Facial morphological analysis for the development of a representative atlas of the brazilian population.

The objective of this study was to propose categories of morphological classification for the face and its anatomical structures, as well as to propose illustrations to support the development of an atlas that facilitates facial morphological analysis of adult Brazilians. It was a descriptive study based on the analysis of the frequency and distribution of 13 photoanthropometric facial ratios (RFAs) obtained from a representative sample of the Brazilian population. RFAs related to facial height and width, eye width, intercanthal distance, nose length and width, philtrum ridge height and width, mouth thickness and width, upper and lower lip thickness, and chin height were analyzed. The study included a sample of 5.000 individuals aged between 18 and 22 years, evenly distributed between genders. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, considering them as parametric when p > 0.05. For the RFAs that showed normal distribution, mean ± 1.5 standard deviations (SD) were used to categorize facial measurements as regular, below average, or above average. Non-parametric RFAs were analyzed based on the median and 10th and 90th percentiles of the data. Based on the established average iris diameter, which is considered the most stable facial measurement, the values of the described RFAs were converted to a numerical scale in centimeters, allowing for the illustration of female and male faces. In this way, it was possible to categorize the facial anatomical structures and, consequently, visualize the facial morphological pattern of the adult Brazilian population.

The role of paranasal sinus fluid in determining drowning as the cause of death: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Drowning is a significant global cause of unintentional injury fatalities, and accurate forensic diagnosis of drowning remains a challenge due to the nonspecific nature of post-mortem findings obtained through classical autopsy methods. Our manuscript addresses this issue by focusing on the emerging use of paranasal sinus fluid as a valuable tool in determining the cause of death, specifically in distinguishing drowning from non-drowning cases. The study provided a comprehensive summary of available evidence from observational studies that compared findings in the paranasal sinuses between drowning and non-drowning victims, analyzing parameters such as the presence of fluid, fluid volume, and density. The study encompassed a total of 14 selected studies involving 1044 subjects and utilized rigorous risk of bias assessment and data synthesis techniques. The meta-analysis demonstrated a strong association between the presence of fluid in the paranasal sinuses and drowning (OR = 17.1; 95% CI 7.2 to 40.5; p < 0.001). In addition, drowning victims had a significantly greater volume of fluid (SMD = 0.8; 95% CI 0.5 to 1.2; p < 0.001) and lower fluid density (SMD = -1.4; 95% -2.5 to -0.4; p = 0.008) compared to non-drowning cases. The results support the utility of paranasal sinus fluid analysis as a valuable diagnostic method in cases where drowning is suspected but cannot be definitively confirmed through traditional approaches.

Recommendations for procedures related to the evidence chain of custody in forensic anthropology in Brazil.

Forensic anthropologists perform specialised analysis, mainly involving skeletonised human remains, cadavers in advanced stages of decomposition, disassociated elements from the human body, and human remains in extreme carbonisation. The main objectives of the forensic anthropology expertise are human identification and assisting in determining the cause and manner of death. Estimating the time since death is also a priority for some cases, especially ones involving missing persons. This science works on individual cases, violent deaths, missing persons, mass disasters, suspected violations of human rights, and crimes against humanity. Forensic anthropological evidence is, in general, very sensitive. Thus, it is important to detail aspects relevant to the maintenance of the chain of custody at all phases of the investigation, as well as standardise the actions of the individuals involved. This aims to preserve the evidence integrity and sameness (Sameness: free translation of the Portuguese word "mesmidade", derived from a Spanish word that does not possess a translation to Portuguese. Sameness of evidence is understood as the guarantee that the evidence under valuation (or under analysis of its probative value) is exactly and integrally the same one which was collected, corresponding, therefore, to "the same" (and not "part of", "derived from"), safeguarding its value. Brazil Law No. 13.964 of 14 December 2019 establishes and lists 10 phases related to the evidence chain of custody that must be followed. These newly introduced requirements resulted in the need for adaptation of the forensic, investigative, and legal actors involved in an investigation, and in the detailed description of the procedures for the different areas related to criminalistics, including forensic anthropology. The information provided in this article should be interpreted as recommendations, even though their non-compliance may weaken the investigative and forensic analysis processes in whole or in part.