Paola A. Magni OSI

Textiles can be crucial in forensic investigations, serving as direct evidence or, more often, as carriers of crime-related evidence. However, textile degradation can compromise both the material itself and any associated evidence, particularly when exposed to decomposition fluids and environmental aspects. This research compared degradation in 100% cotton and 100% polyester fabrics wrapped around experimental stillborn piglets and control swatches of the same fabrics. All samples were placed in a Western Australian bushland environment for 131 days during the autumn season, either on soil or in plastic containers. Samples were collected periodically throughout the research period, dried, and examined microscopically for signs of physical, chemical, and biological degradation. Findings indicate that decomposition fluids and insect activity followed by microbial, fungal and algal growth were the primary degradation factors, particularly affecting cotton when in contact with the soil. This research provides valuable insights into degradation processes, contributing to the interpretation of textile evidence in cases involving decomposition.

In forensic investigations of physical assaults involving weapon use, the analysis of damage to soft tissues, bones, and textiles can yield critical insights into the weapon and the dynamics of the incident. This intelligence is obtained by examining the damage, as well as potentially simulating and reconstructing the incident. Existing simulation models range from human-based trials to mechanical apparatus, though all are inadequate in accurately replicating incidents due to factors such as human variability, lack of controlled force application, and inconsistent reproducibility. This study evaluates the potential of robotic arms to address existing simulation limitations, highlighting their capabilities, such as human-like motions, programmability, precision, and repeatability, that may assist in standardising weapon impact simulations and damage reconstruction.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in blow flies vary with species, age, and environmental factors. Blow fly puparia are often found associated with decomposing remains, but their utility in post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation in forensic cases is limited by challenges in accurately ageing them using conventional methods. This study builds on prior research by successfully distinguishing the CHC profiles of Lucilia sericata full puparia aged 1- and 5- days post-pupation. The results indicate that CHC analysis could serve as a valuable tool, either as a complement to or as a potential alternative for traditional forensic entomology methods.

The human stabbing action is a dynamic interaction between the assailant and a victim, resulting in sharp force damage. The morphology of such damage is influenced by multiple parameters before, during, and after the stabbing incident. In forensic investigations , examining wounds and textile damage provides critical information about the implement used, the method of stabbing, and the associated physical interaction between the assailant and the victim. This information aids in reconstructing events and determining whether injuries are homicidal, accidental, or self-inflicted. The assessment of tissue and textile damage involves qualitative analysis followed by hypothesis testing of simulated stabbing incidents and damage reconstruction. Currently, these reconstructions are manually performed by forensic practitioners, but variability exists in stabbing actions both between and within individuals, leading to limitations in accuracy, repeatability, and reliability. The present review represents the most current comprehensive overview of the factors affecting sharp force damage. It discusses the process of damage analysis with an emphasis on textile damage and discusses both manual and mechanical simulation methods used in research and forensic casework. It highlights the capabilities and limitations of these approaches, offering directions for future investigations and their forensic applications. Tables detailing the design and results of manual and mechanical experiments conducted since the 1920s are provided to assist operators. Finally, advanced methods , such as robotic arms that mimic human motions, are discussed as potential solutions to some of the current limitations, with the aim of enabling standardization in sharp force damage analysis and reconstruction. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Background: The aging of fly larvae is primarily determined by their temperature-dependent growth rates, a concept widely applied in forensic entomology to estimate the minimum postmortem interval using the accumulated degree day/hour (ADD/ADH) method.

Method: This study adapted the same approach for veterinary entomology, offering insights into how accumulated degree day (ADD) can be used to estimate both the number and timing of fly generations in nature. This study details a method for identifying the pupation landmarks of Ch. rufifacies (Macquart) by characterising seven distinct pupal stages over time. Following this, ADD values were calculated for each life stage using developmental data collected from two types of ovine muscle: muscle with fat and muscle without fat, at two temperatures: 24 ± 1 °C for autumn and 30 ± 1 °C for summer, reflecting typical seasonal conditions in southwestern Australia.

Results: This study also provided a graphical illustration of how to estimate the number of fly generations emerging during a season, based on daily temperature data from autumn and summer in southwestern Australia for the 2023/2024 period.

Conclusions: This approach highlights the value of developmental data and ADD methods in veterinary entomology, offering a robust framework for understanding fly population dynamics for effective myiasis control strategies.

Bone taphonomy and diagenesis contribute to anthropological analysis in forensic investigations by attempting to reconstruct the relationship between human cadaveric remains and their postmortem depositional environment. The rare aquatic taphonomic experiments have been delivering conflicting results on the influence of time and the environment on the decay of bone and teeth, especially considering that the main diagenetic processes can lead to fragmentation, progressive dissolution or fossilization. The aim of this experimental, quantitative, randomized and controlled 2-year study was to analyse the taphonomy and diagenesis of submerged terrestrial mammalian bones to achieve a more accurate estimation of both the post-mortem interval (PMI) and the post-mortem submersion interval (PMSI) in the short term. Three parameters of bone diagenesis, the Oxford Histological Index (OHI), the total porosity and the collagen content of cortical bone were analysed by MicroCT Scan, bright-field Light Microscopy (Picrosirius Red stain), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on 75 sheep femurs and tibias placed in four distinct types of environment (natural saltwater, natural freshwater, an artificial seawater solution and exposed to the air) vs. non-exposed controls. LA-ICP-MS was soon discontinued because no measurable changes of the elemental profiles could be detected. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the collected data. The macroscopical preservation was consistently excellent (OHI=5). The total porosity and the degradation of collagen were greater underwater than in subaerial exposure, whereas demineralization zones and bioerosion tunnelling appeared after 12 months in the air-exposed samples only. Underwater, the continuous movement, the correlated abrasion by sand and sediment and the constant alkaline pH (≥ 8) can explain the progressive removal of the mineral component and the subsequent exposure of collagen to bioeroders and chemical hydrolysis. On land, the same process occurs at a slower rate on account of the seasonality of the water flow, however, the action of the more abundant and diversified species of bioeroding microorganisms appears more efficient. Despite some limitations, this study indicates that three parameters of bone diagenesis can predict the depositional environment of terrestrial mammalian bone characterized by a PMI and/or PMSI of at least 12 months.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are long-chain lipids found on the exoskeletons of insects, serving primarily as a protective barrier against water loss and environmental factors. In the last few decades, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of CHCs, particularly in blow flies, has emerged as a valuable tool in forensic entomology, offering promising potential for species identification and age estimation of forensically important insects. This review examines the current application of CHC analysis in forensic investigations and highlights the significant advancements in the field over the past few years. Studies have demonstrated that CHC profiles vary with insect development, and while intra-species variability exists due to factors such as age, sex, geographical location, and environmental conditions, these variations can be harnessed to refine post-mortem interval (PMI) estimations and improve the accuracy of forensic entomological evidence. Notably, CHC analysis can also aid in distinguishing between multiple generations of insects on a body, providing insights into post-mortem body movement and aiding in the interpretation of PMI in complex cases. Furthermore, recent studies have investigated the variability and degradation of CHCs over time, revealing how environmental factors-such as temperature, humidity, UV light exposure, and toxicological substances-affect CHC composition, providing valuable insights for forensic investigations. Despite the promise of CHC profiling, several challenges remain, and this review also aims to highlight future research directions to enhance the reliability of this technique in forensic casework.

The succession, development, and behavior of necrophagous insects on decomposing remains are used by forensic entomologists to estimate the minimum post-mortem interval (minPMI). Carcasses are often recovered from concealed environments, such as burials, wrapping, suitcases and waste bins, where they are protected from abiotic and biotic factors, including carrion fauna. The present study represents the first comprehensive research on concealed environments in Australia. Stillborn piglets (Sus scrofa domesticus L.) placed in hard-covered suitcases (N=40, restricted access) and wheeled bins (N=20, partially restricted access) were compared with controls (N=5, exposed) placed on the soil surface, over a period of 164 days (Austral winter to spring). The analysis compared the decomposition process patterns and considered the insect assemblages colonizing the carcasses in each concealment type and the controls. Results show that 1) insects were attracted to the control carcasses within hours of placement in the field (Day 1, D1), followed by wheeled bin carcasses (D3) and suitcase carcasses (D4); 2) carcasses reached skeletonization on D65 (exposed), D108 (wheeled bin) and D136 (suitcase); 3) the assemblages of necrophagous insect species were different between the exposed and the concealed carcasses; 4) blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were the most prevalent insects colonizing the controls and wheeled bins, while coffin flies (Diptera: Phoridae) were the most prevalent in the suitcases, with some colonized by black soldier flies (Diptera: Stratyiomiidae). The results of this research contribute to the understanding of decomposition processes and insect activity in restricted access environments and help provide a more accurate estimation of the minPMI in forensic cases.

Questionnaires and clinical observations are significant components of human and veterinary epidemiology surveys, providing a comprehensive prognosis of the occurrence and prevalence of diseases. The information compiled by these two survey methods is equally important for establishing an epidemiological surveillance system for disease outbreak management. This review summarizes 57 previous surveys, including questionnaires and clinical observations on sheep myiasis globally from 1976 to 2023, with an emphasis on their methodologies and areas of findings. Overall, this review establishes a baseline understanding of the essential entomological and veterinary aspects required for designing questionnaires and clinical observation surveys on sheep myiasis. Additionally, it provides guidance for implementing future study protocols and proposes a farmer-based approach that integrates these techniques to achieve improved outcomes in mitigating sheep myiasis.

Considering the growing importance of microbiome analyses in forensics for identifying individuals, this study explores the transfer of the skin microbiome onto clothing, its persistence on fabrics over time, and its transferability from the environment and between different garments. Furthermore, this project compares three specific QIAGEN microbiome extraction kits to test their extraction efficiency on fabric samples. Additionally, this study aims to check if these extracts contain human DNA, providing a chance to obtain more information from the same evidence for personal identification. The results obtained show: (1) variations in the skin microbiome between the volunteers, potentially due to their different sex; (2) differences in microbial composition between worn and unworn clothing; (3) the influence of the environment on the microbial signature of unworn clothing; (4) the potential use of certain phyla as biomarkers to differentiate between worn and unworn garments, even over extended periods; (5) a tendency towards extraction biases in the QIAampMP
DNA microbiome kit among the three tested ones; and (6) none of the extraction kits allow for the typing of human genetic profiles suitable for comparison. In conclusion, our study offers supplementary insights into the potential utility of time-transferred microbiome analysis on garments for forensic applications.