The transfer of diatoms from freshwater to footwear materials: An experimental study assessing transfer, persistence, and extraction methods for forensic reconstruction

In recent years there has been growing interest in environmental forms of trace evidence, and ecological trace evidence collected from footwear has proved valuable within casework. Simultaneously, there has been growing awareness of the need for empirical experimentation to underpin forensic inferences. Diatoms are unicellular algae, and each cell (or ‘frustule’) consists of two valves which are made of silica, a robust material that favours their preservation both in sediments and within forensic scenarios. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the transfer and persistence of diatoms upon common footwear materials, a recipient surface that has historically been overlooked by studies of persistence. The effectiveness of two novel extraction techniques (jet rinsing, and heating and agitation with distilled water) was compared to the established extraction technique of hydrogen peroxide digestion, for a suite of five common footwear materials: canvas, leather, and ‘suede’ (representing upper materials), and rubber and polyurethane (representing sole materials). It was observed that the novel extraction technique of heating and agitation with distilled water did not extract fewer diatom valves, or cause increased fragmentation of valves, when compared to peroxide digestion, suggesting that the method may be viable where potentially hazardous chemical reactions may be encountered with the peroxide digestion method. Valves could be extracted from all five footwear materials after 3 min of immersion, and more valves were extracted from the rougher, woven upper materials than the smoother sole materials. Canvas yielded the most valves (a mean of 2511/cm2) and polyurethane the fewest (a mean of 15/cm2). The persistence of diatoms on the three upper materials was addressed with a preliminary pilot investigation, with ten intervals sampled between 0 and 168 h. Valves were seen to persist in detectable quantities after 168 h on all three upper materials. However, some samples produced slides with no valves, and the earliest time after which no diatom valves were found was 4 h after the transfer. Analysis of the particle size distributions over time, by image analysis, suggests that the retention of diatoms may be size-selective; after 168 h, no particles larger than 200 μm2 could be found on the samples of canvas, and > 95% of the particles on the samples of suede were less than or equal to 200 μm2. A pilot investigation into the effects of immersion interval was carried out upon samples of canvas. Greater numbers of valves were extracted from the samples with longer immersion intervals, but even after 30 s, > 500 valves could be recovered per cm2, suggesting that footwear may be sampled for diatoms even if the contact with a water body may have been brief. These findings indicate that, if the variability within and between experimental runs can be addressed, there is significant potential for diatoms to be incorporated into the trace analysis of footwear and assist forensic reconstructions

The survival of metallic residues from gunshot wounds in cremated bone : a radiological study

In literature, many studies have been performed in order to investigate the presence of GSR ("gunshot residue") and metallic residues in general with radiological techniques on several types of material, but the survival of metallic residues on charred samples has never been systematically performed. In this study, 31 adult bovine ribs underwent a shooting test. Every rib was shot with a single bullet, at a near-contact shooting distance, using two kinds of projectile: 17 samples were shot with a full metaljacketed bullet and the remaining 14 with an unjacketed bullet. After the shooting test, every rib underwent a "charring cycle" in an electric oven up to 800\ub0C. Every sample underwent radiological investigation with conventional radiography, before and after the burning process, to evaluate any changes in number and distribution of metallic residues. Radiographs showed survival of radiopaque residues in every sample, even after the charring process, especially when the bullet used was of the unjacketed type

Primary osseous melanoma in the tibia of a dog

An 18-month-old, female Cane Corso dog was presented with a suspected primary tumor of the tibia. Plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) of the tibia were highly suggestive of a primary bone neoplasm. A diagnosis of malignant melanoma was made by cytology. Total body survey radiographs, CT scan of the thorax, and abdominal ultrasound excluded the presence of neoplastic lesions other than in the tibia. Limb amputation was performed. Histology and immunohistochemical analysis of the tibial neoplasm confirmed the diagnosis of a melanoma with secondary metastasis to the popliteal lymph node. The dog was alive and in good physical condition 43 months after surgery

Outcome of neoadiuvant and adiuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin versus surgery alone in the treatment of feline associated sarcomas : a retrospective study of 37 cases

OUTCOME OF NEOADJUVANT AND ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY WITH DOXORUBICIN VERSUS SURGERY ALONE IN THE TREATMENT OF FELINE ASSOCIATED SARCOMAS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 37 CASES D Stefanello1, M Cantatore1, M Digiancamillo1, V Grieco2, E Riccardi2, O Travetti, V Fiorbianco1, V Bronzo2, S Romussi1 1 Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Veterinarie, Universit\ue0 di Milano 2 Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Igiene e Sanit\ue0 Pubblica Veterinaria, Universit\ue0 di Milano E-mail address: [email protected] Introduction: Feline Vaccine-Associated Sarcomas (FVAS) are mesenchimal neoplasms whose treatment is still unrewarding. Wide surgery with megavoltage radiotheraphy is considered the gold standard treatment in FVAS. Radiotheraphy units are not available for veterinary patients in Italy, moreover the usefulness of chemotherapy as an adiuvant tool is far to be proven. The aim of this retrospective study is to compare clinical outcome of cats treated with wide surgery alone or in combination with two different doxorubicin-based chemotherapy protocols. Methods: The medical records of cats with histologically confirmed diagnosis of FVAS were reviewed. Feline patients were enrolled in three different treatment groups. Group A: doxorubicin (1mg/Kg every three weeks) twice before and twice after wide surgery; group B: four doxorubicin cycles after wide surgery (1mg/Kg every three weeks); group C: wide surgery alone. In each group the frequence of local recurrence (\u3c72test p< 0.05) and the disease free interval (DFI) for not censored data (Kaplan-Meier and log-rank-test p<0.05) has been evaluated. Results: The median follow up was 501 days. The recurrence rate was calculated in 50% in group A, 20% in group B and 29% group C. The median DFI was 476 days in group A and was not reached in group B and C but ranged from 40 to 476 days. No statistically significant differences were not found between the groups. Conclusion. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not seem to influence the DFI. Further studies are needed to definetivily delineate the therapeutic role of doxorubicin in FVAS

STUDIO SULLA BIOPSIA TC-GUIDATA DEL POLMONE CON AGO SOTTILE NEL CANE E NEL GATTO

La diagnosi delle patologie polmonari sulla base dell’anamnesi e della visita clinica è spesso difficile. La diagnostica per immagini risulta essere di grande importanza in questo settore. La radiologia è stata considerata per molto tempo la tecnica di elezione per lo studio di queste malattie. Tuttavia spesso non è possibile differenziare una lesione infiammatoria/infettiva da una neoplastica. Risulta quindi necessaria una corretta diagnosi cito-istopatologica per avere una diagnosi accurata, una corretta prognosi ed un preciso piano terapeutico. In medicina umana la TC e la biopsia TC-guidata sono indicate in presenza di lesioni non adeguatamente visualizzate con altre procedure diagnostiche. Nel presente studio sono stati sottoposti a biopsia TC-guidata con ago sottile 30 cani e 9 gatti, di differente sesso, razza e dimensioni. In tutti gli animali sono stati eseguiti esame clinico, esami ematici e le radiografie del torace. Nel presente studio 32 campioni su 39 sono risultati diagnostici. Gli altri 7 casi o a causa di incertezza diagnostica, od in quanto contenevano solo sangue sono stati considerati non diagnostici. Non si sono riscontrate complicazioni gravi, solamente 5 casi di lieve pneumotorace.Diagnosis of pulmonary lesions on the basis of history and physical examination is often challenging. Diagnostic imaging is therefore of paramount importance in this field. Radiology has traditionally been considered the elective diagnostic procedure for these diseases. Nonetheless it is often not possible to differentiate inflammatory/infectious lesions from neoplastic disease. A correct cyto-histopathologic diagnosis is therefore needed for an accurate diagnosis and subsequent prognostic and therapeutic plan. In human medicine TC and TC-guided biopsy are indicated in the presence of lesions which are not adequately imaged with other diagnostic procedures. In the present study 30 dogs and 9 cats of different sex, breed and size underwent TCguided lung fine-needle aspiration. Clinical examination, haematology and chest radiography were performed on all animals. In this study 32 samples out of 39 were diagnostic. Other 7 cases either because of uncertainty or only blood was aspirated, were considered non diagnostic. Only mild pneumothorax was seen in 5 cases. No major complications were encountered