bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Open Air Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Authors: Jumbelic MI 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
An unusual manner of carbon monoxide poisoning claimed the lives of two adults in two separate incidents. In the first case, a young man was four wheeling in a swampy area when his jeep became stuck in the mud as he continued to floor the accelerator. Carbon monoxide fumes entered the vehicle through the rusted floorboards, killing the driver. In the second case, two teens were skinny dipping behind a motor boat when they became affected by the boat exhaust. One of the youths was overcome and submerged into the lake. Both incidents were initially attributed to incorrect causes—a car accident and a drowning—because of the false notion that carbon monoxide is not a hazard in a ventilated area. The carboxyhemoglobin levels in these victims were 78 and 62% respectively. It was only through laboratory testing that carbon monoxide poisoning was identified as the cause of their demise. Physicians as well as the public need to be aware of the potential for this life threatening hazard to occur so that there can be proper emergency treatment and the prevention of fatalities.
Tetrachloroethylene Intoxication in an Autoerotic Fatality
Authors: Isenschmid DS , Cassin BJ , Hepler BR , Kanluen S 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
This case report describes an accidental death due to the inhalation of tetrachloroethylene during an autoerotic episode. Tetrachloroethylene was administered from a can of Fix-A-Flat tire repair. Analysis of tetrachloroethylene was performed using headspace gas chromatography and electron capture detection. The blood tetrachloroethylene concentration of 62 mg/L was consistent with acute tetrachloroethylene intoxication.
Case Report of an Unusual Use of Lidocaine During Episodes of Self Mutilation
Authors: Gaillard Y , Pepin G 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
We are reporting on a case of polyintoxication by cocaine, lidocaine, methadone, and dextromoramide. This conclusion is supported by the analysis of a strand of hair. We note for the first time the detection of dextromoramide as well as lidocaine and desethyl-lidocaine in hair. Concentrations in hair were: cocaine = 2.4 ng/mg, benzoylecgonine = 0.3 ng/mg, methadone = 10.2 ng/mg, EDDP = 1.5 ng/mg, dextromoramide = 1.6 ng/mg, lidocaine = 115.9 ng/mg and desethyl-lidocaine = 1.6 ng/mg. The victim who was seeking an anesthesia effect without the loss of consciousness ingested cocktails during episodes of self mutilation. The wounds were of two different types and with different morphological locations: long and deep without ablation of tissue, clean lacerations found on the neck, the pectoral region, and the left upper extremity; either round or discoid with deep excavation found on the head (ears, forehead, chin, and lips) and also, on the neck and on the left upper extremity. Near the most recent wounds, needle marks were noticed indicating probable local infiltration of lidocaine.
Lack of Effect of Tongue Piercing on an Evidential Breath Alcohol Test
Authors: Logan BK , Gullberg RG 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Defendants in several driving under the influence cases have asserted that the presence in the mouth of a metal stud through a hole pierced in the tongue invalidates the breath alcohol test because of the prohibition against foreign substances in the mouth, and because of the potential for the jewelry to retain alcohol and interfere with the breath test. Rates of mouth alcohol elimination were evaluated in two subjects with pierced tongues and in two control subjects. No differences in the mouth alcohol elimination patterns were observed. The 15 min alcohol deprivation period prior to the test ensures no effect from residual mouth alcohol. For the purposes of breath alcohol testing, oral jewelry should be treated in the same manner as dental work, and may be left in place during the test without affecting its outcome.
Special Communication
Authors: Henderson C 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
At the 49th Annual Meeting of the AAFS in New York, a new educational venue was offered: the Academy-Wide Luncheon. Modeled after the breakfast seminars, the luncheon seminars try to feature presentations on intellectually challenging and stimulating topics by distinguished speakers. We reproduce here, as a service to readers, one of the presentations at the inaugural Academy-Wide luncheon seminar from the 49th annual meeting in February, 1997.
Review of Inman et al. “An Introduction to Forensic DNA Analysis”
Authors: Wenk RE 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The two qualified authors of this attractive, spiral-bound handbook have attempted to expand a previous publication and, simultaneously, to translate “science into English” (p.1). Novices are presented with a number of instructive presentations in both narrative and illustrative formats. Some chapters (e.g., Chapter 7) are succinct, accurate and especially helpful to a beginner. Some appendices and references provide the reader with ready information and means of learning more about specific subjects. The index appears complete and accurate. The illustrations and the paper on which they are printed are of high quality. Unfortunately, the authors have only partly succeeded in meeting their two objectives. I hope the next version of the work will address the issues cited below.
Sex Determination from the Ribs of Contemporary Turks
Authors: Çölolu AS , İşcan MY , Yavuz MF , Sari H 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
There have been several in-depth studies showing that the sternal extremity of the fourth rib can be used in estimating age as well as in determining sex, as illustrated in North American whites and blacks. Yet biological differences between populations may preclude the cross-application of standards. To test this hypothesis and develop a sex determination standard for the Turkish population, a sample of the sternal ends of the fourth rib was collected from 294 individuals autopsied in Istanbul, Turkey. Dimensions from the superior edge to the inferior one (SI) and the anterior edge to its posterior edge (AP) were measured with a caliper. The sample was divided into three age groups, “young,” “old,” and “total.” Using discriminant function analysis, three formulae were developed, one for each group. The results indicated that SI height is the most dimorphic dimension and that both dimensions together can give an accuracy of 86% to 90%. To reach such an accuracy, the age of the unknown should be estimated, at least whether it is phase 4 or above or below, using the age standards for ribs developed by İşcan and associates. When cross-validation tests are carried out, incorrect formulae reduce accuracy by as much as 20%. Furthermore, it was observed that North American based white sex determination formulae assign many Turkish males into a female category. In conclusion, it is important to note that population and age specificity are essential in determining sex from the rib. Yet its accuracy is as good as, if not better than, many bones of the postcranial skeleton.
Excavation of a Vietnam-Era Aircraft Crash Site: Use of Cross-Cultural Understanding and Dual Forensic Recovery Methods
Authors: Webster ADM 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The excavation of a 23 year-old aircraft crash site in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the transformational processes preceding its excavation in 1995–1996 are detailed. The history of the site involved an initial catastrophic event, with subsequent reclamation and disturbances. Ultimately, a recovery effort by a joint U.S. team from the Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI), Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA) and a Socialist Republic of Vietnam contingent yielded numerous human remains, personal effects, and life-support items from the crash site.
This case study should be of interest to the increasing number of forensic anthropologists who carry out work in international contexts. The application of forensic anthropology in human rights abuse cases, for example in Rwanda, Argentina, and Bosnia, provide examples of such cross-cultural endeavors.
Cultural factors act in the development of a site and should not be overlooked as significant taphonomic agents. The approach that an indigenous person takes to a crash site or mass grave may be quite different from our own approach, involving Western science. Holland, Anderson, and Mann (1) describe the postmortem alteration of exhumed and/or curated bone caused by indigenous Southeast Asian peoples; the examples provided by these authors demonstrate how culture affects the treatment of what we would call “evidence.” The international nature of an incident can add complicating “filters” to the reconstruction of events, since reclamation responses by indigenous people vary according to their interpretations of the scene. An investigating forensic anthropologist needs to understand the emic viewpoint (the insider's view), as cultural anthropologists do, when attempting to recover and reconstruct such an incident.
In response to the cultural (and natural) taphonomic agents at work on such a site, the use of dual forensic recovery methods—simultaneously treating the investigation scene like an aircraft crash and a clandestine burial site—is advised. Employing a flexible set of methods will allow for maximal recovery of evidence.
Short UV Luminescence for Forensic Applications: Design of a Real-Time Observation System for Detection of Latent Fingerprints and Body Fluids
Authors: Yosef NB , Almog J , Frank A , Springer E , Cantu AA 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
An assembly that allows a pseudo real-time (one second delay) observation of latent fingerprints by their short ultraviolent luminescence was designed. It is composed of a mercuryxenon lamp and a CCD camera, both water-cooled and computer-controlled. The system is used to study the behaviour of latent fingerprints and stains of body fluids such as blood, semen and saliva under short-UV illumination.
Rapid PCR for Identity Testing Using a Battery-Powered Miniature Thermal Cycler
Authors: Belgrader P , Smith JK , Weedn VW , Northrup MA 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
A microfabricated, battery-powered thermal cycler was implemented in PCR-based DNA typing for human identification. HLA DQα and an STR triplex were PCR amplified using a device known as the Miniature Analytical Thermal Cycling Instrument (MATCI). The extremely efficient heating properties of the MATCI enabled thermal cycling to be completed in as little as 21 min. In addition, the feasibility of using the real-time fluorescent detection system of the MATCI was demonstrated. The successful application of this portable, prototype device to forensic identity testing is a significant milestone towards the eventual development of a completely integrated DNA testing instrument that would also incorporate sample preparation and allele detection.
Forensic Palynology: Variation in the Pollen Content of Soil Surface Samples
Authors: Horrocks M , Coulson SA , Walsh KAJ 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Surface soil samples from several localized areas were analyzed for pollen and compared using an ordination analysis. The aim was to objectively establish the forensic value of using soil samples to link people or objects to crime scenes. This was done by determining the degree to which pollen assemblages of surface soil samples from within the same localized area differ, and the degree to which the pollen assemblage of a surface soil sample from within a localized area differs from distant localized areas of similar vegetation type. Samples from within the same localized area (the control site) showed a high degree of similarity, suggesting that pollen assemblages of surface soil samples from within a localized area are homogeneous. Results also showed that localized areas of similar vegetation type, even within the same geographic region, have significantly different pollen assemblages.
Criminal and Behavioral Aspects of Juvenile Sexual Homicide
Authors: Myers WC , Burgess AW , Nelson JA 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
This preliminary research provides a descriptive, systematic study of juvenile sexual homicide. Fourteen incarcerated juveniles, identified through a department of corrections computer search, were assessed using a structured diagnostic interview, an author-designed clinical interview, and a review of correctional files and other available records. Five of the offenders' victims survived the homicidal attack, but their cases were nevertheless included in this study as the offenders' intent was clearly to kill their victim, and the victim's survival was merely by chance. All victims were female and all offenders were male. Their crimes typically occurred in the afternoon, and involved a low-risk victim of the same race who lived in the offender's neighborhood. The sexual component of the crime consisted of vaginal rape in over one-half of the cases. Weapons, typically a knife or bludgeon, were used in all but one case. Thirteen of these youths had a prior history of violence, and twelve had previous arrests. Chaotic, abusive backgrounds and poor adjustment in school were typical for these boys. A conduct disorder diagnosis was present in twelve of the youths, and violent sexual fantasies were experienced by one-half of the sample. The findings in this study suggest that juvenile sexual murderers comprise less than 1% of juvenile murderers, and are likely to be an emotionally and behaviorally disturbed population with serious familial, academic, and environmental vulnerabilities.
Identification of Ammunition from Gunshot Residues and Other Cartridge Related Materials—A Preliminary Model Using .22 Caliber Rimfire Ammunition
Authors: Wrobel HA , Millar JJ , Kijek M 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The identification of the type of ammunition used during the commission of a crime is very often a critical aid to the investigation: for instance, matching a cartridge used in a crime to that found on a suspect, or the determination of which of two possible shooters fired the fatal shot. The physical differences of the cartridges and the chemical composition of the components should make it possible to differentiate ammunition using a number of unique factors.
A prototype database of both chemical and physical factors has been designed and established that can be searched easily to identify a cartridge. The composition of the gunshot residue, the projectile and the cartridge case indicators were analyzed and recorded. Because of its common use, .22 caliber ammunition has been investigated, however, the parameters and the principles of the database can be applied equally to other calibers.
Unconfirmed Canine Accelerant Detection: A Reliability Issue in Court
Authors: Katz SR , Midkiff CR 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Canines trained to alert to traces of flammable liquids at a fire scene are useful to identify locations to collect samples for laboratory analysis. In some instances, no samples are collected or laboratory testing of samples collected following a canine scent alert fails to identify a residual flammable liquid and potential accelerant. In these, an attempt may be made, through testimony of the dog's handler, to introduce at trial, information regarding the canine alert to indicate the presence of an ignitable liquid at the scene. Canine handlers contend that the dog has greater sensitivity to typical accelerants than laboratory techniques but scientists counter that, while sensitive, the specificity of canine detection is unknown. Unverified canine indications have been used in a number of cases and challenges to several of these have reached the appellate level. Examination of court decisions on admissibility of canine alerts shows that they have been as varied as the arguments pro and con.
A New Method of Identifying Writing Sequence with the Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
Authors: Cheng K-C , Chao C-H , Jeng B-S , Lee S-T 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
This paper describes and establishes a new method that examines the sequence of two crossing strokes in different colors in a questioned document. In order to identify the writing sequence, an empirical method is usually used to find out some physical evidence by human eyes with a microscope. However, owing to the phenomenon of mixed inks in the intersection, there is still some drawbacks with the conventional approaches. Hence, in addition to the empirical method, a new method using Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope (LSCM) is adopted. Unlike the conventional light source, the LSCM system uses a krypton argon laser source to emit a laser beam of three different wavelengths. The beam goes through a scanning control unit to act as the function of light scanning, and passes through the objective lens of microscope to the surface of crossing strokes. Reflected light goes the same pathway back to the scanning control unit and is collected by a photomultiplier where the image is reconstructed from a series of signals derived from the photomultiplier output, and saved onto a personal computer. It is necessary to scan the point probe over the field of view and capture sectional images in various depths. By overlaping every sectional image followed by computerized reconstruction, we can observe the evidence to help identify the writing sequence in the questioned document by means of a stereo spectacles. Experimental results show that with the help of the LSCM, together with the method we developed, more accurate judgments are achieved.
Accuracy of Bite Mark Overlays: A Comparison of Five Common Methods to Produce Exemplars from a Suspect's Dentition
Authors: Sweet D , Bowers CM 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Physical comparison of a suspect's teeth to a bite mark injury using hollow volume comparison overlays is a common forensic odontology technique. Several methods are used to record characteristics of the size, shape and position of the teeth and to generate overlays. These include computer-based, radiographic, xerographic and hand-traced methods. Five common overlay production methods were compared using digital images of dental study casts as a reference standard. Area of the biting edges of the anterior teeth and relative rotation of each anterior tooth were measured and compared. The computer-based production method was determined to be the most accurate of those studied. It produced accurate representations of the biting edges of the teeth in an objective manner. The radiographic method was determined to be more accurate than the xerographic method with respect to tooth area measurement. The opposite is true with respect to tooth rotation. Hand-traced methods, from either wax impressions of teeth or directly from study casts, were determined to be inaccurate and subjective. It is recommended that forensic odontologists discontinue the use of hand-traced overlays in bite mark comparison cases.
A 15 Year Retrospective Review of Homicide in the Elderly
Authors: Falzon AL , Davis GG 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
With constant improvements in socioeconomic conditions, the people of most industrialized nations are living longer. Most elderly individuals lead productive lives within the community. Unfortunately, when elderly individuals suffer from a debilitating disease or injury, society seems ill-equipped to care for them. The frailty and social isolation that comes with illness or advanced age renders the elderly more vulnerable to crime. This study examines the circumstances that surround homicides of those 65 years of age or older which occurred in Jefferson County, Alabama over a 15 year span. We conducted a retrospective study of all decedents brought to the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office during the 15 years from 1981–1995. A computer search identified 150 homicide victims who were 65 years or older. In these 150 cases the causes of death were as follows: gunshot wound 50%, blunt force injuries 19%, knife wounds 14%, and asphyxiation 10%. Younger homicide victims were much less likely to be killed as the result of a direct physical assault; blunt force injuries and asphyxiation combined caused death in only 7% of the younger population. Robbery was the most common motive for death in the elderly population, which accounted for 37% of cases. The most common location for homicides in the elderly population was in their own residence, which accounted for 71% of cases. Four elderly homicide victims were shot by the police. Three elderly decedents died as a result of abuse.
Subdural Neomembranes and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Authors: Rogers CB , Itabashi HH , Tomiyasu U , Heuser ET 
Published: August 2015

AbstractCranial dura maters of 36 consecutive infants with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and 16 control infants coming to the Department of Coroner were examined microscopically to determine if subdural neomembranes are associated with cases submitted as SIDS. Thirty-one percent (31%) of the infants with SIDS and 13% of control infants had organizing subdural neomembranes (p &gt; 0.05). Overall prevalence of organizing subdural neomembranes was 25% in the group examined.In all but two cases, birth trauma could be excluded as a cause of head trauma by aging neomembranes histologically. No association was found between type of delivery (vaginal or Cesarean) and presence of a subdural neomembrane.Subdural neomembranes are common in infants autopsied in a forensic setting, but they may be missed without a microscopic examination. Subdural neomembranes have no demonstrated association with SIDS.
Death Investigation in Canada
Authors: Avis SP 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
A survey of death investigation systems in Canada was conducted by questionnaire and included questions on the type of system used (coroner or medical examiner), budget, method of appointment and qualifications of coroners and medical examiners, responsible department of government, training requirements, laboratory facilities, and the utilization of investigators and pathologists by each jurisdiction.
Of the population of Canada 81.5% reside in coroner jurisdictions, the primary death investigator in 81% of the population is a licensed physician. The majority of jurisdictions either require or provide training in death investigation. All death investigation systems are under the respective provincial or territorial department of Justice or Attorney General with the chief coroner or chief medical examiner appointed by their respective provincial cabinet. The qualifications of the chief coroner vary with jurisdiction, while in 75% of medical examiner jurisdictions the chief medical examiner must be a pathologist. On a per capita basis medical examiner systems are less expensive to operate than coroner systems.