Reconsideration of bone postmortem interval estimation by UV-induced autofluorescence

Hoke, Nadja; Grigat, Andrea; Grupe, Gisela; Harbeck, Michaela

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.03.013

Cited by 25 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The accuracy of PMI is a critical piece of information for the determination of a timeline of events surrounding death. Most PMI techniques rely on gross observational changes of cadavers that are subjective to forensic anthropologists [29,30]. The decomposition of the cadavers is also highly sensitive to environmental conditions [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A novel approach to determine post mortem interval using neutron radiography

Bilheux

Cekanova

Vass

et al. 2015

Forensic Science International

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One of the most difficult challenges in forensic research is to objectively determine the post-mortem interval (PMI). The accuracy of PMI is critical for determining the timeline of events surrounding a death. Most PMI techniques rely on gross morphological changes of cadavers that are highly sensitive to taphonomic factors. Recent studies have demonstrated that even exhumed individuals exposed to the same environmental conditions with similar PMIs can present different stages of decomposition. After death, tissue undergoes sequential changes consisting of organic and inorganic phase variations, as well as a gradual reduction of tissue water content. Hydrogen (H) is the primary contributor to neutron radiography (NR) contrast in biological specimens because (1) it is the most abundant element in biological tissues and (2) its nucleus scatters thermal and cold neutrons more strongly than any other atomic nucleus. These contrast differences can be advantageous in a forensic context to determine small changes in hydrogen concentrations. Neutron radiography of decaying canine tissues was performed to evaluate the PMI by measuring the changes in H content. In this study, dog cadavers were used as a model for human cadavers. Canine tissues and cadavers were exposed to controlled (laboratory settings, at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine) and uncontrolled (University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility) environmental conditions, respectively. Neutron radiographs were supplemented with photographs and histology data to assess the decompositional stages of cadavers. Results demonstrated that the increase in neutron transmission likely corresponded to a decrease in hydrogen content in the tissue, which was correlated with the decay time of the tissue. Tissues depleted in hydrogen were brighter in the neutron transmission radiographs of skeletal muscles, lung, and bone, under controlled conditions. Over a period of 10 days, changes in neutron transmission through lung and muscle were found to be higher than bone by 8.3%, 7.0%, and 2.0%, respectively. Results measured during uncontrolled conditions were more difficult to assess and further studies are necessary. In conclusion, neutron radiography may be used to detect changes in hydrogen abundance that can be correlated with the post-mortem interval.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The decomposition of the cadavers is also highly sensitive to environmental conditions [29]. Recent studies have demonstrated that even exhumed individuals with same environmental conditions and same PMI show different stages of decomposition [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A novel approach to determine post mortem interval using neutron radiography

Bilheux

Cekanova

Vass

et al. 2015

Forensic Science International

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“…Techniques for the investigation of the PMI include microscopic methods [6], [7], [8], chemiluminescence tests, such as the luminol reaction [2],[9],[10], radiocarbon techniques [3, 11], chemical methods, spectroscopical analysis [12], [13], macroscopic UV fluorescence [14] and the detection of various radionuclides [15], [16], [17, 18]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing various Infrared (IR) microscopic imaging techniques for post-mortem interval evaluation of human skeletal remains

et al. 2017

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Due to the influence of many environmental processes, a precise determination of the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains is known to be very complicated. Although methods for the investigation of the PMI exist, there still remains much room for improvement. In this study the applicability of infrared (IR) microscopic imaging techniques such as reflection-, ATR- and Raman- microscopic imaging for the estimation of the PMI of human skeletal remains was tested. PMI specific features were identified and visualized by overlaying IR imaging data with morphological tissue structures obtained using light microscopy to differentiate between forensic and archaeological bone samples. ATR and reflection spectra revealed that a more prominent peak at 1042 cm-1 (an indicator for bone mineralization) was observable in archeological bone material when compared with forensic samples. Moreover, in the case of the archaeological bone material, a reduction in the levels of phospholipids, proteins, nucleic acid sugars, complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars was detectable at (reciprocal wavelengths/energies) between 3000 cm-1 to 2800 cm-1. Raman spectra illustrated a similar picture with less ν2PO43−at 450 cm-1 and ν4PO43− from 590 cm-1 to 584 cm-1, amide III at 1272 cm-1 and protein CH2 deformation at 1446 cm-1 in archeological bone material/samples/sources. A semi-quantitative determination of various distributions of biomolecules by chemi-maps of reflection- and ATR- methods revealed that there were less carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars in archaeological samples compared with forensic bone samples. Raman- microscopic imaging data showed a reduction in B-type carbonate and protein α-helices after a PMI of 3 years. The calculated mineral content ratio and the organic to mineral ratio displayed that the mineral content ratio increases, while the organic to mineral ratio decreases with time. Cluster-analyses of data from Raman microscopic imaging reconstructed histo-anatomical features in comparison to the light microscopic image and finally, by application of principal component analyses (PCA), it was possible to see a clear distinction between forensic and archaeological bone samples. Hence, the spectral characterization of inorganic and organic compounds by the afore mentioned techniques, followed by analyses such as multivariate imaging analysis (MIAs) and principal component analyses (PCA), appear to be suitable for the post mortem interval (PMI) estimation of human skeletal remains.

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“…The impact of moisture (and the microorganisms associated with it [9]) on the decomposing corpse has classically been described for buried bodies (with soft tissue present): a low moisture content promotes desiccation, whereas in high moisture settings, the breakdown is slower and is associated with the formation of adipocere [5][6][7]. In this study, we used defleshed human bones to assess the impact of different environments (i.e., these extrinsic parameters) and the length of time after death.The current techniques used to determine the PMI for skeletonized remains are based on methods related to the physical or chemical reactivity between the bone and substrates [10-12], physico-chemical analyses of the bone composition [13][14][15][16] or radioisotope measurements [17][18][19][20]. These are often difficult to interpret and can provide complex results that are difficult to exploit in a forensic context.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The current techniques used to determine the PMI for skeletonized remains are based on methods related to the physical or chemical reactivity between the bone and substrates [10][11][12], physico-chemical analyses of the bone composition [13][14][15][16] or radioisotope measurements [17][18][19][20]. These are often difficult to interpret and can provide complex results that are difficult to exploit in a forensic context.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%