Em casos de investigação criminal, a determinação do tempo de morte pode inocentar ou culpar algum suspeito. Atualmente, os estudos publicados relacionados ao advento da autópsia virtual não consideram a possibilidade da utilização dos exames complementares de imagem como auxílio à estimativa do intervalo postmortem, sendo esta uma das principais motivações para a realização do presente estudo, já que a tomografia computadorizada é excelente método de medida de densidade. Diante desse cenário, o objetivo do trabalho foi aprimorar a estimativa do intervalo postmortem por meio da avaliação tomográfica das hipóstases viscerais torácicas. Foi realizado estudo prospectivo observacional com dados obtidos de 23 corpos de pacientes de ambos os sexos que foram encaminhados ao Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos da Capital São Paulo. Foram obtidos cortes tomográficos do segmento torácico de modo sequencial utilizando-se o tomógrafo SOMATOM® Emotion syngo CT 2012E, com intervalo de uma hora entre os exames, a fim de permitir a análise das modificações de densidade das hipóstases ao longo do tempo. Na janela de mediastino, foram selecionados os átrios direito e esquerdo para obtenção das medidas de densidade tecidual média. Foi possível concluir que a maioria das hipóstases pulmonares se estabiliza entre 8 e 12 horas e as hipóstases intracardíacas em torno de 12 horas. Além disso, o modelo estatístico de Mitscherlich pode ser utilizado para descrever o comportamento da hipóstase em função do intervalo de morte decorrido / In cases of criminal investigation, the determination of the time of death can acquit or condemn a suspect. Currently, the published studies related to the raising of the postmortem CT do not consider the possibility of using the complementary image exams as support to the estimate of the postmortem interval, being that one of the main motivations to the execution of the present study, once the multislice computed tomography is an excellent method of measure of density. In this scenery, the goal of this study was to improve the precision of the determination of the time of death through the tomographic evaluation of the visceral thoracic hypostasis. A prospective study was performed with data obtained from 23 bodies of patients, which were forward to the autopsy center of the city of São Paulo. Tomographic images of thorax were obtained sequentially, by using SOMATOM® Emotion syngo CT 2012E, with intervals of one hour each one between the exams, in order to allow the analysis of the modifications of the density of the hypostasis over time. In the mediastinum window, the right and left atrium were selected in order to obtain the measures of the average organ density. It was possible to conclude that the majority of the pulmonary hypostasis would stabilize between 8 and 12 hours and the intracardiac hypostasis around 12 hours. Furthermore, the statistical model of Mitscherlich can be used to describe the behavior of the images according to the postmortem interval

Em casos de investigação criminal, a determinação do tempo de morte pode inocentar ou culpar algum suspeito. Atualmente, os estudos publicados relacionados ao advento da autópsia virtual não consideram a possibilidade da utilização dos exames complementares de imagem como auxílio à estimativa do intervalo postmortem, sendo esta uma das principais motivações para a realização do presente estudo, já que a tomografia computadorizada é excelente método de medida de densidade. Diante desse cenário, o objetivo do trabalho foi aprimorar a estimativa do intervalo postmortem por meio da avaliação tomográfica das hipóstases viscerais torácicas. Foi realizado estudo prospectivo observacional com dados obtidos de 23 corpos de pacientes de ambos os sexos que foram encaminhados ao Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos da Capital São Paulo. Foram obtidos cortes tomográficos do segmento torácico de modo sequencial utilizando-se o tomógrafo SOMATOM® Emotion syngo CT 2012E, com intervalo de uma hora entre os exames, a fim de permitir a análise das modificações de densidade das hipóstases ao longo do tempo. Na janela de mediastino, foram selecionados os átrios direito e esquerdo para obtenção das medidas de densidade tecidual média. Foi possível concluir que a maioria das hipóstases pulmonares se estabiliza entre 8 e 12 horas e as hipóstases intracardíacas em torno de 12 horas. Além disso, o modelo estatístico de Mitscherlich pode ser utilizado para descrever o comportamento da hipóstase em função do intervalo de morte decorrido / In cases of criminal investigation, the determination of the time of death can acquit or condemn a suspect. Currently, the published studies related to the raising of the postmortem CT do not consider the possibility of using the complementary image exams as support to the estimate of the postmortem interval, being that one of the main motivations to the execution of the present study, once the multislice computed tomography is an excellent method of measure of density. In this scenery, the goal of this study was to improve the precision of the determination of the time of death through the tomographic evaluation of the visceral thoracic hypostasis. A prospective study was performed with data obtained from 23 bodies of patients, which were forward to the autopsy center of the city of São Paulo. Tomographic images of thorax were obtained sequentially, by using SOMATOM® Emotion syngo CT 2012E, with intervals of one hour each one between the exams, in order to allow the analysis of the modifications of the density of the hypostasis over time. In the mediastinum window, the right and left atrium were selected in order to obtain the measures of the average organ density. It was possible to conclude that the majority of the pulmonary hypostasis would stabilize between 8 and 12 hours and the intracardiac hypostasis around 12 hours. Furthermore, the statistical model of Mitscherlich can be used to describe the behavior of the images according to the postmortem interval

[Truncated abstract] A common application of forensic entomology is the estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI). This is most frequently estimated from the age of calliphorid specimens collected from a corpse, and in many cases it is the immature stages that are encountered. A critical step in the estimation of PMI is the accurate identification of insects to species level, with misidentification potentially resulting in the application of unsuitable developmental data and therefore inaccuracy in the resulting estimate. Identification has long been attempted on a morphological basis, but complicated by the lack of larval keys to the Calliphoridae, limited diagnostic features in immature stages and the poor preservation of specimens. Standard practice in forensic entomology is the rearing of immatures collected from the corpse through to the more distinctive adult stages, however this process is time-consuming and may be hindered where specimens die during rearing. Furthermore, many cases are presented for forensic entomologist as an afterthought and specimens are already preserved. Consequently, a new approach to the identification of calliphorids is sought which will overcome the problems of the morphological and rearing methods. ... The culmination of this study is the consideration of applications of molecular data to forensic entomology. A sequence-specific priming (SSP) technique is presented for the identification of the forensically significant calliphorids of Australia and New Zealand, along with a new method for the extraction and storage of calliphorid DNA samples using Whatman FTA cards. These techniques will potentially improve the efficiency and accuracy of identification in the estimation of PMI using calliphorids. The use of calliphorid DNA is not limited to PMI estimation, but may also be applied to museum studies. DNA was extracted from pupal casings from 300 year old mummified corpses, however difficulty was encountered in amplifying the DNA reproducibly. This illustrates however, the wide-ranging implications of the calliphorid sequence data gathered in this study. This thesis makes a significant contribution to the consideration of the status of some global calliphorid species. The new technique presented for identification of Australian and New Zealand species is the culmination of an important body of data that will ultimately contribute to the strong foundation of forensic entomology and our future accuracy, efficiency and utility as a routine investigative tool.

Thesis (M.A.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2007. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 52-78. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-83).

Thesis (M.A.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2007. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 52-78. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-83).

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Wollongong, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 178-186.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2008. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Postmortem interval (PMI) estimation is a necessary but often difficult task that must completed during a death investigation. The level of difficulty rises as time since death increases, especially with the case of skeletonized remains (long PMI). While challenging, a reliable PMI estimate may be of great importance for investigative direction and cost-savings (e.g. suspect identification, tailoring missing persons searches, non-forensic remains exclusion). Long PMI can be estimated by assessing changes in the organic content of bone (i.e. collagen), which degrades and is lost as the PMI lengthens. Visible-near infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy is one method that can be used for analyzing organic constituents, including proteins, in solid specimens. A 2013 preliminary investigation using a limited number of human cortical bone samples suggested that VNIR spectroscopy could provide a fast, reliable technique for assessing PMI in human skeletal remains. Clear separation was noted between "forensic" and "archaeological" specimen spectra within the near-infrared (NIR) bands. The goal of this research was to develop reliable multivariate classification models that could assign skeletal remains to appropriate PMI classes (e.g. "forensic" and "non-forensic"), based on NIR spectra collected from human cortical bone. Working with a large set of cortical samples (n=341), absorbance spectra were collected with an ASD/PANalytical LabSpec® 4 full range spectrometer. Sample spectra were then randomly assigned to training and test sets, where training set spectra were used to build internally cross-validated models in Camo Unscrambler® X 10.4; external validations of the models were then performed on test set spectra. Selected model algorithms included soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), linear discriminant analysis on principal components (LDA-PCA), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA); an application of support vector machines on principal components (SVM-PCA) was attempted as well. Multivariate classification models were built using both raw and transformed spectra (standard normal variate, Savitzky-Golay) that were collected from the longitudinally cut cortical surfaces (Set A models) and the superficial cortical surface following light grinding (Set B models). SIMCA models were consistently the poorest performers, as were many of the SVM-PCA models; LDA-PCA models were generally the best performers for these data. Transformed-spectra model classification accuracies were generally the same or lower than corresponding raw spectral models. Set A models out-performed Set B counterparts in most cases; Set B models often yielded lower classification accuracy for older forensic and non-forensic spectra. A limited number of Set B transformed-spectra models out-performed the raw model counterparts, suggesting that these transformations may be removing scattering-related noise, leading to improvements in model accuracy. This study suggests that NIR spectroscopy may represent a reliable technique for assessing the PMI of unknown human skeletal remains. Future work will require identifying new sources of remains with established extended PMI values. Broadening the number of spectra collected from older forensic samples would allow for the determination of how many narrower potential PMI classes can be discriminated within the forensic time-frame.

No / Recent casework in Belgium involving the search for human remains buried with lime, demonstrated the need for more detailed understanding of the effect of different types of lime on cadaver decomposition and its micro-environment. Six pigs (Sus scrofa) were used as body analogues in field experiments. They were buried without lime, with hydrated lime (Ca(OH)(2)) and with quicklime (CaO) in shallow graves in sandy loam soil in Belgium and recovered after 6 months of burial. Observations from these field recoveries informed additional laboratory experiments that were undertaken at the University of Bradford, UK. The combined results of these studies demonstrate that despite conflicting evidence in the literature, hydrated lime and quicklime both delay the decay of the carcass during the first 6 months. This study has implications for the investigation of clandestine burials and for a better understanding of archaeological plaster burials. Knowledge of the effects of lime on decomposition processes also has bearing on practices involving burial of animal carcasses and potentially the management of mass graves and mass disasters by humanitarian organisations and DVI teams. / No