Implant Bone Integration Importance in Forensic Identification

Odontological identification consists of the comparison of antemortem dental information regarding a missing person with postmortem data from an unidentified corpse or human remains. Usually, the comparison concerns morphologic features that the operator chooses among all the visible characteristics because of inter‐individual uniqueness; for this reason, implants can be of enormous assistance. A case concerning the recovery of a burnt oral implant, connected to a bone fragment, among 2780 charred bone fragments, suspected to have belonged to a victim of homicide, is presented to demonstrate that dental implants and their site of bone integration represent a very precious element for personal forensic identification. Because of their morphological invariability in time and because of their morphologic uniqueness, they were used as evidence to associate unidentified human charred remains to a missing person where DNA analysis failed to do so. The case illustrates the fundamental contribution, not yet described in literature, given by the clinical aspects of tooth replacement with dental implants to a forensic discipline. Clinical practitioners should therefore be aware of the great importance of their work and of dental records in a forensic identification scenario.     

基于ITS2条形码序列对新型“香料”毒品植物成分的研究

目的应用DNA条形码片段ITS2对新型毒品样品中的植物成分进行分析。方法提取可疑毒品样本"spike99","K2","7号"中的植物基因组DNA,用ITS2通用引物进行扩增,对扩增产物进行测序,对序列校对拼接,应用BLAST方法在NCBI数据库中比对。结果 "spike 99"、"7号"各得到1条ITS2基因序列,"K2"得到2条ITS2基因序列,分别与紫花苜蓿、大麻、啤酒花、黄蜀葵的ITS2基因序列的同源性为100%。结论应用条形码技术可以成功分析新型毒品中的植物种属,为案件中植物样本的种属鉴定提供方法。     

非制式枪支射击自制底火子弹弹壳痕迹检验

由制式64式手枪改制的枪支,其射击弹头、弹壳上的痕迹位置、形态也因改制手法和部件的不同而存在差异,给检验增加了难度,利用其射击弹头、弹壳上的痕迹对发射枪支进行同一认定具有重要的意义。本案中,笔者在非制式64式手枪的拉壳钩上使用颜色标记,并对标记枪支发射的带有自制底火的改制弹壳进行检验,从而对拉壳钩在异常位置遗留的痕迹进行了确认,为使用异常位置拉壳钩痕迹进行发射枪支的同一认定提供了依据。     

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires,

Forensic anthropologists are regularly asked to assist with the identification of unknown individuals using comparative medical radiography. This study addressed the use of midline medical sternotomy wires as a means for personal identification. Antemortem and postmortem radiographic comparisons were completed by 46 professional forensic anthropologists and anthropology graduate students familiar with comparative medical radiography as a technique for assessing identification. Participants were asked to make five radiographic matches from a pool of 20 radiographs. Participants also completed an anonymous survey detailing their education level and experience making radiographic comparisons. Participants were 99.5% accurate in matching the radiographs. Sensitivity was 98.7%, and specificity was 99.7%. Logistic regression analysis found no statistically significant differences in the participants' ability to make a correct match. As the high accuracy rates indicate, the shape, size, and various characteristics of the sternotomy wires are individualizing and can confidently be used when assisting with personal identification cases.     

Understanding Variations of Soil Mapping Units and Associated Data for Forensic Science

Soil samples have potential to be useful in forensic investigations, but their utility may be limited due to the inherent variability of soil properties, the wide array of analytical methods, and complexity of data analysis. This study examined the differentiation of similar soils based on both gross (texture, color, mineralogy) and explicit soil properties (elemental composition, cation exchange, Fe‐oxyhydroxides). Soils were collected from Fallbrook and adjacent map units from Riverside and San Diego Counties in California. Samples were characterized using multiple techniques, including chemical extracts, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results were analyzed using multiple analytical approaches to compare counties and land uses. Some analyses (XRD, extractions) were better at distinguishing among samples than others (color, texture). Ratios of rare earth elements were particularly useful for distinguishing samples between counties. This potential to “fingerprint” soils illustrates the usefulness of a comprehensive soil database for criminal investigators.     

Identification of Missing Norwegian World War II Soldiers,in Karelia Russia

This article presents the multidisciplinary effort in trying to identify the skeletal remains of 100 Norwegian soldiers serving in the German army, killed in Karelia Russia in 1944, from the recovery of the remains through the final identification using DNA. Of the 150 bone samples sent for DNA testing, 93 DNA profiles were obtained relating to 57 unique individuals. The relatives could not be directly contacted as the soldiers were considered as traitors to Norway; therefore, only 45 reference samples, relating to 42 cases of the missing, were donated. DNA matches for 14 soldiers and 12 additional body part re‐associations for these individuals were found. Another 24 bone samples were re‐associated with 16 individuals, but no familial match was found. More than six decades after the end of WWII, DNA analysis can significantly contribute to the identification of the remains.     

Response Assessment of Thermal Papers from Four Continents to Fingerprint Development by Heat

Latent fingerprint deposits on thermal paper sourced from the U.S., China, the U.K., and Australia have been visualized by heating. U.S. and Chinese sourced paper produced two distinct types of fingerprint development. In one type (type 1), the paper dye colors where the deposit is present (as previously reported) and in the other type (type 2) the ‘inverse’ of this gives paper coloring only in areas not coincident with the deposit. Both development types gave identifiable fingerprints, the majority fading within 24 h of heating. Fingerprint development from U.K. and Australian sourced paper was exclusively type 1 and resistant to fading. Temperatures for fingerprint visualization were higher for U.S. paper (64–71°C) and Chinese paper (75–95°C) than for U.K. and Australian sourced paper (43–50°C). Particularly for Chinese sourced paper, these temperatures were within a few degrees of the normal paper color temperature. A mechanism for type 2 fingerprint development is proposed.     

Identification of Natural Images and Computer‐Generated Graphics Based on Statistical and Textural Features

To discriminate the acquisition pipelines of digital images, a novel scheme for the identification of natural images and computer‐generated graphics is proposed based on statistical and textural features. First, the differences between them are investigated from the view of statistics and texture, and 31 dimensions of feature are acquired for identification. Then, LIBSVM is used for the classification. Finally, the experimental results are presented. The results show that it can achieve an identification accuracy of 97.89% for computer‐generated graphics, and an identification accuracy of 97.75% for natural images. The analyses also demonstrate the proposed method has excellent performance, compared with some existing methods based only on statistical features or other features. The method has a great potential to be implemented for the identification of natural images and computer‐generated graphics.     

Who's Afraid of WikiLeaks? Missed Opportunities in Political Science Research

Leaked information, such as WikiLeaks’ Cablegate, constitutes a unique and valuable data source for researchers interested in a wide variety of policy‐oriented topics. Yet political scientists have avoided using leaked information in their research. This article argues that we can and should use leaked information as a data source in scholarly research. First, the methodological, ethical, and legal challenges related to the use of leaked information in research have been considered, concluding that none of these present serious obstacles. Second, how political scientists can use leaked information to generate novel and unique insights concerning political phenomena using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods have been shown. Specifically, how leaked documents reveal important details concerning the Trans‐Pacific Partnership negotiations, and how leaked diplomatic cables highlight a significant disparity between the U.S. government's public attitude toward traditional knowledge and its private behavior have been demonstrated.     

刑事鉴定质量控制体系构建

针对刑事鉴定质量方面存在的问题,应确立刑事鉴定质量控制的标准,建立刑事鉴定质量控制体系。具体地说,应从明确鉴定人及其鉴定机构职责,完善鉴定结论标准,规范鉴定材料收集、保全等过程,完善刑事鉴定法律程序等方面对刑事鉴定质量实行控制。