Dental color measurement to predict DNA concentration in incinerated teeth for human identification

Abstract Teeth exposed to thermal stress can shed light on the identification of incinerated individuals and on the circumstances of the fire. Changes in the color of burned teeth can provide information on structural changes and the temperature of exposure. The objective of this study was to correlate color modifications with the concentration of human DNA in teeth burned at different temperatures. Spectrophotometry was used to measure the color of 40 teeth heated at temperatures of 100, 200, and 400ÊC for 60 min. DNA was extracted by phenol-chloroform extraction and quantified by real-time quantitative PCR using the Quantifier human DNA quantification kit. Preliminary results indicated an association of higher temperature with changes in colorimetric variables and a decrease in DNA concentrations. A significant positive correlation was found between luminosity values and DNA concentration (r = 0.4727, p = 0.0128) and between chromaticity a* values and DNA concentration (r = 0.4154, p = 0.0250). Spectrophotometry analysis of the color of burned teeth may predict the feasibility of extracting human DNA for identification purposes.This work was supported by the University of Malaga (PPIT.UMA.B1.2017/24). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Transexualidad y transgénero desde una visión de género

Presentamos el diseño y los primeros resultados de una investigación que desde una perspectiva antropológica y con metodología cualitativa, estamos realizando para conocer aspectos psicosociales de la construcción de género de las personas transexuales. De este modo pretendemos abarcar la problemática del colectivo transexual de manera global. Para seleccionar la muestra para la realización de las entrevistas en profundidad hemos tenido en cuenta: Un marco de edad suficientemente amplio; El nivel de estudios ;Lugar de nacimiento ; Tipo de transexualidad ; La ocupación ; Haber sido víctima o no de malos tratos. El análisis de las entrevistas a transexuales nos está permitiendo conocer que entre las transexuales de hombre a mujer existen diferencias significativas con los de mujer a hombre. Además entre el colectivo hay una gran heterogeneidad tanto en sus vivencias como en sus objetivos de vida, aunque hay que resaltar el alto grado de sufrimiento que ambos grupos padecen

Maternal outcomes associated to psychological and physical intimate partner violence during pregnancy: A cohort study and multivariate analysis

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that affects millions of women worldwide and can occur during both pregnancy and the perinatal period. We aimed to evaluate if the experience of psychological and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) adversely affects pregnancy outcomes. We established a cohort of 779 consecutive mothers receiving antenatal care including ultrasound and giving birth in 15 public hospitals, drawn using cluster sampling of all obstetric services in Andalusia, Spain (February-June 2010). Trained midwives gathered IPV data using the Index of Spouse Abuse validated in the Spanish language (score ranges: 0–100, higher scores reflect more severe IPV; cutoffs: physical IPV = 10, psychological IPV = 25). Socio-demographic data, including lack of kin support, maternal outcomes, and hospitalization were collected. Multivariate logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (AOR), with 95% confidence intervals (CI), of the relationship between psychological and physical IPV and maternal outcomes, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics. Response rate was 92.2%. Psychological IPV, reported by 21.0% (n = 151), was associated significantly with urinary tract infection (127 (23%) vs 56 (37%); AOR = 1.9; 95%CI = 1.2–3.0), vaginal infection (30 (5%) vs 20 (13%); AOR = 2.4; 95%CI = 1.2–4.7) and spontaneous preterm labour (32 (6%) vs 19 (13%); AOR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1–4.5). Physical IPV, reported by 3.6% (n = 26), was associated with antenatal hospitalizations (134 (19%) vs 11 (42%); AOR = 2.6; 95%CI = 1.0–7.1). Lack of kin support was associated with spontaneous preterm labour (AOR = 4.7; 95%CI = 1.7–12.8). Mothers with IPV have higher odds of complications. Obstetricians, gynaecologists and midwives should act as active screeners, particularly of the undervalued psychological IPV, to reduce or remedy its effects.This work was supported by the Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness of Spain, National Project I+D+I (FEM2016-79049-R) to SMH

Propensity score analysis of psychological intimate partner violence and preterm birth

This study was funded by the Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (National Project I + D + I: FEM2016-79049-R).Psychological intimate partner violence (IPV), a global public health problem, affects mothers during pregnancy. We evaluated its relationship with preterm birth. We established a cohort of 779 consecutive mothers receiving antenatal care and giving birth in 15 public hospitals in Spain. Trained midwives collected IPV data using the Index of Spouse Abuse validated in the Spanish language. Preterm was defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Gestational age was estimated by early ultrasound. With multivariate logistic regression we estimated the relative association of IPV with preterm birth as adjusted odds ratios (AOR), with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In propensity score analysis, using weighting by inverse probability of exposure to IPV, the whole sample was used for estimating the absolute difference in probability of preterm amongst offspring born to mothers with and without IPV. Socio-demographic and other pregnancy characteristics served as covariates in both analyses. Preterm occurred in 57 (7.3%) pregnancies. Psychological IPV, experienced by 151 (21%) mothers, was associated with preterm birth (11.9% vs 6.5%; AOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.1–5.0; p = 0.01). The absolute preterm difference in psychological IPV compared to normal was 0.08 (95% CI = 0.01–0.16; p = 0.04). The probability of preterm birth was 8% higher on average in women with psychological IPV during pregnancy. As our analysis controlled for selection bias, our findings give credence to a causal inference. Screening and management for psychological IPV during pregnancy is an important step in antenatal care to prevent preterm birth.Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness of Spain FEM2016-79049-

E-health psychological intervention in pregnant women exposed to intimate partner violence (eIPV): a protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy, a condition as common as obstetrics conditions like gestational diabetes, is associated with maternal and neonatal complications. Systematic detection of IPV is not well established in antenatal screening probably because the effectiveness of protective interventions has not been evaluated. E-health interventions may be beneficial among mothers exposed to IPV. Prior to performing a full-scale effectiveness trial for such an intervention, a pilot study is required to assess the feasibility of randomising a sufficiently large number of women exposed to IPV during pregnancy. The eIPV trial is a randomised pilot study nested within a cohort of consenting mothers who screen positive for IPV in the first antenatal visit at <12 weeks’ gestation and accept an e-health package (psychological counselling by videoconference) in Spain and Denmark. Twenty eligible mothers from the above cohort will be randomised to either intervention or control. The intervention group will receive the e-health package as part of the cohort. The control group will be invited to accept a delay in the intervention (e-health package eight weeks later). After consenting to delay, the control group will provide comparative data without losing the opportunity of obtaining the intervention. We will determine estimates of rates of informed consent to randomization, and the rates of adherence and dropout following randomization. Qualitative interviews will be conducted to examine the women’s perception about the benefit of the intervention, reasons for acceptability and non-adherence, and obstacles to recruitment, randomisation and consent. The results will inform the trial feasibility and variance of key clinical outcome measures for estimation of sample size of the full-scale effectiveness trial.This project was funded by the European Commission’s Rights, Equality, and Citizenship programme to to VR, SMH, KSK and AB (RECRDAP-GBV-AG-2019, Grant Agreement number 881648. Project name: STOP, Stop Intimate Partner Violence in Pregnancy). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Dental age estimation based on pulp chamber/crown volume ratio measured on CBCT images in a Spanish population

Dental age estimation in living individuals is one of the most frequent requests undertaken by forensic odontologists. The aim of this study was to estimate the dental age by pulp/tooth volume ratio, as measured on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, in a Spanish population. This study included 313 teeth from 107 adult individuals, 56 females and 51 males with a mean age of 44 ± 14 years. The statistical analysis of the results took account of clustering (multiple teeth in individuals). Linear regression models were constructed on the relationship between pulp/tooth volume ratio and chronological age for each tooth type. The highest coefficient of determination (R2) value was provided by the upper incisors (36.6%), and the difference between chronological and estimated age was less than 5 years in 31.3% of the sample and less than 10 years for 65.7%. CBCT is an accurate imaging technique to measure dental volume with a relatively low radiation dose, and it can be used to assess dental age in living adult individuals. Volumetric changes in the pulp cavity with increasing age proved valuable to estimate dental age in this Spanish populatio

Propensity score analysis of psychological intimate partner violence and preterm birth.

Psychological intimate partner violence (IPV), a global public health problem, affects mothers during pregnancy. We evaluated its relationship with preterm birth. We established a cohort of 779 consecutive mothers receiving antenatal care and giving birth in 15 public hospitals in Spain. Trained midwives collected IPV data using the Index of Spouse Abuse validated in the Spanish language. Preterm was defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Gestational age was estimated by early ultrasound. With multivariate logistic regression we estimated the relative association of IPV with preterm birth as adjusted odds ratios (AOR), with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In propensity score analysis, using weighting by inverse probability of exposure to IPV, the whole sample was used for estimating the absolute difference in probability of preterm amongst offspring born to mothers with and without IPV. Socio-demographic and other pregnancy characteristics served as covariates in both analyses. Preterm occurred in 57 (7.3%) pregnancies. Psychological IPV, experienced by 151 (21%) mothers, was associated with preterm birth (11.9% vs 6.5%; AOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.1-5.0; p = 0.01). The absolute preterm difference in psychological IPV compared to normal was 0.08 (95% CI = 0.01-0.16; p = 0.04). The probability of preterm birth was 8% higher on average in women with psychological IPV during pregnancy. As our analysis controlled for selection bias, our findings give credence to a causal inference. Screening and management for psychological IPV during pregnancy is an important step in antenatal care to prevent preterm birth

Estudio bioquímico de la dentina humana y su aplicación en odontología forense

Stella Martín de las HerasUniv. Granad

Validation of the Collett-Lester fear of death scale in occupational therapy students: psychometric testing and implications for palliative care education

Abstract Background The fear of death is a common experience among healthcare students and professionals that may impact the quality of care provided to patients, particularly those receiving palliative care. The Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale is a widely used instrument to assess this fear, although its psychometric properties have not been extensively studied in Occupational Therapy students. The present study aimed to validate the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale (CL-FODS) in a sample of Occupational Therapy students and to explore its implications for palliative care education. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted to perform psychometric testing of the CL-FODS in Occupational Therapy undergraduate students. Structural validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were analysed. A total of 195 Occupational Therapy students were included in this study. Additionally, the participants completed a brief survey on their experiences and attitudes towards palliative care. Results The internal consistency was satisfactory (α = 0.888). The exploratory factor analysis to evaluate the internal structure yielded four factors. The model fit indices were: comparative fit index = 0.89, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). The test–retest reliability was satisfactory and demonstrated an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.939. Conclusion The Spanish version of the CL-FODS showed satisfactory psychometric properties; therefore, assessing fear of death in Occupational Therapy students is helpful. This study highlights the importance of addressing fear of death and palliative care education in Occupational Therapy undergraduates to improve future professional attitudes and, consequently, the quality of patient care at the end of life

Selection of test bites records as part of a forensic bite mark analysis protocol

Abstract Background Test bites have been recommended for collecting evidence of suspected dentition in bite mark analysis. However, these recommendations only suggest recording the interocclusal relationship without establishing number of records or characteristics to obtain proper records. This fails to consider not only the possibility that the recording material did not respond properly, but also that the evaluator has not detected simulations, habits or parafunctions that may affect the tests. Methods This research establishes differences between three wax test bites taken from the same subjects to determine if the first bite offered the best quality. Results No significant statistical association was found between the number of test bites recorded and respective quality. The interrater agreement produced almost perfect and substantial agreements. Conclusion There is no significant evidence that a first and only test bite is the highest quality test bite. Therefore, it is recommended to take more than a single bite test in controlled situations