ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS OF PITCH ACCENT AS A REGIONAL FORENSIC MARKER IN SERBIAN

The current research compares the acoustic correlates of pitch accent of two urban dialects of spoken Serbian, urban Niš and Novi Sad. We analyzed spontaneous speech of nineteen native speakers of Serbian with regard to vowel duration and fundamental frequency ratios. It was shown that the tone between the stressed and post-stressed vowel is generally falling in the speech of Niš, while in the speech of Novi Sad it reflects the tone of the expected pitch accent in that particular word. The same is true of the interval between the end of the stressed and the beginning of the post-stressed vowel, which is always rising in the speech of Niš. In Niš, speakers tend to produce vowels in words with falling accents as longer than in words with rising accents. On average, vowels are longer in the speech of Novi Sad. Bearing in mind that regional variations provide important forensic markers (Kašić and Đorđević 2009), this research aims to contribute to the discipline of forensic phonetics, in particular to speaker profiling. Its significance also lies in the fact that it examines spontaneous speech, and is thus relevant for forensic casework (Rose 2002; Nolan, de Jong, and McDougall 2006).

Genetic analysis of DXS101and DXS6807 short tandem repeat (X-STR) in samples of Iraqi Arab male population

Back ground: X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (X-STRs) have assured to be informative and particular role in complex relationship testing. DXS6807 known as tetra nucleotides polymorphism representing eight alleles of 251-275 bp in length. DXS6807 is located in, at XP 22.2, at a genetic distance of more than 87 and 151 Cm of X-chromosome. DXS101 is located104.9–121 cM from the Xp-telomere (Xp-tel) corresponding to cytogenetic position in Xq21.33–Xq22.3. Objective: The aim of this present study investigates the allele frequency of two markers DXS101, DXS6807 and forensic efficiency parameters for sample of Arabic Iraqi males. Material and methods: The population of this study includes 200 males apparently healthy unrelated participants from different region of Baghdad city, their ages ranged between (20-50) years. The Genomic DNA extracted and purified successfully from blood samples. Results: The forensic efficiency parameters result for these markers were following: polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.834708, power of discrimination (PD) in male 0.851750, Power of exclusion (PE) 0.698316, MEC Krüger0.511679, MEC Kishida 0.694890. The forensic efficiency parameters analyzing from Arabic population were Power of discrimination (PD) = 0.73405, Polymorphism information content (PIC) =0.69489, Power of exclusion (PE) =0.482879.MEC Krüger =0.511679, MEC Kishida = 0.694890. Conclusions: The information provided establish this X-linked microsatellite marker as a valuable strategy for forensic application. DXS101is and DXS6807 recently consider more stable and suitable forensic markers for forensic application.

Population genetics of 30 insertion/deletion polymorphisms in the Kuwaiti population

This study evaluates the forensic utility of the 30 insertion and deletion (indel) markers contained in the Qiagen Investigator® DIPplex kit in the Kuwaiti population (n = 150). All but one of the 30 markers were shown to conform to the expectations of the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. Linkage disequilibrium tests showed no statistically significant deviation from independence. The high combined power of discrimination (CPD > 99.999%) and low combined match probability (CMP) of 2.736 × 10−13 provide a satisfactory level of discrimination, allowing the DIPplex loci to be used as forensic markers for individual identification in Kuwait. The paternity indices indicate the usefulness of the DIPplex kit as a supplementary typing system for challenging paternity cases in Kuwait.

PRE-Screening for Elder Abuse in Sanglah General Hospital, Denpasar, Bali

Objectives : To identify clinically elderly individuals with elevated risk of being abused based on risk factors and potential forensic markers present. Methods : The design was a cross-sectional analysis of deidentified data taken from the medical database of Sanglah General Hospital, Denpasar. Participants were individuals aged 60 and above with specific ICD-10 coding indicating potential correlates of abuse reported in Sanglah General Hospital over a 6 year period (N = 898). Measured were participant characteristics include demographic characteristics, management and method of payment. The presence of four risk factors and seven potential forensic markers identified using ICD-10 codes were taken and summed. Analytic statistics was used for analysis. Results : Approximately two-thirds of participants were between ages 60-74, 51% were male, 87% received out-patient treatment and 85% used state insurance. 13% had multiple potential correlates of abuse. Five elders were coded with history of assault, with a further 5 coded for abuse. In logistic regression, four predictors, cognitive impairment, functional dependency, fracture and multiple injuries were identified. However only multiple injuries (P=0.008) was significantly associated with multiple risk factors and potential forensic markers of elder abuse. Conclusion : Given the ability of forensic markers to identify elder abuse strongly, it is important to further screen elderly patients who present with multiple injuries. More research is needed to further identify forensic markers of elder abuse valid within the Indonesian clinical context

Introducing forensic entomology in cases of suspected animal neglect

Cases of arthropod-infested, abandoned or abused animals are sometimes brought to the attention of veterinarians by animal welfare authorities, with the requirement for a full postmortem examination towards criminal or civil proceedings. In these situations, entomology is an important support tool for the pathologists’ investigation since the presence of arthropod life cycle stages serve as reliable forensic markers, especially for blowflies which form the first waves of activity following death. In the present study, 70 cadavers from a total of 544 referred to the Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, between 2009 and 2014 displayed evidence of infestation. Here, the authors introduce principles of applied entomology and simplified approaches for estimating the minimum time since death, relevant in the context of routine submissions and the broad remit of individual cases. Despite often limited availability of scene of the crime and local thermal data, the interpretation of the minimum postmortem interval has nonetheless proved valuable as an adjunct to the expert pathology report. However, future developments and enhanced accuracy in this area of animal welfare require resource and training in expertise, and agreed standardisation of both laboratory and field procedures.