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Marshall M, Chraïbi V, Morgan R. Colonization of diatoms in and on porcine bone substrate and considerations of diatom ecology for forensic science. J Forensic Sci 2023; 68:1237-1244. [PMID: 37287334 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The presence of diatom algae in bone marrow has been used as forensic evidence of drowning for several decades; however, these studies are based on known or suspected recent drowning events. This study addresses the potential for diatoms to enter the bone marrow of skeletal remains, that is, de-fleshed long bones post-mortem. In laboratory and field experiments, bones were either inflicted with two access points by a cut and acid pitting or left intact. The bones were submerged in water for at least 1 week and up to 3 months. Samples of the bone surface and marrow were inspected for diatoms. The analysis considered the time required for diatoms to enter marrow and whether genus characteristics like size or mobility affect entry. The presence of an access point influenced diatom entry in that bones without an introduced access point had zero to one diatom present in the marrow, whereas a bone with an access point had >150 diatoms present in the marrow. The results of both laboratory and field phases suggest that diatoms will reliably colonize bone in as quickly as 1 week, establishing and maintaining communities for at least 3 months. However, the bone surface assemblages differ from the source community. Bone marrow displayed even more restrictive access to diatom colonization, resulting in communities dominated by small raphid diatoms. Based on these findings, we suggest some caveats on the use of diatoms as trace evidence in forensic science with recommendations for future avenues of research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ryan Morgan
- Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas, USA
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2
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Kasprzyk I. Forensic botany: who?, how?, where?, when? Sci Justice 2023; 63:258-275. [PMID: 36870705 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Plants are a good source of biological forensic evidence; this is due to their ubiquity, their ability to collect reference material, and their sensitivity to environmental changes. However, in many countries, botanical evidence is recognised as being scientifically. Botanical evidence is not mostly used for perpertration, instead it tends to serve as circumstantial evidence. Plant materials constitute the basis, among others, for linking a suspect or object to a crime scene or a victim, confirming or not confirming an alibi, determining the post-mortem interval, and determining the origin of food/object. Forensic botany entails field work, knowledge of plants, understanding ecosystem processes, and a basis understaning of geoscience. In this study, experiments with mammal cadavers were conducted to determine the occurence of an event. The simplest criterion characterising botanical evidence is its size. Therefore, macroremains include whole plants or their larger fragments (e.g. tree bark, leaves, seeds, prickles, and thorns), whereas microscopic evidence includes palynomorphs (spores and pollen grains), diatoms, and tissues. Botanical methods allow for an analysis to be repeated multiple times and the test material is easy to collect in the field. Forensic botany can be supplemented with molecular analyses, which, although specific and sensitive, still require validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idalia Kasprzyk
- Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Al. Rejtana 16c, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland.
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3
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Cubbage H, Macey C, Scott K. Macroscopic assessment of environmental trace evidence dynamics in forensic settings. Sci Justice 2023; 63:376-386. [PMID: 37169463 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Environmental trace evidence offers useful circumstantial intelligence to link persons and scenes of forensic interest. An increasing empirical research base is dedicated towards understanding the transfer and persistence dynamics of environmental indicators including pollen, soils, and diatoms, within a diverse range of experimental frameworks. This paper presents two discrete studies exploring transfer and persistence of soils and sediments on footwear and diatomaceous earth adhered to clothing in forensically pertinent scenarios. Variables including sediment type, foot position, clothing type, and body positioning were also explored throughout. Both experiments incorporated a field-based methodology during the sampling effort. Photographs were collected of an initial transfer sample and of a retained assemblage following hours, days, and up to one-week of wear, facilitating macroscopic assessment of trace evidence dynamics. All images were processed using accessible, open-source software before spatial analysis of evidence distribution within and temporal assessment (% retention) upon each evidential surface. The results highlighted consistent loss of transferred sediment from footwear with significantly greater retention of loamy clay soil than dune sand which was absent beyond 24 h of wear. Loss was not influenced by wearer gait but was more rapid from those areas of the shoe sole in direct contact with the ground. Diatomaceous earth was retrieved from all three clothing types tested after one week - significant losses of material occurred before 48 h with a consistent assemblage identified beyond this. Denim was significantly more effective than acrylic and fleece for diatomaceous earth retention and significantly more material was lost from clothing worn on the lower body. These findings highlight the value of using visual environmental markers and a macroscopic analytical approach during the investigation of environmental trace dynamics. The methodology offers a novel, non-destructive assessment of soil and diatom transfer and persistence, complementing more extensive laboratory-based examinations to ensure the development of a well-rounded research base within the forensic sciences.
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Bogusz I, Bogusz M, Żelazna-Wieczorek J. Diatoms from inland aquatic and soil habitats as indestructible and nonremovable forensic environmental evidence. J Forensic Sci 2022; 67:1490-1504. [PMID: 35234286 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15017] [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: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Environmental analysis of soil, water, and plants plays a key role in the criminal investigation process, as it not only provides information about the course of the crime, but it can also elucidate the connection between the offender, the victim, and the environment. One particularly useful way of linking the victim and offender to a specific environment is by analyzing their clothing for the presence of diatoms. The present research was conducted upon field experiments. Firstly, it examines the variability of diatom and the quantitative analysis of diatom communities in designated places, each at an increasing distance from the aquatic ecosystem. Secondly, it analyses the differentiation of the structure of diatom communities in designated environments located close to each other. Thirdly, it examines the diatom colonization of selected substrates: cotton, chamois leather, and sponge. Finally, it confirms whether the diatoms which transfer to socks after contact with the selected environment reflect the structure of the diatom communities in that environment, even after the socks had been washed. Our findings indicate that diatom communities vary considerably, even between environments separated by short distances, and that objects placed in a particular environment are colonized by diatoms that reflect the environmental samples, irrespective of the substrate. In addition, after contact with a specific aquatic ecosystem, sock material retained diatom collections that reflected the environment samples, even though the time of exposure was very short and after the socks had been washed. This provides valuable information that can be used as forensic evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Bogusz
- Special Training Unit, Police Training Centre in Legionowo, Legionowo, Poland.,Department of Algology and Mycology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Marek Bogusz
- Forensic Medicine Department of Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland.,Department of Algology and Mycology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Joanna Żelazna-Wieczorek
- Department of Algology and Mycology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
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5
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Scott KR, Jones VJ, Cameron NG, Young JM, Morgan RM. Freshwater diatom persistence on clothing II: Further analysis of species assemblage dynamics over investigative timescales. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 326:110897. [PMID: 34411937 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Diatoms are a useful form of environmental trace evidence, yielding a circumstantial link between persons and scenes of forensic interest. A developing empirical research base has sought to understand those factors affecting the transfer and persistence of freshwater diatoms on clothing and footwear surfaces. Although an initial study has demonstrated that diatoms can persist on clothing following weeks of wear, no previous research has explored the temporal dynamics of a persistent species assemblage over timescales pertinent to forensic investigations. This study therefore aimed to determine if: (1) valve morphology (size and shape) influences diatom persistence, (2) the relative abundance of taxa within an assemblage affects retention, and (3) a persistent diatom assemblage retrieved from clothing after one month can reliably be compared to the site of initial transfer. To build on previous research findings which highlighted the impact of substrate and environmental seasonality on diatom transfer and persistence, here, nine clothing materials were tested in spring before a seasonal comparison in the winter. Fabric swatches were immersed in a freshwater river, worn attached to clothing, and subsamples retrieved at regular intervals (hours, days, weeks) up to one month post-immersion. Diatoms were extracted using a H2O2 technique and analysed via microscopy. The results indicated that smaller diatoms (< 10 µm) are retained in significantly greater abundance, with no statistically significant difference between centric and pennate diatom loss over time. Although a persistent species assemblage was relatively stable over the one month of wear, significant differences were identified between clothing substrate in the spring and between the seasonal samples. The most abundant environmental taxa were consistently identified in the forensic samples, with greater variability attributed to the retention of relatively less common species. The findings suggest that, despite a loss in the abundance and species-richness of diatoms retrieved from clothing over time, a persistent assemblage may provide a useful circumstantial link to the site of initial transfer. The complex relationships between clothing type, environmental seasonality, and time since wear on retention, emphasise the need for diatom trace evidence to be carefully interpreted within an exclusionary framework, and the significance of any casework findings to be determined with reference to empirical evidence bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Scott
- School of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, United Kingdom; Department of Security & Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom; Centre for the Forensic Sciences, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom.
| | - V J Jones
- Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, Department of Geography, North West Wing, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - N G Cameron
- Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, Department of Geography, North West Wing, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - J M Young
- College of Science & Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - R M Morgan
- Department of Security & Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom; Centre for the Forensic Sciences, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom
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Freshwater diatom persistence on clothing I: A quantitative assessment of trace evidence dynamics over time. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 325:110898. [PMID: 34247142 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Freshwater diatoms offer valuable circumstantial forensic indicators, with a growing empirical research base aiming to identify and understand some of the spatial and temporal factors affecting their validity as trace evidence. Previous studies demonstrated that recipient surface characteristics, environmental variability, and individual species traits influence the initial transfer of freshwater diatoms to clothing. However, no previous research has sought to consider the impact of these and other variables on the persistence of transferred diatoms over investigative timescales. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and explore diatom retention dynamics on clothing following wear over time (hours to weeks). A series of experiments were designed to examine the impact of clothing material, seasonality, and time since wear (persistence interval) on the total number and species-richness of diatoms recovered and their relative retention (%) over time. Nine clothing swatches were immersed in a freshwater environment and then worn for one month in the spring. Subsamples were retrieved at regular intervals (e.g. 30 mins, 1 h, 8 h, 24 h) up to one month, diatoms were extracted using a H2O2 method, and examined microscopically. Three clothing materials were subject to the same experiment in the winter to generate a seasonal comparison. The results broadly identified three stages of diatom persistence on clothing - rapid initial loss, variable intermediate decay, and sustained long-term presence. Clothing material significantly impacted the number of diatoms recovered and retention dynamics over time, with complex interactions identified with seasonality. Although fewer diatoms were recovered in the winter, overall retention trends were consistent at the different times of year. The findings demonstrate that diatoms can be recovered from clothing, even weeks or months after an initial transfer, yielding a useful environmental trace indicator for forensic reconstructions over investigative timescales. The impact of clothing material and seasonality on persistence identified cotton, acrylic, and viscose clothing as the most reliable temporal repository of diatom trace evidence, with a more abundant forensic assemblage available for forensic comparisons in the spring.
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Jiang L, Xiao C, Zhao J, Jiang T, Lin J, Xu Q, Liu C, Cai W. Development of 18S rRNA gene arrays for forensic detection of diatoms. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 317:110482. [PMID: 33142211 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Diatom test is the most commonly used method to diagnose drowning in forensic laboratories. However, microscopic examination and identification of diatom frustules is time-consuming and requires taxonomic expertise. At present, the identification of drowning is still a challenge in forensic casework. In this study, we developed a novel diatom microarray based on the detection of specific 18S rRNA gene fragments of diatom species. The array covers 169 diatom species which were documented as commonly found in a wide range of fresh waters in China. Diatom arrays were prepared from species specific oligonucleotide probes targeting to variable regions of the 18S rRNA gene. We also developed an auxiliary sample preparation method for isolation of diatom DNA from tissues, which enabled detection of diatom species in real forensic samples as well as environmental waters. We applied the diatom arrays to analyze six drowned cases and eight environmental samples. The diatom arrays showed much better sensitivity and more consistent results than those of the conventional SEM methods. We discovered major discrepancies between results generated by the diatom arrays and the routinely used SEM based diatom tests. We verified the results of our diatom arrays by species specific PCR and Sanger sequencing and found that the currently used SEM diatom test method has a serious deficiency in sensitivity due to high loss rate of frustules in the sample preparation procedure. We anticipate that the application of diatom arrays will transform current forensic practice of diagnosing drowning deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jiang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Cheng Xiao
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 1037, China
| | - Jun Lin
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Quyi Xu
- Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Chao Liu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Weiwen Cai
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
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Transferability of Australian diatoms to clothing: Assessment of several extraction methods on different fabric types under laboratory conditions. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 312:110297. [PMID: 32470894 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Crime scene investigation protocols and procedures are well established when concerning terrestrial environments, but are limited when associated with aquatic environments. In aquatic contexts, the soil, sediments and microscopic algae (e.g. diatoms) may all be used as sources of trace evidence for criminal investigations. Diatoms are one such source that can be used to support the diagnosis of death by drowning and can be used to verify contact between a suspect and a specific water body. For the latter, diatoms can be collected from clothing and shoes for forensic comparisons. Over the years, there have been several methods proposed for the extraction of diatoms from clothing, however, a best practice method is yet to be established and is still open to debate. The present research represents the first investigation that evaluates four different methods for the extraction of native and common Australian diatom species from four different types of fabrics. Diatoms of two different species and shape (pennate and centric) were cultivated in stimulated experimental waters - prepared using either monocultures or mixed cultures of the selected diatoms. Diatom concentrations were set to mimic the natural population (low to bloom events) as commonly found in the Swan River Estuary of Western Australia. Cotton, denim, blend, and acrylic fabric types were placed in experimental waters. Diatom extraction was attempted using methods already proposed in the literature, these include: rinsing with ethanol (RE); rinsing with ethanol together with the application of centrifugal force (RECF); digestion with hydrogen peroxide (H); and a new method of ashing that has never been tested before (dry ash, DA). Results of this research showed that a) the type and the concentration of the mono and mix diatom mixtures significantly affects the transfer and extraction from different types of fabric; b) a noticeable extraction difference is observed between the fabrics, establishing denim, acrylic and blend fabrics as possessing the better extraction rates; c) H treatment had the highest extraction rate of diatoms; d) the application of centrifugal force on the RE method significantly improved the extraction of diatoms; e) DA is a potential method for the extraction of pennate-shaped diatoms from all of the tested fabrics, however, does have a tendency to induce modifications of the morphological structure of the diatoms. Overall, the application of different extraction methods is suggested to maximise the extraction of diatoms that would closely reflect their natural assemblage in the water body under investigation.
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Zhou Y, Cao Y, Huang J, Deng K, Ma K, Zhang T, Chen L, Zhang J, Huang P. Research advances in forensic diatom testing. Forensic Sci Res 2020; 5:98-105. [PMID: 32939425 PMCID: PMC7476611 DOI: 10.1080/20961790.2020.1718901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In forensic practice, it is difficult to determine whether a dead body in the water resulted from drowning or from disposal after death. Diatom testing is currently an important supporting technique for the determination of death by drowning and of drowning sites, even though it is a time-consuming and laborious task. This article reviews the development of diatom testing over the decades and discusses a new method for the potential application of deep learning in diatom testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, China
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Huhhot, China
| | - Yongjie Cao
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiao Huang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Kaifei Deng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaijun Ma
- Institute of Forensic Science Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianye Zhang
- Institute of Forensic Science Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau, Shanghai, China
| | - Liqin Chen
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Huhhot, China
| | - Ji Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, China
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Examining the transfer of soils to clothing materials: Implications for forensic investigations. Forensic Sci Int 2019; 305:110030. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.110030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Scott K, Morgan R, Cameron N, Jones V. Freshwater diatom transfer to clothing: Spatial and temporal influences on trace evidence in forensic reconstructions. Sci Justice 2019; 59:292-305. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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