Search

Forensic anthropology (FA) as a specialized discipline has been practised in multi-lingual Switzerland for over a decade. A variety of expertise regarding osteological assessments as well as facial image comparison (FIC) is provided by different centres. Nevertheless, information is lacking about the awareness of FA and its benefits for forensic investigations among forensic stakeholders. Therefore, a survey was sent to Swiss anthropologists (AN) and related professions (police officers, prosecutors, and forensic pathologists) to assess three main aspects: (1) the experience of working (biological/forensic) anthropologists within FA; (2) how FA is perceived by other professions within the legal system; and (3) identify gaps (if any) in understanding of FA with the aim to suggest avenues for improvement if necessary. The results show that awareness of FA varies by occupation and cantonal regions. In areas where close collaborations between forensic anthropologists (FAs) and other stakeholders have been formally established, be it with focus on osteological analyses or FIC, the awareness of FA competencies was superior to areas where this was not the case. An overwhelming majority of forensic actors expressed interest in continuing education related to the role of FA. These findings indicate that facilitation of communication and collaboration leads to improvement in the awareness of the competencies of FAs and their contribution to forensic investigations.

Age assessment of migrants is crucial, particularly for unaccompanied foreign minors, a population facing legal, social, and humanitarian challenges. Despite existing guidelines, there is no unified protocol in Europe for age assessment. The Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE) conducted a comprehensive questionnaire to understand age estimation practices in Europe. The questionnaire had sections focusing on the professional background of respondents, annual assessment numbers, requesting parties and reasons, types of examinations conducted (e.g., physical, radiological), followed protocols, age estimation methods, and questions on how age estimates are reported. The questionnaire's findings reveal extensive engagement of the forensic community in age assessment in the living, emphasizing multidisciplinary approaches. However, there seems to be an incomplete appreciation of AGFAD guidelines. Commonalities exist in examination methodologies and imaging tests. However, discrepancies emerged among respondents regarding sexual maturity assessment and reporting assessment results. Given the increasing importance of age assessment, especially for migrant child protection, the study stresses the need for a unified protocol across European countries. This can only be achieved if EU Member States wholeheartedly embrace the fundamental principles outlined in EU Directives and conduct medical age assessments aligned with recognized standards such as the AGFAD guidelines.

Identified (documented) osteological collections represent an important resource in the development of forensic anthropology standards and methods as well as a precious tool for learning and training of practitioners. Even though the number of papers presenting identified collections worldwide increases, many of the collections have still not been divulged to the scientific community in sufficient detail to ascertain their exact number. The Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE) therefore developed a tool that goes beyond sporadic publications: the FASE Map of Identified Osteological Collections, which is freely accessible and continuously updated and revised. The online map is available at http://forensicanthropology.eu/osteological-collections/. The map of skeletal collections was created in 2017 and currently displays information on 153 identified osteological collections (43 of them categorized as contemporary) located in 41 different countries. This article offers a short analysis of the type, geographical location and content of the collections included in the map. The aim of this article and the map as such is to provide a useful resource to facilitate research planning and teaching in forensic anthropology and related disciplines.

Aim: The aim of our study was to compare traumatic injuries observed after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by means of standard (manual) or assisted (mechanical) chest compression by Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System, 2nd generation (LUCAS™2) device. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted including cases from 2011 to 2013, analysing consecutive autopsy reports in two groups of patients who underwent medicolegal autopsy after unsuccessful CPR. We focused on traumatic injuries from dermal to internal trauma, collecting data according to a standardised protocol. Results: The study group was comprised of 26 cases, while 32 cases were included in the control group. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by LUCAS™2 was longer than manual CPR performed in control cases (study group: mean duration 51.5min; controls 29.4min; p = 0.004). Anterior chest lesions (from bruises to abrasions) were described in 18/26 patients in the LUCAS™2 group and in 6/32 of the control group. A mean of 6.6 rib fractures per case was observed in the LUCAS™2 group, but this was only 3.1 in the control group (p = 0.007). Rib fractures were less frequently observed in younger patients. The frequency of sternal factures was similar in both groups. A few trauma injuries to internal organs (mainly cardiac, pulmonary and hepatic bruises), and some petechiae (study 46%; control 41%; p = 0.79) were recorded in both groups. Conclusion: LUCAS™2-CPR is associated with more rib fractures than standard CPR. Typical round concentric skin lesions were observed in cases of mechanical reanimation. No life-threatening injuries were reported. Petechiae were common findings.

Adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injectors provide life-saving pre-hospital treatment for individuals experiencing anaphylaxis in a community setting. Errors in handling adrenaline auto-injectors, particularly by children and healthcare professionals, have been reported. Reports of adrenaline overdoses are limited in the medical literature. In most of these cases, accidental adrenaline administration results from medical error. Exogenous administration of catecholamine is responsible for cardiovascular and metabolic responses, which may cause supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular dysrhythmias and myocardial ischemia. The authors present a unique autopsy case involving a 34year-old woman who intentionally self-injected adrenaline using an adrenaline auto-injector as part of a suicide plan. Catecholamines and metanephrines were measured in peripheral and cardiac blood as well as urine and vitreous humor. Based on the results of all postmortem investigations, the cause of death was determined to be cardiac dysrhythmia and cardiac arrest following adrenaline self-injection.

In this position statement, the Board members of the Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE) argue that forensic anthropology methods can be used as means of personal identification, particularly in situations with limited availability of traditional identification methods (i.e. dactyloscopy, odontology, and molecular genetic analysis). This statement has been issued taking into account the international migration crises related to thousands of deaths worldwide, in which the utility of these traditional means of identification has been sporadic to non-existent. The statement is however not limited to deaths related to the migration crises, as similar problems may occur in fatalities en masse such as in natural disasters and armed conflicts, and on a smaller scale in cases of homeless or otherwise socioeconomically disadvantaged persons. The number of reports on personal identification based on sound anthropological methodology is increasing in the scientific literature. However, more research is needed to develop evidence-based standard operating procedures and statistical frameworks. It remains essential to raise awareness among forensic practitioners, law enforcement, and judiciary professionals on the utility of forensic anthropology in cases where it can provide sufficient information for identification.

In this position statement, the Board members of the Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE) argue that forensic anthropology methods can be used as means of personal identification, particularly in situations with limited availability of traditional identification methods (i.e. dactyloscopy, odontology, and molecular genetic analysis). This statement has been issued taking into account the international migration crises related to thousands of deaths worldwide, in which the utility of these traditional means of identification has been sporadic to non-existent. The statement is however not limited to deaths related to the migration crises, as similar problems may occur in fatalities en masse such as in natural disasters and armed conflicts, and on a smaller scale in cases of homeless or otherwise socioeconomically disadvantaged persons. The number of reports on personal identification based on sound anthropological methodology is increasing in the scientific literature. However, more research is needed to develop evidence-based standard operating procedures and statistical frameworks. It remains essential to raise awareness among forensic practitioners, law enforcement, and judiciary professionals on the utility of forensic anthropology in cases where it can provide sufficient information for identification., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

One of the goals of the Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE) is to map the existing education and practice opportunities in the field of forensic anthropology in order to support the development of the discipline and to optimize the training courses provided by the Society. To address this goal, an online questionnaire was sent to European and South African practitioners of forensic anthropology and related disciplines in 2016. The results of the questionnaire showed that the status and roles of forensic anthropologists vary depending on the national legal systems, education, and employment status of the practitioners. Despite the fact that the expertise of forensic anthropologists has been increasingly requested in a variety of investigations and the spectrum of tasks has become broader, including identification of living persons, specialized education in forensic anthropology is still restricted to a few graduate and postgraduate programs in European countries and to annual FASE courses.

Even if there is clinical evidence that carbon monoxide poisoning determines cardiac damage, the literature on the cardiac pathomorphology in such cases is scarce. We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of two known markers of fresh cardiac damage, fibronectin and the terminal complement complex C5b-9, in both cardiac ventricles in 26 cases of CO intoxication (study group, 15 ♀, 11 ♂, mean age 47years, mean COHb level 65.9%, min. 51%, max. 85%) compared to a group of 23 cases of hanging (n = 23, 4♀, 19♂, mean age 42years) as well as to 25 cases of myocardial infarction (n = 25, 13♀, 12♂, mean age 64years). Fresh cardiac damage was detected with the antibody fibronectin in cases of CO poisoning and was prevalently localised at the right ventricle

We report the case of a 53-year-old man who was found dead in his apartment 2days after a little fire during which he had suffered from second to third degree burns at 2% of the body surface, also involving the skin around the mouth and the nose. At autopsy, severe acute emphysema and mucopurulent obstructive laryngotracheobronchitis were observed. The histology showed desquamative loss of the respiratory epithelium up to the middle bronchi; the bronchial lumen was filled with clumps of mucopurulent secretions mixed with necrotic epithelial cells. The cause of death was a delayed asphyxia due to inhalation injury

Pulmonary thromboembolism is a life-threatening event potentially determining right ventricular failure. Even if the pathophysiology of this phenomenon has been widely investigated, no morphological demonstration of right ventricular ischemic damage determining right ventricular failure in cases of fatal pulmonary embolism has been reported till now. We performed an immunohistochemical investigation with the markers fibronectin and C5b-9 in 26 cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (16 ♀, 10 ♂, mean age 56.4years), as well as in 25 cases of myocardial infarction (16♀, 9♂, mean age 60.8years) and 20 cases of hanging (3♀, 17♂, mean age 40.8years). In each case, at least one tissue slide from both cardiac ventricles (free wall of the right ventricle, anterior and/or posterior wall of the left ventricle) was prepared. The reactions were semiquantitatively classified and the groups compared. In the study group, the occurrence of ischemic changes at the right ventricle was significantly higher than in cases of myocardial infarction and global hypoxia due to hanging. The determining aspect of the immunohistochemical examination is the identification of the prevalent ischemic lesion at the right ventricle compared to the left one. This may indicate the primary involvement of the right ventricle thus demonstrating a right ventricular failure

Data from the literature indicate that the pulmonary pressure rises in cases of ethanol intake. We have recently proposed a method for the detection of prevalent right ventricular damage in cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism and pulmonary fat embolism. In the present study, we compared the expression of the antibodies against fibronectin and C5b-9 in 19 cases of lethal alcohol intoxications (study group: 5 females, 14 males, mean age 46years, mean blood ethanol concentration 3.5‰, min. 2.11‰, max. 5.31‰) to a group of 26 cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PE; group 2: 16 females, 10 males, mean age 56years). Moreover, a group of 15 cases of hanging (group 3: 5 females, 10 males, mean age 50years) as well as a group of 18 cases of myocardial infarction (group 4: 5 females, 13 males, mean age 61years) were investigated as examples of typical cardiac damage due to global hypoxia during agony and ischemic damage, respectively. The results of this study show that fresh cardiac damage can be detected at both ventricles in cases of fatal ethanol intoxication with the antibody against fibronectin. The damage is prevalently localised at the right ventricle (RV), as already observed in cases of acute pulmonary hypertension determining right heart failure. The degree of damage at the RV in cases of ethanol intoxications is lower than the one observed in cases of fatal PE

Adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injectors provide life-saving pre-hospital treatment for individuals experiencing anaphylaxis in a community setting. Errors in handling adrenaline auto-injectors, particularly by children and healthcare professionals, have been reported. Reports of adrenaline overdoses are limited in the medical literature. In most of these cases, accidental adrenaline administration results from medical error. Exogenous administration of catecholamine is responsible for cardiovascular and metabolic responses, which may cause supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular dysrhythmias and myocardial ischemia. The authors present a unique autopsy case involving a 34year-old woman who intentionally self-injected adrenaline using an adrenaline auto-injector as part of a suicide plan. Catecholamines and metanephrines were measured in peripheral and cardiac blood as well as urine and vitreous humor. Based on the results of all postmortem investigations, the cause of death was determined to be cardiac dysrhythmia and cardiac arrest following adrenaline self-injection.

Aim: The aim of our study was to compare traumatic injuries observed after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by means of standard (manual) or assisted (mechanical) chest compression by Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System, 2nd generation (LUCAS™2) device. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted including cases from 2011 to 2013, analysing consecutive autopsy reports in two groups of patients who underwent medicolegal autopsy after unsuccessful CPR. We focused on traumatic injuries from dermal to internal trauma, collecting data according to a standardised protocol. Results: The study group was comprised of 26 cases, while 32 cases were included in the control group. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by LUCAS™2 was longer than manual CPR performed in control cases (study group: mean duration 51.5min; controls 29.4min; p = 0.004). Anterior chest lesions (from bruises to abrasions) were described in 18/26 patients in the LUCAS™2 group and in 6/32 of the control group. A mean of 6.6 rib fractures per case was observed in the LUCAS™2 group, but this was only 3.1 in the control group (p = 0.007). Rib fractures were less frequently observed in younger patients. The frequency of sternal factures was similar in both groups. A few trauma injuries to internal organs (mainly cardiac, pulmonary and hepatic bruises), and some petechiae (study 46%; control 41%; p = 0.79) were recorded in both groups. Conclusion: LUCAS™2-CPR is associated with more rib fractures than standard CPR. Typical round concentric skin lesions were observed in cases of mechanical reanimation. No life-threatening injuries were reported. Petechiae were common findings.

Even if there is clinical evidence that carbon monoxide poisoning determines cardiac damage, the literature on the cardiac pathomorphology in such cases is scarce. We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of two known markers of fresh cardiac damage, fibronectin and the terminal complement complex C5b-9, in both cardiac ventricles in 26 cases of CO intoxication (study group, 15 ♀, 11 ♂, mean age 47years, mean COHb level 65.9%, min. 51%, max. 85%) compared to a group of 23 cases of hanging (n = 23, 4♀, 19♂, mean age 42years) as well as to 25 cases of myocardial infarction (n = 25, 13♀, 12♂, mean age 64years). Fresh cardiac damage was detected with the antibody fibronectin in cases of CO poisoning and was prevalently localised at the right ventricle

We report the case of a 53-year-old man who was found dead in his apartment 2days after a little fire during which he had suffered from second to third degree burns at 2% of the body surface, also involving the skin around the mouth and the nose. At autopsy, severe acute emphysema and mucopurulent obstructive laryngotracheobronchitis were observed. The histology showed desquamative loss of the respiratory epithelium up to the middle bronchi; the bronchial lumen was filled with clumps of mucopurulent secretions mixed with necrotic epithelial cells. The cause of death was a delayed asphyxia due to inhalation injury

Pulmonary thromboembolism is a life-threatening event potentially determining right ventricular failure. Even if the pathophysiology of this phenomenon has been widely investigated, no morphological demonstration of right ventricular ischemic damage determining right ventricular failure in cases of fatal pulmonary embolism has been reported till now. We performed an immunohistochemical investigation with the markers fibronectin and C5b-9 in 26 cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (16 ♀, 10 ♂, mean age 56.4years), as well as in 25 cases of myocardial infarction (16♀, 9♂, mean age 60.8years) and 20 cases of hanging (3♀, 17♂, mean age 40.8years). In each case, at least one tissue slide from both cardiac ventricles (free wall of the right ventricle, anterior and/or posterior wall of the left ventricle) was prepared. The reactions were semiquantitatively classified and the groups compared. In the study group, the occurrence of ischemic changes at the right ventricle was significantly higher than in cases of myocardial infarction and global hypoxia due to hanging. The determining aspect of the immunohistochemical examination is the identification of the prevalent ischemic lesion at the right ventricle compared to the left one. This may indicate the primary involvement of the right ventricle thus demonstrating a right ventricular failure

Data from the literature indicate that the pulmonary pressure rises in cases of ethanol intake. We have recently proposed a method for the detection of prevalent right ventricular damage in cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism and pulmonary fat embolism. In the present study, we compared the expression of the antibodies against fibronectin and C5b-9 in 19 cases of lethal alcohol intoxications (study group: 5 females, 14 males, mean age 46years, mean blood ethanol concentration 3.5‰, min. 2.11‰, max. 5.31‰) to a group of 26 cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PE; group 2: 16 females, 10 males, mean age 56years). Moreover, a group of 15 cases of hanging (group 3: 5 females, 10 males, mean age 50years) as well as a group of 18 cases of myocardial infarction (group 4: 5 females, 13 males, mean age 61years) were investigated as examples of typical cardiac damage due to global hypoxia during agony and ischemic damage, respectively. The results of this study show that fresh cardiac damage can be detected at both ventricles in cases of fatal ethanol intoxication with the antibody against fibronectin. The damage is prevalently localised at the right ventricle (RV), as already observed in cases of acute pulmonary hypertension determining right heart failure. The degree of damage at the RV in cases of ethanol intoxications is lower than the one observed in cases of fatal PE