Post-Mortem Dental Profile as a Powerful Tool in Animal Forensic Investigations—A Review

Veterinary forensics is becoming more important in our society as a result of the growing demand for investigations related to crimes against animals or investigations of criminal deaths caused by animals. A veterinarian may participate as an expert witness or may be required to give forensic assistance, by providing knowledge of the specialty to establish a complete picture of the involvement of an animal and allowing the Courts to reach a verdict. By applying diverse dental profiling techniques, not only can species, sex, age-at-death, and body size of an animal be estimated, but also data about their geographical origin (provenance) and the post-mortem interval. This review concentrates on the dental techniques that use the characteristics of teeth as a means of identification of freshly deceased and skeletonised animals. Furthermore, this highlights the information that can be extracted about the animal from the post-mortem dental profile.Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo (ANID) of Chile ANID FONDECYT 121153

Sexual dimorphism from vertebrae: its potential use for sex estimation in an identified Portuguese sample.

In archaeological and medicolegal contexts, sex estimation is a crucial parameter for personal identification. However, it can be a complex task if the skeletal remains are damaged or fragmented. For this reason, it is important to establish reliable methodologies and techniques using alternative sexually dimorphic anatomical regions other than pelvic and skull, such as vertebrae. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the level of sexual dimorphism of first, second and seventh cervical and twelfth thoracic vertebrae from the Coimbra Identified Skeletal Collection of the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and to develop logistic regression equations for sex estimation based on metric data from these vertebrae. The sample comprised 73 individuals (38 males and 35 females) with a mean age of 50.10 ± 18.34 years. Eleven multivariate logistic regression equations were developed with accuracy rates between 80.0% and 92.5%. The first cervical vertebra demonstrated to be useful for sex diagnosis when more sexually dimorphic anatomical regions (i.e., pelvis and skull) are not available or suitable for analysis.pre-print325 K

Influence of light conditions (colour temperature and illuminance) on the evaluation of root translucency for the application of Lamendin’s age‑at‑death estimation technique

Estimation of age-at-death represents a central focus in forensic human identification, as it is a key parameter used in the identification of unidentified bodies. In 1992, Lamendin et al. published a simple technique for estimating the age-at-death of adult skeletal remains based on two dental criteria: the gingival regression and the extent of dentine translucency. Although Lamendin’s technique is widely used in forensic contexts and the evaluation of root translucency is a key element in the technique, the light conditions for measuring this parameter have not been adequately established. The aim of the present study is to analyse the influence of colour temperature and illuminance level of a LED light source when root translucency is evaluated to optimize the use of Lamendin’s technique for age-at-death estimation. The results describe how light settings may affect the visual perception of root translucency by different examiners and, therefore, affect the accuracy of the ageat- death estimation methods and techniques based on this parameter.Universita degli Studi G. D'Annunzio Chieti Pescara within the CRUI-CARE Agreemen

Aprendizaje basado en problemas para enseñar antropología forense en educación secundaria

Growing interest in Criminology degrees over the past few years ismainly due to various television series on forensic matters. Theseprograms have created a distorted image of forensic anthropologywhich has led not only to an increase in the number of degreeapplicants but also, in many cases, disappointment among studentsregarding the course contents. Consequently, knowledgeof forensic anthropology in pre-university environments involvesdesigning educational innovation projects with active methodologiesthat manage to train students in the essential areas of thisdiscipline and in the tasks performed by forensic anthropologists.This work presents the results of an educational innovation proposal,based on Problems Based Learning (PBL), implementedamong students to assess the effectiveness of PBL in the learningof forensic anthropology. In a workshop, students work as anthropologistsfor a day, applying forensic methods and techniques toidentify several individuals by determining their stature, genderand age. The results show that PBL encouraged a motivating environmentand significant and collaborative learning to determinethe identity of the individuals, and more advantageous acceptanceis perceived of the method and workshop techniques both by theparticipants and by teachers in the school.El creciente interés por el Grado en Criminología en los últimosaños se ha debido principalmente a la emisión de series contemas forenses. Estas han generado una imagen distorsionadade la antropología forense que se ha traducido principalmenteen un aumento del número de discentes en el grado y, en numerososcasos, en una decepción por los contenidos del itinerarioformativo. Por ello, el conocimiento de la antropología forenseen la etapa preuniversitaria requiere diseñar proyectos de innovacióneducativa con metodologías activas que logren formar alalumnado en las áreas esenciales de esta disciplina. Este trabajopresenta los resultados de una propuesta de innovación, basadaen el Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas (ABP), implementadaen los cursos de tercero y cuarto de educación secundaria conel objetivo de evaluar la eficacia del ABP en el aprendizaje de laantropología forense. El alumnado se convierte en antropólogospor un día aplicando métodos y técnicas forenses para identificarvarios individuos a través de la experimentación y determinaciónde la estatura, el sexo y la edad. Los resultados del estudiomuestran que el ABP fomentó en el aula un ambiente motivador,colaborativo y un aprendizaje significativo para establecer laidentidad de los individuos; así como se percibió una aceptaciónmuy favorable del método y las técnicas del taller por parte delos participantes y el profesorado

Prediction equations of the canine size from dimensions of premolars and molars: application in the estimation of sex on skeletal remains

El objetivo del presente estudio es predecir el tamaño del canino permanente a partir de mediciones tomadas en los dientes posteriores (premolares y molares), y utilizar los valores predichos del tamaño del canino para estimar el sexo biológico de restos óseos. El análisis se llevó a cabo en 126 individuos procedentes de la antigua ciudad de Herculano (Nápoles, Italia), víctimas de la erupción del volcán Vesubio la madrugada entre el 24/25 de agosto del año 79 EC. Se tomaron los diámetros mesiodistal y bucolingual de la corona dental y a nivel cervical del diente, y se llevó a cabo el análisis de regresión lineal de Pearson para crear ecuaciones de regresión que permitieran predecir el tamaño del canino basándose en las dimensiones dentales de los dientes posteriores. Se obtuvieron 14 ecuaciones de regresión. Los resultados muestran elevados coeficientes de correlación y determinación (r = 0,709–0,889; r2 = 0,502–0,791; respectivamente), dependiendo de los diámetros de los dientes utilizados. Posteriormente, estas ecuaciones de regresión fueron aplicadas a una muestra de validación para estimar el sexo biológico de los individuos utilizando los valores predichos del tamaño del canino aplicando diversas fórmulas de función discriminantes específicas para la población de Herculano. Los resultados muestran que los valores predichos del tamaño del canino proporcionan elevados porcentajes de correcta asignación del sexo cuando se trabaja con restos óseos fragmentarios procedentes de contextos arqueológicos y el canino no está disponible para su medición.The aim of this study was to investigate the size of the permanent canine from measurements of the posterior teeth (premolars and molars), and to use the predicted values of the canine size to estimate the biological sex of skeletal remains. The analysis was performed on 126 individuals from the ancient city of Herculaneum (Naples, Italy), victims of the eruption of the nearby volcano Vesuvius on 24/25 August, 79 EC. Mesiodistal and buccolingual crown and cervical diameters were measured, and Pearson's linear regression analysis was performed to create regression equations to predict the canine size based on dental measurements of posterior teeth. Fourteen regressions equations were obtained. The results show high correlation and determination coefficients (r = 0,709–0,889; r2 = 0,502–0,791; respectively), depending on the diameters of the teeth used. These regression equations were subsequently applied to a validation sample to estimate the biological sex of the individuals using the predicted values of the canine size based on the application of discriminant function formulae that are specific of the Herculaneum's population. The results show that the predicted values of the canine size provide high percentages of correct assignment of sex when fragmentary skeletal remains are encountered in archaeological samples and the canine is not available for measurement.Sociedad de Ciencias Morfológicas de La Plat

Aprendizaje basado en problemas para enseñar antropología forense en educación secundaria

El creciente interés por el Grado en Criminología en los últimos años se ha debido principalmente a la emisión de series con temas forenses. Estas han generado una imagen distorsionada de la antropología forense que se ha traducido principalmente en un aumento del número de discentes en el grado y, en nume rosos casos, en una decepción por los contenidos del itinerario formativo. Por ello, el conocimiento de la antropología forense en la etapa preuniversitaria requiere diseñar proyectos de inno vación educativa con metodologías activas que logren formar al alumnado en las áreas esenciales de esta disciplina. Este trabajo presenta los resultados de una propuesta de innovación, basada en el Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas (ABP), implementada en los cursos de tercero y cuarto de educación secundaria con el objetivo de evaluar la eficacia del ABP en el aprendizaje de la antropología forense. El alumnado se convierte en antropólogos por un día aplicando métodos y técnicas forenses para identifi car varios individuos a través de la experimentación y determi nación de la estatura, el sexo y la edad. Los resultados del estudio muestran que el ABP fomentó en el aula un ambiente motivador, colaborativo y un aprendizaje significativo para establecer la identidad de los individuos; así como se percibió una aceptación muy favorable del método y las técnicas del taller por parte de los participantes y el profesorado.//Growing interest in Criminology degrees over the past few years is mainly due to various television series on forensic matters. These programs have created a distorted image of forensic anthropology which has led not only to an increase in the number of degree applicants but also, in many cases, disappointment among stu dents regarding the course contents. Consequently, knowledge of forensic anthropology in pre-university environments involves designing educational innovation projects with active methodol ogies that manage to train students in the essential areas of this discipline and in the tasks performed by forensic anthropologists. This work presents the results of an educational innovation pro posal, based on Problems Based Learning (PBL), implemented among students to assess the effectiveness of PBL in the learning of forensic anthropology. In a workshop, students work as anthro pologists for a day, applying forensic methods and techniques to identify several individuals by determining their stature, gender and age. The results show that PBL encouraged a motivating envi ronment and significant and collaborative learning to determine the identity of the individuals, and more advantageous acceptance is perceived of the method and workshop techniques both by the participants and by teachers in the school

Correlation coefficients for predicting canine diameters from premolar and molar sizes

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Functionalisation of MoS2 2D layers with diarylethene molecules

Functionalisation of two dimensional (2D) materials with stimuli-responsive molecules has been scarcely investigated. Here, MoS2 layers obtained by chemical exfoliation are covalently and non-covalently functionalised using two photoswitchable diarylethene derivatives under their open- and closed-ring isomers. The choice of these light-responsive molecules is based on their excellent thermal irreversibility and fatigue resistance. The characterisation of the resultant molecular/2D heterostructures proves the successful anchoring of the molecules by both approaches as well as the influence that the driving interaction has in the photoswitching behaviour of the diarylethene isomers after their deposition on the 2D layer

The extra virgin olive oil phenolic oleacein is a dual substrate-inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase

Catechol-containing polyphenols present in coffee and tea, while serving as excellent substrates for catechol-Omethyltransferase (COMT)-catalyzed O-methylation, can also operate as COMT inhibitors. However, little is known about the relationship between COMT and the characteristic phenolics present in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). We here selected the EVOO dihydroxy-phenol oleacein for a computational study of COMT-driven methylation using classic molecular docking/molecular dynamics simulations and hybrid quantum mechanical/ molecular mechanics, which were supported by in vitro activity studies using human COMT. Oleacein could be superimposed onto the catechol-binding site of COMT, maintaining the interactions with the atomic positions involved in methyl transfer from the S-adenosyl-L-methionine cofactor. The transition state structure for the meta-methylation in the O5 position of the oleacein benzenediol moiety was predicted to occur preferentially. Enzyme analysis of the conversion ratio of catechol to O-alkylated guaiacol confirmed the inhibitory effect of oleacein on human COMT, which remained unaltered when tested against the protein version encoded by the functional Val158Met polymorphism of the COMT gene. Our study provides a theoretical determination of how EVOO dihydroxy-phenols can be metabolized via COMT. The ability of oleacein to inhibit COMT adds a new dimension to the physiological and therapeutic utility of EVOO secoiridoids

Colecciones ex situ de planta viva para la conservación de la planta amenazada Silene hifacensis, Rouy ex Willk (Caryophyllaceae)

The establishment of seed orchards has allowed obtaining a great deal of germoplasm of Silene hifacensis, an endangered endemic Ibero-Balearic species. In four years, 3.958.531 seeds have been collected in our four seed orchards from a total of 570 plants/year per average, including all genetic variability from natural populations of this species in Alicante province (Illot of Mona, the Pessebret, Cova de les Cendres, Morro de Toix)