Ultraviolet illumination as an adjunctive aid in dental inspection

Tooth-colored resin fillings have become increasingly popular as restorative materials. Their presence in the dentition presents a challenge to the clinician and the forensic odontologist, as detection of the fillings can be difficult both visually and radiographically. As they necessarily form part of the unique dentition of an individual, recognition of the resins is important for forensic identification. Alternative light sources have been used with success in various fields of forensic science. In recent years small LED flashlights emitting at specific wavelengths in the ultraviolet light (UV) range have been developed. Their low cost, small size, and ready availability makes their use practical in both forensic dental inspection and clinical settings. UV inspection is of interest because enamel, dentin and dental materials all have differing fluorescent properties when illuminated by UV light. It was one goal of this research to quantitatively assess the fluorescence properties of modern restorative resins in order to predict their behavior during inspection using UV illumination. The second goal was to demonstrate practical use of UV in dental inspection with examples of how different materials fluoresce. Quantitative measurements were obtained for optical emission wavelength and intensity for 15 modern resins using a spectrophotometer. Results indicated that resin brands fluoresce at different wavelengths and with varying intensities. Practical use and comparison of the flashlights revealed that the most useful excitation wavelengths for resin detection were in the UVA range (365 and 380 nm). Porcelain restorations and composite resin fillings exhibited different responses to these two wavelengths and thus use of both is recommended for forensic dental inspection.     

Uniqueness of the Dentition as Impressed in Human Skin: A Cadaver Model*

Abstract: Bitemark interpretation assumes that the human dentition is unique and that its attributes can be accurately transferred to skin. A cadaver model was used to investigate whether the correct biter could be determined from similarly aligned dentitions once the dentitions were impressed in human skin. One‐hundred dental stone models, which were measured and determined to be unique, were divided into 10 groups based upon similarities of mal‐alignment patterns. One model was randomly selected from each group and bites were produced on unembalmed human cadavers. Metric/angular measurements and hollow volume overlays of the models were compared with the bites made. The percentage of dentitions from each group as well as the 100 dental model population that could not be excluded as the biter was determined. Results showed difficulty distinguishing the biter from individuals with similarly aligned dentitions and in some cases, an incorrect biter appeared better correlated to the bite.     

PACT: A Collaborative Team Model for Treating High Conflict Families in Family Court

This article describes a court‐community model program for high conflict divorced families that is designed to reduce the level of inter‐parental conflict including: a) child exposure to inter‐parental conflict; and b) the frequency of re‐litigation over residential arrangements and parenting plans. The six‐session (16‐hour) program combines conflict resolution and group/community support. The program provides a “Personal Support Team” and “Personal Plan of Action” to help each parent control emotions and maintain agreement. The results of research conducted to explore the effect of the program on level of triangulation and inter‐parental conflict, as well as the frequency of re‐litigation over parenting plans, residential arrangements, and parenting time are reported.     

Does Eligibility for Protection Orders Prevent Repeat Abuse of Domestic Abuse Victims in Caribbean States?

The English-speaking Caribbean state of Barbados enacted protection orders legislation in 1992. The goal was to protect household members from domestic abuse inflicted by those with whom they live. To understand the impact of this policy, the study utilized a survival analysis model to test the hypothesis that eligibility for protection orders on Barbados contributed to a significantly lower hazard of repeat abuse for women, compared to women on St. Kitts where protection orders were not available. Data were drawn from police reports that document incidents of domestic abuse reported on Barbados and St. Kitts where high rates of domestic abuse persist. The study found only a negligible difference between the hazard of repeat abuse of women on St. Kitts and women on Barbados.

‘Bread and butter’ human rights: NGOs in Fiji

While ‘rights-based’ approaches to development – those in which development and poverty alleviation are viewed through the lens of human rights – have become the language of choice among the international development community, less is known about how human rights are used for development at the local level. Using a case study of Fiji, this research investigates how local NGOs understand and use human rights for development. It demonstrates some of the tensions involved in translating broad and supposedly universal approaches to human rights into local contexts.     

The lived experience of adults bereaved by suicide: a phenomenological study

In recent years, a plethora of research studies have attempted to delineate the grief experiences associated with suicide from those of other sudden traumatic deaths. The emerging consensus suggests that bereavement through suicide is more similar than different to other bereavements, but is characterized by the reactions of shame, stigma, and self-blame. The causal nature of these reactions has yet to be fully understood. This study reports on the lived experiences of eight adults bereaved by suicides, which were obtained through in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four main themes dominated the relatives' grief experiences. First, the early months were checkered by attempts to "control the impact of the death." The second theme was the overwhelming need to "make sense of the death" and this was coupled with a third theme, a marked "social uneasiness." Finally, participants had an eventual realization of a sense of "purposefulness" in their lives following the suicide death. Overall, the findings suggest that suicide bereavement is molded and shaped by the bereaved individual's life experiences with the deceased and their perceptions following social interactions after the event. The findings from this study suggest that "meaning making" may be an important variable in furthering our understanding of the nuances in suicide bereavement.     

An Autopsy Case of Sudden Unexplained Death Caused by Malaria*

Abstract: Sudden unexplained deaths, especially those unwitnessed can lead to forensic issues and would necessitate the need for a meticulous and complete postmortem examination including ancillary investigations to discover the cause of death. We herein report a case of sudden unexplained death caused by malaria in an apparently healthy individual. This fatal case is presented to remind the forensic pathologist of the possibility of malaria as a cause of sudden unexplained death in malaria‐endemic regions. In the present case, histopathological examination demonstrated the presence of parasitized red blood cells with malarial pigment in the blood capillaries in the brain, myocardium, pericardium, lungs, kidneys, liver, and the spleen. Cerebral malaria with acute renal insufficiency or pulmonary edema with an acute respiratory distress syndrome might have been the cause of death.     

The Response of Skin to Applied Stress: Investigation of Bitemark Distortion in a Cadaver Model*

Abstract: Knowledge of distortional properties of skin is important in bitemark analysis. Thus, the response of skin to stress from bites was investigated. Four sets of models were created from the dentition of one individual. Anterior teeth were systematically removed to vary contact surface area. A biting apparatus was constructed with an integrated load cell. Forty‐six bites were created perpendicular to Langer lines on six cadavers. Rate of force application and bite pressure were controlled. Metric/angular measurement and hollow volume overlays were employed. Distortion produced by each dentition was calculated and assessed. Results showed that as teeth impressed loose tissue, mesial/distal distance increased, angles of rotation flattened, and inter‐canine distance lengthened. An opposite effect was seen in tight tissue. When the surface area of the dentition was reduced, a mixture of these effects was observed. Conclusions indicated that stiffness of the tissue was the most important variable in bitemark distortion.     

INTERDISCIPLINARY LAW AND PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY

The opportunity to do interdisciplinary research and training is both exciting and daunting. As Indiana University forges a partnership between law and psychology, graduate and law students are on the frontlines of the collaboration—present for both the rewards and the challenges of bringing two disciplines together. We are grateful for this chance to represent the voices of students involved in interdisciplinary training and education. As a third-year law student at Indiana School of Law (M.N.) and a first-year graduate student in Clinical Psychology at Indiana University (R.B.), we respond to the following questions about our interdisciplinary experiences in law and psychology. ¹