Vitality and wound-age estimation in forensic pathology: review and future prospects

Li, Na; Du, Qiu-xiang; Bai, Rufeng; Sun, Junhong

doi:10.1080/20961790.2018.1445441

Cited by 43 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Since particularly inner organs, but also skin in certain cases, might present acute or chronic illnesses, statements on wound age based on the detection of an inflammation-related marker have to be made cautiously. Referring to the review by Li et al [2], it appears that "[…] wound age estimation is an intricate and multifactorial problem […]" which means that numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors must be taken into account when trying to determine the age and vitality of a wound. Compared to human samples, rat hearts with vital wounds presented rather few positive staining results especially for markers MMP-9 and TIMP-1.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex challenges of estimating the age and vitality of muscle wounds: a study with matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors on animal and human tissue samples

et al. 2021

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The estimation of wound age and wound vitality is a recurring task in forensic routine work and has been subject of forensic research for a long time. By now, an unrestrictedly reliable marker or set of markers has not been found. In a study on myocardial infarctions, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 and 9 as well as tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) were detected immunohistochemically in mechanically wounded myocardium (ECG electrodes, vessel ligations). Against this background, the potency of MMP-9, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 as markers for the estimation of wound age and wound vitality was tested in a broad approach with human tissue samples drawn during autopsies and with an animal model, the isolated perfused Langendorff heart. The study comprised samples of injured human skeletal muscle, injured human myocardium, rats’ hearts with vital wounds, and rats’ hearts with postmortem-inflicted wounds that were all stained immunohistochemically. The results showed great scattering, leading to the conclusion that MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 are not suitable for wound age estimation. Merely the results for TIMP-1 suggested that this marker might be able to differentiate between vital and postmortem-inflicted wounds. With a view to the promising results of the preceding study, the results underline the necessity to test possible markers of wound age/wound vitality on a large and diverse sample set.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex challenges of estimating the age and vitality of muscle wounds: a study with matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors on animal and human tissue samples

et al. 2021

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“…The timing of such lesions is difficult to determine but since their formation requires blood flow and some time for the lesion to appear, forensic pathologists agree that they should be normally regarded as indicators of an ante-mortem traumatic event, although it can happen post-mortem when greater force is applied 42 . Further histological and biochemical analysis could be helpful in timing these lesions 31 . However, the majority of the observed bruises were insufficient to be regarded as the cause of death, with the possible exception of those involving the lips, tongue or jaw that could have an impact on the ability to suckle.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Causes of death in newborn C57BL/6J mice

Capas-Peneda

Morello

Lamas

et al. 2020

Preprint

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22Neonatal mortality in wild-type laboratory mice is an overlooked welfare and financial 23 problem in animal facilities around the world. Causes of death are often not reported 24 and its causes remain unknown. 25 In this study, 324 newborn pups from two breeding colonies of healthy wildtype 26 C57BL/6 mice underwent post-mortem analysis with special focus on obtaining proof 27 of life after birth, evaluation of stomach contents and observation of congenital 28 abnormalities that could compromise survival. 29 Based on a combination of lung morphology findings, outcome of lung float test, 30 stomach contents and brown adipose tissue colouration, 21.6% of the pups found 31 dead were considered stillbirths. Of the livebirths, only 3.2% were observed to have 32 milk inside the stomach, indicating successful suckling. Congenital abnormalities were 33 diagnosed only in a small fraction of the pups analysed. These results suggest that 34 starvation was the most common cause of death, followed by stillbirth. 35 Keywords 36Neonatal mortality, Mouse, causes of death, C57BL/6J 37 High rates of pre-weaning mortality in laboratory mice are a widespread issue among 38 animal facilities worldwide. This represents a major welfare problem 33 , a significant 39 financial burden through lowered productivity and has an impact on the 3Rs by 40 increasing the number of animals needed and used for breeding. 41Rates of perinatal mortality are reported as higher in inbred strains, especially in 42 C57BL/6 mice, where they can reach 50% 19 . Attention to morbidity and mortality in 43 newborn mice occurs primarily in the context of phenotyping genetically modified 44 mice 2, 29, 45 . In contrast, knowledge about causes of neonatal death in breeding 45 colonies of healthy wildtype mice is limited and currently there are no agreed published 46 guidelines or strategies to address this issue. 47 Mice are an altricial species and pups are dependent on parental care within a 48 maternal nest during the first phase of their lives. The pups are born helpless, relatively 49 immobile, blind, hairless, capable of suckling but not able to otherwise fend for 50 themselves. They possess a very limited ability to produce heat by non-shivering 51 thermogenesis using brown adipose tissue (BAT) 6, 18 . Consequently, major causes of 52 neonatal mortality and low viability could be related to failures of parental care, such 53 as predation, starvation and hypothermia in addition to birthing accidents, congenital 54 defects and infectious processes.55Wild mice are communal nesters and females often share duties in the care for the 56 young 49 . This characteristic is maintained in laboratory mice and is often exploited by 57 housing mice in breeding trios, which allows for increases in the number of pups per 58 cage 47 and individual pup growth 15, 16 . However, this social conformation is more prone 59 to litter overlap 3 , the existence of a previous litter inside the cage, which is associated 60 with higher neonatal mortality 3 . 61There is a ...

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“…Vitality and age of injury in the living and dead are of great importance in the field of forensic science. They can help in making a decision as to whether or not the injury date corresponds with the time of crime occurrence (3,20).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of Autophagy Biomarkers In Burn-Age Estimation and Progression

Yassa¹,

Hanna²,

Abdin³

2019

Academic Forensic Pathology

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Background: Determination of time passed since burn injury in the living is critical in forensic science. Autophagy biomarkers and vitronectin can play an important role in determination of the age of burn injuries through their levels in the tissue. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of autophagy biomarkers in dating burn injury and to correlate them with the histopathological effects of deep second-degree thermal burn. Method: Fifty-four male rats were used in this study after infliction of second-degree thermal burns to their skin. Samples were taken from them after 30 minutes and one, four, 24, 48, and 72 hours following burn to be examined histologically and also for autophagy biomarkers and vitronectin. Results: Significant reduction in the autophagy biomarkers (p < 0.001) over the first 24 hours then began to increase but still not reach the normal level up to 72 hours after burn. Vitronectin level increased after burn infliction 1.5-fold after first hour, then up to four-fold after four hours and after that began to decline but still did not reach the normal level up to 72 hours. Conclusion: Autophagy biomarkers can be used as a forensic tool in determination of the time passed since burn infliction in living.

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Vitality and wound-age estimation in forensic pathology: review and future prospects

Cited by 43 publications

References 71 publications

Complex challenges of estimating the age and vitality of muscle wounds: a study with matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors on animal and human tissue samples

Complex challenges of estimating the age and vitality of muscle wounds: a study with matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors on animal and human tissue samples

Causes of death in newborn C57BL/6J mice

Role of Autophagy Biomarkers In Burn-Age Estimation and Progression

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