Occurrence of Poecilochirus austroasiaticus (Acari: Parasitidae) in forensic autopsies and its application on postmortem interval estimation

Despite the fact that mites were used at the dawn of forensic entomology to elucidate the postmortem interval, their use in current cases remains quite low for procedural reasons such as inadequate taxonomic knowledge. A special interest is focused on the phoretic stages of some mite species, because the phoront-host specificity allows us to deduce in many occasions the presence of the carrier (usually Diptera or Coleoptera) although it has not been seen in the sampling performed in situ or in the autopsy room. In this article, we describe two cases where Poecilochirus austroasiaticus Vitzthum (Acari: Parasitidae) was sampled in the autopsy room. In the first case, we could sample the host, Thanatophilus ruficornis (Küster) (Coleoptera: Silphidae), which was still carrying phoretic stages of the mite on the body. That attachment allowed, by observing starvation/feeding periods as a function of the digestive tract filling, the establishment of chronological cycles of phoretic behavior, showing maximum peaks of phoronts during arrival and departure from the corpse and the lowest values in the phase of host feeding. From the sarcosaprophagous fauna, we were able to determine in this case a minimum postmortem interval of 10 days. In the second case, we found no Silphidae at the place where the corpse was found or at the autopsy, but a postmortem interval of 13 days could be established by the high specificity of this interspecific relationship and the departure from the corpse of this family of Coleoptera.

First contribution of mites (Acari) to the forensic analysis of hanged corpses: a case study from Spain

This case study from North Spain, highlights the importance of the collection of mites in addition to insects, from crime scenes or corpses subjected to environmental constraints that reduce or minimise insect activity, such as hanged corpses. In addition, this analysis highlights the relevance of arthropods’ collection in the field, even after the corpse has been moved away for autopsy. Four species of mites, phoretic on carrion (Silphidae) and rove (Staphylinidae) beetles, complemented and reinforced the autopsy analysis as well as the scarce information provided by insect activity. Poecilochirus carabi Canestrini & Canestrini, 1882 and Poecilochirus (Physoparasitus) davydovae Hyatt, 1980 (Mesostigmata: Parasitidae) were found in association with two Silphidae, Nicrophorus Fabricius, 1775 and Necrodes Leach, 1815, only when sampled in the autopsy room; this is suggestive of host-switching of mites and was likely due to the lack of availability of specific carriers in the field. The interpretation of the activity of Parasitidae mites both in the field and the autopsy room allows a better understanding of the timing and circumstances of decomposition. Phoretic deutonymphs of Pelzneria Scheucher 1957 (Astigmata: Histiostomatidae) were highly abundant, mostly P. crenulata Oudemans, 1909 and are reported for the first time on a Staphylinidae rove beetle, Creophilus maxillosus (L., 1758). Surprisingly, in this case study no Pelzneria were associated with the Silphidae found, which are their most common hosts, such as Necrodes littoralis (L., 1758) and Nicrophorus interruptus (Stephens, 1830). All histiostomatids were removed from the staphylinid (rove beetle) collected from the soil, at the scene of death, suggesting a recent arrival of the beetle. The occurrence of Staphylinidae beetles and their associated mites, such as Parasitidae and Pelzneria, and the information they provided would have been easily overlooked or lost if only the autopsy sampling would have been considered in the analysis of the case. The four mite species are reported for the first time for the Iberian Peninsula.

Acarología forense [Forensic acarology]

Mites are a highly diversified group of chelicerates (arthropods) adapted to a broad spectrum of habitats and diets, presenting extreme specificity to habitats. They are considered to be important indicators of environmental conditions including those modified by human beings. Therefore, they can inform about the environment where a corpse has been exposed to, about the route of specific merchandises, as well as about other applied aspects of forensic entomology. It is not rare the presence of species adapted to cadaveric environments. Jean Pierre Mégnin, forensic veterinarian considered pioneer in the development of forensic entomology, conscious about the importance of mites as forensic indicators, was the first including mites in the decomposition process. For Mégnin, wave six was formed by mites only. Due to the increasing interest of forensic experts in including these organisms in their analysis of trace evidence, as mites are one of the most ubiquitous organisms, we have developed standards for the sampling, conservation and custody of mite evidence of forensic interest.

Effect of morphine on the growth rate of Calliphora stygia (Fabricius) (Diptera : Calliphoridae) and possible implications for forensic entomology

Insect specimens collected from decomposing bodies enable forensic entomologists to estimate the minimum post-morten interval (PMI). Drugs and toxins within a corpose may affect the development rate of insects that feed on them and it is vital to quantify these effects to accurately calculate minimum PMI.... This suggests that C. sygia is a reliable model to use to accurately age a corpse containing morphine at any of the concentrations investigated.

Factors governing colonisation by forensically important blow flies in Victoria

This study investigated factors controlling blow fly infestation of simulated remains (meat baits) in Victoria. Temperature, light and dark and level of decay are most influential in determining infestation by maggots. This knowledge will assist in more accurate forensic estimations of the minimum time since death of a corpse.

Anatomia de um caso de dextrocardia com Situs Solitus

Apresentamos um caso raro de dextrocardia em um cadáver feminino com idade aproximada de um ano, apresentando situs solitus. Normalmente, os casos de dextrocardia relatados na literatura descrevem múltiplas malformações cardíacas associadas. No presente estudo, tem grande relevância o fato de não ter sido encontrada uma completa imagem especular do coração e dos vasos da base. Não foram encontradas discordância atrioventricular ou outras malformações intra e extracardíacas que são comumente incidentes em casos de dextrocardia. No entanto, foram encontradas a presença de um grande ducto arterioso, bem como uma posição anômala da parte direita do coração.

Theoretical approaches to forensic entomology: II. Mathematical model of larval development

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Necropsia cosmética em aves

Necropsy is a post-mortem criterious exam that helps in clinical diagnosis and consists in external and internal analysis of body cavities and organs of a corpse in order to determine the cause of death or to verify the extension and the nature of lesions caused by diseases. Considering the bonds between owners and their pets many veterinarians seems to visualize necropsy as a difficult task. This fact has gained great importance in avian Veterinary Medicine since bird owners have both love and economic bonds. Necropsy in often neglected in Veterinary Medicine although being a very important practice for the professional learning and also for reaching a reliable diagnosis of certain diseases. For this reason, this article aims to describe the procedure for performing avian cosmetic necropsy, which keeps the external characteristics of animals and increases the acceptance of owners by not disfiguring the corpse.

Ultrassonografia transcraniana em cães adultos hígidos: padronização da técnica, aspectos anatômicos e biométricos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aplicação do método da eletrorresistividade na investigação e mapeamento da contaminação por cemitérios: o exemplo do cemitério da Vila Rezende, Piracicaba/SP

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Investigação geofísica ambiental e forense nos cemitérios do Benguí e do Tapanã (Belém - PA)

A Geofísica é uma ferramenta útil no estudo da contaminação de água provocada por cemitérios, assim como na investigação criminalística. A contaminação provocada por cemitérios é um tema ainda pouco estudado. Por outro lado, Geofísica forense é quase desconhecida no Brasil. Para estudar esses dois temas – cemitérios e alvos forenses – foram eleitos dois cemitérios públicos: o cemitério do Bengui, já desativado, e o cemitério do Tapanã. A investigação geofísica nos dois Cemitérios foi realizada por meio dos métodos eletromagnéticos ground penetrating radar (GPR) e Slingram de baixo número de indução (low induction number – LIN). No Cemitério do Bengui, testou-se o GPR na detecção do nível hidrostático, visto que, na implantação de um Cemitério, a informação mais importante é a profundidade do aquífero. No Cemitério do Tapanã, onde foi implantado o Campo de Testes controlados para Geofísica Forense, Ambiental e de Resgate, denominado FORAMB, utilizou-se GPR e Slingram em levantamentos mensais a fim de detectar o nível hidrostático, monitorar o desenvolvimento da contaminação e, especialmente, encontrar alvos forenses (um cadáver, uma caixa simulando um túnel e uma caixa com ferros simulando armas). O GPR mostrou-se eficaz em todos os estudos, especialmente na delineação dos alvos forenses. O Slingram não forneceu informações úteis.

Produções discursivas do horror: materialidade fílmica e memória na trilogia de Zé do Caixão

Pós-graduação em Linguística e Língua Portuguesa - FCLAR

Pistol thrown to the ground by shooter after fatal self inflicted gunshot wound to the chest

We report the case of a 46-year-old man found dead in his apartment in a chair with a gunshot wound in his chest. All circumstances pointed to suicide as the manner of death. Finding the weapon, a SIG Sauer P228 pistol, about 2 m away from the decedent with an obstacle between weapon and corpse however generated speculation about third party involvement. Scene investigations and ballistic calculations showed that with a high probability the weapon must have been purposefully thrown away by the decedent after he fired the lethal gunshot.

Estimation of the postmortem interval by means of ¹H MRS of decomposing brain tissue: influence of ambient temperature

Standard methods for the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI, time since death), based on the cooling of the corpse, are limited to about 48 h after death. As an alternative, noninvasive postmortem observation of alterations of brain metabolites by means of (1)H MRS has been suggested for an estimation of the PMI at room temperature, so far without including the effect of other ambient temperatures. In order to study the temperature effect, localized (1)H MRS was used to follow brain decomposition in a sheep brain model at four different temperatures between 4 and 26°C with repeated measurements up to 2100 h postmortem. The simultaneous determination of 25 different biochemical compounds at each measurement allowed the time courses of concentration changes to be followed. A sudden and almost simultaneous change of the concentrations of seven compounds was observed after a time span that decreased exponentially from 700 h at 4°C to 30 h at 26°C ambient temperature. As this represents, most probably, the onset of highly variable bacterial decomposition, and thus defines the upper limit for a reliable PMI estimation, data were analyzed only up to this start of bacterial decomposition. As 13 compounds showed unequivocal, reproducible concentration changes during this period while eight showed a linear increase with a slope that was unambiguously related to ambient temperature. Therefore, a single analytical function with PMI and temperature as variables can describe the time courses of metabolite concentrations. Using the inverse of this function, metabolite concentrations determined from a single MR spectrum can be used, together with known ambient temperatures, to calculate the PMI of a corpse. It is concluded that the effect of ambient temperature can be reliably included in the PMI determination by (1)H MRS.

"Brienzi" - The blue Vivianite man of Switzerland: Time since death estimation of an adipocere body

In 1996, a cadaver in adipocere condition was discovered in a bay of the Brienzer See in Switzerland. The torso was named "Brienzi" following the "Iceman" Ötzi. Several outer parts of the body were incrusted; the incrustation was in blue color. Further investigations showed that the bluish covering of parts of the adipocere torso were a mineral known as Vivianite. Vivianite (Fe(3)(PO(4))(2-)(H(2)O)(8)) is an iron phosphate mineral with needle lengths between 100 and 150μm. It is normally associated in a context with organic archaeological and geological materials (some hundreds to millions of years old). Hitherto, it is only described in three cases of human remains. We were able to reconstruct the following facts about 'Brienzi': The man drowned in Lake Brienz or in one of its tributaries during the 1700s. The body was subsequently covered with sedimentation and thus buried under water. An earthquake produced an underwater landslide which eventually exposed the corpse.