Facial growth parameters in Down syndrome: Review of the literature and forensic application for missing persons age progression.

PURPOSE: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) show growth trajectories which deviate from standard ones due to variations in the growth of facial structures. Studying the effect of aging on the faces of DS individuals is necessary to obtain an accurate result through age progression, a technique based on the study of physiognomic features and used in cases of missing persons. Here we present scientific publications that delve into the rhythms of aging and morphological characteristics of facial features in DS individuals to enable appropriate age progression in cases of missing DS individuals. RESULTS: The scientific literature considered in this review studies the growth of soft tissue and bone substrate by comparing standard growth values with those measured through anthropometric measurements of individuals with DS. Growth trajectories are described by considering morphological trends both by comparing standard values with those found in individuals with DS and by observing individual physiognomic traits. CONCLUSIONS: When a young individual with DS goes missing, the realization of an age progression requires knowledge of the aging dynamics peculiar to the DS face. Therefore, physical, cognitive, and clinical factors must be considered. Delayed physical development and early aging, such as the onset of puberty and weight gain, have an important impact on the realization of age progression. In fact, depending on the life period to be considered, the effects of aging must be calibrated based on the knowledge gathered from scientific research.

Low Rates of Immunity among Medical Students and Residents in the Era of the Resurgence of Measles.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease spread through respiratory droplets. The number of reported cases increased worldwide in 2023, particularly in the European Region. Italy reported 213 cases in the first quarter of 2024, with most of them in unvaccinated adults aged 15-64. Maintaining high vaccination coverage is essential to prevent outbreaks, especially in healthcare settings where measles transmission is a significant risk. In our study, we collected serological and demographic information from all Italian and foreign medical students and residents (850) who underwent a pre-training assessment at the Tor Vergata Occupational Medicine Service, Rome, between 3 April 2023 and 31 January 2024. Of the 850 students and residents analyzed, we found only 546 (64.2%) with a protective level of IgG antibodies against measles, with a median IgG level of 2.00 AI. A significant proportion of students and residents were serologically non-immune, raising concerns about the potential risk of hospital transmission. To manage this risk, it is important to assess serological levels, vaccinate those with inadequate levels, and promote vaccination in the general population.

Questionable Immunity to Mumps among Healthcare Workers in Italy-A Cross-Sectional Serological Study.

Highly contagious diseases, such as mumps, are a global concern as new epidemics continue to emerge, even in highly vaccinated populations. The risk of transmission and spread of these viruses is even higher for individuals who are more likely to be exposed, including healthcare workers (HCWs). In healthcare settings, both HCWs and patients are at risk of infection during the care process, potentially leading to nosocomial epidemic outbreaks. Mumps is often underestimated compared with measles and rubella, despite being milder and less likely to spread. In fact, the risk of complications following mumps infection is extremely high, especially if the disease occurs in adulthood. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine has been shown to be an excellent preventive measure. Unfortunately, the mumps component appears to be less effective in inducing immunity than those for measles and rubella (two-dose effectiveness of 85%, 95% and 97%, respectively). The main aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of detectable mumps antibodies (serum IgG antibodies) in a cohort of Italian and foreign HCWs in relation to personal and occupational factors. We included in the study 468 subjects who underwent health surveillance at the Occupational Medicine Unit of the Tor Vergata Polyclinic in Rome during the period from January 2021 to March 2023. In our study, the proportion of HCWs found to be unprotected against mumps was very high (8.3%), and those found to be immune are below the WHO threshold for herd immunity (95%). From our data, it seems essential that all occupational health services carry out an accurate screening with a dose of anti-mumps antibodies to assess serological protection before starting a job, regardless of an individual's vaccination history. This approach is proving to be beneficial, accurate, as it allows all serologically non-immune individuals to be vaccinated in the workplace, including those who would be protected by their vaccination history but have lost the antibody response.

Applications of forensic anthropology methodology: accuracy of virtual face reproductions performed on the Tenchini collection.

Facial reproduction validation uses the methodology typical of forensic anthropology to confirm the accuracy of three-dimensional reproductions of faces. Achieving high accuracy in virtual facial reproductions is still under study. In the present paper, the Tenchini collection, which contains wax reproductions of prisoners' faces and their skulls, was used. By creating facial reproductions on skulls from this collection, the result was compared with the real face of the person to whom the skull belongs. The three-dimensional volume of each examined skull of Tenchini collection was acquired via CT scan and photogrammetry. Subsequently, the virtual reproduction of each skull was processed using three-dimensional graphics software (ZBrush, Pixologic®). The morphological comparison parameters used in the field of personal identification by forensic anthropology were used. The blind procedure required the operator to see the mask subsequent to the facial reproduction phase, so that the facial reproduction cannot exploit the information that knowledge of the mask would have produced. The parameters used in the study of facial reproductions have shown discrepancies between the characteristics of the masks and the facial reproductions, partly expected because due to the lack of soft tissue on the skull. However, a high degree of accuracy in the facial reproductions performed due to the applied methodology was documented. The present study allowed us to observe how these parameters can be useful to study the accuracy of facial reproduction and identify what difficulties are encountered in producing a result close to the real appearance.

The forensic imaging technique of age progression used within missing people cases: The Italian Missing Children association realizing age progression for Missing Child Kenya.

The age progression technique allows to update identification photos of individuals who have been missing for years. This method is based on the study of the facial variation and on the dynamics of facial growth. Knowledge about changes in the distribution of facial fat and the tone of the cartilage allows realistic predictions of the facial appearance after many years. Beside these elements, age progression is also supported by similar characters between family members. This is why photos of the missing and family members are used to create an age progression, making the new identikit accurate. Non-profit associations are crucial for the dissemination of information on the problem of missing persons. In Italy, the Italian Missing Children association provides for free an age progression service with the support of forensic anthropology. With the activation of a protocol, consisting of guidelines, and a form for the request for age progression by family members, the Italian Missing Children has started a collaboration with Missing Child Kenya. It allowed to disseminate up-to-date photos of the presumed current appearance of the missing children in Kenya. Thus, in the present study some cases are reported, in which age progression technique was applied. The photos provided by Italian Missing Children were shown in video documentaries made by Missing Child Kenya, allowing to continue the dissemination of age progression photo during the Covid quarantines and to keep the population active in the search for the missing.

Father figure: Study of the age progression process from old pictures and its value in forensic sciences.

The application of age progression to the search for missing persons demonstrates its usefulness in being able to reconstruct the aged face based on the current age of a person who has been missing for many years. Age progression takes into account facial physiognomic elements and their changes over time. Based on these premises, the present study aims to investigate the evolution of somatic features, from childhood to adulthood, of one of the authors' father using photos at different ages of him. Sixteen photos were collected depicting an individual of Italian origin between the age of 1 and 72. The photos were processed in Adobe© Photoshop software to graphically highlight the shape development of individual physiognomic elements. The shape of the face, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and cheeks were analysed in detail using a morphological approach. The ageing processes that occurred in this case were discussed on the basis of the literature. The present study demonstrates the in-depth analysis of the dynamics of facial growth in a single case. Nonetheless, aging is different for each individual, so further studies are necessary to observe facial development on as many subjects as possible.

Traumatic injuries by conducted electrical weapons: Case report of self-injury to the hand during stun gun training.

The use of non-lethal weapons has spread worldwide, being introduced as an alternative to firearms in many countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom. Among non-lethal weapons, conducted electrical weapons have been adopted worldwide, to control unruly suspected criminals or to neutralise violent situations. The stun gun belongs to this category and is the most widely available, with more than 140,000 units in use by police officers in the field in the US, and an additional 100,000 electrical stun guns owned by civilians worldwide. In Italy, the use of conducted electrical weapons by law enforcement has only recently been introduced, with private use and commercialisation still prohibited, mainly due to controversies related to the potential dangers of such devices.Before the official adoption, several experiments had to be carried out, with mechanisms that reproduced the ballistics of the stun gun. Here we present the case of a man who suffered a self-injury trauma to his hand during a ballistics exercise with a crossbow loaded with stun gun probes.

Rubella Vaccine Uptake among Women of Childbearing Age in Healthcare Settings.

BACKGROUND: Rubella is a contagious viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. Rubella is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Rubella infection in pregnant women may cause fetal death or congenital defects known as congenital rubella syndrome. There is no specific treatment for rubella, but the disease is preventable by vaccination with an efficacy of over 95%. Vaccination coverage is still below the recommended levels and many cases have occurred worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the immunization programs and the quality of disease surveillance worldwide. Operators of the healthcare setting are at increased risk of infection due to their work duties and should receive preventive vaccination or serologic protection to work in a healthcare setting. AIMS: To evaluate the serological evidence of rubella IgG antibodies in female healthcare operators of childbearing age, to assess the risk of a breakthrough infection and the need for an additional dose of vaccine. METHODS: We collected age and antibody titers from 449 young female operators aged <50 years who underwent the periodic surveillance at the Occupational Medicine Unit of the Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, from January to July 2022. Subjects were considered immune if the anti-rubella IgG titer was >11.00 IU/mL. RESULTS: The rate of serologically unprotected subjects was 9.13% (41/449). The mean age of protected subjects was 26.93 years, while the mean age of unprotected subjects was 28.24 years. Age did not correlate with mean titer on statistical analysis (p = 0.10). The acceptance rate among unprotected operators was 31.7%. A positive attitude towards vaccination was found in 11/28 (39.3%) of the unvaccinated subjects, while a negative tendency was found in 2/28 (7.1%) of these subjects; most of the unvaccinated operators 15/28 (53.6%) prefer to postpone the administration of the vaccine. When compared with a similar population from the pre-pandemic period, the actual proportion of immune female subjects was not significantly different from that found in 2019 (90.87% vs. 90.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Protection against rubella was suboptimal among female healthcare workers of childbearing age. Acceptance of the rubella vaccine among these operators was low. Most of those who were hesitant intended to postpone the vaccination, while a minority had negative attitudes toward vaccination. A policy of mandatory vaccination policy should overcome the reluctance of operators.

Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin (CDT) as a Biomarker of Alcohol Abuse: A Retrospective Study of the Italian Drinking Trend among Drivers from 2016 to 2022.

Alcohol abuse is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis of alcohol abuse enables preventive intervention on the effects and risks associated with its consumption. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is one of the most reliable biomarkers of chronic alcohol misuse. We retrospectively studied a population of 12,624 subjects who had their driving license suspended for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs from 2016 to 2022. The analytical determination of CDT was performed following a certified high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Data were split by year, age and gender. The majority of subjects with positive %CDT were male, although the trend of positivity was similar between males and females. A steady increase in both the number of tests performed and the number of positives was observed over the years. Patients aged 41-50 years had the highest prevalence, followed by 51-60, 31-40 and 18-30 years. CDT continues to be a steady marker for diagnosis of alcohol abuse in the majority of cases. Data emerging from our study are in line with the increasing national trends on traffic accidents, injuries and deaths related to alcohol and drug DUI (driving under the influence), requiring the implementation of preventive measures to limit this ever-growing phenomenon.

Trends in Illicit Cannabis Potency based on the Analysis of Law Enforcement Seizures in the Southern Area of Rome.

Cannabis remains the most illicitly produced and consumed substance worldwide, and the average trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in cannabis products (marijuana, hashish) has increased over time. This paper presents data about THC concentration in cannabis resin samples seized by law enforcement from 2015 to 2022 in the southern area of Rome (Italy). From 2015 to 2022, more than 1000 hashish samples were analyzed; the average THC content was 18.0% and dramatically increased from 13.7% (2015) to 27.1% (2022). The potency of THC in some samples characterized by unusual shape and color was higher than 24% and, in a few cases, higher than 40%. The age group most involved in seizures of cannabis resin concerned males aged between 15 and 36 years old. The spread of this phenomenon increases the risk of adverse health outcomes. Many observational studies compare the increased cannabis potency with the onset of psychosis, depression, anxiety and cannabis use disorders (CUDs), mainly in young adults. THC-potency monitoring provides data that can be helpful to create a network of communication and interaction between universities, and legislative and public health institutions to support education, awareness and surveillance related to cannabis abuse.

Protective Anti-HBs Antibodies and Response to a Booster Dose in Medical Students Vaccinated at Childhood.

The immune system in humans is regulated by the circadian rhythm. Published studies have reported that the time of vaccination is associated with the immune response to vaccine for some pathogens. Our study aimed to evaluate the association between time of dose administration of challenge HBV vaccine and seroconversion for anti-HBs in medical students vaccinated at birth who were found to be unprotected at pre-training screening. Humoral protection for HBV was assessed in 885 medical students vaccinated during childhood. In total, 359 (41.0%) of them showed anti-HBs titer < 10 UI/mL and received a challenge dose of HBV vaccine followed by post-vaccination screening 30-60 days later. The challenge dose elicited a protective immune response (anti-HBs IgG titer > 10 UI/mL) in 295 (83.8%) individuals. Seroconversion was significantly associated with female gender and time of vaccination after controlling for age group and nationality at logistic regression analysis. Students who received the booster dose in the morning had a higher response rate than those who received the vaccine in the afternoon (OR 1.93; 95% C.I. 1.047-3.56: p < 0.05). This finding suggests that morning administration of the HBV booster may result in a better immune response in susceptible individuals.

Post-mortem tetramorphism: Four morphological changes within the same corpse.

Transformative processes generally occur singly and jointly involving the whole body. Rarely, they appear simultaneously as distinct transformative phenomena. The case study relates to a corpse found inside a storage tank in a rather unusual position, during the winter months. On external examination carried out at the crime scene, both legs and feet were out of the well bending over the storage tank and showing skeletonisation and tissue defects due to biting inflicted by the environmental macrofauna. The thighs were also skeletonised, inside the well but not immersed in the water, as was the torso which, however, was entirely corified. The colliquated shoulders, head and upper limbs were fully immersed into the water as well as the macerated hands. The corpse was exposed simultaneously to three different environmental conditions: the external setting with changes in temperature, rainfall and the action of the macro fauna, the unventilated and humid setting inside the tank, and lastly the stored water. The corpse, lying in a specific position and being exposed to different atmospheric conditions, underwent four post-mortem changes at the same time, making it challenging to estimate the time of death, based only on the available data and macroscopic findings.

Serological Evaluation for Measles among Italian and Foreign Medical Students in a University Hospital in Rome.

BACKGROUND: Measles infection in the hospital setting is a major issue. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, measles outbreaks continue to occur in some European countries. We aimed to evaluate the immunological status of medical students attending the Tor Vergata Polyclinic (PTV). METHODS: Measles antibodies titers were assessed by venipuncture on a sample of 2717 medical students who underwent annual health surveillance visits from January 2021 to March 2023. Subjects showing serum IgG values above 1.0 S/CO were considered serologically protected. Personal data, country of origin, and main demographic characteristic were also collected. RESULTS: 66.7% (1467 Italian and 346 foreign) of medical students showed protective IgG antibodies levels. Female students were serologically immune more frequently than males (68.6% vs. 63.3%; p < 0.01 at Chi2). The mean antibody titer was 1.72 S/CO, significantly higher in females than males (1.67 vs. 1.75, respectively; p < 0.05), and significantly related to age (p < 0.01). Albanian students, who were the largest foreign population in our study, showed a low serological protection rate (40/90: 44.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of serologically non-immune students is high, raising concerns about the possible risk of hospital transmission. Substantial differences in the rate of immunity have been found between subjects coming from different parts of Europe and the world. Pre-training assessment of all medical students and vaccination of susceptible individuals is highly recommended, particularly for those from low immunization rate countries.

The Effect of Physical Exercise during COVID-19 Lockdown.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted an effect on the general population that went over every expectation. To explore the effect of physical exercise (PE) during the national lockdown in Italy, a survey was drawn up and administered to a sample composed of 208 subjects. The questionnaire comprised 81 multiple-choice items, including sociodemographic data, health-related questions, and assessment of physical exercise, satisfaction with life, depression, and personality. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of physical exercise during the outbreak following the present hypothesis: first, if a link exists between the time spent on physical exercise during the lockdown and the perceived health condition, depressive and somatic symptomatology, and life satisfaction; second, to find associations among the SF-12 component summaries and the other psychological outcomes; and finally, to explore how physical and psychological variables are predictive of PCS-12 and MCS-12. The results showed that both vigorous and moderate physical exercise was strongly correlated with psychological variables, with statistically significant negative correlations found between age and physical exercise. Additionally, significant positive correlations were observed between physical exercise and mental health indices, such as MCS-12 and SWLS, whereas negative correlations were found with BDI, PCS-12, and SOM-H. The correlation analysis also revealed that physical and individual mental health summaries were associated with psychological outcomes, with statistically significant negative correlations found between PCS-12 and MCS, PCS-12 and SOM-H, and MCS-12 and BDI scores. Regression analysis showed that physical activities and psychological status both had a direct influence on perceived mental and physical well-being during the lockdown, accounting for 56.7% and 35.5% of the variance, respectively. The p-values for the significant correlations ranged from <0.05 to <0.01. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of physical exercise and psychological well-being in maintaining good health during the pandemic.

LC-MS/MS Application in Pharmacotoxicological Field: Current State and New Applications.

Nowadays, it is vital to have new, complete, and rapid methods to screen and follow pharmacotoxicological and forensic cases. In this context, an important role is undoubtedly played by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) thanks to its advanced features. This instrument configuration can offer comprehensive and complete analysis and is a very potent analytical tool in the hands of analysts for the correct identification and quantification of analytes. The present review paper discusses the applications of LC-MS/MS in pharmacotoxicological cases because it is impossible to ignore the importance of this powerful instrument for the rapid development of pharmacological and forensic advanced research in recent years. On one hand, pharmacology is fundamental for drug monitoring and helping people to find the so-called "personal therapy" or "personalized therapy". On the other hand, toxicological and forensic LC-MS/MS represents the most critical instrument configuration applied to the screening and research of drugs and illicit drugs, giving critical support to law enforcement. Often the two areas are stackable, and for this reason, many methods include analytes attributable to both fields of application. In this manuscript, drugs and illicit drugs were divided in separate sections, with particular attention paid in the first section to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and clinical approaches with a focus on central nervous system (CNS). The second section is focused on the methods developed in recent years for the determination of illicit drugs, often in combination with CNS drugs. All references considered herein cover the last 3 years, except for some specific and peculiar applications for which some more dated but still recent articles have been considered.

Informed Consent: Legal Obligation or Cornerstone of the Care Relationship?

The topic of informed consent has become increasingly important in recent decades, both in the ethical-deontological field and as a duty of law. The review covered all sentences issued by the 13th section of the Civil Court of Rome during the period January 2016-December 2020. During this period, 156 judgments were found in which a breach of consent was required; in 24 of these, specific liability was proven, and the corresponding compensation liquidated. Moreover, 80% of the cases concerned the lack of information provided. The most involved branches were those related to surgical areas: general surgery, plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine and orthopaedics. The total amount of compensation paid was EUR 287,144.59. The research carried out has highlighted how, in a broad jurisprudential context, the damage caused by the violation of the right related to informed consent is considered, and how it impacts on the economic compensation of damages. Additionally, it showed that the areas most affected by the information deficit are those related to the performance of surgical activities, which are characterized by greater invasiveness and a higher risk of adverse events. The data reported underline the exigency to consider informed consent not as a mere documentary allegation but as an essential moment in the construction of a valid therapeutic alliance, which is also useful for avoiding unnecessary litigation that is becoming increasingly burdensome for healthcare systems all over the world.

When the Helmet Is Not Enough: Forensic Multidisciplinary Reconstruction of a Deadly Motorcycle Accident.

We report the case of a 54-year-old man who died in a motorcycle accident due to loss of control of the vehicle on a viaduct. No other vehicles were apparently involved, except for a car hit by the motorcycle after it fell. A post-mortem CT scan (computed tomography scan) was performed showing complex head trauma with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and multiple skull and facial bone fractures. A forensic cinematic reconstruction performed by an engineer was needed to exclude other incident causes other than the loss of control. The multidisciplinary approach that included autopsy findings, a cinematic reconstruction, a helmet test and an examination played a key role in clarifying the dynamics of the accident, allowing us to explain how the death occurred despite the motorcyclist's helmet use. The cause of death was identified as a penetrating head trauma with cerebral material exposure, produced by the impact of the head against a fixed bolt in the guardrail base. Despite the use of the helmet, the impact force was enough to render the protection ineffective and allowed the bolt to penetrate through the helmet and the skull.

Forensic applications of hyperspectral imaging technique: a narrative review.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) collects and processes information from the entire electromagnetic spectrum to obtain the spectrum of each pixel in the image of a scene, with the aim of finding objects and identifying materials. It is a non-contact, non-destructive technology that can be used without modifying or altering the analysed target. Forensic analysis and crime scene investigations are two of the most investigated fields of application, being able to detect and analyse many types of evidence.In this paper we analysed the most commonly reported forensic science applications.The literature indicates that the fields in which HSI appears most promising are the analysis of blood traces, document forgery, gunshot residues and the identification of fingerprints.

Antigenicity Preservation Is Related to Tissue Characteristics and the Post-Mortem Interval: Immunohistochemical Study and Literature Review.

The main aim of this study was to investigate the post-mortem proteolytic degradation process of selected tissue antigens and correlate it to the post-mortem interval. During the autopsy of 12 cadavers (time interval ranging 1 day-2 years after death) samples of skin, liver, kidney, and spleen were collected. All samples were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. Four µm paraffin sections were used for hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical analysis (Ki67, Vimentin, Pan cytokeratin, and CD20). Data reported here show that immunohistochemical reactivity preservation was related to the characteristics of the tissues. In particular, the most resistant tissue was the skin, where the autolysis phenomena were not appreciable before 5 days. On the contrary, the liver and the spleen underwent early autolysis, while the kidney displayed an early autolysis of the tubules and a late one of the glomeruli. As concerns specific antigens, immunoreactivity was lost earliest for nuclear antigens as compared to cytoplasmic ones. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that immunohistochemical detection of specific antigens may be useful in estimating the post-mortem interval, especially when we need to know whether the post-mortem interval is a few days or more than 7-10 days.