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O neonaticídio corresponde ao homicídio de uma criança durante as primeiras 24 horas de vida. Neste trabalho procurou-se caracterizar casos de neonaticídio ocorridos na área da Grande Lisboa, através de um estudo retrospetivo de todos os processos investigados na Delegação do Sul do Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, I.P. (INMLCF), entre 1 de janeiro de 2001 e 31 de dezembro de 2010. Identificaram-se cinco casos de neonaticídio (2.96 por 100000 nados-vivos), atribuíveis a cinco mães com uma idade média de 25 anos, cuja principal motivação foi a gravidez indesejada. Em todos os casos, a gravidez foi ocultada, evoluiu sem cuidados médicos pré-natais e o parto ocorreu em casa, sem assistência. Não foi identificada qualquer perturbação mental que verificasse os requisitos normativos de inimputabilidade para o crime. Embora raros, os casos de neonaticídio causam particular alarme social e levantam diversas questões jurídicas e médicolegais. O facto de se encontrarem associados à ocultação da gravidez e à ausência de perturbação mental evidente das suas autoras, dificulta a adoção de medidas preventivas, destacando-se a importância de um diagnóstico precoce de gravidez em mulheres em idade fértil. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Poster apresentado na II Conferência do Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, 29 e 30 de Outubro de 2015, Coimbra, Portugal. N/A

Poster apresentado no 9th ISABS Conference on Forensic and Anthropologic Genetics,22 a 26 de junho de 2015, ilha de Brač, Croácia SNP phenotypic markers are being studied by several groups worldwide. As a result, phenotypic loci such as the ones responsible for human eye, hair and skin color are starting to get known. These may provide information for identification of unknown sample donors in criminal casework when there are no suspects. This kind of information may be even more relevant when the sample donor possesses phenotypic characteristics which distinguish him from the population in which he is inserted. Nevertheless, this approach may be used in similar scientific areas. In this work, a DNA sample from a mummified corpse with historical and scientific interest was studied in order to discover more information about who this corps belonged to. One of the tools used in this investigation was IrisPlex, designed for eye color prediction. This study presents one example on how this methodologies may be useful, not only in forensic investigation but also in areas such as physical anthropology. N/A

Cristiana Palmela Pereira,1–4 João Franco Costa,5 Jorge Costa Santos,6,7 Maria Cristina de Mendonça6,7 1Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, 2Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutic and Dental Morphology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, 3Integrate Research from the Research Centre of Statistics and Applications of the University of Lisbon, Lisbon, 4South Branch of the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Lisbon, 5Judicial Police, Lisbon, 6Medical Legal Doctors, South Branch of the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Lisbon, 7Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal Abstract: The body of an 89-year-old woman was discovered at home by a member of her family. Only part of the body, the legs, were found intact without burn damage. The rest of the body was burned to ashes without the possibility to identify the cadaver. Forensic Dentistry had two main goals to resolve in this forensic pathology casework, and they were: 1) establish the identification of the cadaver; and 2) estimate the temperature and the direction of the fire by the analysis and interpretation of the skeletal intraoral dental materials altered by thermal processes. This case study manuscript focuses only on the second objective. The effects of fire on teeth are influenced by the temperature applied and by its duration. Additionally, adjacent tissues as well as temperature alterations caused by substances used to quench the fire have been shown to affect the thermal impact on teeth and their restoration. Bodies may be subjected to various temperatures, depending on the origin of the fire and the conditions that promote continuation of the blaze. Fire effects on certain dental materials can indicate the direction and the temperature of a fire. This is based on the physical, mechanical, and chemical changes of different dental materials resulting from high temperatures. The distinct properties of various dental materials, well defined, can influence and predict their performance under different degrees of fire. In this case study, the cadaver had two main groups of dental materials: metal alloys and polymers. The importance of the detailed degree of predictability of fire performance data from thermal decomposition data should not be underestimated; polymers cannot burn if they do not break down and metal alloys cannot burn if the melting point is not reached, independent of the variable time of the fire. Keywords: fire investigation, forensic dentistry, dental materials properties

Poster apresentado na 1ª Conferência do Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, 30 a 31 de Outubro de 2014, Coimbra, Portugal Os marcadores fenotípicos, do tipo SNP, têm vindo a ser estudados por vários grupos a nível mundial, pelo que começam a ser conhecidos marcadores para características fenotípicas não só para a cor dos olhos, mas também para a cor do cabelo e pele, os quais podem fornecer um conjunto valioso de informação para a identificação do dador da amostra em estudo. Este tipo de informação poderá ser tanto mais relevante se o dador da amostra possuir características fenotípicas que o distingam da população na qual se encontra inserido. Neste trabalho, foi estudada uma amostra de uma peça museológica com interesse histórico-científico que exemplifica como este tipo de novas metodologias poderá ter interesse em áreas como a investigação criminal ou como a antropologia física. N/A

Poster apresentado no 12º Congresso Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses. Porto, Portugal, 7 -9 de Novembro de 2013 Os laboratórios de Genética Forense têm como objetivo a obtenção de perfis genéticos com vista à identificação humana, para a resolução de perícias do âmbito cível e criminal. Com vista à obtenção dos perfis genéticos dos indivíduos, é necessário efetuar colheitas de amostras biológicas dos mesmos, denominadas por amostras de referência. As mais comummente usadas são as obtidas por descamação do epitélio da mucosa bucal, com recurso ao uso de zaragatoas bucais. A variabilidade da quantidade de células colhidas através deste procedimento, pode ser originada por diversos fatores. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar fatores que eventualmente possam contribuir para tal facto. N/A

Forensic geneticists use several Y-STR PCR amplification kits, which are useful in forensic identification, ancestry studies and genealogies reconstruction. The Y-chromosome regions with forensic interest include the set of 16 loci defined in the Y-Chromosome Haplotype Reference Database. Nevertheless Y chromosome is connected to male infertility and microdeletions in it are the most common cause of genetic origin male infertility. The study of Y chromosome AZF (Azoospermic Factor) region is one of the strategies to diagnose it. This study aimed to characterize the AZF region microdeletions by Y-STRs and STS studies and its possible impact in forensic casework. Selected samples from fifty-two patients studied for male infertility, collected under informed consent, were characterized at molecular level with specific STS for the presence/absence of the three AZF regions: AZFa – DFFRY3, DBY; AZFb – sY1227, sY1224, sY134, sY119, sY134, RBMY1, sY143; AZFc – sY1192, sY254, RRM3, sY1291, sY283, sY1201. AmpFℓSTR® Yfiler® PCR Amplification® kit (AB) was used to obtain a 16 Y-STR profile. All the 52 samples were concordant in forensic and molecular studies, although with different scenarios: a) a normal Y-STR profile and no deletion with STS in the AZF region were revealed in about 32% of the studied samples; b) the majority of samples, about 51%, revealed also a normal Y-STR profile, but with a complete or partial deletion(1 or 2 STS) in the AZFc region; c) deletion in DYS385, DYS392, DYS448 and in AZFb+AZFc were detected in 3 samples. Four samples have the following different scenarios: d) deletion in DYS385, DYS392, DYS448 and in AZFb; e) deletion in DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS385, DYS438, DYS439, DYS458, DYS635 and in AZFa; f) deletion in DYS448, in STS sY1197 and in AZFc; g) deletion in DYS390, DYS392, DYS385, DYS448, GATAH4 and in AZFb+AZFc region. All Y-STRs studied for forensic casework are localized, essentially, in the AZFa or AZFb regions, although DYS448 is located in the distal AZFb region and DYS390 and GATAH4 are localized between AZFa and AZFb regions. Deletion in the AZFc region does not affect results in forensics. The knowledge of Y-chromossome microdeletions is important in Forensic Genetics as this can be encountered in current casework without possibility to perform clinical studies. So, it is crucial to know how to interpret the results obtained in Y-STR microdeletions samples, according to Y-chromossome structural alterations. As Y-STRs used in Forensic Genetic Laboratories are located in the AZF region, associated to male infertility, this can raise some ethical problems in Forensics.

Poster apresentado no 24th World Congress of the International Society for Forensic Genetics, Viena (Austria), 2011 DNA parentage testing is currently performed using several highly polymorphic short tandem repeats (STRs). In our routine casework, we apply two validated STRs kits, in order to have results in the 13 codis loci plus D2S1338, D19S433, PENTA E, PENTA D, and Amelogenin. In complex and deficient paternity cases it is often necessary to increment the number of studied STRs. For this reason, we introduced in our laboratory GenePrint® FFFL Multiplex kit, which can provide results in F13A1, FES/FPS, F13B, and LPL using the GenePrint® FFFL System (Promega, USA) kit. In this study, we analyzed 150 unrelated and healthy individuals from the south Portugal population. Allele frequencies and statistical parameters were estimated with Arlequin 3.5.1.2. Paternity Statistics were calculated using software package PowerStats v12. The forensic efficiency values suggested that loci F13A01, FES/FPS, F13B, and LPL are discriminative and very useful to solve complex forensic casework, and should be added to the set of STRs loci routinely used in Forensic laboratories. In conclusion, an additional 4 loci dataset was established for the south Portuguese population, which can be used for both forensic casework and complex kinship testing info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Poster apresentado no 19th IAFS World Meeting, 9th WPMO Triennial Meeting, 5th MAFS Meeting, Funchal (Portugal), 14-16 de Setembro de 2011 Allele frequencies and other relevant forensic parameters of 15 loci studied with Applied Biosystems AmpFlSTRs NGM Kit were calculated in a population of individuals residing in the South of Portugal. Blood stain samples were obtained from a total of 350 unrelated individuals involved in paternity testing casework. This new kit has five loci not present in any other kit used in our laboratory (Promega Powerplex 16 System and Applied Biosystems Identifiler Plus): D10S1248, D22S1045, D2S441, D1S1656 and D12S391. The NGM multiplex kit is used in our forensic casework as an auxiliary screening tool to solve deficient casework such as fatherless paternity testing, and to help in paternity investigations with one genetic incompatibility after the routine seventeen loci typing. Furthermore, this five loci included in the European Standard Set are also recommended by the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) and the European DNA Profiling group (EDNAP). These studies are necessary to calculate statistical forensic parameters such as power of discrimination, power of exclusion or minimum allele frequencies. Statistical parameters such as heterozigoty, homozigoty or allele frequencies were determined with Arlequim V3.5 and results compared with the ones reported in previous similar studies. As final remark, is important to remember that this kind of study is highly important for the Forensic Laboratories accreditation achievement N/A

This dissertation examines different aspects involved in the formation of psychologists’ expert opinion in the Portuguese criminal justice system, more precisely, as this opinion is reflected in assessment reports. The present dissertation is comprised of three qualitative studies, the first sought to provide a general portrait of a sample of 106 forensic psychological reports as to their overall quality as measured in terms of relevance and coherence. Results show that the formal markers of quality are present in the sample analysed, a certain number of weaknesses have been observed, notably concerning the internal coherence of the reports as well as the relevance of the information reported on. The second study explored the opinions of 17 Portuguese judges and state prosecutors concerning the use they make of this type of forensic report. It appears that they consider these reports to be useful and very credible, specially so when they have been produced under the auspices of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, which is the state forensic institution. Furthermore, it appears that judges and prosecutors were particularly interested in data that allowed for a personalised portrait of the assessee. The third study sought to better comprehend the conceptual bases on which psychologists construct their reports. To this end, an exploratory study was undertaken with a sample of key-actors; the analysis of their interviews shows that they define their judicial mandate as well as the basic concepts that are associated to this mandate in different ways. A theoretical framework provided by an implicit theories model was used to help understand these results., Cette thèse présente trois études qualitatives qui concernent différents aspects de la formulation de l’opinion experte chez des psychologues forensiques, tel que cette opinion se révèle dans leurs rapports d’expertise psycho-légale. La première étude porte sur la qualité d’un vaste échantillon de rapports d’expertise en se concentrant sur des critères de pertinence et de cohérence comme mesures de leur qualité générale. Cette étape a permis de dresser le portrait de 106 rapports forensiques produits au Portugal et d’établir qu’ils rencontrent les critères de qualité formelle établis tout en présentant certaines faiblesses en ce qui concerne la pertinence des informations utilisées et la cohérence interne du rapport La deuxième étude explore les opinions de dix-sept juges et procureurs de la République portugaise et s’interroge plus particulièrement sur leurs perspectives concernant l’utilité ce type de rapports d’experts dans leur travail en cour criminelle. Il appert que ces derniers leur accordent une grande crédibilité en particulier lorsqu’ils ont été produits par les experts de l’Institut portugais de médicine légale et sciences forensiques, l’institution forensique nationale affiliée au Ministère de la Justice. De plus, il se dégage des entretiens que les juges et les procureurs sont particulièrement intéressés par les données qui permettent de dresser un portrait individualisé de la personne évaluée. La troisième étude vise à mieux saisir les bases conceptuelles sur lesquelles les psychologues experts construisent leurs rapports. Pour ce faire, une étude exploratoire auprès d’un échantillon d’acteurs-clés a été menée qui a permis de dégager un certain nombre de constats, notamment que ceux-ci définissent leurs mandats judiciaires ainsi que les concepts fondamentaux qui y sont associés de manière différente. Un cadre théorique basé sur le modèle des théories implicites a été utilisé pour mieux comprendre ces résultats.