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Zhang FY, Wang LL, Dong WW, Zhang M, Tash D, Li XJ, Du SK, Yuan HM, Zhao R, Guan DW. A preliminary study on early postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) estimation and cause-of-death discrimination based on nontargeted metabolomics and machine learning algorithms. Int J Legal Med 2022; 136:941-954. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02783-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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2
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Xiao C, Xu Q, Li H, Zhu X, Yu Z, Zhao J, Li Y, Liu H, Shi H, Liu C. Development and application of a multiplex PCR system for drowning diagnosis. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:1270-1278. [PMID: 33687071 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the DNA detection of drowning-related diatoms, cyanobacteria, and aeromonas has gradually attracted interest from forensic scientists. In this study, we described the validation and application of a novel multiplex PCR system. This system integrated 12 fluorescently labelled primers designed to amplify specific genes of diatoms, cyanobacteria, and aeromonas. The specificity studies demonstrated that this multiplex PCR system could detect nine species of diatom, seven species of cyanobacteria, and five species of aeromonas, all of which were drowning-related and widely distributed in various water circumstance of southern China. The sensitivity studies indicated that the limit concentration of template DNA was 0.0125 ng. Besides, this multiplex PCR system had good performance in sizing precision and stability, but it is not suitable for degraded DNA samples. The application into forensic casework showed that all the tissue samples from ten nondrowning cases showed negative results, and the positive rates of lung, liver, kidney, and water samples from 30 drowning bodies were 100, 86.7, 90, and 100%, respectively. Combined with results of diatom tests of MD-VF-Auto SEM method, this multiplex PCR system could help rule out nondrowning bodies and provide extra evidences to support drowning diagnosis, especially for those cases with few diatoms observed. It is expected that this multiplex PCR system has great potential for forensic drowning diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Xiao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Quyi Xu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Huan Li
- College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaolin Zhu
- College of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhonghao Yu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yue Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Hong Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - He Shi
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chao Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
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3
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SYBR Green real-time qPCR method: Diagnose drowning more rapidly and accurately. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 321:110720. [PMID: 33639416 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In the field of drowning research, the method of diatom morphology has been most applied to determine whether the cause of death is drowning. However, the characteristics of complex operation, high level of professional knowledge drive us to propose a new method. Here, based on the common phytoplankton in water(such as diatoms and Aeromonas), aiming at the rbcL, 23 S, NIES, rPOD, Hly and preprotoxin aerolysin gene, we designed 6 pairs of specific primers and applied SYBR Green real-time qPCR(RT-qPCR) method to detect phytoplankton in the Pearl River Basin of Guangdong Province, China, so as to achieve the purpose of diagnosing drowning. After the experimental verification of the corresponding algae species and the standard strains of bacteria, as well as the verification of tissue samples (lung, liver and kidney) of 56 cases( 40 drowning cases and 16 non-drowning cases), we found that these primers were of great accuracy and tedious laboratory work of diatom test was reduced. Based on the advantages of high throughput, short period and high sensitivity, this RT-qPCR method is expected to diagnose drowning more rapidly and accurately.
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4
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Magni PA, Senigaglia V, Robinson SC, Dadour IR. The effect of submersion in different types of water on the survival and eclosion of blow-fly intra-puparial forms (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Forensic Sci Int 2020; 319:110663. [PMID: 33422801 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Blow-fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) immatures are the main colonizers of decomposing remains, and any information on what influences their growth and development are important to forensic entomologists when they are required to estimate post-mortem intervals during a death investigation. Much of this work has been qualified and quantified in terrestrial environments, but is deplete in aquatic environments. When considering a blow-fly's life history, the longest immature life stage goes from the formation of the puparium to adult emergence, and involves metamorphosis. In an aquatic scenario a corpse may be completely submerged, floating on the surface and or it could be associated with water but neither submerged or floating (e.g. beached on a seashore or washed up after a flood event). The present study concerns two blow-fly species, Lucilia sericata (Meigen) and Calliphora vomitoria (L.), and the effects of the age of the intra-puparial forms ("pupal age") and resultant survival, when submerged in tap, river or salt water for varying times - up to 3 days. The experiment was conducted in two localities, L. sericata in Boston USA and C. vomitoria in Turin, Italy, and full puparia of both species were divided into 4 age cohorts ("white", "young", "medium", and "old') before submergence. L. sericata intra-puparial forms showed a three time greater survival rate compared to C. vomitoria intra-puparial forms when submerged in each of the three water types. Both species had the highest survival rate in tap water. Overall, younger and older intra-puparial forms showed a greater and significant survival rate than medium intra-puparial forms when submerged. The eclosion time following submersion of C. vomitoria and L. sericata was mainly influenced by both the age at which the intra-puparial forms were submerged, and by the type of water, but the duration of the submersion also influenced the eclosion time of L. sericata. These results are discussed considering blow-fly physiology. A deeper understanding of the dynamics of survival and growth rate of blow-fly intra-puparial forms on human remains that have undergone a period of submergence could assist in the estimation of the time of death in criminal cases connected to different aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola A Magni
- Discipline of Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia; Murdoch University Singapore, King's Centre, 390 Havelock Road, 169662, Singapore.
| | - Valeria Senigaglia
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia.
| | - Sakura C Robinson
- Program in Forensic Anthropology, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord St, Boston, MA, 02118, United States.
| | - Ian R Dadour
- Discipline of Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia; Source Certain International, 2/27 Clark Court Bibra Lake, Western Australia, 6163, Australia.
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5
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Kaszubinski SF, Receveur JP, Wydra B, Smiles K, Wallace JR, Babcock NJ, Weatherbee CR, Benbow ME. Cold Case Experiment Demonstrates the Potential Utility of Aquatic Microbial Community Assembly in Estimating a Postmortem Submersion Interval. J Forensic Sci 2020; 65:1210-1220. [PMID: 32073664 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14303] [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: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Microbial community assembly (MCA) of both human and nonhuman animal carcasses provides indicators useful for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) in terrestrial settings. However, there are fewer studies estimating postmortem submersion intervals (PMSIs) in aquatic habitats. No aquatic studies to date assessed MCA in the context of a death investigation, with all previous studies focusing on important basic ecological questions. Within the context of a cold case investigation, we performed an experiment using replicate adult swine carcasses to describe postmortem MCA variability within a nonflowing aquatic habitat. Using high-throughput sequencing of carcass postmortem microbiomes, we described MCA variability and identified key taxa associated with decomposition in an aquatic habitat similar to the cold case body recovery site. We also modeled key taxa for estimating PMSIs, modeling within ±3 days (mean square error) postmortem using random forest regression. Our findings show significant changes in microbial communities as decomposition progressed, and several taxa were identified as important indicator taxa which may be useful for future estimates of PMSI. While descriptive, this study provides initial findings quantifying MCA variability within a nonflowing aquatic habitat. Within the context of the cold case investigation, we discuss how postmortem microbial samples collected at the time of body recovery could have been an important piece of evidence for understanding the PMSI of recovered remains. Additional experimental studies are needed to explicitly test and identify mechanisms associated with postmortem MCA variability in other habitats and under different temperature (e.g., seasons) conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra F Kaszubinski
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824
| | - Joseph P Receveur
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824.,Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824
| | - Breanna Wydra
- Department of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824
| | - Katelyn Smiles
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824
| | - John R Wallace
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA
| | - Nicholas J Babcock
- Michigan State University Extension, 446 W. Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI, 48824
| | | | - Mark Eric Benbow
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824.,Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824.,Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824
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6
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Piegari G, De Biase D, d'Aquino I, Prisco F, Fico R, Ilsami R, Pozzato N, Genovese A, Paciello O. Diagnosis of Drowning and the Value of the Diatom Test in Veterinary Forensic Pathology. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:404. [PMID: 31799284 PMCID: PMC6868027 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The detection of diatoms into the organs is considered an important “biological marker” for the diagnosis of drowning in human pathology, but it still has a high possibility for false positive results. The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the contribution of pathological examination in drowning cases and (2) to investigate the differences in the number and location of diatoms between animals who died in drowning and non-drowning conditions. For these purposes, 30 dead adult dogs were selected for the study and subdivided into five groups. The group A comprised six cadavers dead for drowning; the group B comprised six control animals; the groups C, D, and E comprised six animals dead for causes other than drowning and subsequently immersed in water for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. On each animal, a complete macroscopic and histological examination and diatom test were performed. Diatoms test and quantification were also performed on drowning mediums. Pathological findings of the animals in the group A showed pulmonary congestion, oedema, and hemorrages in the lung. However, similar injuries were also observed in control and experimentally submerged cadavers. In contrast, we observed a statistically differences between drowning animals and all experimentally submerged groups and control animals regarding diatom numbers recovered from organ tissue samples (p < 0.05). Therefore, these findings suggest that the number of diatoms may be used as a valid tool to differentiate animals who died in drowning and non-drowning conditions, even if the latter were found in an aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Piegari
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide De Biase
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Ilaria d'Aquino
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Prisco
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosario Fico
- National Center for the Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ilsami
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Pozzato
- Verona Diagnostic Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattivo Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Angelo Genovese
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Orlando Paciello
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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7
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The persistent problem of drowning - A difficult diagnosis with inconclusive tests. J Forensic Leg Med 2019; 66:79-85. [PMID: 31229802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Although the diagnosis of drowning may appear straightforward the reality is that it is sometimes one of the most difficult in forensic pathology. To begin with, there is no universal agreement on what constitutes drowning with some definitions using the term in the absence of a lethal outcome. Next are the significant problems that arise in finding immersed bodies and in assessing the death scene. Prolonged post mortem intervals are associated with artefactual modifications of the body from putrefaction and post mortem animal predation. Both of these may create and disguise injuries. The absence of pathognomonic pathological features at autopsy and the presence of potentially life threatening underlying organic illnesses complicate determination of both the cause and manner of death. There may even be no autopsy findings to indicate that immersion had occurred. Finally, the unreliability of laboratory tests with significant overlap with control cases where death had no association with immersion presents further problems. Thus lethal drowning remains a complex event that requires the use of a wide variety of information sources, not just data gleaned from the dissection table.
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Reijnen G, Vos P, Buster M, Reijnders U. Can pulmonary foam arise after postmortem submersion in water? An animal experimental pilot study. J Forensic Leg Med 2018; 61:40-44. [PMID: 30447643 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
It is difficult to differentiate drowning from postmortem submersion. Pulmonary foam can be found in bodies retrieved from water. It is unknown whether foam is a result of drowning or if it also forms after postmortem submersion. We divided deceased piglets into three groups: postmortem saltwater submersion (N = 20), postmortem freshwater submersion (N = 20) and dry-land controls (N = 20). All carcasses underwent endoscopic examination within 24 h of death and the presence of external and internal pulmonary foam was scored. No external foam was detected in the postmortem freshwater or the postmortem saltwater group. Internal foam was seen in 35% of the postmortem freshwater and 40% of the postmortem saltwater group. No external or internal foam was detected in the dry land control group. The literature shows external as well as internal foam in drowned humans. Internal foam is seen in postmortem submersion in the current piglet study and antemortem submersion in the literature in humans, and can therefore not be used to support/refute the diagnosis of drowning. No external foam was present in the postmortem submersed piglets, yet has been described in drowned humans. Hence the presence of external foam in bodies recovered from water may be indicative for drowning. The presence of external foam is a potentially valuable clinical sign in distinguishing drowning from postmortem submersion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Reijnen
- Amsterdam Public Health Service, Rijnstate Hospital Arnhem, the Netherlands.
| | - Petra Vos
- Rijnstate Hospital Arnhem, the Netherlands.
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Fucci N, Campobasso CP, Mastrogiuseppe L, Puccinelli C, Marcheggiani S, Mancini L, Marino L, Pascali VL. Diatoms in drowning cases in forensic veterinary context: a preliminary study. Int J Legal Med 2017; 131:1573-1580. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-017-1565-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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10
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Abstract
Determining the cause of death in animals recovered from bodies of water, swimming pools, or other water-containing vessels is challenging. Animals recovered from water may or may not have drowned. The diagnosis of drowning is usually one of exclusion, requiring information from the crime scene, recovery scene, the medical history or reliable witness accounts. While there are characteristic macroscopic and microscopic lesions of drowning, none are specific and are dependent on the volume and tonicity of the drowning medium. Beyond interpreting the postmortem findings, the court may ask pathologists to comment on the behavioral and welfare implications of drowning. This requires an understanding of the drowning process, which is a complex series of sequential, concurrent, and overlapping cardiorespiratory reflexes, electrolyte and blood gas abnormalities, aspiration, physical exhaustion, and breathlessness eventually culminating in death. This review addresses the mechanisms, lesions, and diagnostic issues associated with drowning in nonaquatic companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. J. McEwen
- Animal Health Laboratory, Laboratory Services Division, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - J. Gerdin
- Antech Diagnostics, Hunt Valley, MD, USA
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11
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Kakizaki E, Yukawa N. Simple protocol for extracting diatoms from lung tissues of suspected drowning cases within 3 h: First practical application. Forensic Sci Int 2015; 251:179-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Revised: 12/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Munro R, Munro HMC. Some challenges in forensic veterinary pathology: a review. J Comp Pathol 2012; 149:57-73. [PMID: 23153727 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2012.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2012] [Revised: 09/08/2012] [Accepted: 10/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Forensic veterinary pathology is a diverse discipline that is in an early phase of its development. Common challenges include estimation of the age of skin wounds and bruises, the diagnosis of drowning and estimation of the time since death. However, many details of the pathological findings related to these various aspects await validation. The 'multispecies' nature of veterinary pathology, combined with the preponderance of published observations originating from animal experimentation, rather than casework, poses two challenges. Firstly, extrapolation of results between species may jeopardize the reliability (and credibility) of the forensic opinion. Secondly, experimental studies may not truly reflect the spectrum of changes seen in actual cases (e.g. extent of injuries, infection, age and health of victim). With regard to drowning, diagnosis based on post-mortem findings remains problematical. Methods for estimation of the time since death (also known as the post-mortem interval) continue to be a major focus of study, with fresh avenues such as post-mortem diagnostic imaging offering interesting possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Munro
- Royal Veterinary College, London, UK; Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh, UK.
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A new molecular approach to help conclude drowning as a cause of death: Simultaneous detection of eight bacterioplankton species using real-time PCR assays with TaqMan probes. Forensic Sci Int 2012; 222:11-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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DiGiancamillo A, Domeneghini C, Gibelli D, Cattaneo C. Diatom extraction with HCl from animal tissues: A technical note. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2011; 13:268-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2011.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2010] [Revised: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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Applications for Drowning Identification by Planktonic Diatom Test on Rats in Forensic Medicine. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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