DNA Preservation in Skeletal Elements from the World Trade Center Disaster: Recommendations for Mass Fatality Management*,†

Abstract: The World Trade Center (WTC) victim identification effort highlights taphonomic influences on the degradation of DNA from victims of mass fatality incidents. This study uses a subset of the WTC‐Human Remains Database to evaluate differential preservation of DNA by skeletal element. Recovery location, sex, and victim type (civilian, firefighter, or plane passenger) do not appear to influence DNA preservation. Results indicate that more intact elements, as well as elements encased in soft tissue, produced slightly higher identification rates than more fragmented remains. DNA identification rates by element type conform to previous findings, with higher rates generally found in denser, weight‐bearing bones. However, smaller bones including patellae, metatarsals, and foot phalanges yielded rates comparable to both femora and tibiae. These elements can be easily sampled with a disposable scalpel, and thus reduce potential DNA contamination. These findings have implications for DNA sampling guidelines in future mass fatality incidents.     

An attempt to objectify the condition of cervical spine distortion injury in traffic accident victims for court purposes

Introduction

According to morphological criteria, cervical spine injuries include, among others, contusion, distortion, luxation and fracture. Distortion of the intervertebral articulations occurs when the force of movement exceeds the physiological range, and the articular/joint capsule, cartilage and ligaments are damaged. While within the articulation a haematoma is formed, which produces clinical manifestations such as localised idiopathic pain, tenderness to palpation and analgesic limitation on both the passive and active joint mobility (i.e., a syndrome of subjective painfulness), as reported by the patient, the diagnostic imaging techniques (i.e., regular radiograph pictures) typically applied in such cases do not show any post-traumatic changes. Distortion of the cervical spine, resulting in a post-traumatic feeling of pain, usually occurs indirectly as a result of transmission of the force of injury onto the spine, as in the case of a traffic accident. Frequently, in cases of abuse, arriving at a hasty clinical diagnosis of post-traumatic cervical spine distortion apparently presents a serious problem in giving medical opinions for court purposes; thus encouraging the authors to attempt objectifying the condition of cervical spine distortion.

Methods

In a retrospective investigation, the authors analysed the medical opinions given by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, for court purposes.

Results

Among nearly 5500 opinions in the past 5-year period, we analysed 167 cases related to cervical spine injury.

Conclusions

An attempt is made to either substantiate or negate the clinical diagnosis issued for court purposes by assessing the following: the findings of the physical examination of the person involved, the condition of the person involved in the accident from the period prior to accident (radiograph findings confirming the level of the already existing degenerative changes; age and sex of the person involved; positive or negative history of injuries sustained prior to accident), the course of treatment after the accident (character of symptoms reported and their evolution with time; co-existence of other bodily injuries; outpatient treatment instituted, including the application of Schantze collar, rehabilitation) and also the circumstances in which the accident occurred.     

Influence of rain and malathion on the oviposition and development of blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) infesting rabbit carcasses in Kelantan, Malaysia

The influence of rain and malathion on the initial oviposition as well as development of blowfly species infesting rabbit carcasses decomposing in sunlit and shaded habitats were studied over a period of 1 year in Kelantan, Malaysia. Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) was the most dominant species that infested the carcasses, followed by Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart). In general, rain, depending on its intensity, delayed initial oviposition by 1–2 days and prolonged the pupation period by 1–3 days. The presence of malathion in the carcasses delayed initial oviposition by 1–3 days and prolonged the pupation period by 2–3 days. These findings deserve consideration while estimating postmortem interval since rain is a commonplace occurrence in Malaysia and malathion is one of the common poisons as an agent for choice to commit suicide.     

Lessons learned from inter-laboratory studies of carbon isotope analysis of honey

Forensic application of carbon isotope ratio measurements of honey and honey protein to investigate the degree of adulteration with high fructose corn syrup or other C₄ plant sugars is well established. These measurements must use methods that exhibit suitable performance criteria, particularly with regard to measurement uncertainty and traceability – low levels of adulteration can only be detected by methods that result in suitably small measurement uncertainties such that differences of 1‰ or less can be reliably detected. Inter-laboratory exercises are invaluable to assess the state-of-the art of measurement capabilities of laboratories necessary to achieve such performance criteria. National and designated metrology institutes from a number of countries recently participated in an inter-laboratory assessment (CCQM-K140) of stable carbon isotope ratio determination of bulk honey. The same sample material was distributed to a number of forensic isotope analysis laboratories that could not participate directly in the metrological comparison. The results from these studies have demonstrated that the majority of participants provided isotope delta values with acceptable performance metrics; that all participants ensured traceability of their results; and that where measurement uncertainties were reported; these were fit-for-purpose. A number of the forensic laboratories only reported precision rather than full estimates of measurement uncertainty and this was the major cause of the few instances of questionable performance metrics. Reporting of standard deviations in place of measurement uncertainties is common practice outside metrology institutes and the implications for interpretations of small differences in isotopic compositions are discussed. The results have also highlighted a number of considerations that are useful for organisers of similar inter-laboratory studies in the future.     

Impact of Common Mental Health Disorders on Cognition: Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Forensic Neuropsychology Context

The assessment and diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in forensic evaluations may lack an acknowledgement of the neurocognitive impact of these disorders and how they interact with other causative factors, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), pain or fatigue. Both PTSD and depression have a complex, growing and consolidating neuroscientific and neuropsychological evidence base, and both can affect neuropsychological test results. In forensic neuropsychological assessments, they are often considered to be confounding factors in evaluating TBI and neurodegenerative disorders but not a source of cognitive impairment in their own right. Yet, an accurate neuropsychological assessment of both cognition and affect is vital to causality determination, prognosis and treatment planning. To complicate matters, selective brain injuries, contingent on the location of injury, can produce symptoms of depression that also affect the neurocognitive profile. Therefore, behavior can overlap not only due to overlapping or comorbid diagnoses, but also due to similar neuroanatomical correlates of both conditions. This paper focuses on reviewing and integrating the available empirical evidence from neuroscience and neuropsychology regarding the cognitive impact of PTSD and depression. Our critical review will emphasize the implications of the more recent evidence for forensic assessment determinations regarding causality, diagnosis, and the impact on function, prognosis and treatment. Hence, electronic search engines, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar (up to January 2018) were screened and reviewed both for the neuroscience and neuropsychological literature related to depression and PTSD.     

Localization and quantification of the nonspecific esterase in injured skin for timing of wounds.

Histochemical quantification of the nonspecific esterase (NSE) in injured skin was performed using histochemical demonstration of the enzyme and a microspectrophotometric scanning technique on specimens taken from 32 Hartley guinea-pigs and 8 cases of human skin wounds. In all antemortem incisions and lacerations, including those made at the agonal stage, NSE activity could be observed in the dermal tissue of the wound edge. The enzyme activity increases with the antemortem duration of the injuries. Both total content and mean concentration of NSE in the wound edge between antemortem and postmortem wound groups differ significantly (less than 0.01). Multiple range test shows that significant differences (P less than 0.05 or P less than 0.01) of total content of NSE in the wound edge also exist in 0-5 min, 15-30 min, 1-h, 2-h and 4-h antemortem incised wound groups and in 0-min, 5-min, 15-30 min, 1-h and 4-h antemortem laceration groups. The positive NSE reactions in 8 cases of human skin wounds were similar. The study indicates that histochemical quantification of NSE in injured skin is very useful in timing wounds and is exactly applicable in medicolegal practice. According to the different influences of inhibitors on enzymes, it was inferred that the enzyme activity in wound edges was due to B-esterase.     

Correlation of trauma and cause of death to accident reconstruction: a case of a flight accident report.

This paper reports on the disaster that occurred after a flight was hijacked at Baiyuen International Airport in Guangzhou, China, on Tuesday, 2 Oct. 1990. The authors show the results of analyses for the causes of death and trauma and compare the disaster with several previous flight accidents that have occurred in China. The authors show, with the analysis on this accident, the possibility and reliability of reconstructing a disaster by medicolegal investigation.