Cheiloscopy and blood groups: Aid in forensic identification

Triad of Cheiloscopy, Dactyloscopy, and Blood Groups: Does it Signify Anything?

Background

The knowledge and importance of blood groups emerged from transfusion medicine and its relation with certain malignancies has been proven. Its importance in forensic medicine was brought to light when its association was found with the distribution of finger patterns. Thus, few studies exist proving the relationship between dactyloscopy and blood groups. Cheiloscopy on other hand is the study of the irregularities present on the lips forming a unique arrangement called the prints of the lip.

Aim

Our paper aims at elucidating any unique combination if any that exists between prints on lips, prints of fingers, and blood grouping in a specific population, which might help in the identification of an individual.

Materials and Methods

A total of 100 subjects of age varying from 15 to 40 years were included in the study. Subjects comprised of 50 males and 50 females. All the subjects were examined and their prints of lips along with prints of their fingers were taken. Blood groups were determined for each patient using the ABO system.

Results

Type I was found to be the predominant pattern of lips and whorl arrangement was the most recorded type of fingerprint in males whereas Type II arrangement along with loop prints of fingers was most observed in the case of females. The most common blood group in males was B+ and in females was O+ . Correlation between three parameters was obtained by Pearson correlation statistical analysis.

Conclusion

The prints of the lips and fingers of an individual have never been similar and they tend to remain the same from a person's birth until his death. An association between the three things of an individual that is prints of lips, fingers, and his blood group has been tried to be elucidated through the present research to aid in forensic identification.

Dental Radiographic/Digital Radiography Technology along with Biological Agents in Human Identification

The heavy casualties associated with mass disasters necessitate substantial resources to be managed. The unexpectedly violent nature of such occurrences usually remains a problematic amount of victims that urgently require to be identified by a reliable and economical method. Conventional identification methods are inefficient in many cases such as plane crashes and fire accidents that have damaged the macrobiometric features such as fingerprints or faces. An appropriate recognition method for such cases should use features more resistant to destruction. Forensic dentistry provides the most appropriate available method for the successful identification of victims using careful techniques and precise data interpretation. Since bones and teeth are the most persistent parts of the demolished bodies in sudden mass disasters, scanning and radiographs are unrepeatable parts of forensic dentistry. Forensic dentistry as a scientific method of human remain identification has been considerably referred to be efficient in disasters. Forensic dentistry can be used for either "sex and age estimation," "Medical biotechnology techniques," or "identification with dental records," etc. The present review is aimed at discussing the development and implementation of forensic dentistry methods for human identification. For this object, the literature from the last decade has been searched for the innovations in forensic dentistry for human identification based on the PubMed database.

VIRDENTOPSY: Virtual Dental Autopsy and Remote Forensic Odontology Evaluation

The identification of human remains relies on the comparison of post-mortem data, collected during the autopsy, with the ante-mortem data gathered from the missing persons' reports. DNA, fingerprints, and dental data are considered primary identifiers and are usually collected during any human identification process. Post-mortem dental data should be collected and analyzed by forensic odontologists, as a dental autopsy must not be confused with a dental examination. The virdentopsy project was inaugurated in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to allow the correct process of human remains by collecting dental data from teeth and jaws, which was then transmitted to forensic odontologists remotely for an expert opinion to achieve a generic profile of the unidentified human remains. The post-mortem dental biography is paramount to narrow the search for compatible missing persons but requires knowledge and experience of forensic odontologists. The virdentopsy process uses radiographic imaging (periapical X-rays, CT scans, panoramics), 2D/3D photos and video recording, photogrammetry documentation, 3D scanning, and live streaming where possible. This registered term was created by merging the terms "virtual" and "dental autopsy" but with no commercial benefits. The proposed process combines research topics under the field of the human rights of the dead and humanitarian forensic odontology services. It should enhance and accelerate the human identification process of the deceased, age estimation of the living, analysis of panoramic X-ray images, and be an educational tool for remote live training in forensic odontology and anatomy of skulls. This paper presents an overview of the virdentopsy process in the field of forensic odontology as a remote consultation as well as an educational tool for undergraduates and postgraduates.

Lip print identification: Current perspectives

Lip print identification has been proposed as an additional tool for crime investigation because of the supposed uniqueness of labial grooves; however, critics of the validity and reliability for methods and techniques redefined standards and requirements in order to consider this discipline a real forensic identification science. During our research we identified recent literature, presented here, which although extensive, have focused almost entirely on anthropological topics with outdated references which were not from primary sources and, furthermore, were erroneously quoted. Currently, authors continue to use the concept of lip pattern uniqueness, yet the greatest part of their research has failed to support this hypothesis under current scientific standards. Concepts and designs needed to evaluate materials for lip print development - the isolation of DNA, evaluation of inter-rater reliability in identifying their patterns or known potential rate of error - are scarcely mentioned in the reviewed literature. Lip print identification has been important historically, but the new paradigm makes the redefinition of the current research necessary to stop guesswork and speculation.

Assessment of Effectiveness of Barleria prionitis on Oral Health

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of Barleria prionitis extract mouthwash in comparison with gold standard chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash on the oral health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 30 subjects were randomly divided into two groups, B. prionitis group and the CHX gluconate mouthwash group. The data were collected at the baseline and 3 days. The plaque was disclosed using erythrosine disclosing agent and their scores were recorded using the Quigley and Hein plaque index modified by Turesky-Gilmore-Glickman. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the effect of the two drug regime.

RESULTS

Our result showed that the CHX and the B. prionitis were statistically equally effective against dental plaque. Although the action of CHX was more pronounced.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has confirmed antimicrobial potential of the plant B. prionitis, thus supporting its folklore application as preventive remedy against oral microbial diseases.

SUMMARY

Within the limitation of this trial, herbal mouthwash has been shown to demonstrate similar effects on plaque as compared to the standard drug CHX. Further long term research needs to be done to check the efficacy and effectiveness of herbal products over standard drug regime.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder and alternative medicine therapies among dentists of North India: A descriptive study

AIM

Health professionals especially the dental professional are the frequent targets of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be of some help in managing these MSD especially in. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of CAM therapies as a treatment modality for MSD management among dental professionals of north India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Registered dentist of North Indian origin, India (n = 3598) were included in the study. The questionnaire was sent to all the dentists which consisted of the demographic profile, MSD in the past year, CAM therapies utilization and opinion about CAM therapies. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 21 and data were presented in tabular and graphic form. Test of significance was done using chi-square statistics with P < 0.05 considered as significant.

RESULTS

A response rate of 80% (n = 2879) was obtained, and all complained of MDS in some or the other part of their life. The use of CAM was reported among 70% (n = 2015) of the dentist who suffered from MSD. Other dentists either used conventional treatment or did not use anything.

CONCLUSION

As the name implies, alternative medical systems is a category that extends beyond a single modality and refers to an entire system of theory and practice that developed separately from conventional medicine. CAM should be subject to rigorous scientific inquiry so that interventions that work are systematically distinguished from those that do not. In addition, the use of CAM treatments should be based on evidence of effectiveness and safety as demonstrated in randomized clinical trials.