using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics in human skeletal remains. Forensic Sci Int 2017; 281:113-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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27
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Jellinghaus K, Hachmann C, Hoeland K, Bohnert M, Wittwer-Backofen U. Collagen degradation as a possibility to determine the post-mortem interval (PMI) of animal bones: a validation study referring to an original study of Boaks et al. (2014). Int J Legal Med 2017; 132:753-763. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-017-1747-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Delannoy Y, Colard T, Cannet C, Mesli V, Hédouin V, Penel G, Ludes B. Characterization of bone diagenesis by histology in forensic contexts: a human taphonomic study. Int J Legal Med 2017; 132:219-227. [PMID: 28965197 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-017-1699-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The diagenesis of a bone in the postmortem period causes an identifiable deterioration in histology. This degradation is characterized by a collagenous alteration, which can be observed very early. In order to develop a method for determining a postmortem interval for medico-legal use, two ribs collected from six human bodies were studied prospectively over 2 years. Each bone was studied after staining with Sirius red to demonstrate the degradation of collagen as a function of time. This study demonstrated a time-based bone alteration characterized by the architectural degradation of the lamellar bone, without any microbial influence in this postmortem period. The staining was carried out by using Sirius red and correlated this alteration with a collagenic degradation by chemical hydrolysis owing to the affinity of this dye to the amino acids lysine, hydroxylysine, and arginine. Our work asserts that human bone samples that were studied in a controlled environment and analyzed for 24 months underwent a diagenetic trajectory whose main element was collagen hydrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Delannoy
- Institut Médico-Légal de Paris, Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, 75000, Paris, France. .,CHU de LILLE, 59000, Lille, France. .,EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France. .,Littoral Côte d'Opale, EA 4490, PMOI, Physiopathologie des Maladies Osseuses inflammatoires, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France. .,Institut de Médecine Légale - CHRU de Lille, rue André Verhaeghe, 59037, Lille Cedex, France.
| | - Thomas Colard
- CHU de LILLE, 59000, Lille, France.,EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France.,Littoral Côte d'Opale, EA 4490, PMOI, Physiopathologie des Maladies Osseuses inflammatoires, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Catherine Cannet
- Laboratoire d'Histomorphométrie de Médecine Légale, Faculté de Médecine, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Vadim Mesli
- CHU de LILLE, 59000, Lille, France.,EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Valéry Hédouin
- CHU de LILLE, 59000, Lille, France.,EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Guillaume Penel
- CHU de LILLE, 59000, Lille, France.,Littoral Côte d'Opale, EA 4490, PMOI, Physiopathologie des Maladies Osseuses inflammatoires, Lille University, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Bertrand Ludes
- Institut Médico-Légal de Paris, Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, 75000, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR 5288, AMIS, Toulouse University, 31000, Toulouse, France
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Kontopoulos I, Nystrom P, White L. Experimental taphonomy: post-mortem microstructural modifications in Sus scrofa domesticus bone. Forensic Sci Int 2016; 266:320-328. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Vassalo AR, Cunha E, de Carvalho LAEB, Gonçalves D. Rather yield than break: assessing the influence of human bone collagen content on heat-induced warping through vibrational spectroscopy. Int J Legal Med 2016; 130:1647-1656. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-016-1400-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Doménech-Carbó MT, Buendía-Ortuño M, Pasies-Oviedo T, Osete-Cortina L. Analytical study of waterlogged ivory from the Bajo de la campana site (Murcia, Spain). Microchem J 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2015.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Delannoy Y, Colard T, Le Garff E, Mesli V, Aubernon C, Penel G, Hedouin V, Gosset D. Effects of the environment on bone mass: A human taphonomic study. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2016; 20:61-7. [PMID: 27161926 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
An experiment was designed using human ribs placed in different environments to document how moisture and temperature affect the bone mass according to the postmortem interval. The bones were defleshed, weighed and partially buried, with some ribs being left unburied as controls. The ribs were weighed daily, and the mass loss was monitored over a period of 90days. The results showed that significant differences in bone mass loss exist between environments, where the bone mass loss was significantly faster in an environment with low moisture content. This mass loss is thought to be primarily associated with the desiccation of the body and then for a greater part, with the atmospheric moisture content. However, the loss of bone mass can also be explained by early alterations in the organo-mineral matrix which were highlighted by Raman spectroscopy method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Delannoy
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; EA 4490 Physiopathologie des maladies osseuses inflammatoires, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.
| | - Thomas Colard
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Erwan Le Garff
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Vadim Mesli
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Cindy Aubernon
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Guillaume Penel
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; EA 4490 Physiopathologie des maladies osseuses inflammatoires, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Valéry Hedouin
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Didier Gosset
- EA 7367 Forensic Taphonomy Unit - Lille Forensic Institute, Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
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